The Repetition: Hallowed.
Chapter. 9
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Axel gently laid Xion's limp body upon the plushy bed inside the tower of Yen Sid. He, Riku and Xion arrived a few minutes before and explained everything that happened in Traverse Town to Yen Sid and Mickey. The wizard told Axel to take Xion to one of the unoccupied bedrooms so she can rest and restore her energy.
He brushed a strand of dark hair away from her calm face that was still damp with sweat and tears. His eyebrows creased with worry while looking down at her. "I'm so sorry. I should have remembered you.. but I couldn't." He knew it was a stupid excuse, but it's the ugly truth and now it's because of her that his memories are slowly returned.
He turned away and scanned the lonely dark sky bedroom and out the far window where stars twinkled like a sweet endless dream. Thoughts mingled sensuously about the other one, the honey blonde haired male with no emotion in his sweet blue eyes, Axel wondered if Roxas, his best friend will ever be able to recover his memories since Namine ripped them from his mind forcefully.
"You can save him," He said as he turned around to look at her for the last time. Touching her creamy smooth skin, then the heart wrenching scream of pain that tore from her throat and her body trembling only wracked his mind with guilt. Unlike Namine who was created to harbor memories, Xion was created as a fabricated being to duplicate Sora's powers, it was simply too much for her, to different.
Axel stood up from the bed and walked towards the door, not pausing as he walked through. Sighing while the silence ached in his chest and ears, his blood pounding through his veins until he came in front of Yen Sid's office door where he could easily hear distinct voices. Leaning himself close to the door and pressing his ear to it, he listened to the conversation that was being withheld inside.
Riku stared out the far right window while Terra, Aqua and Mickey stood in front of Yen Sid's desk. Riku clenched the ledge hard, scraping his nails against the frame while glaring at the twinkling other worlds where his best friend lingered absentmindedly controlled to use his powers to locate the light and dark attributes.
Aqua shook her head, glaring and clenching her teeth in disagreement with Terra. "It's been a day since we last confronted Ventus in Twilight Town, and I was handling it perfectly until you arrived!" She poked her finger hard against Terra's chest while the tall, muscular brown haired male glared at her with the same intense venom of disgust.
He scoffed, "Handling it? That's what you call handling the psychotic brat? He was about to slice you in half with his keyblade Aqua, don't be fucking naive!" Terra folded his arms over his chest and took a few steps back before she could prod her finger against his chest again.
"Me? Naive? You were suppose to be keeping a close eye on Xenahort, but instead you come to my aid like the fucking antihero you are and instantly destroy the entire plan on defeating the Organization! You are a fucking hypocrite!" Aqua screamed, making everyone in the room tense, even Axel who unconsciously shuddered. She swiftly turned away from Terra and went straight for the door, grabbing hold of the doorknob and thrashing it open, Axel stumbled inwards and smiled sheepishly at Aqua who roughly pushed him aside and stormed out of the room.
Terra sighed and turned to Yen Sid with a nervous shrug of his shoulders. "I'm sorry about that little spat between us. Ventus would've killed her instantly if I hadn't intervened."
Yen Sid nodded, "Understood. What will you," He glanced at Riku, Terra then Axel, "and the rest of you do about Xenahort? He must be stopped."
Riku slumped his shoulders, "I have no idea yet. Everything is jumbled up, Sora and Kairi turned traitor, Roxas and Ventus aren't exactly stable-"
"Roxas is stable!" Axel yelled, feeling a little nervous about his defense since he witnessed a few instances of Roxas aggressive behavior, lack of empathy towards people and things, and his extreme boldness without thinking things through.
Riku arched a brow at Axel who glanced away from his scrutinizing stare. "I encountered Roxas many times, and he did not respond to reason, surely if he had a chance he'd kill Sora in heart beat with little to no hesitation," Riku said calmly, even though his heart raced at the very thought of Roxas hurting Sora in anyway.
Axel bit his lip while Riku turned his gaze towards Terra. He didn't jump to Ventus's defense like Axel did. Even though everyone, even Aqua knew that Ventus was far from stable, he's dangerously aggressive, his mood swings are unparalleled and his unpredictable actions are increasingly frustrating.
Terra caught Riku's hard gaze and grunted, "Ventus lost his mind a long time ago. His time away from his darkness - Vanitas - has corrupted his mind and he uses the power of light to his own advantage. I don't care how we stop him, we just have too."
Mickey, who was quiet through their entire conversation clicked his tongue and didn't understand their unreasoning, even Yen Sid was disappointed in their lack of confidence. "Your hearts are left astray because of the endeavors for your friends. The overwhelming decisions are clouding your mind and hence forth, your judgement. Riku," Yen Sid and Mickey turned to him, "You brought Xion here and she has recovered Axel's memories. Will it do the same to Roxas, Sora and Kairi?"
"Yes, it will." Everyone in the room turned towards the open door where Xion and Aqua stood. Xion's breaths came in heaves while her pale skin contrasted the dark heavy bags underneath her dim lit eyes. Aqua still wore a scowl of annoyance on her face. "If you bring them here, I can possibly restore their memories." She struggled at staying steady, Aqua kept firm hands on her shoulders so she wouldn't falter.
Axel sighed, "You shouldn't be out of bed Xion. Restoring memories takes a lot of you."
Riku pushed himself from the window ledge, "We have no other choice. It's not like we can persuade Namine. Having Sora, Kairi and Roxas on our side will even out the odds."
Mickey clasped his hands together, "Something's.. different." He let his hands fall to his sides and everyone curiously looked at him.
"What is it?" Terra wondered.
Mickey's lips twitched into a grin, "One of them detached themselves from a nobody."
Everyone in the room gone silence with shock. "Who?" Axel abruptly asked, startling both Xion and Aqua.
Mickey frowned, "I don't know." He turned to Riku then at Yen Sid. "Can you sense the difference?" He was asking both, the only people who can accurately sense the dark and light attributes, Riku by sense and Yen Sid by experience.
Riku sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose then smiling wide. "Namine's alone meaning Kairi some how got away from her."
Yen Sid, however, shook his head. "No. You are right Riku, Kairi is no longer with Namine, but she is beside darkness, Vanitas. There is a single light attribute, someone pure, someone we have all longed for to be returned to our group is by himself."
Everyone instantly looked at one another and hope filled their insides at the revelation. "Sora." They all said in unison.
Riku pressed his hand up to the nearest wall and a dark portal opened up. "I can smell his light, he's in Traverse Town. I'll go and retrieve him."
Mickey ran towards Riku, "And I'll come along. In case this might be a trap, remember Namine destroyed his memories. He might attack you when you arrive, it'd be better if there were two of us."
Riku nodded and looked at the remaining others. "What will you all do?" He wanted to be sure none of them would argue, to have nothing to do but wait, he wanted to trust all of them.
Axel crossed his arms over his chest, smiling proudly. "I'll retrieve Roxas. He'll be easy to gather, if I rile him up a bit."
Terra rolled his eyes. "I guess I'll be on the other side with Xenahort. Keeping close tabs on him and stray his path from any suspicion on us." He winked at Aqua before walking towards a wall and pressing his palm and opening a portal.
Aqua smiled warmly, finally her tremble of anger had relaxed once they all learned of Sora's detachment from Vanitas, her shoulders had slacken and her breathing finally stilled. "I'll track Kairi and Vanitas. If anything differs in Vanitas's plan on killing Ventus, I'll report it."
Everyone looked at each other one last time before disappearing.
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To Be Continued..
