Chapter Six - A Broken End
Roxas started forwards with his shoulders squared, his eyes brimming with determination as he stared at the darkness before him. But no sooner had he taken his first step before he felt a rough hand hold him in place as it secured a vice grip about his upper arm. Turning, his eyes caught a mop of red and a worried frown drawing close to him before he heard Cloud speak up from the corner of the room as he approached the door slowly while a strangled whine rang out before them.
"What the hell? We're supposed to enter the dark blind?" Cloud grumbled, walking up to Roxas and forcefully yanking him out of Axel's grip as he glared at the redhead with the wrath of the sea hiding in his calm cobalt eyes.
Roxas growled and pulled his arm free while the blonde and the red head stared it out before he turned to the darkness and took another step forward.
"Where the hell are you going?" He glanced over his shoulder to stare at Riku as the silver haired male stepped up to him with Demyx in toe as a wail rang out before them. "We don't know what's out there, we're better of staying pu-"
"Listen." Roxas whispered, his heart beating erratically as his breathing came in heavy pants and he felt his temper flare dangerously, but he couldn't figure out what had started the flicker of rage running through him. He turned to Riku and pointed dangerously close to his face, watching with ice cold eyes as Riku glared back at him. "I'm on a fucking clock. And I don't mean the one this sick fuck has us on, I mean the one running through me!" He pulled his arm back and ripped of the bandage to reveal the black snakes tunnelling within his veins. "There's only one cure and I've gotta beat some bastard to the punch." He turned to face the rest of the small group. "The others are out there too. And let me tell ya, I aint letting no fucking monster get my brother. Not today. Not ever. Now you can either stay here and wait for them bastard things to come banging down that pathetic steel door while the others come at your front, or you can come with me and tackle them head on. Which would you rather do?"
The stunned faces before him left him even more enraged. Scoffing, he turned around and began marching into the gloom, listening to the sound of footsteps shuffling quickly behind him as hushed voices rang out. As he reached the signpost he yanked it up out of the ground and pelted it at the wall, his muscles twitching alarmingly as he let the ice run over him, coating himself in a thin sheen of crystal white as he entered the dark.
The black pit was cold, even by Roxas' standards, and behind him he could hear the others shivering before his attention was snapped up by Axel as he jogged up to him and slowed to a walk, his arms alight with flames as a grimace remained plastered against his lips. Roxas immediately felt the ice melt away from his skin as the walls lit up with the amber glow of the flames shadows, revealing before him the passage of never ending, but ever shrinking, murk.
It was Axel who broke the silence first; his eyes locked ahead of him as he squinted into the darkness and ignored the whispers at his back. "What's with you? You were okay a minute ago…"
Roxas looked down as a wave of guilt ran through him. "Yeah, well a minute ago my chances of getting out of here halved. Twice." He sighed and turned his attention to the fork in the road, looking left and right before he turned to face Axel and frowned at the sweat dripping down the redhead's forehead. "You okay? You look as if you're about to melt."
"Heh, it's not easy setting yourself on fire yano?" Axel mumbled, turning around and frowning as Cloud pushed him aside and stepped next to Roxas, Demyx and Riku close behind as they all looked at the different paths before them.
"Now what?" Demyx asked, itching his head and muttering a set of curses when a thick drip of slime landed on his shoulders from above.
"Now we split up." Roxas whispered, turning to face the others as he scratched his infected arm absentmindedly.
Cloud gave out a harsh laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. "What, are you insane? Splitting up now would only make things worse. I suggest we stay together, that way-"
"Staying together is the last thing we wanna do." Roxas growled, ignoring Cloud's glare as he stepped forwards and looked down the right tunnel where the draft was strong and a whistle blew on the breeze before he turned left and frowned at the dripping spit that echoed in a dripping drawl. Both of the passages were blanketed in darkness and the same whining hiss rang down and echoed of the walls lightly.
"I agree with Roxas." Roxas turned to Axel, an eyebrow raised ever so slightly as he listened to what he had to say.
Said redhead continued as everyone turned to stare at him. "These things, wherever they are, are after us, but now they aren't our only problem. Whatever we do, wherever we go, we have to do it fast. If we stay together we're only going to take longer. We have to split up if we're to make it out of here alive."
"That's all well and good." Cloud grumbled, stepping away from Axel and turning to stare down the corridors, mimicking Roxas' actions as he straightened up and stiffened his shoulders, turning back to face the others with dangerous eyes. "But what if we choose the wrong way? And even if both ends lead somewhere, what if one of us gets in trouble?"
"What if they do?" Roxas mumbled, shrugging his shoulders and frowning. "I'll be honest, I don't care. None of you are my problem. My problem is out there somewhere and I'm not taking the chance of any of you slowing me down. I can hold my own out there; I don't need an entire group to watch me." He turned to Cloud and growled, his anger rising once more to over wash his guilt. "What you do isn't my problem. I'm going right-"
"Why right?" Riku broke in, stepping forwards lightly to look down the tunnel before he shook his head. "We should go left. There's a breeze, and where there's a breeze there's wind, and if there's wind there's a way out. It's only logica-"
"You go left then!" Roxas snapped, wandering away from the others and looking down the right lane with a heavy gulp. "I'm not stopping you. But I have to find Sora, and if that way does lead out then it's the wrong way for me." He shook his head and looked over his shoulder at the troubled group, the guilt coming over him once more as he spied the confusion and angst on their faces. "Anyway, you're on your-"
Before he could finish a booming echo rang out behind them and a thunderous shake wracked the walls until thick clogs of spotted slime were dragged from the ceiling accompanied by loose gravelling bricks that fell and rumbled away in fear. Roxas, already being so far down the path turning right, stopped in his tracks and turned to stare behind him, watching as the others backed away from the walls as another shuddering quake forced the walls to groan about them.
He was about to run, about to turn into the darkness and abandon them all there, but a tremor ran so deep through the ground it forced him onto his back with a yelp, pulling his feet out from under him as a large crack filled the cavern and split the very ground in two. Sitting up and rubbing his head lightly, Roxas spied the others mimicking him in front, but before he could say anything Clouds commands captured his attention.
"We have to move! Now!" Roxas watched as Cloud heaved Axel up and mumbled a few harsh words before he shoved him away from him. "You three scout ahead! See if there's an exit!" Cloud was met with a series of nods and a glare from Axel before Demyx ran left, Riku dragging Axel along behind him by his sleeve before he let go and gave a protesting whine whilst shaking his hand frantically in the air. Roxas smirked as they disappeared, the glow of smoke from Riku's hand tickling him slightly even though he knew he was in a disastrous and possibly dangerous position.
Roxas found himself with little time to think on what happened next. Cloud turned to him, about to jog forwards before a splintering shake exploded beside him and he was thrown askew, smacking his head against the wall with a sickening crunch as a demon raced out. Roxas caught a glimpse of it in the fading amber light of Axel's glowing fire.
It was large, perhaps the full size of a small bakery shop, and as fat as the world is big. It had no arms or leg's and was a sickly pale pink in body colour, covered in a dangerous malicious pale green slime that coated its worm like body. Its face was squished and damaged, almost turned inwards on itself as it snorted through seven separate slits and clawed at the bruised flesh where its eyes should have been. Its mouth covered the entire bottom half of its face and sharp razor teeth protruded in different angles as it screeched and snorted, raising its head and wiggling forwards. Roxas watched with the last of Axel's light before the redhead turned a corner as the beast jumped in the air and smashed into the ground face first, digging into the dirt like a worm into an apple before it disappeared completely, burrowing beneath the rock face.
The darkness returned and Roxas dared not move. Cloud remained out cold opposite the door, and in the distance he could hear Demyx screaming about a monster before a shriek bellowed back to him, bouncing of the walls as more brick crumbs fell. Taking his chances, Roxas made slow and deliberately soft footsteps across to Cloud, his heart racing as he could feel the ground shaking with each step he took and the ice beneath his feet cracked softly like stepped on glass. Every step left him breathless, and he gave a sigh with relief when he finally reached his brother, checking his pulse and rolling his eyes to find Cloud unconscious and practically dead to the world. He tapped Cloud's cheek lightly, avoiding all movement to prevent vibrations entering the ground in case the monster came back.
