Heya! Sorry it took my so long to update... but, you guys should really be thanking me for updating with only 4 new reviews, even though I said I wouldn't update again until I got 5 more. glare

Just kidding! You guys know I love ya xD Thanks again to Brightshadow 5 for ideas. You're my cure for writer's block! Peace.

Disclaimer: I wish.

8. Explanations.

Kairi held Sora's hand as Axel carried him swiftly to the gummi ship. After uttering a hurried goodbye to Phil, Hercules, and Meg, the routine whirring heralded the door opening and the company filed in. Axel laid Sora down on the couch he had shared with Kairi two nights ago and stepped back, a stern look on his face. Kairi never let go of his hand, which was still extremely warm, almost fevered.

"Sora... What happened to you?" Kairi whispered, squeezing his hand a little in an effort to revive him.

"This is a drive form... and a dangerous one at that," Riku explained, a knowing look in his light blue eyes. Kairi shot him a pleading look.

"This reminds me of his old anti-form, in a way. But even then, he was never this out-of control. It's a good thing he fainted when he did, or he probably would've attacked us."

"That's a lie!" Kairi objected. "Sora would never attack his friends!"

"But that wasn't Sora," Axel interrupted. "Before this happened, back when he was normal, I could see Roxas in his eyes. When he transformed into that thing, Roxas was gone."

He speaks truth, Namine agreed, I couldn't contact Roxas like I usually can.

You can talk to Roxas through Sora? Kairi asked in surprise.

Yeah. Sora can't feel it though,and he doesn't know yet.

Wait... So can you hear Sora's thoughts, same as you hear mine?

Yes. And Roxas can hear yours. But we agreed to not tell our others what either of you are saying.

Aww, come on! Did you hear what he was thinking back when he was transformed?

...No. His mind was beyond reach. It was as though an animal had taken over.

Namine's words chilled Kairi to her core.

"I'm afraid all we can do now is wait," Lifelle said quietly.

"And while we're waiting, care to explain how you're still alive?" Riku asked, raising an eyebrow at Axel, who half-smiled.

"Sure. Here's the thing - I didn't die. I was a Nobody, and to die, you have to exist in the first place. My body disintegrated, but my... memory, soul, whatever you want to call it, was strong enough to live on. I was reborn from nothingness once again, in that in-between place where I 'died.' After you defeated Xemnas, remember all those little hearts that came out of Kingdom Hearts? Well, lucky for me, mine was there. My heart returned to my body, and... here we have it," Axel explained sauvely.

"Then why do you still look the same?" Riku questioned. "Your hair... those markings under your eyes..."

"Well, I could change back to my normal, human form if I wanted to, but I find the red hair and eye markings are just so much cooler," Axel smiled.

"No cloak?" Riku asked, raising an eyebrow. Kairi took her anguished eyes off Sora for a moment to notice for the first time what Axel was wearing - khaki pants and and a black sweater. (A/N: If any of you have heard Sadie Hawkin's Dance by relient k, this is for you xD)

"Kairi..." Came a tortured whisper. She turned her agonized eyes back to Sora, who was mumbling in his half-coma. His hand began to grow clammy within Kairi's and his forehead broke out in a fevered sweat. A moment of this, and he started thrashing back and forth on the sofa he unconciously shared with Kairi.

"Sora? Sora!" Kairi called. His brow furrowed for a second, though his gloved hand never strayed from hers. After a minute of his grim on her own nervous hand, his bright blue eyes fluttered and eventually opened.

"Sora," Kairi breathed in relief. It was him. Not the... thing he had been about an hour ago. He smiled weakly, his eyes only on her. It wasn't long, though, before his smile slid off his face and was replaced with a disgusted frown.

"What... Did I do?" He asked, his voice no more than a whisper. Kairi laughed; she was just happy to have him back. Finally. She felt as if the past hour was never going to end.

