Realm Hearts
chpt.17: Our Bond of Flames
A big, loud yawn escaped Roxas as he walked down the hall towards the lounger and he rubbed his eyes sleepily. He was still dead tired and if not for the knowing he had a mission to do today; a duty he needed to fulfill as a Keybearer, he'd still be in bed sleeping right now.
"Hey there, partner. Still asleep on me" comes a voice which is followed immediately by a hand planting itself firmly against his back several times, making Roxas stumble forward.
Looking back in annoyance, he says "A little rough today, huh Axel?"
"Boy, you really are tired" says Axel. "Bad dreams or something?"
"Dreams, yes. Bad? Well, I'm not sure what to make of it" admits Roxas, his voice showing the dream or dreams he had the night before had left him with much confusion.
"Wanna talk about it with big brother Axel here? My ears always open, ya know. Got that memorized?" asked Axel.
Roxas laughs a hard laugh, saying "Maybe later, Axel. I want to see if I can make sense of it first before seeking advice from anyone else."
"Suit yourself. Either way, we better get moving or Saix will chew our ears off for being late" says Axel as he proceeds down the hall. Roxas follows him a moment later. "So, Xion still sleeping?"
"Yeah, like a baby. I tried to wake her but I doubt anything will have success there" says Roxas.
"Then leave Saix to me about that. I'll see if I can convince him to let her have today off" says Axel as they enter the lounge, finding Saix waiting for them as expected. What they don't expect is the small table next to him with what appeared to be new com-devices laying on it.
"What's with the new toys there?" asked Axel as he and Roxas walked up.
"Our new and improved com-devices, finished last night for all of us to use. In addition to all the old features but improved, these O-tech's have several new features that will make our missions much easier. For example, these shouldn't disappear on you like the old com-devices did in that game world, Roxas" says Saix before grabbing a red colored one with a flame symbol on it and handed it to Axel, then grabbing a green colored one with a key symbol on it and handing it to Roxas.
"Nice, personalized for each of us. Sweet" Axel says impressed.
"What kind of new features and how are the old ones improved?" asked Roxas.
"You'll both get a chance to find out as you two will be going on a mission together today" says Saix as he turns his body to the side and uses his own O-tech, which was a dark blue color and had a crescent moon symbol on it to open a portal.
"This is gonna be a fun one then" says Axel, looking at Roxas and smiling. "Oh, Saix. Xion will be a little late getting down here. I...ah...think she's taking an extended shower."
"That's fine" says Saix. "Good luck on the mission and be careful out there. We still haven't determined the identity of that blue creature and an unknown entity is a dangerous one to all of us."
Roxas and Axel nod as they step forward and enter the portal. After a few moments of walking through the twilight corridor, they emerge in an alley way that had a rather pungent order filling it. Wanting to get clear and breath some fresher hair, they quickly move forward and exit the alley way.
What they saw was something from out of an old black and white film reel you'd see being shown at school. Old school cars parked on the sides of streets. A red trolley car comes passing by. And people wearing old fashion clothing were walking the side walks.
"Boy, talk about stepping into the past, huh?" says Axel as he looks around in marvel.
"Kind of reminds me of that film my history teacher back in Twilight School would show us about the old days, except I don't recall seeing cars driving around though. Where do you think we are anyways?"
"Who knows" says Axel as he pulls out his O-tech and begins looking through its menu. "Maybe one of the new features on this thing can answer the question."
Roxas didn't think of that and mentally berates himself for that as he pulls his own out and also starts looking through the menu, finding it to be laid out different than the original com-device though also more user friendly looking.
"Oh, check this out" says Axel before moving his hand to let Roxas see what he had found.
"Style Modifier?" says Roxas. "What do you think that does?"
"Not sure but lets find out" says Axel as he activates the program. Immediately, a small metal sphere shoots from the O-tech into the air and spins around while glowing with a faint light. It then projects a beam of light onto Axel, making his clothes glow brightly.
