::36::Roxas::His Origins::

"…And so…" I scratched the crown of my blonde hair. "…you're saying that we're all sandwiched between the Past plane and Present plane of Time?"

The older boy nodded, solemnly. His familiar green eyes darkened. "I destroyed the Hourglass of Time, an artifact that Xemnas held sacred, so we can delay the Present plane's time to further our investigation and to allow us more time to save all Worlds." Replica paused. "I…want to find out more for myself, the Truth beneath all truths."

"The Truth?" I echoed, confused.

"Who are you, Roxas?"

I blinked. "I'm…Roxas."

"Where did you come from?"

"You're a Nobody, Roxas." a sweet voice whispered to me.

My heart nearly dropped. !

"…You were never supposed to exist."

"You were a part of Sora." Replica said.

I stared in shock. "…What?"

"Roxas, you're a part of Sora—and you're more Sora than anyone else here. Even more than Ventus himself."

"What are you talking about?" I lashed out, suddenly pointing the Keyblade at Replica. "I—I am more myself than anyone else! I am me, I am Roxas, and I am no one else!"

However, much to my surprise, a hot teardrop suddenly slipped down from my right eye's corner. I swallowed.

"Stop that." His blue eyes were soft with concern. "Stop swinging that around. It's not a toy, you know—it's dangerous."

Being aware of my reckless actions, I slowly dropped the weapon. !

"I…" I was going to apologize, not knowing what had come over me and not even knowing where the sweet voice had come from. But remembering Ven's words, I quickly became ashamed—feeling my face burn hot from it. "I…"

"…You're Roxas, all right."

I had my head bowed for a while…and slowly, I raised my eyes up to meet his calm, cool orbs.

"You're a hot-tempered brat." said Replica. "There's no way you can ever be like Sora. He's a much well-mannered kid."

I sat down by the water fountain, the one in the Academy's outdoor center square, and as I listened to the water trickle down into levels of water bodies, I closed my eyes. Replica sat at the other side quietly, enjoying the cool tree shade that blocked out the sun from us. I opened my eyes and looked around, watching the Academy students—future Keyblade wielders—stroll by. There were birds chirping from the distance while the cool breeze fluttered through our clothings.

"It's so peaceful." I said out loud.

"It is." Replica agreed.

A moment of silence.

"We'll need to keep moving." He said, abruptly. "Time is very limited in this realm as we were all sent here to figure out what's exactly going on in the Present plane."

"What are we looking for?" I asked.

"…We need to find the Organization's ultimate weakness." replied the older boy. "We need…to find out ways to stop them from kidnapping the Seven Princesses of Lights. We need forces so strong, that it can overpower them—we need Light."

"We have to find a way to stop them." I murmured. I quickly hopped back onto my feet. "Hey, why don't we go ask the Master himself?"

"Who?"

"Master Eraqus!" I exclaimed. "He's a strong magic-user, so he can definitely see us and be able to help us figure out what's going on!"

"Brilliant!" He smirked. "Love your thinking already!"

"Okay, let's go then!" I smiled. "And while we're at it, explain to me on the way there—about this 'Seven Princesses of Lights—"

"There you two are."

! I held onto the Keyblade, hesitantly. "Who are you guys?"

"Well, if it isn't Ventus…" A young man with long, silver-blue bangs—slowly approached me as Replica and I glowered at them. His icy eyes flickered back to his partner, a larger man who carried an enormous sword in one hand. "…Shall we just spill it?"

"Spill what?" I asked, pointing the Keyblade toward the two strangers—who were both wearing that familiar black trench-coat uniform. Our school uniform. Or so I had thought. "And what's with everyone wearing our school uniforms? I don't get it!"

"School…uniforms?" the young man laughed. "Was that what you children were told?"

"…Hey!" I gritted my teeth.

"Lexaeus, what should we do to mess with Ventus' mind?" the stranger continued.

Lexaeus, the man's partner, only looked over my figure and then, at Replica.

"For a moment, I had thought it was Ventus and Riku whom we had approached." said the wavy-haired man. "…But it appears that we have run into Roxas and Replica, Zexion."

"What?" Zexion's cold eyes suddenly widen in surprise. "Seriously?"

"…The two brothers swapped clothes before the invasion took place at the Academy in the Present plane."

"…Hmm…that explains everything." Zexion said, coolly. "…I thought something was amiss when Xaldin told us…that he has captured Ventus in the Castle—"

"Wait!" I yelled out. "You guys have Ven?!"

"Ah, I almost forgot that you two are twin brothers…in this Life." said Zexion. He scratched the back of his head. "And with what you had just said, it seems like Lexaeus was right. You are the legendary Roxas whom we've all been ordered to search for." He paused to sneer at us two. "And to capture."