He raised his hand and ran it through his hair, completely devoid of an answer before a brainwave hit him. He couldn't shake Cloud or move him in any way; if he did the vibrations could cause the monster to come back, so he decided to go for a new option. Raising his hand lightly, he let the energy sap out of him and allowed his finger to become cold and crystallised, his face tightening in the process. He had to get this just right, too much and he could end up putting his brother in a very long coma, or worse. Taking a deep breath, he placed his finger against Cloud's temple and felt his brothers body temperature lower slowly, the heat becoming less and less until Cloud began to let out puffs of frost and he shivered slightly, the hair atop his head becoming dull as his skin turned a very pasty blue.
He was about to stop, scared he had gone too far before Cloud's eyes snapped open and he pushed Roxas' finger away from him whilst muttering a series of curses and rubbing his hands together to warm up. "W-what t-the hell! N-not fuck-fucking funny, R-Roxas!"
Roxas growled and slapped a hand over his brother's mouth, pressing his finger to his own lips in a silent order to be quiet. When he spoke, his voice was a monotone and almost silent whisper, devoid of all emotion and pitch. "Listen to me. There's a monster out there that's using the ground to move around." At Cloud's confused face he fought to control his inner flame of anger that had suddenly sparked inside him and elaborated. "It's tunnelling underground. You have to use a low voice when you speak and make no movements whatsoever. Understand?" Cloud nodded and Roxas pulled his hand back. "Good. Now how are we going to get out of here?" He twisted away from Cloud to look behind him without moving his feet, scouring the area for any form of distraction before Cloud's words broke his concentration.
"Why do we have to speak in a low tone? And why the hell can't we move? Hell, we should be getting as far away from this thing as possible!"
Roxas turned back, grateful to see that his brother was at the right temperature again but irritated that his command was being questioned. "Because, that thing, whatever it is, doesn't have eyes."
"So?"
Roxas let out another sigh and closed his eyes in frustration. "So if it has no eyes and its tunnelling underground it must be using its other senses. It had like six nostrils, so it obviously relies on its sense of smell, but because of this slime," he pulled some from his shoulders and scrunched up his face in disgust, "it probably can't catch our scent. This gunk masks us from it."
"…That doesn't prove anything; we should still be running."
Roxas opened an eye and scowled. "Well then how come when you were unconscious and I was stood right there." He pointed back at his spot and let a growl pass his lips. "And that thing didn't chase after us." Cloud stared at him in silence before he stood carefully and shrugged.
"Who know-"
"It's not 'who knows', Cloud! It's common sense!" Roxas whispered harshly, standing and staring up at his brother. "It chased after the others because they were moving. It could sense them through the shockwaves in the ground. We were still as stone, and it has no eyes. It couldn't see us, Cloud. And it couldn't smell us. Don't you get that? Is there not one part of your small damn mind that thinks that could be the answer?"
Cloud squinted down at him for a moment, his eyes calculating and mistrusting before he posed a question to him. "And how the hell can you be so sure of this?"
Roxas gave a small grimace and looked away, his inner fire suddenly extinguished as an ashen taste coated his tongue and turned it to sand at the thought of his past misdoings. "I've used the exact same trick before."
"You have? When?"
"Uh-huh. I used to help Seifer smuggle people across the border. 'It was part of my job." He shrugged and looked up the left passage after the demon, his voice barely audible. "We used to take them underground through an old abandoned mining shaft and lead them out the other end. Some made it, others didn't. Either way we got paid." He shook his head and frowned, his heart filling with a deep sadness that threatened to crush his chest as he swallowed and rubbed at his eyes fiercely, snarling loudly and cursing himself.
Cloud extended a hand out slowly. "Roxa-"
"Don't touch me. I'm fine." He pulled his hand away and sniffled. "Just the damn infection 'sall. Anyway, point is we could tell where the cops were through the echoes and the vibrations. They would always end up chasing after us and we could predict where it was they were going to be before they even reached it. This thing is doing the exact same thing as I was. It's herding people. Sending them into a direction where it wants them to be. And as soon as we make so much as one footstep there's no going back. So I suggest we come up with a plan before we just go running of in a random direction."
"Hmm…" Cloud hummed, looking about the place and frowning as he stared into the darkness of the right passage, the lowly eerie green light bouncing of the walls in a fit of delusional madness. "I have an idea." He smiled and stared down at Roxas. "Can you skate?"
"Skate?" Roxas scoffed and turned his back on his brother. "Why the hell would I need to learn to skate?"
"You said it yourself. We have to find a way out of here, and we have to do it fast. I don't think running's going to be an option. We'd tire too easily." He grinned at Roxas and let out a small chuckled. "Nope. Seems to me the only sensible way to travel down that there slope is to skate. What says you Roxas? You up for a challenge?"
Roxas teetered his weight carefully and nervously. He was about to reply when a deafening screech rang out in the distance followed by a series of tremors. "Screw it all to hell!" Roxas mumbled, stepping forwards and letting the cold numbness penetrate his skeleton as the ground at his feet turned to sculpted ice. His breath fogged in the air and he felt the world become dead about him as he tuned into the ice that blocked his mind.
"Hell you waiting for Roxas? Want a push?!"
He was about to scream an insult back, but before Roxas had time to respond he felt a thick shove hit his lower back that forced him forwards, his legs skidding apart in a comical fashion as the ground froze mere seconds before he passed it. He felt the shout tear from his lips as the right passage transformed into a dangerous slope whilst his legs picked up speed and he found himself going faster than he dared dream, his legs turning to wobbling jelly beneath him as his heart practically exploded in his chest and he found himself laughing nervously.
He finally managed to gather his balance after several seconds of heart-stopping panic, weaving in and out of catacombs and out of the collision path of jagged boulders as he heard Cloud wolf whistle and laugh aloud at his back. He didn't think before he held his middle finger up and let out a laugh himself, turning his head back to stare at his brother with a real smile on his face as the blood in his veins threatened to burst free of his body, the adrenaline rush of the speed and fun mixed with the danger of the monsters cry and the racketing tremors confusing his brain more than he could have ever assumed imaginable.
He spied his brother laughing at him from behind and stuck his tongue out at his brother's elegant pose consisting of precision bent knees and arms outstretched in faultless balance before he looked down and corrected his own sloppy wobbling posture to imitate his brother's example.
"HOW YOU HOLDING UP ROX?!"
The yell came to him as if Cloud was stood behind him, and for a moment Roxas let out a laugh and felt the world melt from his shoulders. But just as his guard fell the world he knew became twisted once more.
The ground before him began to tremble and he frowned ever so slightly, bending his legs a little bit more before a bursting shower of rock was frown forth and he was forced to duck and dive, sweeping in and out of the minefield of falling boulders before a groan escaped thee earth and the demon threw itself up from beneath the rock, its ugly head scouring the area before it fell and turned to stare at it's coming prey, its eyes alight with hunger as blood dripped from its gnarled fangs.
Panicking, his train of thought left him and Roxas found himself stopping the ice from blanketing the ground and his feet touched soft earth once more. The impact of his decision sent him flying forwards and he collided with the ground a few feet ahead, the wind knocked from his chest before Cloud collapsed next to him. The roar of the beast forced him to look up into its smiling face before he slowly stood, mere metres from it, and held a hand down to Cloud to help him up ever so slowly to prevent any enraged charge from the monster.
"Roxas, listen to me."
Roxas jumped a little, his shoulders flinching as he stared the worm in the eyes and ignored its open whines as it let out a snake like tongue and licked the air.
"Listen! It knows we're here." Cloud whispered, taking Roxas' hand and standing, both of them at each others shoulder as the darkness loomed before and behind. "The door is just beyond its tail. Can you see it?"
