Chap XII

They say there are many worlds out there. Mentioned before, there are several people in the universe that care only for the worlds they were born in. Yet, amongst those people lies those with curious minds and curious hearts. What lies beyond the border of their worlds and the next? It is impossible to subdue a heart that is so persistent. Once their hearts and minds become set on a path, no one can expect them to return.

Roxas' whole body felt empty while his mind was overflowing with emotions and thoughts. Combine the two and he felt pure confusion. How he hated himself for ever turning that corner. Not even the darkness was able to wrap around his train of thoughts. All he thought of now, was seeking light. It was strange, walking under this cold shower alone; feeling the rhythm of the droplets against his outfit. This was probably the first time he had pulled his hood over his face...already he hated it. It symbolized the Organization, the very Organization he yearned to forget. With each step taken, he abandoned what he once knew of his so called 'past'. No matter how much his body shook in a need to turn back, his legs moved on and his heart kept him ahead.

"You've heard of the Heartless?"

He stared up from the ground at the voice, turning every which way for the owner. It sounded so familiar...yet he couldn't paint a face. Above him, rain was beginning to obscure the neon signs from his hidden eyes. He had never been to this place before. He felt trapped within what appeared to be a city square. Standing tall and erect several feet ahead was a tower. No stairs led to the doorway and no window lined the outer walls. What caught his attention the most were the large screens directly on top of the tower's roof, flashing images that were too blurred to make out.

"The...Heartless?" He whispered, only hoping someone wouldn't reply.

"You know...them."

At the very mentioning of them, Roxas recalled to memory the moment he had first appeared on this world. As he stood stone still, his body was soon surrounded by emotionless amber eyes. Following the eyes were the bodies of the creatures, black and jagged, that emerged from the ground as if they were created from the puddles of rain.

This time, he wasn't afraid. "Of course I know them...but what would they want with a Heartless being like me?"

"They respond to what I tell them. It isn't the Heartless that are interested in you..."

As the last of the Heartless creatures formed from the asphalt, Roxas' hands curled into fists and he barely even took interest in the flaming shape that was taking form around his body. At the sight of the smoky, thin drawing, the Heartless moved back as the light hit their bodies which were pure darkness.

"It's you...!" From behind the thin blonde hair that covered his eyes, Roxas could barely catch sight of a body atop the unknown tower. He squinted and saw the man's face. His wet, silver locks flowed with the movement of the wind as did the black blindfold that shielded away his eyes. And, although he was dressed in the official outfit for Organization XIII, Roxas had failed to identify the man as someone he knew.

"Give in to the darkness, Roxas." The man silenced himself again and stared up at the night sky, directly upward at the pouring rain.

Roxas could feel a cold metal in both hands again and he knew what was about to come. He was thinking again of the longing to protect...but he wasn't sure exactly what. Something was constantly burning in his body that was telling him to fight. Sure enough, he had in possession the blades he had longed to wield a time ago. Then, in one swift move, he broke into a run for the tower, slashing at the Heartless, their dark bodies separating and falling to the ground as if they were blood. Destroy the darkness...protect heart...run into light.

After every swipe of the blades and after every Heartless slain, they only seemed to multiply from the defeated bodies and continued to swarm together after Roxas. At the moment he reached tower, he clutched both blades tightly in his hands and shot upward, defying gravity and ran against the slippery edge of the wall. Directly behind him, the Heartless remained persistent as they clawed their way up the tower.

Roxas didn't know what he was doing at this moment. The man atop this tower had absolutely no relationship with him nor did he interest him in any way. At random, he released the black blade he had been holding in his left hand and tossed it over his head. His eyes fell upon the man as he seemed to be falling directly toward him at high speed. The man instantly snatched the blade into his possession and continued to free fall. It wasn't until they both met halfway did time appear to halt.

"Well, isn't this a surprise?"

"Are you willing to fight the Heartless?"

"Perhaps. After all, being the true Keyblade master, I have the right to take them."

"Keyblade?"

"Why do you have them? You're nothing but a Nobody..."

"I may be...but the desire to protect has apparently given me that ability."

"Let's put it to the test..."

Blades were swung and dark, blood-like bodies fell. Back on solid ground, both fought against the darkness. Heartless came, Heartless disappeared. As quickly as they arrived, they were soon depleted with the last swing of a Keyblade.

"Now, tell me!"

Roxas swiftly turned to the sudden voice coming closer to him and he swung his silver Keyblade upward to block the downward attack.

"You don't deserve to wield a Keyblade!"

"What are you talking about?" He yelled, pushing the man off of him before attempting to strike him down. He was blocked by the dark blade and he jumped back, almost not wanting to fight.

