Disclaimer: Characters, names, locations and the 13th Order are all property of Square and/or Disney. I still don't own anything!

The Discovered Key

Chapter Five
Kokoro

With almost half of the Order's members missing the entire castle was left feeling far emptier than it usually did. There was a distinct lack of activity, and Roxas found that the newfound quiet was more disturbing than it was welcoming. The castle's hallways had normally felt empty with all thirteen of them present, but now the sensation that it was lacking life was amplified to the point that it became impossible to ignore.

As he was introduced to the research that he would be helping with, Roxas grew more aware of just what it was that fuelled the Order to reach their goals. He already knew of their exploration into the secrets of the heart, and of how they yearned to become complete beings once more, but it was only as he became a larger part of their more important studies that he really realized why. Without a heart, they weren't supposed to feel, and even if he were still clinging to his emotions or to just mere shadows of feelings from the past, how long would be it before he became an empty shell that lacked the ability to do so?

And then there was that sense of emptiness, the gaping void, which came with the knowledge that he lacked something. Yes, he could understand the desire, the need, to become complete and to fill that vacant gap. He wanted the same thing. If he could help them to accomplish their goals, in any way, then he was willing to do so.

They told him how they, as incomplete beings were viewed; that others believed that they didn't have the right to feel, that they didn't even have the right to exist. He was beginning to understand why they were the only ones in that world and his urge to meet people outside the Order dwindled.

He was introduced to the creatures that they called 'Heartless'. The strange beings appeared to be a vital part of their studies and Roxas was shown just what he would be expected to do when it came to using them for their research. At first, the processes sickened him; vials and tests, extractions and results. Hissing and glowing eyes…

At first, using them like that seemed wrong, but he was assured that what they were doing was for the best. As he was told what exactly the Heartless were, and just what they had done to countless worlds, his sympathy for the creatures quickly faded. The only mystery that his fellow members didn't share was where they had come from, but Roxas assumed that they simply didn't know themselves.

Over the passing days that followed, the experiments and research that they conducted came as second nature to him, and he was pleased to find himself contributing something. It felt like he was finally becoming as much a part of the Order as everyone else was. Roxas was glad to find that they were starting to treat him just like any of the other members. He was actually beginning to belong.

There was no word from the Castle Oblivion group, or if they had made any contact during the time that they had been gone, the higher-ups didn't feel the need to share it. Roxas didn't exactly miss most of them, but it would have been nice to at least know what progress that they were making. It was the studies concerning memories that they were conducting, that he was most interested in, and he was eagerly awaiting their return so that they could share just what exactly it was that they had learned. He hoped that they would at least uncover something that would prove to be of some use to him…

After finishing up a day's work down in the labs, Roxas took to the meeting room accompanied by Demyx. While it wasn't in use, it was a decent place to finish things up.

Roxas perched himself on the corner of the table, setting down a selection of various files to the side, and taking a handful to flip through. With the large amount of research that went on, there was an equally large amount of paperwork to go with it and Saix had assigned him and Demyx the task of going through and sorting it all out.

Demyx hadn't stopped complaining since they'd started. With fewer members around, and their own group made up of the three senior members, it was a lot more difficult for him to avoid getting anything done. Roxas was secretly enjoying seeing him having to put up with doing the same work that he had to. Although Demyx had an incredibly… unorganised, way of going about it, which only served to make things take twice as long as they normally would.

Roxas watched as he casually tossed another set of papers to the side and sighed. "You're not really sorting them like that…" he pointed out.

His comment was greeted with a grin. "There's a method to my madness."

"I can see that." Roxas rolled his eyes. "To create more of a mess."

"I can't say I'm very enthusiastic about sorting though the same old reports every day."

"Me neither. But I'd rather finish this and get it out the way." Roxas let out another exaggerated sigh as Demyx slid another set of files down the table. "And stop sending them in my direction, you'll mix them up!"

Demyx looked up at him and shrugged before setting back to work on his own pile. Instructing him on how to get the job finished efficiently probably wasn't the best idea. When it came to getting something done, Demyx seemed to have his own way of going about it… Even if at times it wasn't exactly, ideal.

They continued in silence until both were finished. Roxas gathered everything together, ready to take it to one of the senior members.

Demyx stood up, stretching, from his side of the table. "I wonder if the others are swamped in paper work…" He mused.

Realizing that he was referring to the Castle Oblivion group, Roxas tilted his head, thoughtfully. "You think they'll be back anytime soon?"

"Could be months before they get back."

