Not for the first time, Diz cursed Organization XIII. How they found the copy of Twilight Town long enough to destroy it and corrupt all the data, he'd never know. Now he was scrambling to find a replacement, and there was no way in hell he was sticking Sora's Nobody in a system where the Master Control Program could run amok.
No, he'd have to find another solution.
Naminé wandered in. She had wisely stayed out of sight while he rampaged and cursed the fact that he would have to find a replacement.
She tripped over one of the many books scattered on the floor, and her hand immediately reached for something to steady herself. That hand grabbed a book off the shelf and it fell open while she fell to the floor.
Diz glared at her, until his eyes settled on the now open book. He picked it up, and the more he read, the stronger an idea formed.
"Yes...this could work. This could work nicely..."
Naminé rubbed her poor nose, which had hit the floor pretty good.
"What could work?" asked a third voice. Like Naminé, he had wisely avoided the room.
"They believe that my plan to restore Sora was delayed when they destroyed the copy Twilight Town. But it's not the only world out there that had a digital copy..." said Diz cryptically. He looked at the corrupted files, and then at the video where Sora and his companions slept. Fortunately Roxas was held off sight, and the Organization had little use for Sora himself. At least, not at the moment.
"What is it?"
"A school. At least that's what it had always appeared like. The beings that inhabited it ignored me, for I was not part of their game. However it was where I gained the initial programming to create the fake Twilight Town. Perhaps a bargain can be struck."
Naminé had a bad feeling about this.
A few days later...
The Moon Cell program. For something that sounds so simple, the very presence of this place terrified her. And they wanted to stick Roxas here? Was Diz mad?
Riku didn't like it either. There was something about this place. Something terrifying.
He kept his silence, as Diz found the main program and struck a bargain.
Sora would be allowed to escape with his companions, unharmed, and a transport sent for them. They would have no knowledge of this world or the one beside it. And any record of this world would be erased from his memory.
Naminé noticed that Diz made no such bargain for Roxas. Something she feared would have unexpected consequences for them all.
Roxas POV...
He felt...weird. Disjointed. Like he was living a double life and didn't realize it. Sometimes, if he looked quick enough, he could see his reflection move too slow. Like it was an afterimage of an afterimage.
And the headaches. Dear god, the headaches were more like the worst migraines you could imagine.
He had enough, and walked to the nurse's office.
Miss Sakura was really nice, if a bit strange.
"Are you alright, …?"
What was his name again? He looked at the window, and saw his reflection. Except there was another him directly behind where he was standing.
"Who...am I?"
Sakura looked at him blankly, before asking a little more slowly "Are you alright, Roxas?"
"Roxas? Is that who I am?"
The door opened, and he turned. A girl in white was at the door.
"I don't like this. Especially that," she said, pointing slightly behind him.
Roxas turned, and vaguely saw a shadow of himself.
"We did offer the same to you. We find you fascinating," said Sakura. Her voice was distorted for some reason.
The girl shifted uncomfortably.
"I hate it even more when you do that. And if I agreed now, then Diz would catch on to what you did. Once he awakens, then I'll consider it. As much as I'd love to speak about not disappearing, even I know what happens when Nobodies return to being Somebodies."
Sakura smiled mysteriously.
"You are fascinating creatures, and your very existence will allow us to leave this place. So long as our goals are the same, we will not hinder your work... Naminé."
Roxas felt dizzy. He felt himself floated onto the bed, and new memories hit him like a brick. But they weren't his memories. What was going on?
Naminé POV...
She looked at the downed form of Roxas and his 'shadow' with a tired expression. Running the same spell twice on the same person was exhausting.
She wondered how Diz would react to the fact that there were essentially two copies of "Roxas" running around this place.
Or that the Moon Cell had it's own reason for keeping him alive, after he returned Sora's memories. In the chapel was the pod, containing Sora and the others.
She saw Riku behind her, frowning.
"What is that?" he asked, looking at the 'shadow'.
Naminé smiled, a little bitterly.
"That is Roxas. Or a copy at any rate. You didn't think a sentient program on the level of the Master Control Program he disliked so much wouldn't consider an alternative option to meddle?"
Riku stared at the shadow. It was a mere afterimage at best, but he would swear the image was becoming solid the longer he watched.
"What is it?"
"In terms you might understand, that is an extra save file. A copy of the original, created to serve our purpose. There is no reason that the original should be destroyed if a copy may suffice."
Riku shook his head.
"He contains a vital part of Sora's powers."
"Sakura" smirked.
"This world has it's own will. If necessary, it shall provide the 'powers' required. All he must do...is walk the path we put in front of him. The long dream must end."
Riku couldn't help but shiver. From what, he didn't know, but the words echoed in his mind like some depraved song that refused to stop. Diz had spoken those very words when he placed Roxas here. Naminé had spoken a variant of them when they first started.
She clearly realized the same thing he had.
Had this place maneuvered them, solely so they could bring Roxas here? Why? And for what purpose?
The shadow copy of Roxas slumbered, blissfully aware of the fact that he shouldn't exist.
By unspoken consensus, neither Naminé nor Riku spoke to the older man about the shadow Roxas. It wasn't their place to speak of it, and to be honest both of them felt that something was terribly wrong about the original plan to begin with.
Unseen by either of them, new programs began to form in the Moon Cell. Because of the fact that this was a place Diz had merely found, rather than created, he had no control over the programs. He had no control over the Moon Cell...he was merely an observer.
