Day 50

I guess I'm the only one working on the raft. And you're just as lazy as he is!

A girlish voice giggled. So you noticed. Okay, we'll finish it together. I'll race you!

What, are you kidding?

Ready? GO!

Xurik's emerald eyes fluttered open. He was in his room... his head felt like it had been hit by a train. What happened? He sat up in his bed, wincing; everything was sore. He felt like he had been dreaming for ages... but hadn't he been on a mission with Xigbar? Why didn't he remember coming home?

He sat on the edge of the bed, trying to wake up his sluggish body. He suddenly noticed a seashell sitting next to his pillow -- no, lots of seashells. Where in the world had these come from? So far this was proving to be the most confusing morning ever.

He made his way to the Grey Area; it was empty. Was everyone out on missions already? Shouldn't there be someone still in the Castle, even at mid-day?

He stood awkwardly in the center of the room for a moment, before lifting his hand and summoning a dark portal. There was nothing to do here -- and as long as he didn't have a mission to go on, he might as well make use of the time.

Xurik sat on the clock tower ledge, staring out at Twilight Town pensively as he quietly ate his ice cream. It was difficult to tell time in a world where the sun never set, but according to the clock tower it was still early in the afternoon. He supposed it made sense for Xion and Roxas to be on missions... and he still didn't know what had happened to Axel...

"Xurik?"

Xurik looked up to see Roxas looking at him, a bright grin on his face.

"Xion!" Roxas said quickly, pulling the girl into view. "Xion, Xurik is awake!"

Her face turned bright red with excitement. "Oh... oh Xurik! You're okay!"

Xurik grinned up at them, then winced as his head gave a particularly nasty throb. "Urgh. What happened? What's been going on?"

"You were sleeping... a long, long time," Xion explained quietly. Saix said not to get our hopes up. That you might not..." She shook her head, her face brightening. "Well, you're awake now! That's what counts."

"You were out for a while," Roxas said. He thought for a moment. "It's been... 24 days or so. We were really worried."

"That explains a lot," Xurik mumbled. It felt as if his dream had gone on for days and days...

"Here, I brought you this," Xion said, digging through her pockets and extracting a familiar-looking object. "It's a seashell."

Xurik smiled. It was just like the ones next to his pillow. "Oh, this is-- "

Xion nodded. "I've been picking one up every time I go out on a mission. Hold it up to your ear!"

Xurik did as he was told, and closed his eyes. He heard the sounds of the ocean... it felt so familiar, almost soothing. He'd never been to the beach... had he? Then why did the sound of the waves make him feel at home?

In the back of his head, the vague image of a boy and a girl sitting on the beach came to mind.

The warm, salty air blew around him, filling his senses like a drug. The sky was as big and blue as he remembered, the sea just as vast... everything was exactly the same as when he stood here for years as a child.

The one difference now was that he knew what lay beyond the horizon. Was he any better for it? Or would it have been better to have lived his life on the islands, blissfully unaware of the existance of other worlds?

Making sure that his hood was secured around his head, the boy turned and made his way up the dirt road leading into the town. How long had it been? A year? More, less? He wasn't even sure... the nights and days all blended together. Had time even passed here before Kingdom Hearts was closed? The King had said something about the detroyed worlds being kept in limbo until they were restored...

In the distance he spotted a girl walking down the pathway, and his heart skipped a beat. Surely that couldn't be her. Of all the people to run into during his brief visit, how was it that she was the first person he spotted? But no, that was definitely her -- her hair was an inch or two longer, but he would recognize that angelic face anywhere.

She was coming closer; he needed to decide fast. King Mickey had stressed not to come in contact with his family or friends while he was visiting the islands, but... how could he resist this? No one else was around, and she already knew what had happened in the past year... what was the harm in showing himself?

The girl spotted the cloaked figure and froze in her tracks. He slowly reached up and lowered his hood -- and as he did so, the girl's expression changed from worry to excited disbelief.

