Authors Note (A/N): This fanfic has been on hiatus a while because my career has just been starting up since college ended (a.k.a. I'm still getting the hang of all this), and life has thrown a lot of curves at me as well. That, and even though I love this story I'm writing so much, I have to be in a certain mood of inspiration to write more. Be advised, even if I take longer breaks, I don't plan on leaving this untold. I will continue!
LOL Enjoy. I guess.
NOBODIES BECOME SOMEBODIES
Chapter Seven: A Boy Awakens
Who...am I?
You need to wake up!
Huh? Who's there?
Hello? Can you hear me?
Why are you talking to me?
I know you don't remember me, but I remember you.
So, does that mean you are a part of my lost memories?
Yes, that is correct.
Is there a reason I'm still here? I have a feeling I wasn't supposed to exist.
Yes, that was the case until-
So, you can help get my memories back, right?
…
Right?!
...I'm sorry. I'm not sure I still have my former powers to...Well...let's just say even I don't have all the answers. I'm confused, too.
...You...You're like me?
Yes. I am.
Okay. At least you know who we are, and you can help me somehow. You did say that I need to wake up, so how do I do that?
Even if you aren't awake yet, you are getting close.
Wait! Y-Your name...is it...
Please remember. You have to remember on your own.
Are you-
All you need to do...
Namine'?
...is believe...
…
That you are alive.
BA-BUMP...Ba-Bump...
xxxx
Oxygen.
I felt it come into my lungs.
I'm...breathing?
I sniffed the air. I felt a cold chill run through me. The space around me felt...
Empty.
Do I dare to...open my eyes?
I was scared. I was afraid of where I was.
Yes, I'm afraid, but...
I slowly took a deep breath.
I want to be brave.
I slowly opened my eyes and looked at my surroundings. My vision was a bit blurry, though.
I sat up the best I could and waited silently.
When my eyes could finally see clearly, I noticed that the room I sat in was not a room at all.
It was an empty chasm.
There were no walls, no ending...just platforms and stairs enveloped in darkness.
"What is this place?"
I wondered if it was all a dream.
And then-
"Hey!"
"Huh?! Who's there?"
"I'll help you get out of here if you want."
"What?"
Suddenly, a dark portal opened and a hand came out. I immediately drew back.
"Why should I trust you?"
The person behind the portal laughed.
"Because we're best friends. That should be reason enough."
"Umm...do I...really know you?"
"C'mon, I know you're head's kinda loopy and all right now, but you need to get away from this place. We don't have much time! If you don't hurry, your body in this state won't last long."
I gulped. I didn't like the sound of that. However, he was a complete stranger.
"Don't you want to see Namine', too?"
...or was he?
I willingly reached out my hand to him, yet my mind was still somewhat reluctant. He grabbed my arm and I entered into the portal.
xxxxXXXXxxxxXXXXxxxxXXXXxxxx
-Knock! Knock!-
"Who is it?"
"Hey, Kai, it's me," Sora replied from the hallway.
"Come in."
He opened the door and stepped inside. Kairi was sitting on the bed.
"Mind if I join you?"
"...Sure," she murmured.
Sora mentally kicked himself, Oh, man...She is worried about me, isn't she?
He sat down next to her and reassured her, "I'm fine, you know. I know their hearts aren't lost forever."
Kairi looked up at him with sad eyes, "I'm sorry..." she took Sora's hand, "You're really good friends with them, aren't you? It...it must be hard for you right now."
"Kairi..."
"I know that it may be painful, and I know I can't always understand how you are feeling, but please..." she gripped his hand even more firmly, "Let me help take that pain away. Okay?"
Sora was touched by her gesture, "...Alright."
After a moment, she looked up at him, "You will find whoever did this, right?"
He smiled, "Of course. We'll figure out what happened. I know we will."
"Don't forget," Kairi chuckled a little, "I can fight, now, too."
Sora nodded, "That's right!"
"I can protect those I care about," she bent down her head and leaned against him, slightly embarrassed, "I can...protect you, Sora. It's the least I can do since you've protected me so many times."
He could do nothing but smile after that, "Thank you." Sora's arm wrapped around her, "It means a lot to me."
"You're welcome," Kairi replied, "Any time."
-Knock! Knock!-
"Hey, Sora! Kairi!" Riku spoke from the other side of the door, "We're going to land soon."
"Land?" Sora was curious, "I wonder where we are."
Kairi grabbed his hand and encouraged him to stand up with her, "Let's go see!"
xxxxXXXXxxxxXXXXxxxxXXXXxxxx
Mickey opened the door for everyone, "Here we are. Let's get going," he led the way as the rest followed him.
"This is..." Sora looked at his surroundings after exiting the gummi ship.
"It's Twilight Town!" Goofy and Donald were both glad to be in a familiar place.
"Oh, yeah," Kairi reminisced, "I was here once, too. It wasn't for very long, but I did meet some nice people. Let's see...what were their names again?"
"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" Sora exclaimed.
"Oh, yeah," Kairi nodded, "Hey, why are you shouting, Sora?" she looked up only to realize that Sora, Donald, and Goofy weren't even in front of her anymore. She turned around to notice them by the entrance of the train station talking to three other people.
