Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters – they belong to Square and Disney. The quote isn't mine either – total credit to Nietzsche for that one. ;)

Stare Into The Abyss – Chapter Twenty-Four

"Stare too long into the abyss, and the abyss stares back into you."

A void was what Riku had called it. The description fitted it well. After Sora had done as he'd asked, there was nothing. Axel wasn't sure what he'd expected, but this wasn't quite what he'd had in mind.

There was just him, and an endless stretch of emptiness.

A void of nothing.

Nothing but the memories that he'd given up everything to discover. Axel got his reward. The memories of the person that he had been…

…And just how he'd ended up involved with the Organization in the first place.

His own world having been lost, just like many of the others, Axel spent his time moving between them. With the worlds falling to the Darkness, it was hard to find any that were still not touched by it, or completely overrun by those creatures that people called 'Heartless'.

From what Axel had gathered, one that was called a Keyblade Master had brought about the current state of the worlds. Someone who was supposed to be some kind of a saviour, but instead had failed miserably. Axel wasn't sure just how much truth there was to that, but if it were this 'Keyblade Master's' fault that his own world was now nothing more than a haven for those black creatures that had driven him away from it, he wouldn't of minded meeting them. He had never expected someone to give him the chance…

He leant against a pillar within the station of the world he had currently finished checking. This one too, was no longer inhabited. There had been no sign of the creatures here, but he didn't intend on sticking around. He waited for the train to arrive, that would take him to the next world.

"You are Axel?"

He spun around, startled by the sound of the voice. Hadn't he been the only one here? To his side, he could vaguely make out the figure of someone standing close by. The person was hooded, wearing a black cloak that made them hard to see against the shadows.

From the look of them, Axel didn't think the fact that this person appeared to know him was a good thing. "And who the hell are you?"

"Who I am isn't important. Not yet. You are one of the selected ones. You're to come with me."

Selected ones? Whoever he was, Axel didn't think he was quite right in the head. He carefully avoided looking at him, fixing his attention elsewhere and silently begging the train to hurry up. Maybe if he didn't pay him any attention, he'd go away.

His hooded companion continued. "Perhaps if I were to make you an offer, you'd come more willingly. You lack a purpose; you drift between worlds without really knowing what it is you're looking for. We could help you."

We? Great, the guy seemed to have something of a split personality too. But still… what he'd said… "Oh really? And just what is it you think that you could help me with?"

"You lost your own world like many others. You were one of few that survived. Would you not like the chance to make the one who was responsible pay for what they did? Revenge, for all those that you lost…"

Lights flickered ahead, signalling that his train had arrived, but Axel wasn't so interested in leaving anymore. "…The one who was responsible?"

"A Keyblade Master. One who was tainted right from the start. They failed in saving the worlds, instead unleashing the Darkness that has now consumed them and bringing forth the Heartless with it."

The train pulled up in front of them, the lights from the windows bathing the area. Axel turned around, trying to get a better look at the cloaked man, but his features were completely hidden.

He took a step away from the train.

"What offer?"


Axel had no doubts that the hooded man that had approached him was Number Two. So, his joining the Organization hadn't been just a coincidence. They'd seeked him out purposefully, interfering in his life just to get him to join up with them.

Why had he gone along with him?

Because he gave you a purpose.

Yes, that had been reason enough. An empty promise of revenge was plenty of motivation for him to go with Number Two and the NEO had known that. They'd manipulated him right from the start. He'd had no idea of what he was getting himself into when he'd agreed to his 'offer'. Axel wondered what would of happened if he'd of said no and got on that train. Would they of just let him leave?

No… Not likely.

But why had they wanted him, in particular? Number Two had said he was one of the 'selected ones,' but hadn't Ansem told him that he'd gone to them and joined willingly? It was possible that he had been lying, aiming to taunt him… but no…

There was at least some truth to that.

The train came to a halt, dropping them both off at a small town. Axel was surprised to see that this world wasn't touched by the darkness or swarming with Heartless. It was quiet, but there were still people around.

He walked alongside the cloaked individual as he led him to wherever it was that they were supposed to be going. They'd both kept quiet on the way here, Axel debating on the state of his own sanity for agreeing to come along with someone like this – there was something not right about him. He hadn't shared any further details on this 'offer', simply telling Axel that he'd explain to him soon. Now however, his curiosity got the better of him and Axel broke the silence. "What is this place?"

His hooded escort stopped. "This is Twilight Town."

Axel froze, staring at him. "That's not possible! My world…"

"Was lost to the Darkness, yes. The Twilight Town that was your home was far more advanced than this. Both worlds however, are connected. This is Twilight Town."

Axel shook his head slowly. "Why did you bring me here?"

He began to move again, taking them both to a large Clock Tower in the centre of the town. "Your Keyblade Master is here." Holding his hand up, a circular weapon appeared in it that he tossed to Axel.

