AN Did I say Sunday? Oh sorry LOL well the poles came in one negative one positive so I made a solution that I HOPE everyone can live with! Thatnks guys for your support YOU ROCK AL OF YOU! Now Back to the Story!
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Namine clasped her hands to her chest,
"Sora, Roxas…..just gave you back your memories. He has a little of his own, so he is basicly an empty shell again. If he had no memories of his own he would have faded like a Dusk. Malefiscent wil take advantage of this and mold him into her Puppet. Do you understand now? Roxas took your place."
Sora hung his head, the full weight of the girl's words finally sinking in,
"So Roxas is getting reprogrammed just like—"
"Just like me."
The voice came out of the shadows and the speaker revealed himself. Silver hair and blue eyes glimmered in the pale light , his appearance unchanged since Castle Oblivion,
"Just like me, another tool to be used then desposed of after he serves his purpose."
Kairi gasped, :"Riku?"
The figure shook his head,
"No just an imitation. Not that its important, but I go by Xenoman now, Xeno for short. You, Keybearer, should have fun figuring out the significance of that name since you are oh-so-clever."
Sora was confused,
"Um, have we met?"
"YOU FORGOT ABOUT ME?"
Namine stepped in,
"It isn't his fault! When I fixed his memories I had to erase his Memory of Castle Oblivion. He remembers NOTHING connected to that advenbture."
Axel growled and stepped forward,
"Look, as much as I'm suprized to see you here, Xeno, my priority right now is getting out and getting to Roxas before that witch can do damage. If you haver any info at all please enlighten us."
Xeno leaned over and crossed his arms,
"You are already too late to do anything for the Nobody, flameboy. The reason I am here at all is because Malefiscent called me into existence to be her tin soldier. I refused to be used as anyone's puppet ever again, and escaped. I saw a figure in an Organization cloak, head bowed, and descided to see what this was about. Maleficent beckoned him closer and spoke his name. He looked up and followed as if he were in some sort of trance. I followed and heard her drawl on for fifteen minutes about her plan to use your Nobody to erase your memories one at a time and turn you into her dog."
The replica kneeled, as if standing was too much for him, then stood and leaned on the cage to continue his report,
"Roxas didn't like the idea and instead of stripping your memories, he replaced them, but doing so nearly cost him his own existence. He made a deal with Maleficent: since half of his mind was blank, he agreed to become your replacement as the Keybearer of Darkness. He weilds the Oblivion and one called Ode To Ruin. After a special ceremony, Malefiscent left, and I approached Roxas. He gave me this…."
Xeno fell again, clearly on his last ounce of strength, and summoned a familiar looking Keyblade. Sora gasped, "The Oathkeeper!"
Xeno nodded, his voice weak as he struggled stubbornly to stay conscious,
"He gave it to me to give to Namine, along with this message, 'I will be here to protect you, no matter what happens'"
Xeno took his last breath as he handed the Oathkeeper to Namine and opened the cage, his final act of defiance complete as he sank once again into the void of Darkness. This time for good. At least he hoped so.
Namine took the angel-winged Keyblade and pressed it against her heart, a tear sliding down her cheek, "Oh…..Roxas." she murumured sadly.
Kairi socked Sora hard and shed a tear of her own,
"And YOU said they have no Hearts! That was a pretty touching and sweet gesture for two heartless beings don't you think?"
Axel stared off into the distance, remembering a past conversation he had with Roxas a long time ago, while they watched the sunset from the Clock Tower after a successful mission. Are you really sure that you don't have a heart? He had asked. Roxas had said he didn't know—but then he had laughed Genuinely laughed. Only people with hearts could do a heartfelt, real laugh.
Axel had told his friend that he was special but had never told Roxas why he was so unique, besides the fact that he was Sora's Nobody and could weild the Keyblade.
"You know, I think Roxas is the exception to that profiling rule."
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"Are you ready, Denizen of Darkness?"
He took a deep breath. It was time. After this swearing in, there would be no going back. He was ready, it was time to take the plunge. For them. For her.
"Yes."
"Good. Now my boy, release your wrath and that of the Keyblade on the Heartless! Go, Roxas—and begin your existence as the Night's Bearer!"
A corridor opened and Maleficent paused thoughtfully,
"If you happen to run into the chosen weilder, that Denizen of Light….make sure to remember that he stands in our way. Deal with him as you would any other enemy."
The hooded figure gulped but nodded, then began his deep plunge into the shadows, the mad lady's cackle echoing through his head.
Malefisent smiled in satisfaction as she watched him go, then turned to a familiar figure and gestured to it.
"Make sure my pet stays on task. He is still unstable and needs to be supervised."
"How?" came the wisper, a cockingn of the shadowy, spiked head.
"Don't ask stupid questions! You are his shadow are you not? Use that to your advantage and GO! Take that disgusting creature with you- its lust for its host's heart may prove to be of some use."
Shadow Roxas shuddered but obeyed, taking Antiform with him into another Corridor, where he began tailing the Dark Bearer with the utmost stealth.
Antiform of course knew nothing about sneaking and galloped right up to his hosts Nobody, chittering like a monkey and crawling all over Roxas's cloak, finally perching on his head and staring down with his cold, yellow eyes curiously.
The Nobody looked up at him and giggled. "I'm sorry, I don't have what you're craving, Anti. Come on I sense Heartless nearby. Maybe we can cook something up for you, come on."
