A strange ache beats with the rhythm of Roxas' heart.

He blinks his eyes open and looks out the circular window of the crew's sleeping quarters. It's one day closer until they reach Twilight Town and he will have to face his father. No matter how hard he tries to will the sun not to come up, it still prevails, bringing with it the dawn of a new day.

After the bonfire the crew hosted through half the night, Axel took Roxas and Ventus downstairs and led them both to bed. Roxas traces his hands over his lips with a featherlike touch as he remembers the quick kiss goodnight Axel face him once Ventus was tucked away in bed.

Roxas rolls over to one side and gazes at the sleeping men in their cots. Some of them snoring softly while others shift under their quilts. In two more days they will be back home, and the only plan of action Roxas has is to talk to his father. Might as well rent a billboard with the ship's picture on it and "Assassinate Us" written in neon.

Sighing as he shifts to a sitting position, Roxas ruffles his hair. Lazily dragging himself out of bed, Roxas changes into his black long-sleeved tunic and grey trousers, and then sliding his feet into his black boots. Pulling up his sleeves, Roxas grabs his sword and daggers and tiptoes across the wood to the upper deck. He had promised Ventus a combat practice session today.

With the sky still surrendering to the night, it's a gorgeous aqua blue with light orange and tints of white. Roxas walks up and sets aside his weapons as he gazes out to the side. The ship is still docked so no one is manning the wheel. Peacefully still, Roxas gazes down at his rippling reflection in the water, his image only a blob of yellow and black.

Half a minute after arriving, he hears footsteps behind him and turns to find Ventus coming up still fixing his hair. "Sorry I'm late." He smiles.

"Don't worry about it." Roxas waves off. He grabs his two short swords and hands one to Ventus. "Today, we're just going to do a practice sparing session."

"Shouldn't we use, non-bladed weapons?" Ventus nervously asks as he carefully holds the weapon in hand.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you, and you could never hurt me." Roxas smiles a little.

"You're going to eat those words." Ventus smiles.

Roxas tosses his bangs out of his face. "Make me." Time to remind Ventus who he's dealing with. "We'll count a solid touch from the blade end as a strike."

"What?"

"I'm not going to hurt you." Roxas says as he rolls his eyes. "Now, take your stance."

Ventus holds his weapon steady, widens his stance, and rolls to the balls of his feet. Roxas walks towards him and sheaths his sword and moves behind him.

"You're hands are too close together." Roxas says. He moves his arms over Ventus' and grasps his hands, mimicking how his father did when he taught Roxas. "Keep a nice wide grip. It allows better control."

"Okay."

Roxas steps back and walks out in front of Ventus. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

Roxas pulls his sword out in one swift motion and it whistles through the air, and Ventus leaps back to dodge the blow. Spinning, Roxas flips the sword so he's gripping the blade and taps Ventus with the hilt of the weapons before he can raise his arms in defense.

"My point." Roxas says, not bothering to hide his smirk. He pulls back and starts to circle Ventus.

"Lucky shot."

"Nothing is lucky for me." Roxas retorts.

This time Ventus lashes out, but Roxas is ready. Blocking him with the middle of his blade, Roxas whirls beneath Ventus' outstretched arms and slams the hilt again into Ventus' thigh.

Pride keeps Ventus from swearing at the pain. Instead, Ventus sweeps Roxas' feet out from under him. Roxas flips in midair and rolls forward as he lands, coming up with his sword ready.

The controlled grace of his movements would make his father proud. Ventus feels a warm emotions sweeping through him, and deciphers it as pride.

"You're fast. That's incredible." Roxas says, advancing towards Ventus.

"You're not bad yourself. I see you've learned."

"I did practice."

They block, parry, and break apart. Ventus is strong and quick, but Roxas is worried he doesn't know how to anticipate the unexpected. Roxas steps back, inviting an attack, and Ventus charges forward, swinging the blade of his sword like a butcher slicing the head from a sheep. Roxas waits until the last second, then drop to the ground and rams Ventus with his shoulder. Ventus' forward momentum carries him over the top of Roxas and he lands face-first on the wood.

