Castle Oblivion was an ugly building. On the outside, it was a haphazard mess of towers and spires pointing in all directions. The colors were dark and dull, and the layout seemed impossible to traverse. On the inside, the rooms were immaculate, almost clinical in how bare and lifeless they appeared. The walls were such a bright white as to be blinding, much like those at the Castle That Never Was. There were columns and doors of the same pristine white, as if the interior were an unfinished drawing that had not yet been filled with color. It was clean and orderly, but unsightly and foreboding, and the atmosphere was no less eerie inside than it was outside. Each member of the team that had been sent there shuddered as they crossed the threshold, dreading their lengthy stay in such an unnerving abode.

"What a charming place," Marluxia remarked, seemingly repulsed by everything he laid eyes upon.

Larxene wrinkled her nose. "Just as hideous as home."

"We're not here to admire the decor," Vexen snapped. "This way."

The group cautiously stepped into the entryway and headed for the only door they could see on the other end of the room. Out of thin air, three Dusks materialized in front of it, undulating in place and awaiting instruction.

"There you are," Vexen greeted them impatiently. "Take us to the girl."

The wobbly creatures passed through the door, leading the way up several flights of stairs and through another collection of doors until they had reached a large, empty hall. A long dining table was situated on the far end beneath a wide window lined with sheer drapes, barely concealing the sunlight shining through. Slumped in a chair at the head of the table was a young girl with platinum blonde hair, naked and unconscious.

"She's just been left here?" Vexen asked as the group hurried to the table. The scientists hastily pulled off their gloves and nudged the girl's tiny frame. She was face down on the stone surface, motionless and silent, completely unresponsive to her visitors.

"I suppose the Dusks didn't know how to care for her," Zexion theorized, taking the girl's wrist and searching for a pulse. Her limbs were rather stiff, and her skin was alarmingly cold. To the untrained eye, she appeared to be dead. Even Zexion was unconvinced that they would be able to rouse her, but deferred to the superior scientist, who seemed far more confident than the situation warranted.

Marluxia peered at the child, arching an eyebrow as Vexen examined her for injuries. "Is she alive?"

"Hmph," Larxene scoffed, crossing her arms. "She'd better be, or we came all this way for nothing."

"She looks pale…" Zexion whispered, concerned as he continued searching for even the faintest beating beneath her skin. The veins on her wrist were a deeply faded blue, and her flesh seemed to shrivel with dehydration. Every new observation was more disturbing than the last. If she was alive, she was in pretty poor shape.

Vexen had lifted her to an upright position and was listening closely to her chest. "She's not even breathing. Zexion, have you found a pulse yet?"

"Not yet…" giving up on the wrist, Zexion pressed his fingers into her neck. There was an inherent pressure in the meticulous search for signs of life, feeble as they might be. He struggled to conceal the shaking in his hands as he poked and prodded at her throat, praying that they hadn't arrived too late. He was muttering under his breath as his motions became more desperate, chastising himself for believing for even a moment that he was nervous.

"She's freezing," Vexen's tone grew more urgent and he barked an order to no one in particular. "Get something to cover her, now!"

The Dusks vanished, leaving the rest to stand there, watching helplessly as the scientists attempted to revive the child. Vexen was cycling through medical instruments from his bag, jotting notes onto his clipboard as he recorded measurements. "Her temperature is dangerously low. Lips are blue, still not breathing. Zexion, the pulse."

"Alright…" he had run out of excuses and had no more time to stall. Just when Zexion was ready to forfeit and declare the child dead, he felt the tiniest beat against his fingertips. "Okay, there it is, I've found it. It's slow, irregular… and pretty weak."

Although he'd used nearly every tool in his arsenal, Vexen still could not wake the girl. Exasperated, he pried her jaws apart and looked down her throat. "No inflammation, no foreign objects… There's nothing blocking her airways. She should be breathing."

"Should we do some compressions?"

"Yes, bring her to the floor—"

With a sudden, hoarse gasp and a jolt of her entire body, the child's eyes sprang open wide, fully awake at last. The sound startled everyone in the room and Zexion's stomach flipped at the sight of her nearly jumping out of her chair. "Whoa!"

Her eyes darted quickly between the men standing over her and, wheezing and whimpering, she began to struggle and thrash. Stunned, the scientists restrained her in place as she fought to escape, staring at each other in confusion and rushing to console her.

"It's okay," Zexion murmured gently. "We're not going to hurt you."

