OK, for those of you who didn't read my story in the last day, I added a little notice. I'm not allowed on the computer right now. Mom doesn't know I'm on. I'm sneaking on as much as I can, but don't expect daily updates. Pleeeeeeeeeaaase be patient. And don't flame me. If you want to flame someone, flame my mother. Not me.
School for me starts on Monday. Yeah, we're wierd. We got off for summer at the end of June, so we're starting on Monday. But we did have band camp this week. Again. And we were marching on a parking lot for five hours in 101 degree weather with no shade. I have a new appreciation for water. And AC.
And for those of you who have asked yes, I'm in high school. And yes, I would like to be an author. Or a musician. Whichever one.
Thankyou for the reviews! Sorry, I can't thank everyone. Like I said, I snuck on the comp and don't know when I'll get kicked off. But thankyou!
Disclaimer: I don't own KH.
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Avalon finally stopped crying and looked up, whipping her eyes with a gloved finger. "He wouldn't want me to cry…" she muttered to herself, smiling a little through her tears. "He'd think I was being silly."
On the other side of the TV, Zexion smiled a little at how well she knew him already.
"Are you alright now?" Namine asked gently from Avalon's side.
"Wha?" Avalon jumped when she noticed the younger girl beside her. "How long have you been there!"
"Since you woke up."
"Oh…" Avalon looked around, embarrassed. She didn't like crying in front of people, but somehow she seemed to be doing a lot of that these days. "I'm… fine," she replied. That was a lie.
Namine studied her intently. Avalon was indeed doing a remarkable job of pulling herself back together, but her eyes retained a telltale hollow look. "I'm Namine. Your name's Avalon, right?" she asked, trying to lighten the girl's mood. "That's what Axel called you."
Avalon flinched at Axel's name. "He… was here?" she asked quietly, staring at the white-tiled ground.
"Yes," Namine said in surprise. "Don't you remember? It was only a few minutes ago. And he seemed really worried about you." Her expression became thoughtful. She'd never seen the fiery Nobody look so upset, even when Roxas left. "He fastened something around your neck and said it was yours."
Avalon's hand followed a chain down to the area right above her cleavage and closed around the cross. "I…" She looked down at the necklace and tried not to cry. Zexion had worn this only a few minutes ago, and Axel had brought it back to her right after watching his death. #(Why?)# It was so odd: Axel had no intention of killing Zexion before. But after Avalon explained what was going on, Axel had brought her here and left her with Namine. #(But… why?)# Avalon's eyes widened in horror as she realized what had happened. Axel hadn't told her the whole truth when he said she wouldn't have to kill Zexion. He didn't mention he would do it for her. Tears formed in her eyes again. "He… Axel killed him… so I wouldn't have to…" The tears flowed freely while she clutched the necklace.
Namine slowly nodded. She wasn't supposed to tell Avalon, but the girl had figured it out on her own.
"So then… I did kill him. It wasn't Axel. I was always the cause." Avalon understood her role now. She was a pawn of fate, thrown into the game as a wildcard to bring about things that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. And not everything was supposed to be intentional. "My existence is what caused this. Nothing would have happened if I hadn't been here! I'm not supposed to exist here, but somehow I am at the same time. It makes no sense!"
"Maybe," Namine said slowly, "That's why the Guardian is supposed to form strong ties to the Nobodies."
Avalon looked at the small girl curiously.
"Nobodies are beings without hearts, wandering in darkness, with no purpose but to regain their lost hearts. We're not supposed to exist at all. You are a denizen of fate and light with an abnormally strong heart, but also not supposed to exist." Namine smiled. "And yet, the fate of all the worlds is influenced by us. So in a way, we're opposites, but we're still in the same boat."
Avalon blinked.
"Maybe…" Namine continued, "Both are supposed to support each other. After all, both understand what not existing is like, and we each have weaknesses and strengths the other doesn't."
Avalon pulled Namine into a hug. "Thanks."
Namine beamed. This was the only person other than Sora, Riku, and the Riku Replica who'd been nice to her so far in her life as a Nobody. "Glad I could help."
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Avalon and Namine discussed issues like fate, purpose, and existence for a while, both trying to understand the profound concepts better.
"So… do you know what's going to happen next?" Namine asked curiously.
"Vaguely. If I'm right, a man called DiZ will be paying us a visit soon."
The girls jumped as a man wearing red bandages and a red cloak appeared in the room through a portal of darkness.
"Good job," Namine said reverently while Avalon disguised her jump with a laugh.