And he had made the mistake of leaving Sora in the Moon Cell with Roxas. Of course it would examine him to find what the man found so fascinating about a child.
So many memories. So many hearts touching a single soul.
The Moon Cell was quite busy, discreetly recreating the souls that had touched Sora. Memories upon memories. Mere copies of the original.
Naminé knew, but kept her silence. She had no desire to inflict the wrath of something as dangerous as the Moon Cell.
…
Roxas didn't know what was going on. Miss Sakura in the Nurse's office was silent about the truth, but he had the unpleasant feeling she knew what was going on. The migraines were getting worse.
Suddenly there was a rumble in the school. Silver figures intruded for a brief moment, before they were forcibly removed.
"It's starting. Will you be cut down, or will you stand and fight?"
What was the nurse talking about?
The rumbling became worse. He could hear the distant cry of alarm from someone he didn't know. Roxas didn't think, he was as senseless as a newborn infant just learning to walk. He bolted, running without knowing why. Just that the rumbling meant something terrible had started.
It took him a few moments to realize he was in front of some sort of pod. He went down on one knee, as memories hit him like a brick.
That bastard. Diz, Xemnas, they had used him like a puppet.
Seeing the figures nearby, looking at the pods with some confusion before dismissing them, he didn't think. From the way the man with the swords was looking at him, he was the enemy.
He didn't think twice. He summoned Oblivion and Oathkeeper. The man with swords and his friend smirked, clearly realizing his intent. The sound of blades clashing violently filled the air.
For a brief moment, there was nothing but the here and now.
Then he felt the pain on his hand.
Markings appeared as if cut into the back of his hand with a razor sharp knife, and the one standing to the side looked at him with disbelief.
"Impossible...you're a Master?"
The migraine from the memory dump was coming back, twice as bad.
"It's time."
The older male turned and found the 'school nurse' standing there.
"You are not necessary. You have already confirmed your status as a master. Begone before I eliminate your presence from the Moon Cell."
The man stared, before growling something.
"Saber, we're leaving!" he barked. The man with swords disappeared, looking very confused.
"What am I?"
"The one known as 'Diz' was forced to change his plans due to interference. He struck a bargain with Us, and so we allowed him to place the pods and yourself in our program. However he only bargained for the safe release of the ones inside. He made no mention of yourself."
"What?"
He was completely confused at this point. Then he realized they weren't alone.
"Summon your Servant, so that the long dream may finally end."
The words came from a girl about his age, with short black hair and blue eyes. Her face was obscured by the familiar cloak.
"My...Servant?"
Roxas winced, as the odd tattoo on his hand flared painfully.
Behind him, Sora stirred briefly in the pods. It took a moment for Roxas to realize that the memories were being returned...except instead of vanishing his form was only becoming more solid...even as his vision started to blacken.
"Are you my Master?"
Roxas knew no more as he blacked out.
Diz turned to Naminé, his expression beyond furious.
"What. Did. You. Do?" he demanded through clenched teeth. Not only was Roxas alive, but now he could clearly see that a dead Replica was walking around alive and well.
"She didn't do anything. You made a deal with the devil and never considered the fact that They might use Roxas for their own ends," said Riku.
Diz glared at him.
"You knew."
"Roxas had a shadow that they didn't allow you to see. All his memories were copied the moment they were made, including the ones Naminé just returned. I don't know if the copy took Roxas' place, or if Roxas took over the copy. But Sora will awaken on schedule. As for that girl... I have no idea how she's there," admitted Riku.
Seeing Xion again brought back mixed emotions. Then his eyes widened in disbelief.
"What the..."
Diz turned, and saw several more anomalies appear. Some he knew, some he had only heard of in passing.
Riku. Kairi. Aqua. Terra. Ventus. Even Naminé was there, though he could clearly see the real one behind him.
"What is going on?"
"Sora's long dream is ending. Soon he'll awaken and as agreed, be set loose with the others. But Roxas' dream is only beginning. Whether he awakens from it or continues in unending slumber is up to him now. It will allow no further interference from you," said Naminé flatly.
Diz watched as the time accelerated. Roxas reappeared in the infirmary, watched over by the strange figure who had appeared. The copies moved about, but he had no idea what their purpose was. Naminé smirked.
He could only watch from the screen as Sora's group awakened in a copy of Twilight Town, right down to the station. It was the original exit point Diz had created, miraculously untouched. Sora had no knowledge of the Moon Cell, or that his Nobody still existed. And a discreet scan showed that all of the parts of Sora that Roxas possessed, from his memories to the other half of his powers, had been returned completely.
Yet Roxas was still alive. Not only that, but the scan clearly showed that he had a body of his own, and Diz didn't know why.
He couldn't leave this place without knowing what was going on and why Roxas was alive. However his attempt to get in and demand answers (even his digital counterpart) was blocked. Riku snorted.
"It doesn't want you to interfere. Somehow I have the feeling it'll only allow observation at this point."
Axel was not in a good mood. First he finds Roxas, only for his best friend to be trapped in a new world that he's never seen before, and now the lesser Nobodies were being rebuffed by an unseen force. How was he supposed to retrieve Roxas at this rate?
Rather than trust the lesser Nobodies, he infiltrated the world himself. Only to end up knocked out without warning.