If I Could Only Remember

Chapter 2: Stepping into Oblivion

Traverse Town was a surprise but welcome sight. Though Sora was confused on why and how she was here, she rolled with the punches. The cloaked woman, a puzzle of her own, gave her a basic tutorial of how the castle worked, and how she would need to navigate the rooms using cards as her keys.

"In this world your heart is tied to the cards… therefore so is your power. Choose which weapons to use, follow the cards the way you follow your heart, and soon you will be reunited with a friend most dear to you."

Why was it that all the bad guys liked to talk in puzzles and riddles? Couldn't they just be straight forward for once? Sora didn't like having things explained to her, she didn't like feeling dumb and disconnected from everything that was going on around her. She got enough of that growing up from all the adults who always skittered around the truth.

"This sucks." Sora cut through the final heartless in the room, and held her heart. It was more than just mental games these people were playing. Somehow this place, this castle, these people… they'd put a kind of leash on her heart. Her power was limited in this place, and she needed to find a way to grow stronger, and get a better hold on how everything worked.

She picked up the cards containing her friends as they danced in front of her, and released them. Goofy and Donald looked around confused then up at her.

"That's really getting annoying." Donald complained, crossing his arms and pouting.

"You said it." Goofy had to agree. "Just when I think we'd be able to walk about freely we enter a new room and everything goes dark. It's kinda freaking me out."

"You honestly haven't been missing much. I've just been following Leon and the others throughout this place… but none of them seem to remember who we are. They know are names, but all the memories of us being together, fighting together… it's all a blank to them."

"I know you're upset, Sora." Goofy could just see it in her eyes. "Just don't let it get to yah. It could be this is just one big elaborate dream and we'll all wake up back on the path."

"That doesn't make me feel better. The only reason I came to this place was so I could find Riku. I don't want to have to start all over again!" She covered her face with her hands as the tears started to form.

"Now look what you've done, you big palooka!" Donald jumped to bonk goofy on the head, then pulled Sora into a hug. "Now, come on, Sora. It'll be okay."

"Yeah…" Goofy rubbed his sore noggin, but joined Donald by pulling both him and Sora into his arms. "No matter what happens we're in this together. Let's just keep going and we'll figure things out as we go."

"Yeah…" Sora sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Yeah you're right. I can't just sit and cry about it. I need to keep pushing forward!" She slapped her cheeks to revv herself up. "Okay! Let's do this!"

~With Luxiana~

"The seeds of darkness have been planted…" She spoke in her soft sultry voice, her full lips slowly spreading into a smile. Her magenta eyes focused on the glowing orb that kept a watchful eyes on Sora and her companions. "Soon they will take root, and sprout forth. Once the seedling is full grown we shall harvest it and use it to fuel our plans."

"You're so naughty Luxiana… I always knew you'd put that big brain of yours to work one day." Larxene cuddled into her, the two women standing companionably with each other. "I can't wait to watch the fun."

"Well now, isn't this a pretty sight." Axel's voice popped up behind them, and both women sighed and turned annoyed looks onto him. "I never knew you two were so close. Should I excuse myself?"

"I thought you were searching the upper floors. Don't tell me you're bored already, Axel." Marluxia flicked her hair over her shoulder and then placed one on her hip to accent the curve of it.

"I don't know what Xemas is expecting to find in this place. All these rooms look the same to me." He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. "I heard we had a guest, and came to check for myself."

"This guest is the sole reason I came to this castle in the first place." Luxiana pointed a finger at him. "She's a very important key to the Organization's survival. If you want to play with her, than I suggest doing so delicately."

"Hey, talk to her, not me." Axel jerked a thumb at Larxene. "She's the sadist."

He had a point, Luxiana was forced to admit and gave a sidelong glance to Larxene who just turned her nose up at him.

"Fine… you may join in the fun… but keep it under your hat. The last thing I need is for Vexen to get wind of what we're doing and suddenly decide to put her under a microscope."

"Hey, I can keep a secret… but with Zexion down there you may have a hard time keeping it all hush hush. That kid's nose to scent out a flea on a dog's back."

"You've a point… so I suggest we move things forward." She walked over to fourth person in the rom. The young girl had sat quietly with her sketchbook and had already littered the table and floor with drawings of Sora, and various stages of her life. "Right, Namine'?"

