Disclaimer: I don't own KH, despite all the years I've given to KH.
To my Guest reviewer, in my opinion there is never such a thing as over analyzing. The curtains are rarely blue just because they're blue ;). I'm ecstatic to have gotten you to the point where you were thinking so much and had to look something up. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say you're onto some things in your analysis.
If you don't know your flower meanings/language feel free to ask me or look them up online although, remember they have different meanings depending on where you look so careful with that :)
Anyway, enjoy-read and review. Comments, questions, thoughts, even just a smiley face. This story will only be continued if I see an interest in it.
Lea looked around. Moving too quickly for his eyes he saw someone in the organization uniform, race up the grand steps.
Roxas?!
He raced after the figure. Tucking the blindfold into his pocket for safekeeping.
Roxas please be you this time.
Lea ran up the steps as fast as he could, his companions not too far behind. I opened the enormous doors to find nothing. He looked around and saw a balcony up a head. As he quickly made his way over, he found not a man in a coat, but a beautiful woman sitting on the bench alone.
She looked up at him then stood up in a flash, "Who are you? What are you doing here in this castle!"
Having finally caught up, Sora smiled and waved, "Belle! It's so great to see you! "These are my friends, Lea and Riku! So, how is the Beast?"
She sighed and sat back down. "Oh, Hello, and he's fine I suppose. However, he's been so cold to me lately. No rage no outbursts, just…...emptiness. It frightens me more than his shouting ever has."
Lea felt his heart go out to her, but unfortunately being a one track of mind kinda guy he blurted out, "You seen anyone wearing a coat like mine?"
"Or any strange creatures?" Riku added
Shaking her head Belle replied, "I don't think so, but I couldn't tell you for sure to be honest."
"It's okay Belle" Sora answered. "Would you mind if we just took a look around to be on the safe side?"
She nodded, "Sure Sora. And… if you see Beast could you ask him to come see me? He might listen to you…"
"No problem Belle! Thanks"
They walked back out to the top of the steps. "Should we split up?" Riku asked
Sora pouted before replying, "Why would we separate, the three of us are stronger together?'
Lea sighed out, "Yeah, but we'll cover more ground faster if one of us explores the ground floor and if the other two go the wings."
"I guess so, I'll take the West Wing! Beast may be there" Without waiting for a reply he took off.
Riku watched him run off a slight smile on his face before he turned to Lea. "I'll take the East Wing and you can cover the ground rooms and gardens okay?"
Whatever, let's just get moving
Out loud he said, "Sure, I'm cool with that." They both went their respective ways. Lea looked through every room, searching for a sign of life, but each room he came to was empty and eerily silent. Just as he turned, he saw a cloaked figure dash out the door to the gardens.
Sora ran through the rooms looking for members of the staff or Beast. "Anyone home?" He called out as he searched the rooms.
"There's no one here Sora"
Sora jumped about a foot in the air, he turned to see Riku leaning against the door.
"Riku! Don't do that! Besides, you're supposed to be looking in the other wing."
Riku smirked, "I did, it's not my fault you're so slow."
"I am not!"
"Are so"
"Not"
"Yes you are"
"UGH! RIKU" Sora pouted. "Anyway, did you find anything?"
"I ran into the castle's servants, they were all over there. They basically just confirmed what Belle said. Oh, and they told me that the Beast is probably holed up in his room."
"Okay, Let's finish looking and then we'll go to the his room"
They searched the remaining rooms for a hint of the cloaked figure or the creatures they had seen previously.
It's like we're playing hide and seek or something. Riku and I used to play that a lot when we were younger. It's how we found the secret spot. He'd always find me no matter what! I miss spending time together like that.
All of a sudden, they heard a crash nearby and ran out of the room towards the sound. As they came to the Beasts room Sora paused before opening the door.
Should I knock? Nah, Beast will be happy to see me right? Right!
He opened the door cautiously though and saw the beast sitting by the Rose, the room seeming even more a mess than he had previously seen.
