The Girl with the Pictures

Axel just watched Sora on the monitor screen tapping his finger on the image. Sora was definitely a fascinating specimen to watch. Such a strong heart, such a strong will. It was almost a shame what they were going to do to him. He felt bad, well almost...He didn't do much feeling these days on well, anything really.

Being what he was did that to him.

Still if he did feel, Sora was quite an interesting specimen, especially with his story. A boy from a nothing Island gaining a legendary weapon that was said to be the most powerful thing in the history of powerful things. It almost felt contrived. However he was proving his metal.

Larxene for her part must have been feeling euphoric, if she was feeling at all. Though she did have that creepy grin of hers. Whatever she had planned for the boy was definitely something bad. Of course Marluxia gave strict orders to not kill him, at least not intentionally. If he did die then well...those were the breaks.

Despite being co-workers they didn't get along. Axel hardly got along with anyone. Though recently that was slowly changing, he did find one person who he may have liked. Though right now he was on assignment here in Castle Oblivion thanks to his superiors. This tiny outpost, that only became important now because of all the things that could have happened Sora, the Keyblade Master decided to just randomly show up out of the blue. Of course it had to happen when he was here.

Marluxia being the egotist he was just had to come up with a plan. However that was the only way to get around in this Organization. Be the best schemer, the best plotter, the one who can obtain the power for oneself.

Axel of course was going to join, considering everyone else here was part of this conspiracy. How could he say no.

"Sora's memories it seems are beginning to bud" Larxene snickered as she monitored the screen, Sora and the others continued to walk down the hall.

"The first step going according to plan then?" Axel chuckled, tapping his finger on the monitory "Does Marlxuia know?"

"Yeah" Larxene said lazily, "He knows everything that goes on here, he is the master of this castle after all"

"Oh really? Axel said, smirking, "I wouldn't have guessed"

"Yeah he is…" Larxene sneered

"That kid really does fall in love easily" Axel replied, "First with Riku and Kairi and then Namine, put any pretty face in front of him and his heart will start pumpkin teenage idiocy all day"

Larxene rolled here yes, "Kids for yuh, or at the very least he makes friend way to quickly"

"Love, friends? What's the difference" Axel shrugged, leaning against the wall, "It's all the same to me really, normally ending in disappointment, miscommunication or aruging, I mean look at Riku and Sora, clearly those two had something and then they went downhill and got all killy with one another, because one choose the light and the other the darkness"

"Oh there are differences, believe me, beside those two made up like that at the end" Larxne sighed, "Memories of the past definitely make for understanding one's feelings, guess you can't understand, you don't have much of a past"

Axel chuckled, it was sorta amazing how loyal Larxene was to Marluxia out of all of them. She would turn against any of them in a heartbeat but not them. For some reason they were unique. Axel often wondered what sort of history the two of them had. A secret he may discover one day. Though maybe not, everyone here had secrets, he among them and that was something he would rather keep quiet.

"Oh trust me Larxene I have a past, it's just one I tend not to tell others, for who cares what happened then. When what happened now is far more interesting than anything at the moment"

"Well then" Larxene stretched her body a bit, "I'll go harass Sora for a bit if you don't mind"

She took a card and looked at it lazily.

"Oh that's right our objective is to hand this over to him...Eh… I guess I will if he survives my encounter".

"Don't break him" Axel sneered.

Larxene grinned deviously, "Oh I won't, I'm the kind of person who plays with something until it breaks...unlike you. So you better keep you're loose mouth shut"

"Ha!" Axel jumped on the couch and smiled, "Your head pretty light too Larxene"

Sneering Larxene vanished in darkness. Axel just laughed, if she was angry then today was a good day. Despite not being able to feel, it did at least somehow feel good.

-000-

"Well, that was pointless" Donald muttered as they entered into another hallway.

"I don't know, I thought those fellas were nice," Goofy said.

Sora took a deep breath as he closed his eyes once again. Maybe now that he was out of the world he would remember Aladdin and Jasmine. Breathing, he tried to let the memories come back to him. As he concentrated though he didn't see anything, not even a few flashes. Although he did remember something, a world, very bubbly, and with a lot of green acid, and Riku, with Jafar's magical lamp. The two of them looked to be arguing about something, but he couldn't remember.

