Haha. Next please!

Disclaimer is always the same.

There's talk now that if Axel succeeds in getting his partner back, then we'll all be switching units again. I am relieved. The jokes circulating about our unit name, Sleepless, are extremely unrespectable. And that oaf of a partner Xigbar believes that it's absolutely hilarious. Heh, immature brats.

I knew his face. It was so familiar. I realized, after a bit, that it was a face that I see everyday. His face was identical to mine.

His name came to my mind like a speeding bullet. It was only natural that I know his name. We shared one name. And we shared one name because I was him. I was this person. Or maybe…maybe he was me? Either way, this spiky haired brunette with twin sapphire eyes was me. My other half.

Sora.

The Sora I was looking at right now was a child. He was on an island, some tropical paradise looking place that I hear people only dreaming about. An object was in his hand…a wooden sword? And there were two other's with him. A small red haired girl who had just moved to the islands. And there was also Sora's absolute best friend, Riku. I could feel Sora's feelings. Everything he felt, I felt. And there was something between him and the silver haired boy. Something that not even the brunette could explain.

But Sora knew that he loved this Riku. How deeply? He wasn't sure. And at this age, I don't even think he consciously knew of any connection or feeling. But if something were to ever happen to Riku…he didn't know if he could go on. It was strange for a little kid to think, but that was just the way Sora felt.

My dream skipped forward and I was standing beside a curved tree that held yellow star shaped fruit near its branches. The skies were dark and angry with nasty billowing clouds swirling in the sky. Two figures stood facing each other. Instantly I sensed Sora and noticed that he was older. Riku was there as well, his hand outstretched for Sora to take. The brunette was struggling and I could feel his desperation, his need to grab Riku's hand. And I could feel his absolute despair when he wasn't able to reach Riku and the two of them were separated.

The next part came in different flashes and I witnessed Sora venturing on a new journey. He wasn't home. He wanted to get home. He wanted to find Riku and Kairi. He wanted to be united with his friends. The flashes were fast.

Donald…Goofy…two friends joined Sora. They were searching too…they wanted to find their king. So many different worlds. A large castle, a sandy desert, a holiday themed town, an underwater palace. So many different places…so many difference experiences.

Key.

Sora was the key. He held the key in his hands. A weapon? I couldn't determine exactly what it was. I'd never seen anything like it before, but I felt drawn to it, just watching as Sora slaved away at defeating the strange black, twitching creatures.

Sora was the key. I was Sora. Sora was me.

I was the key?

I felt like that was the answer. I felt like…Sora was my answer.

And then I woke up.

I sat up quickly, startled from the dream I had just been dreaming. I stared down at my hand, at the open palm that was slightly sweaty. I open and closed my fist a few times. I swear I could feel the weight of that weapon sitting in my hand. And it was so familiar. It was different from a struggle bat. That weapon…that key…

"Key…blade?"

I said the word out loud and it just clicked. It made sense. That was what it was. It was a keyblade. And I felt pulled, connected with it. I felt the power just thinking about it.

Sora was the key. I was the key. Because I was Sora and Sora was me.

What in the world?

I knew I had to do something to get all of this off of my mind. Today just wasn't the day that I wanted to think about it. I wanted to clear my mind. I wanted to enjoy a day with my friends without these strange happenings. No distractions. Just me with Hayner and Olette. And eventually Pence when he returned. I needed a break, that was it.

Taking a deep steadying breath, I gently peeled back my covers and did my best to mentally prepare myself for the day ahead. I tried to keep my mind blank as I changed my clothes. I rubbed the remaining amount of sleep from my eyes. It was like I just couldn't see properly. I shook my head, my blonde locks hitting either side of my skull. Alright, I could do this.

I stood up quickly from my bed and swayed just a bit.

Ugh, everything was making me mentally exhausted. My body felt like it had slept perfectly all night, but my brain was telling me to get back into bed and sleep for the next century. I felt so drained, like I should just give up for the day already. But I couldn't. I needed one day, that's all. One day to function like a normal human being and have a normal, boring, on schedule day like the ones I was getting so tired of going through. Now that sounded like heaven.

I dressed at a snail's pace and knew that I shouldn't even bother to look down at the XIII mark on my hip. I didn't want to see that it was filled in more. I didn't want to have the possibilities that it held float through my mind and disturb me. Ignore it. That's all I had to do…ignore everything today, at least to the best of my abilities.

I left my room and it was so strange. It was like, the second that I entered the hallway, a presence that had been floating around me left. I didn't noticed it until it suddenly went missing. The only way I could describe it was like being in your house around a cozy fire then suddenly being yanked from that and being thrown into a snow bank. It was just…unwanted and uncomfortable. I felt my body physically shudder and I contemplated turning back and closing myself in my room all day.

So much for a normal day.