Ventus holds his chin that has a small braise from the wood, and swears, but a new respect for him is in Roxas' eyes.

Roxas laughs, and his fear for Ventus eases into something he can use to focus on planning. Roxas stares at Ventus, a tiny smile flitting across his lips. The affection on Roxas' face makes Ventus feel like then richest man in the world. Roxas offers him a hand up.

"You're doing better, don't let defeat discourage you. You're doing everything right." Roxas assures.

Ventus takes his outstretched hand, closing his soft fingers over Roxas' without breaking their gaze. "Don't feel like it." Ventus replies.

The sun blazes a golden path through their hair. Warmth pools in Ventus' stomach and spreads lazily through him as Roxas approaches.

"Ventus, we've been over this. I've had years of training. And I'm teaching you what my mentors taught me. I know these moves like the back of my hand." Roxas reminds.

"I know but still." Ventus pouts. Roxas chuckles. Maybe this is what family does for one another. Ventus, Demyx, and Axel. They are his family now. Which is why, even as they approach the water of Twilight Town and prepares to face his father, Roxas tells himself he will protect Ventus.

Roxas places a hand on Ventus' shoulder. "You're doing fine, I promise."

Ventus looks up and sees Roxas smiling softly, and Ventus feels warm inside. He almost wants to hugs Roxas, but he doesn't want to have his throat slit. More of the crewmen come up from below, two already appeared before while Roxas and Ventus were sparring, now three more come up still groggy but ready for their duties.

Looking over Ventus' shoulder, Roxas sees Axel leaning in the doorway of his cabin. Ventus turns and follows Roxas' gaze, finding Axel leaning one shoulder in the doorway, hands in his pockets and smiling, his shoulders bouncing with laughter. Ventus whips away, his face turning beat read and Roxas laughing as Ventus covers his face with his hands.

Once the sun is fully passed the horizon, and the sky is a lovely ombre of blue, the crew start their daily routine of manning the sails and securing the ropes. As Ventus sheathes his weapon and rubs his chin, Roxas simply wanders over to a crate and takes a seat. As Ventus goes over to the wheel while Marluxia weighs anchor, Marluxia looks to Roxas and gives him a grin. Roxas shudders and doesn't hide his look of disgust.

Along with trying to find a way to spare the crew their lives, Roxas has barely given thought into how he could possibly indoctrinate Marluxia into the guilds. Probably because with his father scorning the crew, he'll probably laugh in Marluxia's face and slit his throat in the next second. Roxas just assumes that if his father intends to kill the crew, there's no point in convincing his father in having him join. But if Roxas attempts to save them, there's the chance Marluxia could actually make it; but doing that could be of a bigger betrayal to Axel than actually selling their lives. Roxas decides to take a worn out stone Xigbar purchased from a blacksmith, and sharpens his dagger. He sits there brushing his blade along the stone until he's satisfied with the sharpness.

Axel comes up to Roxas and places his lips on Roxas' forehead in a quick kiss. Roxas jerks back and looks to Axel wide-eyed. "What?" he smiles.

"I thought you wanted to keep things professional." Roxas states.

"Not everyone can see." Axel defends, stealing a quick kiss on Roxas' lips. He starts to tilt his head to deepen it. Roxas would pull away but his body seems to just melt at the pressure of Axel's lips that he feels powerless, but in a good way.

Just as Roxas is about to full immerse himself in the feeling, a loud horn startles them apart. Roxas jolts, grabbing the hilt of his knife, and Axel stepping back, holding his lip. Roxas worries he might have accidentally bitten it.

"Captain!" Zack calls.

Axel rolls his eyes. "What?!" Roxas can't help but chuckle slightly at how aggravated he was at being, 'interrupted'.

"Ship approaching!"

Axel's face grows instantly stern and he approaches Zack as he holds a spyglass to his eye. "What sails?"

"White. The flag up by the crow's nest is triangular, striped in black and white and red." Zack deciphers.

"How much time to do we have?" Axel asks.

"Thirty minutes." Zack affirms.

"Alright, men!" Axel shouts. "You heard Zack! Change sails and stall the cargo!"

