We talked all through the night last night. I introduced Roxas to the symphony — "a long song played by lots of people together to create a kind of music far bigger than anything you've ever heard in the streets of Twilight Town," I explained to him. I also taught Roxas a bit about the guy who wrote my favorite symphony — he had a long, difficult-to-pronounce name, so I called him "Shosty" because it was easier to memorize — and how he wrote it for the people of his world.

"The Leningraders were being attacked by a huge group of people called an 'army,' who came from another world called 'Germany,'" I narrated to Roxas. "Shosty wanted to write a symphony to give other worlds an idea of what his people were going through and cheer the Leningraders up. That's why he called it the 'Leningrad' Symphony."

"You mentioned how symphonies are long. How long was this one?" Roxas asked.

"About an hour and twenty minutes," I recalled.

"Wow! That's almost as long as our mission took."

"Most of that time was spent walking, really. When you get good at these, you'll have a lot of free time on your hands."

"Yeah. Hey, I wanna listen to it."

"You sure, buddy? It takes a bit of patience to listen to something that long. I should know — I'm the impatient type."

But Roxas insisted, and I took my music player and headphones and handed them to the kid.

I knew the whole thing from memory and could hear the music playing in my own head as clearly as it would be if I were right there with the audience.

DUN, dun, DUN, dun-DUN! Dun, dun-DUN (BA-baba-BA), dun-DUN-dun-DUN-dun, DUN, dun-DUN…

Man, what an intro! But the best part was the theme — so repetitive yet so catchy!

Roxas had almost reached the most intense part, just before the brasses would play at full blast, when he began shaking his head to the beat at first, then more erratically. He took off the headphones.

"WOW! That was intense!" he exclaimed. "How do you stand to listen to something that… violent?"

"Well, it reminds me of the full range of my powers over fire, and I can never get enough of that," I smirked.

"Then, I guess you're an intense guy," Roxas said.

"Only when I need to be," I corrected him. "You've seen how I act most of the time around you. Hardly 'intense,' right?"

"Huh. I'm not sure how you can be both intense and laidback, though. The two don't go together."

"Think of it this way: People rarely wear the same face. Sometimes, they smile; other times, they frown, and still other times, you can't tell what you're looking at. I've seen you do it all the time."

"I do?"

"Of course, buddy! Haven't you ever looked yourself in the mirror?"

"I don't think so…"

"Really? You have a bathroom in your quarters — we all do. Check it out sometime."

"Okay, maybe I have, now that I think about it. But I've never thought much of it."

"Well, now you're just pulling my leg!" I laughed.

"Am not!" he retorted.

"I didn't mean it literally! To 'pull someone's leg' means to trick or tease someone playfully."

"How can you trick or tease someone 'playfully'? Aren't tricking and teasing not nice things to do to people?"

"Well, they can be, but they don't have to be. Anyway, I think we've both been staying up way past our bedtimes, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah, but I'm excited for tomorrow."

"Me too, buddy. Good night, Roxas."

"Good night, Axel."

Like yesterday, I woke up by the force of my will out of eagerness to see Roxas again — I could get used to this, I thought. I came into his room to see him all dressed up and ready to go. How does this kid do it? I asked myself. Saïx had to wake me up for years because no one else would, but at least, now, I had someone to look forward to every time I awoke. That was much better than to continually hear —

"Axel! Roxas!" Saïx. "Report to the Grey Area immediately. I will provide instructions for your mission there." Roxas and I complied and went through a Corridor of Darkness to the mission briefing room.

The Grey Area was just as its name suggested: It was one of the few rooms in the Castle That Never Was that was painted a color other than white, though grey was not that much more interesting if you ask me. Black was more interesting, and everyone here wore black!

"Everyone," Saïx began (he did mean "everyone" — every member was standing at attention), "we are gathered here for a major reconnaissance mission that will involve the collective effort of the Organization. Xemnas and I will stay back to monitor your activities, while Vexen and Zexion will explain the finer points of what you will need to find. Each of you will split off in pairs to travel to one of the worlds near our own. Your assignments have already been determined in advance, and they're non-negotiable!" He made it a point to bark that last word loud and clear. "Zexion, Vexen, take it away."

