Disclaimer: "I do not own Kingdom Hearts."
Chapter 10 Gambling Stars
Ansem waited for some type of response, but Riku stubbornly decided to remain silent instead. The young man breathed heavily through his noise, clearing away the tension that was building up inside his chest. He tugged his wrists feebly against the chains. So many years of self-loathing, and he still felt powerless. There weren't any changes towards his imprisonment. He never felt so humiliated. With so many memories of the past pouring into him, he knew he couldn't hide much longer.
And so, he lifted his chin up and spoke.
"What are you doing here, Ansem?" He slanted his head forward and sniffed the foul air he carried, "You being here must mean you're in trouble, am I right?"
"Only you hold the power of darkness within our world." He answered somberly.
"Of course. It's the reason why you locked me in here in the first place."
"You can blame your dear father for that." He responded hatefully.
Riku scoffed with a hint of mirth in his voice, "That I do."
"You're right though, Riku. I do need you." He nodded to confirm his earlier deduction.
Again, the young man chuckled, "Is that so? Well, pardon me, good sir. But you must have me confused with your loyal followers." He rolled his neck and continued cynically, "I shall be no use to you. Besides…." He lowered his head with regret, "…I've already lost too much. There's no road for me. The only path of redemption I have…is here."
Ansem refused to be swayed by such delusions of self-doubt.
"What if I told you…. it involves a certain relative of yours?" He crossed his hands behind his back, hoping to spark some interest in him.
Riku picked his head up, "Relative?"
"Not only them, but the people you hold dear as well. They're in trouble, Riku. And only you hold the power to save them." He shrewdly explained.
The silver-haired captive glared through the mask of his blindfold, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about how Kairi is dying." He paused and then added fiercely, "Your sister is even in greater danger. It would seem like she too has been led to the darkness. You must stop it."
He immediately shook his head, "No, I refuse…. I refuse to believe you!" He pulled his arms violently with denial, "The only reason I'm held here is because you told me it was the only way to keep them safe! Now you're telling me all these years it all meant nothing!"
"Forgive me." He apologized with a small bow, "I thought it would have been enough, but apparently not."
"Either way…I object any alliance with you."
"If you can not pledge loyalty to me, at least do it for Kairi. Would you really leave her to suffer and die from the same disease you yourself created?"
"She has Sora…she doesn't need me."
"And what of your sister?"
"…"
"Surely you wouldn't let her fall?"
"If she is indeed my sibling, then she has already fallen." He heavily concluded without any sense of doubts.
Ansem sighed with grief, "Riku…." He held his name deeply with care, "Sora is no good of a warrior to conquer the darkness that is coming. In due time, he too shall fall. There is no light stopping this plague, you must know that."
"How could I not? When it was my father who brought it upon us."
"Please, then redeem yourself." He pleaded strongly, "Join me to stop this, and I promise you—you shall have your freedom."
"So…darkness against darkness, huh? You're playing a risky battle here, Ansem."
"Does this mean I have your word to assist me in my path of saving everyone?"
Riku quickly disclaimed his notion, "It means you have my attention, not my trust. Either way, you could be quite useful. However, before we start, I would need to pay a certain visit to someone."
Ansem held a cautious glare, "And who may that be…?"
Riku churned with clear hate in his voice, "Someone who I could never deem a mother."
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Namine's eyelids quivered from her slumber. She could never refuse the invitation of her bed. It framed every spot possible to make sure she was comfortable. It truly was the most loyal thing any woman could have. Still, she felt like she was missing something. Grumbling in her sleep, she moaned with irritation to figure out what it could be. Just then, she heard movement in the room next to hers.
Roxas, he was awake.
Realizing that it was a new day, she woke up vigorously with a start.
"I must get ready!" She gritted briskly.
She threw the covers off her bed and sprinted over to her closet. She whipped the doors open and savaged her gowns. All of them were luxurious, but she only needed one. She sighed with irritation, finding the task to be difficult. She was wasting time. If she didn't hurry, he was surely be gone for today. She then spotted a familiar dress. It was carefully folded in the corner of her closet, bringing back multiple memories inside her.
"That's…" She gently picked it up and gracefully let it unfold.
It was the dress she wore on the night of her banishment. The same one she was wearing when Roxas had found her. She held the sentimental piece close to her chest, secretly mourning over the loss of their companionship. She never thought she would miss it. All those signs of flirting only to realize it meant nothing. She just couldn't accept it.
