Roxas, Xion, and Namine walk their way to the Tram Common area of Twilight Town, having just arrived only a few moments ago. The area, however, has a surprising lack of people. Suddenly, a cry is heard running towards them
"H-help! The sandlot! It's Seifer!" Yells Vivi, a local Twilight Town resident. "Somebody help us!" Vivi continues to yell as he runs past the trio.
"Oh no, not even twilight town is safe. . ." Says Namine.
"Guess we'll just have to make it safe again!" Says Roxas, drawing his keyblade and running in the direction Vivi came from. Namine and Xion follow closely behind. The three make their way to the sandlot and find three people collapsed on the floor surrounded by Dusks a large man in an orange shirt, a thin girl with blue hair, and a man in a white jacket and a black beanie in the center, the middle one, named Seifer, tries to get up, but is too injured to do so. Before the nobodies can finish them off, Xion pulls them away with a magnet spell, and the two put themselves between Seifer's gang and the nobodies, acting as a physical barrier to protect them, while Namine helps get the three to safety
Roxas and Xion deal with the dusks with ease. But things get tricky as a Berserker appears. Berserkers are large nobodies with a dull-white color scheme. They're incredibly powerful and wield a large claymore. The berserker swings the claymore around wildly, the two move back and wait for an opening, suddenly, the nobody swings the claymore and slams the ground, creating a large shockwave, Roxas leaps over it and hits the nobody from behind, dropping its claymore. Roxas picks up the claymore and feels a sudden surge of power. Roxas hits the nobody with its own claymore over and over until he smashes the berserker with one final swing.
Just as the two think it's over, they're surrounded by three more berserkers. The berserks swing in unison, and their attack is barely blocked by a reflect spell Xion casts. The reflective shield explodes in a shockwave knocking the three nobodies back, creating an opening long enough for Roxas and Xion to finish them off with their own claymores once again. It seems like the nobodies are gone, excluding themselves, but they hear a familiar voice
'Impressive, very impressive.' Says the voice. Everyone turns to face a man in a black coat. He claps semi-sarcastically "If only you two had worked this hard on your missions, we might have completed Kingdom Hearts a long time ago." the man in the black coat says.
"Saix," Xion says with disdain as she finally recognizes her old superior.
Saix removes his hood revealing his face to everyone else in the area. His blue hair and X-shaped scar on his face being his most identifiable features. Saix looks around before he speaks again.
"So I supposed by his absence that Axel hasn't joined you on your traitorous journey."
"Axel's gone?" the two are surprised at this news. The last time they had seen him was in the mansion, but that was a long time ago now. Had he really betrayed the organization as well?
"Axel's taken after you two, and is no longer acting in our best interest." Says Saix.
'Wow, so much for being an organization, over half of the members are now dead or have betrayed you. Or in some cases, both." Roxas says snarkily.
"Hmph, Believe me, once we've dealt with Axel, and Completed Kingdom Hearts, you will join them." Says Saix. A corridor of darkness forms behind him "Until then, you two keep on fighting those Heartless." Saix says mockingly. Walking back into the corridor of darkness, a disappearing, along with the corridor.
"Kingdom hearts. . . How are we supposed to-?" But Xion is cut off by a voice from behind.
"Hey, how 'bout you three get out of my town? You've caused enough trouble." Says Seifer, back on his feet. Roxas gets annoyed at Seifer, considering how they just saved his life but chooses to not let it get to him.
"Fine, have it your way." Says Roxas. Namine joins the two and they're about to walk off, but Seifer speaks again.
"Hold it!" He says. Roxas Xion and Namine turn to face him again.
"Get out, hold it, are you gonna make up your mind?" Roxas says with distaste. Seifer grabs a strange-looking trophy
"This trophy is supposed to belong to the strongest person in twilight town." and extends his arms, offering it to them.
"No thanks, we don't need it." Says Xion, but Seifer shoves it into their arms and runs off, his friends quickly follow.
"It can be hard to swallow your pride, but at the very least, he tried." Says Roxas, a tad guilty for his rude remarks.
The three look at the statue for a moment, not knowing what to do with it, when they hear a voice coming from behind them.
"Roxas! Xion! Namine!?" The three turn around and see Pence approaching.
"Hey, Pence. What's up?" Roxas Asks.
"I need to ask you something. Do any of you guys know someone named Axel?" Asks Pence.
"Axel!? Of course, we do! He's our best friend!" Says Xion.
"Yeah, we'd always go to the clocktower and eat ice cream together after our missions," Roxas adds on.
"Well, you three should go to the station," Pence says. The three nod and follow pence to the central station. Once they arrive they see Hayner and Olette outside the station, looking a bit less than pleased. Pence looks around and asks The two a question
"Where's Axel?"