Catching it carefully, Axel twisted it around, examining it. Whatever it was, it was shaped like a wheel and looked nasty, with sharp prongs protruding along its edge. "What's this for?"

"You're here to kill him. What were you planning on using?"

Axel didn't reply, hesitating. Kill him… He wasn't a murderer, but he'd known that this is what 'revenge' that he'd had in mind. So, why did it feel so wrong now? His guide walked past him, entering the building. Reluctantly, Axel followed him inside. He caught a flicker of movement to the side and turned. A boy was scrambling backwards away from them.

"There's your Keyblade Master, Axel. Go ahead, kill him."

Axel didn't move. "He's just a kid…"

"How many died in your world because of him? How many of them were your family and friends?"

Approached him slowly, Axel briefly wondered why he wasn't showing any resistance or making any attempts to escape.

So many worlds had fell to the Darkness… because of this child? How many more would fall if he left him to continue?

The boy whimpered, flinching as Axel took out the weapon.

It was the right thing to do, wasn't it?

Closing his eyes, he drove the weapon in deep. Leaving it where it was, he backed away.

"Given the right motivation, you're quite effective. Good. You should make a worthy addition to our ranks."

Axel blinked, confused. The right motivation? What was he saying?

Seeing his expression, the hooded man laughed. "Did you really think killing a Keyblade Master would be so easy? I very much doubt he was even anyone special."

"I just killed him… and he wasn't even who you said he was?" Feeling a rage burning inside him, he took a wild blind swing. His target disappeared, reappearing behind him. Missing completely, Axel hit the ground. What had he just done?

"I'll be waiting at the station for you."

Axel glared at him. "You think I'd come with you, after what you just did?"

"You don't seem to understand. You don't have a choice."

Axel hated that smug voice. He looked up at him defiantly. "Really? Try and stop me." He stood up and began to head for the door.

"There are plenty of other innocent people living in this world, Axel. Do you want more of them to die? I have no problem with letting you watch until you agree to come along."

Glowering, Axel scoffed. "You wouldn't…" He started to leave again only to be halted by the sound of something hissing behind him. He turned and faced a hunched over white creature, with bladed arms and feet. It didn't look friendly, and there were more appearing around the room.

"Would you like to see how quickly they could tear the people here apart?"

Axel kept his eyes on the creatures. "Alright." He sighed. "I'll come with you."

They vanished again, as quickly as they appeared. "You still appear to have something of a conscience. We'll be sure to rid you of that..."


They'd called him a murderer, and they had been right. He'd blindly gone along, driven by the thought that he could make someone pay for the loss of his own world, when really, it had been nothing more than an opportunity to test him and ensure that he'd willingly go with them.

And he still hadn't learned from that. Axel was sure of one thing – death hadn't been good enough for Number Two. After what he'd done to him, he deserved far worse.

He didn't want to see anymore. He didn't need to. While there were still details missing, he knew enough. Perhaps more than that what he had wanted to.

But they wouldn't stop. He'd condemned himself to this after all, hadn't he?

The memories kept coming.

Axel watched through the window as the landscape outside sped by. They were taking the train again, only this time, not to another world. His 'companion' had told him that they would arrive shortly at their destination, but Axel had barely been paying attention.

"Why does it bother you so much? You've killed before."

Axel's head snapped up. "What? No…"

"As your world was been consumed by the Darkness, you had no problem with killing the Heartless to protect yourself. You killed those that had been your family and friends just so that you could…"

"Shut up! Just… shut up."

There was an amused laugh, but he said no more.

Speaking to him gave Axel a sickening feeling, but he still had some questions, and there wasn't exactly anyone else around to ask. "You kept referring to someone other than yourself. Who were you on about?"

"Our Superior."

"Our?" Axel titled his head. "Just what is it I've been selected for, anyway?"

"You, and the others like you, have been chosen to become members of our Organization. Assuming the experiments are successful, then you will…"

"Experiments? You never said anything about any experiments."

"There's a higher chance of success with those from your home world." The hooded head faced him. "The others that were selected, are also survivors from the Other Side of Twilight Town."

"So, who are you? You never mentioned your name…"

"My name isn't important. You will only have need to refer to me by my rank."

"Your rank? And what is that?"

"Number Two..."

Axel remained quiet as the train drew up outside of a tall building. As 'Number Two' exited, Axel followed him. He still wasn't quite sure why they wanted him to join them, or just what their 'Organization' was, but he appeared to have little choice now.

How could he possibly work with someone like this? And just what kind of work, were they planning on having him do? If the incident in the town was anything to go by, he didn't want to be here…

Entering the building through a set of solid double doors, they began to pass through a series of corridors. Why did the place seem so familiar? Axel recalled that there had been a building like this one; only more run down, in his own world. Of course, if what this 'Number Two' had said was true, this world was the same, although it seemed somewhat lacking in the technology area.

Number Two motioned him inside a room. Axel paused before entering. He didn't have a very good feeling about this. Was it too late to turn around and leave?

He stepped inside.