The men swiftly flurry around the deck and Roxas watches, dodging men as they run back and forth, carrying small boxes and Demyx almost frantically trying to pull down the sails of which contains the logo of the ship. Roxas didn't really notice it's shape until now. What he thought was a simple stereotypical skull and cross bone is actually the flames of a fire symbol, the tips of the flames of which reach the top of the flag. A deep inferno red, it contrasts highly with the black background and inside the curve of the bottom of the flames are two daggers crossed at their blades.

"Wait, what's going on?" Roxas tries to ask a crewman, but they scuttle past him in a haze of activity. Xigbar tosses a new and seemingly clean sail with nothing on it to Demyx who is aided by Luxord to hoist it high above the crow's nest. The ship in the far off distance is coming closer.

As Ventus jogs by, Roxas grabs him by the collar and hauls him back. "Ventus! What is going on?"

"It's another ships coming towards us. It's a cargo transport." Ventus answers, Roxas letting his collar go.

"Okay, so what's the big deal?" Roxas asks. "Why don't you just hand me my daggers and I'll take care of them for you?"

"No, Roxas." Axel stops. "This is different. That other ship you attacked, was a ship just like us. These are tradesmen; they mean us no harm and have potential valuable wares that we can use to our advantage. They don't know who we are or what we do. We need to retain our cover."

"Alright." Roxas agrees.

"Now, let me handle this. You need to hide." Axel says. "Both of you."

"What?!" Roxas and Ventus say in near perfect unison.

"Yes."

"Axel!" says Ventus.

"Come on!" says Roxas.

"No arguments. With that bounty on your head, Roxas . . ." Axel points. "And you both looking alike, I can't afford to have the men suddenly bloodthirsty. And with your father releasing the details of your physical feature, we need to be careful."

Roxas and Ventus exchange a look, and Ventus shrugs his shoulders. Roxas rolls his eyes and sighs in aggravation. "Fine."

"Alright, both of you into a cargo hole. Now." Axel orders.

Ventus takes Roxas' hand and guides him to a hiding hole and Demyx comes over and tosses a tarp over their heads.

"You two just stay calm. Axel will handle this." Demyx smiles.

As the boys settle and carefully peak out of a strategically placed slit in the fabric, Roxas watches as Axel straightens his hair and turns down the collar of his shirt.

"I hate not being able to do anything." Roxas grumbles.

"Hopefully you won't need to." Ventus retorts.

The men have finished disguising the ship to look, what would be normal in their situation and the passing ship blares a horn signaling its approach. Roxas and Ventus kneel down as the ships come to a slow stop. The tradesmen ship lowers a wooden plank and two men wearing navy blue military jackets and shiny black boots approach Axel and his apparent right hand man, Demyx.

"Good afternoon, sirs." Axel pleasantly smiles. "What can we do for you today?"

"Afternoon to you." says one man. He has brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail and a beard that extends out to impressive mutton chops. "I'm curious as to why you are off course my dear men. All ships approaching the western islands are informed to be moving towards Atlantica. This new assassin guild called the Faceless seemed to have caused quite a bit of trouble in their food supplies being delivered."

Roxas and Ventus exchange looks of surprise and edginess.

"Actually we're from the eastern fleet. We have orders to deliver some cargo to Twilight Town." Axel calmly covers.

"Ah, eastern fleet. Well nice for one of the commanders to let us know he was sending a ship our way." The mutton-chops man says.

"Our apologies sir, I'm sure he meant no disrespect." Demyx quickly covers. "It would seem thieves guilds are quite the popular trend nowadays."

"Oh absolutely. With that Cloud man in Twilight Town and now the Faceless wandering around Atlantica, I'd sooner pay my dues than wander the streets."

"I'm sure the guilds aren't nothing to be feared, sir." Axel says.

"Hmph, I'd like to believe that. But word has it that one of the man's top minions, a very deadly young fellow, is out on the loose. And apparently he's causing ruckus wherever he goes."

"He must have quite the bounty." Demyx says, his tone slightly stiffer, but his posture relaxed as if talking with old friends.

"Of course. His word has reached all the way to Arendelle and Agrabah. He's worth a near fortune. Imagine all the starving, hungry mouths that could feed."

