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

Stare Into The Abyss – Chapter Seventeen

The flickering lights of the city flashed by as he fell, accompanied by an amused voice that filled his head.

"There you are."

Axel barely registered that he recognized it from somewhere, before he felt himself slowing.

"Now, what shall I do with you?"

Just as Axel was expecting to the hit the ground, a dark purple haze enveloped him blocking out the view of the building he had been falling past.

"You're certainly an interesting one. But are you worth sparing?"

As it faded, he hit the ground… but not from the height he should of. He was still alive… and there was the sound of familiar voices around him.

"Riku… what did you just do?"

Sora?

"Nice catch, Riku."

The other one?

"Riku, what was that?"

And the witch?

… Wait, Riku?

Axel sat up, eyes opening, as he stared in surprise at the group gathered in front of him, Riku among them. The boy's eyes were glazed and his expression disturbingly empty. He turned around slowly, a cold grin spreading across his face.

"What did you do?" Axel asked.

"I can sense everything there, from this world now." He replied, sounding pleased.

"Right." What kind of an answer was that? It didn't exactly explain how he'd managed to pull him back from that other world. "Nice timing though."

But Riku wasn't listening anymore. His eyes were locked on something else in front of him. Something that wasn't there, or something we just can't see?

"Axel."

He glanced to the side to find the source of the voice, Number Two, standing there. "Still alive?"

"I suppose you'll be wanting to fix that?"

Axel groaned sinking back to lie on the ground. Was there any need to anymore? Even if there was, at the moment, he didn't feel much like fighting again. "Too tired right now."

"What happened?" Sora questioned him, stepping forward.

Sighing, Axel stood up and reluctantly gave them a brief description, all the time keeping his eyes on Riku. The boy was standing somewhat away from the others, gazing off into the distance. Axel was sure he could see his mouth moving, almost like he was speaking to himself… Something was very wrong there.

"So, what do we do?" Kaze asked, once he'd finished.

"I'm not sure." Sora shook his head. "What can we do?"

"Maybe, we should go back to the Clock Tower and plan our next move?" Namine suggested. "It isn't safe here."

Nodding, Sora agreed. He looked back towards Axel. "Are you two going to come with us?"

In response, Number Two started to walk away. "Wait here a minute." Axel told Sora, before following the other NEO. "What are you going to do?"

"Find him."

"You'll let me know, if you do?"

"Perhaps." Axel scowled, irritated, but Number Two continued before he could protest. "That boy…" His hooded head turned in Riku's direction. "He can't be allowed to live."

"Is he still…Riku? Or is he, Ansem One, by now?"

"He's still Riku, but it won't be long before he isn't. This world is having a strong effect."

"What's this world got to do with anything?" Axel wondered, frowning.

Number Two looked back towards him. "How can he fight his darkness, when it's all around him?"

Axel wasn't sure what he meant by that, but he felt like there was something there he was missing. "You want me to kill him?"

"Yes."

Axel smirked. "But, I don't take orders from you anymore." Number Two gave a short huff of annoyance. Satisfied at his reaction, Axel added, "I was planning on taking care of him anyway."

"Good."

Axel began to head back to the group, but Number Two called him back. "Axel…"

"What?"

"Are you sure, you still want your memories back?"

Axel cocked his head to the side, confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

"What I said before, about you finding out…"

"It could 'destroy' me, right? I know. It doesn't matter."

"Seeing the difference between you then, and when you first arrived as a NEO, almost made me believe that what we did was right. You knew you'd be losing those memories by casting off your heart. That's why you did it. Do you really want to find out what drove you to do that?"

Axel hesitated before giving his answer. "…Yes."

"Then, I should tell you this. The heart, the body and the soul. Suppose you could separate all three? If the body is the shell, then what if, as a NEO, you could unite the soul with the heart?"

"Are you just guessing, or are you telling me something you know will work here?"

"...Guessing."

Axel rolled his eyes. "That helps."

"There could be a way for you to test it, however. Through Sora."

"How?"

"What was it that Sora used? A Keyblade that unlocked a person's heart…"

"What are you trying to say?"

Number Two turned to leave. "Stick with the boy, Axel."

Muttering, Axel made his way back to the others.

"Can we leave now?" Kaze demanded, glaring at him.

Axel let out an exasperated sigh. The only one that he needed here was Sora, so why was he now stuck with this lot? Sora's bloodthirsty NEO, a witch who's speciality is messing with people's heads, and Riku who has, quite possibly, gone insane.

Axel held back, walking behind them as they returned to the Clock Tower. He waited until the rest of them had entered it before catching Riku's attention.

"Riku?"

The boy stopped but kept his back to Axel.

"That was you, wasn't it? That voice before…"

"I suppose it was."

"You suppose?" Axel approached him slowly, one weapon appearing in his hand. Riku didn't react, still not facing him. "Sorry Riku, it's not worth the risk." Axel aimed for his back.

The weapon hit something solid that was invisible to the eye before it could connect with him and bounced off. This time, Riku faced him, smirking. "Is that the only way you know to deal with anything? I guess you really are the same as before. A killer then and still a killer now."