She seemed not to understand him, growing more frantic every second as her body writhed in protest. Larxene took a few steps forward, bending down to gawk at the girl. Part of her had hoped that another female presence might soothe her apparent anxiety. She certainly wished that she could have had that brief glimpse of familiarity on the day she had lost her heart and was born as a Nobody. Alas, Larxene had only awakened to an intimidating male figure in a black cloak, and that was all she would ever see for many years to come. Furthermore, her presence seemed to have no effect on the terrified child at all. "The heck's her problem?"

"She's scared," Marluxia answered, disinterested. "Isn't that obvious?"

Larxene shot him a seething glare. "Don't be a smartass."

"Enough, both of you," Vexen cut off their bickering, growing weary of their irritating compulsion to stand around unhelpfully. "Easy, child. Just relax. You're safe." This really was more Zexion's forte. Despite Vexen's efforts to calm her down, the girl squirmed, desperate to wriggle herself free, and he was left with no alternatives. While discreetly motioning for his young apprentice to reach into the bag for a sedative, he tightened his grip on her shoulders, careful not to cause any harm as he held her in place.

"If you can hear me, take a deep breath and settle down. You're going to be fine."

While Zexion prepared the injection, Vexen peeked into her eyes. They were glossed over, cloudy, and lacking pupils altogether, as he had suspected. She likely could barely see them as any more than blurry shapes, and their voices were probably reaching her in muffled drones. It was no wonder she was frightened of them. They probably looked like monsters to her. Seeing that there would be no way to communicate with her in such a state, he nodded to Zexion, who pierced the syringe into her arm. She yelped, trying to wrench out of their grasp, but was no match for the scientists' strength.

It was at this that Larxene objected, incredulous that the two would use drugs to quiet the child. How many times had she seen that needle herself? How many times had she been told she simply needed to stop screaming at everyone and relax? She could hear every word as if spoken directly into her ear. Claims behind closed doors that a woman could not join the Organization. Accusations of hysteria, as if the group were some medieval cult of monks, alienating her like a witch. If there were ever a memory she wished she could purge from her brain, it was of those long afternoons spent lying in bed, at anyone's mercy, staring at the ceiling and lacking the energy to lift even her eyelids. She lay motionless, her head swimming with sedation, threatening her with sleep so powerful as to leave her defenseless, a sitting duck in her own home. If she could fight nothing else, she fought that veritable death trap tooth and nail and refused to ever sleep without supervision.

"What did you do to her?!" she shouted. "Was a tranquilizer necessary?!"

"It's only a mild sedative. It's not enough to knock her out," Vexen retorted in a hushed tone. "Now keep your voice down or you'll frighten her more."

Paying Larxene no mind as she stomped off in a huff, Vexen and Zexion returned their attention to the girl. Rather than watching the syringe, she stared the younger apprentice right in the eyes. Zexion winced at the sight of tears spilling down her face, and the subsequent look of betrayal she wore. Recalling his promise not to hurt her, he was prompt in dispensing the medicine, quietly shushing her until she finally started to relax. At last, the injection was complete and he removed the empty syringe from her arm, following quickly with a wad of gauze and an adhesive bandage. With a meek smile, he swept the stray locks of hair from her face and lightly brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "That probably stung."

Ignoring his apology, she dropped her head and avoided eye contact with the scientists as her body fell limp in their arms and her shoulders slumped.

"Don't fret, Zexion. It was for her own safety," Vexen affectionately ruffled his young partner's hair, endeavoring to ease his apparent guilt. Where the older man was cold and clinical in his interactions with patients, Zexion's uncanny inclination toward bedside manner was quite a useful skill in the haphazard practice of medicine the two managed in the Organization. Oftentimes, however, it seemed the boy's empathy would get the better of him, whether he had a heart or not. Vexen supposed he was just sensitive in that way, a trait likely attributed to that mysterious third eye he seemed to possess. Nevertheless, he had always found the behavior endearing and vowed never to discourage it.

Satisfied that he'd regained control of the situation, he patted the girl gently on the back. "There now, it's alright," he assured her as the violent convulsions began to dissipate and her hyperventilating slowed to a more regular pace. "We're here to help."

She pulled up her knees and began to shiver, staring at the ground and still appearing quite agitated. Just as Zexion was searching around the room for a rug or other cloth to warm her with, the Dusks reappeared, thankfully out of the girl's sight, carrying a worn, scratchy throw blanket they claimed to have found in the basement. They presented it to Zexion before vanishing once more, and he wrapped it around her trembling body, smiling as she lifted her head and looked directly at him again.

"Hello, there," he bubbled warmly. "Are you feeling better?"