"This will do." She nodded confidently with resolve.
She then changed into the peasant style dress, and took out the pins to her hair. The strands fell delicately across the back of her neck and collarbone. The gown was burgundy from the waist down, the vest around her torso and bosom area a dirty shade of yellow. The sleeves were a vanilla white, splitting open from her elbows. It was simple, just like her. Prepping her appearance one last time with the use of her mirror, Namine took off towards the door. There was a bit of zeal in her steps, making her even more anxious. She stepped out into the hallway and stood in front of the door next to hers. She waited patiently for him, hoping for the chance to see him.
She waited and waited—nothing.
She couldn't have imagined the sounds from next door, could she?
'Unless he evaporated himself by using the corridors of darkness again.' She mentally mused.
She scoffed heavily at the possible outcome. She then pressed her ear against the door with a rather childlike posture to check. Her eyebrows scrunched down with suspicion when she didn't hear anything. She huffed at the door and glared at it, pretending it was Roxas.
Before she could commence the urge to kick "him", a friendly and familiar voice broke out.
"Namine, is that you?"
The young witch turned to notice it was Olette with Hayner accompanying her.
Namine admired the couple with a friendly smile. "Olette, Hayner, good morning."
She bowed to them, which they humbly returned.
"You're certainty up early." The male demon speculated curiously.
"Oh yes, I was…"
"Hoping to see Master Roxas?" Olette finished mischievously.
Namine was startled by the question, and quickly tried to deny it. "No, of course not!"
"The color of red on your face says otherwise." Hayner commented humorously, "No wonder Tifa said your blood will be delicious, you keep sprouting it onto your face."
She frowned at his witty remark. "Guess I can't fool you two, can I?"
Olette nodded and gave a sympathetic smile, "And sadly not Lord Roxas either." She sighed and folded her hands over her apron, "He left for the day, Namine. You won't be able to see him, I'm afraid."
"Then where is he?" She austerely demanded.
The question caught the two off guard.
"Uh…" The brunette fidgeted uncomfortably, "I…I can't say."
"Only Saix knows." Hayner calmly answered.
Namine leaned her body back in defeat, "Saix he's…"
"Intimidating. Overbearing. Grouchy."
Axel suddenly appeared around the corner, along with Demyx, mockingly listing down the werewolf's faults.
"Don't forget to mention controlling." The half-breed carefully added with a finger in the air.
"Axel!" Namine exclaimed in shock from his entrance. However, her focus was soon entirely taken by the fey next to him, guilt already consuming her, "Demyx…I…"
The fire demon quickly disregarded her upcoming apology, "You don't need to say sorry to him, Namine. The imbecile surely deserved it. Who knows? Maybe you were able to fix a few screws in his head."
"I resent that!" Demyx mulishly quipped.
Axel carelessly pointed his thumb at the half-breed. "See what I mean?"
"Even so…I'm so sorry the pain I've caused you." Namine rushed and held his hands into hers, "I would understand if you won't forgive me."
Demyx eyed the girl comically in shock, "Uhhh…"
Axel elbowed his ribs. "Just say she's forgiven already."
"Ouch!" He winced from the physical abuse and gently patted the girl's head nervously, "You don't have to carry such burdens of my condition, Namine. Besides, the worse punishment I probably received was having Larxene as a caretaker. If you want to make it up to me, we can perform a serenade together if you like!"
"Please don't." Hayner whispered with a painful expression.
The girl giggled from the invitation. "I wouldn't mind that at all. Thank you, Demyx."
Olette smiled from the pure warmth that radiated off Namine's demeanor. 'It's no wonder why Lord Roxas is afraid of it. You can't help but to love her.'
Namine coughed conspicuously with anticipation. "Um, you mentioned about Saix. Does he really know where Roxas is?"
The group stared at the girl and remained vigilant.
Axel frowned and scratched the back of his fiery mane, "Unfortunately, yes. Even though Saix and Master Roxas have their squabbles, they do have their moments of alliance."
"And which occasion is this one?" She warily inquired.
"To keep you away from him. He believes your polluting his mind, which in this case…" He tilted his head and shrugged, "…Might not be far from the truth."
She became stunned by his explanation, becoming hurt by it. "I see…"
Olette protested. "Surely if Namine talks to Saix though, he can reconsider?"
Hayner shook his head with doubt. "He's a callous man, Olette. It would be impossible."
