If Our Hearts Unite

Author's Note: I'm one of the people who didn't really like the explanation of "the sigil." While I like what it represents, the way it was explained sounded forced and a bit confused. I chose to rewrite the dialogue exchanged in order for it to sound more genuine and heartfelt.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

Chapter 30: Who Are You?

Who am I?

That was the biggest question going through her mind right now. No one in the organization bothered to call her by name. All she knew was that she was a puppet: someone who did what they were told no questions asked.

At first that kind of existence didn't bother her… but the longer she remained in this place, and amongst these people… this puppet started to remember things. She could remember a brilliant gold sunset. She could remember laughter, and the taste of something cool, sweet and salty on her tongue. She could remember that she wasn't just a puppet, she was a person. She had a name…

What is my name?

"Ah, finally…" She heard the silver-haired man speak beside her. "Someone for you two to play with."

"Well I guess this was inevitable." Axel scanned the three figures with a sour expression. He had a feeling he'd have to fight Xemnas and Isa down the line. "Who's the plus one?" He questioned, eyeing the third member of their party who remained shadowed under her cloak.

"Inevitable indeed," Xemnas agreed and had to laugh at Axel's oblivity. "This guest of ours has an old score to settle with you."

She did? The puppet looked at the man with red hair, flashes of the two of them clashing keyblades together racing through her mind. Ah, that's right… she did.

"You are a traitor of darkness, as it is a traitor of light." Xemnas further explained. "It is a being of whom we have no memory of, recreated from Vexen's records, and brought to life by young Xehanort's experiments. It has no memory of who it is, a true nobody brought back from the edge of oblivion. Truly the perfect pawn for this very battle"

"Tch, so who is it?"

"Humph…" Saix had to smirk at Axel's obliviousness. While he couldn't form a name or a face, Saix knew that this being was a close attachment of Axel and Roxas. The fact that he'd been so careless to forget them, brought on a sort of smugness… and strange relief.

"You called on one of the new seven hearts…" He spoke, turning his attention to Kairi to avoid answering Axel's question. "You must be desperate."

"Shows what you know," Axel smirked at him. "If I'm a traitor, then Kairi here is our trump card."

"Eh?" Kairi looked at him surprised, both flattered and confused by the praise.

"So it's not desperation I see, tis foolish and lunacy." Saix insulted, raising Axel's temper.

"Say what?"

"Are you truly foolish enough to believe you can defeat us?" Xemnas crossed his arms in disapproval.

"Tch, what do you think!?" Axel raised his fist up.

"I think you'll lose, Axel." Saix accentuated the name, his eyes glancing sideways to catch the puppet's reaction.

"Axel?" The images she'd seen before became clearer… blurs of movement and color, and a single name being called out.

Axel!

Who's voice was that? Why did her chest tighten just now?

"Let's find out!" Axel called forth his chakrams, launching them across the field towards the puppet that stood stiff as a statue. The sudden attack put the puppet on edge, and instinct took over. She called forth her weapon and beat away Axel's attack with ease.

"Tch…" Axel caught his weapons, solidifying them into his keyblade. He eyed his opponent with some irrtance, but then got a good clear look at the weapon the puppet was holding. "What the-"

"That keyblade…" Kairi whispered. "It looks like Sora's."

"Don't tell me…" Axel took a step forward. "Roxas, is that you?"

"Roxas…" Yet another name that sounded familiar to her.

"No it's not Roxas, Axel." Saix punctuated the names, the sounds of them doing exactly what he'd hope, and forcing the puppet to remember.

"Mnnnng!" The puppet held her head as the blurry images got more distorted, but she could hear echoes of sound and voices clear as day.

"You've earned the icing on the cake!"

"Friends need to lean on each other again."

"We're your friends, we'll always look out for you."

"You go on and keep running, but I'll always be there to bring you back!"

"You're not me, and you're not Sora! You're your own person Xi-"

"Who else… will I have ice cream with?"

The pain in her head became too much to bear. Stupid memories! Stupid emotions! Everything was too painful! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!

"RAUUUUGHHHH!" Clutching her keyblade tight the puppet raged and rushed forward into battle.

~Meanwhile~

Demyx looked into the orb of water in his hand making sounds of excitement as he watched the battle commence. He much preferred watching fights from the sidelines than actively participating in them.

