Chapter 3
Unusual Partnership
Lying on his bed Axel still couldn't sleep, no matter what he did thoughts of Allune just kept getting in the way. Was it because she was so unusual? Was it her annoying spell that was keeping him awake? Axel didn't know but he was starting to get really annoyed with it.
"Allune just let me sleep will you," he grumbled sitting up tiredly. He looked around the blank room dissatisfied and decided to get up.
"It's not like these colours could be any more of a sleep incentive, grey, grey, grey, yep that's grey too," he said to himself pacing around. Maybe that was the problem, it not like Allune was boring, maybe that's why thinking about her made him unable to sleep.
"Something too exciting for me, Axel, the guy who plays literally with fire, nah can't be," he chuckled to himself deciding to go for a walk around the castle for a bit.
"Maybe a little physical activity?" he wondered walking through the grey halls, "hmm, guess I never noticed how deadpan the colour scheme is around here." After a while Axel got into the mission room, it was still early but there were a few of the Organisation about.
"More grey," he sighed going over to the window he seemed to like to lean on.
"Gosh, what happened Axel did hell freeze over," he heard a sarcastic female voice say, it was Larxene looking at him as ever with just a sheer look of displeasure on her face.
"Hey I can wake up just as much as you Larxy," he chuckled arrogantly.
"My name is Larxene," she snapped, her temper seemed as sharp as the knives on her hands, Axel guessed being the only women she suffered from an inferiority complex and was just overcompensating.
"Simmer down lightning queen there's no reason to get stormy," replied Axel uninterested in picking a fight.
"That's right my dear, no need to let the shock of seeing Axel before sunrise go to your head," came another sarcastic voice. Axel rolled his eyes unimpressed, with that overbearing swagger it could only be Marluxia.
"Marluxia, of course," said Axel uninterested.
"Axel you could at least look happy to see me," Marluxia glared arrogantly.
"Why lie," shrugged Axel.
"Why indeed. By the way I heard about your complete failure the other night, couldn't you come up with a better excuse than, you couldn't find it. Let me guess, you just fell asleep with your eyes open," taunted Marluxia. Axel ran his hand through his hair a little nervously.
"You could say that," he said quietly before glaring back at Marluxia hatefully, "But hey that Heartless is totally gone now!"
"Glad to hear it," they heard Saix say from behind them, "Larxene, Marluxia don't you two have work to do."
"Yes I suppose, come let's leave Axel to dream up another excuse or two for how inferior he is," laughed Marluxia taking Larxene away with him.
"Hey, I don't need you talking for me Marluxia, I can hold my own," Axel heard Larxene grumble as they left.
"Can you say highly strung, that guy could do well to relax a little," said Axel exasperated.
"Don't mind them; tell me about the Heartless, what was it, what did it look like? Are there likely to be more?" asked Saix.
"Questions, questions, what's with all the questions," said Axel a little defensive.
"Axel if this is some new type of Heartless we need to know all we can about it so we can handle it better. We can't spend this much time on the next one that appears, if it is very powerful we need to make sure we're prepared for more," explained Saix seriously.
"Trust me, you can't prepare for this one," Axel said to himself.
"What was that?" asked Saix.
"Well there isn't much to tell, it wasn't that different from the others, just better at hiding that's all, still Xigbar's trap, genius," replied Axel trying to cover. Saix looked at him suspiciously and Axel just smiled confidently.
"Hey what's the big deal, it's gone right," he said.
"Well our sensors aren't picking it up anymore," replied Saix still looking a bit concerned.
"There see, nothing to it," smiled Axel.
"I suppose, still since you seem so eager this morning I'll send you out early today, your flames hold up in cold weather right?" replied Saix.
"Cold weather, what do you mean cold weather?" worried Axel.
"We found a new connection to a world that seems almost completely comprised of mountains, why don't you go check them out," said Saix walking off leaving Axel.
"Why did I have to be awake," sighed Axel deciding to leave and get this over with quickly.
The dark corridor ended on a rocky plateau in the mountains where Axel stood ankle deep in the light falling snow.
"Man it's cold," he thought looking around, not far in front of him was a large stone wall which as he looked up went up into the grey sky as more of the mountain. Looking off the side of the plateau the snow impaired his visibility a bit but he could see lots of other mountains around him, it was like a large valley of them.
"Well not doing much standing here," said Axel engaging his chakrams in case of a sudden attack. He walked up to the stone wall of the mountain that was nearby him and after a little searching he found the entrance to a cave. He stood inside for a moment out of the snow to get his bearings.
"There's not much to this world, I guess I could check out this cave, I wonder how long I should stay before I can go back and try and to sleep some more," he wondered looking into the darkness of the cave. He looked back out to the snow and decided it was better to check out the cave, using his flame he lit the way as he walked deeper into the cave, after a while it felt as though the floor was sloping downwards.
"I wonder how far this goes?" he wondered carrying on.