"Yes…" Namine picked up one of her sketches and stared at it. Moments later that sketch became a new card and she handed it to her. "Here."

"Good girl." Luxiana pet her on the head and formed a portal holding the card up. "Round 2."

~Meanwhile~

As Sora, Donald, and Goofy turned to leave Traverse town, Sora could feel eyes on her. The small shudder caused her to whirl around and she saw Aerith still standing, watching her.

"Aerith? Is something wrong?" She stepped towards her, but Aerith held a hand ou to keep her from going any further.

"I don't have all the answers, but there's something I should tell you." She lowered her hands to her side. "Your memories created this town, right?"

"Yes, at least that's what the woman who gave me the card told me. Why do you ask?"

"Well if that's true, than this town is just a figment of your mind, as are we." She closed her eyes. "We… aren't real."

"That's not true!" Sora, visibly upset by these words, took another step towards her. "You are real, you're standing right here in front of me, aren't you?"

"I'm not the real me… I don't remember things I should, and sense things I shouldn't." Aerith finally closed the gap, taking hold of her hand. Though the palm was smooth and soft… it was cold to the touch. "Sora, beware your memories. In the journey to come you'll be faced with more illusions. Sometimes the shadows of your memories will try to deceive you and lead you astray. You have to hold onto what's important, and remember why you're here… otherwise these figments will break you."

"What do you mean?" Sora looked into Aerith's eyes, and those her voice sounded so passionate and full of emotion… her eyes were cool and distant. Aerith stepped back and away.

"I'm sorry, I'm just another figment. The truth is out of my reach." She turned to walk away.

"Sora!" Donald shouted her name and brought her attention to him. "What's wrong? You've been just standing there by yourself."

"Huh? I was talking with Aerith-"

"Aerith left with Leon and the others, remember?" Goofy scratched his temple.

"Huh? What?" Sora looked at them surprised and then turned back to see that Aerith had vanished.

"Come on." Donald rounded her and pushed her towards the exit. "Let's get out of here before you start seeing things again."

"Err,,, right." Sora took one more glance back, her eyes filled with worry. "Is that… what she meant?"

With that worry still on her mind, Sora joined her friends and headed for the exit. As Traverse Town vanished, and gave way to a big white room back in the castle, Luxiana was there waiting for them. Her face was still shrouded by her hood, but she stood confidently, an amused smile on her lips.

"Well Sora, did you enjoy meeting your memories?"

"Yeah, it was great to see everyone… but that only begs the question. What do you want from me?"

"Hmmm…" Luxiana placed a hand on her hip, eyeing the girl. Sora took a defensive stance, ready to summon her weapon at a moment's notice. Her two friends flanked her, ready to back her up if necessary. "That depends, what do you have to give?"

"Grrr…" the diversion to the question irritated Sora. She really was getting sick of getting the run around. As Luxiana took a step towards her, Sora unleashed her keyblade. All the warning bells in her head went off, and she could feel a fight ready to brew.

Before Luxiana could close the distance, Axel appeared behind her in a swirl of darkness. She made a sound of irritation and turned half way to glare at him.

"Hello!" He grinned at the lot. His eyes locked with Sora's, the intense blue gaze reminding him of a pretty blonde he'd left back at headquarters. His curiosity was now fully piqued.

"What the hell do you want, Axel?"

"No hogging the hero." He said with a casual and playful tone. His light hearted attitude irritated Luxiana, but she decided to roll with it.

"Fine, then perhaps you would like to test her?" She held up the card Namine made and whipped it towards him. He caught it mid-air and held it up like a trophy.

"Perhaps I would." He tucked the card away and step forward. Luxiana brushed paths with him, her voice held down to a murmur.

"She's stronger than she looks. Just get a feel of what she currently has to offer, and we'll go from there." Luxiana instructed.

"Leave it to me." He assured and waited for her to vanish through her own dark portal. Once alone with Sora he brought his attention back to those big baby blues, and felt a sense of challenge rush through him.

"My show now, Keyblade Master." He placed confident hands on his hips. "Who am I? The name's Axel. Got it memorized?" He tapped his temple.

