Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Disney, and all that fun stuff.
A/N: Another chapter done! Okay, so before you read I think there are a few things I need to clear up. First of all, the moogle in the last chapter was not the moogle from The Castle That Never Was. He's the moogle from the Twilight Town moogle shop featured in KH II. And he remembers Roxas because his simulated form in Ansem's Twilight Town would have dealt with Roxas occasionally, just as the moogle from the real Twilight Town deals with Sora. I can, though, understand why you'd all make that mistake due to the fact that I did sort of base this moogle's personality off the one from The Castle That Never Was. Reason why? Come on, all moogles are shady! Those shady moogles and their sketchy shops, always trying to rip you off...*grumbles* But, now that the idea has come to my head, I think one day I might write a one-shot about that moogle from The Castle That Never Was! Also...I think, judging by some of my reviews, that this story is actually not about what most of you seem to think it's about. Well, it is, but it isn't, so to speak. I won't say any more than that because I don't want to give anything away, but you'll all get what I mean eventually.
Now, this will be the last update for this story until I finish the rewrite for The Eyes of Twilight. Reason being? Basically it's because I'd better finish that one first, otherwise if I continue to write this one without first finishing the other one, I will most likely stupidly end up contradicting myself somewhere along the line. Also, because I have not finished doing the rewrite for The Eyes of Twilight, parts of this story will contradict the original version of that story. Just a reminder to be aware of that. And I promise I'll stop babbling now. Go and read and leave me a nice review, which I will love you forever for, just for taking the time to write it!
Sunset Dreams
Chapter 4: The Hand of Fate
Roxas
Station Heights/Station Plaza, Twilight Town
Walking silently next to Sora, his sapphire eyes scanning the narrow street up ahead, Roxas took a deep breath to calm himself, feeling suddenly uneasy at the direction his thoughts were taking. Though he could not explain why, ever since the moment of their arrival in Twilight Town, for some bizarre reason words and phrases that were not his own, nor did they belong to the Keyblade Master, had begun to surface unwanted like fleeting ghosts inside his head, calling out to him in soft whispers and beckoning to him from the darkness, as if anxious to join with the element he wielded so effectively in battle.
Light.
My light. Sora's light. The light inside...
Upon discovering that Hayner, Pence, and Olette had gone missing for reasons he still had yet to discover, the voice had become a constant presence in his mind.
A familiar presence.
In his head, the words were always soft and the voice was always female, and though he could not identify the speaker, deep inside his heart, he felt like he should know who this girl was and why her voice sounded so familiar to him.
A voice from the past. The same voice that had come to him unexpectedly when Pence had asked him earlier about the friend he had been searching for with Axel during a mission to destroy a giant Heartless that had surfaced in Twilight Town.
A voice that sounded suspiciously like Kairi, though Roxas knew instinctively that the voice speaking to him inside his head did not belong to the red-haired female Sora was so fond of.
"You look so much like him..."
Could it be? This voice...Maybe...Xion?
The girl Riku and Naminé had refused to tell him about, though Riku had insisted he wasn't all that sure about Xion himself. The girl whom he knew was somehow very important to him.
The girl he could not remember.
Only a name, and nothing more.
Except the clock tower. There were three of us. I know it! She was there. It was her...
"Hey, try not to think so hard, would you?" Sora suddenly said softly in his ear, elbowing him playfully in the side. "It looks kind of painful."
No...It's not the thinking part that's painful. It's the memories of her. Memories I can't even remember. If only Axel were here with me. He was there, too, on the clock tower. He might know...At least, he might have known if he were still alive...
"Thinking about Axel?" Sora asked quietly, watching him closely.
Staring at the Keyblade Master in surprise, Roxas mumbled, "How did you know?"
"You always get that look on your face whenever you think about him."
He's not the only one I'm thinking about...
And suddenly, just like that, Roxas could see her face in his mind. Black hair and deep blue eyes, a face that was identical to both Kairi and Naminé. In his head, he could see her sitting next to him on the clock tower, laughing and eating sea-salt ice cream. The girl he could only assume was Xion sat on his left while Axel sat on his right. All of them smiling. All of them looking as if they didn't have a care in the world...
"I was wondering why you two looked so happy. Lucky..."
"That obvious, huh?"