Namine, however, wasn't one to accept defeat just yet.
She ventured boldly while gripping her gown, "Tell me where he is."
They all became stunned by her request—Axel more enthralled.
"You're willing to challenge him?" He cunningly grinned.
"Yes, I have to, or else nothing will change." She brought her head down and quietly meditated, "And I'm tired of not doing anything from my mistakes."
Hayner seemed skeptical. "Are you sure?"
She firmly nodded. "Yes."
Axel plucked his lips together and decided to enlighten her, "Well if that's your answer, he's at the east wing talking with Aqua and Terra." He observed her carefully with uneasiness, "You're not the only one who's been trying to see him, Namine. They've been pestering to see him as well—got it memorized?"
"Then we'll just have to see who will receive the honor first." She challenged willfully. She then bowed to signal her leave, "Thank you, everyone. I shall go now and try to speak with Saix. Wish me luck."
Olette gave a pleasant nod of encouragement. "Good luck!"
Namine turned and took off down the hallway, already beginning her quest. The four allowed their gazes to follow after her—each having their own level of expectations.
Demyx spoke gravely with fear. "Do you think that was wise, Axel? Sending her to see Saix when it was Roxas who ordered us to keep her away in the first place?"
The redheaded demon flicked a bit of fire from his fingertips and answered jadedly. "Nah, besides, Saix owes me one—more importantly, so does Roxas."
"Such forces—I sure do hope you know what you're doing, Axel." Olette gently prodded.
Hayner wrapped his arm around his mate to reassure her. "Don't worry so much, Olette. Who knows, this could be fun!"
She glared at her beloved. "It's always a game with you."
Axel chuckled at the lovers and kindly ignored their banter. When it all came down to it, Roxas sure had some troublesome guests.
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Namine cautiously examined each room she passed. There wasn't anyone around. At this rate, the east wing was pretty much deserted.
"Maybe I was too late." She pondered aloud.
This was her only chance to find Roxas—she couldn't give up. She was tired of his hostility, and wanted to confront him about it. Once she did, she would confess her choice in leaving the dark realm. It was the only solution she could think of to ease his stress—that, and one other. This wasn't only about Saix, but Aqua and Terra as well. He was obviously suffering from it. She was willing to take his burden, if only for a moment. She just needed him to realize that.
Just then, she started to hear voices. She instantly picked up on them and followed the source. It led her to a balcony area. She saw Saix and the two knights, quickly ducking away behind the shadows. Namine wasn't one to eavesdrop, but with one hand against the wall, she attempted to. They were discussing about Roxas, so she knew she couldn't avoid it.
"Saix, I implore you. Please let us see him." Aqua gently prodded.
Terra stepped up and added fiercely. "It's urgent, and him running away from his responsibilities is not a good way to convince us otherwise."
The General glared at the two and kept his posture still without any signs of backing down. "And I'll repeat myself again. I refuse."
"If he doesn't speak with us. It'll only mean more trouble for him." Aqua somberly stated.
Terra nodded in agreement. "He would be forced to speak with his brother about this. In his current state, he's not fit to rule anything. Eventually, he'll be discharged from his duties."
"That is not a fate you decide." Saix calmly berated, "That decision was made by the previous rulers. You have no power over that."
"If this keeps up, there'll be no reason to." Terra harshly clarified.
It was this point that Namine couldn't take it anymore.
"How dare you!" She came out and shouted angrily at the man's accusation, "If there's anyone who's oppressing Roxas around here, it's you two!"
Saix, to say the least, was astonished by the girl's sudden appearance. "Namine…what are you…"
Before he could even ask, she was already continuing her tirade. "Roxas has been working so hard for everyone's sake! He does it all on his own with no help! Everyday he's compelled by responsibilities that were obviously forced upon him, and all for what? For you to lecture him and tell him he's not worth protecting anything! He's so stubborn, that he doesn't even ask for my help! Even when I thought we were friends! We're all trapped in these titles people give us, and we're not even given a chance to express who we really are! Tell me? How is that fair to him?"
The two knights became speechless by her fury; and as much as Saix tried not to show it, even he too was amazed.
Namine fought back the tears that wanted to fall. There was no time for it.
