Hey everyone. Sorry about the wait but I did say this was a side project of mine. Unfortunately, this chapter isn't nearly as fun as the others but, well, I can't see the two being able to poke too much fun at this part. The humor will be back next chap, definitely.
Thanks to all of you still with me on this.
"Picking up now, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Sora watched Roxas wake up yet again. His eyes shot open. "Whoa! Okay, that's really weird. Why is he all morphy?"
"I think it's just to symbolize that you're almost ready."
Sora nodded. "Roxas is always the last to arrive. Hey, what the- Why can't they- Dude! They just ran through him like he was nothing!"
"Technically he is." Riku snickered.
"Not funny, Riku!" Sora paused the game and turned angrily on his friend. Something in those blue eyes was different.
"Okay, okay." The silver-haired teen put up both hands defensively. He was suddenly reminded strongly of Roxas and that did not sit well with him. "Roxas was being removed from the program at that point. This is the day you wake up."
"Oh." Sora flicked his eyes away. "I see."
He went back to the game. "He's being erased." There was definite sadness in his voice. "Wait, you gave me that picture and Roxas was in it."
"It was a different picture." Riku rolled his eyes. Man, this whole thing was way more complicated than it should be. "The one he's holding now is technically the real one. The one I gave you is the data created one."
Sora shook his head. "This whole thing is a convoluted mess. I don't want to know anymore. It hurts my head."
"Same here. I didn't ask questions."
"So where's he gonna go?" Sora asked almost himself. A few Dusks appeared and Sora noticeably straighten. "Oh, please don't tell me…"
Axel showed up and Sora sighed heavily. "I don't want to fight him! Oh Roxas finally remembers him. Maybe…"
He trailed off. "Oh, I see. I feel so bad for Axel. Xemnas was cruel to make him do all this."
Riku whole heartedly agreed.
"They shouldn't be fighting. Ax should be helping him understand all of this." Sora was quickly hitting buttons.
"Ax?" Riku quirked an eyebrow.
"He froze. Why?" Diz's voice rang out and if possible Sora looked more upset. "Oh this is when… yeah."
Axel unfroze and hung his head in defeat and reluctant acceptance. "No, don't do that." Sora muttered, his voice a bit choked.
Roxas ran to the mansion as instructed and at the locked gate was rapidly surrounded by Dusks. Don't call me then lock me out. "If I had, there it is. Of course, they'll just follow me in now."
One dusk moved to do just that when a portal appeared and a black coat materialized. "Now who's- oh it's you. Soul Eater gives you away."
"Well someone had to keep them out."
Roxas stood in Namine's room, glancing around. Once again, he held Sora's rapt attention. He walked around a bit, looking at the drawings on the walls. One caught his attention and triggered another memory.
The blonde Nobody marched determinedly down a dark street and passed Axel as if he wasn't even there. It wasn't until Axel spoke that Roxas turned. Sora stared. "That was the wrong thing to say, Ax. You weren't going to make him stay that way."
Riku paid close attention to Sora. He wanted to ask what was going through his mind as he played this. More than that he wanted to ask what he felt but it would wait. He'd ask about all that once the Twilight Town stuff was finished.
The scene returned to the white room and Namine calmly further explained Nobodies and the Organization. Then she brought up Kingdom Hearts and Roxas chuckled uneasily. And just as she was about to answer Roxas' reluctant question, she digitized and disappeared, Diz taking her place.
"I'm really starting to hate him." Sora spit out.
"That you or Roxas talking?"
"Oh, Roxas loathes him. I hate him." Sora didn't hate anyone. Then again, Diz was rather harsh. "I can't believe you went along with all this."
Riku sighed. "Sora, I-"
"Quiet." Ansem and Namine had both appeared in the room, Namine shouting reassurances to Roxas. Diz grabbed hold of her and when Roxas tried to run to her, Ansem got in the way. "Hey! Why did you stop him?"
"We couldn't risk Roxas backing out now. If she said anymore…" Riku trailed off. Just why had he let Diz treat Namine so badly? Yes she was interfering sometimes but that didn't give reason for all the negative treatment.
Diz took Namine away, Ansem disappearing along with them. Sora almost automatically moved Roxas through the halls. "You're both jerks, you know that?"
"Sora-"
"Just don't talk unless I ask, okay?" The brunette snapped.
Roxas entered the library and walked up to the table. He completed the emblem on it and ran as the floor suddenly began changing, only to disappear entirely. Stairs were revealed and Roxas went down into the computer room.
He looked at the many screens and another memory was triggered, this one being of the Organization's meeting room and the completion of Roxas' capture by Riku. "Is this when you…?"
"Yeah." Riku answered slowly. "That's when it happened."
Sora was silent for a moment. "I still can't believe you did that just to get me back."
"I would have died if necessary." Riku found himself saying. "You are far more important to the worlds than me."
"That isn't true." He said nothing further.