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I did what I set out to do and ignored the emptiness that I was suddenly feeling. I walked to the stairs and headed down to the kitchen where the warming smell of French toast and bacon wafted from. I inhaled deeply and any thoughts of impending doom left my mind. Instead I could only think of mom's homemade breakfast and just how hungry I was. I never really ate a true meal last night and my lunch yesterday was a bit scarce as well.

Not surprisingly I found my best friend sitting at my table eating my breakfast. You'd honestly think that his parent didn't give two hoots about him seeing as he was at my house every morning for breakfast. It was like they didn't feed him or something (which I knew they did). Either way, I knew he enjoyed coming here every morning, judging by the delighted look on his face, the way his tail curled around his mid-section as though it were stroking his own stomach, and the all too obvious moan that was drawn from his mouth. French toast orgasm much?

"Oh, Roxas! Goodness, I was afraid you weren't going to wake up or something!" My mother placed the next plate of breakfast goodness on the table and instantly advanced to my side, her hands cupping my cheeks as she clucked her tongue in a motherly concerning way. I would have pulled away but that would have been a mean thing to do since I knew that she was just concerned. The events of yesterday flooded my mind; Demyx, passing out, waking up in my room, Axel…

Oh, Axel.

My chest clenched distressfully with the thought of him. He wasn't here. I didn't like that and I couldn't explain why. I just didn't like acknowledging the fact that Axel wasn't here, at my side. I knew he should be but he just…wasn't.

"Roxas? Dude, you are so spacey lately."

I looked up at Hayner and (disgustingly) saw him shove a huge piece of French toast into his mouth, all the while his eyes were staring at me curiously.

"Honey, maybe you should rest for the day. You don't look well." Her thumb stroked the skin just under my eyes and her own eyes were scrutinizing everything she saw. "You looked alright whenever I checked up on you last night. You slept like a rock. I think you were muttering something at one point. Did you have a nightmare baby?"

I loved that my mom was a concerned woman, but she made me feel guilty whenever I wanted to keep something to myself. I felt like I was obligated to tell her so she would either leave me alone or try and help me. And in this case, she wouldn't and couldn't do either. I did my best then to try and look alert.

"It's alright, I'll be fine."

She looked highly unconvinced and Hayner even shook his head at me. Olette must be rubbing off on him because he said, "You're staying home today. I'm not carrying you when you collapse on me."

What a friend, a real pal. Not.

But that did remind me. "What happened yesterday? I remember talking to…uh, walking up to the station and then I was back here in bed." Good one, nearly let the fact that I'm talking to weirdo freaks who apparently know who I am slip out. Genius Roxas, genius.

"I got a call from Hayner yesterday, and he told me that Seifer, Rai and Fuu had found you in the middle of the street passed out." Mom walked behind me and started pushing at my back, forcibly moving me to the table. I sat across from Hayner and he watched me with careful brown eyes. I may feel like crap, I may look like crap, but I wanted to tell him to stop watching me like he was waiting for me to drop dead out of my chair.

"Seifer?" I asked, almost incredulously. I started stacking the buttery toasted bread and bacon onto my plate. I reached for the syrup and my eyes connected with Hayner's as my mother took a seat beside me.

"Yeah," Hayner went on and I was amazed to see that he set his fork down. "I decided to come over here after dinner to see you since you left me hanging after our struggle."

"You were busy arguing with Seifer. I didn't feel like I was needed. When did you noticed I'd left?" I know that I had a bit of sarcasm poisoning my words and true, I wanted him to feel a bit guilty. He just glared at me. So much for that plan working.

"That doesn't matter right now. And I did notice, alright. Right away. Anyways, I came over and found the door unlocked so I walked in to find what? Seifer and his little buddies hanging around watching TV in your living room." So apparently my house is open to all visitors now. Welcome, we're open 24/7. Breakfast and dinner served every morning and night, lunch on weekends. Free television and internet service. Mom and I could probably make a fortune for boarding and meals off of Hayner alone.

"So you walked in and Seifer, Fuujin and Raijin were just…here?" I couldn't wrap the image of the trio so casually lounging around my house. And Hayner walking in to find them?

"Yeah. I asked them what the hell they were doing here. Seifer told me that they found you in the street and figured that they couldn't just leave you there. So they brought you home to discover that Amara was at work and the doors locked. They didn't have anyone's number and they weren't going to leave you on the front step." Hayner reached for more bacon, savagely biting a piece off between his teeth. My fork sat stationary in my hand when I realized something and I felt my grip on it loosen.

"The house was locked when they got here? So then how'd they get in?" I asked this and started getting an idea. We didn't have spare keys left around our porch. Mom and I just had the keys that we kept on us. And that meant…that meant…

"Rai noticed the key around your neck. So they took it off and tried it to find that that's your house key." Hayner relayed this like it was nothing and I could already feel some rage boiling in my stomach. My appetite suddenly went down the drain and the fork finally dropped from my hand where it clattered to the table with a deafening sound. I gripped the item that was around my neck.