Saïx disappeared through a Corridor as the Organization's chief researchers told us that we needed to locate and "procure" — a fancy way of saying "take by any means necessary" — "raw materials" for an important project they were working on. Vexen said he needed computer access codes, high-grade preservatives, and in typical morbid fashion, bodies. Zexion, being the more bookish of the two, required rare books over obscure topics, ancient magical staves, and a few unusual ingredients for a specialized potion. Neither of them explained just why they needed these odds and ends, but it wasn't our place to question them — they were the chief researchers, after all: It was their job to know more than the rest of us. So, none of us asked them questions — none except insatiably curious Roxas.

"Excuse me?" he called out, raising his hand like a schoolkid.

"What is it, Key of Destiny?" Zexion asked, eyeing him uncertainly.

"Roxas," the kid "corrected," not aware that "Key of Destiny" was his title. "Why do we need these things? I don't know what most of them are or even look like."

To be fair to Roxas, he had a point.

"Because those are your orders, and you have to fulfill them," Vexen jumped in. "I know you are still very… fresh and all, but you will have to learn to accept a mission without asking unnecessary questions." He looked so smug that I wanted to punch him in the face.

"Uh, that didn't —"

"… answer the question," I finished through gritted teeth, sounding like I was giving an order, which majorly pissed off Vexen.

"Just you talk, Flurry of Dancing Flames! I'll have you know that I will not be ordered around by a smarmy, mid-ranking —"

"Gentlemen!" Zexion interrupted. Thank goodness he restored the peace because I would've chewed Vexen out like the smug fucking know-it-all that he was.

"Roxas," Zexion continued, "I am not sure how to say this, but the 'why' of our mission has already been addressed. Saïx said that Vexen and I are engaging in an important research project that will require these raw materials for us to conduct our research efficaciously. As chief researchers, we are privy to information the rest of the Organization is not, and —"

"In simpler language, please," I requested. "I know you like your big words and all, Zexion, but if even I can't follow, you can't expect Roxas over here to understand you either."

Zexion seemed a bit flustered. Come to think of it, he always did whenever I interrupted him, but I never understood why. No matter: After some awkward silence, Zexion pointed to the air like he realized something.

"In simpler terms: The chief researchers do not have to tell you everything, Roxas. We know things that no one, not even Xemnas, knows because we need our research to be as free from mistakes as possible. Bad research leads to bad policy at the Organization, which means we are less able to fight against the Heartless because we don't know something about them that we should." Zexion looked to me, as if for help, and I leaned over to Roxas, whispering, "Got it memorized?"

"Oh? Yeah," he replied solemnly. Roxas may not have known much, but he was an eager and fast learner; frankly, he asked good questions whose answers the rest of us kinda took for granted.

"Good," Zexion smiled. "Now, onto the subject at hand: Where you will go."

Roxas and I were to head to Agrabah in search of Zexion's rare books. Before we left for that world, Zexion came over to thank me for not exploding against Vexen and knelt down to Roxas to clarify just what it was we were looking for. We needed to sneak into the vizier's quarters and locate a thick, leather-bound tome that looked like it could fall apart. He added that it should stand out from the rest of the books in his room because it smelled of darkness. Zexion even told us why it caught his eye: He believed its writing contained valuable insights into the nature of the Heartless, which would be vital in the Organization's effort to stuff them all inside Kingdom Hearts.

Saïx would never be this helpful, I thought. Then again, I didn't remember Zexion showing this much care to explain the precise goals of a mission. It was… refreshing, really. I attributed that change to Roxas. He seemed to have an effect on him, same as me, if perhaps more subtle.

Roxas and I headed for Agrabah.