When the glowing stops, Axel and Roxas both find that Axel's clothes had been transformed. Where as before he had been dressed in Organization garments, he was now wearing brown pants and shoes, a white shirt with red colored suspenders connected to the pants, a gray colored trench coat, and a beat up looking brown fedora that was sitting on Axel's head.
"Awesome, your clothes changed" says Roxas in awe. "Axel, you look like a detective from thous old black and white movies."
Axel moves a few feet to look at his reflection in a window and sees that he did indeed look like a detective. He then looks back at Roxas and says "Here's looking at you, kid." He then laughs a little before saying "I wonder what purpose this is suppose to serve anyways?"
Roxas looks at his own O-tech and finds a help button flashing on the device. Pressing it, he reads aloud what it says. "According to this, the program was meant to add further blending for Organization agents while they are in any particular world. I'm guessing simply wearing the Organization's coats is no longer considered enough for sneaking around undetected by the locals."
"Maybe its also in case we ever find ourselves running into any outsiders to a world like how Xion ran into that rogue coat wearer in that one world. This could be meant for us to seem like we belong to the world we're in at the time so we can avoid any unneeded and unwanted battles" adds Axel.
"Maybe that's true too" says Roxas as he activates his Style Modifier. "I wonder what my new look will be." After a moment, Roxas and Axel find out as Roxas clothes change to black shoes and blue pants, a green shirt and checkered vest with a funny hat that was normally seen being worn by golfers.
"Hah ha, you look like a paper boy, Roxas" laughs Axel, finding Roxas new look hilarious.
"That sounds familiar" says Roxas, recalling his little odd job that day back in Twilight Town before facing that giant thing. "Anyways, what do we do now?"
"Well, I guess we should look around and see if we can find anything of interest. Maybe mingle with the locals and see what they have to say" says Axel as he gives Roxas a thumbs up.
A sudden screeching sound makes them both spin around and see something neither had ever seen before, a rather animated toon cab with a face on its front looking at them. "Need a cab, buddy?" asked the toon cab with a Brooklyn accent.
"You...can talk?" asked Axel, having never seen anything like this before though somewhere in his mind, he did find it odd he felt so surprised given what all he had seen and experienced personally in his life.
"What would you expect from a Toon? Of course I can talk dead pan. Now do you need a ride or what?" asked the cab.
Axel looks at Roxas who only shrugs in response then looks back at the cab and says "Sure, that would be great, mister...um?"
"Call me Benny. Now hop in, the meters running pal" says Benny, sounding impatient.
Axel had expected this Benny guy...thing...whatever to open a door for him and Roxas but he didn't so he was forced to hop into the drivers seat with Roxas hopping into the passenger seat. Once they were buckled up, Benny ask "So, where you two head'n anyways?"
"Actually, we really don't know. See, we're new in town and..." says Axel, not sure what else to tell the toon cab.
"Mister Benny, can you take us someplace where we can get some information? Any place will do" says Roxas, breaking in.
"A place where one can get information? I think I can cover that" says Benny before zipping forward. "Hey, out of the way, snail biter" he says to the other, normal looking cars on the road, forcing them to swerve out of the way and a couple nearly ended up crashing as a result.
Axel and Roxas just look at one another, both thinking the same thing. What kind of crazy world had they ended up in?
After about fifteen minutes of driving, Benny comes to a stop outside a set of building with an overly large alleyway set between them. "We're here" chimes Benny before ejecting them from his chairs, sending the landing on their butts on the street corner.
After getting up, with some grumbling and bum rubbing, Axel looks at Benny and says "Well you can forget about the tip." He then digs into his trench coat, hoping the O-tech may have made some of this world's munny for them to use as payment.
"So, which building is it?" asked Roxas, his eyes shifting between the two.