"They used my key? They took my key from me and used it? Without my permission?" Oh yes, I was angry. No one touches my key. No one. Period. That was final.

"Well it wasn't like they could ask you when you're knocked out cold. What else were they supposed to do Rox, leave you on the door step until Amara or I found you?" Hayner was growing agitated.

My tail flickered angrily. Did he not understand how important this key was to me? It was my safety, my security! It was such a personal thing to me. It was something that promised me that I had somewhere to go. And they took my personal property and used it without my permission? How was that okay? My key was just that, my key. Not Seifer's, not even Hayner's. It was mine. It was my security blanket. And they took it off me!

"Sweetie, he had perfect right to use it. There weren't any ill intentions. The three were just trying to help you." My mother spoke softly and I just looked at her like I had been betrayed. Did she not understand? My own mother? I didn't get these people. Surely my mother and best friend would be able to comprehend how much the key meant to me!

I flattened my ears against my bowed head, my bangs thankfully covering my eyes. I felt sick to my stomach and I had no idea why. Was I really that angry over all of this? Shouldn't I be grateful that Seifer, Seifer of all people found me, helped me, and stayed in my house to make sure nothing was seriously wrong with me? Where was the gratitude that I was supposed to feel?

I was so tired all of sudden.

"You know, I think I'm going to just go back up to bed. I need to rest for the day." I stood up from the table, my breakfast half eaten. No matter how good it was, I'd never be able to finish it at this point.

"Should I stay home from work today? I can take a sick day." I knew she was concerned, but having mom hover over me for the day was not something that I could tolerate at the moment.

"No. Just go to work. I'll be fine. I'll call you if I need anything." I didn't turn to look at them. I just walked straight out of the kitchen and marched right up the stairs and to my room. I shut the door behind me and resisted the urge to just collapse against it right there. My legs felt like led when I walked to my bed. Changing clothes be damned. Today was just not the day. I hadn't been awake half an hour and it was already turning out to be pretty damn shitty.

My bed was very welcoming when I climbed into it. My blankets hugged me warmly and despite everything, I smiled. It was nice, like a pair of arms encircling me. Such a familiar thing…

Familiar? Arms…around me? As far as I knew, I'd never really dated or been with anyone before. The ears and tail proved that. So why did I have a vague memory (memory?) of being in someone's arms. Someone warm…very warm. And comforting, relaxing. Loving.

And with a quick reality check, I found out that I was in my bed all alone practically raping my blanket. The poor thing. It was cold though, without those arms. Someone's missing. Someone I love is missing. I don't know how it came about, and I don't know why I was thinking this, but I just knew that I wasn't supposed to be alone. I was supposed to be with someone. Right now. For the rest of my life.

Maybe I was living a double life and I can't remember a thing about the other side?

My pillow was giving off some good sleep vibes though and it seemed that the instant my head came in contact with it, I was off into dreamland.

I hadn't been in Twilight Town long when he found me. And when I say a short amount of time, I mean it. I hadn't even been able to introduce myself to the nice looking group of kids that I saw walking around. I could remember it. I was going to go up and talk to them, introduce myself as…as…

Now that I think about it, I didn't have a name then. I don't know what my name was or even if I had a name. But that wasn't going to stop me.

Okay, really I just didn't want to be alone. I'd spent so much time in darkness, watching life go by through the eyes of another. I'd had to just sit back, watch what was happening. Some big adventure. Finding our friends, helping other worlds. Stuff like that.

But here I was, walking on my own free will, speaking what I wanted to speak, going where I wanted to go. I wasn't in control for half the time anymore. I was my own person now. Cool? No, to be quite honest, it was kinda scary.

I don't remember how I got here. Twilight Town they called it. I just…ended up here somehow. At least it was a nice place. People were friendly here and it was truly a beautiful town. Through my past adventures, I'd never been in a place like this one before. It was so nice too. Like…it was so well balanced. There wasn't too much light or darkness here. Just a perfect blend of each creating a silent harmony.

And then I saw him.

Well, not at first. I'd been walking around, just exploring when a portal, all black and swirling morphed into place right before me. Honest to god, I screamed. And not in a very manly way either. So naturally I was blushing profusely when he stepped out of the portal.

Oh boy.

No lie when I say it felt like we were opposite ends of a magnet being pulled to each other. That was literally how it felt. I could feel my body's urge to just go up and leap into his arms. But it was my brain that told me that that wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. I had no idea who he was.

Blistering red hair, captivating jade eyes. His playful looking tail was constantly moving like ocean waves. I was caught, simple as that.

"So lucky of me to have found a wandering Nobody."