She inhaled some air into her lungs and forced back the moisture that was rising in her eyes. "If there's anyone who should leave, it's us. We're the ones giving him trouble! Realizing it now, I don't even blame him for hiding. How could he not when there's so much weight on him? We should all be ashamed of ourselves. I know he acts like a child, but…I think it's because he never got the chance to be one. Even so, just by knowing him for just a short while, I know Roxas is strong. He puts on this façade just to show how strong he could be. And that's why…he's the best we have. Whoever the previous ruler was…" She smiled sweetly with admiration, "…I could see why he chose him."
They gawked at her with bewilderment, making no signs in arguing.
Namine restlessly shook her head at their lack of response. "I won't ask for forgiveness for my intrusion. In fact, once I see Roxas, I'm going to tell him that I have resigned my stay here. I suggest you both think about it and do the same."
She soon sighed with distress and quickly stormed off to make her leave. She was too furious at them and at herself to prolong her stay. Her heels thumped horribly against the carpeted floor. She eventually slowed down and came to a halt. Overwhelmed by their encounter, Namine collapsed into tears. She quickly wiped them away from her face. It was shameful for her to even react this way. Not like she was anyone important—not like she could make a difference. She was a witch, and needed to be treated as such. It was all her fault anyway. Terra and Aqua wouldn't have stayed and bothered Roxas if it weren't for her. Demyx wouldn't have gotten hurt either. Her negligence had even caused the moogles to suffer. She was hazardous to everyone—even more so to Roxas.
"There's no reason for me to even be here." She whispered with realization, "I'm not useful at all to be at Roxas's side." She then bowed her head in shame towards her behavior, "What did I even hope to achieve for interfering like that? So pathetic."
"I wouldn't say that." A voice offered calmly.
Namine whipped her head around and discovered the meddler to be the General himself.
"Sir Saix!" She exclaimed in shock, "What are you…"
"That was quite foolish of you to intrude like that." He dismally commented.
She sighed from his remark. "I know. Forgive me. I know what I did was out of term."
"It was." He agreed.
"It won't happen again."
"I figured not." He inquisitively studied her face, "Is it true?"
She looked up at him, becoming a bit confused. "Is what true?"
"That you plan on leaving?"
She frowned and turned away with a hint of umbrage in her voice. "I take it you're pleased by that?"
"My feelings aren't required towards your decision. It's Roxas I'm concern with."
She examined his words carefully. "You care for him, I could tell…even if others can't."
"I'm bound to him as his protector." He brazenly stated to correct her, "Nothing more. Again…" He returned to his previous inquiry, "…What of Roxas's feelings?"
She shook her head. "Even if I wanted to speak with him…he would just turn me away."
"But you wish to see him, correct? To at least talk?"
She shuffled uncomfortably in silence.
"Then…" Saix casually held his breath, "…I shall tell you where he is."
Namine gawked at him in shock. "What?"
"Do I honestly have to repeat myself? I said you could see him." He sighed with annoyance.
She bowed and apologized. "Yes, I'm sorry. It's just…. I'm surprised. You're allowing me to go see him?"
"Yes, I shall send Goofy and Donald to escort you to him. He's acting like child and can't hide forever." He criticized crossly.
She chortled at his comment. "You really do take it upon yourself to have a rather maternal disposition, Sir Saix."
He fiercely glared at her. "I am not his father. And unless you want to go see him, I suggest you stop assuming as such."
"Sorry." She quickly halted her amusement.
"He's at Macalania Woods. Goofy and Donald should be able to take you there safely without encountering any fiends." He soon walked off ahead of her.
"Wait!" Namine quickly stopped him from traveling any further, "Why are you letting me go see him?"
He turned and carefully examined the girl. She was such an ordinary thing—a human. Why was he helping her? It was then that his conversation with Axel came to mind. Love, what could it possibly bring? All he could see was destruction. What did Axel see? There was only one way to find out.
"Like I said…" He paused and continued off distantly, "…he needs to stop running away."
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The wood sang harmoniously with the crystals that sprouted from the bark of the trees. They chimed majestically and reflected off light into the sky, enchanting the environment with essence of water. It brought everything to life, creating a heavenly glow of wonder. For Roxas, Macalania Woods was his safe haven of solitude. The crystalized flowers of red and orange cradled around him, bathing him with warmth. He sat across from the pond and marveled the scenery. The woods served as a sanctuary in the dark realm, not even darkness could penetrate it. This was his place of refuge, gaining access to his thoughts freely without care of the consequences.
"Namine…" And he only had one thought in mind.