"The longer Larxene is gone the better." He paused, frowning to himself. "I would like to at least know how things are going though…"

"Why don't you ask when you go to drop that off?" Demyx nodded to the stack of assorted notes in his hands.

"You think that they'd actually tell me anything?"

"Worth trying if you're interested." With that, Demyx headed for the doorway, muttering about taking a break while he had the chance.

Roxas waited until he had gone. Double-checking everything was in order and that he had all the necessary files with him, he left the meeting room himself to search for one of the higher-ranking members to deliver the collection of papers to.

It was a harder task than normal to track anyone down. Even with fewer members present, it seemed they were still incredibly busy. Roxas had hardly come across Xemnas after the Castle Oblivion group had left, and it was often Saix or Xigbar that he had to report to. He wasn't sure which one of them was worse than the other.

It was Xigbar that he finally ran into. He watched as Roxas approached, handing over the various files and reports. "Is this everything?"

Roxas nodded. "Everything on today's tests," He confirmed.

"Then if you're finished, you're to come with me."

He obediently followed as Xigbar guided him into a side-room, where he dropped off the stack of reports there as he spoke, "We have a special task for you."

He almost thought that he had heard him wrong. "Really?" His questions concerning the other group that he had meant to ask were already temporarily forgotten, his excitement growing. A task just for him?

A vortex opened up in the corner of the room, and Xigbar gestured for him to go into it. Roxas glanced between him and the Dark Corridor. "Where are we going?"

"To the city area." Without waiting for a response, he stepped towards it, passing through himself.

Roxas hurried after him, stepping inside the portal and emerging into the dimly lit, lifeless streets on the other side. He looked around, checking his surroundings, as he wondered what task they could possibly have in mind for him to do there.

Spotting Xigbar continuing on ahead, he set off after him. "Why are we here?"

"Saix's orders." He could hear the thinly veiled disgust in the reply.

It wasn't exactly what he had been asking. He was more interested in what they wanted him to do there. Would it really make any difference if he were to do it in the castle's grounds instead? But recalling Axel's words, Roxas picked up on the comment. "Why do you take orders from him? Shouldn't you be the one giving them out?"

His escort came to a sudden halt, turning to fix his single eye on him. "If you ever bring that subject up again, it'll be the last that you ever do."

Knowing that he was perfectly serious, Roxas nodded, careful not to say anymore. He kept quiet as they walked through the city, passing by the flickering neon signs and towering buildings, until Xigbar stopped once more.

"Summon them."

He understood what the command meant and while he was unsure why, Roxas didn't question it. As he held his hands out to his sides, both Keyblades took form in each. He stood perfectly still, awaiting further instructions.

They didn't come.

Instead, Roxas was aware of something behind him. He could see Xigbar's own gaze travelling past him and focusing on whatever was behind, and he could sense that they were being joined by another presence.

Turning slowly, he was greeted by several sets of glowing amber eyes.

Heartless.

He backed up, keeping his eyes on them. "What are they doing here?"

Xigbar gave no reply.

Roxas shot a glance towards him. The other member was standing calmly off to the side, arms folded as he observed, making no move to lend any assistance.

One of the creatures lunged forward, and Roxas instinctively reacted, striking out with one of the Keyblades and catching the lean black body before it could reach him. He waited until another of them took the opportunity to leap at him again, before swinging the weapon in his other hand, disposing of it.

"Pathetic." Xigbar chided. "Don't just stand there. Get rid of them all."

With a clear order given, and a better idea of what he was supposed to be doing now, Roxas didn't hold back any longer. He moved forward, both Keyblades flashing at his sides as he did, cutting down any of the creatures that decided to get in his way.

Black and white metal met flesh, as they sliced through the air in a wide arc, connecting with the dark clawed forms.

Feeling more confident as he realized that they didn't appear to be providing very much of a threat, Roxas unleashed a string of swift successive blows.

The results were devastating.

None of the gathered Heartless remained once he was finished. Roxas stepped away, blinking in confusion as he stared at the now clear area.

"Much better." Xigbar strode past him. "That should do."

Roxas shook his head. "I don't understand. Was that it?"

"For now."

What had the point of that little exercise been? To test how well that he could fight against them? They didn't seem likely; they hadn't exactly been difficult to get rid of. They couldn't have wanted to take him out there, just for that, could they?

Xigbar turned to face him, disturbing his thoughts. "Are you looking to go another round?"

"What? No…"

"It's not your heart that they're attracted to." He smirked faintly. "You don't have one." He began to move off once more.