Roxas stared at Cloud for a moment before he turned his head away and looked over the greasy tail of the slithering worm that now attempted to encircle them. The door stood just beyond their reach, steel grey in colour and protected by a sign that read 'Level Five' in black dripping ooze. Roxas let out a shaky breath, turning his eyes back to the creature that enclosed them as Cloud turned with it, forever staring it down as it licked and tasted the air. "I see it." He mumbled, his chest heaving as he mentally kicked himself for stopping his ice road simply because he was startled by the death ridden creature before them.
"I want you to run for it-"
"But-"
"No buts, Roxas! Now listen to me and you listen well. I haven't done as much for you as I should have. I haven't protected you as I should have and I sure as hell haven't been there. I know I can never make it up to you, but I want to at least try. Now don't deny me this and go! I'll distract it." Cloud took a step forward but was stopped as a yell from the distance captured all of their attentions, the demon included. It coiled its ugly head and turned, snot dripping from its nose in giant loops as Roxas looked past it to glimpse the running figure that made its way towards them.
The flames and the fire red hair gave him away as Axel ran towards them, his arms ablaze with burning fire as he yelled for the beast to come towards him and waved his arms ferociously against the air. His shout was heard and Roxas frowned to hear Cloud curse when the beast turned from them both and made its way towards it fiery treat that was suddenly cursing and backing up slowly. Roxas gave a small gulp at the incredible speed the creature moved with and yelped as Cloud screamed next to his ear.
"AXEL! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! GET THE HELL OUTTA THERE NOW!"
"That's no good." Roxas mumbled. "He's got nowhere to hide and nowhere to run to." He let out a growl and turned to Cloud. "I'm going to need your help."
"With what?"
The beast let out a roar as it reached Axel and found its dinner encircled by a torrent of flame that was impenetrable. But between the whickering flakes Roxas spied the struggling frown of the redhead and the shaking shoulders as the beast hissed and snapped with fury.
"Give me a boost!"
"Are you mad? It's uphill, Roxas. I can't push you uphi-"
"I never said push! You're power is wind! Give me a damn boost."
Cloud frowned. "Ho-"
Roxas watched as Axel fell backwards and felt his fury grow. "Send me up there. Is it that fucking difficult, Cloud?"
Cloud clicked on and stepped forward aggressively, his hands coiling into fists as he fought to suppress his rage. "I am not sending you up there with that thing! There has to be another way."
Roxas growled as Cloud turned to stare at the door before he grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around. "Give me a storm."
"A storm?"
"Are we playing Polly the mimicking parrot? Yes, a damn storm!"
Cloud frowned, unsure of what he was supposed to do before he closed his eyes and set his feet apart. Bracing his shoulders he calmed his breath and set his hands apart, palm upwards, and let the sweat gather across his face and the back of his neck. Roxas flinched and covered his face as a violent sandstorm began to emerge, picking up the falling dust and debris as it gathered like a makeshift hurricane and twirled above them.
"Now what?!" Cloud grunted, opening an eye and gritting his teeth as he struggled to contain the mass of looming wind.
"Hurl it over Axel and that thing!"
Cloud nodded and lifted his hands high, leaning back slightly before he lurched forwards and threw the mass of frothing wind at the duo as the demon continued to hiss in aggravation at the licking flames that were slowly beginning to tire. At the sound of whirling wind above it, it snorted and looked skywards, the sand brushing past its cheek having no effect whatsoever on its thick hide. Roxas growled and raised his own hands high, felling the numbing effect freeze his blood before the crude hurricane began to grow heavy and lumbered, sagging slightly in the air as it hovered over the beast that growled up at it.
Roxas watched through bleary eyes as the exhaustion began to grow on him as the beast craned its neck upwards, intrigued slightly as it let out its tongue and licked the air hungrily. Roxas let out a small smirk and crushed his fists together as hard as he could, feeling the energy drain from him as he looked upwards to find the beast screaming and screeching at the thick gathering of boulder shaped hale that began to drop from the sky with such force it left the creature bruised and dented in many places, almost burying it in a cold icy tomb. Glancing downwards Roxas smiled to see the ice melt before it reached Axel's intense flame, but still the fire dwindled more and more and Roxas found himself tiring quickly too.
Cloud, his energy all but spent, let his hands drop as he fell to his knees and panted as if he had ran a marathon. Roxas felt his mouth drop open as the cloud that had fuelled his giant reign of hail vanished into nothing but thin wisps as the dust and earth settled once more. Without the storm to fuel his own boulders there was nothing but pitiful patters falling and Roxas gulped to find the creature staring (at least it would be if it had eyes) straight at Cloud, and himself.
The creature darted forwards, wiggling downhill with immense speed as Axel let the fire drain from him and stood slowly to stare downwards, shouting down a word of warning all too late. Roxas growled at the oncoming danger and attempted to drag Cloud upwards only to find his brother too heavy and slumped to move.
"Cloud! Cloud, come on we have to move!" Roxas all but begged, but still Cloud refused to move. Looking up, Roxas frowned to find the beast mere feet away. Making up his mind in a split second, he threw his hands to the ground and generated all the energy he could muster before throwing them skyward once more, but instead of generating an ice wall, he envisioned a very different picture that came to life. As he raised his hand so too did pillars of ice in jagged shapes that would cut the skin of men if given so much as a seconds chance. The ice rose up and Roxas watched in horror, his chest feeling as if it were being cut by small icicle razors, as the beast ploughed straight through the shards, its skin ripping of in crusted flakes.
Roxas growled, unsure of what to do before he felt a strong gust of wind force him onto his side as it blasted him a few feet away and knocked the wind from him. Turning, he frowned to find Cloud smiling at him before the demon collided with him at full force, pelting into him and ramming him against the wall as it scrunched up its bony face before it drew back and flicked Cloud in the air, catching him in its mouth and grinning as Cloud grunted and let out a pain filled scream between gritted teeth as he tried to unclamp the beasts jaws from about his midriff to no avail.
Roxas scooted back a little on his butt and kicked some of the dirt up with his trainers as he shook his head and frowned, feeling a deep sense of loss and despair within himself even though his brother was still alive. Looking down he growled to see the infection reaching up past his elbow and looked back to Cloud. Standing, he turned to find Axel a few feet away and frowned as the red head went to speak, talking over him and walking forward as his brother let out another grunt and droplets of blood fell down the monsters front.
"We have to help him!"
Axel nodded and started forwards. "I picked up this." He handed Roxas a piece of rubbery blubber and started talking again. "This thing's built like rubber. Did you ever do chemistry in school?"
"No, but I did explosives when I was fifteen." Roxas mumbled, nodding towards Axel and stepping forwards. "I'm up first."
Axel flinched as Cloud let out another restrained howl of pain and began to jog of to the left. "I'll distract it!" He was a few metres away before he next spoke. "HEY! HEY YOU! HEY! UGLY MOTHERFUCKER! YEAH, YOU!" Lifting his hand he shot a fireball at the creature and waved his hands madly when it turned to face him, still chomping Cloud in its mouth.
Roxas wasted no time. As soon as the beast was distracted he raced forwards, forming a makeshift ice dagger in his hand and using it as he jumped to gain leverage and climb his way up the creatures scorched, flayed, and blistered back. The creature screeched and dropped Cloud like a dead weight, turning to buck Roxas of its back as Roxas cut a wound the size of a football in its back and sunk his hand into its rubbery flesh, grunting when pale brown ooze covered his hand and began to sting the cuts that had formed there.
"Time to cool down motherfucker!" Roxas growled, letting the ice flow out of him once more and grinning when the creature screamed and writhed wickedly, its body freezing beneath Roxas' hands as its movements slowed before stopping completely. It bucked and screeched, throwing itself sideways in an attempt to shake Roxas from its back, but Roxas dug his nails in deeper and cemented his seat on its back with ice, refusing to let go. As soon as its body was as still as stone Roxas leapt from its back and admired his ice sculpture before Axel stepped forward and placed his normal cool hands against its icy skin and shivered.