"S...Sora?"

"Hi Kairi," he said, unable to keep a grin from spreading across his face. She was as beautiful as he remembered -- she seemed to be growing out her red hair, and was still in her school uniform, but otherwise looked no different than the girl that always used to hang out with Riku and himself on the beach.

She ran forward and practically pounced on him, wrapping her arms tightly around his body in a fierce hug. She pulled back and looked at him, beaming.

"Oh my god! How are you? Where have you been? Is everything okay with the Heartless and everything? I can't believe it's really you!"

Sora laughed. "Everything's fine, Kairi. I'm so happy to see you! I've been away with King Mickey... we still have a few things to take care of before I can come home for good, but I wanted to come back and visit. How are the islands?"

"Everyone's really worried about you," she admitted, lowering her eyes. "When I got back, no one remembered the islands being destroyed, just the storm. It was like time froze while we were gone... except that while I came back, you were still gone."

And Riku too, Sora thought silently. Naminé had warned him that while Riku was having his memories restored, everyone would have forgotten him... but that he wasn't to remind them, or else it might mess up the restoration process. It was torture seeing Kairi forget the person that Sora knew she cared most about.

"Well, I'll be back for good eventually," Sora said with a forced smile.

"I hope so," Kairi said sadly. "I really miss you. There's still Tidus, Wakka, Selphie and everyone else, but... it's just not the same. The two of us always used to hang out, remember?"

Sora hesitated, then nodded solemnly. "I remember."

It was as if his best friend had never existed; Sora hated the feeling of knowing and not being able to tell anyone the truth. He needed to ensure that Riku woke up as soon as possible... no matter who or what stood in his way.

Day 51

Xurik stepped into the Grey Area the next morning, feeling a bit less sluggish and sore than the previous day. He had yet to show himself to anyone other than Xion and Roxas, but he figured he would probably be expected to start going on missions again now that he was awake. Xigbar spotted him as he walked into the room.

"Well, good morning sunshine," Xigbar said, smirking. "During your beauty nap, we found out the whole Castle Oblivion team is toast."

"What?" Xurik said, face turning pale. "All of them? But--"

"You're awake," Saix said matter-of-factly, without any kind of emotion of relief.

"Saix!" Xurik said, turning to him. "What happened to everyone at Castle Oblivion?"

"We're looking into what befell them," Saix said quietly.

"You still don't know? Were there no survivors?"

"What I know is that I don't owe you any explanations," Saix said crossly. "Now get to work. You'll be on your own for a while. Wherever our other members are, they're certainly not here to help."

Xurik felt an odd feeling in his chest. Could Axel... really be gone? For good?

How could someone just disappear like that? His face turned red as he began to dwell over the fact that Saix still refused to tell him anything. They knew what happened in Castle Oblivion, they just weren't saying anything. Why did Xurik always have to be kept in the dark?

Day 71

The days passed one after another -- the missions began to blur together. Xurik, Roxas, and Xion continued growing closer on their afternoons on the clock tower, but something was still missing. Xurik knew Axel wasn't coming back, but he still felt a weird choked-up feeling in his chest. What was it? Was he sick? It didn't matter... for some reason he couldn't bring himself to give a damn. Roxas, if it was possible, seemed to have taken Axel's death even worse... although they rarely talked about the issue.

"Heh, here comes sourpuss," Xigbar said, smirking as the blonde boy came into the room. "Why the long face?"

"Nothing, okay?" snapped Roxas.

"You gotta admit, the castle's a lot quieter. Half as loud, you might say." Xigbar gave a harsh laugh. "But I could get used to a smaller, more tightly knit group, how 'bout you?"

"I liked the bigger group," Xurik said, approaching from behind and putting his hand on Roxas's shoulder protectively. Xigbar rolled his eyes.

Demyx entered the room, a look of grave excitement on his face. "Hey, Roxas, Xurik... did you hear? No survivors! Everybody at Castle Oblivion got KO'd! Heavy stuff."