Nobody? Okay buster, I don't care how hot you are, I am somebody. Without a name…or purpose. Well that didn't matter because I was walking around, talking and being me. Whoever I was, that is.

My throat had run dry and I was incapable of talking. He cocked his head to the side a bit a smirked in a very sexy fashion. "You are a cutie. How about you come with me?"

What was he offering? I had nothing to give him. And where was he going to take me? I had so many questions and no voice to ask with.

"Cat got your tongue? It's alright, I know I take a lot of people's breath away. No need to say anything. Come along with me, I'll give you a place with my little group, just something to do to kill time and I'll explain the details on the way. How about that?"

He held his hand out to me and I was tempted to take it. But that was wrong. Trusting people out of the blue wasn't a good habit and not one that I should start. I narrowed my eyes in my own attempt to look tough and took a step back. That was harder than anyone could think. Magnet attraction. What. The. Fuck.

"I'm not someone to be afraid of. Come on," he said in a very sultry voice. Did he think he could seduce me into going with him? Yeah, that didn't scream rape or anything. "You can trust me."

Oh-ho, yeah buddy, I'll take you up on that offer. Thanks but no thanks, I can find my way around here on my own. Strange (though sexy) men appearing out of strange black portals in straight black clothing didn't scream 'danger!' at all.

"Look kid, you aren't like any of the people that you see walking around here. You're like me. We're the same, got it memorized? So you can trust me before you can trust the rest of this society." He moved his fingers in a 'come hither' fashion but I didn't budge. As much as I wanted to, I didn't.

He sighed, his red ears drooping. "Alright, here's the deal. I'll give you some time, some space. I can see that you're new to this whole experience. You'll get used to it. I'll come tomorrow, okay? I'll find you and you'll come with me."

With those final words he stepped backwards soundlessly and he disappeared in the portal, the thing disappearing in a sea of black mist. Nope, not ominous or anything. And where did he get the impression that I was going to go with him willingly?

I started walking through the streets when I saw the huge wall that cut off the town with an off scene place. I think I heard those kids talking about a mansion back there. And there was a hole in the wall…ah! There! There was a cracked hole that looked it'd been made after a long bit of work on it. Might as well go explore that place as well. There really wasn't much for me to do around here anyways. Just thinking that kinda gives me a feeling of detachment.

Hm, whatever.

Clearing my head of any thoughts, I took off to the wall in search for the mansion.

Waking with a groan, I rubbed my aching head and slowly opened my eyes. The sky outside was brighter, meaning it was sometime in the afternoon. I glanced at the clock sitting on the computer desk across the room. 12:46. Great, I'd been asleep that long? How in the world?

"Hello, Roxas."

A scream worked its way up into my throat but was stuck there as I sat up, fairly startled by the extremely feminine voice that spoke. I looked around wildly until my eyes fell upon a small girl around my age, dressed in a pure white dress and sandals. Her blonde hair fell gently over her right shoulder, she had oddly tall ears that could almost pass as rabbit ears, and she was smiling at me kindly. Well if that wasn't a strange sight to wake up to. Now the question was; who the hell was this girl?

"Uh, hi?"

Maybe I should really try to turn mom onto the idea of opening our home up to anyone who wants to waltz right in. Seems that people loved doing that anyways.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to spook you like I did."

"Oh no," I said with a yawn. "You fit in perfectly with all of the other strange things that have been happening." She giggled at my words and I couldn't help but break out a small smile. I already liked her.

"I just…wanted to see you is all."

I gave her a questioning look. "Alright? Not to be rude, but who are you?"

"Naminé. That's my name."

Naminé. It fit. I don't know why, it just seemed like it did. Next question…what did she really want from me? She couldn't possibly just want to see me, could she? Then again, it seemed like that was what all of these strange people wanted from me.

And then, just like the day before, things around us began to morph and tear. My breath seemed to be stolen from me and I looked around, waiting for some horrible happening to get over with or for me to suddenly blank out once more. Naminé looked a bit crestfallen and not too worried. More like disappointed.

"I have to go Roxas. Please, come to the mansion later."

And like that, she was gone. Pulled from my room in a flurry of pixilation and numbers. Like something from a computer. The strange obstruction to everything around me only lasted a few more seconds before it ceased and I was left alone, in my soundless room once more. I sat up in my bed, staring at the spot that Naminé had just been in. Her entrance was unexpected and her exit was baffling. I guess I should really give up trying to figure everything out. Perhaps I should just let it all happen, since it seemed that nothing was going to stop it all.

Okay, the mansion. She wanted me to go there. I knew I had to go there. I was being pulled…

I sighed then. This being pulled and drawn to everything was getting old fast. Fine, I get it. There was definitely something about myself that I didn't know or couldn't remember. There was just way too much evidence pointing to it. Now, what was it? I had a feeling that there was so much that I was connected with. There was something at that mansion that I was connected with.