"I wish I could." Axel says. "Any physical details?"

"Only what was gathered by witnesses. At first it started out just a man in black, which was helpful. But through witnesses who matched the uniform to the posters, managed to tell that he's blonde with blue eyes, no older than eighteen."

"An eighteen-year-old?" Demyx purposely adds hints of mockery to his tone.

"I was surprised too, but it's true."

"Now while we have you both here, why don't we trade amongst ourselves and exchange wares?" Axel suggests.

"Oh I would be delighted sir, I actually just got some newfound weapons, but unfortunately they are needed at Atlantica." The man denies.

Roxas narrows his eyebrows at the man.

"Now we had best be going." The man claps. "And don't forget to have your commander send a letter our way."

"We'll have him send two to make sure you get the message." Demyx chuckles.

The men exchange a handshake and a few laughs before Axel and Demyx turns away first and pretend to returns to their duties. As Ventus shifts comfortably and waits for the men to walk away, Roxas can't take his eyes off the two men on the plank as his assistant who barely said anything the whole conversation, whispers to the captain. The mutton-chop man, thinking no one is in ear range, says his answer a little too loud.

"Something isn't right, they should've known that. I think this is a captured ship."

The men turn and Roxas assumes that they'll simply bring the news to another commander, but he hones in his hearing.

"Just wait until we're across the plank, then we'll sink the ship."

Without hesitation, Roxas springs up from his position under the sheet and chucks two daggers at the men; both landing in spots in their back. "They know!" Roxas screams. The men toss aside their etiquette and proper clothing and let their hair down and draw their weapons.

Roxas grabs a nearby bow and yanks a sheath free. He aims and fires two at the men waiting on the other side of the ship. Roxas is aware of his blonde hair and uniform exposed, only to hope that the men of the rival ship will assume they were harboring him for the money, which is the truth . . . in a sense.

Immediately Roxas kicks off the plank board, sending the captain and sidekick plummeting into the ocean water. Banging his foot on the side of the ship where the cannons are, Roxas hear them fire ten seconds later. The rival ship sways back, smoke belching up from its starboard beam. Marluxia takes the wheel and the ship sails off as quickly as it can. Behind them, Roxas can see some men drop a rope ladder to hoist the captain and lackey up. Within a minute, they are in pursuit.

"Load the stern chasers!" Axel shouts. "Fire!"

Roxas feels the ship vibrate and runs towards the stern to find two light cannons on its back. They have the ability to angle upwards and downwards, arching the cannonballs high, and even shooting through the water.

"Aim at eighty-two degrees!" Luxord shouts and the cannons adjust. "Fire!"

The cannons shoot and one of the balls arcs high, then descends, shattering the rival's swing guns.

"Aim at ninety degrees! Fire!" Luxord shouts again.

The boom echoes through the air and the ball collides heavily against the enemy's own, exploding in a cloud of black and bits of charcoal.

Ventus has since been guided by Demyx into the captain's quarters. He hides with Demyx who has been assigned to keep him safe. Peeking out, Ventus tries to step out, but Demyx stops him and shakes his head no. Ventus submits to his order, but bangs his head annoyed on the inside wall.

Soon gunfire fills the air and the crewmen take cover. Roxas notices a harpoon poised on the gun deck and feels his heart sink. He watches as the harpoon is adjusted and shoots straight to the mainmast of Axel's ship.

It fires and several men barely make it out of its range. The head pierces through the thick trunk, poking through the other side. Immediately Roxas jumps onto the chain linking it to the mechanism and starts to run across. Drawing his daggers, he spins them in his hands and readies the blade out. Once he sees the edge of Axel's ship disappear out from under him, he leaps and slices at the chain. Flipping forward midair, he lands on the side of the ship and without stopping sprints for a deadeye.

"Stop him!" he hears the captain shout.

