Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Disney, etc.

A/N: Another chapter is here! Well, in case you're wondering, this story will be switching POVs for a couple of chapters, which is why I've been putting the name of whose POV it is at the top. (Roxas having been the only person so far.) Since I'll be busy this month, I probably won't have another update for a little while, but I will as usual post again as soon as I have a chance. And just a reminder, the lines in this story are taken from the original version of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and from Kingdom Hearts II. Enjoy!

The Eyes of Twilight

Chapter 4: Elusive Memories

Roxas

Station Tower, Station Plaza

Sitting quietly next to Sora on the very edge of the clock tower overlooking the plaza down below, Roxas smiled softly to himself, the memories of a certain red-haired Nobody flashing brilliantly through his mind, memories that were so vivid he was likely never to forget them. Leaning back on his hands, he let the warm rays of the twilit sun wash over him, and despite the sometimes painful memories flickering like a slide show of old photographs inside his head, like his state of mind earlier on Sunset Hill, he felt strangely at peace with himself. His visits to the Station Tower were something he had truly missed after merging with Sora, but now that he was back in Twilight Town, he no longer had any regrets. To him, the clock tower was not a place that belonged in the past, nor was it a sanctuary where he could wallow in misery and sadness. In his heart, it was a shrine dedicated to all of the good memories he had shared with so many of the people who were important to him, some of whom were still around to relive those memories with him.

Like Hayner, Pence, and Olette. It's funny, but sitting up here with Sora is something I never thought would be possible. I wonder...if Axel were here, what would he think if he could see me now? I bet he'd be proud of me. How did I get to be so lucky?

The Station Tower was a place where he could be happy, but more importantly it was also a place for new beginnings, which was why it was the one spot in Twilight Town he had wanted to show Sora most of all. What better way was there to heal than by allowing his past and present to come together through Sora? Sharing both phases of his life with the Keyblade Master made him feel like they were truly connected. In more ways than one. It was a wonderful feeling, which was something he had not expected, and as a result, he felt a closeness to Sora that in the beginning he never thought would ever be possible. When he was with Sora, the Keyblade Master's presence always made him feel like his old life and his new life were part of the same mold.

Sitting here with Sora, it feels so strange, and yet at the same time it feels so right. It's weird, but when we're together, for some reason thinking about Axel doesn't hurt so much. I guess I really am lucky. I get the feeling Sora truly understands how I feel, not only about Axel, but also the way I feel about my entire past. It's like when the two of us are together, I feel as if there's still hope. I...I feel like maybe Axel isn't really gone forever...

"You know...Goofy, Donald, and I had that picture of you and your friends with us when we met up with Hayner and the others right outside of the mansion," Sora mumbled suddenly, his bright blue gaze focusing on some place far off in the distance. "We had the truth about your existence with us the whole time, but we never let Hayner and the other two get a close enough glimpse of the photo for them to realize what it was. Maybe if..."

Looking away from the Keyblade Master, Roxas quickly shrugged his shoulders, and wrapping his arms around his knees he said quietly, "You know, when I was in the Organization, there were times when I actually walked right by Hayner and the others in the real Twilight Town, and they never once looked in my direction. The same is true for Axel, despite his red hair. There were times when we got so close to them, but they never even saw us. I know because they didn't recognize Axel when he stole Kairi from them and they only remembered me from the fake Twilight Town. Why? It's because we didn't mean anything to them. At the time, we were just another couple of faces in the crowd, two people who weren't worth paying much attention to. When I think about it like that, it's a hard reality to swallow, but...you know what? It doesn't matter. What you did or didn't do doesn't matter. They know me now, don't they? Sora, you're the one who taught me it's pointless to beat myself up over the past. You might not agree with what I'm about to say, but I think maybe it's time you started listening to your own advice."

"Maybe. Hey, Roxas...can I ask you something?"

Just like Namine. I don't get it. Why is everyone so interested in me all of a sudden? I mean, more so than usual...