"Let's put the turkey in the oven!" Axel laughed, letting all of the energy he had left go and allowing the heat of the sun to sear through his skin as he yelped and watched the cracks form in the rubbery hide of the ugly monstrous worm. The beast let out one final whimper, its eyes dashing about madly before the heat became too much for the frozen carcass and it exploded into a thousand gross shiny crystal shards. All of them melted when they came into contact with the heat of Axel's body, but Roxas wasn't so lucky and so felt the full throb of frozen guts hit him in the face.
The eerie afterward silence settled and they were both left panting in unison, both unsure of what to do or say. Axel gave Roxas a smirk and a tired thumbs up as his eyes glazed over and he coughed and hit his chest lightly to clear his airways. Roxas was about to return it before he heard an agonised groan behind him and felt the full force of the predicament hit him in the face.
As he turned he felt his voice catch in his throat and his eyes sting with the fierce salt water he was cursed with when the monster playing the game decided to play with his life rather than a normal videogame. His chest tightened and he felt his legs go numb as he spied the broken and bloody remains of his brother laying in a heaped mess on the ground. Running to him with a frenzied heart, Roxas skidded across the dirt and knelt beside Cloud, raising his hands to fix his brothers torn torso but unsure of where to place his hand amongst the red mess of tissue, organ and blood.
"…Th-that bad?"
Roxas felt his eyes snap towards the pain filled whites of his brother's blue pooled orbs before he swallowed thickly and shook his head, returning to stare at the mess and finding himself at a loss of what to do when he found himself looking into his brothers ripped open insides. "N-nah". His voice was so small he could barely hear himself, so he coughed and spoke up louder as his brother let out another grunt and turned his head sideways to get a better look at Roxas. "Nah, y-you're goin' ta be fine." He shook his head. "You're gonna be fine, Cloud. W-w-we just gotta get ya to Zexion. He-he can fix you. He will fix you. You'll be fine-"
"Roxas, you're babbling." Cloud laughed but his small chuckles were cut of by the smear of ruby liquid that dribbled over his lips and down his chin to mix with the ripped and torn strips of his chest. Letting out a groan, Cloud was about to continue before he spied a droplet of ice hit the ground and shatter into perfect snow flakes that drifted upwards on a burst of makeshift wind and away into the coiling darkness that surrounded them. "Roxas? Roxas are you okay?" he asked, lifting his hand with some of the last of his strength and using it to wipe away the frosted eyes of his brother.
At the cold clammy touch of his brothers hand Roxas failed to flinch and instead let out a small pretence of a laugh. "You're sat here bleeding out and you're asking me if I'm okay? Heh, Cloud, you always was a little strange. Even when we were kids."
Concerned about his brother's tears Cloud asked again. "Is it the infection? Is it playing up again?" Cloud looked down at his brother's arm as his hand fell and let out a grunt at the coiling snakes that ran up across his younger brother's shoulder.
Roxas stayed for a brief moment, searching inside himself as he located his heart before he let a smile cross his lips and shook his head as he knew his feelings were real and his own, not the pretence ones the infection tended to generate. "No. The infections fine." He wiped the glaze from his eyes and turned to Cloud's body. "You're going to be fine. We just have to-"
"Roxas-"
"Get you to Zexion and-"
"Roxas-"
"He'll fix you like he did me-"
"Roxas, please listen to me." Roxas stayed silent on his knees and folded his hands in his lap as he closed his eyes and listened to the curdling screams in the background. "It's too late-"
"Cloud-"
"No Roxas, please, just listen." Cloud stopped for a moment to let out a wheezing cough and groaned through gritted teeth before he stared blankly at the ceiling and let his eyes stream with water. "It's too late. I want - no, I need you to get out of this place. I need you to take this bastard down for both of us." There was a long pause before Cloud spoke again. "And for Sora."
Roxas raised his head and frowned at Cloud in confusion. "Sora-"
"I n-never saw in him what you did. I always saw him. B-but I was wrong." Cloud let the tears fall and closed his eyes, his fingers going numb to the cold as his vision began to swarm with black circles and dark spots. "I was so wrong Roxas." He gulped and another bubble of crimson escaped his mouth. "So wrong." Raising his hand, Roxas watched as Cloud reached towards his neck and gave a hard yank and a thin metal chain broke loose with a small sapphire circlet attached to the end. Reaching out Cloud took Roxas' hand and opened it, placing the sapphire and ruby stained trinket in his hand before he closed it again.
"Keep hold of that for me Roxas. It's very precious to me."
"Cloud…I-I…" Roxas frowned and closed his eyes, unsure of what to say.
"It's okay Roxas; everything's going to be okay." Cloud let a small smile pass his lips and let out a sigh. "Dad would be so proud of you."
"Dad?"
"You were a better big brother than I could ever dream of being, and he'd be proud of that. And so would mom. I'm glad I got to say I'm sorry Roxas. I just wish I could make it up to you. But it's too late, and I'm sorry for that too."
"Cloud…" Roxas felt the frost burn his eyes and rubbed at them fiercely, about to protest and tell his brother that it wasn't too late before a shrill screech rang out followed by the sound of claws dragging against dirt. Looking up, Roxas spied the first glimpse of black oily skin racing down the path towards them before it was singed alive by a fire bolt that hit it head on. Looking to his left Roxas spied Axel standing with laboured eyes.
"I'll hold them of." Axel mumbled, starting forward with heavy footsteps as he let his arms glow with fire once more and let another burning inferno rain on a demon that let out a squeal as it ran.
Roxas nodded and turned his attention back to his brother, determined that they would all make it out before his hopes were dashed at his brothers erratic laboured breathing as a feverish sweat swept across Cloud's brow.
"R-Roxas, I-I'm not g-going to make it. P-promise me…"
Roxas felt his eyes fog, but this time he was already too numb to force any ice to come to his command as a thousand spears tore through his already shredded heart, and so a true tear fell down his cheek to water the ground. But as it fell Cloud moved his hand in time to catch it and held it loosely in his hand.
"D-don't cry R-Rox. H-he wants t-that." Cloud coughed, his body convulsing as he fought to restrain his booming heart as the blood ran about him in a small river of tribute that carried his life's blood away from him. Roxas felt his eyes widen slightly as he realised his entire lower half was coated red. Placing his hands on the floor he frowned and let another tear fall to wash away the thin red substance coating his hands. "P-promise m-me y-you'll get y-you an-and Sora out o-of this."
Roxas felt his tears drop as his heart sank and realisation sunk deep into his bones. Lowering his head, he let the tears fall and openly sobbed. "I can't Cloud! I can't! I'm not strong enough. I thought-I thought…" he stopped and pulled on his hair as he looked up and into the pained eyes of his brother as a growl frothed and burst from his lips. "I thought I could do this but I can't. I need you Cloud. I need you to help me. I always needed you to help me. You can't give up Cloud, not now!" He didn't know his voice had raised until the silence settled and the world grew quiet except for Cloud's heavy breathing and often coughs, the hiss of fireballs and the scream of monsters closing in.
Cloud stayed quiet and Roxas was reduced to a whisper. "Please. Please Cloud, help me. I can't get through this alone anymore."
Cloud stayed silent for a while before he finally spoke. "Roxas…I-I'm sorry, I can't stay." He let out a small laugh and more blood seeped free. "Dad's waiting f-for me. Y-you sh-should see him R-Rox. He look's j-just how he did when he d-died."
Roxas stayed silent out of shock and listened as Cloud continued, ignoring Axel's warning that he couldn't fight them of much longer and focusing on his brothers far of eyes.
"H-He's so proud o-of you." Cloud reached for Roxas' hand and grasped it lightly as another painful convulsion left him rendered breathless. "A-Axel!"