"Give it up!"

"Dammit!" He cursed and shot forward, their two Keyblades striking against each other in a noise the split through the rain. "How about you give it up!"

The man simply ignored Roxas and continued to keep his feet planted into the ground.

"I don't have time for you!" And, with a forceful swing, Roxas sent the man backward onto the soaked pavement. He paused, watching the man pant heavily while still holding a firm grip on the black Keyblade, then stepped toward him.

"Why! Why do you have the Keyblade!" The man blurted to him, staring at Roxas from behind the darkness of his blindfold.

The blonde raised his weapon, his body tingling with a mix of emotions. "Shut up!" He retorted and brought the Keyblade down in a flash of silver. But, when black sparks flew with silver, his mind suddenly fell blank and his body began to sting. The coolness of the rain from underneath his body startled him. He felt anxious now, staring up at the silver strands of water falling on him.

"I see...this is why..."

He longed to be held close now. He wanted to call out for his heart and escape the cold by running to, where else, fire. Enough with the confusion...he had to...he had to...but by then, his eyes fell blank and his memories seemed to be stolen right from his head.

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Axel hated the rain. He couldn't think of anything else that he wished never existed. It always brought him to a feeling of defeat and depression...except for that one time...that one time Roxas joined him in the downpour. Bringing his legs closer to his chest, he sighed and waited for the rain to leave him. He didn't want to forget Roxas...he didn't want to forget their relationship...but, he was gone now. He wasn't even sure if they would cross paths again.

Where was he now...?

"Axel? Axel, is that you?"

Stunned, he nearly gasped toward the high pitched voice and turned his head to where a hooded figure was standing under the light of a street sign. He shook his head and turned away, resting his chin on his knees.

"I hate the rain..." He grumbled.

"Really? I love it!" They replied, walking toward him under the shelter of a protruding cement banister above.

Axel scoffed when they sat next to him, copying the position he was sitting in. "'Course you do."

"Aw, come on. Don't be mad..." Carefully, they reached back and pulled the hood away to reveal their face to him. Demyx's bright, blue eyes stared at Axel's turned face and he blinked. "Something on your mind?" He asked softly.

"Its...it's nothing really..."

"Sure doesn't look like nothing..." Demyx ran a gloved hand through his slightly spiked, dirty blonde hair and leaned back into the wall, his eyes still fixed on the red head.

"It's nothing," Axel repeated slowly.

Demyx sighed and roughly pushed the back of Axel's head. "What ever you say...you know," He paused and began twiddling around his fingers before finishing, "you used to tell me everything."

"Huh?" Axel asked. "I never did anything like that."

"Oh, sure. Probably ;cause of...uhm..." Demyx's eyes suddenly widened while he began searching around Axel's body and around the deserted street. When he came up empty, he replied, "Where exactly is Roxas?"

He wished, more than ever, that Demyx hadn't spoken that name. Now with the rain and his lover in mind, his depression increased. Axel lowered his eyes and let out half a sigh. "He's..he left."

"WHAT!" Immediately, Demyx went into panic and he leaned closer to Axel with an idiotic expression on his face. "He really...?"

Though he hated to admit it, Axel nodded once and shoved Demyx further away from him by nudging him with his shoulder.

"Just like that?"

"Just...like that."

"Wow," Demyx said in awe. "He...he's in for huge maximum punishment for that."

"Yeah? You don't think I know! Just...get out of here, Demyx!" He turned his head away and tightly shut his eyes to avoid showing any sign of crying. He wasn't exactly comfortable with crying. It just made him feel weak and he knew that if others saw it, they would label him as so. He thought of how that would ruin his reputation as bad boy in the Organization. "You're still here?" He asked impatiently after hearing a random tapping beside him.

"Yes..." Demyx confessed, lowering his head after he had stopped tapping the ground in a beat he made up on the spot. "I just, well, I don't think you should be alone, is all."

"Thanks for offering, but, I'm not in the mood to talk..."

"Oh? That's gotta be a first! You? Not wanting to talk?"

"Demyx, I'm serious!" He snapped, turning his body halfway to face the nearly shocked teen beside him. Helplessly, he heaved a sigh and shook his head before slumping back. "Fine. But you'll probably get bored hanging around me."

Demyx shrugged and, to Axel's surprise, rested his head atop his shoulder. Demyx shifted and nudged Axel's arm as if he was a pillow.

"What...are...you...doing?" Axel asked, his voice rising with each word.

"Just making myself comfy. You know, all you need is someone at your side."

"Yeah, but not like this!" Hastily, Axel shrugged the musician off which caused Demyx to fall onto the ground instead.

"Ow! Why so shovie?"