"Really?" Xurik said quietly. There had been very little news from Castle Oblivion in the past few weeks, but it had generally been accepted that no one was coming back. Now, however, it was actually official. The impact of the news made his chest feel uncomfortably tight.

Demyx nodded. "Gone with the wind... right, Xiggy? Whew, I really dodged a bullet there."

Xigbar chuckled. "Lucky you. Now you get to double your hours to help pick up the slack."

The boy winced. "Blegh! Roger that. Remind me to under-achieve twice as hard from now on."

Xurik and Roxas walked away silently. Xurik knew that they were both thinking the same thing -- how could everyone just joke about them being gone? Would it be like that if they were terminated, too? Would no one really care?

Roxas slashed at a shadow glob with his silvery sword, his face in a bitter frown. The dark, oozing pustules would become Heartless soon enough... which was why he needed to eliminate them. His mind was elsewhere, however. Even if he knew the odds of Axel returning were low, there had still been hope as long as they didn't know exactly what had happened in Castle Oblivion. Now, though... it was official. His best friend, aside from Xurik and Xion, was really gone. He'd never hear that cocky laugh, or the biting sarcasm, or hear him say--

"Hey, Roxas!"

Roxas dropped his sword with a clang; he whipped around, nearly falling over in his haste.

"How's it hanging?" Axel continued, walking forward casually. Roxas just stared at him, mouth agape. The man chuckled. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Axel? But..." Roxas struggled to find the words to say, his mind racing and his chest exploding with an odd inflating sensation. He shook his head, frustrated; this wasn't making any sense. "I thought you were gone! Castle Oblivion... the whole team was annihilated..."

Axel wagged a thin finger. "Correction: the weaklings were annihilated."

Roxas lowered his head. Relief washed over him; the tight feeling in his chest relaxed.

"You had me worried."

Axel cocked his head, an odd smirk on his face. "Worried? Well, that's a neat trick, considering you haven't got a heart to feel with."

Roxas shook his head, ignoring the joking jab. He was too relieved to be mad at anything. He grinned, running off into the town.

"W...wait here. I'll go buy us some ice cream!"

"Axel?" Xurik exclaimed, looking up in shock as Roxas and Axel arrived on the clock tower ledge. Axel grinned, waving.

"I didn't expect such a party on my arrival. You're both making me feel at home already."

"But--" Xurik stammered as Axel and Roxas took their seats. "I thought you were --"

"Nope, I'm alive and well," the man said, rolling his eyes. "I'm the only one from Castle Oblivion left though. Guess I got lucky."

"That's terrific," Xurik said, beaming. Roxas nodded enthusiastically, handing him an ice cream.

The three began eating in silence; too many thoughts were bouncing around Xurik's head for him to say much. Finally Axel sighed.

"I gotta check in with the boss, or he's gonna let me have it."

Roxas peered at him in surprise. "You haven't RTC'd yet?"

"Hmm? Nah."

Xurik frowned. That wasn't like Axel. Then again, he had always gone to the beat of his own drum. "Why did you come here, then?"

Axel scratched the back of his head, chuckling. "Guess I needed some time to sort out my feelings."

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Whatever, mister I-don't-have-a-heart."

The three boys laughed, then continued eating. Somehow, the silence wasn't awkward or empty at all. It felt... peaceful.

"You know, we started inviting Xion up here while you were gone," Roxas said after a while.

Axel looked surprised. "Xion? Really?"

Xurik nodded. "Yeah. I told her that we could all have ice cream together whenever you returned from Castle Oblivion... if you returned. She's our friend now."

Day 72

Axel peered out of the window in his room, staring out at the empty black sky above the Castle That Never Was. He turned suddenly as he heard footsteps approaching.

"Why didn't you report in?" Saix said quietly, frowning.

