Lost in the Darkness: Oathkeeper
Chapter 5 – Reverse
Zexion led Axel to the village, not a word passing from either's mouths. Zexion opened the door of a large building and gestured for Axel to enter before going in himself and closing the door.
Inside the building, he found the rest of Riku's siblings inside with the other villagers. Sora seemed much more giddier and hyper than usual, waving madly at Axel and bouncing, or rather more like vibrating in a wooden seat next to a table, which was lined with food. Kairi and Namine were muttering about something to each other, and Roxas nearly had his face in his food from his tiredness. Axel did not know what he had gone through last night, trying to keep him in check.
An unfamiliar trembling sensation ran through his stomach, and a tiny growl emerged.
What's this? He wondered.
Zexion stared at him.
"You're hungry right? Well go ahead, eat." He offered before looking away shyly.
Oh yeah! Axel thought stupidly. Now I remember! We used to eat too in the Organization, except we didn't ever feel hungry…
He froze stiff when he remembered the feelings. Zexion glanced at his direction worriedly, until Axel realized he was staring at him and quickly moved into the chair next to Sora, who was now giggling in a high-pitched voice.
"Hehehehe! Axel! It's so grooooooooovy to see you my man!" Sora squealed loudly before taking a long sip out of a suspicious-looking cup, emphasizing the word 'groovy'.
Axel only stared before nodding slowly. Sora giggled even more and slapped the Nobody hard on the back.
"Hehehehe! Do you like POTATOES!" Sora began vibrating in his chair even more, and Roxas actually managed to lift his head up before moving his chair several inches away from Sora's. "Well? WELL!"
"Uh…sure…" Axel replied uncertainly until Sora suddenly thrust a wriggling grub outward.
"THIS IS MY PET SQUIRREL! HIS NAME IS SAMUEL!" he cried loudly, now hugging the poor grub tightly.
"…I think you should take a nap, seriously." Axel suggested, and Roxas pulled his hyper brother into another room, which he assumed was a guest room.
Now 'alone' crowded near many strangers, Axel's hair on the nape of his neck stood up. It felt strange here, as if something was out of place. He just couldn't put his finger on it.
Zexion still had his sense of smell, and Marluxia still had…well…his flowers. And he still had his fire. And other things, like Marluxia…he wondered whether Zexion had other skills he had gained in the new world.
The talkative crowd suddenly fell to a hush. Namine looked out the window anxiously. Kairi whispered something to her, and she only shook her head up and down nervously.
The silence turned into murmurings and mutters. Zexion froze and turned his face to the window as well, before running out the door, nobody noticing him except Axel.
Looking around, he walked quickly out the door without anyone seeing.
Zexion was many feet ahead, which was a good thing, because he constantly looked back, and Axel was always somehow hidden behind a conveniently located tree. After a while, Zexion broke into a run, seeming to almost glide quickly across the beach sand.
Before long, Zexion entered a cave, and several minutes later, he was pulling a raft out to the entrance, before blocking the entryway with several boards as to keep the boat from drifting away, even though it was a good twelve or maybe thirteen feet away from the ocean. Axel turned his eyes back and saw the villagers flooding out the door and going high up towards the mountains. He saw Kairi, Namine, and Sora running towards the Gummi Ship.
He looked at Zexion and found him climbing up a vegetation-filled ledge before he crawled onto the top.
Then he felt the ground. It was shaking madly, and for a moment, he was convinced there was an earthquake. Several minutes later, the shaking stopped, and the beach water began to recede backwards…
"Oh cr-"
Axel never finished his sentence as an enormous wave began towering upwards. He began running towards the village, back to the Gummi Ship until he paused and looked at where Zexion was. The wave was almost as tall as the mountain he was on, and looked like it was prone to hitting him. But there was no time to be worrying about him, so he dashed on.
"Get in Axel!" Riku screamed over the din of the roaring water, pushing him in before closing the door. Several seconds later, they were up in the air, the wave slowly crashing down, nearly hitting them. Axel nearly screamed, but controlled himself as he watched the wave crash into the village, or mainly, the cliff that Zexion was on.
He gasped all of a sudden as they flew over the remains of the village. He saw a tiny raft floating through the ocean that was now sucking back the water, the tsunami over. On it, he saw a small figure sitting on it. It might have been his imagination, but it looked as if the figure was laughing in joy, before he vanished into the dark ocean.
