**sorry I was late! I was on a field trip… to get idea for my stories… apparently, it help only little but anyways, I am happy to know that someone is still reading this… yay! So here's another chapter! Thanks for the previous reviews and I hope you guys enjoy this! This chapter is hard to write… it turns out so weird and… I don't know… stupidly funny?
-CHAPTER 10-
Roxas fell to his knees with tears pouring out from his eyes. Aerith had gone to sleep, with Lea's picture in her embrace. Roxas had killed her favorite son… suffocated in a slippery mud, injured all over by sharpen rocks, especially a fatal one deep around the liver. But yet, the very last word coming out from his dying brother, smiling weakly, was 'I…I am g-glad that… y-you are s-safe, Roxas…' Now that Roxas think about it, he should have been the one who have died. A strong, skilled, caring prince sacrifices for a naive, selfish and coward skinny rabbit.
He took another glance into the king's bedroom to make sure the royal couple were asleep and then slowly closed the door. Roxas wiped his tear away and heads towards the audience room, where the keyblade lies. Very soon, he will have his brother back… after he retrieves the keyblade for Larxene, he will be able to live in the lowerland with Axel…
There is it, left unprotected with no night guards around it; they probably thought nobody would dare to steal the almighty keyblade.
"Roxas… hurry up." Demyx called from the lead. They went over to the treasure, which is laid vertically in a golden keyhole-like box, and Demyx shows no intention of taking it from its place. Roxas put his hand on the handle and pulled.
"Only the descendants of Lord Eraqus can pull it out." Due to over usage of strength, Roxas flew backwards and landed on his back with the keyblade in his hand. "D-Demyx, you could have told me earlier! But how can I pull it out, I am not-"
"Well… I don't know about adopted prince…" Demyx put on his thinking cap but Roxas shakes it off, "hurry, before anyone notices."
They turned to the door but quickly hide themselves to the sound of footsteps. Demyx lead Roxas into one of those air channel and they watched quietly as 2 guards went in the audience room for patrolling purposes. They walked around, and went out, closing back the door, not realizing the stolen keyblade.
"Are they dumb… or just retarded?" Roxas commented on his daddy's patrollers.
"The point is, we now know that guards will be around this area at the time like this… let's just follow this channel and we will get to somewhere." Demyx suggested and it seems to be the best thing to do now, well planned, until he adds "although I don't know where it leads to." Roxas sweat dropped but used the channel route anyway. They began to crawl along the small hollow way and Roxas carefully removed the metal opening at the end of the tunnel.
Fortunately for them, it leads to outside of the castle, somewhere in the palace garden and the sky is dawning. Demyx turned to Roxas, "what are you going to do to the keyblade? You are not thinking of really giving to Larxene, are you?"
"I don't know…" Roxas stared at the huge key he holds in his hands. Should I give it to her… if I do… what is my wish in return…?
"Axel." Roxas turned to Demyx. "I want to… live with another brother… like Axel. What do you think Demyx?"
"That's crazy!" Demyx snapped. "Are you saying that you are leaving here forever?"
"No… remember what I told you when we were young? I want to lower this land, so both lowerland and Kingdom Heart's people can live together."
"Roxas…"
Upon reaching the castle gate, Roxas turned around to Demyx and smiled.
"Demyx, I think this is enough. There is no need for you to come with me anymore."
"But-"
"No. Don't come with me, please. I make a deal with Larxene… but if you help me, you will get nothing but death sentence from my dad as a thief." Roxas took a glance at the keyblade and back at his attendant, "I hope you'll understand."
"Roxas…"
"Thanks for everything you have done. Oh, and Sora said he might be home late."
With that, Roxas took a few slow steps, stopped, and glanced back at the castle he grew up as if he had no other chance to do so and finally leave, pulling a cloak over him that he managed to bring with him before midnight. Demyx tried to follow, but he has his own job: never disappoint his master's want. So he just looked at the blonde prince walking away step by step, and noticed tear droplets on the ground dropped by Roxas.
"Roxas… what have you gotten yourself into…?"
"Well, we see you have no intention to follow the prince to Neitherland." Demyx turned to see Isa and Ienzo, "we thought you would go with him. So we can catch you there."
"Catch? What do you mean?" Demyx backed away and summoned out his sitar, "what are you planning to do tricking Roxas?"
"We have no time to spend on you…" Ienzo said to Isa, "You take care of number forteen, I'll get this one." Ienzo went away, and the fight between Isa and Demyx began.
After feeling that he has walked almost forever, Roxas went over a park bench and sit down. The distance between the palace and the lowerland passageway were not that far away, but yet, this time it seems forever to get there, since it is already somewhat afternoon with the sun shining brightly. Actually, it had nothing to do with the physically distance, it's the mentally distance that is long. Roxas was still in doubt whether he did the right thing or not, but a sight of his base made him stick to his current decision.