"Oh, good to see you, too," Axel said with a smirk. "You're welcome, thanks for the kind words."

"I'm told Naminé has gone missing."

Axel shrugged. He wasn't about to tell the truth about what had gone down in Castle Oblivion. That he had allowed Naminé, Sora, and Riku to escape... his head would be offered up to Xemnas on a silver platter.

"There one minute, gone the next. I don't know how she got out."

Saix peered at him suspiciously. "You searched every room, I expect?"

"You're kidding, right? That's like counting grains of dust in a building full of sneezing people."

"What about the chamber?" Saxi said, now more earnestly. "Did you find it?"

Axel shook his head slowly. "Come on, I would have told you that much. I gotta hand it to you... you were right. About Marluxia, the traitors... you knew exactly what was up."

The man shrugged. "All I did was find a place to send everyone who was getting in the way."

Axel rolled his eyes. "Well, it's nice to know where I stand! Sheesh..."

The faintest hint of a smile appeared around Saix's lips. "Did you come back in one piece or didn't you?"

He turned to go, but Axel suddenly spoke up.

"Marluxia disposed of Zexion." When Saix paused, Axel continued. "I got Zexion involved; Marluxia had no choice but to silence him. That's how you wanted it, right?" Axel chuckled quietly, waving his hand to dismiss Saix. "I'll play it your way... for now."

Xurik entered the Grey Area, in a considerably better mood than in previous days. Roxas, too, looked overjoyed.

"Morning Axel!" the blonde boy called out. Axel smirked, waving.

"Someone's had their morning coffee. You're working today, why are you so cheerful?"

Roxas shrugged. He didn't care if he had to go on a mission, they were all just happy that Axel wasn't dead.

"Hey, get this," Axel said, spotting Xurik. "They paired me with you today as a 'slap on the wrist'."

"A slap on the wrist?" Xurik said, taken aback. "Wh... why am I a slap on the wrist?"

"Well, they just know how much I loathe babysitting," he said with a smirk. Xurik rolled his eyes, but couldn't help grinning.

"I don't see why I'm getting punished too... it's like they think I run a nursing home."

"Ouch. Your brilliant wit cuts me to the quick, pretty-boy." Axel sighed. "Would it kill them to give me a day off? Look at these bags under my eyes." He shook his head. "Pff. All right, c'mon kiddo." He waved to Roxas. "And we'd better see you later, blondie!"

Roxas grinned, about to depart on his mission with Xigbar. "You got it."

Agrabah was as hot as Xurik remembered, even though it had been several weeks since he had been there. Axel sighed.

"Whaddaya say we make this quick?"

In the back of his head, Xurik had a faint sense of deja vu -- his mind was filled with the image of two boys standing in the desert streets. The thoughts unnerved him; he pushed them to the back of his mind.

"Y...Yeah. Right."

The two began walking deeper into the city, searching for Heartless. Before they were able to get too deep in, Axel suddenly pulled Xurik back.

"Quiet. There's someone up ahead."

"Where is it?" a bizarre creature was saying anxiously. He was peering at the sandy ground intensely. "It's gotta be around here somewheres..."

"Now who is that?" Axel mumbled quietly. "And what's he up to?"

Xurik shrugged. The humanoid, cat-like person was fairly large... and he certainly didn't seem to fit in the city. "I don't know. He wasn't here the last time I came. Do you think he's even from this world?"

"Hmm," Axel said quietly. "You might be right. Who is he, then? And what's he doing in Agrabah?"

The creature scratched his head. He seemed intent on continuing to talk to himself. "Well, I ain't givin' up till I find a way in! And once I find the lamp that's stashed down there... heh heh heh... all my wishes'll come true."

Axel tilted his head. "He thinks some lamp is gonna grant his wishes?"

Xurik shrugged. "Weird."

"Pete! What in the blazes is taking so long?"