Roxas doesn't stop as he runs towards the pulley and slams his foot on it, shattering its contents. As the men try to chase, they suddenly slip and slam onto their backs. The captain looks down and sees little grey balls the size of marbles sprinkled around their deck. He growls as he draws his sword, but he's too late. Roxas is flying high up the mast and throws his weight so that he swings over to Axel's ship. As the captain looks down he sees more balls of the same size scattered now with the grey. Then within seconds, they explode like firecrackers and the men yelp and cover their eyes, hopping from one foot to another in an amusing dance.

Dropping and rolling, Roxas comes up on one knee and tears off his belt of smoke screen bombs. He turns t Xigbar. "Xigbar! Take this! Run to the edge and throw it over the edge!"

Xigbar doesn't argue, but nods his head and starts to run.

"Axel! I'm going to give us some cover!" Roxas shouts.

Just as he finishes, Xigbar chucks the belt in the air. Roxas loads up a flaming arrow and shoots it at the belt. All the bombs explode and grey smoke blooms and billows out and around. Quickly expanding, it swallows both ships. Its hissing becomes deafening and it reduces sight to only two inches in front of your face.

"Jeez, it's so thick you can cut it with a knife." Xigbar says as he uses his hand to shade his view. Suddenly a bullet pierces through, leaving the smoke to curl in its wake.

"Or a bullet." Roxas finishes. He pulls out his own gun and shoots into the haze, and each time Xigabr can hear it pierce flesh from the sounds of screams. Depending on the intensity, Xigbar can imagine where Roxas managed to hit. He knew better than to think the kid was getting lucky shots.

Through the smoke comes another cannonball and it unintentionally strikes at a pile of cargo crates near Axel's cabin. The smell of singed wood envelops the air and the hissing of the still burning wood becomes similar to that of cicadas. Ventus and Demyx peer out from their spot.

"I can't just stand by and do nothing!" Ventus shouts in anger. He draws his knife and charges out.

"Ventus, no!" Demyx screams. Easily he catches up to the boy and grabs his wrist. "I know you want to help, but we can't risk you getting hurt."

"But Roxas-!"

"Can handle himself." Demyx finishes. "Just let us handle this."

Ventus glares at him, and before he can respond, another harsh whoosh of air from an explosion nearly knocks them off their feet.

The ships have cleared the smoke and now sail in open water. Roxas has never felt the ship go so fast, then again he has little to no comparison. Another cannon fires and this time it lands near the hinged rudder of the ship. Marluxia quickly jerks the ship left to stir up waves that extinguish the flames.

Roxas stumbles back a little and feels a hand on his shoulder, he turns to find Ventus. Demyx follows, sweaty and smeared with bits of black dust. Roxas runs for the stern again, without sparing Ventus a hello. Axel comes up and ruffles Ventus' ahir playfully despite being out of breath.

"How're we doing?" Axel asks Demyx.

"Well I guess things can't get much worse." He shrugs.

"Uh, Axel . . ." Roxas calls.

Axel looks over his shoulder and jogs towards Roxas, but as he approaches, he feels his heart sink. Roxas' face is pale, his blue eyes wide in fear and shock.

"What . . . is that?" Roxas says, staring ahead.

Axel looks ahead and feels his stomach shrivel. A dark black mass underneath the water approaches the ship. It slithers from side to side and rounds towards the bow of the ship. In a giant splash of foaming water, it emerges, and screeches; it sounding like a combination of a woman's' death screech and a demon's howl.

It is a hundred foot long serpent, looking like a mutation of a snake and seahorse is covered in teal and blue scales. Its body is lean and is heavily armored with horns and coral-like frill. It also has bright crimson eyes and a long snakelike tongue. It has two long, thin barbells and a set of small, sharp white teeth. Fins protrude from its side and head, six eyes on total on its head.

"The universe just loves proving me wrong, doesn't it." Demyx says as he gazes at the monster.

The serpent howls again, glaring down at the men. Roxas stumbles back into Axel who holds them both up. It hisses and dives its head towards the ship. Roxas and Axel leap out of the way, but are caught in the backlash as they're flung across the deck. The monster hisses and goes again, when a cannon ball strikes it in the face. The creature wails, but roars before diving below. The men follow its dark shadows as it swims underneath the enemy ship before bursting out and over twice, wrappings its body around the forward bow.