"Hmph." The bigger guy swung his sword around as to demonstrate his strength, from which I felt the harsh whips of wind blow through me. I tensed up. "Well, shall we begin?"

"Now, let me chat for a little bit first."

"If that is what you wish."

"Now, now…" Zexion's lips tugged at the corner. "…Roxas, we don't have to fight—if you should only surrender yourself to us peacefully."

"And why should I do that?" I quickly made a threatening motion to swing the Keyblade at his face, being ready in my battle position. Replica looked over at me. "You have Namine, Sora, Ven, Aqua, and Terra already—and I have no idea why—but I'm not going to give myself up—not before I can bring them all back."

"Hasn't Xemnas spilled at least some of the beans to you?" Zexion slowly raised an eyebrow at my obliviousness. "…I mean, I'm sure he'd told you at least half of the things you needed to hear."

"Of course, you are, Roxas!" the man exclaimed, excitedly. "You are Sora's other Half, after all! What you may have known about this World—isn't all what you were supposed to know. And I can tell you this: you are more to Sora than of anyone else that we have encountered."

I bit my bottom lip.

"Looks like he did." said the young man, looking quite pleased at this turn of event. "…But allow me to finish up then. Besides from all you've heard from Xemnas—we had been sent to capture you, the Hidden Chosen—no—the indirect Chosen One, an indirect one since Sora is apparently unavailable today to save the Universe like he did once before on multiple occasions."

"Don't, Zexion." To my surprise, Replica had intervened. "Don't say it now."

"Say what, Replica?" I asked.

"Once upon a time, there was once a boy named Sora. Darkness came upon his homeland, Destiny Island, and he and his two friends—Riku and Kairi—were separated from each other, all three sent to different Worlds—away from their lovely home."

Zexion shifted his eyes toward Replica but simply ignored him.

"He found out that he was able to wield powerful weapon called the Keyblade and that he was chosen by the Keyblade to save all Worlds from the same Darkness that took him away from his friends and home. He went on a long journey, saving World after World with friends whom he met up and all the while, also searching for his two dear friends."

I swallowed.

"…Along the way, to his surprise, he discovered that his good friend, Kairi, had given her Heart within his when the Darkness came for them. So, he decided to free her by piercing his own Heart—thus, creating a Nobody—a Nobody whose name was none other than…"

Replica, clenching his teeth, shoved me back behind his towering figure. "Get back!"

"!" I fell back, stumbling over my own two feet. "What's going—"

"That Nobody was you, Roxas!" Zexion exclaimed.

I stared. "What?"

That…can't be right, I thought. That… A Nobody…is just what remains from those who have lost their hearts to Darkness… A Nobody is just…

The Academy had taught me two things: there are two definitions of a Nobody. There is the Nobody class, and then, there's the Nobody thing. It had just dawned to me that since Zexion was talking about the Legend, the old myth that had been passed down for generations, it could only mean one absolute truth.

"Replica…is this…" I could barely recognize my own voice. "But…how…"

"Roxas, you are not needed to coexist with Sora." the young man continued on, coldly. "With you, you alone can provide Sora with the other half of his Heart—and unleash his full potential—so, we can use him to unlock Kingdom Hearts for us all!"

I was a thing.

"NO!" I screamed. Blinded by hate, I got back onto my feet—only to clash the Keyblade against Lexaeus' enormous sword, creating golden sparks. "YOU'RE LYING TO ME!" The flames in my Heart were burning…burning… "YOU ARE LYING!"

Hot tears flooded my vision.

And whether I was still that thing, I didn't know anymore. I mean, I was born human...but...

"Hey," Axel raised an eyebrow at me as I lifted up the shackles around both of my wrists. "You okay?"

"Everything you were told are lies already, Roxas!" Zexion laughed.

"My twin brother is Ventus!" I quickly pivoted my foot to strike at Lexaeus, only to lock my weapon against his again in combat. "My best friends are Axel and Xion!" I dodged a blow and blocked the sword with swiftness, nearly suffering from a cut. "I am a student from the Academy, dreaming of being a Keyblade Master!" I then evaded another attack. "I want to save Namine, Sora, Aqua—" I dodged again. "Terra, and everyone—"

"So, your mind's made up?" Axel asked.

"Why did the Keyblade choose me?" I said, out loud. "I have to know!"

"…You can't turn on the Organization." The red-head's eyes pleaded to me. "You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you!" He then stepped up, and even in the darkness, I could see that he was trying hard to restrain himself.

"No one would miss me." I said, looking over my shoulder.

"That's not true…"

My heart stopped.