"What is it?"

"Why Oathkeeper?" Sora asked curiously, turning suddenly to look at him. "Whenever you summon a Keyblade, you always summon Oathkeeper. It's been that way ever since you appeared to me in The World that Never Was. How come?"

Raising his eyebrows, Roxas gave the Keyblade Master a small smile. "Why do you want to know?"

"I just...wondered. I mean, when you were in the Organization, you normally duel-wielded the Keyblades, right? But now, it's always just Oathkeeper..."

"Well, you're usually using Oblivion, so what do you expect?"

"Oblivion might be my favorite, but I can use any Keyblade and so can you for that matter," Sora countered. "Why not use the Ultima Weapon or the Sleeping Lion, or even Fenrir as your second Keyblade? Why is it always just Oathkeeper?"

Summoning the Keyblade in question, Roxas held Oathkeeper lightly in his hands, and running his fingers over its shiny surface he said softly, "I like the name."

"Roxas..."

"See? We meet again, like we promised..."

"The element I wield is light. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but this Keyblade reminds me of who I am. Oathkeeper. A Keyblade that's all about keeping promises. I like that."

"Yeah," Sora said softly, a sudden smile slipping across his face.

Roxas could tell the Keyblade Master was thinking about Kairi, and watching his other half, he found himself thinking about Namine. Is there really a chance she could feel the same way Kairi feels? Could Namine possibly care about me just like Kairi cares about Sora?

"Are there any promises you want to keep?" Sora asked quite unexpectedly, interrupting his thoughts.

Without hesitation Roxas mumbled, "All of the ones I'll ever make to you."

Sora stared at him, and reaching out the Keyblade Master suddenly gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "Then I'll do the same for you."

"Now it's your turn. Why do you like Oblivion so much?"

"Well...at first I liked it because I thought it looked really cool, but now..."

"Now it means something more to you."

Sora smiled sheepishly at him, and looking a little bit embarrassed, the Keyblade Master quickly lowered his deep blue eyes to the ground, his gaze focusing on something far beneath the clock tower. "Our Keyblade, Oblivion, kind of reminds me of you. It might look like a dark Keyblade on the outside, but its power comes from the light inside of us. Isn't that how it was with you when you were a member of the Organization? On the outside you were one of them, but on the inside you were always one of us. I think maybe the same was true for Axel..."

Dismissing Oathkeeper with a flick of his wrist, Roxas didn't even try to respond. Instead he merely placed his hand over the one that still rested upon his shoulder, and hugging his knees tightly against his chest, he turned his head once more to gaze at the brilliant sun shimmering in the distance.

If Axel were here now, he'd probably be the one calling me a sap.

The thought made Roxas smile, but before he could laugh at his own foolishness, Sora suddenly pulled his hand away.

Huh?

Turning to look at the Keyblade Master in surprise Roxas said hesitantly, "What's wrong, Sora?"

"Roxas, do you remember how you said you forgive Ansem for everything he did to you? Well, if I had never gotten a chance to meet you, I don't know if I would have been able to forgive him."

"And you're supposed to be the nice one."

Sora glanced at him, and shaking his head the Keyblade Master said seriously, "I'm not that nice."

"Sora..."

"That's the part that bothers me the most. So many people tried to hide you from me. Riku was the only one who seemed to understand that I needed to know the truth. He did hide the truth about you at first, but still...at least he finally said something in the end. Kairi probably would have done the same thing, but like me she didn't have a clue what was going on. I'm not saying I blame Namine, the King, Axel, or even any of the others for what happened, but Ansem...After all of his research, he still didn't understand until he met me..."

"Maybe that's why he tried to tell you. Yen Sid was the one who said it best. You're the key that connects everything. How do you think I got my name?"

"The Key of Destiny," Sora said softly.

"Roxas...I wish I could meet him, too..."