It had happened so quickly… Axel thought, still in a daze. One second, we were probably having the time of our lives…and then that tsunami…
Zexion had known as soon as he looked out the window. He must have felt like a captive on the island, wanting to explore new worlds…
He closed his eyes abruptly, and saw something new.
"I want to get off of this island one day…there's nothing to do on it, and it's too…tranquil." Riku sighed.
"That's why we made this raft." Sora added.
"Yeah…" Kairi sighed dreamily.
"Finally! We'll leave the island together, and we'll find new places to explore!" Riku exploded excitedly, and Sora grinned, along with Kairi.
Like Sora, Riku, and Kairi?
For the last bits of night, everyone slept, including Sora, who was extremely tuckered up after his…interesting explosion of excitement on the island.
Axel spent the rest of the night wondering what would happen to Zexion.
Was he still drifting?
Had he found land?
Thousands of thoughts rushed through his head. A part of him told him that there was nothing to worry about, another side said that he shouldn't be thinking stupid things, and the last said that there was no reason to be worrying or not.
…But still…
Even if their short friendship had started out rough, he was still his 'friend', and he didn't want Zexion to get hurt in any way.
"Hey, will you turn down the lights?" Sora mumbled from his bed, which was across Axel's.
They had finally obliged to let Axel sleep in their room again, Roxas saying that they could keep a better eye on him.
"…Oh…Ok." Axel replied, and closed the lamp besides his bed.
He glanced warily at Roxas, who was sleeping across the room.
He still didn't remember him.
Had he forgotten everything?
The morning came all too soon. It felt like as soon as he managed to close his eyes and sleep, Riku, who was now piloting towards a new world, sent them into one that was currently in the afternoon at the time.
Sora moaned and closed all the windows before snoozing on. Axel could no longer sleep. He got out of bed and tried to walk out the door, but he stopped when he passed Roxas, who was breathing evenly.
"Roxas…" he sighed sadly, and ran a finger through a gold lock of his hair. "Why don't you remember?"
Roxas stirred in his sleep slightly, but continued sleeping.
"Don't you remember anything?" Axel murmured quietly, still running his fingers through his hair.
Roxas rolled over slightly, and moaned silently in his sleep.
"…B…brother…don't go…" he whimpered, and clutched his covers tightly.
Axel moved his hand away before getting up and leaving.
Perhaps this brother he was talking about was the one Namine was writing about. Who the heck was he, anyways?
When he went into the restroom to check on the wound that the Neo Shadow had dealt on him, he was horrified to find it had grown into the shape of the Organization symbol. It pulsed blue, just like the way his blood did when it spattered onto the floor and crystallized.
"What is this…" he sighed exasperatedly, running his finger down his back.
He tried using a Mega Elixir in the closet, but the symbol stayed. Finally he gave up and left the room.
Outside, Riku was waking everyone up, telling them that he had found a place they could live temporarily instead of flying around every day. After all, they no longer had a home.
"Wonder what's happening back home…" Kairi wondered aloud. "I mean, with all those weird creatures running about, I don't know if the neighborhood kids stand a chance…"
"Together they would…" Namine said. "I mean, they were a brutal force alone, and together, they're stronger."
Sora looked towards Roxas.
"Do you think everyone's ok?"
Roxas tried to think, but his memories of home seemed to be slipping away. He felt as if he was going hysterical, but he quickly brushed it off, and nodded.
What is this? Am I forgetting bits of my memories?
Riku was now leading them out of the Gummi Ship. The sight that greeted their eyes was incredible.
"You like it?" Riku asked proudly.
"More than that…" Sora stuttered, awe-struck.
It was a tranquil looking town, almost like the one they had left, except for the fact that the area was bright and cheerful, with plants creeping almost everywhere. Fine looking homes ran along the street, several abandoned, but in great condition. The sun sat lazily overhead…
And was hovering right over a great bell tower.
Twilight…Town?
Axel thought, and looked over to Roxas, searching if he remembered.
Roxas' expression was impossible to read, so he ignored him for the time.
But Roxas was remembering.
