"Vital Signs"

Disclaimer: All characters from the Kingdom Hearts series are copyright SquareEnix.

Warning: Mild spoilers for Kingdom Hearts II.

Blood. Everywhere. A large pool on the floor. A bloody set of footprints leading to the door. Arcs of droplets on the walls. In the center of it all stood Axel.

"What happened here?" I finally asked.

"Vexen's replica went berserk. Zexion had the…" Axel coughed. "Misfortune to be seen by it."

"Where's the Replica now?"

"Dead. The real Riku killed it."

I began to mop the blood pool. "There's so much." When a Nobody dies, it disintegrates. Which meant Zexion's blood spilled before the body disappeared.

The Replica must have been angry.

"Who'd have thought the old bat to have so much blood in him?" Axel interrupted my chain of thought.

"Old bat? Axel, he was younger than you." No response. "Why are you watching me anyway? Is it more interesting than the late show?" I was uncomfortable under his heavy gaze. Plus, I was afraid to turn my back to him. Last time I did, I got a bleeding gash on my shoulder.

"You want me to be honest?"

When is Axel ever honest? But the way he said it made me curious. Against my better judgement, I said, "Sure."

"I was curious as to how a Nobody can bleed. Isn't a heart necessary for the circulatory system to work?"

"Same way you can still be alive despite not having a heart?"

"That's funny. I'm laughing inside. You know, Vexen kept track of our vitals. Every checkup, he'd take our blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. As if it actually mattered. We're not alive, but not technically dead." He examined some of the dried blood near the door. "Zexion is now. His blood pressure is zero over zero. Undefined. Nothing instead of nobody."

"How can you be so nonchalant about this? Zexion just died."

"Why do you feel sorry for him? He deserved it."

No one deserves to die like this. I didn't say it though. Something glittered on the floor, so I picked it up. A gold pocket watch. Broken, right only twice a day now. The name Ienzo was engraved on the case. It must have fallen out of Zexion's pocket when the Replica attacked him. "Speaking of Zexion and the others, what names should we put on the gravestones? Their assumed names, or their real names?"

Axel stared at me for a few seconds. Then he threw back his head and laughed. "Graves? Ha ha ha! That's rich. You're so sanctimonious, Aveluxe. Talking about grave markers when you're the one wiping away the only thing left."

My father used to tell me I had too much compassion for those who didn't deserve it. Did I? I glanced back at Axel. He was still laughing and facing me. Then I saw it. Wished I hadn't, but it was plain as day.

One of the white beads on Axel's cloak drawstring. A spot of blood.

I'm no forensic expert, but the way Axel brags about how he can kill people without shedding a drop of blood…the bloodstain didn't come from Vexen. And the blood would be dried up and brown if it was Vexen's. The drop was fresh. Recent…

I tried my best to ignore it. I kept scrubbing at the walls, wiping away the Replica's handiwork.

One section was free of blood. A tall, thin section. As if a pillar or something had blocked the flying blood. But there weren't any pillars in this room. The only thing tall enough to block…no.

It didn't make sense. Why would Axel just lean against the wall while Zexion was being attacked by the Replica? And why didn't the Replica attack Axel? If it had, Axel would have killed it right there. Axel's self-preservation dominates everything: he doesn't care who's hurt as long as it's not him.

I kept wiping with my rag.

Why would Axel allow his own ally to be killed?

There was a crash of thunder. I automatically thought of Larxene, but a second later I realized it was just raining outside. Larxene was dead. I didn't blame Sora for it, though. Larxene attacked him first and all that.

"With a name like Castle Oblivion, I wonder if I'm next to die," I commented. Did Axel intend to kill me too, once I finished cleaning up this mess?

Axel shook his head. "I'm already getting a chewing out from the Superior. And if he doesn't, Saïx will. Killing you would only get me in more trouble. Besides…who's going to bring me my coffee if you're dead?"

Better not give him a reason to change his mind.

He continued. "I need you to do me a favor. I know we've had our differences in the past. Real sorry about the shoulder thing."

Sorry? Next time Axel decides to stab me in the back, I hope he has the guts to do it to my face.

"What kind of a favor?" I tried to sound enthusiastic.

"I need you to back up my story. And if the Superior asks, Sora killed Vexen."

"Yes, of course."

"I hope you mean that. Because if you don't, you'll make a lovely little pile of ashes. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." What else could I say? Then it came to me. Axel killed Vexen to gain Marluxia's trust, but he still would have gotten in trouble for it. And Zexion would have told the Superior exactly what happened. Who would the Superior believe? Axel wanted a single account of what happened – his.

Axel lost his heart, but I know where it ended up. In a quarry with the other stones.

Storybook detectives feel happy when they've solved a case. I felt sicker than before. This isn't a storybook.

Axel was now staring out the window. "Did the Superior tell you why he wanted Sora alive? I get why he gave Marluxia the castle: because he knew the pansy would get overconfident. But why keep Sora around if he's got Roxas to go around killing Heartless?"

"No. No one ever tells me anything." Axel was doing detective work of his own? An image of him in old-style detective garb -- his spiky hair sticking out of a deerstalker -- came to me. I suppressed my laughter.

He shrugged. "Too bad. Ironic that the copy is better than the original."

"Sora got on your nerves?" I asked. Sora was a little ray of sunshine, eternally happy. Usually smiling. Roxas, on the other hand, never smiled.

"Of course. I saved his rear. Sora better appreciate it. Little brat. Makes me look bad."

"Well, makes you look like an ass is what he does, Axel."

Axel spun around, his face a mask of shock. You did not just say that was etched in his features. After a moment, he turned and left the room.

I continued to pour bleach on the bloodstains. Will I ever get used to this? And if I do, will I still like myself?

The End.