Leaning back against the wall, he felt a sharp pain in his head as the flashes kept going back and forth but nothing looked concrete. Something about that memory made him feel awful. Was it something to do with when Riku apparently took the lamp for himself and tricked Sora. Did it really get as bad as he thought? Did they reconcile?

Closing his eyes harder, Sora tried to remember what had happened to Riku during their first journey as to why they were looking for him. He remembered some images of them fighting but was there an apology afterwards.

"You know for someone who says his friends are his power, you don't really remember much of it don't yuh"

Sora opened his eyes to see Bill standing in front of him again, "B-Bill? Ack, my head"

"That's the castle for yuh, memories trying to get through, as well as the real ones" Bill voice almost sounded excited by the prospect, "It makes this place all the more interesting if you ask me"

It was a bit a surprise to hear anyone say that Castle Oblivion was interesting. If anything it was the most frustrating place he had ever visited, and he couldn't remember the other places he's visited as of now. With it's blank white halls, and narrow corridors, there was no life, no room, no nothing. It was completely and utterly boring, how can anyone find this place interesting was beyond him

"Judgy" Bill chided.

Sora moaned, "Sorry, sorry, it's just this place, it's so, so, so weird!"

"What's wrong with weird" Bill questioned again, "Weirdness is unique, it makes the world go round, your weird"

"I-Am no!" Sora got defensive

Bill just laughed, "Of course you are, a random boy from the

With that Bill vanished, restoring the room again, Donald and Goofy moving normally again.

"Are we making any progress?" Donald asked taking a deep breath, "Feels like we just keep entering the same hallway over and over again"

Goofy shrugged, looking the most calm of the group so far, though he always was in these cases "Probably, the more we move the more progress we make right?"

Jiminy hopped onto Sora's shoulder looking around, "I mean, we have to be right, we can't possibly just be walking in a circle the whole time...Right? Right?"

"Yeah ...We have to be," Sora said, getting his determined face back on, "I know it! I can feel it...Because ...Because my mind keeps thinking of things that it hasn't in a long time. Weird things ...Things that, things I've been thinking about since I was young".

Donald and Goofy look very confused.

"You do what Sora?" Goofy asked.

Sora turned to look at him smiling, "My mind...It's gaining memories it hasn't thought of in a long time. Even though I'm forgetting stuff, I'm also remembering stuff too. I know it sounds weird but trust me, it makes sense".

"Like what?" Donald asked.

"Like...Like a girl...A girl I used to know back on the island a long time ago."

Donald tapped his own beak, "You know...I too am trying to remember something"

"What Donald?" Goofy asked.

"A song" Donald replied.

"What song?"

"I-I don't know…" Donald scratched his head, "But I know this song was something that was very important to my family ...I used to sing it to my boys, but-but I don't remember why?"

"Ah well I used to sing Max to sleep every night" Goofy said, "Especially after his mom passed, he always had trouble sleeping those first few months"

Sora frowned, "I bet that was hard"

"It was" Goofy sighed, "But my son's a fighter, he was strong"

Suddenly Sora began to block them as slowly the memory of his past began to sink in.

Donald and Goofy again just gave Sora a confused look as he gazed out into the distance.

Memories began to swirl in his mind. They were vague, just images of him and Riku running around the sandy beaches of the island playing with swords. In the distance, he could see a white haired girl sitting, looking at them with soft blue eyes. In her hand was a sketchbook as she was scribbling something. Though he wasn't sure what it was.

"Sora…? Sora!" Jiminy shouted, causing him to snap out of it, "You're spacing out again!"

"Oh, really sorry. Just thinking."

"You sure you can't concentrate for more than five seconds?" Donald muttered.

"Of course I can...Mom might say otherwise but I can." He muttered arms folded as he gave a pouting face.

"What were you thinking about?" Goofy asked.

Sora remembered and bounced back, "Oh, the girl, the one I was talking about."

"What do you remember about her?" Jiminy asked taking out his pen and journal, "Maybe writing it down could help in the long term."

"Eh...Mmm...Okay, I guess I could try that. Sure!"

Sora again went back into those images he had floating in his mind. "I remember...I remember Riku and I playing on the beach and she was always there ...And that she was well...she was quiet and always drawing. When we got to the beach, she'd draw a picture of the things around her. Sometimes she'd draw us too, she was really good. I remember Riku and fighting over who she draw next. But one day, she was gone."