"He was here!?" Roxas asks. The three nod.
"He was here just a moment ago, but then he left, saying he had to go." Says Olette in disappointment.
"He seemed like he was in a rush." Says Hayner. "He left very quickly."
"He must have noticed that Siax was here." Says Namine.
"Who?" Hayner, Pence, and Olette ask
"Saix. He's the second in command at Organization Thirteen, and they're not too happy with Axel's leave." Xion explains.
"They're trying to kill him." Says Roxas, bluntly. The three are taken aback by the sudden seriousness but understand now why Axel fled.
"How do you guys know Axel?" Asks Xion.
The three tell a story of how one night, they were in the woods outside Twilight Town when they were suddenly attacked by what they called the white monsters, which Roxas, Xion, and Namine guess are dusks. They ran for it but the dusks chased after them until fire suddenly erupted from the ground, killing the creatures. They turned around and saw a man in a black coat, who they presume saved them. He took off his hood to reveal his bright red hair and introduced himself as Axel. Asking if they'd Seen his friends Roxas, Xion, and Namine. They said they had but that they left many days ago. So he told Hayner, Pence, and Olette to let them know he's looking for them and the left.
"So he really is running from the organization." Says Xion. in disbelief.
"We'll have to look for him." Says Roxas. He turns but the Twilight Town trio interjects.
"Wait! We don't know if he'll come back or not." Hayner says
"Yeah, and besides. You guys only just got here." Says Olette. Roxas, Xion, and Namine look at each other and decide it wouldn't hurt to stay the night in twilight town. The six go to the usual spot, a place where Hayner, Pence, and Olette like to hang out at. It's a bit of a mess, but it's a nice little area they have all to themselves. Roxas, Hayner, and Pence go out to buy some sea salt ice cream, leaving the three girls to talk. Namine and Xion catch Olette on everything they've done since.
"What? There's no way you guys actually turned into mermaids and Animals, right?" Olette asks.
"We're serious! We'll have to take you guys some time, It's such a strange experience, but it's really nice." Says Xion.
"Yeah! Ariel even taught Roxas and Xion how to dance together as mermaids, and the two nuzzled like as animals.." Namine Says.
"Oh?" Olette is intrigued. "Are Roxas and Xion-?" Namine answers her question before she finishes
"No, not yet." Says Namine, giggling
"What! Xion!? Why haven't you told him?" Olette asks. Xion's face turns red as her two friends await her answer with anticipation.
"I- I don't know? I'm just too nervous," says Xion, her eyes looking to the ground.
"I can understand that," Olette Says. "But I think you'd be better off telling him."
"But what if he doesn't feel the same way? Things may never be the same between us." Says Xion, beginning to breathe faster and faster, panicking.
"Xion. I know you're nervous. But Roxas is your friend, your best friend! No matter what happens, nothing will change that." Namine says. This calms Xion down a bit "Besides, if it makes you feel any better. I have a sneaking suspicion that Roxas feels the same way." Says Namine. Xion looks at her.
"Do you mean it?" She asks. Namine smiles and nods.
"Hey Xion, I want you to promise me something," Olette says. Xion turns to face her.
"What is it?" Xion asks.
"I want you to tell Roxas how you feel before you guys visit us again," says Olette. "Do you think you can do that?" Olette asks. Xion looks to the ground, and then back at Olette, and nods.
"I can." Says Xion, believing in her own abilities for the first time in a while.
"Promise?" Asks Olette.
"I promise" Xion answers. The three hear Roxas, Hayner, and Pence approaching and change the subject. Then the three enter
"What're you three talking about?" asks Hayner.
"Girl stuff." Says Olette
"What!? You never talk about girl stuff." Says Pence
"Wow, it's almost like I'm usually the only girl here or something," Olette says sarcastically. The six have a good laugh and enjoy themselves for a while. Once night rolls around, the group splits up, Namine and Xion go to stay with Olette, while Roxas sleeps over at Hayner's place. After a good night's rest, the six meet up again in the morning to see each other off.
"Sorry that Axel didn't show up yesterday." Says Hayner
"It's fine. I know we'll find him eventually." Roxas responds.
"If he comes back, tell him we went to Hollow Bastion. He'll know where that is." Namine says. The three nod.
"How long will it be until we see you guys again?" Olette asks.
"I don't know. But I promise we'll come back." Says Xion.
"That's fine. What matters isn't how much we see each other, but how often we think about each other." Says Hayner. Everyone smiles and says their farewells, as Roxas, Xion, and Namine, disappear in a flash of light. The three appear in the gummi ship and set course for Hollow Bastion, before blasting off to the nearby world, hoping that maybe they'll find their friend.