Agrabah was a bustling desert metropolis, its enormous palace dominating the skyline, looming over the maze-like streets below. The vizier's quarters had to be in one of its many towers, but from where we were, the smell of darkness was way too faint to confidently conclude which one. So, Roxas and I began walking toward the crowded marketplace, trying as much as possible to blend in despite our black coats. I suggested he take off his hood, which he did. The more I looked at Roxas, the more I realized just how petite he was: His coat was oversized, its sleeves completely covering his hands, the back of it trailing behind him like a gown.

He's going to need a better-fitting coat, I thought. Perhaps, Zexion has some clothes that no longer fit him.

We split up to look at the stalls and appear interested in the goods — all part of the act. Most of the merchants sold a hodgepodge of wares with no discernable theme to them: Food was next to trinkets, which hung over clothes — just a disorganized mess, really. They were all very eager to get anyone to buy from them, often resorting to shoving stuff at people's faces and haggling almost immediately. I gave them a threatening look that told them, "Don't bother," to avoid having them waste their time on me. I looked around to pair up with Roxas again — and I couldn't find him.

Damn it! Where could the kid possibly be? I thought.

"Roxas?" I called out. "Roxas!" I rushed across the narrow pathways, occasionally stopping to ask the shopkeepers if they saw "a short blonde kid, about yea tall," indicating his height with my hand, but most shook their heads, suggesting I head to the town square.

The town square? What could he possibly find there that'd interest him enough to leave me behind?

As I came close, I was met by a great din of laughing, clapping, and music playing. From a distance, I could spot a belly dancer spinning round and round as the players behind her strummed their sitar-like instruments — Demyx would love them, I smirked to myself — and beat their drums in an almost hypnotic crescendo. In front of the belly dancer, I could see the characteristic golden spikes adorning Roxas's head.

Gotcha. I wasn't mad at him, but I did wonder why he left me behind to watch a belly dancer. Or was he really there for the music? It was pretty catchy, all things considered — I could even see Roxas hopping a little bit like he was tapping his foot to the beat. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the place changed as five Shadow Heartless — "swarmers," as I called them — appeared, causing a panic in the square. Roxas turned around, looking just as surprised as everyone else, but he quickly took up his battle stance and summoned his Keyblade. The players were still strumming and drumming and clapping — the show must go on, as they say.

The Shadows lunged at Roxas all at once, but he slid to his right to dodge their attack, causing all the Heartless to crash into each other, which made me let out a brief chuckle. As though having heard me, the Shadows regrouped and rushed toward me, but they were no match for Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames. I snapped my fingers and instantly incinerated all five of them without a second breath. I thought it was all over, but then another group of five lunged against Roxas, who managed to strike down one of them before another knocked his Keyblade from his hand, and the rest piled on top of him.

"ROXAS!" I cried out and began rushing to help, but the kid was more resilient than I gave him credit, managing to throw all three of them off before he took back his Keyblade and released another one. The remaining Shadows looked at him in terror and began to flee, but Roxas exclaimed, "Light!" and in a blinding flash, he vaporized three Heartless at once.

The square was silent, but not empty. The crowd stared at us in stunned amazement. Then, the drummer cried out something unintelligible, and everyone around us cheered, some of them grabbing Roxas to lift him up in thanks. Roxas looked at me with a nervous smile and a shrug, and I gave him a reassuring one in return.

This mission is anything but boring so far, I surmised.

After the celebrations ended, we quickly ran off to an isolated alley so that we could summon a Corridor of Darkness away from prying eyes. Roxas had already attracted too much attention to ourselves, and I wasn't in the mood for performing any more magic tricks for these people any more than we already did. Unfortunately, we had company: A young man wearing nothing but a purple vest and baggy pants with a fez-wearing monkey on his shoulder spotted us, jumped to his feet, and began climbing the walls.

"Wait!" Roxas called out with arm outstretched, but the man didn't listen and kept climbing. He looked back, then jumped off. Roxas was visibly displeased.

