Kingdom Hearts: ReChain of Days
Chapter 26: Never Truly Forgotten
By: Karma's Slave
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.
Last Chapter, Yay!
Day 255,
Xemnas, Saïx, and Xigbar sit Where Nothing Gathers as they discuss the existing matters at hand.
The blue haired man began speaking to the superior nobody; while Xemnas himself was looking disinterested. "I sent Axel to Castle Oblivion last night on short notice, to help expedite the matter we spoke of." Xemnas didn't even glance at Number seven; his face bared no expression of concerns of any kind as he stared out to the empty chairs in the meeting room.
To an outer perspective it looked like Xemnas was showing more interest in the chairs, number seven wasn't telling him anything new though the superior was known to keep his distance with any of the nobodies, he wasn't as away as everyone thought him to be; Did any of them really think he'd lead them blind eye?
Xemnas knew the inner workings of Marluxia and Larxene's attempted upraise and Saïx's own plans. Xemnas confirmed Saïx to be a traitor the moment he learned of Axel being sent to find and annihilate the traitors; because it was the very same mission he had privately given to Zexion, Lexaeus and Vexen while under the guise of searching the castle for the room of awakening.
Saïx continued with his detailed explanation, "I also instructed him to clear out our facilities there. He should be returning to the castle soon enough."
The silver haired man shifting his amber-golden eyes from the empty chairs to the blue haired man and then cutting the nobody off; "What of Naminé?" Xemnas interrupted at he directed the question to number seven, "Has she been located yet" questioned the superior as he glared at Saïx.
The look Saïx had received from Xemnas was nothing but bone chilling even for a powerful nobody like Saïx, "Still missing, sir" Replied the bluenette male; it had taken everything in Saïx's control to not stutter his own words.
Xigbar let out a snort "Missing indeed." Mocked the one eyed man. "Ha-ha! Wherever could she be?" he said as the man letting out a laugh that echoed in the meeting room.
Saïx now turning to the eye-patched man "Why Xigbar, It almost sounds as though you know of her whereabouts." Retorted Saïx
Xigbar sneered at Number seven "Hmph. Why should we care; it's not like we didn't get what we wanted in the first place" The one eyed man pointed out.
Xemnas moving his gaze between two and seven "What else?" as the silver haired man already growing annoyed with their very presence and their incompetence at finding a child who has little to no power of her own to defend herself; Xemnas found it inexcusable and a pathetic site to see from his nobodies.
Saïx looking the superior in the face "Somebody accessed our main computer without authorization" said the man though despite his own level of power and plans of insubordination; there was still a small part of Saïx that did fear Xemnas and accompanied with the many rumors of his obscure abilities.
Xigbar once again letting out a snort at the word "Somebody" before looking at both men as best he could "Are we all gonna pretend we don't know who?" Xigbar asked the two men. "Little Poppet is turning into a problem and I think you catch my meaning." Xigbar having his eye focused on Xemnas.
Xemnas caught that look of suspicion from Xigbar, in his own mind that face was saying 'I've seen what you've seen, so how long is your own 'act' going to stay up' Xemnas said nothing but was merely of playing with the idea of sending Xigbar fading into the darkness, it was a thought that pleased the superior. He wasn't even sure why he had kept Xigbar around as long as he did; though he only did it to get Xehanort's plans out of the man but seeing how the plan was coming together, Xigbar's time was starting to become thin.
Saïx scoffed at the one eyed man "Nonsense. I see no problem whatsoever" The blue haired stated with over confidence.
"Ha-ha!" Xigbar this time having a bigger laugh at Saïx "Well no, apparently you don't!" said the nobody.
"Something you find amusing, number two?" Saïx questioned to the humanoid Cyclops.
"If people see with their hearts, Saïx, then you're even blinder than the rest of us." Xigbar told him. The blue haired man had released a low growl from his throat.
"Our plans remain unchanged." Xemnas spoke with "Axel, Roxas, and Xion will play the roles Kingdom Hearts has chosen for them." He then added.
"But sir, Xion..." Saïx interrupted "If we don't take steps" he tried to say but Xemnas had cut off his subordinate.
Xemnas looking to the man with no facial expressions of any kind "Take steps? How can you not see how perfect this is? Xion is marching right into the arms of destiny. The only steps we need take are two: watch and wait." Xemnas explained to Number Seven.
Meanwhile, Xion enters Castle Oblivion. She has a flashing of images into her mind "Nngh...My head..." as she placed her hand to her forehead, trying to suppress the mental images.
"I'm not feeling so great either, Xion" Ventus said to himself as he felt a strong force trying to pull him from out of Xion's body; the power behind this unpleasant force was feeling oddly familiar to Ventus, though he had no clue was why but this force was calling out to the forever young keyblade apprentice. "Gah" Ven making a noise from the pain he was trying to hold down.