DiZ stared at Namine in thought. "You are Kiari's Nobody, are you not?" the man asked.
Namine nodded slowly while wondering how this man knew her other.
"Really!" Avalon asked the girl in surprise. "I thought you reminded me a bit of her somehow, and you said something to Larxene earlier about being her shadow, but I didn't think I was actually right." She shook her head in disbelief. "Wow."
DiZ's gaze rested on the odd girl beside Namine. "And who might you be?"
Avalon grinned. She was sure DiZ had an eyebrow raised or something. "I'm Avalon Rain," she said brightly, then summoned her weapons, gave them a twirl, and dismissed them. Her mark glowed as though to accent her next statement. "The Guardian." She wasn't going to introduce herself this way to most people, but her instincts told her that DiZ should know who she was, and Avalon was learning to trust her instincts.
DiZ stared for a few seconds, then began to laugh. "The Guardian, the Keyblade Master, the withch, Riku, and six Organization members all in one castle." He stared at Avalon as though she was an omen. "The pieces are falling into place…" Then he looked at Namine. "Riku will arrive in this room soon. I trust you understand his current dilemma?"
Namine nodded cautiously. She didn't particularly like or trust this man, but Avalon seemed to trust him to a degree. And Namine knew Avalon's instincts were impeccable. It came with her job.
"Then you know what to do whan he arrives?" DiZ asked.
Namine nodded again. Yes, she would have done it without DiZ's intervention.
"Good," DiZ said in satisfaction and turned to the door. "I will direct him here."
The two girls watched him leave.
Namine stared after him, unable to ebb her curiosity. "Would it mess things up," she asked tentatively, "If I ask what will happen?"
Avalon was about to say she didn't know much when she realized that wasn't true. Bits and pieces of cutscenes from Kingdom Hearts II had found their way into her dreams when she was asleep against the pod. It was as though the information was being fed into her brain. Weird. Avalon shook her head to clear her thoughts. "No, it won't mess with anything. As a matter of fact," she said smiling, "This explains how you'll know so much later on… I'm supposed to tell you most of what will happen later."
"Interesting…" Namine looked nervous and eager at the same time.
Avalon remembered her dreams, gathering information from the bits and pieces. Since she could only see things from game cutscenes there was nothing specifically about her in the visions, but she would be able to figure out what she was supposed to do eventually. Like now. "Riku will accept his darkness, choosing to fight Ansem here."
Namine smiled. That was what she'd hoped for.
"But he won't choose a dark path," Avalon said thoughtfully. "Riku's light and dark will support eachother, and so his path will always be the one in-between. He'll join DiZ… That's why DiZ wants you to help Riku: so Riku's stronger when they ally…" Avalon frowned. "I'll explain the reat later…" DiZ's purposes, past, and future were still clouded from the Guardian.
She shook her head. "I think I'll go to one of the other rooms and get the hang of my weapons. I've never actually used them before, and I'll be needing them soon." That wasn't the only reason: the other was that Avalon was still upset about Zexion's death and had no one to take it out on. It wasn't completely the Riku Replica's, Axel's, or even her own fault. The only thing she could completely blame it on was fate, and it's hard to be angry with a vague idea. And so, Avalon would take it out on some Heartless.
"Alright," Namine said hesitantly. "But be careful."
Avalon laughed as she walked off. "What are you, my mother?" she called over her shoulder.
It wasn't until she was obviously out of hearing range that Namine remembered Axel's message. "Ooops… Oh well." The girl shrugged to herself grimly. "Too late now…"
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Minutes later, Avalon was on the next floor slashing through swarms of Heartless. (And getting munny!) She was practically a pro with her weapons already, as though they were a part of her. As a Neoshadow rose out of the ground to attack, the girl jumped out of its reach, somersaulted in midair (taking out a few airborne Heartless in the process), and slashed downward as she fell, destroying the Neoshadow in one blow.
Her fighting was like a deadly dance; her movements graceful, strong, quick, and often appearing to be choreographed. She jumped in a circular movement, slicing through all the Heartless around her. With a few twirls, air combos, and blitzes, all the Heartless were gone. Avalon tossed her head to make her hair fall back into place. "Well, so much for this room." Avalon considered her options: either go back to the pod room or fight her way forward. She decided to move on and walked toward the door to the next room.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Avalon spun around to find Axel leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, his green eyes focused on her.
"You're pretty good," he remarked, eyeing Avalon's long knives. "I wouldn't enjoy having to seriously face off against you."
Avalon blushed a little. She knew this was high praise from Axel.
