Day 353

"You've meddled again," Saix said coldly, stepping out from the shadows and surprising Axel. He turned to face the man.

"Sorry, did you say something?" he said coldly. Isa had always been his friend, but... trying to get Xurik and Xion to destroy each other was the last straw.

"We don't need them both," Saix said. He fixed a harsh glare on Axel. "Just one. And pretending won't change it. Think about that."

Axel said nothing as Saix walked away. He knew that the Organization only needed one of them... when Xion and Xurik coexisted, both were weaker than their full potential. If Xion defeated Xurik, or Xurik defeated Xion, they would become the all-powerful tool that Xemnas wanted. Roxas was of use too, but nothing compared to the power of the Keyblade Master. Axel had seen that for himself in Castle Oblivion.

But what did any of that matter? Axel cared about the goals of the Organization, and about building Kingdom Hearts. He wanted a heart more than anyone. But if getting a heart meant destroying his only true friends in the world... would he feel anything but pain once he could feel again?

Xurik entered the Grey Area in time to see Axel, Xion, and Xigbar standing in a clump. For some reason, Xion's hood was up, obscuring her face. None of them ever hid themselves within the Castle That Never Was...

"Now here's an unlikely trio," Axel was saying, scratching the back of his head. "Me, Xigbar, and Xion?"

Xigbar smirked. "Worried I'll slow you down?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "Course not. Touchy, touchy... it's just not every day we get to go for a stroll with Number II himself." He patted Xion on the shoulder. "Ain't that right, Xion?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, lowering her head.

Xurik frowned. Xion had been just fine yesterday... something was off. On top of that, they were on a three-person mission, which almost never happened. He exchanged glances with Axel and saw it in his eyes; the cheerful attitude was all an act. The other man felt it too, didn't he?

"Wow, a three-person team?" he said, using his own fake cheerfulness as he approached. "Need any extra help?"

"You have your own mission, Xurik," Saix said, suddenly approaching from behind. Xurik turned to Saix and saw the warning look in his eyes, but pressed on regardless.

"Well yeah, but can't I trade with Xigbar?"

"What an extraordinarily childish notion," the man said scathingly. "Do you need Axel to walk you everywhere now?"

Of course he didn't, but he hardly cared about his pride at this point. What mattered was keeping Xion and himself safe.

"Maybe."

Saix didn't even acknowledge the answer. "They can handle their mission. You hurry up and see to your own. Today's mission requires that you go solo."

With that, the blue-haired man stalked away. Axel and Xurik met eyes once more, before Axel vanished alongside Xion and Xigbar.

Xurik scowled in frustration. The Organization had tried get him and Xion to kill each other the day before... they obviously had something new up their sleeves. He couldn't just stand by and watch such an obvious trap unfold, but what could he do? He had a mission to do...

Screw it. This was more important.

"Hey, Roxas!" Xurik called, spotting the blond boy as he emerged from his bedroom. Roxas hurried over, his eyes wide as he saw the look of grim determination on Xurik's face.

"Morning... is everything okay?"

He shook his head quickly; Saix was making rounds, giving the remaining Organization members their missions. It wouldn't be long before he spotted Roxas and came to give him a mission and berate Xurik for not leaving yet.

"Axel, Xion, and Xigbar just left for a mission together."

"A three-person mission? But all of them can handle themselves just fine."

"I know. That's why I think it's a trap."

Roxas's eyes narrowed. "Then... what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know. But the Organization tried to get us killed yesterday. If we're not careful... something might happen to Xion. Or hell, to me. Maybe this is just to get me on my own. Either way, something's fishy."

"Axel wouldn't let anything happen to Xion," Roxas said hopefully, but Xurik shook his head.

"Xigbar is really strong... and Axel has helped the Organization before, especially when he's being watched by his superiors. I'm not about to risk it."

Roxas began to say something in response, but Xurik held up his hand; Saix was approaching.

"I'm not going on my mission," Xurik said quickly. "They went to Wonderland I think. If you want to go ahead with your mission so you don't get in trouble, that's fine, but there are your options. I'm following them, and intervening if anything happens."

Without another word, Xurik vanished into the Corridors of Darkness.

"Roxas. Today you will be eliminating Heartless in Agrabah," Saix said, approaching him.

Roxas nodded numbly, although his mind was racing. What did he do? If he blatantly ignored orders, he would get in a ton of trouble... but Xurik seemed willing to take any risks to protect his friends.

