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

Stare Into The Abyss – Chapter Twelve

Sora broke into a run as they arrived on the thirteenth floor, entering a brightly lit room. A flower shaped pod stood in the centre… the blonde haired boy sat at the foot of it, leaning against the object. Sora rushed to his side while Axel lingered back.

"What happened?" Sora asked gently as he crouched next to him.

Kaze lifted his head slowly at the sound of his voice. "…Sora? I'm sorry."

"Sorry? What have you got to be sorry for?"

"I couldn't do anything! I tried but I couldn't even touch him… It was like, I just passed right through him. I couldn't stop him."

"It's ok, relax." Sora assured him. "Who was it?"

"The one in red. The one from the Thirteenth Order. Riku called him something, but…"

"Riku? Where is he? And my friends? I thought they were with you."

Confusion spread across Kaze's face. "They were right here."

"Not anymore." Axel remarked from his position near the doorway.

Kaze glared over at him, noticing his presence for the first time. "Why are you here?" He demanded, picking himself up from the floor. He wobbled slightly, but Sora was at his side to help support him.

Axel didn't bother responding. The boy stared at him for a moment longer before turning to face Sora. "You're going to go find them, aren't you?"

Sora nodded. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Riku was looking for you. I…" He closed his eyes tightly. "I knew him. I remembered him, but I'd never met him before." He smiled sadly. "Those were your memories. I agreed to help him. I needed to find you too after all. One of those… Them…" He added bitterly, glancing at Axel. "He told us you'd be here. But Namine said there was no one else. I thought it would be a bit odd for you to come back." He gestured to the pod behind him, adding as an afterthought, "This is where I saw you for the first time."

"You came here while I was sleeping?"

"Yes. Ever since I…" He trailed off a pained and haunted look clouding his eyes. He shook his head a little. "I wanted to see you. Namine told me everything. I knew I'd have to wait until you woke up before I got a chance to speak to you… Then I got the keyblades and things got a little more, complicated."

"So, is that why you attacked me?" Axel wondered. "Because Namine had already told you about me and what happened here?"

"Partly. But you're one of them. That was a good enough reason!"

"So are you." Axel shot back.

Kaze blinked. Startled he turned towards Sora. "Sora…"

"I already know." Sora smiled at him.

"But… I'm not like them! That's what he said, the man in red. Saying I was one of them. He kept telling me he could help me if I joined them. But I'm not like them!" He paused. "Am I?"

"No. You're not like them."

Axel scoffed but otherwise kept quiet.

Kaze looked away, taking great interest in tracing his fingers across the glass of one of the pods. "He told me the thirteenth spot was reserved for someone special. Me. He wanted me to be their thirteenth member." He laughed. "I was so afraid of them, I hated them, because I knew I was like them, one of them. And if that wasn't bad enough, I'm offered a place to join them?"

Axel bristled at the comment. "At least you have your memories."

"But… I shouldn't exist. I shouldn't be here."

"Don't say that." Sora flashed him a grin. "I'm glad you're here!"

"Thank you Sora. I'll help you find the others. It's my fault they're gone. I... attacked him when he said I should join them. I don't know what happened after that."

"He's powerful. There's nothing you could of done." Sora paced for a moment thinking and shot a worried look at Axel. "You think that Number Two set them up? He sent them here knowing that Ansem would be waiting for them."

"Who knows what he's thinking?"

"But why did he help us?"

Kaze frowned. "Sora?"

Sora opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a yell and the sound of approaching footsteps echoing loudly from the empty halls of the castle.

"Sora!"

Axel stook his head out of the doorway spotting the girl running towards them. She raced in past him and doubled over panting in front of Sora.

"Namine? What's wrong?"

"They're here! They've come back!"

"Who have?"

"The people from the Organization. There are two of them on the lower floors!"

Kaze summoned the keyblades into his hands, his eyes fixed on Axel. "You brought them here!"

"No." Sora shook his head firmly. "They're not here because of Axel."

"More like they're here for me." Axel muttered. He tilted his head towards Kaze. "I thought you took care of one of them?"

He cringed slightly. "She left before I got a chance to."

Axel rolled his eyes at the boy and started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Sora called after him.

"To do it myself."

Sora hurried after him, Namine and Kaze following. "Wait!"

Axel ignored them, continuing to the next floor. The two hooded Organization members were standing waiting, blocking the way. Calling his weapons, Axel stood before them. Joining him, Sora gripped his keyblade, while Kaze stayed by Namine.

The cloaked figure on the right stepped forward. "It looks like you've picked up a few strays Axel." He recognized the voice as Araxiel. Her head turned towards the corner Kaze was standing in.

Axel watched them both carefully as he addressed Sora. "You better get ready to leave."

"Leave?"

"You still need to find Riku, don't you?" Hoping Sora would get the idea, he sent a wave of flames at the two NEOs. They both easily teleported away, re-appearing behind… and leaving the way to the lower levels open.

Kaze acted first, tugging on Namine's arm he lead her towards it. Sora hesitated. "Isn't two against one a little unfair?"