"Oh yeah! Nice one, Kairi! Man for a princess she sure knows how to handle herself Oooh and look, Sora's just joined the battle! Guess its' time you joined the party too, huh Roxas?" He glanced down at the limp body. He frowned when she said nothing, and closed his fist around the water to make it disappear. "You're still not awake yet?" He crouched down and poked the doll's cheek. "Hello? Anybody home?"

Still nothing. Demyx frowned and crossed his arms.

"Oh come on, you got your shape and face the moment Axel and that other girl started to fight. With everything that's going on your heart still isn't awake yet? Just what the hell are you waiting for Roxas?"

A connection…

Demyx blinked and he beat the side of his head as if it had water in it. He could have sworn he just heard Roxas speak, but the doll still hadn't moved yet.

"Huh… freaky."

~Back to the Battle~

Sora had made it to the battle just in time. The combined powers of Saix and the puppet were proving a bit overwhelming for the novice keyblade wielders, and Sora's experience was proving useful in balancing the odds.

"Kairi, duck!" She called to her friend, unleashing a fire spell that caught Saix right in the face before he could attack her friend.

"Whew, that was close! Thanks Sora!" Kairi smiled and used a cure spell on both of them.

"No, thank you." Sora rolled her shoulder then brought up her blade to block the puppet's next attack, and she pushed against her, her feet digging into the dirt. "Oh no you don't!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" The puppet shouted in Sora's face, her teeth clenched. "I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER! IT HURTS!"

"What?" Sora blinked in confusion and grunted as the puppet used the temporary confusion to push her back and away. She fell, and Kairi immediately beat her back, forcing her down.

"Nice one, Kairi…" Sora struggled to get to her feet, the attack on her ribs and the fatigue from participating in all these battles were causing her to wane.

"Thanks, are you- KYA!"

"AHHH!" Sora and Kairi were suddenly sent flying by a surprise attack from Saix. The man had gone Berserk Mode, his eyes glowing like twin moons.

"ISA! Stop!" Axel tried to stop his old friend but he too was pushed back by his overwhelming attack power. Axel fell to his knees, gasping for breath and waiting for the finishing blow.

Everything halted, and Axel sneered as Xemnas reappeared onto the battlefield.

"There was a time when I entrusted you to deal with traitors… and now your betrayal outstrips them all. What do you have to say to your superior?" Xemnas scolded, casually strolling to the kneeled guardian.

"Well now let me think..." Despite his situation and the ache of his wounds, Axel smirked. "How about, you were never my superior?"

"Axel…" Sora struggled to sit up, her chest suddenly felt extremely heavy, and she recognized the sensation. Roxas was watching… seeing and experiencing everything from the windows inside her heart.

"We have to help him, Roxas." Sora told her more through feeling than with words.

"Not yet…"

"What about Axel? Are you just gonna watch him-"

"SHE WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN! I believe in my friend, she won't let them kille Axel."

"Who…" Sora gasped as she saw the puppet start to rise and was watching Axel get beaten down by Xemnas. Though the face was shadowed, she could feel the pain and confliction emanating off her. "That's her isn't it… the third heart."

"Yes, but she doesn't remember. None of them remember, because her heart is incomplete. She needs her memories, she needs to remember who she is… because I need that connection in order to be whole."

"Okay, but how can I make her remember when I don't even know who she is?"

"She's connected to you, Sora… the same way that I am. Our hearts were once a part of yours, but you allowed us to become our own people, and welcomed us into your heart. Follow that connection, Sora. Feel her heart, just like you are with mine."

"I will purge your light… with darkness!" Xemnas' declaration snapped Sora back to the real world. She watched with wide eyes as Xemnas struck out with his saber of light, but was halted by the puppet. "Changing sides again?"

"We need him alive, you know that." The Puppet proclaimed, not sure what possessed her to save the red head. Her body had just acted on its own.

"We only need his heart, we do not need his soul…" Xemnas narrowed his eyes… and suddenly things were made clear. "Oh yes, now I remember, you were once friends. Then perhaps you should finish the job."

He stepped back ushering the puppet in his place. She stood up obediently, her keyblade out at the ready. Axel stared at her with such confliction and pain, that it made her want to scream.

"Who… are you?" He asked her, and forced those painful memories back. She grit her teeth and raised her blade to finish him off. Hesitation made her hold in place… allowing Sora to step between them and give her pitying eyes.

"Don't do this." She asked of her softly… just as Roxas had asked of her she reached out with her heart… felt all the hurt and confusion bubbling up and ready to explode.

The puppet stare at Sora's face with shock. When she looked at this young woman, she didn't see Sora but instead a girl with blonde hair that spiked and curled all around her shoulders. She recalled her infectious laugh, her expressive blue eyes… and the warmth of her smile.