"I see they've noticed some familiar faces," Riku commented.
Kairi began walking over to join them, "I guess they have."
Pence waved as they came over, "Good to see you again, Kairi."
"It's been a while," Olette chimed in, smiling gently.
"Yes, it has," Kairi motioned for Riku and Mickey, "We need to introduce some of our friends to you."
"Oh, yeah!" Sora agreed, "I almost forgot! This is Riku."
Hayner walked over to shake his hand, "I remember Sora mentioning you to us. It's nice to see you in person."
"Likewise," Riku greeted, "Sora's talked about you guys, too."
"And this is King Mickey," Goofy stated.
"It's a pleasure!" Mickey grinned as he spoke.
"Oh!" Pence looked closely at him, "I remember you! However, back then you were wearing a black coat."
This made Mickey laugh a bit, "Welp, I had to be very secretive. It was all for a reason."
Everyone continued talking and catching up for a while, and then Donald quacked loudly.
"HEY! Look!" He pointed to a store nearby, "It's that salty ice cream!"
"What are you talking about?" Goofy questioned.
"Riku gave us a box once," Donald began to explain, "There was a picture in it, but also some ice cream. I was the one who ate it, remember?"
"Yeah, I do!" answered Sora.
"How about we treat you to some?" Olette suggested.
"Really?" Kairi wondered, "Are you sure that's okay?"
"Of course!" Hayner said, "It's been too long since we've seen all of you. Maybe this can be another memory for us."
"Sounds good to me!" Sora began to head in the direction of the store.
Riku couldn't help but chuckle, "Let's hurry over there, too. We shouldn't get in the way of Sora and his stomach."
Kairi giggled loudly, "Yeah!"
As Sora grew closer to the stand, he saw someone finishing their order.
"Thanks!" they said to the clerk, now turning around.
Sora's eyes had never been wider. He recognized them right away, "A-AXEL?!"
There was no mistaking it. The man had spiky red-orange hair and was still wearing his Organization XIII garb, coat and all. He was holding a popsicle in each hand.
"Hey, Sora! Um..." Axel looked a bit taken back, only half-smiling, "What's goin' on?"
As everyone else noticed as well, there were very similar reactions from some of them.
"You!" Kairi stood aghast, "If you're here, then that means..." she placed her hand on her heart, Is...Namine' back as well? Is she not inside me anymore?
"That's what I was thinking, too," Sora pointed towards Axel, "Why are you holding two popsicles if you are the only one here?"
"Well...that's a good question..." Axel's face was perplexed again. He wasn't sure how to answer.
xXxXx
Roxas wandered around town, even though the man he had met told him to stay put. Apparently that man's name was 'Axel'. He even mentioned being a close friend to him at one point in his past.
How can I not even remember my best friend?
He didn't even know where to start as he meandered in all directions. He didn't even care about getting lost at that point.
Why does everything here look familiar, and yet not familiar at the same time? Roxas pondered as he averted his eyes to every possible thing he saw.
He recalled what Axel had told him earlier that same day:
"I have an idea of this place we can go to. You used to spend a lot of time there. Well, actually...I used to as well. Who knows? Maybe it can help bring your memories back. We might as well try, at least."
"Why did he say that?" Roxas thought out loud, "Sure, I can sense I've been here before, but it's not helping at all. Nothing's triggering any memories or anything."
He went up the hill of the street ahead of him, deciding to go another route.
"Something's gotta be here that'll help. I know it."
His walking pace became slower very quickly as he starting doubting again.
"Or maybe this is all hopeless," he sighed.
As he turned the corner, he saw Axel again, but this time there were many others near him.
A certain boy talking to Axel caught Roxas' attention.
"Who...Who is that?"
He had spiky brown hair, a black-styled outfit, and his face...
"He...He looks kind of..." Roxas drew nearer, but not so close that they'd see him, "...like me."
All of a sudden, his head began to throb, and he screamed.
"Wh-What's...happening?!" He clutched his head tightly in his hands, bending down to his knees.
He heard the people over by Axel talking in worried tones.
"Who's that over there?"
"Are they okay?"
"Yeah, what's wrong?"
"We should go see if they're alright."
And the closer they came, the worse Roxas felt.
Don't come over here! Please! He turned as not to face them.
He was now reeling over in pain, seeing millions of images in his mind.
What is this? What's going on with me!?
His breathing was ragged, and he thought his body couldn't take anymore, until...
...everything stopped.
The pain. The feeling of loss. The thought of being alone. Those things weren't there any longer.
Roxas felt...different now.
Is this...what it means to feel joy? To feel happiness?
Someone tapped him on the shoulder, intercepting his thought pattern. That single touch made him know exactly who it was.
Slowly standing to his feet, he pivoted his feet to get a look at this person. That person also looked very shocked to see him.
Roxas found himself smiling. He didn't even know why. All he did at that moment was speak one thing.
"...Sora."
Authors Note (A/N): Did you all like it? I LOVE COMMENTS! So, please leave some! I've already started the next chapter. I've had sudden urges to write a lot. Hopefully that feeling stays =)