Laughing softly, Sora gave his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze and said, "To me it is, but even if you didn't have that look on your face, I'd still know. I guess that's what it means to be a part of each other."
"Huh?"
Looking away from him, Sora said sadly, "You're not the only one who feels the loss of Axel."
Sora...
Impulsively placing his hand against the Keyblade Master's heart, Roxas lowered his voice until it was almost a whisper, determined to keep their conversation just between the two of them. "Until I met you, I never knew there were so many different possible ways to feel. When I was with the Organization, I felt things, but I never realized the scale could be so big. So...massive. I'll be the first one to admit that some of these feelings feel...really good. But...there are others that really, really, hurt."
"Do you...regret being able to feel?"
"Did the Organization really only have thirteen members? I...I don't know..."
It was a fleeting thought that had drifted through Roxas' head during his last trip to Twilight Town, but he had completely forgotten about it.
Until now.
Could it be? Xion? Her black coat, like the one all the members of the Organization wore. She wore the same coat when Axel and I used to sit with her on the station tower...
Gazing directly into the Keyblade Master's eyes, Roxas shook his head and said firmly, "No. I won't deny that losing Axel was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with, even more so than making the decision to come back to you. It's not like it was with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Unlike my other friends, Axel is gone forever. He's never coming back...It hurts more than I could ever put into words, but...I'd rather feel this horrible pain inside my chest than feel nothing at all. To feel nothing...It would be an insult to Axel's memory. It would feel like...like I let him down somehow..."
Just like I let her down. I couldn't protect her, just like I couldn't protect Axel...
"Well, it might not mean much, but...I think...like Axel said, as long as you remember him, you guys will always be together," Sora said softly, giving him a warm smile. "As long as you keep his memory alive in your heart, the two of you will never be apart."
"You'll always be my best friend..."
"You won't forget him either?"
"Not a chance. My heart is your heart. Axel's memory will be safe inside both of us."
Typical sappy speech from Sora. What would I do without him?
"Hey, Sora?"
"What's up?"
Roxas hesitated, and summoning Oblivion right out of Sora's hand, he held the dark Keyblade up to the twilit sun, its shiny surface sparkling brilliantly beneath the orange sky hovering over the sleepy little town that was his home, much more than the Organization's castle had ever been.
In his other hand, Oathkeeper sparkled blindingly enough to rival its dark counterpart, and gazing intently at the two Keyblades, Roxas felt something stir inside the heart he shared with the Keyblade Master.
Almost against his will, Sora's words from their last visit to Twilight Town suddenly came back to him, creating a sudden lump in his throat.
"Roxas, weren't you able to use two Keyblades? I mean, when you were with the Organization? You confronted Riku in The World That Never Was carrying two Keyblades. Oathkeeper and Oblivion. Only now...it's always just Oathkeeper, and in all my other memories of you, you're always using just one Keyblade, except for that one time with Riku. I mean, sure I'm always using Oblivion, but that doesn't mean you can't still use two Keyblades. I have plenty of other Keyblades you could use for a second one. Why not use the Sleeping Lion, Fenrir, or even the Ultima Weapon as your second Keyblade?"
Sora...you asked me about my Keyblade, but despite all of your questions, you missed asking me the most important one of all, even though you touched on the subject without even realizing it. Why? Why am I able to wield two Keyblades in the first place?
It was a good question, one he did not have an answer for.
I don't get it. Sora wasn't able to wield two Keyblades until he merged with me, and even then he can only do it in drive form. But not me. I was able to wield two Keyblades before I merged with Sora. He can only do it because of me. I just don't understand. Like I told Sora earlier, it wasn't always this way. When I first joined the Organization, I was just like Sora. I could only wield one Keyblade. It wasn't until the end...Something must have happened. Something must have changed the way things used to be. This ability to wield two Keyblades, this power...It's not just mine. It doesn't just come from me...
"I'd like to dedicate this Keyblade summoning to my good friends Axel and Roxas..."
"Roxas?" Sora pressed, interrupting his thoughts.
"I...it's nothing. Just thinking."
"I wish you'd think a little more loudly."
Feeling suddenly guilty, Roxas quickly handed Oblivion back to the Keyblade Master, and leaning close to Sora, he said in a low voice, "Sorry, I just..."
"Soon?" Sora asked quietly, looking more than a little disappointed. "I'm worried about you."