Like a child seeking warmth from the cold, he embraced his knees closely to his chest for comfort. She truly was a mystery inside his life—an enigma to the very end of his existence. The heat inside his chest when he touched her was her doing. The ache in his eyes when he imagined not seeing her was also hers. Even the tremors inside his fingers when she spoke his name left him breathless. Everything was a constant change in him, one he wasn't comfortable with. It frightened him, making him distant.
And yet, there was shame. Why?
"Because I hurt her…" He answered above a whisper, "…And I can't stand it. I can't even stomach it. Why do I even feel this way?" He buried his head between his arms, "I hate it. It's making me weak. I hate feeling weak." He growled with frustration, "It has to stop. If not…" He lifted his head up, completely unaware of the intruder that was graciously walking up to him, "…. then I'm doomed."
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The gems that grew off from the trees sparkled splendidly against their path, guiding them like torches within the night. Donald and Goofy led Namine safe passage through the roots that were linked together above the trees. Demons lurked beneath the shadows of the bushes, so it was best to be cautious.
"Lord Roxas should be nearby." Donald announced while wobbling ahead to the next area.
Namine nodded and continued to follow after him. She soon pushed aside a branch that was in her way.
"Be careful, Goofy." She softly informed him.
However, the canine was completely oblivious over his directions and got hit directly onto his face. He grabbed his snout and hollered in pain, striking attention right away from the two ahead of him.
Namine immediately showed concern. "Goofy! Are you alright?"
"You bozo!" Donald flapped his arms up and down, "Can't you do anything right?"
Goofy rubbed his nose generously with guilt. "Gawrsh, I'm sorry Donald." He scratched the bump on his head, "Guess I wasn't watching were I was going."
Namine sighed with relief. "Well, it's good to see you didn't suffer too much damage from that branch."
"We're wasting time." Donald impatiently scolded, "Namine, we should keep going before it gets dark. The fiends wake up during that time, so we should hurry."
She nodded with understanding. "Right."
They continued off from where they were, heading deeper inside the cerulean woods. Eventually, they made it to a path that was congested by roots and vines. They were folded against each other, creating a thick fortress that was hard to dispel.
"What do we do now?" Namine warily asked.
Donald walked in front of the blocked passage and whispered a certain incantation to it. Gradually, the plants began to separate, revealing a road ahead of them that was completely covered with spheres of diamonds.
Donald answered joyfully with pride. "I use some magic of course! I guarantee if you follow this path, you'll eventually find Lord Roxas at the end of it."
Goofy beamed at his friend's accomplishment. "Nice work there, Donald!"
"Of course!" He nodded with his beak up.
Namine knelt down to the mage and embraced him tightly with gratitude. "Thank you, Donald."
He laughed sheepishly. "It was nothing." He gently pushed her back and encouraged her to go forward, "Goofy and I will wait here in case of anything. You're on your own from here, I'm afraid."
"Don't worry about it." She nodded with understanding, "I'll be sure to be careful."
Goofy waved at her when she walked through the passageway. "Good luck, Namine!"
She turned her head and waved back before pressing forward through the narrow trail. Water brimmed through the soil, drenching the hem of her gown. Namine bent down and took her shoes off in order to prevent them from getting ruined. When her feet touched the purified stream of liquid, she sighed with contentment. It soothed her body instantly with peace. By each step she took, she felt like her body was being in tune with nature. It seemed like everything was embracing her, beckoning her to move forward. The spheres that were attached to the trees shimmered brilliantly under the moonlight, casting off multiple rays of light. It surrounded her, dusting off the leaves like it was being filled with stars. She could hear a stream nearby, almost like a waterfall. Carefully making her way through the last section of trees, Namine decided to follow the sound. Eventually, she made it the center of Macalania Woods—and right at that center, was Roxas.
Namine gasped in shock when she found him. He was sitting on the ground, mumbling something to himself. After a moment in standing there, she realized he hadn't sensed her yet. She took this opportunity to gain back the courage she needed for her objective and gradually made her way over to him. When she got closer, he seemed to pick up on her scent, because before she knew it, he was staring at her—well, more like gawking.
"Namine…how did you…"
"Saix." She answered rather bashfully, "He told me where you were, but it was Donald and Goof who brought me here."
He merely stared at her with a blank gaze. Shortly afterwards, he turned back around, acting like it didn't bother him; but Namine knew better.