"Neither, paper boy. Just head down the alley till you find a large metal door and knock on it. Then tell the guy on the other side "Walt sent me" and he'll let you inside" instructs Benny. "And as for the tip? Here's a tip for you. Don't come around places you don't even know jack about."
And with that, Benny takes off, either forgetting or not caring that they hadn't paid him yet.
"Weird guy...er, cab" says Roxas.
"No kidding" agreed Axel as he looks back to the alley. "Makes me wonder what else this world has going on in it. Well, lets go see where he took us."
They walk down the alley till the found the large metal door. Axel knocks hard on it three times and a panel opens up, revealing steely cold eyes that glare back at him. "What's the password" asked a tough, gravely voice.
"Walt sent me" says Axel, repeating what Benny told him to say.
The eyes move away and the door opens a second later, allowing them inside. As they step into the building, they find the bouncer guarding the door was a massive gorilla wearing a tuxedo that was obviously not big enough to fit his massive frame.
"Wow, a monkey wearing a monkey suit. Now I've seen everything" comments Axel absentmindedly to Roxas, momentarily forgetting the bouncer was there.
The bouncer's response was something not appropriate for hearing at any age. He then sees Roxas and adds "Hey bub, no kids allowed in here."
"Oh...um, he isn't a kid. He just suffers from some sort of disease that slowed his growth. He's actually older than I am" lied Axel, hoping he would be convincing.
The bouncer looks at Roxas, not believing a word of it. "Whatever..." he says before another knock is heard and he turns his attention back to the door, giving Axel and Roxas a chance to slip further in while he was distracted.
They move quickly down a hallway till they enter a slightly large room with the words "Ink and Paint Club" plaster over an arch in glowing neon lights; the arch having a rather regal looking curtain that shielded whatever was beyond from sight. A little nervous, the two proceed and pass through the curtain.
Before them now was a sea of tables and several bars to either side of the room. All the workers were Toon's while the customers were flesh and blood people. On the stage beyond the tables was a black cat singing a song.
Felix the Cat
He's a wonderful, wonderful cat
When ever he gets into a fix
he can always rely on his bag of tricks
Felix the Cat...
"Hm, cozy" says Axel before spying an empty table ripe for the sitting and makes a beeline for it. Once he and Roxas sit down, they look around and wonder who they should ask first. More importantly, how do they ask seeing as this world was way different than anything either had ever seen before.
"Can I offer you two a menu or do you already know what you want?" comes a sweet female voice.
Looking at who had spoken to them, the boys find a female Toon who was in black and white coloring wearing a black dress that seemed to be rather short on her though she didn't appear to mind it.
"Well, seeing this is our first time here, we'll look at the menu thank you" says Axel which makes the girl nod as she hands him and Roxas each a menu. "Is there anything I can get you to drink?" she asked.
Axel quickly skims down to the drink selection, seeing nothing familiar so he just picks one and says "I'll try Scotch on the Rocks."
The girl nods then looks at Roxas and says "And you sir?"
"Well...?" says Roxas as he looks at the drinks. "I don't suppose you serve milk here by any chance?"
The girl shakes her head, saying "I'm sorry but all our drinks our meant for the adult crowd. But if you want, I can get you some water so long as you don't mind it being tap?"
"That'll be fine" says Roxas, figuring that was a good a drink as he could get in a joint like this. He then turns his attention to the food to see if there was anything listed he could at least eat. Axel was also looking at the meals and was finding several interesting choices he had to admit he was wanting to try.
"I'm guessing you two must be new in town" comes a voice that draws there attention over to the table next to their own. Sitting at the table was a slightly pudgy man who dress indicated he was also a detective. "Want me to give you a few suggestions on the food?"
"Sure, why not" says Axel, looking at the man. "What do you think is worth a first meal here?"
"I would go with item number eleven myself. It will make your taste buds sing with delight, trust me" says the man, to which Axel and Roxas both look back at their menu's at the item in question and find that it did have a certain appeal to its appearance.