A sadness swept over Sora even though the memories themselves were still weak, they seemed to feel as fresh as when the day it happened. A small tear began to trickle down his face, yet he wasn't sad enough to lose it emotionally quite yet. Though he could feel the ache in his stomach as the images played themselves in his head. Images that didn't seem real, but they had to be for they were his.

"Just like that" He gulped "...I think the grown ups knew the reason. They might even have tried to explain some of it to me. But I was little, I probably didn't understand what was happening. I remember crying when she was gone."

Sora took a deep sigh.

Donald walked up to him and patted his arm sympathetically, "Sorry, Sora."

"Yeah, Goofy added, "That sounded so very sad."

"It's okay, guys. It was a long time ago, it was in the past. Doesn't matter much anymore, she's gone. And there's nothing I could have done." Sora clenched his fist, "Still, the fact that I forgot...makes me feel like a crummy friend."

"Aw Sora, you aren't a crummy friend," Goofy said, "Sometimes we forget people we don't see in a long time! But now that you remembered, you still feel for this person at the end of the day."

Sora chuckled, "Yeah, yeah I guess you're right."

"Exactly," Jiminy said, taking this moment to think about what was happening, "Though it seems to me that forgetting things may be the only way to reach the memories buried deep down inside all of us."

"Well, if that's the case why aren't I remembering anything big?" Donald asks, "Seems to be only Sora."

"Hey!"

"I'm just saying."

"The world does center around you kid, what is the first thing you did, talk about you" Sora flinched as Bill's words echoed in his head.

"I'm sorry guys" Sora sighed.

"For what?" Goofy asked.

"I've been making things about me, we just returned from a memory that was about you two?" Sora said looking at his friends with guilt, "I mean, we've been together for how long now? I barely feel like I know you, at least not really, your families, personal life...Hobbies"

"Don't get creepy Sora" Donald muttered

"Not like that but you know what I mean"

Goofy chuckled, "It's fine Sora, we don't know every detail about you either, but that doesn't mean you aren't one of our new best pals"

"Though if you do want to tell us more, I have my journal ready to go" Jiminy replied.

Sora chuckled, "Thanks guys"

"That's the spirit!" Goofy cheered.

Donald nodded, "Let's go!"

Sora nodded and looked forward, he'd head on out and move on, there was a person he needed to discover.

A few feet away and Sora already saw the door to the next level. He took a deep sigh, more walking and more hallways.

"I still can't believe I can't even remember her name. Like at all,what kind of friend is that? If I can't remember their name, then what does that say about me?"

He kept moving towards the next door before again the room started to freeze indicating one thing. Sighing Sora rubbed his forehead for he knew exactly what was about to happen.

"So what next?" Donald asked.

Before Sora could answer. a black vortex appeared before them as now a young woman with streak blonde hair wearing the same black coat as the other two castle members they had encountered appeared before them. She had emerald eyes, and a wicked grin as she glared upon them.

Sora instantly could tell that this was another one of those members of the castle who had been plotting against them. He could sense a dark presence around her. Though he wasn't afraid, so many of these hooded figures were nothing compared to Xehanort, and he took him down easily.

"Having fun in the castle?" She asked giggling looking at Sora as if he was some sort of chew toy.

Sora summons his Keyblade immediately, Donald and Goofy getting into attack position as well.

"You!" Sora shouted, "I bet you work with Axel!"

"Pfft...As if! I don't work for him, I work WITH HIM. Just the thought makes me gag." The woman smirked, "I'm Larxene, anywho. How are you enjoying your time here? Bet it's nice to peel away all the worthless memories and awaken the true memories. Wish I could get rid of a few of my own. All those thoughts rolling through your head...what a mess." She laughed.

Sora glared at her.

"Although," She continued "it seems you're forgetting the most important thing here. When that poor girl hears you've forgotten her name. Why….It'll just...break her heart!"

"Poor girl?" Sora's eyes widened, "Do you know her!?"

Larxene just giggled maliciously.

"Is she? Here?"

Larxene turned her back, her wicked grin widening before she said in a cutesy expression, "Yes. She is, you love sick puppy. See the bad guys are holding her captive somewhere deep inside the castle. And you obviously are the hero so you have to go save her."

"Huh?"

