Chapter Five:

Midnight Musings

"Axel?" Naminé sat up quickly, pulling her sheets around her.

"Sorry," I turned away, staring at the art on the walls. "What are you doing in bed so early?"

"I had a headache. Xemnas threw me into a dresser."

"WHAT?" I couldn't help it; I turned to stare. "Xemmie did what?"

"Raxet—she had a seizure of a sort. She started to Fade." She let the sheets fall-she was wearing a t-shirt, so I didn't have to be concerned, as I had first thought. "And I told her just to let it run, because she'd be whole. It made Xemnas angry," She explained to me, spreading her hands, as if begging me to agree with her.

"…I bet it did," Xemnas couldn't have Tera becoming a whole person again, especially because now Raxet had seen him. If those two combined…Tera had been a very bright girl. She'd have made connections that Raxet would never be able to make without her memories.

"…What are you thinking, Dancing Flames?"

"You make me sound like a Cherokee." I smiled at her. "I was thinking that Xemnas would hate it very much if his new pet Faded."

"Pet?"

"She's just another one of his scientific projects. Don't tell her I told you that, though. With her short fuse…well…" I shrugged helplessly. Lying was so easy. I knew that, heart and emotions or not, I wouldn't be able to stand watching Raxet learn what may have happened. I wasn't sure, still.

I didn't know what Xemnas was planning, holding her nobody hostage. Oh, I could guess, but…

A nobody has to be sure.

"…really? I think you're telling me stories to sooth my curiosity." I made a face.

"Not fair, reading memories."

"Sorry." She smiled, obviously not the least apologetic.

"Anyway…what happened with Raxet? A seizure?"

"She just collapsed. She had head and chest pains, and she couldn't remember who she was or where she was."

I thought about that.

"How long ago?"

"Ah….two, three hours?"

I had been watching Erin display the present.

"…Yeah, that's about right," So her memories may be locked away, but Tera hadn't given up. That was heartening. Or at least, I thought it might be. If I'd had a heart to hearten.

"What do you know?"

"It's a secret," I winked. "But…well, I can't say. Still, can I ask a favor?"

"Depends on what it is. I'm horribly busy these days, working behind the Organization's back and undermining Xemnas's dastardly plots. But then, you'd know all about that, wouldn't you."

"Not so loud," I hissed. "I don't trust these walls at all—you know how cheep Marluxia was."

"The favor?" She reminded me.

"OH. Oh. Er…if Raxet comes by…help her out, will you? I mean…"

"What is she, this Raxet? Do you really have time to mess with her? If I recall, you were running yourself in circles after Sora and Roxas only yesterday."

"This morning, too, actually," Oh, good. No one had discovered my trip to Twilight Town. Excluding Xigbar. And he wouldn't tell. He had his own agenda, too.

"You side-stepped my question."

"Find out yourself," I told her, shrugging, "You'll enjoy it more that way," I opened a portal. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have lots of honorable and heroic deeds to plan," She laughed as I stepped through. I hadn't thought it was that funny.

My mind was weighing much too heavily.

Author's Note:

BLARG. Sorry for the delay, and for the entirely too short chapter. I know what I'm doing and where I'm going with this. I'm just kind of distracted right now. I'm back on track now, I hope. Should have a steady internet connection soon.