As he continued in every now and then he could see something shimmer or twinkle in the walls of the hard rock. He stopped at one such twinkle and brushed the rock on the wall revealing a small blue crystal.
"Hmm, crystals," he thought picking it up and storing it before continuing on. As he did the twinkles became more frequent and more little stones and crystals poked out of the walls. Finally he entered a chamber deep in the mountain and looked amazed at the huge crystals that filled it, some as big as boulders, it looked like even the walls were made of crystal.
"They're beautiful aren't they," Axel heard a voice, he looked behind him and Allune had appeared sitting on one of the crystals.
"Allune, what are you doing here?" asked Axel.
"You forgot our deal already?" she replied tilting her head.
"How did you find me, I thought you just hung around Twilight Town?" he replied and she giggled and held up her flute.
"Great, the spell," he asked sarcastically.
"Seems I can find you wherever you go," she giggled standing up.
"What is this place?" he asked her.
"A grotto, deep inside this mountain, most crystals come from underground," she replied picking a couple up from the floor.
Axel watched her and took out the crystal he'd taken from the wall before, he looked through it as he watched her and smiled seeing all the little sides fill with her image like tiny windows, then he looked at her flute and noticed something.
"Hey, this looks just like your flute," he said and Allune looked at the crystal he was holding, she held up her flute and they did look similar.
"Maybe it came from here?" she wondered inspecting her flute interested.
"Have you been here before?" he asked her and she shook her head.
"I don't remember much, but this flute wasn't with me until I became a Heartless," she replied going back to collecting crystals.
"Well on the bright side you remember more than most Heartless I'd guess," smiled Axel watching her and she smiled back at him.
"So what are you doing here?" she asked him.
"Saix sent me to check this place out, it's freezing here, you think these are ice crystals?" he replied looking around at the huge gems.
"I think they're diamonds," she replied standing up with a few in her arms.
"Diamonds?" he asked confused.
"Humans like them, I can see why, they're really pretty, I've seen a lot of women in Twilight Town wearing them," she explained giving him one that she'd picked up.
"Are they useful?" he asked not impressed.
"They're crazy sharp," she replied going over to one of the larger crystals and scratching her name into one of them with one of the smaller ones.
"So if I coat my chakrams in this diamond stuff, it'll make them sharper?" he wondered.
"I think you'd have to melt it down first," said Allune noticing how chunky the diamonds here were.
"No problem," smiled Axel confidently and suddenly the diamond in his hand burst into flames, "see?" Allune came back over and watched the flames intensely, Axel could see she seemed impressed and tried to make the flames bigger.
"That should do it," he smiled and the flames went out, but the diamond was still intact.
"Huh?" said Axel surprised looking at it; the diamond had turned red and was radiating an intense light which lit up the whole chamber in a deep red hue.
"Wow Axel," said Allune walking over to the walls and large gems amazed by the red light.
"Guess these things can't melt," he wondered looking at the room amazed. Suddenly little black shadows appeared in the room and a large group of Heartless appeared around them.
"Great, Heartless," said Axel putting the diamond down and engaging his chakrams.
"Well, guess it's time to see how we do, partner," smiled Allune confidently looking like she was ready to fight. Axel smiled wryly at her before leaping into action against the Heartless. Allune went into battle as well but didn't have to do very much other than catch the wayward hearts from those that Axel destroyed.
The Heartless onslaught continued and Axel kept one eye on Allune as he fought with them, it seemed as though Allune didn't have a weapon to use against them and hadn't even gone for her flute yet, instead as soon as the Heartless got close to her they were seeming to just disintegrate as she reached out towards them. These were small energy blasts, Allune wasn't designed to fight but she did have this power as a kind of defence mechanism, however it wasn't very powerful. Suddenly a larger Heartless attacked her and Allune realised quickly that she couldn't fight it alone, she dashed back a bit towards the large crystals but soon became pinned against them. Axel saw the large Heartless and suddenly dashed at it and set it on fire making it come away from Allune before finishing it quickly, Allune watched him fighting amazed, he'd actually saved her. Once the large Heartless was defeated Allune caught its heart and seeing their leader destroyed the other Heartless disappeared and ran away cowardly.
"Man, that was tiring," panted Axel starting to feel fatigued.
"Thank you…" he heard Allune seem to whisper from behind him, he turned and looked at her quizzically.
"You could have let it kill me, then you'd be free of my spell, but, you saved me, thank you," she said again smiling a little.
"Don't read too much into it," replied Axel coldly, "you're right I could have let it kill you, after all it's your dumb spell's fault I haven't slept since I met you."
"I thought you looked tired," she said coming away from the crystals.
"I don't get it, it must be that spell, I can't stop thinking about you and it's starting to tick me off," he explained putting his chakrams away.
