The World That Never Was, Day Four

Destiny Islands And A Kid Named Sora

Axel opened his eyes, feeling somewhat refreshed. He smiled, crawling out of bed and hurried to get dressed into his black coat.

He had a plan.

Nothing big, just to have a little fun. He used a portal to get to Demyx' room, and shook his friend, trying to wake him up.

"Wha-?" Demyx asked sleepily, opening his eyes.

"Get up, I've got an idea," Axel whispered. The blond let his head fall down on his pillow.

"Oh, is it another one of your 'brilliant' plans to escape to Twilight Town?" he replied sarcastically. He then rolled over to look at a blue watch on the table beside his bed.

"It's 6:05 in the morning," he complained, "What do you want to do, now?"

"Ah, come on, Demyx, I wasn't going to drag you along to Twilight Town today, don't worry! I've got an idea that'll be just for fun, O.K.? That better?" the red head said with a sigh. Demyx thought for a few moments.

"Alright fine, I'll go..." he groaned, "So... what's your plan?"

"We're gonna go wake up-"

"Don't say Lexaeus!"

"Vexen, Xigbar, and-"

"Don't say Lexaeus!"

"Saix."

Demyx sighed with relief, but then realized what Axel had just said.

"Saix?!" he exclaimed, "He's not gonna be thrilled about this..."

"Relax!" Axel tried calm him down, but, it didn't entirely work, even though Demyx did end up coming with him, after all.

--

The two entered Vexen's room, and hid themselves around his bed. Axel peered up at the sleeping form on the bed, grinned, then glanced over at Demyx. He gave him a thumbs up, and, his friend stood up, summoned his Sitar, splashing Vexen. Meanwhile, Axel heated up his bed from underneath- just enough to wake him up. Vexen cried out, jumped up, nearly falling of his bed, tangled in his soaking sheets.

"Come on!" Axel called, grabbing Demyx by the wrist, and jerking him through a portal.

Vexen looked around, bewildered, once he managed to free his head from his bed sheets.

"Who...?" he muttered.

--

Axel, looking back, had not noticed where he was when he stepped out of that portal with Demyx. It wasn't until Demyx asked, "Where are we?" that he realized he had made a mistake.

Axel turned around to see that they were standing on a beautiful island.

"I... I don't know..." he answered softly, "We're not the beach at Twilight Town, that's for sure." They looked around, and saw two little boys walking along the shore. Axel and Demyx hid under a nearby dock.

"Race ya!" the taller boy called to the other. They started to run, but the first boy ran faster.

"Hurry up! Your so slow!" he called.

"Hey!" the other yelled back. He soon stumbled and fell.

"Wa-wait up, Riku! Don't leave me!" he whimpered. The other boy, Riku, stopped, and turned around. He walked back over to his friend. He reached out his hand and helped him up. Riku sighed and laughed.

"You're going to have to learn to keep up, Sora," he said.

"Yeah, then I'll be faster than you!" the other cried happily.

"Yeah, right, whatever," he said sarcastically. Sora suddenly took of into a run.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Riku called, running after him. Soon, they were on top of the dock. One stopped, then the other.

"What is it?" Axel and Demyx could hear Sora ask.

"I thought I heard something," Riku replied.

"Hey, Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure your sure that wasn't a monster in that cave?"

Riku sighed heavily, "I told you- it was just the wind. Besides, I wanna see if-" A little face appeared, followed by another staring at them upside down. They were looking straight at Axel and Demyx.

"Who are you?" Riku asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Um... My name is Axel," Axel said, not knowing what else to say. The white haired boy turned toward his friend.

"I'm... uh, Dema," Demyx said, backing away, slightly.

"Hmph," Riku said, "I'm Riku.

"And I'm Sora!" the other exclaimed.

"Something about him reminds me of Roxas..." Axel thought.

"Hey, do you know where we are?" Demyx asked.

"This is Destiny Islands," Sora replied.

"...Shouldn't you know that?" Riku said slowly, "Where do you come from?"

"Twi-" Demyx tried to reply, but Axel stopped him.

"We should be going!"Axel nervously laughed.

"But, wait!" Riku called to them, but it was too late- they both entered a portal and left.