This area looks so familiar…the sun always stays above, casting the shadows down in the same position as if it's stuck that way…twilight…
The continuous impulses of light returned, this time with some more new memories.
There were those weird white things that walk funny…What were they called? Desks? Ducks? …Wait, Dusks!
And then they were attacking me…His eyes widened.
And then there was Axel…?The memories suddenly faded away, leaving him profoundly confused.
"Come on you guys! I found a place where we can stay for several days so we can stock up on supplies – someone's been taking the elixirs, and I don't know who…" Riku continued babbling until he led them to an abandoned, but well made house, better than the one they used to stay in.
"This. Is. Perfection." Sora squealed before hopping onto an old but comfortable couch. "Riku, how did you find this place?"
Riku pondered for a second.
"I just did?" he tried.
Sora grinned.
"I could stay here forever!"
Axel stared at Roxas, who was now sitting besides Sora and trying to move him so he could have some room.
But I couldn't. I want to go back to my regular life. I want to return. I want Roxas to return. Back to the old Roxas.
"Is there something wrong?" Riku demanded when he saw Axel's uncertain face.
"N-no!" he shouted, jumping up in surprise. "No! There's nothing wrong!"
Namine turned her head slightly to look at Axel. There was some strange memory slowly forming in her mind, like a chain linking to new memories. It had been right when Riku had asked what was wrong.
I know that uncertain look in his face. One side of her mind exploded. Shocked by what her mind was telling her, she looked closer at Axel's face. I know you. The voice hissed in her mind again.
"I know you…" she mouthed the words to herself, looking on to the floor.
Whatever her mind was telling her; it was all a lie, all a lie. There was no way she could know him. All her life had been with her brothers and her sister. That was all she remembered.
But who is big brother? The voice questioned, prying into her mind again.
"Who is big brother?" she whispered.
Axel's ear almost seemed to twitch. What he had just heard, was it his imagination? He was remembering things that had never happened before now, times at a beach he never saw in his entire non-existence, a park that was now empty and barren, and a night sky, sights all unfamiliar to his eyes.
And there was Namine. He saw her being pulled away by Riku, Sora, Roxas, and Kairi. She was screaming something, but he couldn't tell. He looked over to where she was grasping to, and saw something – or someone being dragged into the lake by heartless.
"Brother!"
The screams suddenly made sense, and he looked over again to whatever was being dragged away.
"Namine!"
There was a flash of red, and he knew instantly. It was him.
They knew him. He used to know.
How could it be? He had been a nobody for all his life before he hadn't been one. What could it mean?
Memories flooded his brains, every once-empty scene suddenly filling with life before he became a nobody. The beach. It was crowded with people. And there they were. Sitting under an umbrella. He too, was with them. And the park. It was suddenly filled with animals. Namine was crying, her leg bleeding. Sora was panicking. Axel was carrying her. And the stars. They sat together at their home staring up into the night.
Even though he was still confused, everything seemed to be making sense.
"Who is little sister?" he said quietly.
Namine jolted upwards.
Who is little sister? Only one person said that. She knew. Only her brother would reply that after she asked, "Who is big brother?" It had been when he had just returned home from a great battle. She had just been born, but that was when her parents died, or just left them. Roxas had explained that Axel was her big brother, and she had asked that…and Axel had looked down at her, just figuring out she was his little sister, and replied "Who is little sister?" before ruffling her hair.
It had been happy times.
But was this truly her big brother?
Riku, Sora, Kairi, and Roxas were already unpacking things into the house. But Namine stood, transfixed, wondering.
Axel had already left and was helping the others unpack.
Yes, every single movement…it was just like his…
The deft movement when he brushed a loose strand of hair aside…
The quiet cheerless sigh…
It had to be him.
The room was already filled with old belongings, the beds from the Gummi Ship, and other supplies. Kairi had found a bag, and was pleased with the contents, which was some money, and a lot of it. They split it up evenly quickly before getting to work once more.
But the same thoughts continued to bother Namine. If this was their brother, how did he get back? And why didn't he remember them? It had been around twelve years now…but would he really forget about them?
Bitter tears stung in her eyes. Was her mind only playing tricks on her to make her happy again?
Sorry for not updating quicker. It's not writer's block. It's…school… blech…
Thank you for the reviews. It supports me alot. Thanks...