Axel heard the small shout faintly and wandered over whilst still attacking the onslaught that threatened to pour down on them in a wash of fangs and claws. "Clou-"
"Get him o-outta here, Axel." Cloud mumbled, ignoring Roxas' betrayed face and his outraged and confused words as he turned to Axel and nodded.
For a moment Roxas believed that Axel would just ignore him, but when he looked up he saw the silent truce between sapphire and emerald eyes and knew there was nothing he could say that would change Cloud's mind. Axel stayed still for a few brief moments longer before he nodded and turned towards Roxas with dull eyes. "Lets go-"
"No!" Roxas shouted, standing up and setting his feet apart as he glared at Axel and ground his teeth together. "I'm not leaving him!"
"H-hurry up A-Axel. R-Running outta t-time." Cloud grumbled, forcing his hand from Roxas' grip and avoiding his younger brothers hurt eyes.
"You can't make me go." Roxas growled, turning from Cloud to face Axel as the redhead opened his mouth to speak before another quake began to shake the ground, ripping it apart in a sequence of tremors. Looking up, Axel spotted the enormous replica of the worm they had killed only moments ago screeching atop the top of the road before it began its tunnelling journey past the screeching black demons that forced their way forwards with scorched fur and flesh.
"GO!" Cloud yelled, and Axel wasted no more time obeying his friends order.
Whilst Roxas was distracted with his brothers cry Axel seized the opportunity and rugby tackled the blonde about his midriff, ignoring his heart aching shouts as he carried him over his shoulder and turned away from Cloud with one last look at one of his best friends.
As Axel turned, Roxas pounded on his back with his entire might, the ice he brought up melting before it even touched the redheads back as he kicked and landed his mark against Axel's chin, ignoring the redheads cry as he wriggled and squirmed for all he was worth, but still Axel refused to let go. With each step Axel took as he was running Roxas found himself thrown upwards before he lurched painfully back down. But the physical pain could never compare to the pain he felt as he watched the monsters descend on his brother. As the black swarm fell and the teeth ripped at flesh he felt the scream rip from his throat with a burning sensation unlike anything he had ever felt before, but still it was matched by the scream that fell from his brother's lips.
But the worst part wasn't the heart wrenching scream. Nor was it the whining screeches.
The worst part was the silence that fell when Axel approached the door as the chomping sound of teeth on bone rang out like a hungry man slurping the last piece of flesh from a chicken bone. The only difference was that the man was a mutated and genetically engineered demon, and the chicken bone was his brother.
He didn't know what happened afterwards until he was thrown to the ground by Axel before the red head turned and slammed the metal door shut, closing the iron bar across it and stepping back as the slurping sound grew louder to a deafening point.
For Roxas the sound was invasive, as if it was inside his very skull, and it ate away at his insides. He has hated Cloud for what he had left him to deal with as a child, but he was still his brother and he loved him, he had still been there for him when he was young and he had saved both his and Sora's life. He couldn't just let it go. He couldn't just let it happen. As the slurping grew louder he found himself clamping his hands over his ears so tightly he feared he would turn them inside out before he bowed his head and let out a throat ripping scream, telling everything and anything within his proximity to shut up and leave him alone as the sound grew and grew to a deafening boom that left his tears stuck to his cheeks in an ice formation as the pain grew in his chest and the infection in his arm stung to the point where he could barely handle the burning sensation.
At some point he felt a pair of arms wrap strongly about him and a mass of red hair encased him and he found himself pressed against a chest as a hand stroked his back and soothing words were muttered, but still he couldn't stop the burning screams ripping from his throat as he clawed and kicked to get away from the body that held him, catching a glimpse of the silver trinket wrapped about his knuckles and smeared in red blood as he fought harder to rescue his brother whilst the slurping noises grew in his mind. As he raised the ice barrier around his physical entity the red head raised his own body heat and melted it away, leaving Roxas defenceless, open, and forced to deal with what was happening.
"We're gonna have to knock him out! I can't hold him much longer!" Axel yelled, but Roxas couldn't see who to.
He was about to protest and raise his fist to ensure the redhead would be forced to let him go, but as he raised his hand a pinching feeling grew in the back of his neck and he found his nerves becoming useless as the world dipped in and out of darkness and the words about him grew fuzzy and blurred. Leaning forward against his will he listened to the conversation about him before darkness took him whilst his heartbeat thundered in his ears.
"The hell was that all about…?"
"It's a long story and I'm too tired to tell it now. What about you? When the hell did you learn to do that? And how did you all get here?"
The voice let out a hollow laugh and Roxas cursed them as a tear rolled free. "It's a long story." The voice mimicked.
Then darkness took him and a memory long since lost took over.
It was December, and outside the flakes fell thick and heavy in a torrent of wind that threatened to never end. It was outside that Roxas was, sat in the front passenger seat of Seifer's car as he blasted Christmas tunes through his radio and drifted dangerously down the streets in the dead of night with a boot full of presents and trimmings.
Roxas rolled down the window and sighed, letting the cool air blast through his hair as he closed his eyes and attempted to drown out the songs that made him feel sick.
"S'up wich you bruv? Past ya bed time?" Seifer laughed, only just managing to swerve out of the way of a fire hydrant as he tapped the steering wheel and danced in his seat.
Roxas gave a small sad chuckle and shook his head. "Nah…don't you remember?"
"'member what blud?" Seifer asked, going through a set of red lights as he hummed the song and turned the track down a little.
"Mom died last year …"
Seifer turned to him and gave a sympathetic look, taking his hand of the steering wheel and turning it with his knees just before they hit a brick wall as he smacked himself in the head with one hand and patted Roxas' shoulder with the other. "Shit. Sorry bruv, I completely forgot blud. But hey's, cheer up, technically, it's fucking Christmas dog. An' tonight you aint goin' back to that prick you lives with."
"But I have to go back for S-"
"For Sora" Seifer finished, rolling his eyes before he returned his hands to the steering wheel whilst they went over a bridge. "Yeah yeah, I know. Heh, I knew you'd say dat. T'was the first thing I said to Aqua when I seen her. So ya know what we's done?" He gave Roxas a dashing smile and the younger immediately felt the blood drain from his face.
"Seifer, you know when you and your sister get together it's never a good thing." Roxas laughed, reminiscing on past events that came to mind that consisted of bubble gum, the colour pink, a machete and jail.
"Naww man, where's ya Christmas spirit?" Seifer laughed, paying the toll on the bridge and then pulling back the coin at last minute on a piece of string. "We's taken Sora ta Aqua's for da night init. He's wiv Hayner and all dem brat's of hers-"
"You mean the orphans?"
"Them's the ones." Seifer laughed and turned into a garage a few blocks away from Aqua's orphanage, a place where she housed and took care of abandoned children. She started the charity up after she had finished raising Seifer seeing as their father ran out on them after their mother died due to severe depression after giving birth to Hayner. She spent her entire life dedicated to her brothers and as soon as they no longer depended on her she spent her time on other's that reminded her of them.
Roxas smiled and wiped his face with his hand to clear away the sleep that threatened to take him away. They had had a long day, and he was working all day Christmas even though Seifer got the day of. Ansem wanted him to go down to the old mining shafts and take through the next set of migrants with the newbie. It was a no-brainer mission, but if any risks where posed he was to kill the newbie and the migrants and then leave as quick as possible to ensure no loose ends were left untied. If the deal went of without a hitch the newbie got to join. It was as simple as that.
Roxas was pulled back to the present as Seifer turned of the engine and got out of the car to pull his overflowing bags from the back sea and the boott. "You's gonna help me bruv or what? Got a propa surprise for you ma bruver." Seifer laughed, giving Roxas a wink and sending shivers down the blonde's spine as he remembered the last present he had received from his best friend.
He got out of the car and shut the door, walking around to Seifer and grabbing two of the heavy bin liners that were tied at the top and yelping at the sudden weight that dragged his wrists down. "The hell you got in here? It feels like a bag of artillery." Roxas moaned, following Seifer and dragging the left bag on the floor as he hefted the right over his shoulder and began his climb up a set of stairs.