I stood fluently, feeling better than I had this morning and didn't hesitate when I let my feet carry me down the stairs and to the front door. I was set on going somewhere but I still stopped to lock the door and grasp the key around my neck. Still there, where it should be.

As I walked through the streets to the wall that would take me to the mansion, I began to remember the dream I had this morning.

It was when I had first met Axel apparently. The first time? So there was a time that I was here…before I was here? Did that make sense? Alright, so I had first arrived in Twilight Town sometime ago. But when? Then something…maybe something…happened between the time that I was here before and here now. Where did I go? I had to have gone somewhere. But as far as my memory serves me, I've always been here, in Twilight Town. But that also brings up the strange dream I had before, of being in the stark white room, me and Axel and those two other occupants.

Their names brushed through my mind fleetingly. And there were more of those cloaked figures.

So when I first met Axel, he offered for me to go with him wherever that was. Did I…I must have gone with him.

So let's put this all together.

I ended up in Twilight Town after…something. And that was when I met Axel for the first time. He offered for me to go with him somewhere and I must have gone with him. Got it. Now, this is where there's a big gap in the plot. What happened that I ended up in Twilight Town again? And all I knew now was that they wanted me back wherever I was before.

But besides that, I had all this new junk to sort out with Sora and Naminé. She was a big enough mystery on her own. And Sora as well. I knew there was something about Sora. I felt like I was him in a way. And I felt like I needed to find him…to get back to him. Why was that? And this whole ordeal with the keyblade? That was something I definitely didn't understand.

As I was walking through the streets, I kept glancing down at my hand. Keyblade…it kept coming to my mind. Just like I knew in my heart and soul that Axel was supposed to be by my side, the keyblade was supposed to be in my hand.

And then time stopped. The people walking around just froze, the very atmosphere and air stopped. It was eerily silent and I had the distinct feeling of eyes watching me overcome all of my senses. I looked around frantically and knew instantly that they were back for me. And they weren't going to be playing around with convincing words. Now they would try to take action.

From the stone laden ground of the street, a number of those bizarre white things like the one that was with Demyx popped up, circling their way around me. They began to close in and I couldn't go in any direction to get away from them. I was surrounded. It was all over. I couldn't get away.

No! I couldn't think that way. I needed something. Some sort of protection. Something powerful that I could use to fend these things off with.

Keyblade.

With a white flash, the object I had seen in my dreams was suddenly in my hand. The handle in my grip was a stunning gold and my eyes traveled up the silver length of the key, looking at it with a mesmerized expression. This…this was the keyblade. In my hand. Glistening in the afternoon light.

I felt its power.

It was amazing.

Like nothing else.

Wicked.

Instincts took over and I had a somewhat familiar adrenaline rush as I crouched down into a fighting stance. The white beings moved awkwardly in place, still in the surrounding circle. I knew I would be the first to take action and that's just what I did. I swung the weapon forward, finding it surprisingly light and I sliced through the white monster that was directly before me.

And with that one strike they were on me like angry bees. They came at me in all directions but I wasn't going to let them stop me. I swung the keyblade like a madman, beating all the things that came close to me. Sure I really had no idea what I was doing, but as far as I was concerned I was beating the shit out of these things and holding my own pretty damn well.

Then I got head butted in the back and was sent flying forward. Haha, thought too soon.

I was being pulled again, towards the mansion. I knew that I had to get there soon so I did what my instincts told me to do. I ran.

I ran fast through the streets, the frozen people stuck in one lasting moment of the day. It was creepy. Like I was the only one who would be able to save them.

I ran faster, running past the white beings that kept showing up before me. I didn't have time to face them. If I stopped to fight them all off, it would take me all day just to make it to the wall.

My lungs were burning with every gasp of air I took in, but that was the least of my concerns now. My eyes were focused as I ran along the street and then I could see it. The hole in the wall, same as ever. I sprinted faster towards it and the second I made it through, I was hit by the cool shadows of the forest.

It was quiet under the veil of the leaves and the grass crumpled softly beneath my shoes. I stopped and began to walk now, taking in big lungfuls of air that burned the back of my throat but felt good all the same. My eyes adjusted to the dim lighting as I walked up the pathway that led to the mansion. I got to the slight hill that led the way up to the front gates.

Hurry Roxas!

The voice was deep with a slight accent and totally unfamiliar. It just spoke in head like it lived in there. But I felt almost frantic, like something was going to happen and I was about to miss it. I jogged up the hill and stood before the front gates.

And waiting for me there was a group of white creatures. Those things just didn't let up, did they? They wasted no time either because right when they spotted me, they were after me. I began to beat them away with the keyblade, surprised by my own reflexes in dodging the things. Thank god for struggle tournaments because if I didn't practice for them year round, who knows what might have become of me already. Beating people up with foam bats really does serve a purpose when you're fighting for your own life.