She spoke no words, but reached for his hand and clasped her fingers tightly around it. Even Zexion found the gesture shocking, considering it was only moments ago that the she fought so desperately to escape them. Rather than question how he had managed to earn her trust, he grinned, giving her hand a gentle squeeze in return. If nothing else, he was relieved that she seemed willing to cooperate with them. Internally, he was thrilled to have made a connection with such an apprehensive patient. "Okay. I'll protect you. There's nothing to be afraid of."

There was still obvious trepidation on her face, but she calmly submitted to Vexen's examination. He shined a light across her eyes, peeked inside her ears and mouth, and slid his fingers along her neck and jaw. She was quite thin, bordering malnourished. Her muscles were weak and her bones were frail. She was in desperate need of water, and her vitals were still quite erratic, but the longer he monitored her, the more her numbers leveled off. The haze in her eyes was clearing and a slightly pink hue was returning to her skin. Despite her sickly appearance, the child was surprisingly healthy, all things considered.

"She's stabilizing quite nicely," Vexen declared, turning to record some notes on his clipboard. "Child, can you speak?"

The girl turned to face him, saying nothing but clearly indicating that she could at least hear him. Disappointed, he hummed softly, scribbling some more. "Perhaps not."

He was about to resume his tests when he was startled by an unfamiliar voice.

"N-N…"

Everyone in the room froze on the spot, staring at the child as she attempted to speak.

"Hm? What is it?" Vexen prompted her. "Are you trying to say something?"

She appeared to struggle, contorting her face in concentration. "N-Na… mi… né…"

Vexen turned to Zexion with an entirely clueless look. "What did she say?"

Zexion only shook his head as the girl continued her attempts to communicate with them. "N-N… Nami… né… Naminé…"

"Naminé?" he repeated, unsure if he'd understood her properly.

"That's what it sounded like."

"What does that mean?"

The child prepared herself with a long breath. "M-My name… is… Naminé…"

There was a lengthy beat as the adults stared at her, dumbfounded by the revelation. Although it was likely that she still couldn't see them, it was clear that she knew she was being watched intently. She pulled the blanket more tightly around her, locking eyes with Zexion and shooting him a pleading expression.

"Uh… Hello, Naminé," Zexion replied politely. "My name is Zexion, and this is Vexen."

Vexen appeared to ignore the introduction as he wildly scribbled his notes. "She has a name already? That's unusual…"

"And she's speaking in complete sentences."

"Xemnas did say she was a mystery…"

"Naminé, tell us, what is the last thing you remember?"

She dropped her chin, closing her eyes in thought. For awhile, she seemed to only concentrate on breathing, slowly and steadily, learning how to use the body she'd only just acquired. The scientists were quite patient as they waited for her to answer, and after some time, she spoke again in a very meek voice.

"K-Keyblade… in my chest…"

A collective gasp echoed in the room and Vexen shook his head, clucking his tongue. "What an awful thing to do to a child."

"Who would do such a thing?" Marluxia wondered aloud.

"A keyblade wielder…" Zexion hypothesized somewhat to himself before addressing the group. "It can only be Sora, right?"

The older scientist stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You think she's a victim of the Keyblade Hero?"

Marluxia scoffed, folding his arms. "Some hero he is if he goes around attacking children."

The child began to waver in her seat, clutching her chest and squeezing her eyes shut. Concerned that she would begin to panic again, Vexen set down his clipboard and reached for the bag of supplies, but Zexion intercepted him with a wave of his hand, determined to placate her with words alone.

"Naminé?" he leaned in. "Are you alright?"

"My chest… hurts…"

With a piteous look, Vexen shook his head with a sigh. "It must be the memory of her final moments."

"It's okay, Naminé," Zexion assured her. "We won't make you answer any more questions. You'll feel better after you've had some rest."

"I f-feel… dizzy…"

Her breaths became shallow and labored and her skin was losing its color again. She was wincing, emitting gasps and whimpers as she destabilized. Vexen monitored her vitals closely, digging through the bag for a remedy, but before he could find anything, Zexion felt her grip on his hand relax and all at once her body collapsed against him.

"Naminé? Can you hear me?" he gave her a gentle shake, garnering no response. "She's unconscious."

Vexen nodded. "Let's take her downstairs."

Zexion lifted her from the chair and cradled her in his arms as he carried her out of the room alongside his fellow scientist. With nothing else of interest in sight, Marluxia waved to Larxene to follow him out, and the two were about to exit when something caught his eye. Lying on the center of the table was a brown, spiral-bound notebook of some sort — one that he was certain was not there previously. He approached the table and cautiously picked it up, turning it all around and inspecting its covers. The book possessed no identifiers of any kind — no title, no names, no graphics, not a single word anywhere.

"What's this?" he whispered curiously. "A notebook?"

Larxene groaned impatiently. "What's in it?"