As he reached the top he wiped the sweat of the back of his neck and dumped his things down on Seifer's couch before he too collapsed into the brown leather whilst Seifer went to retrieve something from the bathroom. When Seifer returned he was carrying a tube of superglue and a hairdye kit that showed the front cover to be a man with glossy silver hair.
"What the hell are you doing?" Roxas asked, leaning back on the couch and folding his legs as he put his hands behind his head. "And why the hell do you keep superglue in your bathroom?"
"For emergencies, init bruv." Seifer laughed. "You's remember dat favour ya owe me."
Roxas sighed and closed his eyes. "Unfortunately. Okay, what's it gonna cost me?"
"You's gotta be Santa init."
"What!?" Roxas jerked forwards and stood up, backing of slowly with his hands in the air. "Why the hell am I the lab rat?"
Seifer rolled his eyes, as if the answer was obvious. "Cuz I was Santa last year bruv, an' you owes me."
Roxas scowled. "I was Santa last year. You got drunk and started making out with the plastic reindeer before you fell asleep in the dog basket."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too. Aqua's got the pictures! She put them all over the damn internet. How the hell are you in denial about this?"
"Roxas, bruv, you's owe me. You aint got no choice."
They had a staring competition for several minutes before Roxas finally deflated and gave in. "But Santa isn't allowed to get drunk." He whined, slopping back down on the couch as Seifer stepped forwards and began to pull out all the precious sparkling trinkets he had salvaged and stolen from the burglaries they had done in the past month.
"Ah quit your winin', I'll sneak ya a beer when da brats aint lookin'."
"But they always look. They don't leave me alone."
"Dat's your problem now bruver. Now, let's get started."
Roxas gulped as Seifer grabbed his hand and pulled him up out of his spot and over to the bathroom. When they were inside Roxas pulled of his shirt and grumbled nonstop as Seifer ran the shower. Stepping in, he yelped and turned to scowl back at his friend.
"The hell man? It's fuckin' freezin'. I know its Christmas but give a brother some love Seif!"
Seifer laughed and turned on the hot water. "Naww, you's cute when you's cold Rox, you get all defensive." Roxas scowled and Seifer handed him the bottle of hairdye kit. "Can I trust ya's to be a good boy an do this on ya own? Or da ya need ma help?"
Roxas snatched the bottle from Seifer and stuck his tongue out as the blonde left. Unplugging the bottle he gave it a sniff and frowned, mumbling about how it was always him before he started applying the kit to his blonde hair, worrying about how he would explain the sudden change to Ansem when he was to go round for his specific instructions tomorrow because, unlike all the other years, Seifer had decided to go all out this year, and had missed nothing.
When he was finished rinsing he stepped out of the shower and dried of with the grey towel on the rack, and when he looked in the mirror when he was done he almost wept to see the white hairs streaked with silver. He looked so old.
"Rox! You's drowned in their or what man, get yo ass out here."
Roxas growled and threw the towel over his shoulder as he left the bathroom, closing his eyes and flinching as Seifer burst out laughing and struggled to get his words out between the chuckles as he grabbed his ribcage and fought hard to breathe.
"B-Bruver you-you look f-fucking awesome! Like damn Jack Frost boy!" Seifer laughed, ignoring Roxas' growl as the fresh silver haired teen dropped onto the couch and folded his arms across his bare chest.
"S'not funny Seifer. How the hell am I supposed to explain this to Ansem?"
Seifer shrugged, still attempting to constrain his chuckles as he offered his opinion. "Ya could tell him der was an accident wiv da talcum powder in da gym, but sumink tells me if ya do he's gonna send ya for a prostate exam man!" Seifer laughed, wiping tears of joy from his face whilst picking up a small piece of white fluff before he approached the white haired male.
"Hold still man, I gotta put ya tash on, cuz, yano, you aint hit puberty yet or nothin."
"Hey! I have too; I'm just that good looking I don't show it." Roxas laughed, allowing Seifer to stick on the fake moustache with the curled white hair before he frowned when it was pressed roughly against his upper lip. "EWW! What the hell is that? It's squishy?" Looking past Seifer he felt his eyes go wide at the open superglue on the table and he roughly attempted to yank away from the other male to no avail as Seifer only pushed harder. They fought for a little while, Roxas desperately trying to wriggle away as Seifer stuck his tongue out and pushed harder before they both fell of the couch and landed heavily on the floor in a rolling match.
When Seifer finally pulled away and stood up, his arms folded triumphantly as he grinned at his work, Roxas pulled at the hair on his lip to try and remove it and whimpered when he felt his lip stretch dangerously.
"Superglue bruver, can't have dem sprogs yankin' ya hair of bruv, ya'll ruin it for 'em…Oh man, don't glare at me with dat moustache on, ya look like a very pissed of ol' midget."
Roxas growled, ignoring the comment and moving on. "If I'm Santa, just what the hell are you gonna be?"
Seifer tapped his nose, turned around, and pulled out a small green outfit with matching tights and curled green shoes that had red bobbles on the tip.
Roxas frowned for a moment, unsure of what to say. "You're going as Peter Pan?"
Seifer frowned and pulled his costume back defensively. "Nah bruv, it's an elf init."
Roxas shrugged, "if you say so. So what's next? Let's get this over with."
Seifer grinned and handed Roxas a fake beard on a string. "You can keep this one on a string; we'll just tie it real tight behind your head." As soon as he was finished speaking Seifer went around the back of Roxas as he pulled the beard on, pulling the two strings so tight Roxas feared he wouldn't be able to breathe. Seifer finally finished and stepped out to admire his handiwork.
"Wow Rox, you's actually startin' ta look like Santa. Now all ya need is ya costume and make-up –"
"What!"
"Well yeah." Seifer grinned. "How else ya gonna git rosy cheeks when ya look like a ghost all da time?" Roxas stayed silent out of anger and Seifer took it as admittance. "Exactly, now I got dis," he pulled out a small box of costume makeup, " 'specially for you. Now hol' still."
Roxas, no longer able to keep up the fight, sat still and allowed Seifer to dress him up like a doll, occasionally snapping at him when he poked him in the eye with the brush and yelling at him to stop fiddling with the beard until he was finally done.
"Der, now all ya gotta do is put on ya costume bruv." Roxas growled, too afraid to get up and go look in a mirror as Seifer rummaged deep into his bag of tricks and pulled out an extremely large costume, turning back to face him before he threw it in Roxas' lap and grinned, pointing at the door to the bathroom. "You's can get changed in der bruv, I's gonna go git ma costume on too blud." When Roxas frowned up at him and refused to move Seifer placed his hands on his hips and took on a motherly tone. "Roxas, if you don't git your butt in der and git dat costume on right now, I'mma march ya to Aqua's and tell her you wouldn't be her Santa. Now git changed blud. Imma put on some tunes." He gave a goofy smirk and pointed at the door and Roxas begrudgingly went, dragging his costume along the floor and mumbling under his breath.
"Stupid Seifer. Gonna tell Aqua you wouldn't be Santa. Then let here beat down on yo ass."
"What's that blud? I can't hear ya!" Seifer yelled, sticking his CD into the very old fashioned CD player he kept before he began blasting out Christmas songs once more and removing his clothes to get into his costume.
Roxas immediately covered his eyes and ran to the bathroom, dreading the thought of seeing a naked Seifer more than an angry Aqua. Once safely inside he slammed the door shut and locked it, avoiding the mirror at all costs as he pulled of his own jeans and pulled on the ones Seifer had gotten him, fastening them with the black belt and growling when he was forced to grab a pair of scissors from the cupboard and stick in extra holes just so they would stay up before he realised they had suspenders. Smacking himself in the forehead, he pulled on the red t-shirt laid out for him and pulled up the suspenders. He then pulled on the heavy black boots, and was grateful Seifer had at least gotten him the right size in them, seeing as he would be running from children all night long. He then pulled on the white gloves that lay scattered across the floor and placed them on delicately.
