Title: Day 214: Carnival

Characters/Pairings: Xion, Roxas, Axel

A/N: For the ReComplete: Sea Salt Trio Zine

Summary: The mission: investigate a new carnival-based world. It was something Axel, Roxas, and Xion had done dozens of times before. However, it was impossible to resist the bright lights and cheerful music—surely, it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun on the job?

…

…

…

…

A cloud of smoke and a burst of petals greeted Xion as she stepped out of the portal. Blinking in surprise, she froze in her tracks and watched as the colourful petals showered her. One fell into her hand and she stared at the soft pinkness of it. "Huh?"

"That's weird." Walking up to her, Roxas examined the petal. They were in his hair too now, small highlights of blue and red. Involuntarily, her hand twitched, wanting to brush them out. "Normally they're on flowers."

"I know." She wondered if her own hair looked the same. Her coat at least looked like she'd flung paint on it. "And it's definitely not rain."

Axel walked out of the portal now and they turned to him at the same time, identical expressions of confusion drawn on their face. "What is this?"

"Confetti?" Axel answered slowly, an eyebrow raised. When neither of them reacted, he ran a hand through his hair, shaking loose the petals lodged in his red spikes, and sighed. "Think of it as a fun greeting."

"A fun greeting," Xion echoed, staring at the petals still falling on them like snow or rain. It was strange. They were standing under a bright arch, their portal for once depositing them in the center of town instead of a murky alleyway. A very localised effect, the confetti stopped falling once she stepped out from under the arch.

Wide-eyed, Roxas stepped in and out of the effect zone, his gaze firmly affixed on the arch. "Where do they come from?"

"…a store. Someone makes them." Realizing it was a lost cause, Axel swiftly grabbed them by the arm and yanked them away. He shot them both a glare in disbelief. "Honestly, we go to a carnival and that's what you're interested in?"

"A carnival?" Xion took a second look around her, actually paying attention to her surroundings now. Bright, colourful tents littered the pathways, with several animal-looking people standing outside of the entrances and trying to usher in visitors. A giant dog-like man was painted in bright colours, juggling several balls, while a duck-man squawked angrily. A cow-lady shuffled a deck of cards quickly, her movements mesmerizing. In the distance, a large wheel spun in circles. There were so many sights to take in, Xion didn't know what to focus on. "This is amazing! What's this place?"

Axel stopped walking. Letting go of them, he turned around and gestured at the area around them. "This. This is a carnival." He tapped his head with a finger, a brow arched. "Got it memorized?"

"That doesn't explain anything!" Roxas protested, crossing his arms. Whatever seriousness his tone gave was lost immediately as confetti fluttered off him, adding a comical flavour.

"Fine." Axel rubbed the back of his neck and glanced around. "It's…basically, it's a fun place you can play with your friends."

A fun place to play with your friends. Xion lit up, knowing exactly what he meant. "A playground?"

"Not really." Axel shook his head and she tried not to feel disappointed. "But close enough. The only way to know what this place is is to experience it."

"What about our mission?" Roxas asked, cocking his head. "Don't we have to defat the heartless?"

"Do you hear anyone screaming?" Axel asked and they both shook their heads. He rested his hands on his hips, point made. "Good, then think of this like an investigation. I'll take the lead."

-x-

Investigation #1: Ring Toss

"So we have to toss this at a bottle?" Roxas frowned at the small blue ring in his hands, turning it over in case it would look any different form the other side. It didn't and he looked back at the booth in front of him. Rows upon rows of glass bottles lined a table in the center, giving a soft green glow in the sunlight. Here and there, he could spot a reddish bottle and a purplish one.

"On the bottle," Axel corrected with a grin, spinning a ring on a finger. "If it goes on the bottle, you win a prize."

Roxas stared at the bottles, at their slender necks. The ring felt clunky and heavy, far too awkward and big to nestle on a bottle. He glared at Axel. "Easy for you to say—your weapon is a ring!"

"What did you say?" Axel blinked innocently, leaning forward as though to hear Roxas better. A ring spun now on each hand and he looked at one and then the other. His lips tugged up into a smirk. "What a coincidence."

"That's cheating!" Puffing his cheeks, he turned to Xion for assistance. "Right?"

"Huh?" Xion stared at him owlishly, a ring already on her hands. Another one was already hanging on the red bottle. At Roxas's incredulous expression, she ducked her head sheepishly. "It was easier than I expected."

"…I can do it too." Roxas turned back to the bottles. Sticking a tongue out the side of his mouth, he squinted at the bottle. Okay. It didn't look too bad like that. The distance wasn't that far. He'd thrown his keyblade further. Taking a deep breath, he gently flung the ring.

CLANG.

Incredulous, Axel laughed. "Where were you aiming?"

"It was lighter than I thought!" Roxas snarled, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. The poor ring had flown over the bottles, past the booth behind this one, and off into the crowd. Some unfortunate passerby had yelped at impact.

"No wonder you take so long on your missions." Axel's shoulders shook, his body hunched over. "With that aim…" He broke into laughter once more.

"Try using your wrist," Xion suggested helpfully, demonstrating with a second ring. Hers landed safely on yet another red bottle.