And so am I, Roxas realized. What was more important, keeping his friends safe or keeping himself safe? He hesitated for a moment, then vanished as well.

The Mad Hatter and March Hare's garden, once a tranquil clearing, had very quickly become a battleground.

Xigbar deflected the attack with his arrow-guns. He laughed. "So, the puppet tries to sever its strings."

Xion leapt backward, Keyblade held over her head, prepared to strike again. Xigbar smirked at her, preparing an attack of his own.

"Cut it out, Xion!" Axel shouted, standing uselessly on the sidelines.

Xigbar twirled his arrow-guns on his fingers; he sighed.

"It never fails. I thought we'd have the world once we got our hands on a couple of Keyblade wielders, but none of you kiddies can hold a candle to the others. Not even Roxas, no matter how much he might look like him..."

"Shut up!" Xion shouted. She raised her Keyblade, preparing to strike; then suddenly stomped her foot on the ground, vanishing.

"Wha..." Xigbar stammered, his look replaced with frustration. "Where did she-"

He cried out in pain as he suddenly felt the metal of the Keyblade smash into the back of his head; stars swam before his eyes before he collapsed to the ground, out cold.

Xion appeared from the shadows, dispelling her Keyblade. She lifted her hand and a dark portal appeared.

"Axel," she said suddenly, turning to the red-haired man. She was still hooded, but he could see her look at the ground sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Have you flipped your lid?" Axel hissed. Abandoning the Organization had been one thing, but to do so by attacking Xemnas's second-in-command... there was no coming back from that. If the Organization ever got their hands on her...

"Please... let me go," she pleaded. "I have to do this, or else... look."

She lowered her hood for a moment; Axel gasped in shock.

"What the..."

That face... but how is that possible?

Xion returned the hood. "Please, Axel. You have to take care of Xurik... and Roxas."

Axel shook his head, searching desperately for words. "But how are you... gonna..."

"Please!"

He paused, then nodded sadly. A faint smile appeared beneath Xion's hood.

"Thank you."

Without another word, she stepped forward into the corridor.

"Xion, wait!" Xurik called out, running into the clearing as fast as he could. It was too late; the portal vanished in a wisp of smoke. Roxas followed him, close behind.

"Axel!" Xurik cried out desperately, whipping around to face the man. "How could you just let her leave like that?"

"Xurik, she wasn't taking no for an answer," Axel said, pain on his face. "She's become... I mean... if the Organization gets its hands on her now, she'll be destroyed. You know that."

Xurik looked down at Xigbar on the ground. So, Xion had done that? He ran a hand through his hair in frustration and despair. There really was no coming back from a crime like that. Then did that mean... Xion was gone? For good?

Water began to stream from his eyes. Axel stared at him in shock.

"Are you... crying?"

Xurik shook his head. He didn't know what 'crying' meant, but he was in no mood for more of Axel's riddles. The mysterious pain in his chest was almost too much to bear.

"I guess that's it then," he murmured.

"You can't mean-"

"I do," Xurik said, looking up at Axel fiercely. "I'm going to go find her."

Roxas gave him a horrified look. "But if you bring her back, Xemnas will-"

"I'm not bringing her back."

Roxas paused for a moment while he realized what this meant. He shook his head fiercely.

"Xurik, if you leave the Organization they're going to turn you into a Dusk too!"

"So what?" he shouted, whirling around to face his friend. "Roxas, there's nothing here for us anymore! The Organization is just using us... do you really think they'll care once we're gone, aside from the inconvenience of losing the Keyblade?"

"You can't risk your life for her, though," Axel said quietly. Xurik stared at him, eyes narrow.

"What the hell do you mean? She's as important to me as either of you!"

Axel seemed fidgety, as if he was trying to decide what to do. Finally he sighed.

"Xurik... Xion is like a mirror that reflects you."

"Excuse me?"

"The Organization made her to duplicate your powers. She's a puppet."

"What the hell are you talking about? She's no puppet, she's as real as any of us."

Axel gave a small smile. "Giving that we're Nobodies, that's not saying much. She's smoke and mirrors, Xurik. And when I looked in the mirror... it wasn't you that I saw."

Xurik shook his head, chest pounding. "I don't know what you're talking about. What kind of a mirror?"

"Like I said... she was made to duplicate your powers, specifically the Keyblade. Why else do you think you've been so tired lately, while Xion's just been growing stronger? She's been taking your strength and making it her own."