I sent a nasty blow to one of the things right in the face and it went spiraling from me. Another came up from the side and took a swipe at my leg, creating a tear in my pants. At the same time, one of them wrapped itself around my waist and I looked down at its creepy no-face appearance. I swallowed hard and did my best to shove the thing off me. It wouldn't budge. But I kept trying in vain since the other creatures were fast approaching now that I was caught. The stupid thing wouldn't get off though and I began to worry.

Right when I thought that it was over for me, another weapon came crashing down upon the thing, sending it away with a burst of light. The blade I was looking at resembled a demonic wing. The power emanating from it was somehow familiar. I followed it up to find a figure in a black cloak, the same one I saw Axel and his group wearing. I backed away, alarmed and had my keyblade at the ready in case he decided to turn on me.

"Go," he said and motioned to the gate behind him.

I nodded once and moved behind him, looking up at the gate that was shut tight with a giant lock and chains. Thanks guys, call me here and lock me out. Now what was I supposed to do? I closed my eyes.

I could see Sora standing before a door that was locked. He had the keyblade in his hand and he raised it, his face marred with concentration. And just like that, a beam of light shot from the end of the keyblade and to the lock which burst into light.

I looked down at the key in my hand. So it wasn't just a weapon after all. That vision…it was telling me what to do. I raised my arm and pointed the keyblade at the lock and silently asked it to help me, to unlock the gate. Just as soon as my thought ended a beam of light identical to the one I saw shoot from Sora's keyblade soared up into the lock and with a bright light, the lock disappeared.

Nice.

The gate opened and I ran through, not even bothering to look back to the guy who helped me. I just looked straight ahead and ran to the front doors of the mansion. I hesitated once I got there. What in the world could be in store for me once I walked through those doors? Most likely nothing that could possibly shock me.

I didn't realize I was shaking until I went to take hold of the door handle. The vibrations from my hand caused the thing to tremor before I could even turn it. I would question this behavior of myself but seeing the situation I was in currently, that was a stupid thing to wonder about.

The door opened with a creak and I stepped into a very dark and desecrated foyer. Broken pillars and such littered the floor and gave this place a truly abandoned feeling. I only hoped now that someone was actually here and that I wasn't lead to this place just to be tricked.

I took a step forward and took a good look around. This place couldn't have been inhabited for years, decades even. So why is it that Naminé and that strange voice beckoned me here? I mean, there was obvious evidence that I should be here, given that the cloaked guy outside told me to come here. And I felt a pull; which I was starting to doubt this strange 'attraction' to things now. Still, though I was questioning a lot of things, especially what was happening now, I felt as though I had a purpose here at this very moment.

"Roxas!"

I looked up at the stairway and saw Naminé standing behind the banister, waving her hand at me. I ran forward and bound up the stairs where I met her at the top and I hunched over a bit, tired of everything already.

"You're alright?" she asked in a very concerned manor. I held my hand up to signal that I was fine. She leaned down and touched my shoulder. "Come on, there's something I need to show you."

She didn't wait for me and she started to walk away. I followed after her, keyblade hanging at my side.

Our footfalls were loud in this quite mansion. I had a strange feeling about this building.

"Roxas," Naminé spoke. "You do know what you are, don't you?"

Her question confused me and my brows knit together when I glanced over at her. She wasn't looking at me, instead she was looking down at her clasped hands that were extended down in front of her.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I said truthfully.

"Oh." We stopped before a closed door at the end of the second floor walkway and she opened it, allowing me to enter first. I walked into a library, the walls made completely of bookshelves that were lined with hundreds of ancient looking books. I faltered just in front of the doorframe and felt Naminé brush by me. My eyes then focused on her and watched her actions as she walked to the center of the room where a very large and old looking table sat. She bent over and I moved so I could see what she was doing.

Some strange design was drawn on the table, an array of patterns. The girl was adding to the patterns in neat, smooth movements. She finished it off and pulled me off to the side of the room with her. I didn't understand why she pulled me away from the table so quickly until the floor and table that had been there disappeared completely, shocking me greatly. This now revealed a staircase off to the left side leading down into a new area. The silver metallic walls and floors were a deep contrast from the polished wood of the library.

Naminé turned to me and smiled. "Roxas, you and I are the same. We're not technically anyone. We're…" She looked hesitant and upset. "We're only half a person. Nobodies. That's what we're called. We're half of one person, the other half being our Somebodies. But, out of those two halves, we are the part that is not supposed to exist. We're not supposed to be here, walking and talking freely on our own. We are supposed to be with our Somebodies, to make them complete. We don't have-"

"That's quite enough, Naminé."