"You might want some pants or something if you're gonna do those flips, though."
"Whyyyyyyyyoh." Avalon's eyes widened in horror as she realized what he was telling her. He'd seen some stuff she'd rather not have him see.
Axel smirked. "If it's any consolation," he said, waving a hand, "I really don't know why you're so afraid of people seeing that area. It's not like you're too fat or skinny or anything. And you're not wearing a thong. Now if you were, say, Larxene…"
"Then what?" Larxene snarled at the TV.
Axel shrugged at the odd look on Avalon's face. "I'm just saying you shouldn't be afraid to show what you've got."
Avalon blushed scarlet and turned to leave, muttering about idiot pervs.
"Yup," Zexion agreed silently. Marluxia was busy trying to not die laughing while helping Vexen keep Larxene from damaging the TV.
At this point, Axel realized how very perverted that comment sounded. "I didn't mean it like that!" he shouted after her. "I was just observing the facts! From a … psychological standpoint!"
"Whatever," the girl muttered, continuing toward the door. She wasn't in the mood.
Axel grabbed her hood (the first thing he could reach). "Look, I'm not at liberty to explain, but I really wouldn't go in there if I were you."
Avalon turned her head and stared into his eyes. "You think someone from the Organization might arrive for an investigation, don't you?"
Axel smirked. She was bright. He really didn't have to betray the Organization to gat a point across to her.
Avalon sighed and dismissed her weapons, then jerked her hood out of the Nobody's hand. "Alright, but you'd better be willing to explain some things to me."
"Glad to see you're feeling better," Axel retorted half-sarcastically as they walked to a wall and sat against it side-by-side. He examined her curiously. "How'd you learn to summon your weapons, anyway?"
Avalon smiled softly and eyed her cross. "Zexion taught me…"
"Oh." Axel was silent. Avalon felt a wave of guilt emanate from him.
#(So it was him,)# she thought sadly. She felt her eyes glisten with tears and looked away, but not quickly enough.
"You alright?" Axel asked, automatically raising his hand to wipe a tear from under her eye.
"Don't touch me!"
Axel let his hand drop, watching Avalon closely.
She could feel that he was hurt and confused, but didn't care. "I know it was you! I know you were the one who caused his death!" She refused to meet his gaze, fully knowing her anger would melt and reason would return, once again leaving her with no one to blame. And then she would break down again.
"I… how…!" Axel was flabbergasted. #(How the hl does she know these things!)#
"Avalon…" Axel's voice was softer than usual. "I… didn't do it to hurt you."
"You killed the person I told you I loved and expected me to be like 'Aaaw, gee. Thanks' !" Avalon choked a bit as she started to cry. She turned her back to the bewildered man. "Just… just go away," she began, hating herself for every word, but plowing on for some odd reason she didn't fully understand herself. "Leave me alone."
Axel stood up and attempted to mask his pain with anger (it only worked because Avalon was now too angry to sense anyone else's emotions). "Fine! Be like that! See if I ever help you again!"
And then he was gone, leaving Avalon to silently seethe at him, fate, and now herself.
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Axel stomped through the darkness, fuming to himself. #(What the hl is wrong with that girl! I saved her from having to kill her idiot boyfriend! She would've had to do it herself if I didn't! And why Zexy!)# His lip curled in disgust. #(I mean, the bd backstabbed his master for chrissake! Why can she forgive that, but not me! What's the difference!)# (She doesn't know yet, actually.)
The Nobody's eyes widened as he realized it was because he'd killed Zexion that Avalon couldn't bring herself to completely forgive him. She'd feel like she was betraying her boyfriend if she stayed friendly with his killer. #(And if I know her, she's figured out why I did it, too. If that's the case she doesn't know whether to thank me or slap me!)# "Aaaaargh!" Axel yelled, rubbing his aching head. "Why do feelings always make things so dn complicated!" He sighed and resumed his walk through the darkness. #(Maybe… we'd both be better off if I really did leave her alone.)# For some reason, this thought made Axel incredibly sad.
The Nobody opened a portal back to the normal world and emerged in Marluxia's room. It was amazing how many flowers Organization XIII's ex-number 11 could grow with no sunlight.
Axel grinned evilly at the assorted plants.
He needed a pick-me-up, and burning things never failed to amuse him.
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Sorry this is shorter than the others, and the chapter end isn't quite where I'd normally put it. The first scane in the next chapter I post would've been the last one in this chapter if I'd had time.
Please review. And please don't flame me if I don't update as quickly as usual. You have no clue how lucky I was to get away with this one.