Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters – they belong to Square and Disney.

Stare Into The Abyss – Chapter Seven

As Axel's own weapons appeared in his hands, he built a ring of fire around them to keep the area where they'd fight more contained. The boy rushed straight at him. Axel waited until he'd nearly reached him before using his teleportation ability to appear behind him. Skidding to a halt, the boy spun around and charged at him again. This time Axel held his ground. One of the keyblades flashed as it was swung at him, he quickly blocked it and backed away.

He hadn't planned on actually fighting the boy, but he wasn't going to back down if it was a fight he wanted. He'd just have to be careful. He was still injured and he knew from fighting Sora back at Castle Oblivion just how dangerous one keyblade was. Two was going to prove challenging, as well as deadly if he made the slightest mistake. While he might be new to this, he wasn't going to underestimate the boy.

Axel sent a small fireball at the keyblade master. He threw himself to the side to dodge it, rolling to his feet and lunging forward, his weapon extended in front of him. Axel knocked the keyblade aside just before it managed to connect with him, but the boy brought the second up to strike. Axel stepped aside, barely managing to avoid it again.

The boy was good, fast as well as skilled with the two weapons. And he was determined... Axel teleported away again to get some space, only to see a keyblade been thrown in his direction. He decided moving back to his previous position might be a good idea.

As he reappeared behind the boy, he struck with one of his own weapons. The boy shielded the blow by holding his other keyblade in front of him. Backing off, he caught the second and followed up with a series of lightning fast blows. It was a move Axel recognized, only modified slightly for the use of two keyblades. It was a move that Sora had once used when they'd fought...

He tried to avoid the attacks, blocking those he couldn't move out of the way of in time. As the boy got up close again, he struck with one of his wheels. The boy blocked it, just as Axel blocked a keyblade with the weapon in his other hand.

With their weapons briefly locked, Axel took the chance to try and speak to the boy again.

"Where's Sora?"

"No!" The boy cried shaking his head. "I won't let any of you get to him!"

Axel realized this wasn't going to go anywhere. The boy's eyes were burning with anger and fear. He wasn't going to tell him anything. "I'm not looking for him to hurt him…"

"Liar! What would your people want with him, other than to kill him?"

"I don't care about whatever they've got in mind, my plans are different. I need to know where he is."

The boy started struggling trying to get his weapon he was using to block Axel's free. Axel took the chance to push him away with a burst of flame. The boy fell backwards landing hard on his back, dropping his weapons as he hit the ground. Axel moved to stand over him.

The boy shielded his face with an arm, waiting for the blow that would kill him, but Axel dismissed his weapons and let the fire wall around the edge of the roof drop. He turned to walk away.

"Wait!" The boy sat up slowly, rubbing his arm. "Why... didn't you kill me?"

"I don't have any reason to. Not yet, anyway."

"I don't know where Sora is."

Surprised at the comment, Axel faced him again. "You haven't met him yet?"

"No. I just know about him. About us." The boy shut his eyes. "But I won't let you or your people harm him!"

Axel said nothing, heading back through the door to leave the clock tower. There was no reason to stay any longer. He found Riku waiting in the shadows around the side of the building below.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Riku cocked an eyebrow at him. "Is that why I could see flames up there?"

"Oh, that.Well if you saw that, why didn't you come and help?"

"You told me to stay here..."

"That doesn't mean that I actually expected you to listen."

"Must you be so awkward?" Riku sighed. "Now what? Head back?"

"Yep. They're not going to be very happy..."

'Not happy' was an under-statement. The others were buzzing with barely contained panic. The remaining members of the Organization, minus the Superior, were gathered around a large table in one of the many halls of the residence. After Axel and Riku had reported back, the others had quickly called for a "meeting" to discuss what to do.

Axel sensed the nervousness in the room. While neither of the keyblade masters had proved to be much of a threat to them yet, the others were certain that it was only a matter of time now before one of them would. And the connection between them both, only complicated matters.

"We can't allow for there to be two of them, it's too much of a threat to the Organization!" Araxiel raged.

"I agree." Another member, Kralexus spoke up. He was ranked at number three. Another warrior type member. "We should eliminate one of them immediately."

"Sora is already on his way to Twilight Town… We don't know what would happen if they were both to meet. We should act quickly." Araxiel said.

That little piece of information caught Axel's attention. Sora was on his way? That made things much easier, but now he had slight problem... He was going to have to decide what to do and fast.

"Sora is much more experienced." Kralexus was saying. "This other boy could prove useful. He's still new to this, we could perhaps use him…"

Axel laughed. He hadn't spoke up yet since reporting back, but at the sound of his voice, the others all turned to him.