"Got it." Stomping over to the booth, Roxas grabbed another ring. The first one was a fluke. He'd get it right this time.

-x-

Investigation #2: Merry-go-round

Axel sat on a plastic horse, staring at the butt of yet another plastic horse as it slowly rose and fell. The merry-go-round was perhaps the most boring ride ever. Spinning in a slow circle, this basically a way to make children fall asleep without the parents having to make any effort. Even worse were the horses that didn't rise or fall—that was the one highlight of the ride. Why ride otherwise?

"Are real horses like this?" Xion asked breathlessly, her arms looped loosely around the pole. Her face was flushed with excitement and she bounced with her seat as her mount moved.

"No, horses are faster." More interesting. A challenge even. Axel bit his tongue from adding anything else; he didn't want to dampen her enthusiasm. It was rare enough that she smiled like this, bright and happy as though she had a heart.

"Why isn't mine moving?" Roxas asked, tapping on the pole and then at the horse. The horse remained glued to the floor and he scratched his head. "Is it broken?"

Axel snorted, Roxas had terrible luck. "They don't all move—just go to another one."

"Really? Why?" Flabbergasted, Roxas stared at him as he climbed off his steed. "Is it a test?"

"No, it's—" The ride came to a stop, the horses freezing in place, and Axel tried not to laugh. Roxas had the worst luck. "I'll explain later."

"Hey, I'm taller than you!" Xion chirped. Her horse had stopped at the top of its rotation, and she reached out to poke at one of Axel's spikes. At the touch, she stared at her finger. "That's softer than I thought."

"It's hair, what else would it feel like?" Axel asked, rolling his eyes.

"Like a broom," Roxas answered earnestly. "Or as hard as a rock."

-x-

Investigation #3: Rollercoaster

The headrest was hard. Sitting on a tiny seat, with a safety harness nestled around her head, Xion tested resting her head on the side. Every part of her seat was hard. A safety reassurance, Axel had explained. She wasn't sure why a ride needed safety reassurances—if this was anything like the merry-go-round, there was no danger whatsoever. Actually, even if it wasn't, there was no way it could be worse than fighting a heartless.

"Are you okay, Axel?" Xion asked. If the seat felt small to her, she could only imagine how Axel must feel.

"Yeah," Axel answered, his tone jubilant. A click sounded off around them. "It's starting, hold on tight."

"Hold on tight?" Roxas repeated dubiously next to her.

Next to her head were two handles and Xion gripped them lightly. The train they were on was moving slowly, though it was odder than any vehicle she had ever encountered. The seats were set two by two and there were no roof or walls. A rollercoaster, Axel had called it. She'd have to write that word down in her investigation journal later. Roxas was beside her and Axel had taken the seat behind.

Now that it had started, the rolle coaster made its way up a steep hill. A light breeze drifted by and Xion closed her eyes. It was relaxing, almost. If only the sound of the machinery wasn't so loud. "This is so high up!" Xion murmured, her face pressed to the harness as she strained to catch the view.

"Everything looks so small," Roxas marvelled beside her, his voice muffled, and she knew he was in an identical position. "It's kinda like flying with Peter Pan. Just not as comfortable."

Above them, the tracks started to plateau, and she wondered if they'd be able to see better from there. "Do you think the ride will stop long enough to look at everything?"

"Not at all," Axel glibly answered, before adding, "Oh, and don't forget to smile."

She didn't have time to question him before the rollercoaster went over the top. For a brief second, she saw the entire carnival. For a brief, time-stopping, anti-gravity second. Then the rollercoaster ran straight back down to the ground. Xion screamed.

-x-

Investigation #4: Ferris Wheel

"This is…safe, right?" Highly suspicious, Roxas scrunched into a ball and perched gingerly on the edge of his seat. He shot Axel a disgruntled glare. "It's not going to start spinning fast."

"No." Axel sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Riding the Ferris wheel, Roxas and Xion sat on one side of the small cabin, while he sat on the other. He never thought of himself as the tallest of the group, but the cabin was tiny nonetheless and he hunched over before his back pressed even more against the window.

Still wary, Roxas scowled at him. "Or toss us into the air. Or drop us to the ground. Or anything else like that."

"No, no, and I think you have a career in making rides," Axel deadpanned. Maybe he should have given them a better warning at the roller coaster—after flying with peter pan and all the heartless fights they had, he didn't think it would phase them as much.

Well, he had been entirely wrong and immediately after the ride, his two friends had hunched over, their bodies swaying as they tried to find stable ground. It was like traumatizing kittens. While Xion wasn't as badly off as Roxas, she sat firmly on the opposite side of the cabin as well. Occasionally, she'd peek out a window, a smile drawing on her face, before immediately suspecting a trap and turning back to him.

"Look, even babies can ride this one," Axel explained, sliding closer to a window. He pointed at the ground below, trying to cajole one or the other to look outside. "It's a nice view. You can make out everything."

"We're not at the top yet." Xion glanced at the cabin ahead of them, still slowly rising. "What happens when we get there?"

