Chapter 3: Memories Inked On Photos Faded

The truth didn't surprise Riku. Hell, he could care less about it. Now eliminating Sora was merely a mission, one that involved saving the universe. When Riku had first herd that his dear beloved friend Sora had turned towards the darkness it had been personal. Now, involving the entire universe, it was just a mission. Kill him. He didn't want to do it, but he was faced with limited options. " Why didn't you tell me something was wrong Sora? I would have helped you."

…

Sora was sitting on the beach eating a sandwich. It had only been a day since they had gotten home and he was acting if nothing had happened.

"Sora, what's up" Riku called over to his friend, smiling. He owed Sora his life after that battle with Xemnas.

Sora didn't even look up. " Nothing" he said, his voice barely audible.

…

Riku should have known something was up then, after Sora became quite and more withdrawn from them. The months before he disappeared he completely stopped talking period.

"Riku" Zexion said softly, poking him on the back.

"Owww" he groaned, he still felt like shit.

"Come on Riku, there's work to be done. If your well enough to brood over your ignorance then your well enough to deliver this for me" Zexion muttered and shoved a package at Riku's chest. "Deliver it down the block, the building with the red neon sign, he should give you a package to give to me."

Without further explanation he walked away from Riku and back to taking notes on a small experiment he had set up involving some weird jelly like substance Zexion seemed to be fascinated by.

Riku got up without arguing and left to deliver it and get it over with. Boy was he surprised when he saw who opened the door. "Axel?"

Axel gave him an odd glance and muttered a slow "yeah…that's my name. What do you want?" He didn't seem to recognize Riku. Maybe he was just a different guy who looked exactly like Axel and had the same name…unlikely. Axel was observing Riku then saw the package. " Did Zexion send you?" Riku nodded. " Come in"

Riku did as he was told and followed Axel in. "Axel? Didn't you…. oh…I dunno… do something along the lines of die?" Riku remembered Axel vaguely from the Organization. He remember Sora had told him all the stories of his adventures starting with when the Destiny Islands disappeared over a year ago all the way up until he found Riku again. It had been one of the rare times Sora talked after they had gotten back. He distinctly remembered Sora telling him about Axel dieing.

Axel looked at him then laughed. " Oh …yeah for a while kinda… it's a long story…say, how did you know?"

"Sora told me"

Axel's stare suddenly hardened. While Axel obviously didn't Remember Riku he did remember Sora. Sora and his twisted little games. 'If it weren't for Sora I wouldn't be alive… If it weren't for Sora I wouldn't have died in the first place… If it weren't for Sora I'd have my heart back earlier… If it weren't for Sora, Organization XIII would still be here… 'He thought bitterly. He was ready to throw Riku right out the door, when he remembered Zexion had sent him.

It hadn't occurred to Riku that Axel might have some hard feelings till Axel looked like he was ready to strangle Riku for merely mentioning Sora's name. "Not that you'd probably care much, but Sora is no longer in the hero business. He'd a bad guy now" Riku explained, which he was awarded a perplexed yet satisfied grin from Axel.

"I knew it. I knew Roxas well, and he really had a passion for evil, if you want to call it that. I could tell when I stared into Sora's eyes that he had it too. He suppressed that yearning to taste evil until now though? That kid's got self control." Axel laughed coldly as he gazed at Riku.

Riku shoved the package at Axel and said "can I go now?" Just because Sora had walked away from the light…that made him evil? Riku hated himself for agreeing to kill his best friend for all those years. Sora was going to kill them all if he wasn't stopped, but that didn't make it easy.

"keep your shirt on, I haven't even opened it yet" Axel muttered. Then he grinned and said " ..or you can take it off, I really don't much care." Axel giggled and Riku's eyes widened.

"Pervert" Riku muttered under his breath, glaring at Axel. He watched as Axel ripped the package open, a small box. He opened the box which had in it…chakrams? And a letter. Axel glared at the chakrams, a reminder of who he once was. He opened the letter and his emerald eyes darted back and forth across the paper, frowning as he went.

