Chapter 7
To Truly Have A Heart
It was night in Twilight Town, Allune had said she'd woken up here, so Axel guessed it was where she was from. He walked into the square with her and found the alleyway he'd first met her in.
"You'll be safe now," he said as he set her down on the pavement. He stood for a moment not quite sure how to leave, when she woke up would she remember him, would she remember this place, would she be afraid without him? He wondered if he should stay until she awoke so he could explain but suddenly he heard people coming and had to hide. A man dressed in a white shirt and dark trousers with black hair came round the corner with a lantern, Axel noticed his clothes looked similar in style to Allune's new ones. The man ventured further and saw the body that lay slumped on the floor, he rushed over worried.
"Oh my, Miss, are you ok?" he asked as he came over wary of whatever seemed to have attacked her. The man placed the lantern on the floor and turned the body over, Axel saw him jerk back in surprise as he did before exclaiming,
"Luna!"
"Luna?" wondered Axel watching from his hiding place.
The man looked back out the street and seemed to be acting very peculiar, bobbing his head back and forth between Allune and the entrance.
"Tima! Tima get over here, it's Luna!" cried the man and then Axel saw a woman enter the alley, she had blonde hair and was also wearing the similar style of clothes.
"Atlus what are you talking about, Luna is…" she said coming in but stopping amazed seeing the woman laying at the man's legs.
"Dead, I know, I know we thought she was dead, she's been missing for so long. Oh Luna, how have you come back to us, what angel has delivered you home," praised Atlus overjoyed.
"Blonde hair, black hair, those can't be?" worried Axel thinking he'd delivered Allune back into the arms of those who hurt her so badly. Then as Tima came over to kneel by Allune's side also, Allune started to wake up, she couldn't believe the faces she saw looking down on her.
"Tima, Atlus… how am I, where am I?" she asked dryly as if she were coming out of a long dream.
"Luna, it is you, you're alive!" smiled Atlus hugging her tightly.
"Luna, that's not my…" stammered Allune seeming to be looking around, in one of the corners of the alley she thought she could see a shadowy figure watching them.
"Axel!" she called out suddenly trying to move but she was still too weak to break away cleanly. Axel turned away hearing her call, he had to do this but he still couldn't leave, he had to know she was safe.
"Axel? Is he the angel, did he bring you home?" asked Atlus and Allune looked at him confused.
"Poor thing must be delusional, missing for so long, what happened to you dear?" asked Tima and Allune looked at her recognising her voice a little distressed.
"This isn't right, where am I, I'm supposed to be with Axel, he wouldn't leave me, what am I doing here, this isn't right!" she cried out trying to crawl away noticing the change in her clothes and then seeing her injury and emblem was gone.
"I'm, I'm not a Heartless anymore…" she stammered realising.
"A Heartless?" asked Atlus.
"You must have been through quite a lot, must have banged her head or something, no telling how long she's been wandering around like this, we should get her home," said Tima.
"No! I'm not going anywhere with you!" she cried scrambling to her feet and trying to run towards the shadows she could see in the corner, she didn't get far. Unaccustomed to walking and still weak from her ordeal it wasn't long before Allune lost her balance and toppled to the floor painfully, but she was a little closer and could see the shadow of Axel's hair.
"Axel! Axel, come back Axel please! Don't leave me with them, I want to be with you!" he cried out painfully. She saw his hair move and his face came slightly out from behind the crate. He looked at her sadly and shook his head, Allune saw him but wasn't about to give up, even when she knew it was hopeless.
"Luna I'm sorry," said Atlus and both Axel and Allune looked up at him amazed, "I know it's my fault you ran off. I should have found a better way to tell you, instead of just marrying Tima and going off our honeymoon like that." Axel finally understood why Allune had been preyed upon by the Heartless Flute, it had sensed her pain caused from this news and had possessed her on the spot. No wonder she couldn't remember how she became a Heartless very clearly, she never saw the flute coming and with it controlling her it never would have let her see the truth.
"Go away, I don't need you," she shouted still trying to get up.
"Luna please, you're my best friend, I was heartbroken when I returned to find you'd disappeared. Tima and I have searched high and low for you, asked everyone we met, no one knew anything. I'm so sorry Luna, I'd never want to hurt you in a million years, I was, just so caught up in the wedding. This angel, Axel, must have taken you to punish me, now he's brought you back so I can tell you how sorry I am," said Atlus.
"How sorry we are. I guess even though we're a double act I never really treated you as much of a partner," said Tima humbly. Atlus put his arm around Allune's shoulders then and helped her stand finally.
"I've really been gone a long time?" she asked difficultly.
"More than a year, maybe two, it's been so long I lost count. Come now, let's get you home, you look like you need to rest," said Atlus and Allune nodded. Atlus helped her walk away but she kept looking back towards the crates in the corner until she saw Axel's shadow disappear. Her tears came back again then, she didn't understand why she'd been left here.
The next day Allune was better and was able to walk around again, she got dressed by herself and managed to walk outside the little gypsy like cart which made the home for the three of them.