"Look, Demyx, you're water, I'm fire. We're not supposed to cross paths, ok?"

"Oh, hot head..." Demyx mumbled and sat up again while rubbing the back of his head. After a moment of nothing but the sound of the rain, Demyx spoke up again, this time, his voice calmer. "I wonder where Roxas is now."

"You do?" Axel asked slowly, turning his head back to Demyx as he watched the rain fall at a steadier pace now.

He nodded and twiddled his fingers around again. "Think he'll like where ever he's going?"

"Dunno," Axel replied, "Maybe."

"Did you want to go with him?"

Axel paused and stared at Demyx for a moment. "No..."

"If I were you, I would have. You guys seemed to have a pretty close bond; like brother's almost."

"Really?" Axel inquired, leaning closer to Demyx while he found himself interested in the conversation.

He nodded again. "'Course. Strange...for being a Nobody, that's a pretty amazing thing."

"I thought so..." Axel's voice lowered and was now a bit clearer to hear once the rain began to subside. Still, his sadness flowed through his body, giving him that 'Nobody' feeling he used to feel before Roxas and him met. Now, he really wished he would obtain a heart quicker. Lazily, he rested his cheek atop his knees and kept his head turned from Demyx to avoid suspicion.

"Still, I can't believe he'd leave us..." Demyx's voice trailed off when he turned to see Axel had fallen silent with his head turned in a separate direction. Feeling responsible, he gently rested a hand atop Axel's shoulder and his eyes softened. "Sorry."

Sorry...with a light groan, Axel buried his face in his knees. It seemed like everything was reminding him of Roxas. He knew he wouldn't soon forget...he hoped Roxas wouldn't as well. He felt another nudge at his shoulder and, after looking up, saw that Demyx had laid his head on him again, this time with his eyes shut. He was about to push him off again before he decided not to. In a way, Demyx looked almost like Roxas. His hair was blonde; his eyes were bright blue and were filled with innocence.

Where was he now...?

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"Now arriving in Station Heights: Gate number: three. All passengers must depart when doors open. Again, arriving in Station Heights: Gate number three."

A young boy, possibly in his teens at the time...

A young boy, possibly in his teens at the time, awoke to the warm caress of the sun against his face. He wasn't aware of how long he had been asleep nor was he aware that he had gone to sleep at all. Carefully, his eyes fluttered open and he yawned as he sat himself up. Tiredly, he rubbed the back of his head, ruffling up his spiky blonde hair. All was quiet except for the muffled sound of train tracks outside.

"I was...asleep?" He questioned himself, staring around at the small, empty train. No one was there...just him. He was...alone? When the sudden sight of darkness blinded him, he released a frightened gasp and searched frantically in the shadows. He was relaxed by the sight of light again as he felt the train slow from beneath him.

"Please remain seated until train comes to complete stop. Welcome to Station Heights: Gate number three. Please depart when doors open and make way for boarding passengers. Again, this is Station Heights: Gate number three."

" Station Heights?" He whispered as the doors to his left suddenly unlocked and swung open. How did he end up here?

A bit shaken, the teen stood and exited the train into the world he was so unaware of. The weather was comfortably warm and the sound of distant tower bells echoed in his head. He nearly jumped when he turned to face the train he had departed, seeing that it had vanished.

"Where...?"

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Quickly, his eyes shot forward to face a teen that appeared to be around his age. He was blonde, like him, and wore a short, grey jacket with a black shirt underneath. To complete his fatigued style, he wore a pair of camouflage pants.

"Uhm...I..."

"You're probably the new student, right?" The boy asked flatly.

"Student?"

"Right. Guess you are. Name's Hayner," He said, keeping his distance with his arms crossed. "You've got a name, right?"

"I do...I'm..."

"Roxas."

"Roxas!" The blonde replied in sudden shock that he was able to speak his name. Roxas...right. That was his name.

His memories...his very being...this is merely the beginning...

Well, thus begins the Part II to this story! Yes, I have decided that this will continue. :) I actually enjoyed typing up this chapter! Whee! -dances in circles- Hmm...let's see, it's 2 o' clock in the morning...a new record! YAY! -throws confetti-

Axel: -glares-
Me: -throws confetti on him- You know you love me!
Axel: How can I love you if you just took Roxas away from me!
Me: Aww...I'm sorry! -hugs him-
Axel: x.x ROXAS! COME BACK!

That's for me to know and for you to find out. ;D

Axel: Nooo! -sobs-
Me: -gives him a Roxas stuffie-
Axel: Yay! -falls asleep on the floor-
Me: Aww...isn't he cute? Goodnight Axie Waxie!

much love,
kokoro77