"Have you something to share Axel?"

"You think you can manipulate him? He fears and hates the Organization. That much was clear. If either of them are going to prove to be a threat to us, it'll be him."

"Are you sure you're not letting your own personal interest with Sora get in the way here Axel?" Kralexus sneered.

Araxiel spoke before he could argue back. "Sora has already resumed sealing the Keyholes in several worlds. We can't allow him to seal the one here."

Axel wasn't sure what she meant by that. What's so special about the Keyhole in this world?

"Xaldin is also still missing. It is likely that he's dead. I imagine it was Sora that killed him." She continued.

"I don't think you can blame that one on Sora." Riku smirked.

Axel carefully looked away, taking a sudden interest in the wall opposite. Can't blame that one all on me either...

"Then we should get rid of Sora." Kralexus nodded at Araxiel. "Any objections?" He turned to Axel.

"No!" Riku yelled as he stood up. "I won't let you do this!"

Araxiel smiled cruelly at him. "And what will you do to stop us child?"

Riku glared at her, taking out his weapon. He shot a desperate look to Axel.

"You'd dare try and attack all of us at once?" Kralexus hissed.

Riku said nothing, his expression pained as he debated what to do.

"Then who will go and deal with Sora?" Araxiel asked, ignoring him.

"I will." Axel said standing up.

"Can we trust you to do this?" Araxiel demanded.

"I thought you didn't like doing the dirty work Ara? I'll do it…"

"Axel, no!" Riku shouted.

Axel turned to leave before they could protest anymore, but Riku followed him out into the corridor. "Axel!" He pushed in front of him, holding his weapon out.

Axel gave him a small grin and moved to step around him. Riku held the Soul Eater out to block his way.

"You said you needed Sora's help! How can he help you if you kill him? You can't do this!"

"You're right, he can't help me if he's dead. So do you really think that I'm going to kill him?"

Riku stared at him. "You're not…?"

"No. This is the chance I've been waiting for."

Riku hesitated a moment. "You asked me what I'd do if they decided to kill Sora because you knew, didn't you? You knew this was going to happen!"

"I had an idea. Right from when the Superior mentioned another keyblade master, I knew they weren't going to leave two of them running around."

"You're going to betray them? Once they know you're not going to do what you said you would..."

Axel shrugged. "I think they probably already have an idea what I'm trying to do."

"I'm coming with you."

"I thought you might. Want to keep an eye on me?"

"Of course." Riku gave him a cocky smile. "I don't trust you, remember?"

As they arrived outside the station, ready to board a train to take them to Twilight Town, they found the hooded figure of Number Two waiting there.

"If you leave now, he will not be pleased."

The words felt like they were cutting into Axel's head. He wasn't used to Number Two's way of "talking" having rarely spoken to him before. "I prefer it when you're not saying anything…"

"He offered you his assistance. He will not like you walking away."

Axel knew who he was referring to. The Superior…"I don't need his assistance anymore. From what I gathered he was just going to set me up with another chance to find Sora. I've already got one."

"He will not stop the other members from coming for you once they find out."

"That's ok. I can take care of things myself." Axel paused a moment. "Are you going to try and stop me?"

"I shall be watching, but I will not interfere."

"How reassuring. So, who are you?"

"That is not important."

"Fine. Can we go now?" Axel walked away, ready to board the train, but the next words made him stop dead.

"Is this really what you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you find out the truth of who you were, it may well destroy you."

Axel closed his eyes as he considered the meaning behind those words. "I want to know."

"Very well. But perhaps you should ask him something when you next see him. And you shall see him again soon."

"Ask who? The Superior? Ask him what?"

"Ask him how you died."

Axel froze feeling a coldness spread through him. He almost choked on the lump that forced itself into his throat.

"Ask him what happened, how you became a NEO. Ask him how you died."

Author's Note: Hmm, I think that's all the spare gaps for Org members filled in! Some parts of that chapter were so hard to write! >.

Ginger Ninja: There should be more BHKness later - maybe he'll have a name by then! I actually have a feeling that line in the trailer may end up been spoken by Axel, but it wouldn't of worked that way around here XD

Saddened Soul: I think he's probably going to die too. If they kill him off, I'm going to protest:0 Yep, fires in there! I wanted to stick that scene in 'cause it's really the only little glimpse we've got of him in KH2 so far.

AloneInDespair: Thank you! I'm glad you're liking it!

ellenh92: Where do I sign up?

Crisis Haylo: That would make for an interesting twist XD You might be right - maybe the BHK had an Org cloak in Deep Dive so he could be just like Axel! O.o Or maybe not...