"Uh…" Sora glanced briefly at Donald, not sure what to make of the new guy. "Sure."

"Good girl, you're a quick learner." The way he spoke, Sora mused, was a bit condescending with just a hint of flirtation. And his eyes were so intently focused on her, as if they were trying to pierce right through her. It felt… odd.

"So what's all this about a test?" Sora questioned. "What exactly is it that you guys want from me?"

"I can't really tell yah." Axel shrugged off her question. "We've only just met. I guess we'll have to get to know each other a little better first."

With a quick grin Axel unleashed his chakrams in a show of blazing fire. Sora went back on alert and held her keyblade in both hands, getting ready for the fight.

"Don't you go off and die on me now." Axel smirked and unleashed his literal fire-power right at her. Sora quickly rolled out of the way. She cursed a little under her breath, wishing she had more access to the power she'd had when facing against Ansem. She felt as if she was fighting with a leash around her heart, making each move, and each strike against her opponent feel heavy and sluggish.

She managed a few good hits, but Axel was quick and agile. He used the darkness to his advantage, warping in and out of sight which made it hard to aim spells or attacks. She felt the heat of his fire on her skin, turning it raw and red before Donald tossed her a potion and eased it. Still, the brief pause made her lose momentum, and she once again lost track of her target.

"Damn it!" She gasped when Axel suddenly appeared in front of her, closing the distance so she looked right up into those teal eyes. For a brief moment they made her think of Riku and the intensity of their face-off in Hollow Bastion. Her heart leapt and she was barely able to bring her keyblade up to block his attack.

She skidded backwards, grunting and collapsing forward. Goofy and Donald rushed in front of her, unleashing spells and whirling attacks to keep Axel at bay while she caught her breath. Now wasn't the time to think of Riku. She had to focus on the fight, and to make this guy stop taunting her.

She unleashed an ice blast of her own, powering it up with a combo that left Axel stunned long enough for her to put together a power attack. Axel grunted in pain as the next combo tossed him sideways and she finished the deal with a solid blow to the gut.

"AUUGH Not bad, Sora!" He laughed even as he collapsed to the ground. Sora immediately backed, preparing for some manner of sneak attack. Still he didn't move from his place on the floor. His body seemed to sink down into a pool of black, and the card he'd been carrying appeared in front of her.

"Another one?" Goofy glanced at the card in question. "What's it do?"

"It kinda looks like the one we got before when they made Traverse Town." Jiminey theorized from atop Sora's shoulder.

"You're right… then I guess we're gonna need it if we wanna keep going." Sora looked down at the picture, her brows knitted together in concern.

"That's right." Axel's confidence voice spoke up, and all heads jerked up to see him leaning casually against the far wall.

"Axel!" Donald scowled and held his wand up again in defense.

"Humph," Axel's smirk slowly spread wider and he pushed off from the wall to walk towards her again. "Do you really think after that introduction I would give up so easily?"

"You were testing us…" Sora put the card away and brought her keyblade back up. Axel tapped his nose confirming Sora's guess and kept walking. Donald and Goofy came in closer, but Axel held his hands out, showing he held no weapon.

"That's right…" Axel came toe to toe with Sora and bent over so he could take hold of the end of Sora's braid. He rubbed his thumbs over the pretty charm there. "...and you passed. Congratulations, Sora. You're now ready to take on Castle Oblivion."

"Don't touch that!" She smacked his hand away and held the charm protectively in hand.

"Protective I see…" Axel's smile went strangely affectionate. "That's good. That charm holds special memories for you. You'll need to follow your memories. Trust what you remember, and seek what you forget. Then you will find someone very special."

Sora's grip tightened on the charm, and her heart did a slow painful roll in her chest.

"You mean Riku… and the king?" She added as an afterthought, remembering it wasn't just her special person they were looking for.

"Perhaps… but I believe there's someone else who's very important to you. Someone who also has strong ties to your heart." He tapped his chest, and then to his temple. "You'll just have to give some thought to who that person is."

"What…" Sora slowly let go of the charm so she could lay a hand on her heart. "What do you mean by that?"

"Our most precious memories lie so deep within our heart that they're out of reach." Axel explained. "However, I'm sure that you can find yours, Sora."

