If we were Together: A year has passed since their separation, and Riku and Sora have grown both in size and in mentality. Sora slept in her chamber regaining her memories while Riku watched over her clouded in the gray spaces between light and darkness.
Chapter 7: Charmed & Enchanted
The castle brought back vicious cases of Deja Vu. Sora took a moment to stare in awe at the dark beauty of it. The tall gothic structure stretching out to the cloudy skies that echoed thunder and lightning. Goofy and Donald wandered ahead of her into the courtyard, leaving her to stand and ponder over the sensation. Her mind became clouded, as if also coated in the mist that surrounded this place.
"How do I know this place?" She whispered low to herself.
"You used to come here on missions." A voice echoed from behind her startling her out of her clouded visions and she whirled around with her keyblade and growled when she spotted the familiar black cloak.
"You! You're from the organization!"
"Whoa, easy there keyblade wielder." Axel held his hands up and pulled off his hood to reveal his face. Sora felt a twinge inside and the familiar sense of deja vu. "I didn't come here to fight."
"You… how do I know your face?"
That offhand comment had Axel's chest tightening and he slowly stepped forward his hands still up in defense. "It's complicated, but I can't give you too much details or it may just fry your brain."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Her grip tightened and she took a slow step back, mist covering their bodies, and she could hear the squawks and confusion from her friends in the courtyard. "Who are you?"
"You know, I'm getting a little tired of having to repeat myself to you." Axel lowered his hands to put them on his hips and shake his head. "Fine, the name's Axel. Got it memorized?"
"Axel…" She lowered her blade, even the name sounding familiar to her. "You say, we know each other?"
"Yes, I know you in different ways, both as Sora… and as someone else." Axel got closer since she lowered her guard and he took hold of her chin. "You're unaware of it because of Namine's magic, but soon all the pieces of your past will start merging."
"My past… grrr." She turned her chin up and away. "You and the organization sure like to play mind games with me."
"They do, sure, anything to get a rise." Axel laughed leaning in close staring into those familiar blue eyes… letting himself sink into the memory of them. "Me? I'm not after playing with you. You have something I want, and I'm gonna take any measure I can to get her back."
Fear and another sensation she was unfamiliar with struck inside Sora. She felt him grasp her chin again and she fidgeted his face coming in close and she barely had time to take in a breath before…
"Sora!" Donald's fireball came flying out of the mists. Axel blocked and backed away chuckling as Donald and Goofy came rushing out of the mists.
"Guess this means our alone time is over… but we'll meet again. Til then, Roxas… oops I mean, Sora." He winked and faded into black.
Sora shook standing there pale white and holding her chest. She could feel beads of sweat forming on her temples and dripping down as if she had just awaken from a bad nightmare. Goofy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder waving his fingers in her face.
"Are you okay, Sora?"
"Y-Yeah… I'm fine, just a little shaken up that's all."
"What did that guy do to you?" Donald demanded. "He didn't hurt you did he?"
"No, I'm not hurt…. just… he sort of freaked me out that's all." She leaned against the concrete wall taking a deep breath. "Saying random stuff like the others. It didn't mean anything."
Donald and Goofy exchanged nervous glances before looking to Sora again. "If you're sure, we'd better get inside, it looks like it's gonna rain."
"Right." snapping herself out of it Sora slapped her cheeks to waken herself up. "I can't let them get to me." She turned to the castle and headed inside. The interier design was just as impressive as the exterior, with a wide grand staircase that split out to the two separate wings. To their left and right were doors leading to separate sitting rooms, one already lit by a fireplace.
As they stepped inside and exchanged oohs and awes over the scenery a familiar heart jumping roar echoed all around. Donald jumped and looked around fearing some sort of fearsome animal was running wild. Goofy listened carefully and tapped his noggin.
"Does anyone else recognize that sound?"
As the roar echoed again Sora's memory clicked and she smiled. "Hey! That's the beast!"