"Come back!" Then he rushed after him and started clumsily climbing, but he wasn't as skillful at that activity as the young man.

"Roxas, what are you doing?" I asked Roxas, giving him a face suggestive of a reproachful older brother.

"What do you think? I'm running after him!" Roxas answered.

"Yeah, I get that, but why?"

"I think he might help us with our mission," he said, straining as he climbed, not making much progress.

"How? I doubt that he has ever been to the palace."

"That's where I think you're wrong," Roxas retorted confidently.

"Oh? What makes you so sure? Enlighten me."

"It's just a hunch."

"Really? Well, that hunch of yours better not waste our time."

"Maybe it won't if you can help me up this wall."

I told Roxas to get off and let me hold him like a baby. When he asked, "Why?" I hurled him high in the air, making him scream. I didn't throw him far enough, so I caught him in my arms when he fell back down.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Roxas yelled.

"I was trying to throw you over the wall so that you wouldn't have to the climb it like an idiot, buddy. But as it appears, you're a little heavier than I thought."

"Figures. Well, you should've warned me."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. On the count of three, then I'll hurl you again, all right?" I smiled.

"It better work this time," Roxas grumbled.

"Oh, I'm sure of it. Ready? One… two… THREE!" I three him just high enough to where he needed to twist his body and land like a cat on the top of the wall, which he did.

"So, can you see him?" I asked.

"Yeah, he's already clambering over another wall.

"Well, it looks like we'll need to trap him. You keep chasing after him; I'll use a different route."

"But what if I need to go over another wall again?"

"Haven't you considered just summoning a Corridor of Darkness to go through it?" Why didn't I think of that earlier?!

"Oh. Well, I thought the Corridors were for long distances only. Between worlds, you know?"

"Any distance that requires something other than walking works. Including going through walls."

"Okay, then I'll do that. You go your own way."

As he continued, I hopped from a side wall, then shifted direction, jumping on top of a roof. I mostly paralleled Roxas's movements before I ran ahead of him to corner the young man.

I was atop a particularly high alley wall that I was sure he couldn't climb over this time. Besides, with Roxas hot on his heels, the young man was sure to be exhausted by the time they both reached me. When they did, I couldn't resist the temptation to be dramatic.

"Nowhere left to run, pal," I said, standing proud and tall.

"Who are you people?" the young man panted. "Are you one of the vizier's goons?"

"Oh, no, pal. We're here to pay him a visit, and you're here to help us. If you do, we just might let you go." I grinned at the man, which made him gulp. Roxas stepped up, patting his shoulder, which startled him a bit.

"We're not here to hurt you." The young man turned to him and looked at Roxas strangely like he recognized the kid.

"S-Sora? Is, is that you? You look different from the last time we met. And why are you wearing all black?"

"Sora? Who's Sora? I'm Roxas." Who is Sora, indeed…

"The name's Axel!" I interjected. "Got it memorized?"

"What do you two weirdoes want, especially from that crusty old vizier?" His monkey friend squawked in agreement.

"Ah-ah, that's top secret. We can't tell you, but what we want to know is which one of the palace's towers houses his room. We figure he has something of immense power there that we could use."

"Why should I help you?" the young man asked defiantly. "How do I know you're not with him and that this is all just some elaborate ruse to stuff me inside one of his dungeons again?" He was getting on my nerves with all these irrelevant questions.

"Because," I began slowly, jumping to his level, "if you don't help us, I'll turn you and your little monkey friend to ashes, and I don't think the vizier will be interested in you after that, wouldn't you agree?" A bit too far, but I really wanted to get this mission over and done with as soon as possible. The easy part was getting Zexion's darkness-smelling book and returning to the Castle. Also, the heat was making me hungry for ice cream.

"Okay, okay. I-I think it's the north tower, the second tallest one after the big dome in the center. But I'm not sure, and —"

"Are you sure you're not sure?" I asked as I grabbed him by his vest. "Because if you are, and you lead us somewhere full of guards to save your own skin, you and your little pal won't be the only ones who burn."