"I worry about you all the time, Roxas..."
"Don't be. It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just...there are a few things I need to figure out first."
I should have known he'd realize there was something wrong...
Though he looked like he wanted to argue, Sora nodded slowly to show he understood, and pointing at Oathkeeper, he said firmly, "Just don't forget your promise."
"Don't worry, I won't."
"If he's taking the Heartless on by himself, he must have a good reason."
"Like what?"
"Like...maybe he has something he wants to protect..."
Taking Sora gently by the arm, Roxas quickly pulled the Keyblade Master up the hill towards the Station Plaza, and stopping in front of the large garage door located near the entrance to the station, he turned to gaze solemnly at the group hurrying along behind him, his sapphire eyes narrowing in concentration. "Ready?"
"Keep an eye out for any Heartless or Nobodies," Riku warned, moving swiftly towards the entrance to the Station Plaza, his Keyblade ready for battle at his side.
Without a word, Roxas quickly fell in behind Riku and Sora, and bursting through the entrance to the station, this time it was Riku who came to an abrupt halt, catching the rest of the group off guard.
At the rear of the group, Donald slammed into Goofy, sending both of them tumbling to the ground in a heap, a loud quack escaping the court wizard's mouth, and just in front of the King's men Kairi had to grab onto Naminé's shoulder to prevent herself from trampling the golden-haired Nobody.
Unable to stop his momentum, Sora stumbled into Riku, and due to the fact that he was only a couple of steps behind the Keyblade Master, Roxas ended up crashing into Sora, nearly sending all three of them sprawling face-first onto the rusty coloured bricks used to pave the plaza in front of the station.
"Ouch," Sora complained, reaching up to gently massage his right shoulder where Oathkeeper had most likely left an angry red mark on his skin.
Grumbling under his breath and grabbing onto the Keyblade Master's hood to steady himself, Roxas peeked around Sora's shoulder and said impatiently, "What's the hold up?"
"Setzer," Riku replied in a low voice, nodding his head towards the tall, silver-haired man sanding just in front of the glass doors leading into the station.
Unlike their previous visit, this time Setzer was alone, his fan club suspiciously absent, and like the members of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee, he too seemed ill at ease, his intense gaze studying the empty plaza with something close to suspicion.
"Careful!" Sora yelped, tugging on the necklines of his shirts. "You're going to choke me to death."
"Um...Sora," Kairi interrupted, waving her hand at the former struggle champion.
Blinking in confusion, for a moment Sora merely stared at Setzer, and then realizing all of a sudden what Kairi was trying to say, the Keyblade Master let out another yelp, his hand reaching back to grab Naminé's hand.
Sensing the Keyblade Master's sudden bout of panic, Naminé allowed herself to be pulled up against Sora's back, and ducking next to the female Nobody, Roxas once again peeked around Sora's body to study the man he had once defeated to become the struggle champion in Ansem's simulation of Twilight Town.
Though Sora had been quick to step in front of the two golden-haired Nobodies, hiding their transparent bodies from view, unfortunately he hadn't moved quite fast enough because Setzer was already watching them, his eyebrows raised in surprise and his steady gaze focusing on the two ghostly figures huddling behind the Keyblade Master.
So much for staying out of sight...
"Um...hey, Setzer," Sora called out, a weak smile turning up the corners of his mouth.
Unlike the Sandlot, there weren't any good hiding places located around the station, and realizing it would be useless to try and cover up what Setzer had already seen, Roxas quickly stepped out from behind Sora, his Keyblade resting lightly on his shoulders.
Inclining his head to show he had heard Sora's greeting, Setzer slowly moved towards them, the expression on his face changing to one of amusement. "We meet again, Sora. I must say, you certainly do have a way of picking up the strangest looking companions I've ever seen."
"Hey!" Donald shouted.
"For the record, they're not ghosts," Sora said quickly, stepping out of Naminé's way and giving the former struggle champion a sheepish grin.
Roxas jumped as Setzer's gaze came to rest on his transparent body, and crossing his arms over his chest, the former struggle champion said quietly, "No, clearly they are more than wraiths haunting the streets of Twilight Town."
"You mean, you're not scared of them?"
Raising his eyebrows at the Keyblade Master, Setzer said dryly, "I've never been one to believe in ghosts. Tempting fate, are you? That's a gamble I'm not sure even I would attempt."