Just as Axel and his men think they're safe, the further end of the tail grabs the mizzenmast like an opposable thumb. It turns his head again and opens its mouth.

"Hit the deck!" Axel shouts, immediately hovering himself over Roxas as the slam into the wood, splinters scraping against Roxas' cheek.

Roxas can feel a rush of boiling water just miss the hairs of his head. He listens as it crashes into the mainmast and foremast of the ship, shattering it like a twig. The sails flop and the posts timber down like trees. The foundation of the boat cries and groans into a low-pitched scream as the wood begins to crack and chip like glass. The ship turns in place by the monster and it screams high. The rasp of the hoarse chants of sailors and the shot of gunfire all rose into a hellish cacophony, converging with the sea serpent's glass-shattering scream.

Seconds later, a scream rips through the air. Roxas' blood runs cold. He and Axel both look up and see Ventus coiled in the end of the beast's tail.

"Ventus!" Someone shouts, whether it's Roxas or Axel, neither can tell.

The monster brings its tail high and almost observes Ventus carefully as he wriggles in his confinement. Opening its mouth, it roars in Ventus' face, its jaw unhinging. Roxas shoves Axel off him and sprints grabbing his crossbow. Roxas draws one dagger and leaps up, stabbing it into the monster's tail. As it squeals, Roxas runs up along its tail until he reaches the crow's nest. From there, Roxas pushes off, aiming for Ventus and manages to grab the tail by a fin. Roxas stabs another dagger into the monster, having it loosen on Ventus and grabbing him before it can tighten again. With no other choice, Roxas shoots his crossbow at the rival ship, hitting the mainmast. They swing over, crashing into the crow's nest.

The monster hisses again, and attacks the rival ship, its tail still not letting up. it brings it up and the me scream and scatter as it whips it across the across the deck. It chops through the middle of the mast, causing it to teeter over.

"Hang on!" Roxas screams.

Both jump and grip the fore topmast as the sails crumple. The boys hold onto the nest as it timbers over and stops with the nest dangling over the sea.

"This isn't too reassuring." Ventus says as struggles to keep his grip on the wooden yard.

"Just hang on." Roxas says.

"Roxas!" Ventus cries. Roxas quickly pulls himself up onto the leveled yard, now treating it like a tightrope.

"Hang on, I'm coming." Roxas says calmly.

Ventus' grunts, but tears sting his eyes.

"I can't." he pleads. Ventus' hands slip, and Roxas throws himself forward.

He grabs whatever his hands can find. An arm. A fistful of shirt. The rough lumber scrapes his side as Ventus' weight drags Roxas forward. Roxas is strong enough to lift him, but the wood is cracking.

"Roxas!" Hiccup cries. "Roxas, I'm slipping!"

"Don't move!"

Roxas grunts as he looks around; the fissures in the timber spreading wider. Still on his belt is his crossbow. Roxas can feel Ventus' dainty fingers slipping through his own. Roxas looks down at him. The monster seems to have noticed and now waits under Ventus, waiting for him to drop.

"Ventus, I need to let go!" Roxas calls.

"What?!"

"I need to let you go. But you have to trust me! Please just trust me!" Roxas begs.

Raspy breathes escape Ventus' lips before he speaks. "I do."

Roxas nods and releases Ventus' hand. He doesn't even looks as he draws for his crossbow, then swan diving down towards Ventus. Roxas mimics a projectile as he dives for Ventus. The serpent roars and opens his mouth wide, rising up out of the water by a few inches. Roxas reaches out his hand and Ventus goes to grab it. The moment Roxas snatches Ventus' wrist, he rolls in midair so that Ventus is on top of him. Then he fires the crossbow and a grappling hook launches towards the yard post of Axel's ship. It stabs and sticks into the wood.

Unfortunately, it forces them to swing and come to a jerk stop by banging into the mast. And Roxas fired from his wounded arm. Ventus grips his arms around Roxas' neck tightly, his legs wrapped around Roxas' waist and waits for them to both plummet downward. But they didn't. They both hang, slightly swinging, and though Roxas' grip seemed like iron, Ventus could hear his grunts of pain.

