Hurp hurp.

Poor Marie...

Chapter Twenty-One: Left out

Today had been the first day of our plan.
It was Roxas who had Xion, while I was in my room.
For some reason I had passed out, feeling... Hazy.

Roxas and Xion woke up the next day, and walked into the grey area, ready to talk to Saix about their plan of working together. Saix wasn't so keen on the idea, and in fact, he got a little angry about it.

"What in the world would possess you to ask at a time like this?" he argued. "We're shorthanded, and number XV is currently indisposed."

Roxas lowered his head, and thought about Aura. Yes, he wasn't feeling well, and he had spent the rest of the day with her yesterday. Nothing such as a cold or fever was in her, she was just feeling hazy, and wasn't on best terms to work. She expressed her sadness on not being able to work on their first day of the plan, but Xion assured her that it had been alright.

"I see no problem with it," Axel said. "Put two half-pints together, and you get a whole."

Saix thought for a moment, and Roxas added in saying they were able to do more tougher jobs together. Saix thought more, and finally gave in. He told Xion that she was able to double up with either Roxas or Aura as she saw fit, and the two of them were grateful.

As they left for their next mission, Axel began to walk away, until Saix stopped him. "I find it peculiar that you're frequently at Twilight Town... Why is that?"

Axel stopped, and closed his eyes. He had to be sure to say something that wouldn't make Saix think that Marie was at that world. "Free ice cream, you know how I like 'em."

Axel walked away faster than before, and Saix lowered his eyes. There was something wrong with Axel, he thought. And he was going to find out. He called over Xigbar and Xaldin, to which they came, and he watched as Axel officially left the room.

"Go take a tour around Twilight Town," he said. "Tell me if you can find anything about Marie there. I suspect Axel knows something, yet he will not tell."

The two men nodded, and left for Twilight Town immediately. Axel, having not fully left the area, overheard him talk about it. He groaned out of anger, and quickly headed for Twilight Town before the others did.

Kingdom Hearts

ȶ

"Why did you change Xion's appearance?" the man said, lying on his bed.

"Slowly but surely, she'll soon know everything about Marie," said the women. "But I want her to find out the horrible truth from those two—Saix and Xemnas. So I had to take away any... loopholes that would up her chances of finding out."

"But I don't want them to suffer," replied the man. "Isn't what you're doing a little too... mean?"

"You know me," she said, smiling at the man. "Miss heartless."

She looked up at the screen, and saw Axel walking around in Twilight Town. "If everything is told to you, you never grow and learn. If she experiences it, it'll only help her grow stronger, I know it."

Axel

ȶ

Axel quickly ran around to find Marie, and quickly thought of something to say to her. He didn't want to say that people were looking for her, because then she would want answers. And for both her sake and his, it was better if she were kept in the dark a while longer.

He ran towards the town square, and saw Pence sitting on the benches. He stopped running, and calmly walked over to him. Pence saw him walking, and smiled as he waved.

"Hey," he said. "Still wondering about those seven wonders?"

"Um, not really," he replied. "I'm looking for a friend, Marie is her name."

Axel knew that Pence was friends with Marie, for she and pence were always together with the other blonde spiked boy and the brunette girl. Pence got up, and dusted off the dirt from his pants. He pointed to a house with a brown rooftop. "She's living at Olette's, and she came down with a pretty bad flu."

Axel raised his eyebrow, and thought of something. Was it possible that Aura's indisposition was caused by Marie being sick of the flu? They were connected, after all. Axel shook his head, this was not the time for drawing up conclusions. He quickly said his thanks, and ran towards Marie's place.

Axel stopped at the house with the brown rooftop, and climbed up through steps and vines that were attached to the walls. He looked through the window, and noticed no one was in the room, and then he climbed through other vines to look at the other room. No one was in any room, and he was getting impatient. He heard a window opening, and he looked up.

Marie looked down, and had a surprised look on her face. "Axel?"

ȶ

"What are you doing here?" she asked, sitting on her bed and sounding all nasally due to her flu. "I'm sick, you shouldn't be here or you'll catch it."

Axel, sitting on a nearby chair, was very glad that Marie was sick, well he wasn't, but now she wouldn't be seen, for she would kept inside. Although he had to ask her just one question. "How long have you been sick?"

"I've had a little cold," she said. "But the flu hit me yesterday evening. It was horrible."

Axel sat there, and sighed of relief. Although it sucked she was sick, at least she won't be seen. But now he would have to break the news to her, about how he can't visit anymore.

"Hey, I got some bad news," he said, looking down a the floor. "I... can't visit you anymore..."

Marie looked at him with shock, she was so fond of him, and they were so friendly that it hurt for him to say that. She started to breath a little more quickly, and clutched the blanket on her bed.

"But, why!" she said, and as Axel expected, started showing tears. He sighed, and remembered how Marie was such a cry baby back when she was little, but of course, she was little. To him, not a lot had changed in her, as she was still a cry baby.

"I... Have a lot of work," he said, half lying. "But if I ever get a chance, I'll stop by, but it'll only be brief."

Marie sniffed, and looked at Axel. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose was red. She looked really horrible, and Axel had added to that horribleness. "I can wait, I guess."

Axel nodded, and got up. He walked over to Marie, and patted her head. She laughed, although weakly, and he smiled. "I'll see you when I see you."

She nodded, and he climbed out of her window. He jumped down and she gasped, she quickly ran to the window and looked down, but saw no one. She sighed, and more tears began to fall down her face. She didn't understand why she was crying so much, but saying goodbye to Axel like she had just did made her feel as if she had already said goodbye to him.

She walked back to her bed, and covered herself in blankets. She looked at her necklace, until she drifted into sleep.