A slight flush run across Roxas's face as he heated up, thinking about Axel. It is true that he wants a brother, but Axel seems different. He is not Lea; he is much taller, stronger, longer attractive hair, shinier eyes… and he suddenly remembered what he said about Axel to his dad. "But daddy, I love him!"
"What were you thinking Roxas… you have got to pull it together!"
He stood up and began to walked again and meet Sora who is on his way back to the castle. Of course, Sora's bright blue eyes met Roxas and his jaw dropped seeing what's coming out from Roxas's cloak. The story of the previous night is retold…
Isa and Ienzo appeared out of nowhere, looking exhausted as if they were having a fight a while ago, and smiled at Roxas and the keyblade, ignoring Sora. "I see you have it with you. Now, allow us to lead you to Neitherland, your Highness."
"No, Roxas! You must not go!" Sora chased after the prince, even after Roxas urged him not to follow. Ignoring Sora's cries, Roxas continued passed the crowd, passed Axel without knowing (which Sora bumped into in chapter 7.)
"Come back, you must not go with them!"
Ienzo, Isa and Roxas reached the side of the ocean and Ienzo began casting a spell which spilt the ocean into two, revealing an underneath staircase. Roxas gulped, but followed them in. Inside is much brighter than it seems, with light blue crystals hanging freely from the wall above.
As they staircase come to an end, they went trough a narrow wall and into the city of Neitherland. There were like an ordinary city, with people and shops and houses, but instead of daylight, the country is covered by layer of thin layer of vacuum then above is visible seawater with marine animals.
"Well come to Neitherland… this way please." Isa introduced and lead Roxas to a huge castle nearly at the edge of the city. Unlike Cloud's bright colored castle, this one here is dark blue and violet in color, with a lot of surrounding glass windows colored in shiny black. Inside is much darker than outside, and Roxas feel uneasy upon stepping into the palace. He was led towards the highest floor, passing a very cold chamber, and a room with a very odd-looking door. He was sent into the very last room, where he entered and saw the woman in the mirror last time.
"R-Roxas!" Larxene shot up, shocked. "You should have knock, Isa!"
"Sorry, Queen Larxene, but I am in haste. I have to move the other two. Now, if you would excuse me…" Isa and Ienzo bowed and left the room.
"… … … … … … …" Larxene opened her mouth, then closed again, then opened it, hesitate and closed again. A few awkward moments passed. "You came…"
"So?" Roxas tightened his grip on the keyblade. "I get you the keyblade, now what?"
"Your wish… is to be with Axel, right?"
"Yes…"
"Hm… he is not Lea. Are you aware of that?" Larxene fidgeted with her wand.
"Yeah. I… love Axel, I want to live with him… can you do that?" Roxas asked blushing; Larxene then went over to her shelf, looking around for something. She flipped through lots of books, "I am afraid I don't have any potion that works on guy-guy brotherly love potion."
"What? Then-"
"There's another way…" Larxene suggested. "But I am afraid that's a bit too much…"
"What is it?"
"You have to… become a girl yourself."
"What?" Roxas gaped. Becoming a girl himself…? He did get mistaken for being Namine once when he wears a fake wig at the palace, but to be a girl for real… Roxas stood there, looking at Larxene, didn't know what to say.
"Well, it's only a suggestion, or you can go back-"
"NO! I am not going back! Fine… you win… change me into a girl." Larxene squeaked, then coughed and calmed down.
Larxene took the keyblade and pointed it at Roxas, firing a pure light towards Roxas. Roxas feel his hair on his shoulder and touch it, it grew! He, the prince of Kingdom Hearts, had become a girl! Instantly, he checked on the other differences.
"Ah, heavenly, just look at you…" Larxene said with dreamy eyes, and then she let out a little cough for the second time of the day. "I mean, there, you're a girl now. You can now be with Axel."
"Really?" Asked the girl Roxas.
"Oh, one more thing, no happiness lasts forever. You have only three days, girl. You must get Axel's kiss before the sunset of the third day, that way you can stay with him forever. If you fail, you will be change back into a prince and you belong to me. And the price of this deal is your voice."
"My voice? But-"
"Yup, no talking, no shouting, ZIP!" Larxene continued. "You may find the terms a bit harsh. But after all, you are the prince of Kingdom Hearts."
"Well?" Larxene hummed, "either way, it's not too late to change your mind and return to the palace, Roxas."
"Stop suggesting me going back there!" the door crashed open to reveal Sora. "Roxas! No…" Too late, golden light formed before Roxas to reveal a contract, Roxas signed it.
The deal is made and Roxas feels something tightened around his throat before white light blinded him. After the light fades, he blinked and noticed he was at the entrance to Neitherland, Destiny Island. Sora was beside him, confused and dazed. Roxas put his hand on Sora's shoulder and tried to call for him, as he tried no voice come out form him, not a single word. Roxas eyes widened as he realized day 1 has began.
To Be Continued…
** I know, right? Too much dialogue… sorry. Working on next chappy, Review?