He carefully pried it open, flipping through it to find that it was full of blank pages. "It's empty. There's nothing written in—" he stopped turning and stared intently at a page toward the back of the book. "Ah, just a moment."

Larxene peered over his arm, squinting at the contents of the page. It was a drawing of a strange person in red clothes and with brown, spiky hair. The illustration was child-like, hastily scribbled with crayon and very colorful. The figure stood with its arms and legs outstretched, staring out of the page into the distance. It was the only image that the notebook contained.

"Who's that?" she asked, puzzled and raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head, not recognizing the subject. "I don't know."

He scanned the room for any other clues that may have appeared from thin air as the notebook had, but found nothing out of the ordinary. He shuffled through the notebook once more, hoping to find a name printed somewhere or perhaps more artwork. Other than the image of the boy in red, there was nothing else inside it.

"Do you suppose it belongs to the girl?"

"Pfft, I don't know," Larxene shrugged. "Let's just go ask her."

They descended the staircase in silence, passing through identical rooms along the way. The interior layout certainly didn't match the exterior at all, and the discrepancy only heightened Marluxia's curiosity. He could scarcely imagine the strange power this place was hiding within its piercing walls, and the discovery of the mysterious girl was yet another intriguing variable to explore.

"Interesting specimen we've found."

"Yeah, whatever," Larxene muttered. "I hate kids."

Marluxia thoughtfully stroked his chin as he walked. "I think this is more than a mere child we're dealing with."

"Look, as long as I don't have to take care of her, we won't have any problems."

He cringed slightly, counting on his fingers to display his loss for alternatives. "Vexen and Zexion will be working on their project downstairs. Lexaeus and I will likely have to intercept the Keyblade Hero to stall for time. That leaves Axel… and you."

She halted in her tracks and whipped around to face him. "Marluxia, I swear if you stick me with that brat—!"

"Relax," he interrupted her with an icy tone. "You don't have to befriend the girl. Just investigate what sort of power she possesses and leave the parenting to Axel." He grinned menacingly, cupping her chin. "I'll make it worth your while."

"Eugh," she gagged, jerking out of his grasp. "You mean you'll make it worth your while."

"You don't enjoy my company?"

"Not nearly as much as you do, Marluxia."

She continued down the steps, intent on leaving him behind, but was quickly stopped by a change in his voice. "Elrena."

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, don't call me that."

He approached slowly, his expression having softened. Before she could protest, he took her by the shoulders. "Just be patient. Everything is falling into place quite nicely. Victory will be ours," he leaned in and lowered his voice, hovering only inches from her ear. "We need only play our cards right."

She had no response left for him. It was Marluxia she had followed into the Organization, and it was Marluxia who had protected her from the clutches of her twisted comrades — those disgusting men who only kept their distance out of respect for his property. It was a reality she endured with whatever dignity she could muster, motivated only by the promise of regaining that which she had lost. But she'd long since learned that to hope for a heart was futile. She'd been sweet-talked one too many times, and she wasn't about to let herself be fooled again.

She averted her eyes, standing perfectly rigid and refusing to watch as he planted his lips onto her neck. His charm had long since worn off. These tricks no longer worked. Where she used to melt at his touch, she now froze solid. Where he used to dazzle her, he now disgusted her, and nothing she could say could properly convey her contempt for him, her resentment of being once again assigned to join him on a mission — not as his equal, but as his underling, forced to be subservient to him over and over until it had finally gone to his head. She hardly recognized him anymore. But, Marluxia was her only chance. Despite her searing disdain for his presence and for this eyesore of a castle and for the petulant baby she'd been saddled with, this plan of theirs was the only way out. He'd never given her any reason to, but she had no choice but to trust Marluxia's words again, and hope that that trust wouldn't be misplaced. Larxene wasn't sure how many more disappointments she could take.

It was an especially warm day for Twilight Town. The Sandlot had been converted to a playground where dozens of children were chasing each other with foam bats, climbing on monkey bars, sliding down slides, and engaging in light horseplay. On one end of the lot, some younger children were piled onto a wooden structure, pretending that they were sailing on a pirate ship. In another corner were some older kids dueling with play swords and trying to impress each other with tricks on the jungle gym. Young girls were jumping rope and playing hopscotch, young boys were wrestling and sparring. All the while, Roxas had stepped off to the side, sitting on the ground and just watching quietly.

Axel sighed and squatted beside him. "Roxas, how come you're just sitting here? Doesn't any of this look fun?"

Roxas turned to face him, silent as usual. His expression was typically unreadable, but at the very least he didn't appear bored. Supposing he wouldn't get an answer, Axel patted him on the back. "It's a lot, isn't it? Well, there's no pressure, but I bet you'd kick major butt over there with the foam bats. That looks like a good time to me!"