"Why me?" Sora had more questions, tons of curious thoughts and wonders about why she was brought here, about Riku, the king, and the reasons these mysterious strangers sought a need to interfere in her affairs.

"You have lost sight of the light within the darkness." Axel explained. "You've forgotten what you've forgot."

"The light within darkness?" Sora straightened, her brow raised and her lips pursed in a cute frown. The look nearly had Axel breaking character and laughing. Geez, he thought, even the way they pouted was exactly the same.

"Would you like me to give you a hint?" He offered, holding out his hand for hers. Sora glanced at it, sorely tempted to take it, but pride had her brushing it away.

"No… I'd rather find out on my own." She lifted her gaze to his again and then shifted into a defensive stance. "Now move, because you're in my way!"

"Yeah! No worries, Sora! We'll protect you!" Donald jumped in front of her, ready to knock the red head right off his feet again. Axel let out a short scoff of a laugh.

"Good answer. Just what I'd expect from the keyblade master." He took a few steps back, his playful expression shifting to a more serious face. "Be forewarned… When your memories awaken… you may no longer be the person you are now."

Before Sora could question what he meant, Axel vanished once again. Sora relaxed, letting the keyblade dissipate.

"These guys sure like to spout a bunch of nonsense and riddles. If they really wanted to help, then why don't they just speak plainly instead of giving me the runaround. I don't get it."

"This whole thing is screwy." Donald agreed. "I don't trust any of them."

"Should we go back?" Goofy wondered, but Sora shook her head.

"No… I don't know if these guys are good, or bad, but what I do know is that they're hiding something." She lifted her head high and stepped towards the next room. "I'm gonna find out what it is… and if Riku and the King are in this castle, then I'm gonna find them too!"

"You said it!" Donald agreed with a quick swing of his fist. "Let's go!"

He rushed ahead of her, and Goofy took the rear, still looking around wearily. Jiminy remained on her shoulder, looking puzzled.

"Hmmm…"

"What's wrong Jiminy?" Sora glanced back, curiously.

"Well, what that Axel guy said back there bothered me." He jumped to his feet and rubbed his chin. "What did he mean by "You may no longer be who you are"?

"I may no longer be me?" Sora let out a short laugh as the very notion seemed amusing. "How could I possibly be anyone else?"

"Haha, you're right. Still you can't be too careful." Jiminy tapped her cheek, passing on the warning as he'd preferred to err on the side of caution.

"Yeah, seem like just about anything can happen here in castle Obli- Oblivi- uhhh?" Goofy scratched his noggin as the name escaped him.

"Castle Oblivion!" Donald jogged his memory.

"You're right… whatever it is they're cooking up, we'll be able to handle it together." Sora pumped her fists, feeling confident.

"'Course we will, like back in that creepy castle we explored together; the one with all the weird contraptions." Goofy chuckled.

Sora felt pressure in the back of her skull… nothing painful, but as she tried to think of the castle Goofy spoke of she couldn't quite recall the memory. What he spoke of sounded familiar, but she couldn't picture the castle, or contraptions, or even what they'd discovered there to memory.

"Uhh… when was that, again?" Sora rubbed the back of her neck, hoping to ease some of the tension there.

"Uhh… Donald crossed his arms and tapped his food. "I can't remember. What was it called?"

"Gawrsh it was uh…" Goofy tried to recall the name, but found that he couldn't. "Holla, holler, holly…" he shook his head and rubbed it. "Sorry, I can't remember."

"WAK!" Donald shouted with annoyance. "Stop goofing around!"

"You sure you didn't just make it up?" Sora questioned.

Goofy tapped his chin. He could picture it vividly in his head. The tall creepy structure, the odd mechanisms and various secret passageways. He remembered climbing the massive stones to approach the castle, finding Riku there and the guilt he felt leaving Sora broken and crying when she believed she'd lost the keyblade.

Moreso… he could recall his own shock and pain at watching Sora sacrifice herself for a friend. The way she'd given them that sweet and kind smile before plunging a keyblade into her own heart.

"I don't think so…"

~Ask Briry~

Sorry this chapter took a bit long. As previously stated, Chain of Memories was never one of my favorites in the series, but I'm doing my best to research and structure together a cohesive story. I hope you all are enjoying it!

Next Chapter: Broken Memories