"Alright, we'll go with that then" says Axel, getting a nod from Roxas. "Thanks for the tip, mister..."
"Valiant. Eddy Valiant" says the man. "Word of warning though, red. Be careful with that Scotch. Toon's have a weird sense a humor with these things."
What did he mean by that? Axel decides to not bother with the question, instead saying "I'm Axel...Lea Axel and this here is my assistant, Roxas Twilight. We're passing through town while trying to track something important."
"Like what exactly?" asked Eddy. "Maybe I can help seeing as I'm a local and all."
Before Axel can respond, the girl waitress returns with their drinks and gets their meal orders. She then turns her attention to Eddy and ask if he'd be having the usual and he gives her a nod. Axel and Roxas also learn the waitress name was Betty Boop as Eddy calls her by that name.
"Roxas, the paper if you would" says Axel and Roxas digs out the paper and hands it to Axel who then passes it over to Eddy to look at. "By any chance have you seen anything that looks like these creatures or have seen that symbol anywhere by chance?"
Eddy studies the drawings carefully, saying "Weirdest looking Toon's I've ever seen and I've seen plenty. If you don't mind my asking, why you looking for them?"
"The Hea...these Toon's have been known to cause all sorts of trouble for people and we were tasked with bringing them in so they could be contained in a proper setting" says Roxas, figuring that would be as good an explanation as any over the truth here.
Eddy snorts, saying "Yeah, I know from experience about troublesome Toon's that need to be contained", thinking back on the Doom incident that happened a few months back. "Sorry though. I haven't seen anything like these creatures running around."
"Then maybe it means they aren't here then" says Axel, breathing a sigh of relief. Maybe this world was safe after all.
"But this symbol on the other hand..." says Eddy, getting their attentions back to him as he hands them the paper back. "...I've seen gratified over in Toon Town when I was last there."
"Seriously?" asked Roxas, wondering why and how that could have happened.
"Can you show us?" asked Axel. "It...could mean that they've been here and if so, we may find a clue as to where they are now."
"Sure thing pal. But can we wait till after lunch before heading out? After all, man can't work on an empty tank. Know what I mean?"
Just then, Betty returned with all three of their orders, holding the trays like a pro while the next act came on that featured a droopy looking dog singing in a dead pan tone to the audience.
(thirty minutes later)
Eddy Valiant's car turned a corner and entered a tunnel and he slowed down to match the speed limit set for traveling through the tunnel. Axel was sitting opposite him and Roxas was in the back. After a moment, they see what appeared to be a deep red colored curtain awaiting them at the tunnels end.
"I'm guessing you two have never been to Toon Town before, huh?" asked Eddy, getting a no in response from the boys. "Then you better brace yourselves. It's gonna be a little out there."
They reach the red curtain which pulls away, revealing an animated world unlike anything they had ever seen before. And in that same instance, the car is bombarded by singing from various Toon's, even the sun itself was singing which makes Axel and Roxas stare dumb founded at everything in this place.
"Man, this is totally messed up" says Axel.
Roxas agreed a little, then ask "So, how long till we get to..." His question is cut short as the scenery suddenly changes from a frantic countryside to a city and Eddy has to make a sharp turn to avoid hitting a Toon car as it comes flying past him.
"That's the one thing I hate about Toon Town" says Eddy as he sticks his head out the window. "Slow down there, pal" he yells out even though the Toon in question was already out of ear shot. "Still, can't help but love being here though. Everyone's so crazy you can't help but laugh at them."
"Crazy?" asked Axel and Roxas in unison. That didn't sound good to either of them to be honest.
It took another few minutes of driving, but then soon arrived at their destination and the got out of the car, following Eddy into the Toon alley way. It occurred then to Axel that ever since arriving in this world, he and Roxas had spent a lot of time walking through back alley's.
"Here it is" says Eddy, coming to a stop with Axel and Roxas taking their spots to either side of him. Sure enough, there on the wall, was the image of a Heartless symbol. Roxas reaches out and touches it carefully, as if a Heartless could spring out from it just by being touched.