"That's right. I battled you at the Station of Serenity, not because I wanted to be the one in control, it was because I wanted to test your strength. I needed to know why you were the one who was chosen. Why we were chosen. Now I know. It's because you're the only one who can do this. You're the only one who can save all the worlds, but you can't do it alone. Without our friends, we would be nothing."

"Speaking of friends, what are we going to do about Namine and Kairi?"

Blushing slightly, Roxas crossed his arms over his chest and frowning at the Keyblade Master he said, "You promised you wouldn't back out on me."

"It's not that. I'm still planning on telling Kairi how I feel, only...I'm not really sure how I should go about it."

"Well...for starters, you need to pick the right place and the right time to tell her. At least, that's what Olette would say if she were here."

"This is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I'm not sure about when the best time to tell her would be, but...I think I might know what would be the right place."

Smiling at his other half, Roxas said quietly, "Where would you like to tell her?"

"On Destiny Islands," Sora mumbled, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red. "I want to tell her on the island where the two of us would always hang out together with Riku. It's special to all of us and...I think Kairi would like that."

Remembering the conversation he had had with Kairi earlier, Roxas nodded his head in agreement. "You're right, it's the perfect spot. As for the right time, I think maybe you should tell her as soon as possible. Tonight would be best, after we get home, but if not then as soon as you get a chance. How does that sound?"

"Do I have a choice?" Sora asked, smiling slightly. "What about you? Where would you like to tell Namine?"

Gazing fondly at the orange sky hovering above the sleepy streets of Twilight Town, Roxas vaguely waved his hand at the tall buildings shooting into the air all around them. "Where else? I want to tell her right here in Twilight Town. I think Sunset Hill would be the perfect spot. Namine seems to like that place."

"I can see why she would, especially after spending so much time with the Organization."

"More time than even I did, I think, though they always kept her hidden from me. Sunset Hill isn't free from the taint of the Organization either. Namine still has some sad memories of that place, thanks to Axel and some of the others, but even so she still seems to like it. I can understand why. Sunset Hill is always so peaceful."

"Kind of like Destiny Islands," Sora said thoughtfully, pulling up his knees and resting his chin in his hands. "Hey, Roxas, since we happen to be in Twilight Town at the moment, why don't you take Namine over to Sunset Hill right now and tell her how you feel? You're the one who said we should let them know as soon as possible."

Jumping in surprise, Roxas felt his face turn a rosy shade of pink. "Now? I don't know, Sora..."

"Come on, I really think Namine likes you a lot. It'll be easy."

"You're one to talk!"

"If I have to, I'll drag you there myself," Sora threatened, crossing his arms over his chest.

Roxas shook his head and gazing suspiciously at the Keyblade Master he said slowly, "And if I do go through with your crazy plan, how do I know you won't back out on your end of the deal? What if you decide to get cold feet after I've already gone through with my confession to Namine?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten our pact already!" Sora scolded, elbowing him lightly in the stomach. "All of the promises I make, I'll do my best to keep, especially all of the promises I make to you. I won't back out on our deal. Besides, one of us is going to have to go first and seeing as how we want to tell Namine and Kairi in two different places, telling them at the same time isn't really going to work."

Roxas let out a sigh of defeat, and shaking his head in amusement he gave the Keyblade Master a warm smile. "Why can't I ever say no to you? Fine, I'll tell Namine on Sunset Hill, but...can't it wait till our next visit to Twilight Town? If the two of us wander off together now the others will get suspicious. Besides, it's getting late and I...um...truthfully, I'm really not in the mood to do it right now."

Namine, what are you hiding from me?

