DISCLAIMER: Don't own don't sue DON'T CARE

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"So you got my features Memorized do you? Heh can't say I'm surprised. Bet you're wondering what I'm doing here right? Well it just so happens that I latched onto chrome dome's Darkness before I faded away and, here I am. Enough about me though. Man Roxas you sure got into a pickle this time didn't you? You're a mess!"

Sora shook his head,

"Sorry, Axel, Roxas isn't here. I know it sounds weird but he and I got separated during the struggle against the Possessors. I wish I could remember how I defeated this monster, but it looks like Roxas has that part. Something about a factory….spikes…..Man I wish I could remember! Oh well, I'm too tired to think of anything right now."

Namine gasped and forced herself to become visible, standing next to the Flurry of Dancing Flames, a look of worry on her soft delicate features as she cautioned the Keybearer in her pleading tone.

"No! Sora, whatever you do, DON'T SLEEP, or even close your eyes. If you want to keep what makes you…..YOU…..don't sleep!"

"But I'm so tired."

" I know its hard just please, don't sleep.. Roxas isn't doing it on purpose but he is slowly absorbing your memories. If you fall asleep while you two are separated then you may never wake up again. Stay awake, PLEASE!"

The wielder forced his eyes open and sighed tiredly before nodding. He understood the risks perfectly. If his Nobody absorbed all his memories he would be an empty shell. However the toll on his body was proving a force to be reconed with and the boy voiced his discomfort with a sigh.

"I'll stay awake, Namine, but it's going to be tough. My body….is so heavy and worn out. I wish I could remember how to cast Curaga, or had kept an Elixer from last time. PHOOEY!"

Axel smirked and leaned against the bars of the cage lazily, as if being caged up and basically on Death Row was no big deal for him. His entire demeaner was easygoing and mocking as he scoffed at Sora.

"HA! Some chosen wielder! I can't believe Xemnas wanted to merge all us Nobodies with such a whiner! No wonder Roxas got sick of hearing about you, You are WEAKER than he ever was!"

Riku's eyes flashed in rage and he flew at Axel, the Way to Dawn pressing against the redhead's throat as the boy hissed in a low, snarling tone,

"Shut up! You know NOTHING about the pain, challenges, even HEARTACHE that Sora has been through while bearing the Keyblade! You don't know his hurt, his determination, his duty and love for his friends that has driven him to brave DEATH on countless occasions! How can you emphasize anyway when you have no Heart to feel pity or sympathy? Mark my words Nobody if you say Sora is weak again I swear I'll KILL you!"

Axel raised his hands in surrender and backed off, "Sheesh ok I'm sorry. Can't say that I blame him on this one though. If bugs were eating the Emblem into MY flesh I'd be complaining too."

Sora looked down and groaned. Sure enough, there was the Heartless symbol, carved in his chest and starting to burn terribly. It began to glow a deep red and Namine began to panic.

"SORA!"

So did Riku.

"SORA NO! Don't fall into the Darkness! I've BEEN there remember? SORA!"

Axel shrugged, "Hey relax. We've nothing to worry about quite yet. Just because it's glowing doesn't mean he's becoming an Emblem. Relax!"

"Then what DOES it mean?" Kairi wanted to know. Axel smiled wryly and folded his arms as if the information he was about to give should be old news or at least farely obvious.

"It means old Bugbag isn't going to KILL Sora. Why would he, when an Emblem that can wield the Keyblade would be more valuable to his boss then a DEAD Keybearer? She would be displeased if he handed her a useless corpes don't ya think?"

Riku felt his blood run cold as a chill filled the room.

"She? You don't mean who I think you mean do you? Please tell me you're joking. It cant be…..HER."

The former member of Organization 13 pointed to green/black/yellow smoke that gave way to reveal the number two bad ggirl—2nd to the hag with the apple—who had materialized next to the table that held Sora captive.

"Yep, the old Dragon Lady herself. Hmmmmmm she just left. WOAH that is a TON of Shadows she left behind! Neos too by the look of some of them. I wonder why though…..Wait a second, I see now. Clever move."

Riku growled, "What?"

"The old hag doesn't want Oogie to play too roughly with her new toy so she sent Purebloods to make sure Sora remains relatively intact. Hey Namine, where is Roxas right about now?"

The white clad Nobody smiled softly,

"He is on his way Axel. He is quite eager to get back where he belongs. However…."

The girl's face fell and her voice trembled slightly as the bugs continued to gnaw and dig into Sora's chest while feeding the dark fires of the Boy's secret fear, pushing the Darkness at him through his terror. Sora held o to what little Light his friends lent him but each time they panicked the Light faded and his grip loosened, causing his terror to grow ever so slightly.