"Maybe we should check up on him." Goofy suggested, but noticed Sora's eyes drifting away following a shadow, a heartless shadow.
"Come on!" Donald chased after it into the fire glowing sitting room. Sora trailed behind and pushed the doors open and inside. There was nothing there but books and furniture… a fire glowed in the hearth, and a beautiful pink rose glowed under glass like some sort of mystical piece of art.
Donald stood in awe of it, his fingers itching to touch. As he stepped forward, just inches away the heartless appeared from the darkness right in front of him. "Whack! Found it!"
Sora jumped as even more appeared around them in the room. A full swarm cramped the tiny room, leaving her little room to maneuver as she launched her blade around slicing through the opponents. Unfortunately for her and her friends every one heartless she dragged down, more just kept popping up. With their backs to the hearth Sora groaned and lowered her blade. "Oh come on! Enough already!"
"Somebody help us!" Donald pleaded out, and in answer to his cries the doors burst open and Beast stomped in. With a defiant roar he kicked and tossed away the heartless until none were left. Relief filled Sora's face and she stepped forward to greet him.
"Hey Beast! Just in time!" She wasn't greeted back… at least not in the same friendly manner. Seeing her as an obstacle Beast shoved her aside knocking her back into the wall and knocking the wind from her lungs. Donald and Goofy soon followed suit being tossed to the opposing side. Beast went right for the rose, cradling it as if one would a precious child, and left just as quickly as he had arrived.
"Gee, do you think maybe he forgot who we are?" Goofy pondered over Beast's behavior. Sora rubbed her stomach still feeling wheezy from the fall.
"With this many heartless, something has to be up."
"Yeah, why'd he have to go and do that?" Donald grumbled rubbing his cheek. Sora bit her thumb in thought.
"Hmmm, well if the beast's here, that means Belle has to be here too right? Let's go find her, maybe she can explain what's been going on."
"Good idea, let's have a look around!"
~The World that Never Was~
Axel appeared from the black mists having completed his selfish adjective as well as his own organized mission. He had sensed Xaldin's presence in the Beast's world and was glad the conversation had ended when it did, otherwise he may have been caught in the act of cahoodling with the keyblade master.
Still some things puzzled him… such as Sora's remembrance. She should have had more acknowledgement over her Nobody's actions… he knew that those that had been forcibly removed from Castle Oblivion still had knowledge of what they had done in their half states.. full blooming details of it.
"I think I better go get some advice… although I'm not looking forward to seeing her again, she's just the person I need to clear up some confusion." Taking a last glance up at the headquarters he gave a sneer and went into the portal.
~Fantasy Brook~
Using the darkness to travel he appeared on a familiar happy glen, the surroundings were something out of a princess' storybook. The house was cottage like with a straw roof and a simple foundation, but surrounding it was a true garden of eden. Massive amounts of foiliage; flowers, shrubs, trees with varying fruits and nuts growing upon them. at a small distance was a winding river, that seemed to travel endlessly into the horizon.
Bent over flowers, a pair of shears in her hand, was a familiar form to Axel. The trademark pink hair was enough to give her away, but he also recognized the body.. the sheer grace and elegance in it. The head lifted sensing his presence, and eyes pierced through the distance, her face frowning in disapproval of his appearance there. "Go Away."
"Now is that anyway to treat an old friend?"
"Last I checked." The woman went back to her work keeping her back to him. "You tried to kill me, as per the orders of the Superior."
"Well you were a traitor… but you're no longer part of that bit anymore are you Number 11… Luxiana, the graceful Assassin.
"It's Ailuna now, as I'm back to my whole person." She patted the soil against a patch of daisies after clipping away the few buds she needed. She set them in her basket before rising up and dusting herself off to meet eyes with him. "What do you want, Lea?"
"It's still Axel, actually, and I've some questions. I'm not here to fight, not here to argue. I'll just ask my questions and be on my way."