"We go back down." Xion's and Roxas's eyes widened, their mouths opening to shout I told you so, and Axel immediately added, "Slowly. We go down slowly."

"We'll see about that." Roxas kept his gazed fixed firmly on the cabin in front of them. Their next stop seemed to be the zenith and he gripped his seat tightly in preparation. "We'll see soon enough."

-x-

Investigation #5: Magician

"The hat is empty." Standing in the spotlight, the magician took off his top hat and showed it to the audience to examine. His hand patted inside, and rapped on the walls, giving a soft tap. "There's nowhere to hide."

Turning the hat away from the audience, he tapped it with his wand. Once. Twice. On the third tap, a dozen doves flew out, cooing gently as they rose.

"How did he do that?" Stunned, Roxas stared at the birds as they flapped overhead. They were real birds. They were actual birds. The hat had been empty. How did this happen?

"It's magic," Axel answered dryly. Stretching his arms above him, he shrugged. "I mean, it's easy-to-figure-out magic, but still magic."

His friend was a genius. Roxas stared at Axel, impressed. Axel had always known things, had known almost everything, but he hadn't expected this. "You can do this too?"

Caught off guard, Axel backpedaled. "Well, not exactly—"

"If it's magic, is it like firaga?" Xion asked eagerly, her hands shaking as she ran through the possibilities. "Could we learn it too? We could use it in battle—not birds, but like those wolves at the Beast's castle."

Roxas hadn't even thought of that. Just how powerful was the guy on the stage? He hadn't looked impressive, not in a ratty tuxedo that was barely held together. But if he could summon any animal—what if he could summon heartless too? Maybe he was their target. "Maybe we should investigate him."

"That must be why we're sent here!" Xion concurred, her fist hitting her open palm as realization dawned on her expression. "We need to find his secret!"

"No, definitely not," Axel interrupted, shaking his head as he stared at one and then the other. "That is—"

The magician spoke again, drowning out Axel's voice. "And for my next trick, I need a volunteer to saw in half."

Roxas's hand shot up immediately.

-x-

Investigation #6: Funhouse.

"Guys?" Xion halted, turning back and forth as she realized that she was alone. Around her, other patrons strolled merrily down the path, lovers holding hands, family chatting animatedly. And she was by herself in the midst of this. Clutching her wrist, Xion's eyes darted from figure to figure, hoping to spot the familiar fiery spike of Axel's hair or the golden yellow of Roxa's.

Instead she found nothing, no one. Just herself in the middle of a thoroughfare. They were supposed to investigate the next spot together. How did they end up separated like this? Xion slowly wandered down the path, not sure where to go. What had Axel said the next spot was? A fun place? They were all fun. Ahead of her was a sign post and she made a beeline toward it.

Roller coaster. Nope. Never again. Well, maybe once again, now that she knew.

Merry-go-round. If she couldn't find them, yes.

Teacup ride. A teacup ride? Was it a teacup like the one at Beast's castle? Was it a ride for teacups?

Fun house. Xion stared at the words. Yes. That was it. The fun house. Following the arrow, she ended up at a giant tent. A pair of chipmunks chattered excitedly as they ushered her in, their words too fast to grasp.

Stepping into the tent, she blinked rapidly in the near darkness of the room. No, that wasn't quite right. It was dimly lit, but her eyes couldn't differentiate anything. The magician's tent had been this dark too. This time, however, there was no usher to guide her to a seat nor any stage to focus on. Slowly, she stepped forward, hoping her eyes would adjust soon enough. Her hands blindly reached around her, pressing on a cool wall as she made her way forward.

"Axel? Roxas?" she called out as she walked. In front of her, she made out the fuzzy outline of a person, someone as short as her and also dressed in a dark cloak. Roxas? It had to be Roxas. "Hey!"

Her hand reached out to tap his shoulder. Instead, it pressed on a cool wall again. Xion frowned, confused. The person was still in front of her. Her hands were definitely not touching a person. How did this—oh.

Another blink and her eyes were nearly adjusted. She could make out the room now, the walls around her mirrors. That explained a lot. The person in front of her was her own reflection, staring back.

Her own reflection. Xion swallowed at the thought. There were few mirrors in the castle, most of them hogged by Marluxia, but she had never bothered to look at one before. She knew how Saix had looked at her. How Vexon had studied her. How any of the other members of the organization had seen her.

Quickly, she closed her eyes before she could see what they saw; the empty tool that they had hoped she'd be, the disappointment that she had become.

The—

"Xion?" Roxas called out behind her. "There you are!"

"Told ya she'd be fine." Despite his words, Axel sighed in relief.

Involuntarily, her eyes flew open, and she spotted her friends in the mirror approaching her. Roxas wore a bright smile as usual, while Axel trailed behind, a sardonic grin on his. Both of them were looking at her, looking at the nervous, black-haired girl in the mirror. At the girl who now wore a smile almost bright enough to rival Roxas's.

"Did you get lost already?" Axel asked, raising a brow. "We're still at the entrance."

"Don't worry, we can work together!" Roxas chirped, already raring to go.

Her reflection didn't look any different than theirs. Xion stared at it one last time before turning around to them. "Let's beat this thing."