With a swift strike Larxene then rushed towards Sora to swipe him, he managed to dodge but once before she kicked him straight in the stomach causing him to fly back against one of the walls. As he was throttled he saw him coming out from one of his pockets, a gold star charm necklace, flying all the way into the air and onto the ground. Landing just a few feet away from him.

He felt a few ribs ache in pain as he tried to move. Larxene must have done quite a number on him for he found it difficult to move even just a few feet.

Sora looked at it, pain and shock in his mind as he slowly reached out to it. His blade vanished for he would not need it.

"Is-Is that mine?" He looked up the golden star trinket, it was wrapped to a chain and shimmered a bit in the light, either then that he held no memory of it.

Larxene cackled, holding onto her sides as she laughed "What a shame, you've been wearing it all this time and forgot. No, that's not possible. The memory has to be engraved somewhere deep inside your heart. But what or what could it possibly be? And who gave it to you?"

"I-I….."

"Hmm…" Larxene smirked, "Think carefully now Sora, come on, let a name simmer through you"

"Nam-Nam

Larxene wicked smile widened, "Yes, yes ...come on"

"Namine" Sora finally spurts out, getting up.

That was it, that was the name, the girl with the pictures was named Namine. She was Sora's and Riku's best friend. Always drawing on the beaches, making them laugh, having fun along with them. Then just like that, she was gone, and they never saw her again.

Sadness overcame Sora, but also anger, anger at himself but now anger towards this person who was mocking him.

"Well, it's about time, Namine, that's the name". Larxene taunted, picking up the charm and snickered, "It'd serve you right if I picked it up and smash it"

Sora had enough, with all the strength he could muster he rose to his feet Keyblade at hand, and struck her, knocking the charm out of her hand and taking it back. As he stood there, clenching the charm with his hand, he looked determined then ever had in his life right now.

"No way! This charm is very important to me!"

"Didn't think that a few seconds ago," Bill chuckled in Sora's ear

He just ignored him, he wasn't about to let what he felt a few seconds ago get away in the fact that now he remembered. A flood of emotions started to overwhelm him now.

Sora charged again forward, Larxene firing her golden knives right at him. He tried to strike her down but she was too quick for him.

"Not as bad as I thought," Larxene said, her taunts becoming more clear, "You really are a hero, a Heartless hero"

"Why you!"

"Oh come on now, let's face it that's what you are, just a mere baby" She held out a blue card, "And if you are gonna be a baby, here you go"

With a swing of her wrist she tossed the card, Sora catching it instantly.

"I created a card from the combined memories of you and your friends, I think this little scenario will help you understand what I'm talking about. Say thanks now"

Sora tries to go after her but it's to late, "Wait Larxene"

"Sora!" Goofy holds him back, "It ain't worth it"

"But she's getting away,"

"Yeah, but you aren't in a good headspace right now"

Sora just slapped Goofy away as he stood there in anger. Clenching his fist, he swung the Keyblade in the air hoping that somehow Larxene would come back out. His anger clouded everything, he wanted nothing more than to fight, to avenge Namine, she was in trouble, and she needed his help. He had to be a hero, he had to save the day.

"Namine!" He shouted running down the hall, "Namine"!

Sora rushed off leaving Donald and Goofy away for a moment as he went to the next room. He was alone for a bit still shouting Namine's name. His heart was racing, mind going all directions. Everything was finally becoming clear, and with it, all the pain and hurt that came with it. His friend was here in the Castle and these evil people had her hostage.

"Kid relax, she can't hear you"

Sora paused to see Bill appear, this time he was his floating triangle self again, "Bill? Can you spot Namine. Is she here….."

"Well ...I could…."

"Please show me!" Sora said, his forehead sweating.

Bill nodded, he turned into a viewing portal and showed an image of Namine. She was sitting in some sort of white room, sitting at a desk. She looked sad. Sora saw her with other of those people in coats in the room. Sora felt his heart clench and his rage increased. His friend was in trouble and he needed to help her.

"Friends are really your power aren't they" Bill said turning himself into a human, leaning on his cane as he watched, "You did start your adventure less to save the world and more to find them in the first place ...Till Riku betrayed you of course"

"He didn't…" Sora was about to finish the sentence, until he remembered what happened, frowning he sighed, "He turned good again in the end.''

Bill just looked at Sora with a smug expression, he seemed so calm and sure of himself. "Did he though? You sure?"

Sora nooded, "Yes...In fact you can show me were Riku is right now"

"Can't"

"WHAT!"