"Any ideas who might have painted it up here?" wondered Axel.
"Who knows, though I guess we could ask around" said Eddy in response.
"Could you do that for us then, seeing as you're more familiar with the area and all. Me and Roxas will stick around here and see if we can find any clues" says Axel, already fake looking at the ground for anything relevant.
"Sure thing, pal" says Eddy as he heads out of the alley to track down some Toon's to talk to.
As soon as they were alone, Axel pulls out his O-tech and scans the painted symbol. "Any ideas where this came from?" asked Roxas.
"Well, I can confirm it was indeed made with paint, the same kind used to create this whole place" says Axel, pressing a few buttons on the O-tech. "But I'm getting more readings off this. I think this could be a portal point of some kind someone placed here that Heartless could use to enter this world with."
Roxas pulls out his own O-tech and does some scanning himself. "According to this, the world's barrier is at ninety two percent."
Axel looks at him, impressed. "Boy, you learn fast, huh?" He was speaking of Roxas figuring out the full functions of their new toys. "Question is how do we find the Keyhole for this world? There isn't anything in our O-tech's to help us there."
Roxas thinks for a minute as his eyes wander; spying a discarded paint brush with still wet paint on it. An idea comes to him. "Maybe we don't have to look" he says as he walks over and picks the paint brush up, lighting touching the brush and confirming that the paint was indeed still wet and usable.
"What are you thinking?" wondered Axel as Roxas walks back over and begins to trace something out on a free space on the wall; the tracing quickly revealed itself to be a Keyhole. "Roxas, that isn't going to work..."
"In a place like this" says Roxas as Kingdom Key appears in his hand which he then aims at the Keyhole he had drawn. "...it doesn't hurt to try, right?" Before Axel could even say anything to respond, the Keyblade's tip lights up and releases a beam that hits the Keyhole, making a locking sound as a result.
"No freak'n way" says Axel in disbelief, then checking his O-tech and is stunned to find the world's barrier was now back to 100% strength. "I don't believe it, it actually worked."
"If only all worlds could be that easy, huh?" says Roxas, allowing the Keyblade to vanish.
A moment later, Eddy is heard head back towards them. As he walks up, he says "Sorry guys, the best I could get was some big fat dog faced guy had been seen skulking around back here before the symbol...? Wait, where did it go?"
Roxas and Axel look and see that the Heartless symbol had indeed vanished from the wall, likely do to the world's barrier being restored to full strength. "And where did that come from?" asked Eddy, seeing the Keyhole gratified now and thinking he didn't recall seeing that there before.
Axel and Roxas look at each other, grin, then back at Eddy and say in unison. "It's a mystery."
The explanation they ended up giving Eddy was that they had split up and looked through the alley, then they had heard a sound that brought them back to the spot only to find the Heartless symbol gone and the new Keyhole symbol there instead. Eddy chalked it up to being some weird Toon thing as far as he was concerned.
Seeing as there was nothing left to do, the three of them exit the alley and Axel says "Well, thanks for the help, mister Valiant. But something tells me our search will lead to nowhere here so we best be moving on."
"Sorry to hear that. Wish I could offer more help but..."
"HEY EDDY" comes a voice and they turn to see a while rabbit dressed in red pants come running towards them. "We have a pickle of a problem."
Eddy sighs and ask "What is it this time, Roger?"
"Someone stole Elmer Fudd's prized gun and he asked me if you could help track the thief down" says Roger Rabbit. "Say, who'er your friends here?"
"Another time, Roger" says Eddy. "Well, if you two are ever in town again, be sure to look me up if you need help." Eddy then pulls out his personalized Toon gun and says "Roger, we have a case to solve." And with that, Eddy hops into his car with an excited Roger who had already forgotten about Axel and Roxas.
"Boy, some place huh?" says Axel.