"Luna you're ok," smiled Atlus hugging her.
"You made it through the night," nodded Tima.
"My head's still a bit fuzzy, what do we actually do?" she asked confused.
"Don't tell me you forgot all our dance moves?" worried Tima.
"Tima come on she's only been back a day," sighed Atlus.
"Dance moves? I'm a dancer, just, a dancer?" replied Allune disappointed.
"Well you tried fortune telling for a while, but you weren't very good," replied Tima before getting nudged by Atlus.
"Yeah, we're a travelling dance troupe, only I don't go in for much of the dancing, I'm a musician, you must remember?" said Atlus holding up the instrument he was holding, it was a small wooden flute.
"A, flute," she said a little quizzically taking it from him and blowing into the end like she would do with her own. The music was amazing Tima and Atlus couldn't believe it.
"Since when could you play?" asked Tima and Allune stopped.
"I don't remember, I just, can," she replied covering her time as a Heartless.
"Well the morning rush will be on soon, we're going to Station Plaza, don't push yourself ok Luna, I don't want to lose you again," said Atlus and Allune nodded and watched them go.
"Nothing, I can't float or call Heartless, I guess I really am human again," she sighed sadly sitting on a barrel out front of the cart.
"So, I'm an Angel now huh?" she heard a voice from beside her and happily leaning against the cart Axel had appeared she lept up and hugged him immediately.
"Axel! I knew you wouldn't abandon me, I knew you'd come back," she said hugging him.
"Well last night didn't go exactly as I planned," he replied as she let him go. He looked her up and down knowing it would be his last time, he wanted just a few more memories.
"So, this is the real Allune," he said seeming to approve.
"Yeah I guess, I'm a gypsy dancer, apparently I used to do fortunes but I wasn't very good," she replied sadly.
"I don't believe that for one minute," smiled Axel.
"Still, I don't care what I am, you're still here and now I have my heart I can finally tell you how I feel about you, Axel I…" she went to say but she saw Axel looking away a little down before moving away from the cart and going into the street in front of her a bit more.
"Allune, take one good look, cause it's your last," he said finally and Allune couldn't believe it.
"Axel, you're joking, you must be. It can't be the last time I see you, I can't live without you!" cried Allune running over to him.
"Don't you think it's that kind of thinking that got you into this mess in the first place?" asked Axel.
"Atlus was different, he was my best friend, since we were kids, he never loved me," replied Allune.
"And neither can I," replied Axel seriously.
"Why?" she replied sadly.
"I don't have a…" he tried to say but Allune interrupted.
"I know! I know! You don't have a heart! Axel after everything we've been through you still think you need one? You saved me Axel, you stopped me being a Heartless my whole life, you kissed me! Axel, you might not be able to comprehend it, but that is love," she tried to make him understand. Axel went to run his hand through his hair not sure how to explain the situation when Allune reached up herself and did it.
"Feel that? Axel I know you liked it when I did this to you," she told him and he managed to gently push her off.
"Believe me, this is better than what I was supposed to do to you," he confessed difficultly.
"What, do you mean?" she worried.
"You're a human again Allune, and humans aren't supposed to know the Organisation exists, Saix wanted me to erase your memory, but I couldn't do it. I can't forget you so why should I make you forget about me, I'm void of feeling, but I'm not that cruel," he explained and Allune nodded understanding, "Allune, leaving you with them, knowing they're the ones that hurt you, is hard you know, I wish I could see you everyday, but I'm a Nobody, and you're a human, I'm not even supposed to be able to get on with Heartless remember." Axel laughed trying to cheer her up but she only seemed sadder.
"Axel, take me away," she said quietly.
"Away? Don't you like it here?" he asked clueless.
"Take me back to the castle, turn me into a Nobody, please, turn me back into a Heartless I don't care, I can't go back to living as a human, not now," she told him, "please Axel, I don't care if I don't have a heart, I'll still be with you, that's all I want, please let me stay by your side." Axel looked at her seriously and shook his head again, even if he knew how to do it he didn't feel inflicting a life as a Nobody on her would solve anything.
"Allune you got your heart back, that's the most precious thing anyone should ever want, please understand, it just can't be this way," he told her calmly stroking her hair.
"Axel I'm so afraid, I don't want to ever forget you, I don't feel I could love anyone else," she told him.
"No problem," smiled Axel and suddenly her diamond blade appeared in his hand, "You dropped it fighting Marluxia, now you can never forget, and as for loving anyone else, well, you know hearts are supposed to have an infinite capacity to love, much as you might want to use it all up on me wait for someone who isn't just a shadow huh?"
Allune took her blade gratefully and giggled a little at his words before thinking something herself.
"Axel, when you get your heart, then, you'll be able to love won't you?" she asked him.
"I suppose I will," replied Axel not sure what she meant.
"Then, when you have a heart, you can come back to me. Axel no matter how long it takes for you to find your heart I'll be right here waiting for you," Allune told him flicking her hair confidently, Axel smiled a little and nodded agreeing. Allune hugged him again then and Axel held onto her strongly, he knew he had to, but it was so hard to leave.