"Remember, dark realm is hard to track, besides I still can't find him, I looked believe me" Bill smirked, "I mean I'm sure he's fine, but how he feels nowadays is hard to say...You sure are taking your sweet time finding him"

"He knows I would never leave him behind" Sora said, getting annoyed now.

Bill shrugged, "Considering how quickly how jealous he got when you teamed up with Donald and Goofy, he seems prone to emotions".

"Riku turned good in the end," Sora said sighing, "Yeah, we fought each other...But we made up, that's what happened, I remember that perfectly"

Bill nodded, still smirking, "Hey I get it, he's your friend, wouldn't be fun if he was your villain?"

"My what?"

"Your villain? You know, every hero needs a villain after all. After all, what's the point without the grand force to stop and defeat"

"Then Xehanort was my villain"

"Sure he was kid" Bill said, though he sounded snarky about it, "Sure he was"

With that Bill vanished again leaving Sora alone with his thoughts. He needed to help his friends. Riku, Namine, return to Kairi and his mom. All these people were counting on hm. All of these people were his key, his heart, his happiness. They are what mattered so much to him. He did everything for them.

It was time to press on.

-000-

Axel laid back on the couch reading an interesting book on silver wair. Why he wasn't sure, but he did like the images. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to have a nice house and just relax in peace. That meant he wouldn't have to put up with any of the insanity he had to deal with from the likes of Marluxia or Larxene every other week.

Again that kid Sora was pressing on, and now on the false memory of thinking that Namine was somehow like his best friend as a child or something weird like that. It was strange, having friends. Though perhaps it wasn't as bad as people made it out to be. A lot of people tended to have then.

Then again, he wasn't like anyone else. None of them were. Their lot of life was to be friendless, to feel friendless. To just do what they were told in the greater service of the Organization. A sacrifice though that would one day hopefully

Larxene suddenly appeared looking smug.

"Next time show a little restraint" Axel muttered flipping a page, "Remember he is our special key after all"

"Shut it!" Larxene sneered, "I hate kids"

"I know you do" Axe; snickered.

"And idiots"

Axel scoffed, "Harsh...But I don't care"

Larxene rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall, "Hey I didn't kill him, not that i would, Marluxia would kill me if I did"

"So loyal" Axel chuckled walking circles around Larxene now, seeing her becoming more and more frustrated. It was almost satisfying, if he could feel anything.

"I can be loyal when I need to be" Larxene scoffed, "Marluxia and I we go way back, so I'm not about to chuck him anytime soon"

"And I admire that loyalty every day" Marlxuia stepped into the room now, a rose in one hand and a smirk on his mouth.

Axel rolled his eyes, "Drama queen"

"But I do it so well" Marluxia chuckled, "But I am happy to hear that in terms of Sora the drama is quite low, the wheels of love and vice are turning with him"

"He's a regular prince charming alright" Larxene snickered, "We could honestly make him fall in love with anyone by just tweaking his memories a bit"

"For our purposes Namine is quite enough, thank you"

"Why Namine though?" Axel asked leaning against the wall, "I mean where did she even come from? Seems like quite a power to have to just use on kid"

"One kid who wields the Keyblade" Larxene added.

Marluxia smirked, "Tut, tut Axel, I'm afraid for that to happen you have to earn our trust a bit more, after all you've been merely a newcomer to this castle. You haven't really well...been part of the group so to speak"

"Don't trust me...I'm shocked, shocked and appalled" Axel pretended to be insulted, "How was that? Was that good?"

"Eh, I've seen better," Larxene shrugged.

"Well then" Axel looked into Marluxia eyes and grinned, "I'll just have to prove myself won't I"

"I'm sure you will Axel" Marluxa said as he and Larxene began to walk off, "I'm sure you will"

Axel rolled his eyes as he began to walk away from them.

The two of them still didn't trust him completely yet. Though that was okay, he would earn their trust over time. So far though, it seemed their plan was to use Namine for a sinister purpose. Not that he cared about the ethics of it. Still, it was strange. The girl's powers just seemed to come out of nowhere. Someone who just had the power to completely change memory was definitely someone to keep an eye on.

Scary almost though, for a memory Axel was realizing changed one very identity, there entire heart.

This was a power...and one he didn't quite know how to comprehend.

"What are you planning in Marlxuia? What are you planning?"