"You can't…" said Allune turning away to hide her sudden shyness, Axel looked at her quizzically before going over to one of the larger crystals. He picked up a large fragment and slashed it at the large gem severing off a long fragment of crystal. Allune turned back to him and watched as he used the smaller fragment to carve and sharpen the long one into a curved blade. Axel then set it on fire and when he stopped the blade glistened red like the diamond had done but it soon cooled and seemed to have become smoother. Axel came back over and gave it to Allune.
"What's this?" she asked.
"You said this stuff was sharp, you really need a weapon if you're going to fight Heartless with me, I can't keep jumping in to save you when the big ones come out," he smiled arrogantly and Allune smiled holding the blade effortlessly, she ran her flute over the blade and it disappeared.
"There, now I can call it just like your blades," she smiled at him.
"Come on, we better get out of here, I think I've done enough for Saix today," sighed Axel taking a couple of diamonds and walking back to the opening of the chamber.
"Axel, wait," called Allune and Axel turned back.
"I think I know a way to help you sleep," she said nervously.
"Really, how?" he asked and she brought out her flute, "Oh no. Not that thing, the other's think I'm acting weird enough."
"Axel I didn't mean… I just thought maybe my music will help you sleep," she explained.
"Look, even if that thing wasn't dangerous you can't help me, I can't take you to the castle, you're a Heartless, eventually I'll probably just keel over from fatigue," he replied going back into the tunnel. Allune sighed and followed him out,
"For a guy with no heart you sure can be stubborn."
"It's still snowing," said Axel when he got to the opening.
"Well maybe you'll be lucky and you won't have to come here often," smiled Allune.
"Yeah, there isn't much here of interest, unless Saix can come up with a use for those diamonds," joked Axel.
"Well I think we make a pretty good team," said Allune confidently.
"How many did you get?" asked Axel.
"Don't know, didn't count, I think I got them all, still that big one makes up about as much as all of the little ones," replied Allune.
"That's great," replied Axel.
"All you have to do is figure out how to get them out of me," replied Allune coldly.
"Yeah, but not till you've got way more in you, you know, why harvest half a crop," replied Axel light heartedly and Allune smiled a little agreeing.
"Well, I better go. Do you get cold?" he asked suddenly.
"Not really, don't really feel heat either," she replied disappearing into the shadows of the cave. Axel nodded interested opening a dark corridor and returning to the castle.
Later Axel sat on his bed fumbling one of the diamonds he'd brought back from the cave. He looked around warily for a moment before setting the diamond on fire and watching how different the red sparkling light made his room look.
"Grey, red, grey, red," he said to himself covering the diamond and then uncovering it again watching the light make the room look brighter and less boring. He chuckled to himself putting the diamond down and then stood up stretching tiredly.
"Ok, that's enough of a warm up, lets see if I can sleep," he smiled to himself, he was about to get back onto the bed when Saix appeared.
"Anything to report?" he asked.
"I'm never going to sleep," sighed Axel turning round to him and picking up one of the diamonds.
"Saix there's nothing much there, except a cave full of these diamonds," he explained showing him.
"A diamond? It's just a shiny rock," replied Saix uninterested.
"Yeah but watch this," smiled Axel showing him what happens when he sets the diamond on fire, but Saix still wasn't impressed.
"So you can make it change colour," he sighed, "we saw Heartless on the sensors, a big one was with them, any ideas?"
"Single handedly took them all out, yep that's me," nodded Axel confidently.
"Oh really? Well where did the hearts go?" asked Saix.
"Hearts?" said Axel unsure.
"You know they just make new Heartless when they're released but interestingly the sensors haven't picked up any new Heartless, so, where did the hearts go?" Saix asked seriously.
"Don't look at me, it's not like I can collect them, you put way too much trust in that computer Saix," replied Axel turning away annoyed.
"Perhaps," nodded Saix leaving and Axel sighed relieved.
"Man, can't get anything past that guy, anyway no more thinking, just close my mind and sleep, I'm going to sleep!" thought Axel determinedly laying back on the bed. He stared at the grey ceiling watching the little sparkles from the diamonds on the table beside the bed.
"Like my own little set of stars," he smiled to himself closing his eyes and trying to sleep.
However nothing changed, as soon as he closed his eyes he could see Allune in his mind.
"Get out of my head," he grumbled opening his eyes again and laying on his side, he lay there completely still staring at the blank wall hoping eventually his eyes would just get so tired he'd have to sleep, he was getting desperate. On the other side of the room a faint outline seeped in through the wall silently floating in the air. It looked down to where Axel was laying and moved closer to him. It was Allune, despite all his protesting she'd managed to find her way into the castle.
"Don't worry Axel, I'll help you sleep now," she smiled to herself taking her flute out and playing quietly. On the bed Axel just kept staring at the wall, her music was so quiet he could barely hear it yet but finally he was starting to feel sleepy. Then he started to hear it, the music was like a soft lullaby but by now he was too tired to care.
"That's really…" he yawned finally falling asleep. Allune stopped playing and smiled happily before disappearing out of the room.