"Who are you… again?"

The voice made her choke on a sob and she lashed out again. She slammed her keyblade over and over against' Sora's, wishing the pain and ache would all go away.

"Wait!" Sora braced against the beating, letting her take out her pain and aggression. The pain she felt from the girl's heart washed through her, and for the first time she could clearly see the person underneath. "It's alright! You can stop now!"

"No! It's not alright! It's not! It's not! It's not!" The puppet screamed at her and pushed her blade with every ounce of strength she had, but Sora refused to waver. She looked into Sora's teary blue eyes… and their hearts connected.

"It's alright… Xion." Sora said the name as if she were calling an old friend.

Xion!

Thanks, Xion!

Xion, where have you been?

You're your own person, Xion!

Please… please don't go, Xion!

Xion's blade dropped as her identity returned to her. Suddenly all the memories of her past, and the emotions she'd experienced came rushing back at once. She clutched her head as the pain overwhelmed her, forcing tears to spill out.

"Useless, puppet." Xemnas scowled and kicked her back. Sora caught the girl in her arms, the two of them falling backwards. Her hood fell off, and Xion's true identity was revealed to everyone.

Axel clutched his head, his own memories of Xion returning. Suddenly the inner battle he'd had with himself trying to remember this face came back to him, and panic bubbled up.

"XION!" He watched his friend collapse, she and Sora on the ground, injured and practically defenseless as Xemnas stepped up to eradicate them both.

~Meanwhile~

Roxas' eyes snapped open as her heart awoke. Knowing exactly what was going on, Roxas got to her feet and flexed her hands out to grasp both of her keyblades in hand. Demyx let out a hoot of excitement and brought forth his sitar.

"Oh yeah! It's showtime, baby!" He struck his sitar with one powerful chord, and in a blaze of light and flash Roxas was teleported from her place on the sidelines and straight into battle.

Everyone let out a cry of shock as the flash of light crashed the party, the rippled effect causing dust to kick up, and the cloaked figure stood tall, strong, and ready to kick ass.

"Hands off my friends!"

The cloud and dust cleared, and Xemnas got his first good look at the intruder. His eyes widened and he sneered.

"It cannot be."

Axel and Xion slowly sat up, staring in wide eyed wonder at the hooded figure in front of them. If the twin keyblades weren't enough of a clue, the hood was tossed back and off, revealing long blonde hair confirming the new party member.

"Roxas!" Axel gasped and smiled with relief and utter joy. Roxas sent him a coy little smile over her shoulder and gave a wink.

"My turn."

"Roxas…" Xion looked at her friend with a weary smile, the two friends sharing a bond, before Xemnas' exasperated voice broke the moment.

"This is impossible." Xemnas narrowed his eyes on the young blonde woman. "How did you get a vessel?"

"Same as you," Roxsd smirked. "Turns out you're not as good as winning over people's hearts as you think."

"Ah, I see…" Xemnas scowled, not realizing just how many traitors he had amongst his ranks. Not that it mattered much anymore. Things were already set in motion, and soon these lights would all be snuffed out one by one no matter how many more grew.

"There was one last thing I needed in order to become whole again… a connection. Sora helped me find my way here, to my friends." She glanced over her shoulder at Sora.

"Mmmm… It's good to see you, Roxas." Sora smiled at her, and got a nod in return.

"Well then, enough explanation… I believe you have something that belongs to us." Roxas spun her keyblade around. "Now that we're all whole again, it's time to reclaim it."

~Elsewhere~

Demyx wish he had popcorn as he took in the battle through his glowing blue orb of water. He clapped and whistled, urging his new companions on for their upcoming fight.

"Well you seem to be enjoying yourself." Vexen appeared behind Demyx with a scowl.

"Gah!" Demyx jumped and held his chest as Vexen came to sit beside him and watch the battle as well. "DUDE! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"This normally would be the time I'd point out that we're nobodies and we don't have hearts… but that theory is obsolete at this point." He waved off the comment and analyzed the orb. "I never knew you could teleport without the use of a dark corridor."

"Well nobody asked," Demyx laughed it off and lounged back. "Besides, doing that little trick takes up WAYYY too much energy. There's no way I could ever really use it effectively."

"Is that supposed to be your clever way of saying that you could do it, but you're far too lazy to make it public knowledge?" Vexen retorted.

"Duuude, you're seriously killing my vibes man." Demyx waved him off. "So not cool."

