"Just give me a day." Axel demanded as he stood before Saïx on the glass walkway of the castle, but his former friend simply shot him a glare.

"You're delaying the inevitable." He remarked, exasperated with his fellow member. "The other members are waiting for you."

"I'm the who was supposed to keep an eye on him, at least let me give the kid some warning before I leave. Heck, you hardly gave me time to prepare." He pointed out.

Saïx scoffed at this."Going soft now are you, just because he has the same face?"

Axel furrowed his brow as he averted his gaze. "...I'm not the only one who thinks it's weird. You've seen how everyone else looks at him. Well, with a few exceptions."

"Our friend is already long gone. Roxas is just a shadow, a Nobody." Saïx said bluntly. "Nothing good will come from you clinging to the past."

"That's rich, coming from you of all people." Axel shot back.

Saïx's expression was unreadable as he turned his back to Axel. "You may accompany him on a mission today but after you will leave for Castle Oblivion immediately without fuss." He said finally and then walked off without a word, leaving Axel alone, sighing heavily.

When Roxas walked into the Grey room he saw Luxord and Xaldin, but his eyes zeroed in as he saw Axel who was leaning his back against the window with his arms crossed.

Axel lifted his head feeling some amusement as he saw his friend immediately walk over to him, his eyes lighting up. "Hey, Roxas. You and me and teamed up for today."

"Really?!" Roxas exclaimed, almost in relief after experiencing the terror that was enduring his past few missions. "Then we can hang out afterward right?"

Axel felt a pang of guilt, feeling like he was about to kick a puppy.

"To think I had believed it would be more peaceful with all the loudmouths gone." Xigbar remarked with a cheshire grin on his face. "Seems like we're about to trade them for a budding one." He laughed at his terrible joke.

"Indeed, what shall I do without half the poker league?" Luxord remarked as he held up one of his playing cards near Roxas, who stood nearby where he was sitting. "Perhaps you'll become a worthy opponent for me." He said as Roxas took the card, looking at it in confusion.

"What is a poker?" Roxas asked as he looked at the card, only seeing an emblem of an X as Axel snatched the card of his hand, tossing it aside.

"Not for you. Con someone else out of their munny." Axel said as he dragged Roxas away into a void of darkness while Luxord had a bemused expression on his face.

As they walked out, Roxas glanced at Saïx, noticing that he and Axel made eye contact before his senior dragged him along.

They walked out together in the Station Plaza just before the Clock tower.

"Okay, let's get this done fast. What was today's target again? A Guardian?" Axel asked as he stretched his arms over his head.

" Huh? Oh, yeah. I think so." Roxas nodded as his friend turned back towards him.

"Don't go all space case on me, want me to go have all the fun while you figure it out? C'mon." Axel said patting his shoulder with a smile on his face.

Roxas stared up at his face for a moment, before nodding in affirmation, copying his smile. "Yeah, let's go!" He said, leading the way as they both headed into the underground together.

They tracked down the Guardian to the sandlot, watching it run rampant with its lasers shooting out in all directions. "There's our target!" Axel called out as he summoned his chakrams while Roxas summoned his keyblade. "Here we go, Roxas! Keep your head out of the clouds!"

"Right!" Roxas responded, running after his friend.

The younger Nobody panted for breath as they defeated the Heartless, noticing that Axel hadn't even broken a sweat as he walked up to him.

"Mission accomplished. Heh, gotta say, man, you've come a long way in just a handful of days. You ready to head back?" Axel said, petting Roxas's head, much to the younger Nobody's surprise.

"...What are you doing?" Roxas asked, as he never came across this gesture before.

"It means...good job." Axel said hesitantly, turning his head away in embarrassment as the younger Nobody looked at him with great interest.

"Does that mean I did well?"

"...Yeah, I guess." Axel said, now feeling even worse as he saw Roxas smile at the simplest praise. He would never say it aloud, but perhaps Saïx was right, it would be much harder to leave now he saw how attached his friend had gotten. Immediately, Axel pulled his hand back, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment as Roxas looked at him with an expression that read, Why did you stop petting me? "Come on, I'll treat you today." He said, leading the way to the clock tower, having to hide a smile as Roxas followed him eagerly.

They sat together atop the tower for a while as the sunset before them. Axel's expression softened as he looked down at the ice cream already half-eaten and then towards Roxas who was eating his more slowly.

"I'm gonna miss this ice cream thing we do." Axel sighed as wry smile drew on his face.

"Huh? Why?" Roxas asked looking at him in confusion.

"...Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna be away." Axel said, as Roxas's drew a sullen expression, looking more down that that one time all the ice cream was sold out at the store.

"Oh..." The younger Nobody mustered out, hanging his head, placing the ice cream in his mouth, and just leaving it there to melt.

Axel sighed to himself in exasperation, scratching the back of his head and quickly finishing off his ice cream. "But since you're my buddy, I guess I can fill you in. I'm gonna be at this place called Castle Oblivion for a while."

"What's that?" Roxas asked, his curiosity perked.

"The Organization's got a second castle situated in the world between worlds. It's called Castle Oblivion. Got it memorized?" He asked pointing the popsicle stick towards him as Roxas nodded. Axel was certain that there was no way that Roxas would know what he was talking about, however, he deserved to know that he wasn't just disappearing on him.

But then he felt a stinging sensation in his chest as he recalled out Roxas's other disappeared without a trace as well. He recalled the curiosity and concern he felt back then, mirroring the same reaction that he had when he saw Roxas arriving within the Organization. However, he didn't want to dwell on unpleasant memories, quickly shaking his head and standing up. "Well, I gotta head back and get ready. Fun, fun, fun... Anyway, you take your time."

Roxas simply watched him walk away, feeling some desire to reach out towards his closest friend, but didn't know how. Instead, he watched as Axel disappeared in a void of darkness, leaving it open for him as he couldn't properly form one yet.

As he continued to eat his ice cream, he felt strange. Even though Axel was just with him, he couldn't help but want to see him again.

-Roxas's Diary Entry: Day 22-

Axel is going to someplace called Castle Oblivion. He told me because we're friends. He had to go home early to get ready, and after he left I felt something strange within...like something was squeezing me.

It was odd.

-Secret Report: Axel-

They pushed up the Castle Oblivion plan. Apparently, according to the intel, the castle has attracted a new visitor, a boy that has Marulxias interest. Saïx doesn't understand it either, but knowing him I wouldn't doubt that he's been keeping one or two things close to his chest.

The new Nobody and I have been meeting up for ice cream in the last few days. Not the best conversationalist, but at least he's mastered a few facial expressions besides "doom" and "gloom." I told him about Castle Oblivion, but he didn't seem to follow. Guess that's understandable.

...He doesn't seem to recognize me or anyone else. His face is exactly like our friend's from back in the day, but it's weird. If the darkness claimed him back then he should be the same age as me and Saïx. But he doesn't, he looks exactly like how everyone remembers him. It's possible that he was lost for a long time and lost his memories...

But it doesn't seem like any of us are going to get a straight answer what happened, not even from himself.

Notes:

-Roxas is baby