Roxas followed Axel's gaze, still saying nothing as he observed the competing youths. Seemingly out of nowhere, a pair of boys skated by so quickly that they nearly barreled right into them. They skidded to a halt a few feet away, panting and arguing about who won the race. One of them pointed back toward Axel and Roxas and they both waved rather sheepishly. "Sorry! We didn't mean to get so close!"

Axel chuckled. "That's okay. By the way, blue helmet over here was the winner."

The boy wearing the ocean blue helmet thrust his fists into the air. "Yes! See? I told you so!"

His friend, wearing a fire engine red helmet and thick pads on his elbows and knees crossed his arms with a huff. "Aw, man! Let's have a rematch over there where there's less people in the way."

"You're on!" the boys were about to take off when the one with the red helmet turned back to Roxas. "You want to be our referee? You can watch the finish line and tell us who wins!"

Roxas only stared blankly at him and Axel nudged him on the shoulder. "Come on, Roxas, that sounds fun! You should join them."

With curious eyes, the boys took slow steps in their direction. "Is he okay? What's the matter with him?"

Axel paused for a moment, unsure how he ought to explain. "Uh, well… He can't talk that much yet."

The boys knelt in front of Roxas, peering a bit too closely at his face. "You can't talk, huh? Well, that's okay. We'll do all the talking. I'm Renny and this is Cal."

Although Roxas had clearly understood the introduction, he was as mute as ever. Axel gave him another gentle nudge with his elbow. "Come on, don't be shy. Tell them your name."

Roxas' face twisted in concentration and Axel refrained from interrupting him further. Finally, after a long gap, he managed to speak. "R-Roxas…"

"Roxas?" the boy with the red helmet, Renny, tilted his head. "Well, nice to meet you, Roxas! Hey, come play with us. I'll let you try out my skateboard!"

He extended a hand and pulled the boy to his feet, beckoning him away to a far corner of the playground. Roxas hesitated briefly, facing Axel with a slightly apprehensive look. Axel ruffled his hair, bending down to whisper so that the other boys wouldn't hear. "Go on, buddy. Have fun. I'll be right over here, okay?"

With enough gentle coaxing, Roxas followed the boys, listening quietly as they babbled about the rules of their racing game. Axel was just heading back to the sidelines when he saw an object flying right toward his head at high speed. It was quite small and moving so fast that its blurry shape was unfamiliar. He could hear a loud cacophony of children's voices shouting frantically, but couldn't make out what they were saying through all the noise. Finally, one voice pierced through the rest, hollering a warning that he picked up just in time.

"Watch out!"

With impressively quick reflexes, he caught the object and recognized it immediately — a frisbee.

"Hey, mister!" a collection of kids were hurrying across the lot, almost completely winded. "Could you toss it back?"

The children were staring at him expectantly with wide-eyed anticipation on their faces. He felt a familiar warmth as he clutched the frisbee in his hand. Just looking at it transported him to his own past, sprinting through an open courtyard in pursuit of a similar toy. Isa had always thrown it too hard, sending it soaring high over his head and at such high speed that Lea could hardly see it. He remembered quite vividly the thunderous pounding in his chest as he chased the disc all over the square, dodging townsfolk along the way. Then, the stunning victory of finally taking a leap and catching it once and for all, beaming brightly as he tossed it back to a positively shocked Isa.

Barely concealing his smile, Axel nodded and gestured for the kids to put some distance between them. He flung the frisbee toward the far end of the lot and, cheering wildly, they all bolted in the direction of the flying disc. With his mind saturated in pleasant memories, Axel wandered back to his old friend, seated on a bench and hidden beneath his thick black hood.

"Why are you wearing your hood up?"

"We are supposed to keep a low profile."

Axel raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the excuse. "I think we'll draw more eyes with our hoods up than without."

Saïx had his eyes fixed on the ground, but Axel could hear the aggravation in his voice. "You know I don't do well in the sun."

"Yes, yes, I know. You have very…" Axel walked his fingertips up Saïx's back, eliciting a visible shudder from him. "Sensitive skin."

Not amused by the joke, Saïx flinched at his touch. "Don't do that."

Axel could not help but notice that Saïx seemed rather uncomfortable. His posture was unusually rigid, and his breaths were a bit heavy. His responses were short, almost strained, and he seemed to be intentionally avoiding eye contact with his companion.

"Hey," Axel laid a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Saïx answered tersely. "Why do you ask?"

"You're…" Axel thought a moment. "Quiet."

