Now We're Getting Somewhere :D
Chapter 12: Nice To Meet You
Zexion woke up and immediately wished he hadn't.
His brain was pounding the inside of his skull and every part of his body felt like it had been crushed.
He groaned and sat up a little, looking around in the dark. His eyes adjusted quickly as his eyes skimmed the room.
Nothing was familiar. The last thing he remembered was running into Tryxel at the mall. He entertained the idea of having been dreaming his entire life when a voice startled him.
"Zexion?"
Something moved in the dark and Zexion had to focus to realized that it was Axel.
"Where are we?" he asked groggily.
"This girl named Samantha picked us up while you were… controlling that thing. What even happened, dude? I was getting worried." Axel answered, sitting on the end of the bed, cross legged.
Zexion opened his mouth to say something, but got lost in a daze. Axel blinked at him, waiting for him to snap out of it. After a few minutes, he waved a hand in front of his face. The slate haired boy jumped and shook his head.
"Sorry… I don't remember…" he said, avoiding eye contact with the redhead. Axel studied his face for awhile before standing up.
"Okay then, I can sleep now that I'm sure that you're alive." He stretched before getting back on the floor.
"Wait, that can't be comfortable." Zexion said. "Sleep on the bed."
"…But you're there."
Zexion groaned and flopped down, covering himself up.
"Fine. See if I attempt to be nice again."
Axel sighed and stood up.
"Move over, Mr. Grumpypants."
Flying was not something that Roxas enjoyed. It wasn't the height or the flying itself, it was the combination of the two. And Sora flying like a torpedo was not helping his nerves any.
"Can't you fly, Roxas? Tinkerbell magic?" Sora finally questioned, giving the occasional side glance at the blonde. He was gripping the seats as if his life depended on it.
"I could control my own movements," he said through his teeth, trying to remain cool.
Sora laughed at his other half before taking a quick, excited intake of breath and turning sharply. Roxas screamed as the Gummi ship plunged leftward toward a particularly bright world.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he screeched as Sora laughed again.
"We're here I think, and," Sora paused to look over at Roxas, "it's funny when you're scared."
Roxas glared at him as they landed on the pale green grass on the outskirts of the world. The city in the near distance looked serene from where they were parked.
"It's too bright." Roxas complained. Sora shushed him and pushed a button that caused the top to retract on the ship. He stepped out, raising his arms above his head to stretch before surveying the area.
"See, there? They are all gathering in that one spot. Let's go." Sora pointed out once Roxas stepped on solid ground.
"Wait, wait. Go right into a crowd of locals?"
"Yeah, why not?" Sora asked.
"Won't they, I don't know, freak out?" Roxas asked.
"Only one way to find out, right?" the brunette responding, heading toward the crowd. Roxas sighed and followed him silently.
The crowd was oddly silent other than the soft murmur of everyone whispering at once. All of the people's pale colored eyes were transfixed to the ground at whatever they had gathered around. The citizens were rotating as if to give everyone an equal chance to look at the object before them.
The two looked at each other before Sora began pushing his way forward.
"Sora! Cut that out!" Roxas tried to whisper but ended up half shouting. Half of the crowd turned to look at him as the other half parted the way for Sora. None of them had the slightest change in facial expression.
Freaked out, Roxas quickly followed Sora to the front of the crowd. Sora stopped and tilted his head in confusion.
"What is it?" Roxas asked. Sora shook his head and moved aside. Two crystals emitted bright orange and red light from the ground.
"I think I've seen these somewhere…" Roxas said, turning to someone. "Excuse me, where did this come from?" he asked, gesturing toward the colorful items.
The strangely pale girl pointed at the sky and said nothing more. Roxas looked to Sora who had gotten a certain glint in his eye.
"Have you seen a guy with silver hair? Aqua colored eyes? About this tall?" he asked. The woman shook her head and Sora's shoulders slumped.
"Sorry." she said with a soft voice and bowed to him before stepping away.
He went from person to person asking about Riku. Some of the citizens only spoke Japanese which was still no problem. The problem was that Riku had not been spotted by anyone.
"Maybe he left by now, Sora." Roxas said. He looked pale and sweaty.
"Are you okay?" Sora asked with concern lacing his tone.
"Yeah, yeah. Hey," Roxas looked toward were a few people still lingered to look at the crystals. No one had touched them. "Do you think we should get those? I feel like it's important."
Sora shrugged, "Sure, why not?"
Roxas walked over and picked them up, glancing at the five people that still stood by. They watched him expressionlessly as he held them up.
"I'm… just gonna, take these…. Bye." No one reacted as he walked away.
"Wow, these people are so weird." Roxas said, heading back to the Gummi ship.
"You said it."
"And I have to stay here, why?" Zexion asked with irritation.
Axel decided research should be done to figure out how to get in contact with the girls. He had also decided that he would be the one to do said research while Zexion stayed at the house with Samantha.
"You have no control over yourself, that's why." Axel responded.