Finally, the only thing left was the heavy red coat. Picking it up, Roxas sighed and threw it over his shoulders, fastening the small black buttons and then tying the fluffy front with the huge buckled belt, hating the feeling of the weight that sank onto his shoulders, and yet all he could do was smile.
He placed his hand on the door handle and cautiously stepped out to the track 'Jingle Bells' and found Seifer fully dressed. His hat was on and in front of his face, his tights were pulled up and had a few ladders in them already, his hair was tipped with green and red dye and his torso was covered in a green dress of some sorts that had jingle bells on the end and was tied in the middle with a thread of golden ribbon. As Seifer struggled to pull on his elf shoes (the ones that curled at the toes), his cheeks a bright red without the need for any makeup, Roxas found himself suddenly grateful that he was Santa, and not the deformed cursing elf that was threatening to shank the shoes that wouldn't fit on his feet.
Roxas wandered over to the CD player and turned it down before he turned on Seifer and gave a smile when the older male gave a yell of triumph and collapsed backwards when he finally managed to get his shoes on properly. "How is it you got my shoe size right, but forgot to get your own?" Roxas laughed, walking over to Seifer and collapsing on the cushion next to him.
"Hell knows bruv, it was just a guess." Seifer panted, giving of another goofy grin as he sat up and plonked a red hat down on Roxas' face so low that it completely covered his eyebrows (which Seifer had coloured white with tippex when he was doing Roxas' make-up). "You's looks like a propa Santa bruv. But there's sumink missing…Aha, I know! Stand up bruv." Roxas wearily stood and watched as Seifer raced to a bedroom before he came back with several pillows and cushions.
"What are you doing?" Roxas asked, cautiously staring down at Seifer as the latter knelt in front of him. "You do realise if anyone comes in this is gonna look really bad."
"Aint no-one getting' in here blud, your diginty's safe, for now anyways. Now hol' still. I can't turn up wiv a skinny Santa."
"Why the hell not?" Roxas moaned, feeling strangely uncomfortable as Seifer lifted up his coat and began jamming cushions up inside to make him look fat. "I'm turning up with no reindeer, no sleigh, and a giant deformed elf that's probably going to get drunk on me again."
"Yeah but Santa has ta be fat." Siefer mumbled, sticking up another cushion and wiggling it about until it looked right. "'Sides, I got ya reindeer waitin' for ya at Aqua's. You really think I'd let Hayner of dat easily? Nah. And your Sora wanted ta chip in too. Tol' him he could be Skitzen."
Roxas sighed and shook his head. "You mean Blitzen."
"Nah Skitzen. You got Slasher, Bouncer, Psycho an' Skitzen, Bombit, Stupid, DonnaMeat an' ShitStain. An' of course ol' Rudolph too."
"Those aren't the reindeer's names." Roxas mumbled, giving out an 'oomph' as Seifer pushed another pillow up his chest before tightening his belt and admiring his handiwork.
"Kay smartass, what's der names den?"
Roxas frowned and placed his hands on his chin. "I think they're-"
"You think?" Seifer interrupted. "Santa don't think he knows his reindeers, Santa knows he knows his reindeer."
"Fine." Roxas stamped. "There's Dasher an' Dancer an' Prancer an' Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donna, Blitzen." Roxas nodded, counting them of on his fingers and feeling a small amount of pride when he got them all. "Oh, and Rudolph."
Seifer stared for a moment, dumbfounded, before he let out a snort and began laughing. "Man, dat is da stupidest list of names I've ever heard dog."
Seifer started for the door with two bin liners full of presents in his hands and Roxas picked up the remaining one, slung it over his shoulder, and started forwards. "An' what the hell kinda name is Psycho for a damn reindeer?"
"A damn good one!" Seifer yelled up the steps and Roxas gritted his teeth together as he reached the bottom of the steps.
"Look, I'm Santa tonight, and I will not have you blasphemising the name of my reindeer." Roxas pointed a finger in Seifer's direction and gave a small smile.
"Dog, that aint even a word." Seifer laughed, pulling out a large red sack before he began to fill it with the presents from the bin liners. "Pass us that bag will ya, gotta get these ta the kids in style."
Roxas rolled his eyes and dumped the bag in front of Seifer. "We takin' the car to get there?" he asked, about to get in before Seifer yelled up from the back again.
"Nope. Tol' ya, we gotta get these ta the kids in style."
Roxas raised an eyebrow as Seifer dragged the presents along the floor before Roxas jogged across and helped him lift them up of the ground so they wouldn't scratch or rip. He felt bad about the burglaries, but it had been a week ago and they had only taken from wealthy families who could afford to replace the presents at last minute. But it still left a sinking feeling in his gut. Seifer had tried to explain to him that they were like Robin Hood, but he just couldn't see it.
He let out a grunt when he was finally allowed to drop the presents with Seifer and stepped back, itching his head a little to find them on a wooden sleigh used for getting about in the Arctic.
"Oh hell no-" Roxas mumbled before Seifer let out an intense whistle and the garage door opened once more to reveal a pack of yapping, drooling, furry Husky's running inside.
"Oh hell yes!" Seifer laughed, running forwards as the dogs greeted him and Ansem stood in the doorway of the garage with his arms folded.
"Hello boys." Ansem smiled, his gold tooth shining in the lime of the streetlight outside as he stepped in from the fresh flurry of snow that was beginning to fall and settle on the ground. "I figured you might need a hand. After all, it is Christmas."
Seifer whooped loudly and began to settle some of the dogs into the leather straps. "It's a Christmas Miracle; Scrooge's heart of ice has melted." He laughed, ignoring Ansem's scowl as Roxas laughed with him.
"Watch your mouth you little idiot. And you," he stared at Roxas and gave a warm frown. "I expect you to be ready for work at 8pm sharp. No being late or tardy because it's Christmas. As for these dogs, make sure you get them back to me by the next sundown without a hair damaged on their heads. I borrowed them for a very important friend of mine and if anything happens to them I'll make sure the same thing happens to you. Got it?"
Seifer gave a solemn salute as the last of the dogs were strapped in and he held the reins. "Aye aye cap'n. We'll have the furry fuckers back home soon enough."
Ansem hummed and turned away. "Make sure you do." He looked up at the sky and then back at them again. "And watch were you're going. It's hard enough to see at night without this snow falling down everywhere and I'm pretty sure a pack of dogs, a sleigh and a pair of idiots is never a good thing…oh, one more thing. I've given Hayner and Sora your Christmas bonuses seeing as the pair of you were absent when I went to drop them of."
"What!? Why'd you give it ta at little shit? Probably nout left by time we's git there." Seifer whined, but Ansem just ignored him and turned to stare up at the sky before he left.
Seifer climbed into the cart and 'pffft'ed Ansem before he handed Roxas the reins as he stood up at the back and Roxas got in the front. From the back Seifer stood, pointed a finger into the air and yelled, "MUSH!" And the dogs started forwards before he continued on again. "ON SLASHA, ON BOUNCER, ON SPYCHO AND SKITZEN, ON BOMBER AND STUPID, ON DONNAR MEET AND SHITSTAIN!"
Roxas laughed as the dogs left the garage, pulling left on the reigns to get them to head in the right direction as the snow fell hurriedly and the sky grew white with a midnight frost that completely camouflaged the moon. It was at this point, in the dead of night when every soul was sleeping and awaiting the real Santa Clause, that Seifer decided he would become his very own boom box as Roxas watched him open a can of cider and glug it down.
"Singing one, two, a'one two three four! OH, WELL I DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS! THERE IS JUST ONE THING I NEED! C'ON ROX JOIN IN! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PRESENTS UNDERNEATH THE CHRISTMAS TREE!"