"Beast?' he asked tentatively. He received no reply. The beast sat there, staring at the Rose with a heartbroken expression. Sora took another look at the rose and gasped. No longer was it fully bloomed and beautiful, it still gave off that magical glow, but many of it's petals were missing.
Riku seemed to be slightly shocked as well.
"…Sora…Riku…." Sora snapped out of his thoughts at hearing the Beast's deep voice.
"Beast, what happened? What's wrong? Belle's worried about you and she's really sad. You haven't been ignoring her again have you?"
The beast looked at him, then turned away again. "The petals began to fall a while ago...I'm running out of time."
Sora frowned, "I don't understand. What are you running out of time for? What do you need to do?"
"Do you remember the story of the spell?" At seeing them nod he continued, "If I want the spell on myself and my staff and castle to end… I need to learn to love and be loved in return."
"…Are you afraid to tell Belle you love her?"
Beast sighed, "I-"
"You can't waste a moment when It comes to telling someone how you feel about them"
Beast stared at Sora at his exclamation. He turned to the rose and glared at it. "I don't know what to say or how to say it! What if she doesn't love me in return?" Sora frowned at the Beast.
Riku had been gazing at Sora, with a peculiar expression since his outburst. He spoke without looking away from Sora, "It doesn't matter how you say it. Just speak and let your heart guide you. Sora's right though. If you love someone, you don't have a moment to lose. Not telling them and never knowing what could be is worse than a rejection." Sora looked away, confused by Riku's expression and words, why Riku was speaking to him rather than the Beast.
"You're both right! I'll go tell her right now!" He ran off leaving the two standing in silence.
Lea made his way to the outer gardens, following the cloaked figure.
I'm not losing you this time!
The figure stopped running and turned to face him.
"Roxas! Is that you!?" The figure was silent. It summoned a Keyblade and lunged at him.
Shit!
He summoned his own and blocked the hit. He tried to see the face underneath the hood, but the details were impossible to discern in the dark despite the light of the stars.
They fought, equal in strength, trading blows that were mostly blocked preventing damage. After a while Lea grew tired of this exchange which seemed to be going no where.
Enough!
Lea threw down his Keyblade and extended a hand to the figure.
"Please…"
The being tilted it's head before taking small steps towards him. It reached out a hand to take Lea's. Their hands touched and their was a bright light. Lea felt himself fade out once more.
Lea found himself standing on the ledge of the old hangout spot. His nobody and Roxas were sitting on the edge of the tower as usual, enjoying their after mission ritual.
"Hey, Axel..." Roxas began.
Axel turned towards him replying, "Huh?"
Roxas looked down at his ice cream shyly, "Is there anything…you couldn't bear to lose?"
You Roxas, Lea thought ferociously I can't bear to lose you, so come back to me!
Axel looked at him in confusion "What? Where'd that come from?"
Roxas sighed before explaining, "I ran into someone today, and...he had something like that. Something so important to him he couldn't bear to lose it. Why don't I have anything like that?"
You have me…. ME ROXAS! I'M RIGHT HERE!
Axel rolled his eyes and viciously took a bite of his treat, "Because you don't have a heart."
Roxas sighed and responded, "I know that. Yet, I couldn't bear to lose my memories of you… It's scary to think I could lose you."
Axel coughed, "Scary? Scary's a feeling, man."
Roxas scowled, "Yeah, I realize I can't feel, since I don't have a heart, but... It's still a scary thought."
You do have a heart Roxas
Axel turned away, "Well then, it's a thought then, not a feeling."
Roxas was quite a moment, "Are you sure it's just a thought?"
Axel sighed, "You could just be remembering what it's like to feel scared, and think you're feeling it now again...But you're not Roxas."
Don't believe him Roxas! What you're feeling is real!
He reached out to Roxas, as the world before him dimmed. As existence came to be once more he realized they were still on the clock tower, but Axel was laying down on his back, his feet dangling off the edge, Roxas sitting close, practically leaning on his legs.