"What the fuck?" Zexion retorted. Axel literally flinched and looked at Zexion in horror. "I have control over myself. What the hell do you mean I have no control over myself?"
Zexion stood up halfway through his speech and his voice had reached a peak of near hysteria. Axel rushed over and grabbed the shorter boy's shoulders.
"Shhh! Shh… calm down. See what I mean? I don't know what your deal is, maybe it's the Earth air, but you need to chill. We don't need another incident."
"What incident?" Zexion was at least attempting to stay level this time.
"What do you mean 'what incident'? You opened a dark vortex yesterday." Axel said.
"I told you," Zexion paused to shake Axel off of him who stepped back with a sheepish smile, "I do not remember."
"Wait, you don't remember it happening? I thought you meant you didn't remember how you controlled it."
"I remember seeing Tryxel. That is all."
Axel stood still thinking for a moment.
"All the more reason you should stay."
Zexion made a face and opened his mouth to protest, but Axel shushed him again.
"Please, here me out. I'm looking out for you, Zex. Just, stay here. For today." Axel pleaded. Zexion sighed.
"Fine."
"Thanks! Just, keep Samantha company and be nice." Axel suggested.
"Can I just stay in here until you get back?" Zexion deadpanned.
"No! She went out of her way to let us stay here. Be nice and respectful." Axel said.
"Yes mother. Go." Zexion said, rolling his eyes.
Axel patted him out the back before opening the door to the bedroom. Zexion followed him out and sat in a chair in the living room, crossing his arms.
"Stop pouting, it's unbecoming." Axel said to Zexion. "Hey, Samantha. I'll be back later. Make sure Grumpypants here stays out of trouble."
"Stop calling me that!" Zexion yelled. Samantha giggled.
"Sure thing, Axel. Be safe out there."
Axel saluted to her and went out the door.
Axel had no idea where he was going. This wasn't even a thought out or clever plan. He was convinced that luck was on his side based on how things were going. It may have faltered at the mall, but he still had luck.
He had been walking for quite awhile and his feet were beginning to hurt. At that point, he was certain that he was lost.
A building caught his eye that had several teenaged people coming out of it. They were all laughing and talking and getting into huge, yellow vehicles. Axel felt himself being drawn to the place and next thing he knew, he was by the vehicles.
"Are you lost?" were the words that broke him from his daze. He looked slightly down at the girl who had asked him the question.
"Holy shit, Tryxel!" he shouted.
"Excuse me, what?" the girl responded, eyes going wide.
"Tryxel! You really don't remember? Shit, this is bad, don't worry though, I've had experience with this." The girl took several steps back.
"Experience with what?" she asked, wishing she had never approached the guy. He had such bright red hair though, and all she could think of is what Ariel had told her about her dreams.
"Where's Rex?" he asked, a little calmer.
"Who?"
"You guys are always together!" he exclaimed, flailing his arms.
"…..Um, I may know who are referring to…. She isn't around."
"Where the hell is she? Tryxel, don't back away! Sorry." Axel stopped and took a deep breath.
"I'm not Tryxel… my name is Tyler." the girl said, giving up.
"Ohhh that must be your Somebody name… Sorry, ignore that. What is your friend's name?" he asked.
"What's it to you?" Tyler asked defensively.
"Wow, you're as fiery as Zexion. Ah! Wait until I tell Zexion! Hey, what is this place?" Axel asked.
"Sir, I am going to miss my bus. I gotta go, bye!" Tyler said quickly and ran away.
"Tyler! No! I need to find your friend! FUCK!"
Axel ran his hand through his hair in distress. So, he was no smoother than Zexion with this.
"Damn failures." he muttered under his breath.
"So, how old are you?" Samantha asked Zexion. She had sat on the arm of the couch near Zexion and was leaning dangerously close.
"Uh… 18? 19? Technically…." he answered. In truth, he had no idea how old he really was and this woman was making him uncomfortable. Samantha giggled.
"You're funny… I can work with 18." she said in a near purr. Zexion shifted in his seat.
"W-What do you mean?" he stuttered, finally looking at her. She ran her fingers through his hair.
"I mean you, silly." she said in a seductive tone.
"I, uh, no…" Zexion said, moving her hand.
"No?" she repeated, blinking at him and forcing a smile.
"I am kind of spoken for." he said, looking away from her again.
"Kind of?" This time, her smile was gone.
"Well, yes. I just, don't know where she is currently." Zexion said. There was a brief silence before Samantha stood up.
"You don't have to lie you know. That's a very childish thing to do." she said angrily.
"I am being completely honest with you, Samantha. I would not lie, despite my general discomfort toward your advances."
Samantha stared at him for a while before she relaxed and smiled.
"I get it now. You're just shy. How cute is that?" she said. "Well okay Zexion. Sorry I made you uncomfortable." she said, pinching his cheek. Zexion twitched at the gesture.
"I'm going to do my laundry. You can come downstairs if you get lonely." she winked and left the room.
Zexion sighed and sunk down in his seat.
He really wished Axel hadn't left him there.