"Is that unusual?"

"No, but," he scratched his head. "I don't know, you seem tense is all."

Axel thought he might have misheard in the noisy lot, but could have sworn he heard an audible gulp from his friend. He wondered if perhaps the sweltering heat was bothering him, taking a moment to scan the crowded arena in search of a spot with more shade. The sun seemed to pour into every crevasse of the lot, leaving the entire playground awash in its unforgiving rays. Restless mothers and impatient fathers packed into the few patches of shade available, bouncing squirming infants, fanning themselves, and chattering nonstop with their fellow parents. Axel and Saïx's comfortable spot on the bench, although tucked against a wall and largely out of the sun, provided little relief from the muggy atmosphere.

He couldn't get any more answers out of Saïx, so he returned his attention to the field to check in on Roxas. The boy was wobbling atop a skateboard, fiercely clenching Renny's forearms for balance as the boys slowly dragged him back and forth on the pavement. As soon as they were confident that he could maintain an upright stance on his own, they gradually released him and he rolled a few feet before toppling over onto his backside. Axel thanked the stars that not only was Roxas wearing a helmet, but that Saïx was looking the other way.

After a long while, the crowds began to disperse as children followed the adults out into the streets and back toward the center of town. Toys were collected and returned to a large bin in the corner of the lot. Friendly gestures of farewell were exchanged between groups of kids as their parents summoned them away. When their numbers had dwindled until only a few teenaged stragglers were left, Saïx let out a heavy exhale and lowered his hood.

"I suppose we ought to feed him. Retrieve him, Lea."

Axel caught a glimpse of his face, barely stifling a gasp upon the sight of him. Saïx was so pale that he was nearly transparent, and his jaw was visibly clenched as he spoke. It was no wonder he was wearing his hood up — if Axel didn't know any better, he'd swear the man was in pain. Swallowing down his concern, he nodded and approached the young boys performing tricks in the far corner. "Hey, Roxas! Ya hungry?" Axel patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Come on, buddy. We can play more later."

"Bye, Roxas!" the boys delivered high fives and waved to Roxas as Axel led him away. "Come back again real soon, okay?"

They collected Saïx and left the Sandlot, soon arriving at a small bistro in the Tram Common where they were seated outside on the front terrace. Roxas' curious eyes darted in every direction as he took in the sights around him, so much so that he had to be reminded to eat his lunch. In a bold choice, and much to Saïx's chagrin, Axel had ordered himself a thick, greasy cheeseburger, and a second one for Roxas. Although the boy devoured it rather sloppily, he appeared to enjoy it, and his caretakers were relieved that he hadn't choked on such an oversized meal.

Axel grinned as he dragged a napkin across Roxas' cheeks. "Hey, I think he just hiccuped!"

Saïx, who had been picking at a salad that he'd hardly touched, muttered with a flat and uninterested tone. "Splendid."

"Come on, you can't tell me it's not adorable."

"Are you going to celebrate every milestone like a new mother?"

Axel burst into a hearty laugh. "Oh please, everybody knows I'm the daddy."

An increasingly annoyed Saïx rolled his eyes, giving up on his meal entirely and laying down his chopsticks. "It gives me a sense of comfort and stability to know that you will never reproduce."

Snickering, Axel lowered his voice to a teasing whisper. "One of these days, my friend, he will break you. You will melt into a puddle and I will finally be able to say I told you so."

"Hmph," Saïx smirked in his own way. "I look forward to it."

Amidst their banter, Roxas had been cautiously and rather ineffectively nibbling at his burger, smearing grease and condiments across his face. Axel chuckled, dabbing his mouth with the napkin again. "Do you like it, Roxas?"

"Ugh," Saïx wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I don't understand how you people can eat things like that."

"It's easy," Axel held up his burger, slowly advancing toward him with it. "You just open your mouth and—"

"You keep away from me," the man growled, blocking his approach before addressing their young comrade with a slightly menacing voice. "Roxas, perhaps you'd like to visit the library. I'll show you a picture of what that used to look like."

"Oh give it a rest, will you?" Axel scolded him. "We were meant to eat things like this."

"Who made that decision?" Saïx posed, crossing his arms and appearing eager for a debate.

"Uh, the food chain," Axel retorted and resumed eating his lunch, keeping an eye on the child beside him all the while. By the time he'd finished, Roxas had only surpassed the halfway point with his sandwich, which now lay fallen apart on his plate. Giggling, he reconstructed the boy's lunch and nudged the plate toward him before returning his attention to his partner with an apologetic sigh. "Come on, let's not fight in front of Roxas."