"Where you think they went?" Sora wondered out loud.

"I don't know..." Riku replied, "But one day I'm gonna find out."

--

"Axel? Um... Let's not do that again, O.K.?" Demyx pleaded, and added, "Let's go get breakfast, I'm hungry."

"Yeah, me too," the other agreed, "So that was Destiny Islands, huh?"

They made their way to the usual room for breakfast, and when they arrived, they were early enough that only Vexen and Zexion were there. Vexen shot a glare at Demyx.

"I woke up with my sheets wet this morning," he growled.

"Ew," Demyx replied, "T.M.I..." Axel covered his mouth and suppressed a laugh. Vexen's face turned very red.

"Not like that!" he exclaimed, "There was water- everywhere- and you, number nine, are the only one who controls water! And- why was the water so warm?!"

"There's a reason for that... I can control fire and all, which is hot..." Axel replied with a smirk. Before Vexen could speak, Zexion, who had been listening to the conversation, stepped in.

"Well, uh, there's food in the kitchen!" he interrupted, "Xaldin brought it back yesterday - fruit from the Deep Jungle, some bread for toast from Agrabah, and there are a few pastries! You two should get some before their gone!" Deciding that this sounded good, they entered the kitchen and grabbed some breakfast.

After they finished, each returned to their own rooms. Once there, Axel entered his bathroom, and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Still tired, he splashed some water on his face, and examined the scars under his eyes. He sighed, then winced, remembering the pain when he recieved these scars. He red hair flopped in front of his eyes, and, annoyed, he brushed it out of his face.

Then he had an idea.

--

Axel looked into the mirror, and gave a little, "hmph!" and a nod of satisfaction. His hair was now definitely out of his eyes, and he liked it. His hais was now spiky, pushed back, and away from his eyes. However, there was one little bit of red hair that stubbornly stuck forward.

"Oh, well..." he thought, "At least now it's how I like it!" He walked out of his bathroom and his room, and was surprised to see Demyx- who's hair also looked different.

"Do you like it?" Demyx asked eagerly.

"Well... um... It's O.K., I guess..." he replied honestly.

"You don't... like it?" the blond said pathetically, his eyes like two large saucers.

"Well, uh...! So long as you like it, it's fine by me!" Axel said quickly. Demyx seemed to brighten up at once. Just then, Zexion walked out of his room and turned toward them.

"Hey! Could you two come into my room for just a few minutes? Please?" he asked, "Because there's something I want to tell you..."

--

"Master Ansem was working on trying to figure out the 'mysteries of the heart'- or so he called it," Zexion explained, "and because of the Organization wanting you two, he wanted to protect you with a computer system he's been working on for a while. But- he only just managed to get it set up enough to protect both of you for a little while... But the program still has a few glitches in it. So, he had to make sure that he could watch you personally for your own safety. He just took the data that he already had of the people you were before you were nobodies- named Dema and Lea- and simply put the both of you in their place."

"So... you know this because you were one of his apprentices?" Demyx asked, shifting from his position on the floor, next to Axel. The boy nodded.

"And... is there any way to permanentely leave here and go back to Twilight Town?" Axel asked, hopefully.

"Not really... I've tried to leave, too, but... I always get into trouble," Zexion sighed. The other two sighed as well.

"Is that all you wanted to tell us?" Axel asked sadly.

"Well, that and... I want my books back," he replied with a shrug, "But other than that, no. Not that I can think of."

"Oh... thanks anyway..." Demyx said.

"And I'll try to get your books back today, O.K.?" Axel added with a light smile and a nod of farewell.

"Thanks," Zexion replied. Axel and Demyx got up, and exited the room. They each went to their own rooms. The only times they left for the rest of the day were at mealtimes, as well as when Axel returned the books to Zexion, just like he said he would.

That night, Axel, as usual, curled up under his sheets. He missed his friends, family, and home so much. He almost felt sad, and a tear, he thought, almost fell down he cheek, but he couldn't cry, even though he, for once, desperately wanted to. It was as if... he couldn't feel emotions. He let out one final whimper that only momentarily broke the silence, then he drifted off to sleep. Little did he know that Zexion was right. For the years to come, this was to be where he would be held.