They had been given very little instruction, but that was Xemnas's way. They pushed out of the castle and into the city that never was. It was dark and deserted as always. They both knew the house and entered it. There were so many circles, but when they saw the one that led to Hollow Bastion, they both knew, they could not explain it. They stepped through and were gone from sight.
When they reappeared they were standing on the roof of a two story building. It was made of pale brown bricks. They both tightened their cloaks so their faces were hidden, and they leapt off the roof.
The city was not deserted but it wasn't busy. People ran in and out of shops. Street venders were peddling their ways, and people were going on their merry way.
Although neither had been there somehow felt that they had. They walked down the odd, yet familiar streets. After several minutes Roxas and Nuxula turned a corner into a side alley and accidently bumped into a tall, slender man. He had medium length brown hair and had a very odd blade attached to his waste. When he turned to face them they were both hit with the strongest yet faintest memory yet. The name Leon rang out in their minds.
He turned to them and quickly drew his weapon. It was a sword, but the hilt was like a gun. He looked them both up and down, and put his weapon back in its place. "Sorry, you startled me." His voice was even, he did not sound startled. "What are two kids doing in a back alley?"
How did he know that they were kids? Then they realized that when the bumped into him their hoods came off. Roxas took the question. "We are looking for the Hollow Bastion restoration committee headquarters. Know where it is?"
Leon cocked an eyebrow. "Who's asking?"
"I'm Roxas, this ix Nuxula. We heard that there was an organization dedicated to stop the heartless. We want in."
"Why? Fighting heartless is no easy task." Leon questioned.
"Our parents had their hearts taken by the heartless, we're out for revenge. We'll do whatever it takes." Roxas's voice was filling with rage, and Leon was buying it.
He nodded. "Come with me, it's not far. Leon set down the alley with the two in tow. Nuxula was amazed at how well Roxas had lied and at how Leon had bought it so easily. The alley left out to another street. Leon went left and turned into a small stone building. Nuxula and Roxas went in after him.
Inside, the room was scarce there a bed, a table, a few chairs, and a large computer on one wall. AT the computer sat a large blond man who was typing away. When the others walked in he turned to face them. His face was chiseled and old. He was gnawing on a tooth pick.
"Who are they? When Leon finds out you brought outsiders in without talking to him he won't be too happy. Another familiar name.
"Hush, Cid. I don't care what Leon thinks. They were looking for us. They say that their parents were killed by heartless." Cid looked them up and down.
"Can they fight? We don't need dead weight around here. Well, can ye?" Cid asked in his gruff voice.
Roxas and Nuxula both nodded and threw their arms to the side and summoned their respective weapons.
Leon and Cid's eyes went wide at seeing Roxas's weapon. "Keyblade." They said in unison. "How did you get that?" Leon asked in awe.
"I… I don't know. It was given to me by… my father, it was his." Roxas stuttered.
"May I, hold it?" Leon asked hesitantly. Roxas nervously held it out and Leon took hold. He looked at it, all over, his eyes wide. He made a few strikes in the air with it then looked at it some more. Then it was gone, it reappeared a second later in Roxas's hand. "I can't hold this one either." Leon muttered.
This one? Had Leon seen another Keyblade? Leon then took a look at Nuxula and her whip. He took a long look at Nuxula; something in his mind seemed to click. "Cid, doesn't she look like…" he trailed off.
"I noticed that the moment I saw her, the resemblance is shocking." Cid replied. What were they talking about?
"Welcome aboard." A voice said from the door way. They looked to see Cloud walking through the door. If either of them fight anything like Sora or Yufie then we want them with us.
This was the strongest memory for the two yet. Sora and Yufie. Who were they?
"Cloud, meet Nuxula and Roxas. Their parents were killed by the enemy. Found em in an alley." Leon said, plopping himself into a chair. "Where's Aerith and Tifa?"
"They're at the bailey, they found some stragglers." Cloud said, sitting across the table from Leon. "I swear I saw him today." Cloud said.
"Who? Not Sephiroth?" Cid asked, he had turned back to the computer.
"Yes." Cloud growled. "He was on top of the castle, I saw the gleam of his sword, he was there, looking for me."
"Cloud, you need a rest, you haven't slept in days, take a nap." Leon urged.
Cloud stood. "I'll be back by nightfall." He said as he left the house.
"That one." Cid said shaking his head. Nuxula, Roxas, let's see what you can do, come with me, we'll go find Tifa and Aerith." Leon left the house with the tow in tow, again.
After a walk through the increasingly busy city they passed through a pair of gates onto a covered walkway. From the walkway they could see the Hollow Bastion castle; they could also see the swarms of heartless mulling about below. "Come," Leon waved them through a pair of doors. They were outside now, in a narrow path. The sounds of battle were coming from up ahead.
As they ran ahead the saw two girls, one using a pair of knives, and the other using magic, fighting off a group of solder heartless. They were outnumbered at least ten to one but seemed to be having no trouble. But more were coming into the pass. "Aerith, Tifa!" Leon called. They both nodded, but did not turn to look at him, they focused on the fight. "Go," Leon told Nuxula and Roxas. They nodded and rushed in.
Roxas slammed into three heartless at once and went to work on them. Nuxula sent her whip out fast and snatched a solder right out of the air that was about to leap onto Roxas. She tossed the heartless behind her and smashed it against a wall. Nuxula continued to find victims and sink the pointed tips of her whip into them as Roxas continued to pound away. In less than a minute all heartless were gone, and no more filled in.
When the fighting had subsided Tifa and Aerith looked at Nuxula and Roxas. "Yufie?" Tifa and Aerith muttered together. Leon rushed in.
"It's odd, isn't it?" Leon said. "This is Nuxula and Roxas, they have just become the newest members of the restoration committee. "He is Sora's equal as well as she is yufie's." said Leon.
Aerith, who wore a bright pink dress, said, "Nice to meet you both." She seemed a bit shaken by the sight of the two.
"Pleased." Said Tifa, who wore all black.
Nuxula and Roxas nodded. "Pleased," They said.
"Come," Leon said. "We have much to discuss, back to headquarters."