"There are odds for everything. The trick is in the timing. Hit the window of opportunity just right, and a long shot will pay off big."
"Well, we kind of don't have a choice," Sora said slowly, smiling apologetically at the former struggle champion. "You see..."
"I take it this means you're not here to make due on your offer and challenge me to another struggle match?"
"Not exactly..."
"In that case, why don't you tell me about these ghostly friends of yours?" Setzer said quietly, his expression growing suddenly serious.
"We'd love to, but it's kind of a long story," Kairi interrupted, coming to Sora's rescue. "Maybe some other time, once things have settled down a little bit, but first there's something we need to ask you."
"Ask away, my dear. I could hardly refuse a request from a beautiful young lady such as you."
Feeling Sora tense beside him, Roxas put a restraining hand on the Keyblade Master's shoulder, and leaning close to his other half so they wouldn't be overheard, Roxas murmured, "Cool it, would you? Kairi's already made it pretty clear where she stands."
"I know that," Sora mumbled in response, glancing suspiciously at the former struggle champion. "She's not the one I'm worried about."
"You wouldn't happen to have seen, Hayner, Pence, or Olette lately, have you?" Kairi asked curiously, giving the former struggle champion her best smile.
Lifting his gaze to the brilliant orange sky hovering above the quiet streets of Twilight Town, Setzer nodded his head almost imperceptibly at the clock tower, an unreadable expression on his handsome face. Once a warm and comforting presence, a security blanket protecting the residents of Twilight Town, the sky now appeared dark and menacing, though it didn't actually look any different than it normally did. Nothing about the twilit atmosphere seemed particularly out of the ordinary, but even so the brilliant sunset sparkling in the distance appeared to be hiding something, as if it carried a terrible secret only those who belonged to the darkness could decipher.
That's not me. Not anymore.
"They're up on the clock tower?" Riku demanded, squinting to get a better view of the platform circling the tower between the station itself and the giant hands of the clock, which were ticking pleasantly overhead.
"It's just not the same without all three of us..."
"They were sitting up on the clock tower earlier this afternoon, but since then I have not seen them," Setzer replied, dismissing the Twilight Town trio with a wave of his hand. "Why don't you try the Sandlot? You might have better luck there."
"We tried there already," Donald grumbled, glaring at the former struggle champion.
"Gawrsh, what do we do now, Sora?" Goofy asked hesitantly, turning to the Keyblade Master for further instruction.
"Uh...well..."
"This darkness," Setzer murmured, holding out his arms as if to embrace the atmosphere of the town. "This feeling of solitude...It seems your luck has run out, Sora. I wonder...what do you intend to do about it?"
"I...What? Wait, you feel it, too?"
"The residents of this town wander the streets as if all is well, but little do they know there is a dark secret that waits as yet undiscovered in the shadows lurking at every corner."
"Just like Seifer and the other members of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee," Naminé said quietly, staring at Setzer in surprise.
"Very perceptive of you, young lady," Setzer agreed, giving Naminé a dazzling smile. "Ah, a vision of beauty to rival that of this stunning red-haired friend of yours. Contrary to what you might think, your lack of a physical form does not in any way diminish the loveliness of your beautiful smile."
Caught off guard, Naminé's cheeks turned pink at Setzer's unexpected compliment, and this time it was Roxas' turn to be annoyed. Glaring at the former struggle champion, he opened his mouth to make an angry retort, but before he could get the words out, Sora elbowed him in the ribs, forcing him to snap his mouth shut before a painful grunt could escape his lips.
"It is what we cannot see that constitutes the most dangerous threat," Setzer continued, acting for all the world as if he hadn't noticed the earlier commotion when clearly he had judging by the smirk on his face. "Though the threat exists, there are only a few who seem capable of detecting it. The empty streets tell us much we'd rather not know, but the residents turn a blind eye. They walk through the darkness and see only light, and thus their futures hang in the balance, caught somewhere in the middle. Twilight Town. How ironic. Such a fitting name."
"In more ways than one," Riku countered, turning his back on the former struggle champion.
Ignoring Riku, Setzer turned to Sora and said seriously, "What do you intend to do about the darkness threatening those who make this town their home? It seems fate has given you a bad hand, and now you'll have to do what you can with it. Are you up to the challenge, I wonder?"
