Axel was horrified by the events that took place before his very eyes. He had wanted to help the girl, yes, he had wanted to save her so badly. Seeing the pain upon her face, he could not figure out how a single person, let alone Maleficent and the rest of the Organization, could be so callous and cruel. Still, he knew that if he had tried to jump in and rescue Leira, it would have ended badly. Perhaps he could take on Demyx, and possibly even Zexion at the same time, but all of the others? It was foolish to think so.
So he watched, having to literally hold his flames of rage back from shooting out at the group in the center of the room. And then he began to think. He needed to do something, he could not let it end like this. Leira would destroy anything that she was set upon by Maleficent, something that Axel would not let himself think about. Perhaps there was still hope for the girl, and then he heard what Maleficent was taunting her about.
"Riku, of course," Axel muttered to himself. The leverage that he had tried to use to get Leira to leave earlier, that is who he would need to seek.
He remained in the Hall of Empty Melodies until it was all over. He had watched as Leira was struck with the blade, and as she had collapsed afterwards. When the others finally began to turn and leave, that is when Axel fled.
He opened up a portal to bring him to Destiny Islands, where he had only been briefly once in the past. That was before he had changed, when he had captured Kairi. The portal took him to the beach of the small island off of the main island, the area that he had seen those many months ago. The noontime sun was high in the sky, practically burning Axel's darkness-adjusted eyes despite his shadowing hood.
Looking around, he did not see anyone at first. The only sound was the waves gently incoming with the tide. But then he noticed a tiny island connected by a wooden bridge, containing a curving tree. In the distance he could only make out the overly spiky hair of one boy, and the figures of another boy and a girl. Axel was able to infer who exactly the three friends were.
He quickly and silently ran through the seashide shack, up the stairs, and onto the bridge. They were facing in the opposite direction, Sora and Kairi sitting on the tree, Riku sitting on the sand, leaning against it. Axel could hear the conversation of the three friends before he even reached them.
"Riku, please don't go back to your house, being out is good for you," the girl, Kairi, was pleading.
"My heart isn't in it, Kairi. I just can't stay out here. It reminds me of her, everything does."
"You need to be open to moving on. If you just lock yourself up in your house you'll only hurt yourself," Sora could be heard.
"Being out here hurts even more."
"At least you're with us. It's better than you being alone again. You can't honestly expect me to believe that you enjoy staying in bed from dawn to dusk." Kairi sounded exasperated.
"No, I don't enjoy it. I havn't enjoyed anything since Leira...was lost. I wish I could see her again, I would do anything..."
"If you're that willing, then perhaps you can see her again," Axel said loudly, standing behind the three. All of them whipped around, and their eyes opened wide with shock.
"The Organization?" Kairi mumbled fearfully.
Riku lept to his feet and extended his arm, summoning Way to the Dawn. His eyes were glared at Axel. Sora had jumped up as well, Keyblade appearing automatically in his hands.
"Whoa, lower your weapons. I'm not here to fight." Axel put a hand up to stop them.
"Who are you?" Riku asked angrily, through clenched teeth.
"Oh, excuse me for bad manners." Axel smirked as he pulled his hood back. "It's me, Axel. Got it memorized?"
"Axel!" Sora exclaimed, though probably more the Roxas in him than anything else, immediately lowering his Keyblade.
Riku lowered Way to the Dawn, as well. Sora had told him the story of Axel turning 'good'. "How are you here? All of the Organization members were eliminated."
"Well, not all of them." Axel's eyes met with Sora, it being clear what he meant.
"All except for Roxas...but I saw you fade away. You were dying," Sora replied in a whisper.
"Actually, I was never technically living, so how could I die? I faded, yes...but somehow, the nothingness recreated me. But that is not what I am here to discuss...there are dark plans in motion. I am not the only Organization member back."
"Oh no..." Kairi muttered.
"You mentioned Leira?" Riku pressed.
"Yes, she is alive. She was taken to the World That Never Was by Maleficent. Maleficent has joined forces with the remaining Organization members, by the way. Xemnas is gone though, Saix has become a self-appointed leader," Axel rambled on.
"Leira is alive? But she fell, off the cliff..." Riku sounded unsure.
"No, she fell through a portal created by Maleficent."
"So you can take me to her!" The excitement in Riku's voice was clear.
"I'm sorry, but there are complications. I can take you there, but it will dangerous...and, Leira is not herself. I heard the story only quickly, so I am sort of lacking on details. Leira was created by Vexen using matter from lost Organization members sealed within a heart. Maleficent released her darkness using an artificial Keyblade only about fifteen minutes ago. Leira will no longer remember you, and she will be dark...evil. She is their experiment, and now she is one of them. Maleficent plans to train her, and then send her to destroy worlds."
Riku looked nothing short of astounded and confused, trying desperately to process what Axel had just told him. Leira was created by Vexen? How is that possible? But I know my love for her was real...
"They hurt her?" Riku asked, anger and emotional pain clear. Axel nodded. "I should have been there for her." He looked defeated.
"I don't think it is too late. If anyone can stop Leira, I believe that you can. You must...for the good of the universe."
Riku nodded. "You're right, it is my responsibility. I love her, maybe...maybe I can save her. But if not, I will have my revenge on Maleficent, at least."
"Riku, we're going with you." Sora and Kairi stood behind him. He looked unsure.
"If anything were to happen to either of you..."
"You won't be able to take on all of the Organization on your own," Kairi chirped.
"Exactly," Sora finished.
"Yes, I will take you all there. But be weary, there are new dark creatures roaming the world...Also, the Organization will want it's revenge on you for all that you have done. I will help you, but even I have my limits," Axel said.
"We can take them," Kairi smirked.
Axel put a hand up and a dark portal appeared. The four of them stepped through it, on their way to the World That Never Was.
o-------------------o
A/N: Sorry this took so long to get up! I still have so much homework for this weekend and have hardly been able to find time to type chapters up, which saddens me as well. Hopefully my overwhelming stack of homework will calm after this weekend and I will be able to go back to a chapter-a-day as I used to. Until then, patience is a virtue.
This morning I woke up at like 8 and immediately went to playing Kingdom Hearts (I), because I was hoping to level up to beat Sephiroth, whom I have only beaten in KH II...And during my time of boredom from going through the usual cycle in Traverse Town (Wyverns, Darkballs, Search Ghosts, Defenders and then back around again) I came up with a wonderful idea for another KH Fanfiction, a very dark one...although using a character from Advent Children (who I am in love with after watching the movie 2 times) so it would be sort of crossover-ish, I suppose. But of course I cannot start it until I have finished this little neverending epic of mine.
And then, in all the excitement I went to the Coliseum and beat Sephiroth even after having Sin Heartless Angel cast on me twice. I was at level 85. Hooray!
Hm. This was a long author's note. And to wrap it up I would just like to add how much I love Yuffie in all her hyper-ness and motion sickness and I can't wait until I get FFVII for my birthday to see more of her. She is definately my favorite girl in the FF series.