Axel looked over at Riku. "The lost souls…" he whispered, setting the letter down. Axel's eyes locked onto Riku's and Riku found himself unable to look away. "Sora told you I died. Yeah…I did. And I became one of the Lost Souls. I take it Zexion has told you about these abominations. I was brought here, to this world, where the surviving fragments of my soul were damned to wander, unable to do anything. It's not like being a nobody, it's not even like being a heartless. Its indescribable, how painful it is." Riku though for a moment his eyes were playing tricks on him. He saw Axel's eyes glaze over, then he blinked and they were gone. "You've never been a Nobody. I always thought it was the ultimate punishment. You can't feel anything, and its awful. But being one of the lost souls…that's the ultimate. You can't feel, emotional or physically. You're like a ghost. I had to live like that for five years before Zexion came…" he stopped, his eyes glazing over again. Riku looked at him questioningly, but didn't push for anymore.

Soon Axel regained himself and Riku asked "and he saved you?"

"You could say that. Zexion is our savior, but he can't save himself. The other twelve members of Organization XIII were all slain, or in Roxas's case restored, but he went on living. He found out about the lost souls, and then he came to this world looking for us. This is the world where all the lost souls live you know. He found us, those of Organization XIII soul's that survived. A lot of times weak souls just dissipate into nothingness. He developed away to restore us, and not only our bodies, but our hearts." Axel placed a hand over his chest and frowned. "But it won't work for him. Really tragic, he saved us but no one can save him. See, what he used to restore us only works on lost souls. and Zexion is the only one that can do the procedure. So no one can do it for him. He's damned to live forever, without a heart. Vexen is the only one I can think would be possibly able to work that thing of Zexion's, but Vexen's soul was shredded when it was ripped from his body. Only those of us that submitted willingly to death our souls survived. The tighter the soul clings to the dieing body, the less likely it is to survive. Only four of us survived actually. Xigbar, Xaldin, Larxene, and I were the only ones that lived, that we know of. Its possible the others are out their amongst all the other lost souls. Zexion hasn't dared go back to the lair of the Lost Soul's since he was attacked after retrieving Xaldin's soul. I'd hate to think the others are still out their, waiting for us to come get them." Axel frowned again and then sighed. " Nothing we can do about it. And you say Sora's joined up with them? That means Roxas…" Axel stopped, not wanting to think anymore about it.

"Wait, so you have hearts now? How could that be?" Riku asked, intrigued. What had Zexion done to bring them back, and give them hearts?

"Yeah, don't ask me how it works. It has something to do with our memories, which is why it only works for nobodies like we were. We're indebted to Zexion for what he did for us. He claims it was all for science but sometimes I wonder. Maybe he has a fragment of a heart in him. And that's why I have to fight again…because I owe him a favor. I vowed to never pick these up again once I had my heart back…but I will…for Zexion" He muttered, holding the chakrams. Riku cocked an eyebrow at Axel, confused. Axel sighed and said " Zexion has asked me to help destroy Roxas…I mean Sora. Come on, ummm what did you say your name was?"

Riku had forgot he hadn't introduced himself. " I didn't, but it's Riku." And then it seemed to click. Axel stared at him in disbelief.

"Riku? Sora's friend Riku?" He asked, sounding shocked. Riku nodded and Axel shook his head " wow, you sure are a lot different from that brat I remember from oh so long ago. Wow" Axel said and laughed. Riku glared at him and he stifled his laughter. "Well then Riku, let us proceed to the basement of my home." Again Riku's eyes widen at his comment and Axel sighed. " Get your mind out of the gutter. The other surviving members are all down there. I have to tell them about Zexion's letter. He might need their help to, if he plans to kill Rox- Sora. And…your going to help him? Wow, must be tough wasn't he your best friend?"

"Was" Riku highlighted.

"Okay, so you don't have a problem with murdering your friend in cold blood?"

"To save the universe" Riku pointed out.

Axel nodded and said " its your conscience, but it's my revenge. Don't get in my way, I wont hesitate to go right through you to get back at Sora."

Riku nodded and followed Axel down the stairs

((Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long. Due to it not being so popular it was on the bottom of my update list. I finally got around to it though. Hope you find it interesting so far. The four living Organization members were all totally random, aside from Larxene, because it's just not one of my fics without her in it somewhere. Keep a lookout for the next chapter, things are going to get interesting really fast when Riku , Zexion, and Axel are all attacked by Lost Souls, with more than one familiar face in the next chapter: Reunion ))