Axel grinned. "Unfair for them maybe."

Sora didn't need anymore convincing, he rook off running after the others. The other hooded member moved to block him.

"Let him leave." Araxiel ordered.

"But our orders were…"

"I know what our orders were!" She snapped. "We'll deal with them later."

The cloaked man, that Axel now realized was Kralexus stepped aside. Sora glanced back.

"Go ahead Sora, you heard her." Axel nodded towards the exit to the lower levels. "You can't get rid of me this easily. I'll catch up."

The boy didn't seem happy, but he left.

Axel backed up as both of them circled around him. Araxiel took out her own weapon, a chain and sickle, as she tried to get behind him. He sent a ball of fire her way, distracting her long enough to focus on Kralexus. His choice of weapon was a scimitar-like blade.

Sharp...

He lunged at Axel, the blade flashing. Axel blocked it and swiped at him with one of his wheels forcing him to duck aside.

Araxiel was keeping her distance, swinging the weapon and building momentum as she prepared to lash out with it. Axel dodged aside, stepping out the way of it. Kralexus took the opportunity to try and strike him from the side, but Axel twisted away, the weapon slicing harmlessly through air. Axel made an attempt to slash at him as he brought the weapon back up, but his attack was easily blocked.

Araxiel's chain swept past in front of him again, closer this time. He realized what she was aiming for. She was trying to entangle his weapons so she could pull them away, disarming him. Parrying another attack from Kralexus, he built a wall of blazing flames to aim at her, hoping to keep her occupied for a little longer.

The sharp tip of the scimitar skimmed past, barely missing Axel's neck as he jerked his head sharply to avoid it. Before Kralexus could follow up with anymore attacks, Axel swung both his wheels. The first was evaded, but the second connected with Kralexus' shoulder. As he stumbled back, Axel struck at him again. Before he had a chance to finish him, he caught a shimmer of metal from the corner of his eye as Araxiel's chain flickered towards him, this time aimed at his legs. Axel jumped back before they could become caught up and moved towards her. She tried backing away to give herself room, but she found herself trapped in a corner. She made a desperate attempt to strike at him once more, but Axel brought one of his wheels up, and the sickle bounced off.

"Traitor!" She hissed.

Ignoring her, Axel pressed one of the sharp bladed points of his weapons against her throat… Only to feel something sharp against his own. Craning his head slightly, he saw Kralexus standing behind him.

"Enough."

Surprised, Axel glanced over to his side, careful to only move his head slightly. Number Two was standing in the centre of the room, arms folded across his chest. Axel couldn't help noticing he'd resorted back to the annoying "telepathy" way of speaking.

"Lower your weapon Number Three."

Axel felt the cold steel from the back of his neck slowly removed.

"You too Axel."

He laughed. "I don't think so." He brought his arm back, ready to kill her… and felt his weapon connect with the wall behind. He blinked and spun around to see her standing on the other side of the room.

"Control over time Axel," She reminded him, smugly. "Handy for getting out of tight situations like that."

"You had orders to follow. Leave us."

Araxiel bowed. "But what about him?"

"Leave us."

Knowing not to stick around any longer she disappeared in a cloud of purple energy accompanied by Kralexus.

Axel kept hold of his weapons, turning to face Number Two.

"I am not here to fight you Axel."

"Didn't you want Sora's help as well? You just sent them to kill him."

"Their orders are not to kill him. They are to bring the other back to the Superior."

"And I thought you didn't like him either."

"We had a deal. I gave him the other one in exchange for him leaving you alive earlier."

Axel considered what he'd said for a moment. He had no use for the other one, what they did with him didn't matter to him. He was interesting, unique, but if he couldn't help him, Axel didn't need him. Besides, he was too hot tempered for his liking. He was itching for a fight with Axel. Let them do the hard work and kill him instead, if that was what they wanted to do with him.

He regarded Number Two. "I don't trust you. You're up to something, or you're not telling me everything."

"There is still much for you to know."

"I'm sure there is. But if you're not planning on taking me on a trip again, I'm going to go catch up with Sora."

He walked out of the room, somewhat relived that Number Two made no move to stop him. What was that all about?

When he looked back behind him, Number Two had gone.

Author's Note: The most annoying thing about this chapter was spending hours looking into different types of weapons to use! Gyah, I re-wrote this so many times, I hope it's worthy!

AloneInDespair: I think I actually have one space I missed, but I dunno how I'd work him in. Thank ye! I'm much better now!

Saddened Soul: A lot of their weapons are designed in the shape of the Nobody symbol too. Hehe, Orgy members XD I think there's four to go, five if we count EM's name and face getting revealed.

Ginger Ninja: I wonder if he might try and serenade Sora:o I couldn't resist an evil cliffhanger – they're too tempting aren't they? Hehe.

Shale 101: You know, I wish I did have KH2 and could do a novelization of it, but I'm afraid this is more based on a few of my ideas for it! Thanks for the review!

ellenh92: Maybe one of the others would be a better choice! ;)