"Mmhmmm…" Vexen carefully studied the battle. "Seems Roxas hasn't lost her touch despite her confinement."

"Oh yeah, she's kicking some major butt. Only a matter of time before Xemnas coughs it up." He rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"What precisely is she trying to reclaim?" Vexen asked curiously. "I don't recall them having any sort of trinkets or shared favors he'd horde on his person."

"Not really sure… the only thing I got with my one-sided conversation with her was something about a connection."

"A connection? Isn't that just her referring to-"

"YEAH! THEY WON!" Demyx jumped up in excitement as the twilight trio took down their superior in one final combination move. "Huh, sorry, what were you saying?"

"Never mind… it would seem we're about to find out the answer to my question."

~Back in Battle~

Kairi and Sora dropped back safely on the ground as Roxas and Xion gave the final blow to break Xemnas' hold. Using her keyblade, Roxas extracted what she wanted from Xemnas… the three sparkling lights ripping away from Xemnas and returning to the hearts they belonged to.

Xion gasped as the light hit her in the chest and she looked down spotting the familiar X shape that floated from her chest.

"Is this… the sigil?"

"This… is what you wanted to reclaim?" Axel questioned, staring at his own sigil with some confusion.

"Yes… when the organization was formed, each of us were given a name bearing the sigil. Before receiving my new name I was a lost soul… wandering aimlessly with no heart and no purpose. Then you and Xemnas came, and gave me a name, and a purpose." Roxas eyed the sigil remembering that first day as clear as crystal. "Thanks to that I gained an identity of my own. It was dull at first, simple and uneventful, but it was mine. Everyday I would repeat the names of the organization members, as well as my own. It reminded me of who I was, and who the people surrounded me were."

"I did too… in fact you were the one who taught me to do that." Xion recalled with a teary expression. "Each time I spoke a name, a different feeling would come over me but I didn't know what feelings were."

"That's right… it was those new and unknown feelings that created our hearts from scratch… and it was our friendship and bond that breathed life into those hearts." Roxas lifted her head proudly and spun her keyblades out as if daring Xemnas to make a move on her.

"By ourselves we are no one…" Sora slowly rose from the ground, and suddenly recalled Joshua's words from the dream world. Roxas turned her head listening to the words she spoke. "it's when other people look at us, and see someone… that's the moment we each start to exist."

"Ah now I get it… it was our bond with each other that was our foundation… and this sigil is what made it all possible." Axel laughed and closed his fist around it looking up at Xemnas with a cocky grin. "I guess I should be grateful to you for that… but I doubt you'd have the heart to care."

"I don't need hearts…" Xemnas sneered, eyeing Kairi who was still picking herself up from the ground. "I will scatter them all to the winds."

It all happened in a blur. Sora, almost like a distinct whisper in the back of her head, heard herself screaming as Xemnas disappeared and reappeared behind Kairi. She whirled around her face pale and stricken with fear as she stretched out her fingers in an attempt to pull her friend away from the danger.

"Kairi!"

"Sora!" Kairi reached for her friend's hand but Xemnas twisted her wrist, and she felt the bones starting to break. Her knees buckled against the pain, and the fatigue of the day made her helpless against his power.

"Let her go, Xemnas!" Sora rushed him then cried out as Saix knocked her back and away.

"What is one little heart to you? You've plenty of lights to replenish your ranks." Xemnas pointed out and vanished into the dark.

"NO KAIRI!"

Not again! Sora could hear herself think and clutched onto her heart as fear and panic welled up. Please, I can't lose her again!

"Again?" Sora clutched her heart and felt her body shake. "When did I…"

"Sora!" Roxas shouted at her, gaining her attention. "We'll get her back, but right now we need your help!" She shifted, spinning her blades in hand as Saix paced in front of them, eager to take them all on. "You ready?"

"Yeah…" Sora closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to recollect herself and rise up on her feet. "I'll find Kairi… after we beat him."

"Atta girl…" Roxas smirked at her, the two young women staring at each other face to face for the first time in a long while. There was a clear mutual admiration and affection between them, like two long lost sisters. "Let's do this!"

"Yeah!" Sora nodded and gripped her keyblade firmly. "I'm with you!"

~Ask Briry~

Briry: I may have rushed the last part a bit, but I hope you guys like the way this turned out. I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach the ending, what with all the extra Remind scenes, but I think I finally got a clear image in my head now. Please look forward to more soon.

Next Chapter: Fragmented Journey