The words the girl was about to speak were caught in her throat and she looked suddenly nervous. Like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't have been doing. I noticed the voice as well; it was the same voice that had told me to hurry getting to the mansion. That low, accented voice.

Appearing suddenly in the same mess of pixilation and numbers, a tall man dressed elaborately in long black robes, red cape and red bandages that covered nearly his entire face with the exception of one gleaming orange eye and his mouth, stood before the two of us. I took a hesitant step back and gripped the keyblade in both of my hands cautiously. I didn't the like the distrustful aurora I got from him.

"We'll be with Sora," the guy said when he finally looked at me. He took Naminé's arm roughly in his and pulled her to his side. I clenched my teeth, my grip tightening. "Meet us there, Roxas."

Similar to his entrance, they exited the room and left me all alone.

Damn, now what was I to do? They'd be with Sora? But…how was I supposed to know where Sora was? Man, this was so infuriating!

Well, start with the obvious. Naminé had to have opened this secret passageway for a reason, no? Perhaps I should go down there and see where it leads to? At least it was something, so why not go with it? I wasn't getting terribly horrible vibes from it.

After fighting with myself in my mind, I descended the steps and found a door at the bottom. It opened automatically for me and I stepped through, going down one more flight of stairs and into a dark, cool room. There wasn't much here. A few electronic charts and such, and some strange device that I really had no head or tail of what it could possibly be. Lastly, I saw a computer with multiple screens, each displaying something that made no sense to me. Diagrams, charts, numbers of no importance.

I twitched. My tail began to jerk in an unruly way. It was so weird…this odd high pitched ringing sounded in my head and my cat-like ears pinned back completely in pain and I clutched my head. It was so agonizing and I couldn't pinpoint why this was happening all of a sudden. I felt a very uncharacteristic rage boil in my stomach and my arms were tense as I restrained the urge to hit something. My hands were shaking and the pain in my head was easily becoming overbearing.

And I snapped. I don't know what initially started the wave of furry, but I know that my disconcertion of everything that was going on, as well as the problem of being left in the shadows, fueled it along. Everything around me was secretive…it was all just secrets, secrets, secrets…about me! How was that fair! How!

A growl slipped by my lips unconsciously and my hands flew from my head to the abandoned keyblade. I gripped it so tight that my knuckles turned white and I let go, I lost control of my actions and allowed my arms to swing on their own; allowed the blade in my hand to hack away at the computer, breaking the screens, shattering the keyboard. By the time my anger had run out, the computer was completely destroyed, possibly beyond repair. But I didn't care. Someone else deserved to question something in their life, not just me. I was done with this crap.

Roxas!

I was jerked from my thoughts of hatred by that stupid man's voice, reminding me that I had a place to go. I looked back at my destruction and with a small sneer of satisfaction, I turned away to enter through the only other door besides that one I had come in from. I followed through to another room and found another door there.

This was all stupid, I though bitterly. Completely and utterly stupid, annoying, ridiculous. Why couldn't I just be left alone? Destiny schmestiny, this was shit. End of story.

The next place I entered was a hallway. And lining the walls were very strange pod-like capsules. I glanced in each one as I walked past and nearly fell over when I saw two familiar figures floating in separate capsules, side by side. They almost looked as though they were dead and that thought wasn't a comfortable one to think. But I was absolutely sure that they were fine, just sleeping or something.

Donald…Goofy…

If those two were here, that meant Sora was here! He was here, in one of these pods!

I don't know why I grew so excited. I'd only seen Sora in my dreams, I wasn't sure exactly who he was but I knew that I wanted to see him, desperately.

I walked through the hall at an almost frantic pace, looking in each pod with desperation. Where was he? He just…wasn't here.

Then the door at the end of the hall opened right before me. I squinted as I looked into the room that had just opened. I was standing in the doorway and all I could see was white. It was just a huge white room with an equally huge pod in the very center. Ah! I felt it, that stupid force pulling me. Sora was right there! And it was like I was being called over to him.

I got one foot in the room when I felt the instant presence behind me, the portal opening and the hand grabbing my elbow. I instinctively pulled from the grasp and continued my walk forward. He followed me, his footsteps heavy behind mine. I knew he wasn't going to leave me side…for that, I wasn't sure what to feel.

I stopped when I was standing before Naminé and the other guy. Both pairs of eyes shifted from me to the one standing very close behind me. His hand was on my shoulder in a protective manner.

"I don't get it," I said. I knew no one else was going to talk to I figured that I should take action and demand answers. "Where's Sora?"

Unexpectantly, my answer didn't come now from the robed/bandaged freak but from a voice, followed by a cloaked figure emerging from a dark portal.

"He'll be awake soon," the man said as he stepped from his portal. He never lowered his hood so I couldn't see his face. He turned to the pair that he portaled in next to. "I didn't believe that you would have been able to actually get him here."