"Fine, I'll take your questions inside, Ralene should be inside making a pot of tea as we speak." She paused, smirking when Axel's complexion went pasty. "Oh, really Axel, she's really a pussy cat on the inside."
"Yeah, sure, Larxene's a regular pussy cat… with massive claws." He murmured to himself walking in behind her. He barely dodged a teacup being thrown at his head, one that glittered with electrical sparks.
"What is HE doing here? I can't believe you're welcoming him inside this house, Ailuna!" Spirited, fiesty, and on edge Ralene, formally known as #12 Larxene, stood in the kitchen armed with plates, and a thundering wrath.
"Mind your temper, Ralene, and my fine china." Ailuna motioned her to put them down. "Axel's just visiting. He wants to ask some questions and I've invited him in for tea. You can hiss and claw outside later, but for now I want to sit quietly."
"a full heart suits you, Ailuna… who would have thought you'd be such the nurturing sort." Axel took a seat leaning back comfortably, occasionally eying Ralene to make sure she wasn't aiming anything at his head.
"Yes, well I may still possess the power of the Graceful Assassin I don't have the deep thirst for blood as I did in my shell form." She leaned on her hands smiling prettily. She really was a beautiful woman, full grown and almost maternal the way she looked and took care of her plants like children. Ralene set cups of tea down for the three of them and sat down scooting her chair away from Axel as far as possible. "Now then, down to business."
Axel played with his cup a little, he'd never been very fond of tea, but with the steely look he received from both females he lifted the cup to his lips and took a testing sip. He shrugged as he found the taste somewhat soothing and set it back down. "I wanted to ask you how long it took you to remember your dealing as nobodies."
"Instantaneous," Ailuna said simply soothing her own throat with the herbal mixture. "It was like a dream when I awoke… blurry but there, the details became clearer and clearer as I recovered from the shock of fading, but still even in the blur I could remember my every thought, my every whim… and in that condition wondered why it had ever mattered."
"What about you Ralene? Was it the same for you?" He shifted a little when she made a growling sound in the back of her throat. The blonde beauty set her cup down, holding back the urge to slam it, knowing Ailuna wouldn't appreciate another broken cup.
"Same, I awoke, and I remember. Why are you so interested? Are you thinking about giving up your husk body and becoming whole again?"
"Hardly, I have my orders… but some things have been bothering me. You weren't there because Sora had already defeated you… but after the defeat in Castle Oblivion Sora was put to sleep to reconnect her memories, Namine's work."
"Naturally… twas a shame I couldn't keep control longer. That girl has such amazing gifts, I would have liked to have used them to my advantage." She paused in thought then nodded her head. "Continue."
"Anyway, soon after Roxas revolts… talking nonsense about wanting to find out about herself, wanting to know why the keyblade had chosen her. She got captured by a man named Diz who altered her memory to keep her controlled until he could infuse her back into Sora's body and make her whole again."
He went into detail over the matters… the fight, the search, and the eventual resurrection of the keyblade master. Ailuna listened, cautiously, carefully mulling it all over in her mind.
"I see… so you're wondering why Sora has no memory of being Roxas, or at least very little."
"She shows signs of recognition, but she should remember everything shouldn't she? Do you think, maybe Namine's power is affecting it?"
Ailuna thought on it and shook her head. "No, frankly I do not."
"Then why?"
"Well for one…" Ralene interjected rudely. "She's the keyblade master! Her thoughts are focused only on the mission at hand. I doubt she has time to even question the memories swirling around her head. Not to mention that we of the organization KNEW what we were getting into when we signed up for the program. We knew we'd be losing our hearts and becoming husks, it's only natural we're more prepared for it."
"She has a point, Axel. However, I still don't think that's the case. This is just a theory… the real expert on such matters would be Even or Ienzo."
"They were my first choice, but they've been MIA, you and Ralene are the only ones who were recorded found after their… defeat."