Axel lowered the weapon. "Before? You're talking about before I was a NEO, aren't you?"

"Am I?"

"Quit messing with me Riku and tell me how you know that." Axel hissed.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Riku laughed as he walked away, leaving Axel alone outside the building.

He did have a point. But Riku needed to be taken care of and fast. Axel was beginning to form an idea of how Riku knew that little piece of information. For now, he could wait for a chance to prove that right, and for a better chance to get rid of him.

Does everyone know who I was, apart from me?

Annoyed, he entered the Clock Tower. Inside, he took a position on a crate in a corner, as far away as possible from the others. Keeping quiet, he let them "discuss" what they would do next, as he focused on Riku, watching him. He wasn't offering much to the conversation either, only giving a short comment when Sora's gaze wandered over to him.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Axel's attention snapped back to the person standing in front of him. Namine had left Kaze and Sora to come over to him. She was gesturing to a small crate opposite his own.

He regarded her carefully. What did she want? "If I said yes, would you go away?"

Instead of appearing put off, she smiled. "I only wanted to ask you a few questions."

He didn't offer a response, instead waiting for her to carry on.

"Do you miss them, at all?"

"Who?"

She sat down as she answered. "The other members. There aren't many left now, are there?"

What kind of a question was that? "No, I don't miss any of them."

"None of them? What about Larxene, or Zexion? Weren't they your friends?"

"Hardly. Is there a point to this?"

Namine shifted uncomfortably, but she didn't leave. "You're different to the rest of them. When Marluxia and Larxene came to take their turn keeping an eye on me back at Castle Oblivion, they were… cruel. Most of the time, they'd punish me for speaking without their permission, but you were different. That's why you scared me. You were unpredictable. I think that's why you scared them too."

Axel gave her an impatient stare. "Point, please?"

"You're torn, aren't you? Between who you were and who you are now. That's why it's so important to you to find out. But… does it really matter, who you were?"

Axel considered telling her to go bother someone else, but, what was the harm in letting her carry on, a little longer? "From what everyone keeps telling me, I did something. Something that was bad enough to make me want to give up everything. I need to know what that was."

Namine said nothing for a moment, seeming startled that he'd actually gave her an answer. "Whatever it was, when you find out, you should remember, that isn't you anymore." She peered back over at Sora and Kaze. "Will you help them? Both of them?"

"The only one here I'm willing to help is Sora." He looked at her pointedly. "The rest of you, you're all expendable to me. You do know that?"

She nodded, sadly. "I know. But, Kaze is, unique. He may be more important than you realize."

"Axel?"

He glanced up, spotting Sora waving him over. Axel stood up and left Namine as he headed over to the boy. "Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

"We can't really do anything about this world, until we take care of Ansem."

"Good. I was hoping you'd go for him. I feel like getting a little revenge."

"I want to see that other world you were at first."

"It wasn't exactly a world." Axel pointed out.

"Did it have a Keyhole?"

"I don't think so. How are you planning on getting back anyway? I can't help you there."

"You can't." Sora turned around and pointed. "But Riku can."

His friend's eyes burned as he glowered at him. Axel realized, that Riku, for some reason, wasn't particularly pleased about this. "I don't think he looks like he wants to help."

"He will." Sora said firmly.

Axel looked away. "What are you going to do about him?"

"What?"

"He's getting… unsafe to keep around."

Sora's expression hardened. "I'm going to help him. So don't you try anything either! He's my problem."

"Fine. Just don't expect me to stop him when he tries to slit your throat while you're sleeping…"

"He won't do that! He's still Riku."

Axel let it drop. No, he wasn't Riku. He was a mixture of Riku and something else. Or rather, someone else.

Sora took a deep breath and shook his head. "Can you tell me anything else about that place?"

Axel shrugged. "It was very… twisty."

"Twisty?"

"You'll see. Just try walking in there."

"I'll keep that in mind." Sora focused back on Riku. "Then, I'm going to take him and go. We'll be back soon, I hope."

"You're leaving me with him?" Axel nodded towards Kaze. "One of us won't be here when you get back."

Sora shot him a disgruntled glance. "What is the problem with you two?"

"Ask him. He's the one who keeps trying to…"

"Alright. Nevermind." Sora grimaced. "You can come with us. I'd rather you not burn this place down while I'm gone."

Author's Note: Not as much happening in this chapter, but I intended to use this one for a little more interaction, before things start moving into the final stretch. I've pretty much got an idea of how things are going to finish now, but I'm not sure how many chapters it will all take. At least another five or so to cover everything.

One Winged Kuja: Hehe, it sure has grown! And I'll have a look when it's finished!

Saddened Soul: Everything is getting ready to kick off now! ;)

sorastalker08: It's like he has nine lives! Only instead of lives, it's… body parts? Or something.

Ginger Ninja: I'm glad it was a better week for you! And you gave us two updates! Love the one-shot!

AloneInDespair: Thank ye! Not really any action here, but hopefully there should be a lot more coming up soon.