The creature looked at him and hopped down, sitting at Roxas's feet like a pup. The Nobody couldn't help but wonder if Antiform truly was evil as the beady, glowing eyes stared at him with an innocent stare as if the silent, dark, bestial-minded being was begging to join the Dark Wielder on his quest.
"Well, I guess you can come but try to stay out of the way ok? Unless you want to end up like your cousins. Maleficent restored my ability to command my Samurai but they wont leave me alone. I guess I have to take them along too. Let's go."
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"Axel, Roxas is a Nobody. You know as well as anyone that he can't have emotions let alone fall in love."
Kairi was doubtful. "Then how do you explain the gesture?"
Sora's reply was cut off as he was suddenly once again too weak to stand, pitching forward as he lost his balance. Riku caught him then set him gently down. He then growled and snarled at the empty air.
"I know you are here, witch. I can smell the Darkness eminating from your foul being. Show yourself Maleficent!"
The evil witch laughed and waved him off, then turned her full attention to Sora and put her hand on the boy, making him shudder and paralyzing him with the Chilling Touch. Sora was unable to resist. He was weak, tired and his chest burned terribly. He tried and succeeded to summon the Keyblade but doubted that he would be able to lift it above his thigh let alone wield it. Maleficent knew all this and further poisoned the boy, making Sora's knees buckle.
Riku cringed. He knew this power. It was the power Xehanort's Heartless had released in the Dragon Lady on the day Roxas was 'born'. The day Sora had proven his selfless love and deepest friendship by freeing Kairi's Heart at the cost of his own. The day he, Riku, had been momentarily freed from the all-consuming Darkness. The same Darkness that now held his rescuer and was rendering him completely helpless.
Malefiscent smiled sickeningly sweet at the silver-haired youth then bent down to Sora's ear.
"Sora." The dragon's voice hissed in calm, deadly malice as if uttering a curse, "Your time in the Light has ended. You were granted a second, slim chance by your Nobody but do not imagine that I am just going to grant you your freedom because of Roxas's actions. You owe me many assets, Keybearer. One of them being a castle. I have given it a lot of thought, but I need your honest opinion. I was thinking, something on the water perhaps…..a beach setting this time."
Sora bolted upright, the trance suddenly broken as he realized the true meaning of the dark hint. The Ultima Weapon flashed into existence and was swung at the witch as its bearer exploded with rage, his blue eyes sparking with righteous fury as he snarled threateningly,
"NO WAY! I will DIE before I let you step one foot on the Islands!"
Malefisent laughed at him, paralyzing the boy once again with the Dark Touch,
"My boy, I think it would be wise for you to be careful of what you say. I would prefer your death to be during my grand opening of my new abode. Roxas is prepairing the castle even as we speak and soon the spat of hope you had will be all but consumed by the Shadows. You are far too late. Yes, I see Shadows everywhere."
"No….." the boy croaked, despair and self-loathing washing over him like the waves he swam in. Not only had he failed to protect his Nobody, he had failed to protect his home as well.
"They pop up out of the ground in droves. I doubt the people living there will be people much longer."
"No…Please no….." Sora dropped to his knees, the weight of his regret too much for him to handle.
Riku grit his teeth, "Stop it Maleficent! Leave him alone!"
The hag laughed at him and continued her assault as Sora continued to wallow in self-loathing and guilt. Maleficent suddenly scowled and Axel smirked as she3 snarled,
"Leave the Shadows be you fool! They are useless! We want Emblems so stop waistuing your energy on the Fullbloods!"
Axel scoffed,
"Whats the matter? Your toy not performing as advertized? He going against his programming? Maybe there is a little too much Sora in him. You can't tame Roxas like you've cowed Sora."
Maleficent scowled as she saw that Axel was right. Roxas ignored his orders and saved the people from the multiplying Fullbloods. However, Sora was a different story.
The Keybearer was slowly losing his heart to despair, Darkness, and doubt, all according to plan for the Dragon Lady. Her poison seeped into the boy's mind and body, paralyzing him and snuffing his fire until only smoldering ashes were left and he fell to the ground, unwilling to even stand up.
"Come on Sora! I know you're stronger than that!" Riku goaded, knowing full well what the witch was doing to his friend and not wantring it to happen. The taunt did not reach Sora at all this time and the silver-haired boy knew that the poison had truly sapped the young hero of every shred of will he had inside him.
"LIAR! You said that you'd take Roxas and leave Sora alone! YOU LIED!" Kairi raged, tears streaming down her face as she also saw Sora's will disintegrate.
Riku nodded and snarled words that the witch herself had uttered to him years ago, with slight alterations but the impact was the same.
"Lest you forget….Roxas kept his end of the bargain."
Maleficent laughed, his words amusing her as she released the friends from the holding spell she had cast earlier to keep them out of her way. "Quite right my boy.I shall leave. However, whether the Keybearer recovers or not is entirely up to him. If he wishes to defeat me he must realize this fact. The odds are against him in this regard it seems and his time is running out. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The witch disappeared in a puff of green/black smoke her evil cackle chilling the room even more than it was before. As soon as she left the friends rushed to Sora, crouching around the fallen hero.
Namine shuddered. "Sora….."
There was no response from the keybearer.
"Sora!" Kairi cried, taking ahold of his gloved hand, clutching it in her own, "Come on Lazy bum get up!" Still nothing.
Riku tried next, his voice soft but firm as he reached out to his friend through their special, unbreakable bond that not even the Darkness could taint let alone destroy.
"Sora….Wake up!"
TBC