"A place is a place" says Roxas. "Now let's get out of here before something looney happens to us..."
Several hours later, the twosome were sitting as usual on the Twilight Clock Tower, looking out over the fake sunset, eating Sea Salt Ice Cream. Xion wasn't with them as she was likely still on whatever mission she had been sent on with Demyx and given how the Sitar player was, they wouldn't be back for a few more hours yet.
"Today makes 110 days" says Roxas suddenly.
Axel looks over at him curiously, asking "What's that about?"
"The number of days that have passed since I came here" explained Roxas, looking over to Axel.
"So, you have the date memorized, do you?" asked Axel.
Roxas grins, saying "Helps to keep hold of something. After all, I want to remember everything I see and experience seeing as my memories are limited."
After a pause, Roxas ask "Axel, do you think I'll ever find my home world and learn about my past? Maybe even learn what my birth name is?"
"Where's all this coming from all of a sudden?" asked Axel, looking at him. "I thought you were fine with being simply Roxas and knowing you had a home here and even back in Twilight Town?"
"I am and I do...but..." says Roxas, trailing off as he lays back. "But I guess all this world traveling has made me curious about learning of my origins."
"I can understand" says Axel, wanting to tell Roxas of his own desires to return to the person he had been completely, not just having memories of that time or those days. He even wanted to tell him what he thought could be the origins of Roxas. And after a moments debate, he figures "what the hell?"
"Roxas, there's something I've been meaning to..." his words stop as he looks to Roxas and finds his young friend had quickly fallen asleep after laying back. Axel smiles as he brush's his hair playfully then stands up. He then gently picks Roxas up and takes him back to his room and lays him on his bed.
"Sleep well, Roxas" says Axel before turning away and digging into his pocket to pull out his O-tech as all this talk of the past had made him feel a little home sick and he wanted to see it again, no matter what state it may be in now.
As he pulls the device clear, he fails to notice another object came along with it which falls onto Roxas bed, laying next to his hand. Axel fails to notice as all as he opens the portal and leaves. A moment later, the Kingdom Key appears in Roxas hand with its key chain laying directly above the object that had fallen from Axel's pocket which was also a key chain.
The two key chains glow and Kingdom Key shifts its appearance into a new form; a form that was red in color with a fire theme obvious from its appearance. And upon the handle was placed a name for this new Keyblade.
"Bond of Flames"
Roxas awoke later that night, feeling groggy. Wanting to get some air, he goes to head for the door to his tower but then comes up with an idea. Why not use the O-tech to make a quick trip outside. Would that work? It was worth a try. Besides, he would only be gone for a minute.
Roxas opens the portal and steps through, emerging in the middle of a town that appeared to be in a state of ruin. "This can't be a good sign..." he says as his eyes gaze upon the dead world.
To be continued...
AN: The following is a list of all the Keyblade's Roxas has gained thus far in the story.
Kingdom Key: Roxas first Keyblade which appeared in his hand when he was trying to protect Olette from a Shadow in Twilight Town. It has a power that boost the defencive abilities of its user. It also seems to have other, mysterious powers not yet known.
Pumpkinhead: Gained from the Sleepy Hollow world, this black colored long type Keyblade has the ability to make anyone hit by it dizzy and confused for a short time and it's length makes it easier to hit enemies with.
Retro Wrecker: Gained in Game Central Station, this Keyblade is of the meduim length much like the Kingdom Key and grants the user massive attack damge dealing power, enough to crack even a giant jaw breaker in half with a single hit. The draw back is in the weight of the Keyblade as it does slow the user down considerably.
Bond of Flames: Gained in Never Was in Roxas room when a keychain fell from Axel's pocket and made contact with Roxas Keyblade while he was asleep. Currently, Roxas is unaware of having this Keyblade and its power is unknown apart from it being a fire elemental medium range type. When will Roxas learn of having this Keyblade? Only time will tell...