ȶ

Aura sat on her bed, and sighed. She hated being locked up in the castle, and wanted to fight some heartless. However, she was still feeling hazy, and couldn't go anywhere or else fear of passing out would happen.

She sighed, and grabbed a book on her bed table. She looked at the title, and it was the same book she never got to finish, the one Zexion lent her. She gave out a shaky sigh this time, and couldn't help but think back on old times. She really did miss Zexion, and if she could change some things, it would be to bring him back.

She opened up the book to where she last left off, and it was on the part of where the girl was struggling who to choose as her lover. Aura groaned, and threw the book away. She just wanted to fight, not sit around and read. She heard her door open, and saw Axel's red hair pop through the door. She smiled, and was happy that he was visiting her.

"Hey," he said as he walked through the door. "Feeling better?"

"I guess," she said. "But I'm bored beyond all."

Axel laughed, and sat on Aura's bed. She looked at him, and smiled. He couldn't help just how similar the two of them looked; her and Marie. Of course, he had put Marie's life at risk, and he had to do what was right. Not seeing her would be best for both of them, at least none of them would be in trouble.

"Say, why don't we go to the clock tower," suggested Axel. "We'll see Roxas and Xion, since they're done their mission I think."

"Okay." Aura got up, and walked towards Axel. She was still feeling hazy, and as she walked she couldn't help but feel shaky. Axel assured her he was there for her, and she thanked him.

ȶ

Roxas and Xion sat atop the clock tower as usual, and ate their ice cream. Xion was happy to know she had Roxas by her side, and that she wouldn't be turned into a dusk. While Roxas was also happy to help Xion, he was worried about Aura. He hate his ice cream hoping that she would heal up soon.

"Hey, mission go okay?" Axel asked, walking in with Aura beside him. Roxas gasped, and had a giant smiled plastered on him. Xion smiled at them as well, thank all three of them saying the mission had gone well.

Axel and Aura walked to their usual spot, and sat down. Roxas looked at Aura, and noticed she still looked a little sick. He felt bad that she was here, but he was happy to see her as well.

"You should be resting," Roxas said to Aura. "You still look sick."

"I'm fine," she said smiling. "Plus I don't want to miss quality time with my friends."

"But still!" Xion said. "You should be resting."

Aura smiled, and looked down at her ice cream, feeling a bit... left out. There was nothing she had against Xion, but she liked it better when it was just her, Axel and Roxas. With Roxas and Xion doing missions together, she also couldn't help but feeling jealous.

Axel, Roxas and Xion were talking about the mission Roxas and Xion had, but Aura tuned out. She didn't care about their mission that much, and all she really wanted to do was to talk to Stella. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then looked at the sky.

I know I shouldn't be.
But I didn't care, I just couldn't help but feel jealous of those two.
It kept getting worse, and at one point I didn't want to do anything anymore.
The more it got worse, the more I wanted to talk to Stella.
For some reason, talking to her made me feel better.

Poor Marie... Such a cry-baby.

Poor Axel... lost his friend.

Poor Roxas... Too concerned for the one he really loves.

Poor Xion... A fixed fate must be hard to change.

Poor Aura... Things just keep getting worse.

Kingdomdisney:
Yes, indeed. Poor everyone in this story, It's never happy.

Anna Shiki:
Lol, yes he is. XD Seifer is a meany! Oh, and he doesn't care, he just feels obliged. And It's a reference to FF8, since he calls himself a knight for the sorceress. And yes, his eyes are beautiful! XD Roxas means well in a wrong that is wrong, indeed. And Axel will keep her safe... at the cost of making her sad. =(

Lele-the-Greek-Geek:
Lol, I used to like some Anime, but they were the dark ones, like witch hunter robin. Haha, well that wasn't her doing, just a little thing to prove the strong connection Aura and Marie have. They will have a really strong connection, stronger than Sora and Roxas and Kairi and Namine put together! Yes, Roxas introduced herself, but Marie didn't. She felt like she didn't have to, like somehow, Roxas knows her name.

Starlightmint72:
Alright, that's fine! XD Haha, well here's another one, I'm trying my best to make them frequent again. Stella changed something for her, but it wasn't with her passing out, that's Marie's fault. LOL. And omg! They don't have that for the Xbox version, wth! I wish I had one...

Elise Ferrel:
That light would have to be Marie's soul, as she is a being of light. LOL, geddit? No, but srsly. It was Marie that made her fall back. It' just proves the strong connection they have to each other, despite how far apart they are. And thank you!

Lvl-ZeR0:
Why, thank you so much! I honestly didn't plan for this story to be great, and I didn't plan for a series. I was going to stop at Game over, making Marie fall in love with Riku and die at the end. But after how popular it became, I was like, It needs to go on! And thank you again, I don't know how awesome it'll be, but I hope I meet everyone's expectations. And Thank you for the cookie! I shall pretend it is a s'mores cookie. XD

warrior of six blades:
LOL, thanks! Although some people may think she's bad she's like... Amoral? I guess. She does care for both Aura and Marie, and everyone else who those two care for, but for people she doesn't know, she could care less. 1. I wouldn't encourage it, only because it's a very Mary-sue/Gary-stu move. But if you want to, it's fine, I won't force you. 2. Well for this one, I write it. But those who win will get a chance to look at it before I publish it, so that if something isn't to your fitting, you can change it. 3. You can send it in a message, or send it to my email, which is on my profile. lil_babe_(at)hotmail. com. Just make sure it's subject is OC contest.

SisterOfScarletDevil:
LOL, yay! Well, simply because Aura is selfish. She doesn't show it, not yet at least. But it's a flaw that she has. XD