He hovered over the table, aiming to plant his lips on Saïx's cheek. Much to his surprise, the man recoiled, pushing him away with a scowl. "Don't."

Axel stared, genuinely baffled by the reaction. "What's the matter?"

"Low profile," Saïx muttered coldly. "Besides, I can smell it on your breath."

Although he was aware that he was deliberately pushing the man's buttons, Axel was increasingly wary of his partner's apparent malaise. For the entirety of their visit to Twilight Town, he'd been especially stiff and irritable, and although Axel had repeatedly pressed him for an explanation, he remained guarded and avoided the conversation altogether. Any further prodding only resulted in more displays of the man's short temper, followed by more concerted efforts to conceal his rapidly deteriorating condition.

Unwilling to provoke him further, Axel backed off, settling his focus on Roxas for the time being. He ordered the boy an ice cream bar, thrilled to see the look of delight in his eyes as he took his first bite. Over the next several minutes, he greedily lapped at his dessert while watching townsfolk strolling about the square. It was fascinating that the child was so enthralled by all the little details of the world that most seasoned adults overlooked. Nothing was dull or boring to him, and Axel admired how the boy could make his own fun out of anything. He endeavored to take a lesson or two from him on living whatever existence they could claim to the fullest.

The waiter laid the bill on the table and Axel figured they ought to leave soon. Just then, he was startled by the sound of a sudden gasp. He glanced at Saïx and found him hunched over the table with a pained grimace, breathing heavily.

"Isa? Are you alright?" he clasped his hand. "You really don't look so good."

Ignoring the question, Saïx paused for a short period, taking the time to just breathe. When the unexpected spasm had passed, he forced a straight face and changed the subject. "Why don't you take Roxas for a walk in the plaza?"

Hoping that Roxas would be sufficiently occupied with his ice cream stick for a few more moments, Axel quietly implored his friend. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sick? Do you want to go back?"

"Don't coddle me, Lea. I'm a grown man."

"Does that mean I'm not supposed to care about you?"

Saïx was silent again, still catching his breath. Roxas had left the table and was dawdling a few paces away, staring into space as he walked in circles. "Don't let Roxas out of your sight," Saïx rose from his chair with a grunt. "I'll be fine. Let's go before he runs off."

Defeated once again, Axel laid their munny on the table and accompanied him to the exit, waving Roxas along as they headed back out into the plaza. They meandered through the marketplace for nearly an hour, peeking into shops, admiring the merchandise, and reading colorful posters and signs. It seemed as though Saïx experienced no more of his episodes, and Axel trailed behind the ever more curious and energetic Roxas, following him closely as he wandered in all directions, gaping cheerfully at the chaos and bustle around him. The boy soon took a special interest in a farmer's market with a large bin full of shiny red apples.

"Well, hello there, boy! Do you like apples?" The portly merchant smiled as he advertised his product. "These are the sweetest apples you've ever tasted, I guarantee!"

Although he didn't speak a word, Roxas' face was plastered with happiness. The merchant raised a questioning eyebrow, stroking his silver beard. "What's the matter, son? Can't you talk?"

Roxas dropped his head, seeming to concentrate hard for a second before opening his mouth. "Apple."

The shopkeeper flashed a toothy grin and erupted in an enthusiastic belly laugh. "That's right, my boy! This is an apple. Here, take one! It's a gift from ol' Farmer Arlo."

He tossed Roxas a particularly large piece of fruit, and the boy took several moments to inspect it, turning it over and closely examining the entire outer skin. It was almost perfectly round and without a single blemish, and when he finally took a bite, his eyes widened and his cheeks broke into a gleaming smile.

"Ha!" Farmer Arlo patted him on the head. "You're a cute kid. You enjoy that apple and remember Uncle Arlo will always be here to give you more delicious produce for a good price!"

With a generous handshake, Farmer Arlo stepped away to greet some other customers, leaving Roxas to devour his apple and continue exploring the many kiosks in the area. He strayed a bit too far and Axel was just catching up when he heard a thud behind him. He turned to find Saïx, having collapsed to his knees on the ground.

"Isa!" he rushed to meet his friend and knelt beside him, peering closely at his face. "Talk to me, man."

Concerned citizens were forming a ring around them, gawking openly as they approached. Saïx covered his head, crouching low to the footpath. "They're all staring… Make them leave…"

"Nobody is staring at you," Axel rubbed his back. "It's okay."

Sweat was pouring down Saïx's face and his breaths amounted to little more than shallow wheezing. He clutched at his abdomen, tightly clenching the leather of his coat in his fists. With his suspicions confirmed, Axel sprang into action, taking the man by the shoulders and holding him steady.