"Xion would never-"

"Not on purpose!" Axel snapped. "You always want me to give you answers, now listen! If Xion keeps growing more powerful... you won't be you anymore. That's why she left."

Xurik shook his head. He still wasn't sure what Axel meant... but he didn't seem to be lying either. What did this mean? Xion was created by the Organization? How was that possible? He wouldn't put it past Xemnas. Was that why Saix never treated Xion like the rest of them?

"I don't care if she's a puppet," Xurik said quietly. "She's my best friend... like both of you. I'm going to go find her. Stay in the Organization if you want."

"Xurik, wait!" Axel shouted, snatching at the air, but it was too late. The boy had vanished in a swirl of darkness.

Roxas stared at the space where Xurik had been standing. What did this mean? Was Xurik... gone? For good? Abandoning the Organization was considered treason...

Tears sprang to his eyes. How could Xurik just leave them like that? Just like Xion.

Saix's eyes were filled with cold rage. "Explain yourself, Axel."

Axel shook his head. "I didn't let her go. The old man needs to get his eyes checked. Anyway, she wasn't taking no for an answer."

Xigbar was glaring at Axel, but with that he sighed and shrugged. "I'll give him that. Can't toss the blame around when I couldn't stop her either."

"Then what of Xurik?"

"We couldn't stop him either," Roxas said quietly, eyes dropping to the ground. "He didn't even give us a chance to talk him out of it."

"Surely you knew something of his plans," Saix said scathingly. He glared down at Roxas. "Why else did you two blatantly disobey orders, ignoring your missions entirely?"

"Xurik thought there was something wrong with Xion," Roxas said, glaring back at Saix. He had lost two friends in one day; he was in no mood to be ordered around. "We went to check up on our friend. I had no idea either of them were planning on leaving."

"Cut the kid some slack, Saix," Axel said quietly. "You know Roxas wasn't a part of this, or else he wouldn't still be here."

Saix was silent for a moment, before shaking his head at Roxas in frustration.

"At least we still have a Keyblade... even if it's the weakest one of all." With that, he stalked away. Xigbar followed.

Axel and Roxas exchanged glances. Finally Roxas buried his face in his hands.

"Axel... what do we do? Xion and Xurik... they're both gonna..."

"I don't know what we can do," Axel said quietly. "They were both set on leaving... but if we do the same thing, we'll be turned into Dusks. Or we'll just be destroyed outright."

"Xemnas isn't going to stop until he destroys them, is he?" Roxas muttered.

Axel was silent for a moment. Finally he clasped a hand on Roxas's shoulder.

"Xurik and Xion are both strong. They'll be okay."

I hope.

Xion walked through the dark forest quietly, hood still firmly over her head. The Beast's Castle loomed ahead. She wasn't sure where she was supposed to go now... the Organization would be sure to come for her once more. Who would be ordered to attack her this time? Xurik? Axel? Roxas?

The mere thought of them filled her eyes with tears. She wiped them away silently. She couldn't keep torturing herself with those thoughts. She wasn't even real - less real than even a Nobody. How could she deserve friends?

Either way... she had made her decision. Her friends might need her... but Riku needed her more. Her current appearance made that much clear. She had to do what was right; her mind was made up. The only hard part would be finding Sora - which was why she had now returned to the place where they first met, so many months ago. It was a long shot, but...

A cloaked figure was standing ahead of her on the stone bridge leading to the castle. Her heart began pounding as she realized who it was - or was that excited feeling just her connection to Riku's heart?

"Sora," Xion called out, approaching him slowly.

Sora gave a small smile. "Hey Xion. Have you made your decision?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I did. I'm on the verge of losing everything I ever cared about. I can't let that happen. Tell me what I need to do."

Sora nodded sadly.

"You need to find a girl named Naminé. She lives in Twilight Town... you shouldn't have too much trouble finding her."

"Naminé?" Xion said quietly. The name sounded faintly familiar. "What's she like?"

"She's nice," Sora said brightly. "A lot like... well... a lot like Kairi, but different. You'll find out."

"All right. Thanks, Sora." She paused awkwardly, staring up at the boy. He had grown so much from the child from her memories... well, Riku's memories. Emotion welled up within her, and she hugged him tightly around the waist.

"Good-bye, Sora."

"Good-bye, Xion," Sora said quietly. "I'm sorry that it has to be this way. If things could be different, I'd want them to be."

"I know. I thank you for that."

