Part 3: The Sacrifice
Four years later… Catalina- 15, Axel- 17
It was past noon on Saturday and I was being shaken awake by my boyfriend, Axel. "Mmrgh. What do you want?" I asked sleepily.
"Get UP!" he commanded.
"NO!" I replied stubbornly, "and why should I?" I really didn't want to get up. Axel and I had gone to a party the night before (please don't ask you seriously don't want to know), and I hadn't gotten my 12 hours of sleep.
"Because I said so and it's your birthday! How could you—never mind."
Yes my birthday. Why wasn't I excited? My parents died that day. Didn't I tell you guys that already? You need to pay attention. Anyway, I dragged myself out of bed. I must've been a hilarious sight, because Axel was laughing at me. "You're my boyfriend right?"
"Yes…" he replied, trying to see where I was going with this.
"Doesn't that mean you're supposed to love me with all of your non-existent heart?"
He finally understood and replied, "Okay, fine. I'm sorry." You're probably wondering why I said 'non-existent heart' huh? Well, since we arrived here at Castle Oblivion, Axel and I had discovered that we were known as something called 'nobodies'. We don't truly exist, but we still are. Okay! Now, back to the story! Since he had gotten me out of bed, I figured we could grab something in the food hall. "Okay. Go away and I shall met you in the food hall, 'kay?" I told him.
"Of course love. See ya in ten." He replied. I kissed him on the cheek and scooted him out of my room. I changed and washed up, then went down to food place. When I got there, I saw a cake that said, 'Happy 15th Birthday Cat!' I looked up and saw Axel and my other friends, Demyx, Larxene, and Zexion smiling at me. "Aww. Thanks guys!" I said, giving them all hugs.
"No prob." Demyx said, using my head as an arm rest.
"Yea," Larxene said, leaning on Zexion's chest. "It was mostly Axel's idea though."
"Really?" I asked, "Who knew you could cook, baby?" Everyone laughed at my joke, including Axel.
"Hey!" Axel said, pretending to be hurt. "If you're gonna be that way then… NO CAKE FOR YOU!"
"Don't deny Cat her cake." Zexion warned him, draping his arms around Larxene's shoulders. "It's bad luck."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Let's eat, I'm starving!"
…
After about an hour of talking and eating, Axel and I were alone again. We were sitting on a couch in my room. I was leaning against Axel resting my head on his shoulder, with my legs stretched over the rest of the cushions. He just sat up against the couch absentmindedly stroking my hair. Usually, I loved times like these, but something seemed to be troubling Axel. So I asked, "Anything wrong, Axel?"
My voice seemed to get him out of his trance because he replied, "yea, yea. I'm fine."
"This has to do with what you heard earlier doesn't it?" When we had been walking back from my little 'party', Axel had heard someone talking. He had stopped to listen, but when I tried, I hadn't heard anything. When whoever was apparently done talking, Axel pulled his ear away from the wall. He hadn't told me what he heard, but he seemed more worried then he usually would be about whoever was tracking me. Anyway, he must've heard the worry in my voice, because he just smiled and replied, "No. It's just that, well, I forgot to get you a present. Please don't hate me!"
"Oh, Axel! You don't ever need to get me a present!" I told him, on the verge of tears. "Just being with you on my birthday is a present in itself."
"Aww… thanks Cat. That means a lot to me." He hugged me tightly, squeezing the air out of my lungs.
"That's great Axel," I replied, patting him on the back. "Now please let go before I die.
He let go blushing. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"It's okay!" I told him, punching him lightly in the arm. "Now c'mon. Let's go take a walk around the yard."
We wandered out to the yard. In the halls, people wished me a happy birthday. Even that creepy Xigbar guy. He had an eye patch, and no one knew where it had come from. Then there was Xemnas. He was sort of like a dad to me. It had been he who let Axel and I live in Castle Oblivion. On our way out, Xemnas stopped us and asked, "Where are you going?"
I smiled and told him, "just out to the yard." He nodded, and then gave Axel a weird look. I looked over and saw that Axel was giving him 'the eye'. I smiled nervously and dragged Axel out to the yard.