"I'm sorry." She apologized gently, "I know you didn't want to be found…. especially not by me, but…I felt like I had to see you." She sighed anxiously when he didn't respond, "I didn't come here to lecture you or anything. In fact, I won't say anything at all. I'll just…"
She looked around, doing her best to find something to preoccupy herself with. Failing to find anything that would suffice, she decided to sit next to him instead.
"…Sit here." She innocently finished without much thought.
That's when something inside Roxas panicked. Within the inner safety of his mind, he was cursing Saix to the deeper sets of oblivion for even betraying him. Though he should have known better that he would pull off something like this, not with the growing amount of tension between them lately. He took a glance at the witch. Was she really just going to sit there? Is this some sort of trick women played? He swore he could feel beads of sweat forming on top of his forehead. All that he could hear was her breathing being mixed with his own. The settling drops of leaves falling across the surface of the pond. It was peaceful, and yet so unsettling at the same time. How could she not say anything? Did she really just come here just to see him? He felt his cheeks grow hot from the thought; but he quickly scorned it to disappear.
After possibly a few seconds of her heartbeat, he asked hesitantly with skepticism. "Are you really going to just sit there and say nothing?"
She titled her head at him. "I think I was able to say what I needed to last time we saw each other. So, I believe it's only proper that you get to speak now."
He recalled the event and grimaced at the memory. "After how I treated you? You actually think that?"
"Well, there is something I would like to add from our last encounter."
He shrugged indifferently, sensing no harm from it if she did. Namine rotated her body so she could be in front of him. She then leaned in close to his face, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek. Roxas was startled by the affectionate touch, becoming weak by it. Why were those curvy lips of hers so alluring right now? Why were they so pink? It was like the only thing he could even focus on. What exactly was she doing?
"Roxas…" She tenderly whispered, causing his mind to become unsteady.
Namine studied his face, and smiled when she noticed she had his attention. Before he could even defend himself, she slapped him squarely across the face. She hurled all the force she could muster, inflicting a well-deserved handprint onto his cheek. With his head whipped to the side, Roxas was left stunned by the assault.
She slapped him! Him! The Heartless King!
Roxas lifted his hand to his cheek and rubbed the sore spot with confusion. It wasn't like it physically hurt, but he did feel like his pride was knocked down a few sizes.
"Why did you…?" He couldn't even form a thought.
She leaned back and respectfully bowed her head down for forgiveness. "Pardon me, my liege, that was rude of me."
"You're sorry?" He asked bemusedly.
What was with this girl? One minute she's slapping him, and the next she's apologizing for it!
"Wait…my liege?" He blinked a couple of times and spoke firmly with disapproval, "I thought I told you to call me by my name."
"I find no reason to, since apparently I'm not your friend." She casually stated, but he could tell there was pain in her voice for admitting it, "And improper as it was, I feel happy in doing what I did, because now…I get to see the real you. The you that deserves to be called Roxas."
That silenced him. She reduced him to a coward in his own domain. Roxas didn't know how to react or how to respond. She mentioned about wanting to see the real him, but he had no clue who the real him even was. The forest whispered inside his ear from the elements that surrounded them, beckoning him to speak.
He lifted his head up and caught her wavering eyes with his. "Namine…how could not feel disgusted in my presence right now?"
She seemed perplexed by what he meant—she honestly thought it was the other way around. "What? Why should I? It's me who should be saying that. Roxas…I caused you so much trouble and…"
"Enough of that." He gently instructed while closing his eyes, "I'm tired of hearing you blame yourself for things that are obviously out of your control. Besides…it's me who should be apologizing."
"Why?" She became worried by his claim.
"Because…I hurt you…Namine. I inflicted harm onto you."
"You saved me, Roxas!" She exclaimed with distress, "Is that why you kept pushing me away? Because you thought I hated you?"
He turned away, remembering his thoughts from earlier. "Part of it is…but it's also because I can't let you get close to me either."
She frowned from his words. "So…does that mean we can't be friends?"
"I don't know."
"Then why would you flirt with me?" She probed anxiously while gripping her gown, "Why did you even save me that day when I was chased out of my own home? Why seek companionship when all you've done is run away from it?"
She sighed when he didn't answer. He was obviously conflicted, and she had enough of it.
"I obviously caused affliction inside your realm." She stated somberly, "Which is why I've decided…to leave Castle Oblivion."
"What?" He spoke with panic in his voice, immediately declining the idea, "You can't!"