"I think I might be able to help with that," Darran answered, standing up. He faced the group of keybladers and Axel. "Sora did go into a Drive form, but different from anything he's ever gone through before. It seems his transformations are now triggered by emotions. When he changed earlier, he was mad - madder than he's been in a long time," the pale keyblader explained confidently. A small voice in Kairi's head - Namine, she gathered - wondered how he knew such things. It occured to her that she really didn't care at the moment.

"He's right... I was mad just before that happened. Really mad. And next thing I knew, those flames were crawling up my body... my clothes changed... my keyblade burned in my hand. I could feel my anger taking over, and I couldn't tell the difference between friend and enemy anymore. The only thing I could think of was attack - attack Hades... I never meant to k-"

"Sora, it's okay," Kairi assured him. She could see his eyes get wide and panicked, and she didn't want him to dwell on the past. "You're back to normal now. And at least next time you go into this... Rage Form, we'll know what it is," she finished, unknowingly giving Sora's hand a gentle squeeze. He appeared startled that his hand was still in hers, and he looked down at them in reflex. Kairi's hand ripped out of his, embarrassed.

"Sorry..." she muttered, looking down. Whe her anxious gaze returned to his, it was filled with probing confusion. She turned back to Axel, Riku, Darran, and Lifelle, all of whom had different expressions on their faces. Riku was rolling his eyes. Axel was smirking, clearly enjoying some private joke. Lifelle was giggling quietly to herself. Darran was glaring at Sora with poorly concealed resentment.

"Well, now that that's all said and done, I have a message from the King, Donald, and Goofy," Axel stated, twirling his chakrams around in his long, pale hands lazily.

"A message from the King?" Sora echoed.

"Yeah, from the King. K-I-N-G. Got it memorized?" The former Nobody answered, enjoying his catch-phrase usage. (A/N: Sorry. I really can't help myself where Axel is concerned. )

"What did he say?" Riku interrupted.

"Well, after I got myself... together... I decided to help you guys out. Try to make up for what I did to you two," - a nod at Kairi and Sora - "and he told me to come with you guys and give you this message:

'Tell Sora, Riku, Kairi, Lifelle, and Darran,'" Axel relayed, throwing his voice to sound like the mouse King's, "'That the heartless are back, which you can bet means Nobodies will be back, too. Tell them I'd like them to go around the worlds just like last time and seal them, so nothin' bad will happen to the folks livin' there. And tell 'em I'm really sorry for makin' them do this again'," Axel finished, his voice dwindling back to normal at the end of his declaration.

"What about Donald and Goofy?" Sora asked.

"They'll be staying with the King for a little, to help with figuring out just what's going on," Axel replied, spinning a chakram around one of his fingers. A spark appeared at one end.

"So you'll be coming with us?" Kairi asked, hoping the answer would be yes. Axel nodded. She gave a small smile; she was really growing to like Axel. He was like a big brother... with nice hair. (A/N: No, this is not and will never be a KairixAxel story. Sorry to all those that were hoping it might be P)

"Where to?" Asked Lifelle quietly. Kairi's eyes flickered to the pilot seat in surprise; she hadn't realized Lifelle had moved.

"Whatever's closest," Riku answered. His voice had a softer edge to it than Kairi was accostomed to.

"Looks like... Land of the Dragons. We'll get there about noon tomorrow," the lithe keyblader called from the cockpit. Kairi nodded and looked back down at Sora, who had fallen asleep again.

Awww... Sora looks so... cute, Kairi thought to herself, watching as he twitched a little in his quick sleep.

What was that? Namine asked devilishly.

Shut up!

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There ya go! Chapter 8. What do you think? (Psst - You can tell me by clicking the button. Come on, you know you want to xD)

Oh, and if you review, I guarentee that I'll reply back from now on. I've been kinda bad about it lately, but that's only because I usually check my email at home, and FanFic is blocked there. Luckily, LV-chan found a proxy that actually wasn't blocked. cue choirs of angels So, I promise I'll get back to you from now on, my wonderful reviewers.

As always, thanks for liking my writing enough to keep reading. Hugs and kisses to all! mwah

LV-chan.