Roxas could tell there was something the golden-haired Nobody wasn't telling him, and thinking back on the tale Sora and the rest of the gang, including himself, had recited to Hayner, Pence, and Olette, chronicling Sora's entire story from the very first day he had received the Keyblade all the way up to the present, Roxas had a feeling Namine wasn't the only one who was hiding things from him. During Sora's story, Roxas hadn't failed to notice the way Riku had kept glancing in his direction, intently studying his face. What exactly Riku had been expecting to see he did not know, but it was almost as if the other boy had been waiting for him to contradict the information being given to Hayner and the rest of the Twilight Town gang. Like Riku, Namine had also been watching him, but what was even more disturbing was the way Namine and Riku had kept looking at each other, the expressions on their faces indicating their thoughts were very much the same. To him, it looked as if they were attempting to hide the same secret, not only from him, but from Sora and the rest of their friends, as well, and the implications of what that might mean made him feel slightly uneasy.

What is it they know that I don't know?

Roxas couldn't be sure, but in his opinion both Namine and Riku had seemed especially interested in watching him during those moments when he would talk about both the Organization itself and the individual members who had let themselves be deceived by Xemnas.

I don't get it, what am I missing?

Earlier, gazing across the ocean at the bright sun shining over Destiny Islands, Sora by his side, Roxas had assured the Keyblade Master that his past was no longer a mystery to him. Like Sora, he was sure he had finally remembered everything that had happened to him before the two of them had merged together, but now all of a sudden he wasn't so sure.

Sora certainly remembered the events leading up to the fall of the Organization, including Castle Oblivion, but could the same truly be said for him?

Was Axel really the only other member of the Organization, other than myself, that my Samurai Nobodies tolerated? Did I really spend most of my time in the Organization only with my best friend? Since the day I came into existence, were Olette and Larxene really the only females I got to know very well, or...or was there someone else? Axel wasn't the only one who wanted to help me. Maybe...maybe he wasn't the only one who treated me like I had a heart...

"Roxas?"

Blinking in confusion, Roxas slowly turned to look at his other half, and gazing into Sora's deep blue eyes he swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. "Sorry, I...did you say something?"

Instead of answering, Sora just stared at him.

Why do I feel so weird all of a sudden? Did the Organization really only have thirteen members? I...I don't know...

"Roxas..."

Turning his face away, Roxas half expected Sora to make some joke about how if he, Number XIII, didn't reveal his feelings to Namine that day, more than likely the Keyblade Master would have to go first instead, but to his surprise Sora did nothing of the sort. Instead, the Keyblade Master put a hand on his arm, and smiling he said quietly, "I know there's something wrong. You haven't been acting like yourself ever since we left the forest. You don't have to tell me what's wrong if you don't want to, but...Roxas, I didn't walk this road of forgotten memories for nothing. I'm not going to pry, even when we are merged together, but...if you do want to talk, don't forget I'm always here."

The clock tower. It wasn't always just Axel. There was someone else...Sometimes there were three of us...

"Roxas? Did you here me?"

Nodding slowly, Roxas gave the Keyblade Master a quick, reassuring smile. "Yes, I heard you. Thank you, Sora. When I finally understand what's wrong myself, you'll be the first one I tell."

Axel wasn't the only one who accepted me as an equal. I'm sure of it! At least, I think I am...

"We should get back to the others, " Sora suddenly said cheerfully, trying his best to lighten the mood. "If we stay here too long they might start to worry about us."

Climbing quickly to his feet, Roxas nodded in agreement, and turning one last time to gaze upon the breathtaking view of Twilight Town, which could only be appreciated from the very top of the clock tower, he frowned uncertainly to himself. I thought, like Sora, I had remembered everything about my past, but now I'm not so sure. What if I'm wrong? It doesn't look like Namine's going to tell me her secret any time soon, but...what about Riku? Maybe he might say something...

Then again, Riku wasn't exactly the type to start spilling secrets either.

It doesn't matter, I still have to try. Only...if I am right about my past then why can Sora remember everything that had happened to him, but I can't? After Axel, Demyx was the only other one who treated me like I was something close to a friend. At least, that's what I used to think...

Even now, all of his old memories were extremely vivid in his mind, but were they telling him the truth about his past, or were they merely deceiving him, hiding what was really real?

There was someone else, I know it! Her name...It was...it was her. Xion...