Namine's heart lifted happily from his plea, but she dared not show it. "I must!" She persisted anxiously, "There's no need for you to safe guard me here."
"But…" He murmured pensively, "Namine just…." He then sighed irritably and held his hand up to stop her from making decisions so suddenly on her own, "…stay. Please?"
She still felt unsure. "Are you going to keep ignoring me?"
"No…so please, just stay." He soon got up from his position, causing him to tower over her, "I don't know what ails me lately when I'm near you, but, you're right…you don't deserve it; and I want to change that. I've been sitting out here so much lately, thinking what I must do."
"And did you find it?"
He laughed hoarsely with humiliation. "To be honest, nothing comes to mind. Only that…I want you to stay."
She gave him a pleasant smile. "Then…. I'll stay. If that is your wish."
He soon shuffled awkwardly. "So…does that mean you'll call me Roxas again?"
She giggled from his innocent plight. "Yes, if I'm your friend that is."
"I would like to believe so." He commented sheepishly.
She took the moment to explain. "We must always start from somewhere, Roxas. Everything is always small at first, but eventually it grows. You just have to believe in yourself to determine how far you're willing to go in order to prove that."
"Seems like that's something I need to improve on."
She nodded. "Indeed."
He sulked at her for agreeing so quickly. "The same rules apply to you too though."
"How so?" She squeaked comically in shock.
"For one…stop with the apologizing. Once you do…I'll stop running away."
"And what will happen once we accomplish such feat?"
He looked up towards the sky, becoming enthralled by the possibilities that were slowly filling his head. "I guess that's just a gamble we'll have to be willing to take." He gazed down at her with a handsome grin, "Won't we?"
The stars above them shimmered once more.
X~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~X
Ventus stood on the balcony of his castle, a foreboding breeze of darkness sweeping over him. There wasn't anything trustworthy about it. He gripped his hands onto the railing that surrounded the veranda. Without the protection of his friends, he was completely on his own. The presence of darkness was getting stronger. Just then, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather came bursting inside his room in a panic. The three fairies rushed over to him, and started rambling frantically in terror.
"My lord! Intruders!" Flora exclaimed urgently.
Fauna fearfully gripped her wand. "They've made it passed the border!"
"They're from the realm of darkness." Merryweather finished firmly with distrust.
Ventus could only assume the worse. "And I take it they're not one of my brother's subordinates, are they?"
He sighed with dread when they shook their heads.
"I suppose we'll have to welcome our guests." He whipped out his keyblade, and closely brought it over to his chest, "And show them how punishing their shadows can really be when close to the sun."
End Chapter
Kiome-Yasha: "FINALLY! I get to write about my bbys! Venfuu, here we come! But not until the next chapter I'm afraid. The same goes for RokuNami! Well, wow, I honestly don't have much to say. I think it's because what I'll say is pretty much added into my video reply already ^^;. If you guys want to see it, you'll find the link on my profile page :). Also, you can catch the link on my journal on DeviantArt if that helps as well. So, another chapter done! Thank you all for the reviews, the favs, and alerts! Seriously they mean a lot! You guys have no idea! You truly are the best!"
Roxas: "Kiome-Yasha will like to give special thanks to: Soushin5, Gumi Harue, O-A the Authoress, Sorasprincess, Caramelized, TheWitchNamine, ShadowWolfBeast, Abominable-IcePrincess, Emo-zexion-fangirl, OrganizationNumberXIII, EnterAbyss2991, MonkeyGirlxoxo, Shoang, TheStarsAreWatchingx, Rosekun25, Shadowman-DDT, and a special award of thanks to White Simplicity AKA as the great Avidityy from YouTube for being my 200th reviewer!We all appreciate your wonderful support for reviewing and reading!"
Kiome-Yasha: "Truly, it was an honor to get a review from Avidityy and TheStarsAreWatchingx since they're my favorite RokuNami video editors—truly it was. Not only them, but from everyone else as well! You guys truly are the best! It makes me so happy I can talk to you all ;w;. Like I said before in my last update, if you guys want a video reply towards your review all you have to do is ask. I look forward into working on the next chapter when I get the chance, which will be called "Bewitching Roots". Oh! Before I forget! I started a new RokuNami story everyone! It's not going to be long like "Whispers in the Dark", but it is going to be multi-chapters. It's called "Viola Lion". So if you ever want to check it out, the first chapter is already posted on my profile for your reading pleasures. Until next time!"