Just as Axel was walking out of the castle he passed by Saïx who was waiting for him.

"I have a message from Lord Xemnas. We have reason to believe that one or more of the members assigned to Castle Oblivion intend to betray us. Find them, and dispose of them." Saïx said bluntly.

"And I take it that's straight from Lord Xemnas's lips, huh?" Axel said, but then felt an urge as his friend walk away. "Wait." Axel said as he heard Saïx start to walk away, but then heard his footsteps stop. "...Look out for him, okay? It'll be one less thing to worry about."

Saïx didn't even give him the pleasure of a sound mind as he walked away back into the castle.

Roxas walked into the Grey room, feeling a heaviness as he didn't see any trace of Axel. "He's really gone." Roxas said aloud to himself. "...Castle Oblivion." He said, recalling that it was the place that Axel went to.

"Wonder what it's like there, anyway. I've never been." Demyx commented, interjecting himself in Roxas's thoughts as he passed by. Roxas then walked to Saïx who had the new member standing next to him.

"Roxas, starting today you will be executing missions alongside Xion. Pay extra attention to the intel I've prepared for you in the mission briefs. Use the data on your targets to decide how to prepare yourself when in the need you to eliminate a specific Heartless. Roxas, you are in charge." Saïx directed.

"Me? Oh...okay." Roxas answered with some confusion. He glanced at Xion who was just stared back at him, giving no indication to how they were reacting to having a mission.

Saïx had opened a dark corridor for the two of them, leading to the Sandlot of Twilight Town. Seeing it made Roxas feel heavy again, as it was the place where he last fought alongside Axel. However, he couldn't let that cloud his head, there was a mission to complete. Turning back to Xion, he spoke aloud.

"Let's go." He said, hoping that he would be just as capable as Axel was when they teamed up together. But felt a little defeated as Xion didn't say anything.

I'm supposed to be in charge, huh?

He thought to himself as his teammate didn't seem very eager to work him.

In the underground, they had found the Poison Plant Heartless. Roxas had used his Keyblade to defeat it while Xion primarily used her magic. Fire magic specifically as they both destroyed it together in one attack.

"I've got someplace to be. You go ahead and RTC without me." Roxas said after he led Xion back to where the portal was. He already knew that it wouldn't disappear when she returned as it was set to only disappear when he stepped through. His fellow Organization member left without a word, obeying without complaint. The feeling left him a little lost as he really was on his own for the first time.

Atop the clocktower Roxas recalled the shopkeeper's words as he had bought his ice cream, asking where his friend was. He wasn't sure how to respond to her as he probably shouldn't disclose top secret Organization information. Only telling her that he would be back soon as she nodded with a smile, handing him a single ice cream as he left her shop. He replaying that interaction in his mind a few times, wondering why he said those words when he wasn't sure if they were true or not.

Roxas sighed heavily but noticed that there was something strange about his ice cream today. He ate a little quicker and saw that there was a word on his stick. A word he could read, but couldn't identify.

Roxas stood before Axel's room, gripping the popsicle stick in hand after he had returned to the castle.

"Axel already left." Saïx informed, walking up to him. "If you're finished with your work then recuperate in your personal quarters." He ordered, not waiting for an answer as he walked away.

Roxas watched him walk away for a little while as he looked down at the stick in his hand, feeling something weighing heavy on his entire body. "But...this ice cream stick that says WINNER... I have to ask him what I won." He said, uncertain of what to do.

-Roxas's Diary Entry: Day 23-

I was partnered up with No. XIV for today's mission. Xion wore a hood the whole time and wouldn't say a word to me. Come to think of it, I didn't have a whole lot to say, either.

Afterward, I went and had ice cream by myself. On it was this word called "WINNER", but I don't know what it meant. Axel always answers my questions. But even though I knew he wouldn't be there, I went to his room anyway.

I never got an answer about the ice cream stick.

...I hope he comes back soon.