"Axel," Roxas spoke up, glaring at me gently. I let the young man go. "Look, we aren't actually gonna hurt you or anyone else. We need to know where the vizier's room because the thing he's holding might help us fight against the Heartless. You've heard of them, right?"

"Of course! You — I mean, Sora — we fought off a good deal of them some time ago, and they were gone for a while, but then they came back. Like I said, I'm not 100% sure, but I think it makes sense: Where else would the second most powerful person in Agrabah live, besides the second-tallest tower, right? Just please don't burn me."

"Promise," Roxas nodded his head. He looked at me sternly.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah, I promise," I seconded halfheartedly. "It was all an act anyway."

"Right…" the young man said, not at all convinced. "Well, good luck finding whatever it is you're looking for, I guess."

"Thanks!" Roxas said, adding, "Before we head out, what's your name?"

"Aladdin," the young man answered quickly, extending his hand out. Roxas looked at him a bit confused before he grabbed it, which Aladdin then shook. The monkey still gazed at us suspiciously before he extended his own little paw, which made Roxas giggle at the silliness of the occasion before he accepted it.

"Eh, I think I'll pass," I told him, grabbing Roxas to return to my side. We waved him good-bye, then summoned a Corridor of Darkness.

The mission was a resounding success: We returned to the Castle with a hefty block of leather and parchment that smelled intensely of darkness — and old man. Yuck! But Zexion got what he wanted, which was all that mattered anyway. Roxas and I had peeked into it before we left; it was written in some old-looking, barely legible script in an equally impenetrable language, but I'm sure Zexion could figure it out with that big brain of his.

When Roxas and I went to Twilight Town to eat ice cream, he asked me about Sora and why that Aladdin guy called him that.

"Don't know, buddy. Never met him. Hadn't even heard of him." Well, that wasn't exactly true: I've indeed never met Sora or even seen him, but I did remember Xemnas mentioning a "hero of the Keyblade" and "Sora" in the same breath, but I couldn't recall what for. It was a long time ago, and I wasn't paying much attention at the time. I just wanted to burn stuff.

We moved onto other subjects, such as what friends are (Roxas overheard someone mention the word, hence why he asked).

"Friends eat ice cream together and talk about stupid stuff," I told him.

"So, we're friends?" he asked.

"Of course, buddy! Why else would I call you 'buddy' or 'kiddo'? It's because I like you and want us to spend time together."

That made Roxas beam, and it made me… "feel" something again — Nobodies can't feel anything, right? — but I couldn't honestly deny this… warm sensation in me was absolutely real. I was honest with him — and myself. I'd gotten so used to lying through my teeth to get my way that this honesty was a bit much. But there it was, as real as the sun shining on Roxas's soft face, giving him a golden glow. His hair, despite its spikiness, seemed so fluffy that I reached out and petted it, which made Roxas flinch and laugh. I took that as an encouraging sign to start ruffling it. By the end, his wear was a bit of a mess, but it was my mess, so he didn't mind. Roxas rested his head on my shoulder as we watched the sunset over Twilight Town.

"Hey, Roxas," I said.

"Yeah? What?" he asked sleepily.

"Do you know why the sun shines red when it sets?"

"No, why?"

"You see, light is split into many different colors, and of them all, red travels the farthest."

"Really?"

"Yeah."
"Sounds like you just made that up," Roxas teased.

"Am not!" I giggled. "It's a proven scientific fact! I'll even show you in one of the books we have in the Library."

"Eh, I think I'll pass," he shrugged, echoing an earlier line I made.

"I think you just want to go to sleep," I said, to which Roxas nodded, rubbing his head on my shoulder.

We returned to the Castle. As I lay in my bed, another "feeling" came over me — "contentment"? It was warm and fuzzy like the other one, but different somehow. I should see Zexion, I thought. Zexion would know, and he's easier to talk to than Vexen, anyway. Yeah, I'll talk to the cute little nerd tomorrow.