Roxas shook his head and smiled, singing along to the festive song (which was an odd choice for Seifer) as he reached down into his pocket and frowned at the vibrations of a caller. Lifting it up whilst still keeping his eyes on the road and the dogs before it he flipped open the unknown number and frowned. "Hello? …Hello? Anyone there?" When there was a lack of answer he closed the phone and laughed as Seifer changed the song to 'Rocking around the Christmas Tree', and decided to join in the shouting fest to wake up the neighbourhood.
For the first time in his life, he was truly happy.
But just as they neared the house where the orphans, Sora, Aqua and Hayner waited, the world began to fade. Seifer's Christmas singing became off cue and in the distance the snow began to melt into a flat road that entered a black stockpile of teeth and claws. The world about him faded and the colours drained like water until he found himself whitewashed out of the Santa costume and back into the old clothes he used to wear when he was a child when Cloud was still around. The memories flooded back and he was thrown of the sleigh as the sound of Seifer's voice disappeared and the laughter was sucked out of the world.
He tried to get up, but with every attempt the black swarm dragged him down and he found it hard to breathe, his small body unable to cope with the struggling mass of black oily demons that tried to drag him down. In front of him a shadow appeared, a shadow as small and frightened as himself, although they'd never know it, and Sora turned around to face him, his eyes covered in shadow as he reached out his hand and begged for him to help him. But Roxas couldn't. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. Why had the world turned into such a nightmare?
"Roxas! Roxas you gotta help me!"
He attempted to fight of the mass of black, but found that with every breath and movement the clinging feeling in his chest and the claws about his frame tightened.
"Sora! Sora I can't-"
"Roxas, you gotta help me!"
He felt the tears sting his eyes before ice flowed out once more and all of the feelings of fear came flooding back. "I can't Sora… I just can't anymore…"
He felt himself curl inwards and the monsters grip lessened until it finally released and he was completely free. But still the black loomed about him, flying upwards in a hurricane that left him at its centre, unable to escape and unable to go forwards or back. It was as he went forward to grab his brother that Sora disappeared, crumbling into black diamond dust before his very eyes as he slipped through Roxas' fingers and left him lost and alone.
"You've gotta be stronger than ever now Roxas."
He turned, feeling afraid and intimidated before he spied Cloud standing in front of him with his back to him, and even though he couldn't see it, Roxas knew it was Cloud speaking.
"You have to be strong for Sora…I'm sorry Roxas, you were right. You were always right."
Roxas felt his small hands grow a little and looked down on himself to find he was in a set of blood ridden clothes, the same ones he was using in the game. His t-shirt was ripped and his jeans flayed, his heart torn again and again as his hair remained blonde and messy. He felt stronger now, but the front was just a wall, and that wall was crumbling bit by bit.
"You've gotta get out of here Roxas!"
He felt the tears fall from his eyes to be swallowed by the darkness. "I'm not leaving you-"
"I'm not giving you a choice. You have to survive this. You and Sora. You have to beat this bastard at his own game." Roxas stayed silent as Cloud spoke before a deep fear of his came to the surface.
"But I can't Cloud. I'm just a kid…I'm not strong and brave like you. I need you." A sudden wildfire raced in his veins and a spit of fire roared in his chest. "I always needed you, but you were never there! And now when I need you most you leave me forever! You can't do this to me Cloud. I won't let you! You're my brother!"
Racing forwards, he felt himself raise his fist, ready to strike, before it was caught in Cloud's own and he turned to face him. Roxas yelped at the sight and thrashed to run away, feeling small and insignificant once more. His brothers face was torn and ripped to reveal the tendon beneath, the bone had been gnawed at and his eyes were missing from their sockets to reveal the deep pitch insides.
"Don't let the darkness control you Roxas! It's what he wants. It's what he always wanted." Cloud reached forwards and pulled Roxas' arm in front of his face, apparently unable to feel the fear radiating from his younger brother. "This infection will be the death of you. It was always going to be the death of you. You will not suffer physically, but your heart will be torn Roxas. Don't let it win. Keep your secrets. Don't let it win. Keep your secrets! Don't let it win! Keep your secrets! Don't let it win! KEEP YOUR SECRETS! DON'T LET IT WIN!"
Cloud was screaming now before he finally released Roxas and let him fall to the floor in a heap, still chanting as the storm picked up. Roxas covered his face, beginning a small chorus of his own as he closed his eyes and looked away.
"It's all just a dream. It's just a dream. It can't hurt me. It's just a dream…just a dream…"
"ROXAS! WAKE UP!" The voice was different, far of and faint. Roxas opened his eyes and ignored Cloud's chanting as he searched about for the noise amongst the swirling black and grey hurricane. But there was no-one, nothing.
"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE, THAT DOOR'S NOT GONNA HOLD FOREVER AND THE CLOCKS STARTED! WE HAVE TO GO!" This voice was different from the first, but was still just as panicked and desperate
"WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE HIM HERE!" He recognised that voice.
"Sora! Sora, it's me! I can't…I can't-" He shouted, hoping someone could hear him before Sora spoke up again.
"PLEASE ROXAS YOU HAVE TO GET UP!"
A thunderous echo split the hurricane and the ground began to move in a deafening shake that left Roxas on the ground and unable to get to his feet.
"WE CAN'T WASTE ANY MORE TIME! WE HAVE TO GO NOW-"
"LIKE HELL YOU IS BOY! DEM, THROW SOME WATER ON HIM OR SUMINK. LET'S TRY AND WAKE HIM UP!" He recognised that voice too. It was Hayner's.
The earthquake rang out again but this time it was accompanied by a tidal wave. From where it came Roxas didn't know, but it swamped him and dragged him through the darkness as dark shadows circled beneath him.
"ROXAS! ROXAS IF YOU CAN HERE ME THEN SAY SOMETHING. DO SOMETHING. ANYTHING!" The first voice begged again and Roxas found himself at the base of a bottom of steps, dripping wet and exhausted, but still able to climb.
Staggering to his feet he raced up the steps as fast as he could, barely avoiding the progressing tide as the black ceiling shook and fell away in heavy clusters. And then ahead of him he saw it; a door. A steel door smeared with red paint that read the words 'EXIT'. When he finally reached it he threw himself at it, twisting the lock and banging on it for all he was worth as the tide lapped at his ankles.
Finally the door swung open to reveal a sweet light on the other side. But there was something wrong. Raising his hand, Roxas felt the glass that prevented him from going through the door and into the light as it banished him to the darkness. Looking at it, his fingers tracing over it, he caught a glimpse of his reflection and shuddered at the gaunt face that looked back at him, pale, bloody, tired, lost, and afraid. A perfect immage of his inner self.
"ROXAS PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO GET UP!" Sora cried and another voice, a different voice, a female voice, spoke up for the fist time.
"ROXAS, LISTEN TO ME. I AM THE OTHER INFECTED. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH BUT YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE. GET OUT OF THE DARKNESS OR YOU'LL BE STUCK THERE FOREVER. THERE'S ALWAYS LIGHT, YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT! GO THROUGH IT ROXAS! COME BACK TO US; COME BACK TO THE LIGHT!"
Wasting no time, Roxas took a step back and raised his fist high before he brought it down across the glass, the silver trinket shattering the scared reflection into a thousand small shards as he felt his strength regain. Ignoring the water that sucked at his calfs he pulled his bloody hand back and ducked beneath the broken glass arch to enter the light, standing taller and feeling more powerful than he had felt in a long time as he squeezed the trinket tight and leapt out of the darkness, and back into the blinding light.
On with the story... The little memory with Seifer wasn't really needed, but I felt it fit with the Christmas Spirit and it does have a purpose, you'll see why at the end. Anyway, let me know if you liked or hated it and if you wanna know how the memory ends. I'll be happy to write the memory ending and stick it in by Christmas :)
Okay, so Cloud is gone...what a bummer, but that doesnt mean the excitement is gonna stop. Someone else dies next time, whoever can guess which five survive will win my utmost respect forever. Let me know what you think :)
Have a Merry Christmas all :)