Xurik sat alone on the clock tower. He couldn't stay in one place for too long, or the Organization would find him. Who would they send to destroy him? Axel? Roxas? Those two wouldn't go through with it. Capture him, maybe... but not kill him. Even Axel was above that.

Still, it couldn't hurt to find Xion as quickly as possible. But where could she be?

Day 354

"Xion and Xurik have vanished."

"Do we know where they are?" Xaldin asked, eyes narrow. "Xurik is a first-time offense, but Xion has abandoned us in the past. Might she be lurking in the same place as before?"

Xemnas shook his head slowly. "'It,' not 'she.' Xion is just a Replica... a puppet."

There were audible gasps echoing across the Round Room. Roxas looked on in stunned silence. A puppet? Then Axel was right...

Luxord shook his head in disbelief. "Puppet? Someone made her?"

"Puppets generally don't make themselves," Saix said sarcastically.

Xigbar nodded. "The Replica Program was one of our little pet projects."

Demyx simply looked confused. "Replica whatza?"

"Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us about this 'pet project,'" Xaldin said, looking impatient.

Xemnas held up his hands; he waited for the chatter to fall into silence before speaking. "The goal was to duplicate the Keyblade wielder's memories, and through them, his powers - thus making them our own. Vexen oversaw the project at Castle Oblivion." He glanced at one of the empty chairs. "However, our efforts were severely derailed by his unexpected demise. And this particular Replica - the one we call Xion - came to form an identity of her own."

"That caught us off guard. If anything like that happened before, no one at Castle Oblivion ever reported it." Saix looked pointedly at Axel. "Did they, Axel?"

Axel said nothing; Saix looked away, bitter satisfaction on his face. Roxas sat in his chair in silence. So, Axel had been right after all. But how could Xion be a puppet? She seemed as real as any of them... more real than some of them. Roxas tried to catch Axel's attention, but the man seemed to be lost in thoughts of his own. What was he thinking about? Xion? Xurik?

Xurik had been willing to risk it all... even if she was just a puppet. Even if it meant leaving Roxas and Axel...

The thought stung slightly, but Roxas shook his head. Xurik had invited them to join him; it had been his and Axel's choice to stay behind. Why? Did Roxas really care that much about the Organization, or was he just afraid?

"Fortunately, the puppet has no means of dashing our plans now, even if she has learned to pull her own strings," Xemnas continued. He clenched his fist in the air. "Still, she knows our secrets. We need to shorten her leash... and perhaps tighten it."

Roxas looked up in alarm. "You don't mean-"

"Axel," Xemnas said, cutting off the boy. "Seeing as how she escaped on your watch, the onus is on you to capture her and return her here. I am willing to overlook any nicks and scratches. Just ensure she still functions on arrival."

Xaldin pounded his fist into the armrest of his chair. "Why would you allow a deserter back under our roof... she should be eradicated!"

"'Deserter' is hardly the term for a broken specimen who wandered out from under the microscope," Saix said in a bored tone.

Xemnas nodded. "Exactly right. Xion is naught but a tool to be used, and use her we shall. Xurik, on the other hand... he has shown disdain for command before, but now the line has been crossed. He is too troublesome to be controlled. Besides, Xurik's use has dried up; there would be no harm in eliminating him. We still have another Keyblade." Xemnas nodded respectfully at Roxas, making the boy feel sick to his stomach. Just because he could use the Keyblade, the Organization was fine with destroying Xurik? They really were just tools, weren't they?

"However, the fact still stands that Xurik is dangerous; he is the Nobody of the current Keyblade Master, after all. Roxas, Saix... it will be up to both of you to destroy him while Axel brings back Xion."

"You can't!" Roxas blurted out. Xemnas shook his head.

"Axel, Roxas, Saix... you have your orders. Dismissed." Without another word, he vanished in a swirl of darkness.

The rest of the room slowly began to teleport out, muttering quietly to themselves. Some were commenting on Xurik's betrayal, some on Xion being a puppet. Finally only Roxas, Axel, and Saix were left.

"Axel," Saix said quietly, fixing the man with a steady stare. "Those orders were absolute."

Axel looked away, still unwilling to meet the gaze of either of them. After a moment of silence, he too vanished.

Saix turned his attentions to Roxas.

"Still here, Roxas? We must prepare for our mission."

Roxas shook his head. He would cooperate with Saix in finding his best friend... but only so that he could think of some way to warn Xurik in advance or stop Saix from destroying him. One thing still lingered on Roxas's mind, however... the way that Xion was still being treated like some kind of tool, as if she were nothing more than a sword or a Keyblade.