"If I don't go someone might see me," he told her finally.
"I know, thank you Axel, thank you for everything," she replied coming away a little. He looked down at her one last time and then finally he just couldn't stop himself kissing her, Allune felt herself crying as he did, their final kiss, their final moment, she had to say it. Axel let her go finally but before he could leave Allune looked at him deeply and placed her hand where his heart would have been if he'd had one.
"Axel, I love you," she told him and Axel smiled back silently nodding before helping her come away from him and disappearing into a dark corridor, looking back one last time.
"I love you, I love you, Axel I love you," she thought to herself caressing the smooth crystal of the blade he'd made for her. Allune could see her reflection in the blade and wiped away her tears strongly before leaving for Station Plaza, she had a new life, it was time to make the most of it and not hang on to any past regrets.
Axel reappeared in the mission room definitely not his usual confident self, he sighed as he watched the dark corridor disappear knowing he'll never see her again.
"You just can't give it up can you man," said Demyx coming up to him.
"Give what up?" he asked startled.
"Come on, Marluxia made a big deal about killing that Heartless girl, said you weren't a Nobody anymore cause you had a heart. I know the whole story dude," nodded Demyx.
"Well Marluxia can get off his high horse because she isn't dead, she's just, human," replied Axel sternly.
"I know, Saix told us after Marluxia finished boasting. Said you would take her back where she came from, how did it go, are you coping ok?" he asked.
"You know you don't have a heart either Demyx, why do you care," replied Axel coldly.
"Cause you look like you could use someone who does, besides Marluxia's such an overbearing pain in the neck, hate to actually think he was right about you being useless. Marluxia knows you could take him if he ever fought fair," replied Demyx. Axel smiled a little, and then Demyx handed him a small cold bar in a plastic wrapping.
"Also I find these make a nice pick me up when you're thinking too much, go ahead have it, I swiped a whole box for the group. Sea salt ice cream, some human thing, it tastes weird but it's nice," said Demyx opening one himself.
"When do you ever think too much," chuckled Axel.
"See that's our Axel," smiled Demyx leaving him.
One evening some time later Axel sat on top of the railing at the station clock tower watching the sun set on the people below him. He could see a gypsy cart and a small crowd huddled around a group of three gypsies, one was playing beautiful music on a flute while the two others were dancing, one of which accompanied her act by dancing and performing tricks with a beautiful crystal knife. It was Allune, she'd settled in now and was using her diamond blade to incorporate her old life with her new. She came to the end of her dance and the crowd seemed overjoyed.
"Don't know where she went, but she got better," smiled Atlus watching her with his flute with Tima beside him.
"Yeah, maybe I'll disappear for a while," she joked. Allune looked over the crowds bowing gracefully with her blade as the people threw coins for them, then she looked up towards the clock tower where a familiar shadow seemed to be hanging. Axel was watching her, it hadn't been too long since they'd parted but whenever he could he just had to watch her dance.
"Hey Axel, you're here early," he heard a voice say from beside him, he turned his head and smiled seeing Roxas had appeared at last.
"Hi ya Roxas, grab a perch," replied Axel looking back down to Allune. Roxas leant over and saw the people on the ground.
"What you looking at?" he asked, Axel looked up for a moment before replying,
"I like to look at girls." Roxas looked a little harder and he could see Allune looking up towards them, she then seemed to wave subtly in their direction. Roxas looked to Axel and it looked like he was waving back.
"Wow she's really pretty, Axel is she, waving to us?" he asked and Axel looked back to Roxas.
"Don't be silly, like I'd actually allow myself to get seen around here," he joked running his hand through his hair. Axel stood up then reaching into his coat for a moment, in the top Axel had sewn a new pouch over the spot Allune had last touched on his body. In the pouch was the diamond heart, he still had it with him so he could not forget, though the sharp end of it looked a little worn now. He looked back down to Allune for a moment and tried to form the words with his mouth.
"I…love…you…" he tried to move his mouth to say but even though he'd been practising without a heart this was a difficult phrase to say truthfully.
"Axel, you ok, you look a little spaced out," asked Roxas and Axel put the diamond back in the secret pouch before giving his full attention to Roxas.
"Coming from," he joked, revealing he had some sea salt ice cream on him.
"You got it already," smiled Roxas sitting down with his, Axel joined him looking up to the sky thoughtfully.
"This is the life eh Roxas? Who needs a heart when you have sea salt ice cream," he said and Roxas chuckled a little with Axel chuckling back.
Maybe for now it was as if Axel and Allune had moved on with their lives but in a small mountainous valley where it snowed all the time lay a cave with a huge underground lake and rushing waterfall and in another chamber a shimmering crystal grotto. The grotto was filled with all sizes of diamonds and gems and there by the back wall of the chamber on the largest crystal lay the words,
"Allune and Axel." Carved in using another of the sharp edged gems with a heart shape encompassing the two, the love that could never have existed immortalised for eternity, the truest of true loves.