Saïx groaned softly, wincing as he spoke. "It hasn't been this bad since—"

"Shh. Look at me," Axel pressed a finger to his lips, cupping his chin and locking eyes with him. "Take a breath. If you panic, you'll make it worse."

They should have been prepared for this. He'd had several calm months of relief, but it was only a matter of time before the affliction flared up again. Sometimes, Saïx likened the painful spasms to being stabbed with a hot spear, other times comparing them to the sensation of something squeezing his innards until they burst. Sometimes it was a burn, other times it was crushing pressure, and the episodes were typically accompanied by intense nausea. There was never any warning. There'd never been any explanation for the occurrences. There was no cure, and there was no consistently effective treatment for the pain he suffered.

Saïx had leveled his breaths, managing a few words in between. "It isn't stopping…"

"It'll pass. Keep your head up and don't close your eyes."

They were motionless, kneeling in the middle of the street for several minutes while waiting for the sudden bout to subside. Passers by stepped around them, averting their eyes and keeping a wide berth. Finally, Saïx's posture began to relax as it seemed the pain and nausea had dissipated slightly. Axel wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, taking him by the elbows and preparing to lift him off the ground. "You need to rest. Let me get Roxas and we'll go back. We can come to Twilight Town another day."

With Axel's help, Saïx staggered to his feet, wavering in place for a moment as he regained his balance. They scanned the area, searching for their young comrade among the crowd.

"Roxas?" Axel called out. "Buddy, where'd you go?"

"You lost him?"

"I didn't lose him," Axel blurted, wringing his hands. He squinted at every patch of black he could see, but not one of them belonged to Roxas. The boy was nowhere in sight. "He just, uh… wandered off."

Saïx huffed, dropping his face into his palm. "Damn it, Lea. He could be anywhere."

"Oh come on, he couldn't have gone far."

They retraced their steps, searching through every shop, down every alley, and at every stall that had piqued his curiosity. Farmer Arlo only shrugged when asked about the boy's whereabouts, apologizing profusely and offering to help search. The two declined and rushed back to the bistro. They checked every table from the entryway and still there was no trace of him. Just when they were beginning to panic, a bus boy who had been sweeping dirty dishes into a tub nearby noticed their struggle.

"Something I can help you fellas with?"

Upon being nudged by Saïx's elbow, Axel cleared his throat before spitting out a hasty response. "Uh… yeah. W-We're, uh, looking for a kid wearing a coat like ours."

The bus boy stroked his chin, raising his eyes in thought. "Hmm, now that you mention it, I do recall seeing a boy just wandering around looking lost. Big wide eyes."

Axel and Saïx shared a look. "That sounds like him. Which way did he go?"

"I think he headed off in that direction," the man pointed to a large hole in the town's outer brick wall. "Toward the forest. Sorry I couldn't go after him, he disappeared by the time I'd set my stuff down…"

The pair were no longer listening to him. All the color drained from Axel's face. Not the forest. Anywhere but the forest. Roxas hadn't learned to fight. He would be defenseless in there. "Ah, crap…"

Saïx grabbed his sleeve and pulled him toward the exit. "Come, Lea. Quickly."

Axel waved back at the bus boy as he was dragged away. "Uh, thanks, sir!"

They hurried through the opening in the wall and into the forest to find a collection of menacing creatures zipping around in all directions. Some were black, insect-like entities that shuffled in place, some flew in the air and spit fire into the grass, others wore oddly-shaped helmets and were armed with swords. The monsters flailed and swiped as they rushed in circles without any target, attacking at random as if at war with each other.

"Heartless," Axel whispered, scouring the area for their young friend. "Roxas! Are you in here?"

Axel and Saïx bolted into the center of the horde, discovering that they'd all been closing in on one spot, creating a pile so thick that it was difficult to see their prey. Axel was summoning his chakrams when he heard Saïx gasp.

"Lea, there he is!" he shouted, pointing toward the swarm. Squinting, Axel could see three humanoid figures. He recognized two of them as Renny and Cal, swinging their skateboards at the monsters, knocking them back one by one.

"Mister!" the boys hollered in desperation. "Help us!"

Heartless were closing in on them, dangerously close to overwhelming the them. Axel and Saïx wasted no time plowing through the pack of monsters to reach the helpless kids. They were effectively clearing a path when something caught Axel's eye and made his stomach drop so hard it knocked the wind out of him. Behind Renny and Cal, Roxas was pressed against a tree, cowering with his arms over his head. Even from several meters away, Axel could clearly see the fear in his eyes when the boy lifted his face and screamed his name. The image would haunt him in his dreams, and the terror in the poor child's voice was something he would not soon forget.

"Axel!"