Axel and Xurik shrank further back into the shadows. A tall woman wearing a black robe walked into the square. She had greenish skin and had dragon horns adorning her head; a staff was clutched in her clawed hand.

"M...Maleficent," Pete mumbled, kicking at the ground. "I'm doin' the best I can, but this secret entrance is hidden' real good, and --"

"Silence!" the woman shouted, her eyes flaring. "You're utterly useless, you imbecile."

"What?" Axel whispered, his face suddenly grave. "She's still... alive?"

"Do you know who she is?" Xurik said with a frown. The woman looked vaguely familiar...

Axel scratched the back of his head. "Well... yeah. As you heard from lunkhead there, her name's Maleficent. Xemnas isn't going to be happy about this..."

"But who is she? And why--"

Axel covered Xurik's mouth with a gloved hand as Maleficent cast a suspicious eye at the shadows. Finally she turned away.

"Come, Pete. Sandstorm or no, we can go to wherever the lamp is hidden with ease. Darkness stops for no pathetic storm." She raised her staff, and a dark portal appeared. The two disappeared through it, and the darkness vanished just as quickly.

Axel gritted his teeth. "Damn. We lost them." He sighed. "Well, I'm sure they'll turn up again eventually. In the mean time, we've got some heart collection to do, no? Best get to work. We can tell Xemnas all about our little guest later."

After work, Axel, Xurik, and Roxas sat on the clock tower as usual. Xion was still nowhere to be seen.

"You're more outgoing now, you know that?" Axel said after a moment.

Roxas exchanged a look with Xurik. "Who is?"

Axel chuckled. "Both of you, I guess. You barely used to be able to hold a conversation."

"Oh. Well, you kind of are too, Axel," Xurik said with a faint smile.

"Me? You think? Guess they musta rubbed off on me..."

Roxas frowned. "Huh? Who did?"

Axel scratched the back of his head. He couldn't just tell Xurik and Roxas about his encounters in Castle Oblivion... or who he met there. That would just confuse them.

"Heh. Let's just say you can thank yourselves that we get to sit here again and laugh like idiots over ice cream."

Roxas chuckled, taking a bite off his ice cream, but Xurik's eyes narrowed. What did that mean? What exactly did happen in Castle Oblivion? He'd ask... but he knew that Axel wouldn't tell. Why did he keep so many secrets? He and Roxas never did... nor did Xion, at least when she was around. He turned, looking at the entrance to the clock tower ledge.

"I guess Xion's not coming."

"Maleficent?" Xemnas said quietly. He was seated upon the highest chair in the round room.

Axel nodded. "Xurik and I ran into her in Agrabah today, along with her lackey... Pete."

"But didn't she get destroyed along with Hollow Bastion?" Xaldin said, folding his arms. "I thought the Keyblade Master let the Heartless take it over."

"Nope. The world got destroyed, but Maleficent didn't. And it was Xehanort's Heartless doing it, not Riku," Xigbar said with a smirk, and Xemnas shot him a fierce glare.

"Whatever the circumstances, it's clear that Maleficent never got destroyed... merely sinking into the shadows of obscurity. She must have lost a good deal of power when her base of operations was destroyed."

"So she's probably going to be looking for ways to regain her power," Axel mumbled.

Xemnas nodded. "She shouldn't be much of a threat to us, not yet. In fact, she may prove useful if we play our cards right. After all, she led the Heartless invasion in past years... and we are in need of Heartless."

Saix nodded. "I understand. Allow the sorceress to continue with her petty goals using the Heartless as her tools... and we use our tools to collect those hearts to form Kingdom Hearts."

"Precisely. Xion and Xurik... our other Keyblade Masters."

Axel folded his arms, saying nothing. He didn't like to think of them as tools -- at least not Xurik. He was a person as much as any of them were... not that that was saying much. At the very least, Xurik was his friend, wasn't he?

But they did have a mission, and the Keyblade was the only way to accomplish that. Friend or not... Axel wanted to be whole as much as any of them.