Roxas was unconscious in a chamber. Diz was so callous in his explanation of what was going to happen to Roxas. As if it Roxas' fate was completely irrelevant. At least Riku was showing some concern. Roxas was digitized away into the virtual world and the game returned to present day Roxas.
He straighten and glared at the computer. In a fit of rage, he summoned the Keyblade completely on his own and started hacking the computer to bits. "Oh, so that's what happened to it."
Sora grinned wickedly. "Nice job he did there."
Riku totally agreed. Roxas had every right to be pissed.
Another door opened and Sora took Roxas through it. Several Nobodies dropped from the ceiling. As he fought them, Sora was clearly agitated. "I'm gonna have to fight Axel again, aren't I? And this time he's gonna really try to hurt me."
Riku wasn't sure if Sora really wanted an answer.
Sure enough, Axel arrived and spoke mockingly to him. Sora bit his lip as the confrontation began. "Roxas has two Keyblades."
"Yeah. At full strength, he always does." Riku explained. "Never knew exactly why."
"This is wrong." Sora muttered as he battled the fire wielder. He was almost crying. "So very, very wrong. Friends shouldn't have to fight like this."
"We did." Riku spoke gently.
"And that was wrong, too! It shouldn't have come to that!" Axel was finally defeated. "It's just wrong."
Suddenly the end of Roxas leaving played out. As Roxas walked away and Axel muttered I would, Sora did start crying. "That's what he should have said in the first place! If he had Roxas would have stayed!"
Riku really didn't want to bring this up, seeing how upset Sora already was. "But, Sora, if he hadn't left you never would have come back. You're alive because he left."
"I know." Sora's voice wavered. "I know that but that doesn't make any of this easier. There had to be another way. There just had to be."
Roxas was looking at Axel now with full recognition. They promised to meet again in the next life and Axel faded out in a whirl of black. Roxas stood there for a moment before continuing.
Sora wiped at his face and blew out a breath. "Well, at least that out of the way. That was the worst of it, right." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
Roxas walked up to a row of small pods and took a closer look. There was a slight tone of awe in his voice as he recognized Donald and Goofy. Then he went through the last door.
Sora knew this room. He paused and dropped the controller. He got to his feet and stretched. "I'm getting another water."
Riku watched him leave, a tight frown marring his features. For whatever reason, he hadn't been prepared for how deeply all this Roxas stuff was affecting Sora. He should have seen it but he didn't. Maybe this had been a bad idea.
"You know, Roxas hated water." Sora returned and dropped into his previous position. "And the only dessert he'd eat was ice cream."
"You remember all that?"
"I don't remember. I know." Sora shrugged. "Maybe it's wrong of me but I refuse to let part of me just die. I want to know myself and to do that, I have to know Roxas too."
He turned back to face Riku. "I'm glad I'm playing this even though it's hurting like hell."
The older one bit his lip but nodded. "I'm glad you're keeping Roxas with you."
Sora smirked and he was absolutely reminded of Roxas. "Aww, The big meanie who beat me up actually cares a little."
"Yeah well you kicked my ass first."
He laughed and retook the controller. "All right. Let's get this finished."
Diz stood before the lotus-like chamber, looking all imposing. Sora snorted. "He really was full of himself."
"Well he had been the ruler of Radiant Garden."
"Oh, yeah." Diz started talking and Sora again turned to Riku, thoughtful expression on his face. "You know, if all of them knew by then that you were the one the Keyblade was supposed to go to, why did everyone still call me the chosen one?"
"Because the Keyblade still chose you." Riku explained easily. He had put a lot of thought into this one. "It chose you to replace me and then later it chose to return to you. It knew with whom it belonged. Now pay attention."
Sora whirled around as Diz finally explained his goals in all of this. "So what, he only wanted me back so he could use me?"
"All he cared about at that point was revenge. I refused to help him so he turned his sights on you. If he could make your actions serve his purpose, great."
"Okay, now I really don't like him." Roxas yelled at Diz and brought forth the Keyblade. "Oh tell me I get to fight him!"
The weapon went right through Diz. "What the… No! Ugh! What the… I'm screaming to, Rox! I'm right there with you. Stupid…" Sora went on animatedly.
Diz disappeared only to reappear behind Roxas a moment later. "Oh now he's just toying with me, the jerk."
I hate you so much. "Damn right you should!"
"He disses you here." Riku noted.
"What?" Sora stared in disbelief. "Too nice? I'm too nice? No one's ever said I'm too nice!"
But we all think it. Riku spoke to himself.
"Now where'd he go, oh its opening." Sora breathed. "It's, it's me."
He watched silently as Roxas spoke with total resignation in his voice. The scene pulled back the title appeared. Sora paused the game and sat there for a minute.
"You okay?" Riku asked softly.
"Yeah. That was just… I don't know." Sora set down the controller. "Can we stop here for a while?"
"Whatever you want. You're the one playing."
The boy nodded. He climbed to his feet. "Let's go buy some ice cream. I have the sudden urge for it."
"Sure."