He was greeted by someone dressed in red. Someone that didn't help Axel's sinking feeling very much. The smirk plastered across his face confirmed Axel's fears that he'd just got himself involved in something extremely bad.

He turned to face Number Two, ignoring Axel. "Do you believe that this one will be more of a success than the last?"

There was a brief nod.

"Let's hope that you're right." He waved his hand, dismissing Number Two and fixed his attention on Axel. "Do you understand what you're doing here?"

"Not really. Just that I don't have much choice." Axel shifted, edgy, as he scanned the room for a possible way to get out.

"Our Organization serves to give people like yourself a second chance. With your world gone, you have nothing and you are nothing. We can change that."

"With your experiments, right?" Axel noted the slight flash of a scowl. "What if I say no?"

"Then we will be forced to kill you."

He almost laughed at the simplicity of the answer. Almost… If he hadn't of known that he was perfectly serious.

"So, what is it you want me to do?"


Ansem had said that there were those who had agreed to go along with becoming NEOs – now Axel understood why. If all those that had been 'selected' had gone through something similar to him, he realized that they probably had willingly cast off their own hearts under the promise that they'd be given a second chance, another life where they wouldn't remember what it was they had done.

While he hadn't exactly gone searching for them and asking for it, like Ansem had implied, he had gone along with it willingly. And he had gone to them, even if it was only because he'd been forced to.

And then he'd followed the very people who'd orchestrated it all. The ones who'd made him sign his life away.

From there, the memories became more disjointed. He was aware that he had quickly agreed once Ansem had told him that by casting off his heat, he would become like them, a NEO. Non-existent. The promise of another chance, a fresh start without the memories of that life… Even if he had been dragged into everything, it didn't seem so bad. Better than walking away only for them to kill him.

Or so he had thought.

Axel vaguely recalled the voices of Number Two and Ansem mentioning something about 'gathering the rest' and that they would soon have 'more than enough members' added to their ranks.

And then, there was one last memory.

One of a place that he'd known well.

Axel walked through the corridors of the crumbling building, carefully picking his way over the missing sections of floor. He stuck behind Number Two, the two other cloaked members he'd apparently arrived here with close behind him. He didn't know who they were, nor did he care.

As they emerged outside, Axel immediately recognized where they were. Twilight Town. His Twilight Town. The one lined with skyscrapers and flashing neon signs. And the one that was filled with the Darkness.

The entire place was empty. No one was there anymore.

No one but them.

He wasn't quite sure how he'd come to arrive back there. Hadn't he been at the other Twilight Town?

It didn't matter…

Number Two had come to collect them, telling them that they were ready to complete the process of becoming a NEO and an Organization member. As he guided them along the streets, Axel ventured to ask a question. "If you're ranked at number two, what does that make me? Three?"

"Eight."

"Eight?" Axel made a muffled sound of disgust. "Out of how many?" Not receiving a response, he glanced at the others with him. "At least tell me I'm ranked higher than these."

Their heads twitched towards him and Axel grinned at their reaction. "These are your fellow members now, Axel," Number Two reminded him. "You should treat them with respect…"

Respect? He didn't have any for them. They'd more than likely gotten themselves into this the same way that he had - through their own stupidity.

Number Two stopped ahead, opening a window-like doorway in front of them.

Axel pushed in front of the other two and stepped through.


There was nothing else left for Axel to remember. From there, he already knew what had happened. It was the start of him joining the Organization.

He'd gotten what he wanted. The memories of the person who he had been… Had it been worth it?

No…They weren't worth it.

Not for the price he'd paid to get them back. He would have been better off not knowing. And now what?

Now he was stuck here.

And the only thing left for him to do was to watch everything over again.

Author's Note: One chapter left to go. The next will probably be up by the end of the week, I doubt it's going to turn out to be too long – I intend for it just to serve as a sort of Epilogue. As for this one, there's some stuff I could go into more detail in, other things I could cover, some I could expand on…but I've used this chapter to cover what I thought would be the more important points. Perhaps some of the parts I had in mind and didn't use will make it into the continuation.

Oh! And I hope that the choice of quote that the title of this has been based off makes sense now. It wasn't picked at random!

Anyway – hope you'll all like this one and it wasn't too confusing with the jumping back and too!

Ginger Ninja: I'm not sure if this fits the definition of okay – it's like watching home movies only stuck on repeat! XD Oh, oops… Poor guy, that's enough to drive anyone insane.

Saddened Soul: I hope this one wasn't too long a wait - I got spurred into a writing frenzy and managed to get the majority of this chapter done in a day! Look! A Number Two! Does this count? Hehe, as for his current self – hmm, I wonder… I'll just duck under my table now from incoming keyboards.

AloneInDespair: Behold the Axel-ness! He demanded an entire chapter focused on him and got one. ;)

sorastalker08: I think I nearly ended up confusing myself with this one! Hopefully it'll clear some stuff up – or not? And I shall pray for the safe return of your PSP. ;)