A puzzled Roxas only managed to follow a few steps before he froze, the tendrils of realization taking a hold. "The Keyblades?"

Lifting each one up carefully to eye-level, he gazed at them briefly in awe. Checking to see that there were no further Heartless around, he dismissed them, not wanting to lure anymore of the creatures to him. He quickened his pace to catch up with Xigbar, his mind churning with fresh questions.

He understood perfectly well that no one was going to provide him with any, but that wasn't going to keep them at bay.

Once he had returned to the castle, Roxas had attempted to find something else to do, an unfinished task, or a small job that he could help with, anything that he could focus on and would help him take his mind off thinking about them.

Disappointed to find that there was nothing for him to assist with, he had taken to walking the whitewashed hallways alone. With no real destination in mind, he paced them aimlessly, listening to the sound of his own footsteps echoing off the walls.

The only sign of life that he came across was when he passed by the meeting room. From the corner of his vision, he caught two black-cloaked figures seated at the table. Slowing, he paused to peer inside.

Both Xaldin and Luxord were there, the latter's own set of cards sprawled across the surface in front of them.

Roxas moved to stand in the doorway, eyeing them curiously. "Are you guys… gambling?"

Luxord looked over to him, amused. "You can join us, if you like."

Roxas hesitated a moment, before walking over to take a seat. It seemed even the older members got bored too when they had nothing to do. "Do you do this often?"

"Whenever there's any spare time. What did you think we did?"

"I don't know... I never really thought about it."

He settled back into his chair, watching them both silently. It was enough for him to momentarily lose his thoughts in, and he was enjoying being in the other member's company outside of the time he spent helping them with their work.

The feeling didn't last long.

"How did your assignment go today, Roxas?" Xaldin asked.

The question irritated him. He knew what he was referring to, and it only reminded him of what Larxene had said before she had left with the other group; they were only ever interested in him when it came to the Keyblades.

He tried to keep his expression innocent as he replied. "What assignment?"

"Weren't you given a personal task?"

"I don't know what you mean."

He hid a grin as they both exchanged a glance and a shrug. That was one way of avoiding the subject.

Neither of them made any further comment, and Roxas regarded them as they carried on with their game without a noise, his mind drifting as he started to consider what the others did get up to. It seemed odd to even imagine some of them taking part in any activity outside of their research.

Once they were finished, Xaldin turned to face him. "Why don't you teach him, Luxord?"

Roxas sat up, inclining his head to the side. "Aren't I too young to gamble?"

"Such things don't matter here."

He leaned forward, eager to get started as he listened intently to Luxord's explanations. It was something to distract his mind with, and it reminded him that not all his fellow members were so bad.

Both Xaldin and Luxord agreed that he seemed to have a talent for it, and even if they were serious or not, Roxas was looking forward to the others getting back so he could test out his new found 'skills' on them and win some bets.

Axel was going to be doing his work for him for weeks!

After spending several hours with the two older members, Roxas had finally retired to his own personal area. Even a Nobody required occasional rest and some space for their own privacy. He sat on the edge of the surface that served as a makeshift bed. Each Keyblade lay placed carefully to either side of him.

He ran one finger over the edge of the darker coloured weapon, tracing the contours of it and moving his hand to rest around the handle. Picking it up, he began twisting and turning the object, examining it from every possible angle, before moving to the other and repeating the process.

How long had he sat there looking over them both?

In the end, everything came back to them. They were his one link to something outside the Order, his one real connection, to a past life that couldn't be remembered. That was, after all, why he was there in the first place, wasn't it?

With each added question concerning the Keyblades that kept coming up, he found it more difficult to just ignore the need for his answers. They were starting to occupy his mind more and more, and it was getting harder to simply push those thoughts aside.

What exactly were they? What was the connection between them and the Heartless? Where did they come from? What was so special about them?

And why did it seem like he was the only one, who didn't know the answers?

Notes: I wanted to try and work some little scenes in with Roxas and the others this chapter to build up some more relationships with them. For some reason, I could just totally imagine Luxord teaching him how to gamble! And I wanted at least one light-hearted scene, because pretty soon, there won't really be a chance for many of them anymore.

Some focus on the build up to the actual Keyblade(s) revelation here, but that little conversation with Xemnas probably won't come for another few chapters yet, I still have some other stuff in mind to cover first. ;)

The next chapter should have some focus on the news of just what exactly has been going on with the CO group, and the following reactions to that. Might not be quite as fast an update as this one was though.