Riku entered the lonely and abandoned castle with little trouble. "Hello? Anyone in here?"
Silence and echoes.
He passed through the grand hall, almost flinching at every booming footstep. Obviously whoever designed this castle was a fan of granduer, but not it's consequences. "Hello-"
"Why Monsieur, whatever is the matter?"
Riku looked for the voice "Um, I'm just looking for something-"
"Well, what are you looking for?"
Riku still couldn't find the source of the friendly voice "Um, right now, you-"
"Down here."
Riku looked down at his boots to find a candelabra grinning up at him. It bowed with a flourish "Lumiere at your service."
Riku didn't jump back, but remained in stunned silence for a moment. He cleared his throat "Well, ah, does this castle have any records? information-"
"Ah! We do have a library!" Lumiere said with a flare of his candles. They then softened, Lumiere frowning "But my master has asked to be alone in there for the time being-"
Riku began walking "Maybe I can persuade him-"
There was a frantic clatter, and a clock stretched out its 'arms' with a slight glare at Lumiere "No, the Master explicitly said he was not to be bothered-"
Riku easily stepped around it "Sorry, but I need to find some answers. I'll be as respectful as possible-"
"No no no no NO!" Riku sighed and rolled his eyes when the clock grabbed his ankle "I am NOT allowing this! I-"
Riku picked him up, placed him on a high alcove "I'm sure he won't mind a simple traveller read some books."
Lumiere took over "Ah, well, he has a bit of trouble with his temper-"
Riku quickened his pace "It'll only be a minute, not much longer than that."
Kairi decided to start up a quick chat with her new friend "So, I'm Kairi-"
She turned back "Kairi?" Kairi blinked when she recognized her companion, and smiled "Belle!"
Belle smiled back "What brings you here?"
"Oh, an errand for a friend of mine." She said offhandedly "I'm sorry for not recognizing you before, you're so different without that dress..." She trailed off when she saw Belle's face fall.
The ride became silent.
"So, um... Your father-" Kairi cut off when they heard coughs. Belle quickly dismounted and rushed over to a huddled figured by the road.
"Papa! Oh papa-"
"B-Belle? Oh Belle, I-I thought-" the old man started coughing violently. Belle helped him up onto her horse, which nickeled annoyedly. Belle patted its muzzle "I know, Phillipe, it's getting a little much, but you can carry us."
She mounted, and told Kairi "Hold on!" And they sped off towards town.
Sora felt hollow.
He sat there in his bed, a single sheet pulled up to his chest, sore, tingling, sweaty, exposed. He stared at the ceiling vacantly, as if he was an automaton that had broken a spring somewhere and couldn't work anymore.
What did I just agree to? He thought hollowly.
You agreed to slavery. Vanitas was scathing and blunt. All so you could keep that idiot girlfriend of yours safe. Hope you're happy with this.
From the sound of it, Vanitas wasn't regretting Sora's decision at all. Sora continued staring, still empty. Tears started leaking out of the corner of his eyes, and he didn't bother to blink them away. There was no one but the moon outside his window to see them, anyways.
Sacrifice after sacrifice.
Steps backwards, but never forwards.
Getting broken again
and again
and again.
Only a stupid promise of a light he had yet to find being his guide.
He wondered why the path he walked kept going around in such a pathetic circle. He gave up to gain, and only ended up losing it again down the path. He blinked slowly. If only he could forget everything up to this point. Everything.
You could, if you let me-
No. His denial wasn't bitter, it wasn't hateful, it was just firm and sad. He was surprised at how Vanitas backed away, leaving him alone: Suit yourself.
He pondered over the things Ventus had told him, the ways he had acted. How could he still find those little moments to laugh or smile? Especially when he had been so awful and sullen to him. He finally registered the care, the love, and friendliness that he had continually offered. Forgiveness, he had that amazing capacity to forgive. That was what allowed him to still cling to some semblance of happiness. Sora started thinking things over:
what if he could emulate that?
He quickly sprung out of bed, rushing to the bathroom. He scanned the place, looking for some gel, combs, dye, general hair products. As he frantically ransacked the place, Vanitas sighed
What on earth are you doing?
Sora didn't reply, combing his stubborn spikes, some curling up, others becoming flat or limp, managing to get them to comply. This continued for awhile, occasionally he applied gel or dye. Slowly, surely, Carmel brown triangular spikes morphed into a goldish, softer wave.
I am a Nobody. I don't have a heart. My name is Roxas. I am number Thirteen in the Organization. I have been living here for a year... He ranted in his head, coming up with a new life and trying to repress his old memories. This was going to help everyone: Sora wouldn't exsist anymore, Sora was going to sleep for awhile. Xemnas wouldn't make any changes to their deal, and would hopefully hold his promise. Kairi and Riku would surely take care of things while he was sleeping in his own subconscious, and then they would know how to wake him back up when this was all over.
He gazed at his finished work: the hair was a little choppy, slightly grayer and browner than Ven's had been, a little forced when his looked natural. His gaze was piercing blue and furiously determined- almost insane -but hollow and vacant, as if he wasn't quite aware of everything but still willing to fight for what he knew.
He took a shuddering breath "I am Roxas. I am number Thirteen. I am a Nobody." He stated, trying to emulate that soft spoken, good boy lilt Ventus had talked with. It was close, but empty, blunt, and subtly angered.
It would have to do for now.
He repeated the insane mantra again and again- still trying to replicate Ven's voice but getting no closer -and he walked back to his room, ignoring the identity of Sora, ignoring every sign of his old life. He tossed and turned in bed for a little bit, still hissing his new identity in an attempt to make it stick.
After a long time, he tiredly closed his eyes, falling into a slumber that was far from restful as he whispered
"I am Roxas, nobody else..."
Yay suppressed memories and false identities. Now we have a freaking huge mythology gag concerning Roxas and 358/2 Days and Chain of Memories. Just to explain some things: Sora has not and will not lose his heart because of this.