-Chapter 10-

-Mackie's POV-

I was halfway through the portal, as I looked back, seeing Riku taking on Xehanort. The blackness of the portal covered the opening I saw him from, and closed, as we were back at the Old Mansion, in Twilight town.

"Mackie, I know it's a bad time to ask, but what's going to happen, when you're all happy again at your island, with your friends?" I looked at him weird.

"Wait... what do you mean? With you and me?" He nodded.

"I don't know... I don't want to think about it, but I'm going to miss the guy who put me through so much, and helped me through so much." Axel smiled, and stared at me.

"What are you looking at?" I laughed a little.

"It's just crazy, I lo- we lost you yesterday, and now you're back today, looking so different. Did months really go by in the dark realm?" I nodded.

"Sadly, I thought I was gonna be stuck there forever." Axel laughed.

"Now you know I wouldn't have let that happen, didn't you?"

"Well, I don't know, for some reason, I have this feeling inside of me, that feels like you couldn't care less about something happening to me." He cares more than you think the voice said again. I shook my head a little bit, and looked at Axel.

"Don't go having any thoughts," He laughed. "But I do care, believe me."

"Axel! I need to ask you something..." He raised his eyebrows real quickly, and looked at me.

"Okay then, what is it?" He laughed awkwardly...

"Why did you kiss me? Why were the others calling us a little love story?"

"Mackie, as much as I want to tell you, I can't." He can, he knows exactly what he wants to say, he just doesn't know the exact way to put in to words how he feels about you.

"You don't know how to put your feelings for me in to words..." Axel scrunched his face a little, confused.

"Wait, what? How did you know that?" Sh...

"I don't know, I just... You need to tell me, but first I want to go to where I'm staying. I know for a fact we aren't staying at Castle Oblivion."

"We?" I laughed.

"You can't leave my side, remember sherlock?" He laughed.

"I do not need the attitude!" We both let out a little laugh, as I thought of a place we could stay.

"I know a place, but you can't show yourself on the way there. Warp to the sandlot, I'll meet you there." I got a headstart out of the mansion, and to the Usual Spot.

"Olette!" I cried as I saw her. I hugged her, and smiled.

"Mackie, hey what's going on? You need help?" I nodded.

"Yes actually, I uh, need somewhere to stay, do you know a place?" She smiled.

"Mackie!" Hayner said when he walked in and saw me. I laughed a little.

"Hi Hayner." I touched his arm, and brought my arm and hand back to my side.

"There's an empty apartment by the sandlot, I'll take you there." Olette took me into the empty apartment, and began explaining.

"You don't need a key first off, door is always unlocked, so only lock it while you're in here! Second, this is where my sister used to stay, but she moved, so you're good." She laughed a little, and I walked out with her. Room 8, I'm sure that will be easy for you to remember the voice spoke again.

"Thanks so much Olette! I'll see you soon!" I waved as she walked away and smiled. I turned around, as Axel warped in front of the door way.

"Axel, Rank number VIII within Organization XIII, got it memorized?" He smiled. I shook my head laughing a little, as we sat inside the apartment. I sat on the abandoned couch, awkwardly, just looking at the ground.

"So, you never answered my question really... How did you know that?"

"I can't say how I knew it... exactly, but... I just did." Axel nodded a little, but by the look on his face I could see he was confused.

"I would explain myself to you now, but I just don't know how to, exactly... but I will one day, soon, I promise." My mind felt all jumbled, and I didn't know what to say next.

"Are you okay, Mackie?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I think I just need to lay down." I got up and went to the bedroom, laying in the bed. My head throbbed, as the pain grew. Axel followed me into the room, sitting beside me.

"Do you need anything...?" I shook my head.

"I don't think... I just don't know what's going on." Riku's gone a different voice said this time. This loud piercing sound went off in my head, as the pain grew larger. I grabbed my head and held it.

"Mackie! What's going on?" I took deep breaths, and started to panick. I was having an anxiety attack during all of this.

"The noise, the voice, I can't take it." I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping it would just all disappear.

"Mackie, what noise, what voice?" Then I blacked out. I woke up in a place I knew I wouldn't want to be at: Castle Oblivion. Except, this was a part of Castle Oblivion I had never seen before. I was on top of the Castle this time. Outside of the white circle, was the rest of this world.

"Well well well, look what we have here." The voice said behind me. An annoying high pitched voice.

"What do you want, Larxene?" I rose to my feet, and suddenly, something appeared in my hands: A keyblade.

"Oh, so I see what route you want to take." She smiled, and swiped her arm in front of her, as lighting began to strike around me. She laughed, and began warping herself all around, then finally stopped.

"What, a keyblade holder doesn't know how to use the keyblade? Well that's different, guess we'll do this the eas-" I ran towards her, striking her with the keyblade. I continued doing this, until she got her hit at me. I fell over the edge of the floor we were on, and I realized there was nothing below but darkness. The question occured to me now, where am I really at?

"Larxene, stop!" I cried as my fingers slowly began slipping off the edge. She stepped on my entire left hand, as I only hung by my right hand.

"Guess it's time to say goodbye to-" Suddenly a small figure attacked her. The small hands slowly helped me up, as I sat on my knees.

"Mickey... mouse?" He smiled, as Larxene cried and faded away.

"I can't lose, to such... losers!" Her last words were.

"Mackie, have you heard about Riku?" I shook my head.

"No... what happened? Is he okay?" Mickey sighed and shook his head.

"Xehanort took over him, so he's no longer in the form of Riku. It's still him, but Xehanort took his heart over." I looked down, and had a flashback of the last few moments I saw Riku.

"Will he ever be able to go back to his normal form?" Mickey shrugged.

"I don't know Mackie, but... I'm going to give you powers, so if you ever need to go somewhere, or to get out of a place, you'll be able to get out." I don't know what he did, but I felt the difference.

"Also, I want you to go to Merlin's, in Hollow Bastion. He can teach you some magic. You're going to need this stuff on your journey, and don't just sit back, okay?" I nodded in agreement.

"Okay, thank you Mickey."