This is a new story that I came up with that will base itself around Axel. Yaaaaay Axel! Y'know you love him.

I do not own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, or Kingdom Hearts 2. Got it memorized?

.oOo.

Kingdom Hearts: Nonexistence

1: Void Feelings

.oOo.

The world was blurry as the red-haired man slowly opened his eyes. He realized that he was lying on his back, staring up at a sky that could only be described as completely blank. It was devoid of color and clouds. The world had turned white. He made a move to sit up, but realized that his head was throbbing in pain. He reached up with his left hand and felt his forehead for injuries, for that was where it hurt, but he could not find anything. The pain must have been inside his head.

What…what happened?

The man managed to sit up completely and look around. The horizon was still blurry, but he could make out the barren, uninteresting wasteland around him. He looked down to the rest of his body to see that he was garbed in a long black cloak. His hands were encased in black leather gloves, and his feet were covered in similarly dark-colored shoes. Putting the base of his palms to his forehead again, the man tried to remember what had happened. Nothing came to him. He seemed to have lost all memory of who he was.

Then something flashed through his head faster than his mind could latch onto it. It flashed through again, slower this time, but still too fast for the man to make out what it had said. A third time it passed by his mind, this time slow enough for him to hear, see, whatever it is you do with thoughts, the message in the memory:

"The name's Axel. Got it memorized?"

The man lowered his hands and stared out at the blurred horizon. "Axel," he murmured. "My name is Axel."

Axel stood to his feet and ran a gloved hand through his spiky red hair. It was swept back, as if he had been placed in a wind tunnel and then his hair had been glued that way, but it also fell down his back a small amount. Axel thought it felt kind of cool.

One more glance around the barren landscape brought upon another thought: Where am I?

Axel took a step forward and the landscape seemed to shift with him. It changed subtly: the ground turned a mild shade of red and the sky began to become cloudy. Axel gazed around, amazed by the sudden changes. What had happened?

Another step and the ground became a deeper red as the sky began to grow crowded with clouds. Again, Axel was surprised. Was he causing this with his steps?

A third step and the ground turned a crimson color, the clouds completely blocked the blank sky, and Axel could feel the temperature rise a few degrees. Axel didn't know what was happening, but to him it felt right. He knew that something about the changing landscape was exactly as it was supposed to be.

Axel could feel the energy. The need to burst free. He knew that one more step would do it. He lifted his leg and placed it forward. His foot hit the ground, and Axel's anticipation was not left waiting.

Flames burst out of the ground around Axel. Adrenaline flooded his system as he stepped back to get away from the raging inferno, but the flames followed him. He tried ducking to the side, but again, the flames followed his movements. He took a step forward, the flames did as well. They were mimicking his every movement, copying his every thought. Axel was amazed, but infuriated at the same time. He could not free himself from the ring of fire.

"What's your deal?" Axel cried at the flames.

"What's your deal?"

Axel spun around, but he couldn't see the source of the voice because of the flames. He needed them to die down so he could see who had said that. Strangely enough, the flames between him and the source of the voice died instantly. Axel was now surrounded by a semi-circle of fire, not a complete circuit. Beyond the dead flames was a petite woman in a black cloak exactly like Axel's. Her hands, too, were gloved and her hood was lifted to conceal her hair. She had a pretty face, but it seemed to be sneering at Axel.

"What? Who are you?" Axel asked. It was strange, but he realized that he no longer cared about the fire. The flames flickered around him, but he totally ignored them. They wouldn't hurt him. He was sure of that.

"What?" the woman replied, lowering her hood to reveal short-cropped blonde hair wrapped back around her ears. "I'm surprised you don't remember me, Axel. It's me, Larxene."

Axel glared at this new woman. She knew who he was? How? He'd never met this woman before!

"How do you know my name?" Axel demanded.

Larxene chuckled. "Oh, I know a lot more than that, Axel. I know that you manipulate the flames. You are a traitor of two kinds. You have no idea where you are. Oh, and you're utterly infuriated by the fact that I know these things about you."

Axel growled at the woman standing so mockingly in front of him. "Who the hell are you to know so much about me?" he demanded savagely.

Larxene merely smirked at Axel's response. "I am a colleague, Axel. Well, kind of, anyway. I am a member of an Organization that you not long ago betrayed. I am a traitor of that Organization that you also betrayed. I have no loyalty to you, Axel, there is no reason that you know of why I should keep you alive right now."

"That I know of," Axel repeated in a whisper. "What aren't you telling me?" he asked, louder.

Larxene turned her back to Axel and flipped her hood up. She was no longer distinguishable as a woman. "Follow me, Axel, and all your questions shall be answered."

Axel stepped back from Larxene's shrouded body. "Where are you planning on taking me?"

Larxene said nothing for a moment, then replied simply, "To see Roxas."

Axle's eyes widened. "Roxas." That name held a certain familiarity to it. It held…feelings. But how was that possible? Axel shouldn't be able to "feel" things…he…

…He had no heart.

"No heart," Axel whispered. His eyes were wide in fear. How could one exist without a heart? Maybe…Maybe Axel…Maybe Axel didn't exist at all.

Larxene's head visibly lowered. "You're recovering quicker than most of us did, Axel. Nothing less from you. You always were one of the smartest members of the Organization. Too smart for your own good, at times. That's why you were such a threat."

Axel didn't know what Larxene was referring to, but he realized that going with her might be able to help answer that question, along with many others. He stood up to his full height, which was considerably taller than Larxene. "Lead the way."

Larxene looked over her shoulder at the fiery-haired man. "Not afraid of Nothing, eh?"

Axel shook his head. He didn't truly exist. He had nothing to lose. There was no way he'd pass up learning about himself when he was so confused. Being confused angered Axel. Being angry angered Axel even more. Such feelings would only provoke the appearance of more flames. Those flames were things that Axel hoped to prevent. "You approached me, girly. You lead the way."

.oOo.

This is quite possibly the shortest chapter I've ever written for fanfiction. If you like Axel, stay tuned – this story's just getting started. Confusion and clarification abound in this story.

Read and review if you want to see a new chapter. :3