"Xion is one of us," he said quietly.

Saix shook his head slowly. "A puppet, one of us? Don't be absurd." He gestured around him, at the tall white thrones surrounding the room. "Count the seats. When have we ever been more than fourteen?"

Saix vanished, leaving Roxas all alone. He began to summon a portal to the corridors of darkness as well, then hesitated, slowly looking around the room at he counted.

"...Twelve...thirteen... fourteen." He came to a stop at Xurik's seat beside him. Saix was right... there was no chair for Number XV, Xion.

There were only fourteen of them in the Organization... Organization XIV.

And soon Number XIV would be no more, unless Roxas did something to stop it. With that he vanished, mind racing as he tried desperately to think of something that would save his friends.

"Axel!" Roxas said, spotting him across the room. A corridor of darkness had just opened up, but Roxas quickly ran over and grabbed the man by the sleeve before he could step through. "I don't think Xion's safe here anymore. You're not really gonna do what Xemnas says, are you?"

Axel lowered his head; his normally cheerful expression was gone, replaced with numbness.

"I have to, or esle I'm not safe here either."

Roxas nodded slowly - he understood that. They were walking a fine line... and if Roxas interfered with Saix, he would be in danger as well.

"Well... could you at least try not to hurt her this time?"

"That's up to her." Axel shook his head, pain in his eyes. "Roxas... Xion is dangerous."

"Dangerous how?"

"More for Xurik than for you. But still... if her transformation becomes complete..."

Roxas frowned. How did Axel know that? They had just found out about her being a puppet... and yet Axel had known the day before... when did he find out?

"How long have you known about her?" Roxas asked quietly. Axel hesitated, then looked away, confirming his fears. "You knew all this time, and kept it from me?"

Axel remained silent before finally stepping through the dark portal, vanishing. Roxas sighed. So Axel had been hiding things from them this whole time... well, they knew that already. That was why he, Xurik, and Xion had made the pact to never keep secrets from each other.

He shook his head. He didn't need to get angry at Axel now. If Xemnas got his way... Axel would be the only person he had left.

The faint sunlight trickled through the leaves, though very little reached the dim forest floor. King Mickey almost didn't see the hooded figure lurking in the shadows until he stepped forward. He tensed up on instinct, summoning his Keyblade - but relaxed as soon as the boy lowered his hood.

"Sora!"

"Hey King Mickey," the boy said, smiling.

The mouse ran up to him, beaming up at him. "Gosh, have I been worried about you! Where've you been all this time?"

"I've been helping DiZ and Naminé while we wait for Riku to wake up... and I've been trying to stop Maleficent. She's been messing around with the worlds a lot lately."

"Well, it sure is good that you're around to stop her!" Mickey's round ears drooped. "But, you said that Riku hasn't woken up yet... did something go wrong?"

Sora nodded gloomily. "Yeah. I thought we were able to stop the Organization's plans at Castle Oblivion when we beat Marluxia... but I don't think they just meant to reverse Riku's memory. Naminé said it's been almost impossible to put back together... so impossible that it's like the Organization made it difficult on purpose."

"Gosh, I guess that explains things. It's almost like they're trying to buy some time..."

"Yeah. Riku's most important memories are the ones of Kairi... but the Organization has those right now. As long as they've got his memories, he might never wake up."

The king look horrified, but quickly nodded his head. "Well, then you have to let me help! Maybe I could get the memories back!"

"I think I've got that under control," Sora said quietly. He didn't feel right about pulling Xion out of existance... but she had made her choice. "I just hope-"

"Sora."

Sora and King Mickey both turned in alarm. The mouse summoned his Keyblade, while Sora summoned his sword in a flash of light.

Xurik stood his ground, staring evenly at Sora. "Where is Xion?"

Sora lowered his sword slightly. "Why? Are your orders to bring her back to the Organization again?"

Xurik shook his head firmly. "No. I've... left them. I just care about being with Xion."

Sadness filled Sora's eyes. He sighed, dispelling his weapon.

"You're... Xurik, right?" He shook his head. "You've got to let Xion go. She's made a very difficult choice... but it's not one she can come back from."

"I don't understand," Xurik said in frustration. "You're the one who was helping Xion find out the truth about herself. Was it that she's a puppet?"

Sora lowered his head. "You know about that?"

"Yes. But that still doesn't tell me what this 'decision' is."

