Author's Note: Because it's late and I'm tired, I've nothing to say except sorry that the chapter's kinda short. Regardless, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.
Chapter 29: Betrayal
In the end, it was her fear of the Heartless that forced Vanessa to follow the newly transformed Riku into the Darkness. Thanks to Roxas's coat, her weakened heart was able to avoid a dark fate. All the while she followed behind Riku, Vanessa avoided Roxas's face, even though he was unconscious. She could not bear to look at him. Not after she betrayed him. When they exited the Corridor of Darkness, they were in DiZ's computer lab. Riku set Roxas down on a strange machine as Vanessa silently bore holes into the ground with her glare.
"What's going to happen to him?" asked Riku.
"Naminé still needs a little more time to prepare Sora for his awakening." DiZ replied. "In the mean time, I will place Roxas in the simulated Twilight Town with a new personality to throw off his pursuers." He looked at Vanessa. "And as for her, she is never to leave this mansion under any circumstance." Riku nodded.
"Understood." he said. DiZ turned around to his computer. After several keystrokes, the machine that Roxas was in glowed. Vanessa's face crumpled with despair as he saw her friend slowly disappear. She tried to rush to him, but Riku sensed this and grabbed her arm, preventing her.
"Roxas!" Vanessa cried out. She struggled against Riku's grasp. "Let me go god dammit!"
"Vanessa stop." said Riku definitively. "There's nothing you can do. Everything has already been set in motion; it's over." Vanessa stopped struggling and burst into tears.
"It's not fair!" she wailed. DiZ chuckled.
"What a strong display of emotions to something that can not reciprocate them." he teased. "Has being in the Organization deluded you so much that you can not perceive this simple fact? Roxas is a Nobody, and as all Nobodies, he does not deserve his existence. A relationship between a person and a Nobody is nothing short of abominable." Vanessa glared at him.
"Fuck you!" she screeched, causing the man to flinch in utter surprise. "Roxas is a person, and he does have a heart! I love him, and he loves me, and I don't give a shit what you think about it!" She wrenched herself away from Riku's grasp and dashed upstairs.
"What a despicable girl!" DiZ exclaimed in upset. "What must we do to make her understand?" He shook his head. "No matter. As long as she doesn't screw things up, she can say and feel what she will."
Vanessa ran all the way up the flight of stairs in the foyer until she arrived in her old room. She locked the door behind herself and sat on the floor. She stared despondently at the carpet.
"Roxas…" she muttered as fresh tears formed in her eyes. "…I'm sorry…" She brought her arm to her eyes and cried into it. Roxas was gone, and there was nothing to be done about it. She could not help but think it was her own fault. She practically led Roxas to his doom; if it were not for her, he would have never run away, and maybe the Organization could have protected him from Riku. Then again, if Roxas's had not done all that he did, she would be a Heartless right about now, or worse, a Nobody.
"No, if I hadn't run away in the first place, none of this would've happened." she thought. "If I just stayed put…" She shook her head and tried to summon her Keyblade. Of course, it did not appear.
"Why'd it choose me?" she asked the air. "It's obvious how weak my heart is; so why?" She did not receive an answer. Frustrated, Vanessa grabbed the lamp that was on her dresser and hurled it across the room with as much strength as she could muster. It crashed against the wall and shattered into pieces. Vanessa panted with rage. A small memory floated past her mind.
"Vanessa, you can't just throw away your Keyblade. Believe me, I know. It chose us for a reason, and whatever the reason is, it's not gonna let go of us anytime soon." Vanessa tore up at the sound of Roxas's voice. Suddenly, there was a knock at her door.
"Vanessa?" called a voice, Naminé's. "Vanessa? Is that you? Are you ok? I heard a noise." She tried to jiggle the door knob. "Vanessa, please, open the door." Vanessa unlocked the door to see Naminé standing in the doorway. She smiled.
"You're back." she said. "I missed you." Vanessa looked down.
"I'm sorry…" she said. "…I should've just listened to you. I should've…" She burst into tears once more and embraced Naminé. Though surprised, Naminé held Vanessa in her arms.
"Oh god Naminé, I don't want him to disappear!" Vanessa wailed. "I know you've been working so hard to revive Sora, but god dammit, I love Roxas! I don't want him to go!"
"I know you don't." said Naminé. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, I really am, but Roxas won't fully disappear." Vanessa pulled away from Naminé and looked at her, a glimmer of hope in her purple eyes.
"Really?" she asked. Naminé nodded.
"You'll be near him every time you're near Sora." she said. Vanessa frowned. That was not exactly the answer she wanted.
"It's not the same…" she mumbled. Naminé smiled apologetically.
"No, it's not." she admitted. "But Roxas will live on in Sora, and in your heart."
"I guess…" said Vanessa uncertainly. She reached into the pocket of Roxas's black coat and pulled out the 'Winner' popsicle stick. She could not help but to smile. "Y'know what Naminé? Maybe you're right. I mean, I'm still upset but…" She trailed off. "I don't know."
"Will you be ok?" asked Naminé. Vanessa nodded and wiped her eyes.
"I'll be fine; don't worry about me." she said. "How long do you think it'll be before Sora can wake up?"
"Five days." Naminé replied.
"Can I meet him?"
"Of course you can. But don't expect him to remember you. Roxas's memories will be lost to Sora. In fact, there will be several things he won't remember."
"Like what?"
"Castle Oblivion, the Organization, me…"
"You? Oh that's right, you met him before. Why won't he remember these things?"
"Some of his memories became lost while I tried to piece them back together. Besides, DiZ thought it'd be best if he didn't remember certain things." Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"DiZ, right…" she muttered bitterly. "He's a cold-hearted bastard, you ever noticed that?"
"Well, he can be a bit strict at times…" said Naminé. "…but he does what he does for Sora." Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know…" she said. "…I smell a rat. I think he has some hidden agenda of his own." Naminé flinched.
"What would make you think that?" she wondered.
"I don't know…" Vanessa admitted. "…but there's just something about him that I don't get. Or maybe he just pisses me off."
"Perhaps you're just angry with him." said Naminé. "I know you don't agree with his methods, but he does what he does to make sure this works." Vanessa sighed.
"I guess you're right." she said. She frowned. "He's still a bastard though." Naminé giggled.
"It's good to have you back Vanessa." said Naminé. "I missed you." Vanessa grinned.
"I guess it's good to be back." she said. "I missed you too."