"What was that about?" I demanded.
"What?" he asked
"THE LOOK! You were giving him the look!" I yelled.
"Sorry!" he replied defensively. "I just don't really trust Xemnas, that's all."
"Why?" I asked, concerned.
"I don't know. I just—" he stopped. I followed his eyes and saw someone who looked like the person who had burned my house. Axel summoned his chakrams and told me "hide! They might be here!" I saw a tree and scrambled up to the top and looked down. I watched as Axel ran over to the bushes where we thought we saw whoever was tracking me. He jumped over the bushes and started searching. 10 minutes later, he came back and called up to me, "don't worry! No one's there."
I nodded and jumped down from the tree. "Are you sure no one's there?" I asked, still worried.
"Don't worry. There's no one there, and if there is, I'll protect you." Axel replied hugging me. I leaned against him, patting his arm. "Now c'mon. Let's go take that walk."
We walked arm-in-arm talking about whatever popped into our heads and pointed out random things, like how that tree looked like so-and-so, or that cloud looked like this shape or that shape, and sometimes, we didn't say anything. For some reason, I felt as if someone was following me. I doubted it, so I didn't say anything to Axel to worry him. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was tackled from behind. I yelped and fell to the ground. Then I heard Axel yell, "Xemnas! What do you want with Catalina?"
"Just to kill her and nothing more." He replied coolly.
I gasped the one person who was like a parent to me had betrayed me. "I trusted you Xemnas!" I cried. "How could you do this?"
He pointed to my necklace. "Your necklace has some very unique powers, and I can't take it unless the one who wears it is dead! How was I supposed to get it if you didn't trust me?"
A chakram whizzed by headed for Xemnas. He stepped aside making it miss him. As the chakram returned to Axel, Xemnas spoke. "I thought you could do better than that Axel." He taunted.
"I won't let you kill her!" Axel shouted at him. I watched in horror as Axel prepared to begin his powerful kamikaze attack.
"Axel! No!" I screamed. "Don't do it!"
"Would you really kill yourself just so I can't kill her?" Xemnas asked.
"I would rather DIE than see anything bad happen to her!" Axel snapped. With that, he unleashed his attack. A ring of fire surrounded their battle area, so I couldn't see what was happening, but I knew what would happen. After about 30 seconds, the ring of fire dissipated. I ran over to the charred area. On one side, Xemnas lay, motionless and fading. On the other side, Axel lie on his back. I went over to Axel and started crying. "Don't leave me Axel! Don't leave me!"
"I won't." he told me. "I'm with you, forever and always."
"But you're going to, to, fa- fade!" I stuttered.
He shook his head and said, "That's not what I meant. I meant that I'll be with you in spirit as long as you don't forget me."
I nodded and held back my tears and watched as he began to fade. It seemed like I was watching him forever. Then right before he completely faded, he whispered, "Remember, forever and always." Then, he was gone. I sat there and began to cry again. Then a song began to play in the back of my head.
I promise you,
I won't forget,
The times we shared,
The tears we cried.
You'll always be the sun in my sky.
It may be fate,
That brings us back,
To meet again someday.
Even though we go separate ways.
I cried harder at this part, knowing that it could never be true, and the song continued to play.
You made me believe,
That I could do almost anything.
You stood right by me,
Withdrew the tears through everything.
At this point, Larxene, Demyx, and Zexion found me at the same spot still crying. They helped me up and took me inside.
I'll remember you,
And baby that's forever true,
You're the one that I'll always miss.
Never thought it would feel like this.
I'll be there for you,
No matter what you're goin' through.
In my heart you'll always be,
Forever baby,
I'll remember you.
The song finally stopped taunting me. How ironic that the song should use 'heart' when I have none, I thought to myself. My three friends kept asking what happened and where Axel was. I took a breath and told myself not to cry, that Axel would want me to be strong, and told them what happened.
-FIN!-
Didn't I tell you guys it was gonna be sad? Please don't hate me. Reviews make me feel better.