"Xion is... not herself. And she can't exist as herself for much longer."

"I was told that she was built to copy my powers," Xurik said quietly. "If she stops being herself, who will she become? A copy of me?"

Sora looked uneasy. "Something like that."

The boy frowned. That wasn't a yes. Who was the answer, then, if not Xurik? Realization suddenly dawned on his face. That was what Xemnas had tried to tell him. Riku was his connection to Xion. He knew that he was Riku's Nobody... but what did Xion have to do with Riku? If she was a puppet meant to copy peoples' powers...

"Or maybe... she'll become Riku."

Sora and the mouse looked shocked. Sora turned to him uneasily.

"You mean you know... about..."

"I know I'm Riku's Nobody," Xurik said. "Or at least, I figured it out." Saying it out loud felt odd - like he was talking about a past life. Now that he saw Sora here, it all made sense... that was why Sora had always looked so familiar. He had seen the boy in his dreams, hadn't he? "And you... you knew Riku, didn't you? Back when he was alive."

Sora's expression relaxed slightly. So, Xurik didn't know that Riku was still alive, even if he was asleep. That made Sora feel a little better; at least Xurik wouldn't go searching for the real Riku. That might disrupt everything. Sora nodded slowly. "Yeah. I was his best friend."

"Was he... a lot like me?"

Sora smiled slightly. "You do look a lot like him, aside from your hair. And you don't seem as obsessed with yourself."

Xurik smirked. "Some friend you are!"

Sora laughed despite himself, but a moment later pain shot through his chest - talking with Xurik was like being back with Riku. He missed him so much...

But if Xion returned to Riku... he would have his best friend back, wouldn't he?

But then Xurik would lose one of his best friends. It all felt so wrong.

"Fine," Sora said suddenly. "I'll tell you where Xion went. She... went to see a girl named Naminé. I can't tell you exactly where she is in case someone's listening, but she's somewhere in this town. You'll be able to find her."

"But Sora-" King Mickey began, but the boy shook his head.

"No, Your Majesty. I've lost one of my best friends already... but it isn't fair for Xurik to go through the same without at least being able to choose. It's Xion's choice in the end... but she should at least be able to talk to Xurik about it first."

Xurik looked surprised, but smiled slightly.

"Sora... thank you. I can see why Riku chose you as a friend." He smiled faintly; for a brief moment, Sora's kindness reminded him distinctly of Roxas. "You know, it's strange, but... you remind me a lot of one of my friends." He laughed. "Or maybe that's just Riku speaking. Who knows?"

"Not here either," Roxas said, peering around the empty Coliseum. Saix shook his head.

"Xurik is proving to be a slippery little weasel. We will find him yet."

Roxas had to bite his tongue to keep from snapping at Saix. How could Saix be so calm about destroying Xurik? He knew that the man had never liked him, but still... it was all so heartless.

Oh, right. They didn't have hearts. Then why did Roxas feel so... sad?

Day 355

"Axel," Roxas said the next morning, walking up to the man. Axel was peering out of the windows in the Grey Area, staring out into the void silently.

"Hey, Roxas."

"You find Xion?" Roxas asked tentatively, hoping the answer was no. To his relief, Axel slowly shook his head.

"Like it's gonna be that easy. Did you find Xurik?"

"No. I don't know what I'm going to do when we do." He shook his head. "Axel, have you been keeping the truth about Xion from us this whole time?"

Axel glanced at Roxas, then looked away. "...Not the whole time."

"When did you find out?"

"Oh, I dunno. Somewhere along the way."

Roxas shook his head bitterly. "Didn't get it memorized, huh? You could have at least told Xurik... or Xion."

"Why? So that they could start questioning everything about themselves?"

"At least they would have known the truth."

Axel buried his face in his hands. "Roxas... I was just trying to keep us together. Look at what happened once Xion discovered the truth - she left. Now Xurik is gone too. Sometimes it's better not knowing."

Roxas thought about this for a moment. Finally he shook his head.

"Best friends are honest with each other."

Axel sighed. He leaned against the glass, then slowly slid down to the floor. "Well, I'm sorry. Maybe you're right. It looks like my way didn't exactly work either."

Roxas said nothing. That much was right.

Saix suddenly approached them. "Roxas... are you ready to begin looking once more?"

He glanced at Axel, then nodded.

"Yeah. I'm ready."

No matter what happened, he would do whatever it took to save Xurik. He could only hope Axel did the same with Xion.