"Ah, that was the easy part. The next part is the most difficult, especially with that one here." The freak man spoke this time and he pointed to Axel over my shoulder. The heat of Axel's hand on my shoulder burned warmer and I did my best not to squirm. It was comforting, having some sort of contact with him, but not when he was on the verge of burning a hole through my shirt.

"Would you like me to take care of him?" the guy asked. He sounded so calm and serious that I couldn't believe that this was the same person who had come to my rescue. And now he was threatening my…my (what?)…well, he was threatening Axel.

"No, no. Perhaps it is an unwise gesture of me to spare him, but I don't believe that any good will come from this. There is no guarantee that you will come out of that battle alive and would you really like to leave your Sacrifice without his Fighter?

No words were said after that remark. His words made no sense and I didn't bother to ask. Sometimes things were left better unknown.

"Now, Roxas," the bandaged man said to me. "I'm sure you are thoroughly confused. But no matter, we'll clear this up." He paused and the room was still. "You are the Nobody of Sora. You are his other half. But you have stolen that half of Sora and it is time that you give it back."

"What?" I spurted.

"You are a unique nobody, Roxas. You see, Nobodies do not have hearts." He started to come forward towards me and I felt Axel pull me back to him, holding me firmly against his chest. His actions were just as confusing as everything else, but it felt right and I felt safe in his arms. "But you, Roxas. You have a heart. Or rather, half a heart. And now you have to give that back to Sora. You are depriving him of what he needs."

"What'll happen if I do?"

The man stopped coming towards me and adverted his eye to the giant pod. I noticed the cloaked man had advanced to the pod and was touching the side, resting his forehead against it. "Then things will be how they rightfully should be. You will disappear and Sora shall be whole again."

How they should be? I would...I would disappear? That…hardly seemed fair. At least to me. Telling me that I was a thief and saying that I shouldn't exist was bad enough, but ensuring that if I do the 'right' thing that I would be wiped from existence didn't exactly help me build trust with this guy.

"And what if I refuse? He won't…" I choked a bit. "He won't die, will he?"

The evil bastard's one visible eye turned amused. He shrugged slowly. "Who knows?"

"Liar! Roxas, don't listen to him! Sora will not die if you don't fuse back with him. Look, Naminé is half a person too. And I know for a fact that her somebody is perfectly okay." Axel was shouting loudly and my ears down turned with the sheer volume of his voice. Just hearing him yell gave me a bad feeling, like I wanted it to stop because I didn't want him to be upset. "Roxas, now," Axel said and pointed an arm behind him. He opened his own dark portal and I was getting a feeling of what was coming next. "Come with me. Where you belong. Don't give in to any words that man may have for you!"

No matter how much I wanted to go with Axel, I felt something pin my feet to the ground. Guilt, maybe. But it was like roots that gripped me from below and restrained any movement within me. How could I leave knowing that I had half of another person within me. That I was taking what I thought was myself, but in reality it wasn't. How could I take these things away from Sora?

But not only that, there was the factor involving everyone in town. My friends…my mother. How in the world could I so easily leave them behind? Turn my back on them and leave without a word? Either way, nothing was fair if I left. But if I stayed…and I did join Sora…I wouldn't be here anymore. Essentially, I would be dead.

"Roxas, please." Axel's voice was pleading and it easily broke my half heart. "Think about this. If you come with me, you'll be safe. But if you stay here you'll either disappear with them or you'll be hunted down and eliminated by the organization. Really think!"

He had taken a step from me and towards the portal that continued to spiral around, his hand outstretched as he waited.

"Roxas. Think of what you are taking. Can you be so selfish as to steal what is not yours?"

I felt bad for doing what he claimed that I would do. I felt myself being pulled in both directions, half with Axel, half with Sora. It was like I was being painfully separated down the middle by my indecisive behavior. I did my best to weigh the pros and cons on each side while I was being pressured. One of these pulls was stronger. My urge to go with one side was just a bit more powerful than the other.

I turned around. "Axel," I asked. He looked hopeful. "If I go with you, I can come back here, right?"

Without hesitation he answered, "Yes."

I looked back over my shoulder where the trio was staring at me.

"It's time," the cloaked man said. He took a step back as the pod began to open, blossoming like a flower in the morning sun. Axel must not have wanted me to see what was there because he grabbed me by the arm and led me towards his portal. But I walked backwards because my eyes were so captivated by the blooming capsule that I was highly tempted to wretch myself from Axel's grasp and run to the pod. But it was because of the fiery touch of Axel's hand that I allowed myself to submissively be taken.

I took my first backward step into the portal just as the pod had finished opening. I saw, for only a brief second, the floating image of Sora, a look of peace on his face as the last seconds of his slumber ticked away. Just as I noticed his eyes beginning to open, the portal closed around me and Sora was erased from my view.

To be continued…

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