"…The Darkness in Sora is awakening thanks to his he succumbs, we will have one more Shadow to deal with and it will wield the Oblivion."

NO HE WILL NOT! That blade belongs to ME!

"Roxas! Heeey partner long time no exist eh?"

AXEL? AXEL! Hold on here I come! I'm almost at the door and—AGH HEY LEMME GO! MMMPH!

"Roxas? Roxas what's happening? ROXAS ANSWER ME!"

Axel's green eyes flashed and he grit his teeth, brandishing his Chakrams and creating a Corridor of Darkness.

"No…..it won't end like this…not when I've found you again. Hang in there Roxas. Let's hope that your number is still lucky!"

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"At Laaaaaaaaaaast, the Keybearer's Nobody is in my clutches! PETE! See to it that he stays with us. Oh don't bother waving that pathetic toy at me. You're mine Roxas…At laaaaaaaaaaaaast! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Roxas was tied with special rope and forced to recall the Oathkeeper and go limp. The ugly lady in black bent down and stroked his face with a gnarled hand making him shudder. Her eyes glowed hypnoticly as she smiled a snake's smile and cooed softly at her helpless victim, her tone the same she had used to snare Riku roughly two years ago.

"Do you know the power you possess, child? You have a gift—a wonderful gift that makes you unique. Yet you want to throw it away and lose your chance to be your own being. Why would you give up your uniqueness for the sake of one who obviously has everything you crave but cannot possess?"

Roxas thought for a moment but could not find an answer that would please the strange lady so he stated the truth.

"It's where I belong. I'm incomplete otherwise. Are we done? I really need to get going before its too late. I can feel my other self weakening as we speak. Please Let me go!"

Maleficent smirked, " So you admit to being the Keybearer's stronger side."

"Well, I wouldn't say THAT—"

"SILENCE! It has been made clear to me that without YOU, Sora is dead and that is all that matters. You say that you can…feel that wretched meddler. Well you can tell me when he has drawn his last breath and his heart becomes yours. Come Pete we have work to do. We must prepare to welcome Sora's Heartless into our humble ranks. After all…..we already have his Nobody."

Roxas hung his head as Maleficent and Pete disappeared in a flash of Yellow/green smoke, the witches cackle echoing off the walls of the stone structure.

The boy was instantly swarmed by Shadows but since he lacked what the fullbloods craved, the creatures soon ignored him and instead swarmed amongst themselves. A tear fell from the bold blue eyes of the trapped and helpless Nobody. Namine…I'm sorry.

The fullbloods suddenly found him quite interesting and crouched ready to spring and end his existence. Roxas waited. He had no heart to lose so would he simply turn to ash or be swallowed by the Darkness when the Heartless ate him? The boy closed his eyes as the Shadows sprung, ready to consume his being.

"Goodbye!"

WOOSH! CRACKLE CRACKLE BOOOOOOOOM!

Heartless burned from the inside and vanished into black smoke. Roxas was suddenly staring into green eyes that danced with sarcastic laughter, framed by flame-red wild locks and an ever-present smirk.

"Wow you've gotten sloppy while I was away Zombie Boy!"

Something inside Roxas clicked and a giant smile erupted on his face as the warm 'feeling' from before returned.

"AXEL!"

The redhead chuckled, "Took you long enough. OOF!"

Roxas had gotten loose and had glomped the man he considered his older brother, knocking Axel on his backside and to the older Nobody's mild surprise, CRYING in joy. He can't be shedding genuine tears can he? No it's impossible he has to be imitating something his other did emotionally. Still he isn't like the rest of us. Maybe...it is genuine.

"Axel!" Roxas sobbed, " I'm so….HAPPY you're alive! Through Sora's eyes I saw you fade away…..I though it was over—that I'd never see you again! I'll admit, before you faded back when we fought in Twilight Town—I had forgotten my time in the Organization….and about our friendship. Once I joined with Sora again though, it all came back….EVERYTHING…including the Sea Salt Ice cream!"

The boy was so excited that he didn't notice the huge strength drain the ropes had forced on him until he stopped talking and passed out. Axel chuckled and created a portal back to the lab,

"Come on workaholic as always, huh? You never knew when to take a break did you. We better RTS and fast or you are going to fade on me and I'm not about to let that happen. Hehehehehe"

Lets just hope we get there before the witch does or there wont be much of your Somebody to return to.

TO BE CONTINUED