"Why does everyone think what's happening to this town is my fault?" Sora complained, making a face.
"Not your fault, perhaps, but when fate has dealt you a hand in this game of good and evil, you have no choice but to play your cards, and do with them as you see fit."
"But-"
"Just remember," Setzer interrupted, whipping out his cards and fanning them out in his hand so that the king of hearts was displayed blatantly in the middle of the pack. "You may not have any control over the hand you are dealt, but how you play your cards is entirely up to you. Lady Luck is watching. Do not disappoint her, Sora."
Sora stared at the struggle champion for a moment, and smiling slightly, he said, "I won't."
"Then good luck to you. Only...perhaps you may not need it. Regardless of whether or not Lady Luck holds you in her favour, it seems you have a good luck charm of your own. One that even fate itself could not have foreseen. Perhaps, this game of chance we live is worth the proper risks after all."
Confused by Setzer's tendency to talk in riddles, Sora scratched the back of his head and said, "Huh?"
Instead of responding, Setzer quickly stepped around the Keyblade Master, and realizing all of a sudden that the former struggle champion was heading for him, Roxas quickly lowered his deep blue eyes in embarrassment, uncertain of how to react.
Before he could think up a reply, though, Setzer put a hand on his shoulder and said simply, "The hand of fate may be cruel sometimes, but that does not mean we should allow it to define our very existence."
Unable to look at the former struggle champion, Roxas mumbled, "But...what if you now share the same hand as someone else?"
"No one can share the same hand as someone else, but if your fate is tied to that of someone whose hand is similar to yours, all the more better to come up with a solution to this current predicament then, is it not?"
Instead of responding, Roxas gaped at the former struggle champion, his gaze quickly turning to Sora, who smiled at him, before once again returning to Setzer, and speaking around the lump in his throat, he said hastily, "Unlucky Number XIII. I wouldn't call myself a very good luck charm..."
"Number XIII. Such an unlucky number..."
Sweeping past him, his dark coat fluttering elegantly in the breeze, Setzer glanced back over his shoulder, his deep blue eyes sparkling like jewels in the twilit sun. "As beauty exists merely in the eye of the beholder, so does luck have a fickle tendency to surface in the most unexpected places, taking on forms that may not immediately be recognizable to all those around us. The hand you've been dealt has served you well so far. May it continue to guide you down the path you seek. Dawn is always lurking just around the corner...Roxas. Do not dwell too much on the twilit core of our existence. Not unless you want to miss the sunrise, of course."
"Everybody's got something they want to hang onto..."
At a loss for words, Roxas watched the former struggle champion disappear through the entrance to Station Heights, and feeling Sora's hand on his shoulder, he turned to look at the Keyblade Master, his wide, sapphire eyes emphasizing the look of disbelief on his face.
"No so forgotten after all, are you," Sora said softly, beaming at him and giving his shoulder a quick squeeze.
Shaking his head, Roxas managed to say, "I'm starting to run out of ideas. We've checked the usual spot, the Sandlot, the Tram Common, and the clock tower, and still no Hayner."
"We could always check the tunnels," Riku suggested, nodding his head towards tunnel entrance number five. "They might even be hanging out on Sunset Hill or wandering around Sunset Terrace."
"Gawrsh, I'd almost forgotten about the residential area of Twilight Town," Goofy interrupted, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Only...shouldn't we finish checking out this side of Twilight Town first?"
"Haven't we done that already?" Donald interrupted, waving his wand around the plaza for emphasis. "Where else is there to look?"
"Well...there is one place we haven't checked yet," Naminé said quietly, avoiding the court wizard's eyes. Clearly she had an idea of where to go next, but was reluctant to suggest it for reasons Roxas was sure had something to do with him.
She must have noticed the way I acted earlier. And I don't mean all the confusion I feel over this Xion whom I can't even remember...
Almost before the female Nobody had spoken, Roxas had already known what she was going to say, and somewhere deep inside the heart he shared with Sora, he felt a small spark of panic beginning to take shape.
"Where?" Kairi asked curiously, turning to look at her Nobody in surprise.
Without lifting her head, Naminé said in a voice so soft Roxas just barely heard her, "The forest. We still have to check out the forest and the old mansion..."