I do not own the rights to theKingdom Hearts series or the characters involved.

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Chapter Two - Do you remember your true name?

"I hear someone brought home a stray."

Axel was startled out of his thoughts by an invasion of his room.

"Ever heard of knocking? What do you want Larxene?"

"Ooh, someone's in a sour mood."

Sour was not the word Axel would use. Contemplative would be more accurate.

He hadn't anticipated the Superior's reaction to the boy he'd found. Xemnas had seemed startled by the intrusion, and then pleased. In any case, it was more interest than he usually had for Nobodies brought to the castle.

Axel was worried.

The Superior had no passion for anything. But he was a man to be feared. From fear, he had earned Axel's respect, but not his liking. If Xemnas was paying special attention to the new recruit, that was likely not a good thing. Particularly for the object of that attention.

Poor kid.

Axel sighed and fixed his features into a challenging smile. Best not to show weakness. Members of the Organization fed on such things. Larxene especially.

"Just thinking. Some of us do that."

She ignored the implication. Or possibly missed it.

"Thinking about the new pet?"

"Perhaps."

She was digging for information, and Axel was not going to make it easy for her. One of his few enjoyments was making his fellow members uncomfortable. Their arrogance made it all the more amusing when they were forced to show their own weakness.

It was a game they all tried to win. Everyone was weak, but the first thing to learn when joining the Organization is not to admit that you are no exception.

Axel was already winning this battle. Larxene hated being direct. She liked to pretend that she was sweet and pure, when she was possibly the most rotten of the group. Mostly because she wouldn't admit how horrid she was.

"Well? What's the deal with him? Do you think he has what it takes to be our 13th?"

"I don't know. He had a strong heart. You can feel it, but I think he's lacking a basic requirement."

"And what's that?"

"A manipulative nature."

Oh, she did not like that. Larxene soon left after that comment, and Axel reveled for a few moments in the victory before returning to his thoughts.

In a silent room, in a dark castle stood a person with no name. He couldn't remember it. Maybe he'd never had one.

He was a Nobody. That's what Axel had said. This person without a name did not know what a Nobody was, but it sounded like what he felt. Empty.

And lost.

He didn't know where Axel had taken him, and he didn't know if he much cared. Axel had asked what he was looking for, and at the time, he hadn't known how to answer. In thinking over the question, the answer had later come to him. He was looking for direction. He was looking for where he belonged. For where he could be complete.

Axel had said he would help him find the way. The person with no name hadn't believed him, but something in the way Axel had reached his hand out to him had seemed sincere. Perhaps in some small way he'd wanted to help.

But those good intentions didn't seem to have helped so far. Maybe he'd been wrong in thinking that Axel had cared.

Hours ago, Axel had presented the person with no name to a composed man with gold eyes. Those eyes looked upon him with cold hunger. After a few exchanged words, Axel had abandoned him to this snake.

Nothing was said at first, until the snake broke the silence.

"I have my suspicions about you. It was about time for one such as yourself to show up."

The person with no name didn't answer. What the snake had said did not make sense, and so there was nothing to say.

"Tell me, do you remember anything?"

"No."

"Nothing? Not even a name?"

"No."

The snake seemed pleased.

"Then it seems I will have to see to my suspicions myself."

The snake pulled out a black cloak similar to the one he and Axel had been wearing. He didn't know where it had come from, but it hadn't been there a moment before.

"You will put this on and wait for my summons."

The person with no name had tried to say something. Maybe say he was fine with his own clothing, or ask where the snake was going, where he was, what was going on, but the look he was given when his mouth opened promptly closed it.

After that the snake had disappeared in a black portal similar to Axel's. There had been nothing to do at that point but wait. The door was locked, and there was no other way out that he could find.

So the person with no name waited. And thought. His thoughts were mostly dark, and he didn't like where the darkness was taking him. The person with no name realized he was lonely, and those thoughts brought him to Axel. He found he wished that Axel was there, even though he had no idea what Axel's motive had been in bringing him here.

He supposed that having anyone there would be better than being alone, and that was why he was thinking of Axel.

After what felt like many hours, the person with no name felt something. It was like someone was calling him. He put his attention to that sensation. Maybe if he listened hard enough he could make out a name. His name.

As the person with no name focused on the feeling, he was overcome by darkness. Vast darkness that took shape around him, and pulled him away. The person with no name did not know what he was experiencing, but did not fight it.

He found himself on a beach. A dark beach.

"You have arrived."

It was the snake. He had his hood over his face, but the person with no name could tell. He walked towards him.

"I've been to see him. He looks a lot like you."

Been to see who? None of this made any sense. What was going on?

"Who are you?"

"I'm what's left... Or, maybe I'm all that ever was."

"I meant your name."

"My name is of no importance. What about you? Do you remember your true name yet?"

The person with no name tried to focus on that feeling he'd had when he'd been called. Had he heard his true name?

"My true name... is..."

He reached for it... It was at the edge of his awareness, and he almost grabbed it. Then it was gone.

The snake seemed to understand.

"Alright then, I will give you a name. From now on, you are Roxas."

"Roxas?"

That felt familiar, almost right.

"Welcome to the Organization, Roxas. We are now complete. We are now 13."

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I promise there will be more interaction between Axel and Roxas in the next chapter!

-Angel Rogue