Jordan: The only thing you SHOULD memorize are your studies, and even then, go lenient with that. VERY lenient.

No. VIII

Eternal Flames

Sometimes, Axel figured, eating ice cream can be so lonely. He had managed to get off work early, so Roxas and Xion did not show up yet. "Whew…"

"Axel!"

'Bout time!' Axel noticed that both Roxas and Xion had big smiles on their faces. "Hey, hey! What are you grinning about?" he asked lightly.

Roxas' smile did not abate, but he didn't answer the question. "How was your mission?"

Axel scoffed. "Oh, loads of fun…" he said sarcastically. "Would it kill the Heartless to sit still? I fell right on my butt chasing the stupid thing."

Roxas chuckled. "Nice. Didn't I hear you tell Saïx that were a big boy?"

Axel rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. "Very funny. How'd your caper go?"

Roxas' grin grew even wider as he and Xion looked at each other. Xion nodded, then thrust her arm out.

"Ta-daaah!" With a loud SHING! the Kingdom Key materialized in Xion's hand. Axel looked the definition of astonished. With another SHING the Keyblade vanished. "I'd like to dedicate this Keyblade summoning to my good friends Roxas and Axel," said Xion.

Axel looked astonished for only a second more before looking away with a light expression on his face. "Pfft, me? I didn't do anything."

"Sure you did!" Xion exclaimed. "If you hadn't spoken up for us this morning, me and Roxas would've had to split up."

"And the Xion might never have remembered how to use the Keyblade," Roxas continued.

Xion smiled. "Thanks, Axel."

Axel cleared his throat. "Ahem…How 'bout an ice cream then?"

Xion looked confused. "Huh?"

"Buy me one, and we'll call it even."

Xion nodded. "Heh, you got it! Wait here, I'll be right back!"

As they ate their ice cream, Roxas looked toward the sunset. "I hope we always have each other," he said absentmindedly.

"Yeah…" Xion said softly.

Axel looked at them, eyebrow raised. "What's gotten into you?"

Roxas was silent for a moment. "…I just…want these days to last forever. Hanging out, the ice cream, the sunsets…"

Axel looked away and shrugged. "Nothing lasts forever, man. Least of all for a bunch of Nobodies." This little declaration caused Xion and Roxas to look depressed. 'Uh oh, better fix this.' "But you know, we'll still have each other…even if things change and we can't do this anymore."

Roxas looked up at him. "Yeah?

Axel nodded. "As long as we remember each other, we'll never be apart. Got it memorized?"

Roxas couldn't help but laugh. "Haha, wow, Axel! That sounded ridiculous."

Axel harrumphed and looked away. "What? I thought it was pretty deep!"

Xion giggled. This led to Roxas starting to laugh. Pretty soon this got all three of them laughing.

"It wasn't THAT funny, you know."

And that certainly broke the mood. All three of them stiffened. Slowly, they turned around to see Kavma leaning against the tower wall. He raised an eyebrow. "What? I was curious about where you three disappear off to every day after missions. That's all. I won't tell anyone."

"What're you doing here?" Axel said sharply.

"Nothing, really." Kavma swiftly sat down next to Xion. "You come here every day?"

"Y-yeah, why?"

Kavma frowned "Why are you so nervous? It's not like I'm going to bite you."

"It's just," Xion became nervous, but didn't stutter. "You're usually with The Superior, talking about the plans for the future, and seeing you here is, well, a bit out of the ordinary, really."

Kavma's reaction to this was, to them, unexpected. He threw his head back and laughed so hard that he was holding his sides. His laughter grew so much, though, that he accidentally leaned forward and fell off the ledge!

"KAVMA!"

"Hang on! I'll-"

"'Save you,' right, Axel?" The three Nobodies whirled around to see Kavma leaning against the tower wall. "Scared you, didn't I?"

Axel stared, his mouth agape. "What-huh-how did-"

"Yeah, I'm that awesome."

Axel shut his mouth right then and there. Kavma chuckled, then sat back down next to Xion. "Sorry for that. It's just, well…" he couldn't help but snicker. "With me, everything can be out of the ordinary, even the smallest things." He then turned to Roxas. "For example, you may be thinking that I'm not acting myself, that I'm 'out of character,' so to speak." He then turned to Xion. "To be honest, any way I act is my regular self."

"So, if you were a giant ballerina right now, that would be 'in-character?'"

"Now, Axel, I doubt that would happen any time in the near-future, but yes, I'd be in-character nonetheless."

This time it was their turn to laugh. Right at that moment, the bell in the clock tower began to ring. "Looks like it's time to go," said Roxas. He sounded slightly disappointed. Kavma surveyed the three faces and realized all three seemed sad, even though Nobodies had no hearts, and therefore Axel could not feel genuine emotion. 'Though I know why Xion and Roxas do.'

"Okay, Kavma, what're you thinking about? You have a weird look on your face."

Kavma shook his head. "It's nothing…Axel, could you stay for a moment? I'd like a word with you."

Axel tsked. "Sheesh, and here I thought I could go and get some shut-eye." He turned to Xion and Roxas. "You guys go. I'll catch up.

There wasn't anything but silence for a full minute as Kavma stared at the sunset, seemingly ignoring Axel until the latter cleared his throat. "So, are you gonna say something or what?"

"No," Kavma said sarcastically. "I figured that you would do all the talking."

Axel snorted and looked away. "Nutjob."

"Thank you." After another moment of silence, Kavma said, quite casually, "Has Xion regained use of the Keyblade yet?"

This startled Axel. "I-I didn't know she lost it! I thought she was just preferring magic to physical attacks…"

"True, a large amount of enemies that she has been facing have been more prone to elemental weaknesses than to brute force… So I take it that's a no?"

"Er…well…" "Axel, it's not like I'm going to tell anyone she lost her use of it."

Axel looked at him skeptically. "Oh really?" "Yes, really. It's not like I tell Xemnas every single thing about what I know of each member."

Axel scoffed and looked at the sunset. "…Xion's regained her ability to use the Keyblade today. I don't know how or why."

"Is that so?" Kavma asked. "Was Roxas with her when this happened?"

"Yeah…it was during their mission today. You think Roxas had something to do with it?"

"They are both Keyblade wielders, so it's possible. I'll ask them myself about it later."

Axel shrugged. "Well, maybe there's more to the Keyblade Master they're not telling me about." He looked pensive as he gazed at the sunset. "…I feel like I'm spending more time talking to Roxas and Xion lately than my old friend, Saïx." He sighed. "This must've been what friendship was like."

After a moment of silence, Kavma slapped Axel on the back, remarking jokingly, "Come now, Axel, you're not getting sentimental on me, are you? It's uncharacteristic!"

"Hehe, I guess I should catch up with Saïx, now that I'm talking like this…"

"Easier said than done, my friend. I was trying to strike up a friendly conversation with him the other day, but judging from his expression I would've had more success talking to a Dusk." Kavma stood up, brushing off his sleeves. "About time for us to go. I'm glad we had this talk."

"Right, sure, whatever you say…"

Jacob: More than halfway! For the win!