Lea looked at Roxas' face, seeing his mouth open and close, seeming on the verge of asking a question.
"…..Axel?"
Axel opened his eyes and looked towards Roxas, "What's up?"
Roxas glanced at him from the corner of his eye, then turned towards the sunset, "This is gonna sound stupid..but do you…know what love is?"
Axel quickly sat up, "'Scuse me?!"
Roxas jumped at his friend's outburst and quickly replied, "It's just… I found out about love on today's mission-that it's something powerful…"
I love you Roxas! So much! It's why I'm fighting for you, looking for you so hard! I almost killed Sora just to bring you back to me
Axel sighed and ran a hand over his face, "Yeah, it is, but I'm not gonna be lovin' anyone any time soon."
Roxas looked at him upset, "Nobodies can't love?"
Axel frowned and looked away, "You need a heart, man."
Roxas muttered bitterly, "Right..."
Axel sighed as he explained, "Love is…it happens if there's something really special between two people."
Roxas tilted his head, pondering his friend's words, "You mean…like…if they're best friends like us?
Axel shook his head, "Nah, I mean yeah you care about friends, but that's not what I'm talking about."
Roxas frowned, "So...love is like a step above friends?"
Axel responded, "Yes... Well, no. There aren't 'steps'."
Roxas shook his head and looked down, "…I don't get it."
Axel sighed before laying back down, "What does it matter? We'll never know the difference."
Roxas turned and looked at Axel, "If I had a heart…you think I could love somebody?"
You could love me…
Axel was quite for a moment before simply stating, "Once Kingdom Hearts is complete, you'll be able to do a lot of things"
Roxas nodded as he turned back towards the sunset, "That's good….."
Lea opened his eyes, realizing he was back inside the gardens. He looked around and to his dismay saw the cloaked figure gone again. He wiped at his now misty-eyes. Realizing he was holding something, he looked down at his hand.
Flowers?
He saw he was holding three small flowers tied together by a red string.
A white rose...but I don't know these other ones…maybe one of the other two or Belle will know..
He turned back and went inside the castle. He marched back up the steps and found Belle holding a regal looking man close.
"I missed something didn't I?"
They jumped and turned to him. "Oh! Lea" Belle smiled, "This is the Beast! He's a prince, but that doesn't matter, I'd love him if he was a random beggar on the street."
Lea smiled, "Good for you two! Belle, do you know what kind of flowers these are?"
She examined the two he pointed at before stating, "It's a Carnation and a Delphinium."
"Oh." Lea looked down at the tied flowers.
These must be his memories of when he first learned about what we couldn't feel as Nobodies. When he questioned emotions and stuff. Although now I know it was a lie. He probably did feel all that...He was still so young
He was brought out of his musings as his missing companions wandered in smiling.
"Hey gu- WOAH!" Sora jumped up and down in glee. "The spell is broken! Congrats you two!"
The pair blushed and looked at each other with happy expressions.
"We should go find everyone else to celebrate" Belle stated.
The former Beast smiled at her, "Let us find them."
They went off together leaving the trio alone. Riku cleared his throat before saying, "The castle is clear of those creatures, so I think we should move on."
Sora turned to Lea, "Axel did you find something else?"
Lea held the flowers out rather protectively. "These just appeared in my hand after I chased down and fought the cloaked person. Our hands touched, and there they were.."
Sora smiled and leaned closer to look at them. "They're really pretty!"
"I presume they held more of Roxas' memories." Riku said looking at Lea.
Lea smiled down at the flowers. "Yeah, they did…."
"What was the memory of?"
"Well," Lea started, "In one he asked about having something he or I couldn't bear to lose. In the other…he asked me about what love is.."
At his statement Sora and Riku both blushed and looked away from each other.
Unobservant, Lea waved his free hand, "Come one Sora, do your thing for me!"
Sora put out his hand, materializing his Keyblade. He pointed it at the flowers and they glowed, a shining light engulfing them once more before they reached their new destination.
:) Until next time~!