Once Roxas controls his pain, Ventus eases his grip and looks to him. Roxas looks down, forehead smeared with sweat, but he smiles.

"Thanks for trusting me." He mumbles.

The monster seems to have lost interest in Axel's ship and goes back for the rival ship. Marluxia steers the ship away and the men relax as the tension in the air deflates. Roxas presses the trigger and he and Ventus lower down to the deck. Or what remains.

Plating their feet on the ground, they gaze about the dampened deck and the shambles of all their cargo and equipment. Ventus jogs over to Axel who is by a lifeboat and Roxas follows a few steps behind.

"What do we do?" Ventus asks.

"We shall continue on our lifeboats." Axel says with a still calm and cool expression.

"What?" Roxas coos soflty. Axel and Ventus look back and see the guilt in his eyes. Axel pats Ventus' shoulder and whispers to him to go and fetch whatever he can salvage. He approaches Roxas and sighs.

"Roxas the ship is in no further condition to sail. Out masts are shot and without them, we can't mend the sails." Axel informs. "We have no other choice."

Roxas looks all around and Axel can see his lips quiver. "I . . . I'm so sorry, Axel. I didn't mean for this."

"I know."

"I . . . I promise I'll replace your ship and, and everything in it." Roxas stutters.

"Roxas, it's fine."

"Will you stop saying that?!" Roxas bursts in anger. "No it's not! Axel, I've destroyed your ship, you've lost crewmen because of me, as well as all of your valuables. I know you regret keeping me on this ship! And I know you sometimes wish you didn't meet me!"

"That's not true."

"So you're saying that you didn't care about all those memories I destroyed?! Your cabin, your knick-knacks and books and chests." Roxas stutters.

"They mean nothing compared to you." Axel says.

Roxas stops, mid-breath, and exhales in shock. "Are you serious?" he asks almost insulted.

"Yes. I am." Axel says, then plants his lips on Roxas. Roxas whimpers for a moment before Axel pulls back. "You are my new treasure. I only care about you. This is a ship Roxas. And I'd rather lose it than you."

Roxas shakes his head, almost on the verge of crying from frustration. "Wha . . . why?"

Axel stares at him for a moment before speaking. "Because I love you."

Roxas freezes and his mouth hangs slightly open. Axel turns away and finishes loading up the first of the five lifeboats, Ventus comes back, paying no attention to Roxas at the moment. Roxas places his hand to his chest as his heart has tripled in speed. He looks all around the deck, taking in the damage and destruction that he's placed upon the crewmen with his mere presence on the ship.

And yet, Axel claims he'd rather lose all this, than Roxas.

Why?

As Roxas tries to think, Ventus' voice breaks him from his train of thought. "Roxas . . . you should get your things." He advises. "I already grabbed your clothes and book that you had. And you already have your weapons. See if there's anything else you want."

Roxas robotically nods. "Okay."

Roxas goes over into Axel's cabin and slowly takes his time as the men ready the boats. The ship has since ditched the rival and the monster, so it lazily sails along, creaking and groaning from all its holes and lack of support. Roxas can see how this wouldn't be enough for the crew, so perhaps leaving is a good idea rather than having to haul the crew up to the surface in the middle of the night.

Rubbing his shoulder, he wanders around, checking the trunks and finding his burlap sack, of which he decides to stuff in a few handfuls of Axel's knick-knacks on his shelf. Then a few books, and finally the remains of the medical supplies left in the cabin. Roxas secures the strap and slings it on his back, fitting it smoothly against his spine.

As he leaves, he can't help but feel slightly sad towards seeing the ship go down. He wishes to take in the moment, but the ship suddenly jerks and rocks. Without waiting, Roxas turns and sprints for the life boats of which are already down.

He leaps over the edge and lands on the closest boat, controlled by Demyx. He crashes and splashes up some water, the boat sways sensitively back and forth.

"Easy!" Demyx says. "We don't want to go down."

"Sorry." Roxas mumbles.

He drops his bag and gets comfortable in the lifeboat. Looking over his shoulder, Roxas watches as Axel's ship starts to sink, stern first, then foaming at the mouth, the water slowly swallows the entire ship before his eyes.