"as I was saying," She continued with some temper, not caring to be interrupted. "It's just a theory, but I think the reason why Sora doesn't have memories of Roxas, is because Roxas herself is still inside. hidden away clutching onto her own memories and remaining her own person, even though their bodies are joined, their minds, and essentially their hearts, real or fake, are separate."
"So…" Axel sat up suddenly awake and attentive. "You're saying Roxas is still inside her… she could still be… saved from her."
"Yes. Roxas first joined us only a little while after Sora became a heartless. However in an odd display that defies all of Even's science crap, Sora managed to maintain a form after her heartless was… shall we say, saved from the darkness by Kairi. Sora and Roxas at that point became two separate entities both with a mind and a will of their own."
Axel became more and more excited with every word. All he could think about was that "it's possible." It was possible to recover Roxas… HIS Roxas, from Sora's body. He just had to find out how.
"Ladies this has been an enlightening visit, and I owe you a grand gift the next time I visit."
"Do us both a favor, Axel, and stay clear of us for the next millenium or so."
"No promises." He saluted and stood up walking out of the cottage with a sudden spring in his step. "Now then, what to do." Axel tapped fingers to his lips. "I'll have to eventually capture Sora, that part's gonna be difficult, I'll have to find a way to lure her away."
He had to think on this. What could possibly motivate Sora to leave the comfort of her friends behind?
Friends… her friends.
"Of course… Riku and Kairi… she was constantly blabbing on and on about them in Castle Oblivion. Especually that Riku character… but I wouldn't know where to begin looking for that clown. Last I checked he was travelling in the gray spaces between light and dark. It'll be difficult to track him."
Kairi on the other hand…
"Axel," he grinned to himself. "you are a genius."
~Beast's Castle~
The light from Sora's keyblade lit up the room unlocking the next gate that would lead them into the next world. Their adventure at Beast's castle was coming to a close, but the journey was pushing forward. Sora looked to Belle and Beast, the confliction between them ended once Sora had confronted Beast and snapped his out of his dark daze.
Xaldin, another member of the organization, had been behind the entire attack. Forcing Beast to become consumed in anger and hatred and using it to control him. Luckily Beast snapped out of it and had helped them to defeat the Boss Heartless that Xaldin left behind for them to "play with."
Sora was happy that things were safe here, and it had been an interesting visit. She had discovered Beast's backstory, and the hidden secrets of the enchantments on his castle, servants, and body. His affections for Belle were true and blooming, but so was his hope. The end of his curse would result in either Belle coming to love him, and the spell lifting on everyone and everything… or Belle rejecting his love, and he remained a beast for eternity.
Sora hoped that they would find love… if anyone could see the good heart beneath the gruff exterior it was Belle. She traced the end of her braid feeling the stars, a little blush in her cheeks as she thought of love, and of rejection. Hers and Riku's story still needed to be played out too, and she needed to give him an answer to his affections.
"If you guys hear anything about Riku, or the king, the organization, heartless, anything at all, let us know!" Sora asked receiving nods from both Beast and Belle. She bid them and the others goodbye leaving with Donald and Goofy to travel to the next world.
"Looks like we really have our work cut out for us guys. We've only been to three worlds and already we're running into heartless and the organization with every dip and turn."
"Buck up, Sora. That's why we're on the job. Riku and the King are probably doing their part to see that everything's going okay."
"Yeah, knowing Riku that's exactly what he's doing." She giggled and leaned back in her seat as Donald took them through the space and towards the gate. She was certain that the reason they hadn't found Riku yet was because he too was busy battling heartless and the organization. Riku was never one for just sitting around and letting others work. He was the kind of guy who took charge, as he had proved in their last journey.
"This time we're on the same side…" she closed her eyes and fingered the stars at the end of her braid. "and it's gonna stay that way."
Another chapter finished! I hoped you guys enjoyed the little inclusion of Larxene and the female Marluxia. I wanted to give some insight and theory as to some questions I had about the game not to mention I like Ailuna as a character, I'm gonna need to find a way to use her more often.
Next Chapter: Past, Present, & Future