A memory comes to her. She is standing in a white hall of Castle Oblivion with Saïx "This is the last you'll ever see of these walls, Xion." said the memory Saïx. The memory ends and she falls to her knees, clutching her head.
A corridor opens from behind Xion and Axel steps out; Xion turning her body to see her friend behind her, "Axel... What are you...doing here...?"
"Orders" He simply stated in a very firm voice which was not a part of Axel's usual demeanor, "nothing to do with you. I'm not sure what you thought you'd find in an empty place like this." Axel added on
Xion having a flash of the blue haired woman, Xion changes her natural stance as it resembles the image in her mind with her back straightened out, "Don't lie to me!" Axel being taken back into Xion's attitude change "I know this is where I come from! The answers are here." She told the red-head.
"Weren't you given some other mission?" Axel then asks the girl as he crosses his long and skinny arms over his chest as he went into condescending older brother mode.
Xion says nothing to him as her blue eyes are tearing themselves away from his bright emeralds ones.
"You can't just throw orders to the wind, Xion." Axel begins to scold her; Xion then interrupting the older man "Or else what? They'll turn me into a Dusk?" she then said to Axel with an aggressive tone of voice.
Axel now shaking his head at the girl "Not even a Dusk. They'll skip right past that and destroy you outright." This time Axel raising his voice to the girl.
"Because I'm useless?" she then said to her friend, which stopped the stern glares he was giving Xion "No, I didn't say that" Axel then said in a more calm voice.
Xion turns her back to Axel "Turn around and go home, Xion." he says to her but Xion shakes her head no.
Xion turning her body back to Axel; looking him right into his green eyes with a softened expression on her face " Axel, I'm remembering things... About who I was." She confesses to him
"Well, stop remembering. Nothing good will come of it." he warns her
"I have dreams every night. You're in them, Axel!" she then continues on with her confession
"Then they sure ain't memories. How could I be part of your past? Use your head, Xion." Axel then tells her as he clearly doesn't want to hear this.
Xion's facial expression becoming stern "You can't fool me. We've met before, Axel, right here in this castle!" she then snapped at him while as Xion had a mental image of a boy wearing red and white.
Axel uncrossing his arms and then pointing a finger at the black haired girl "Have not. Go home, Xion. Don't keep Roxas waiting." He tells her.
Xion was getting desperate at this point and she knew Axel wouldn't change his mind until it was dropped "Please, Axel" Xion then begged him; her tone of voice changing from aggressive to its total opposite. "Just...help me, please!" this time Xion unknowingly let out a sob "I need to know who I am." She then added.
Axel at this point didn't know what to do in fact he was rather overcome with a slight shock that Xion was crying, which was something that Nobodies as far as Axel knew couldn't do "but then again, Xion was a special nobody" his mind reasoned with the red-head and from what Saïx did tell him about her; she wasn't even really one of them at least not in the same regard. "Xion is a Nobody but by another definition." His mind had told him
Xion, could no longer wait for Axel's answer as she saw her friend was in silence lost among his own thoughts; turning her back to him once more. Xion runs through the hall to a golden door
The sound of her medium high-heeled boots broke Axel's thought process
"Xion…stop! Xion, stay out of there!" he yells after her
The doors open and she enters them but Axel let's her go and he has no clue as to why he did; it was so unlike him. Had it been any one of the other members he wouldn't let them out of his sight but when it came to Roxas and Xion; they were another story.
Something about those two reminded Axel of something from his past that he was hard time placing it. Since he has hard time recalling, what it was. Axel questioned; whether it was important at all.
Though it didn't feel like had Axel changed more than he ever noticed and not that he would ever admit this to anyone but there were times especially when he was alone that he left like he was still Lea underneath it all.
Axel rubbing the back of his skull "Xion, I hope you know what you're doing" He says to himself as he sighed with a defeated expression on his face as he let his arm drop down.
Axel opened a dark corridor and left Castle Oblivion.
Later, after a grueling mission in wonder world as he was once again partnered with Luxord; Roxas sits alone on the clock tower waiting for Xion and Axel
"You're early." Axel's voice came out from behind Roxas
Roxas looks up to see Axel standing at the corner entrance
"No, you guys are just late as usual" Roxas joked with Axel.
Axel sits down next to Roxas and smiles. Some moments pass and they have ice cream
After taking a huge bite of his sea salt ice-cream "Today makes 255" said he spiky haired blonde.
"What's that about?" questioned Axel as he quirked an eye-brow to the boy.
Roxas at first shrugged his shoulders before answering his friend "It's been that many days since I first joined the Organization. Man, time flies." Roxas said to his friend.
Axel halfway laying down on the clock tower as one of his legs hanged off the tower while his sat his other foot on the ledge "So, you got the number memorized, do ya?" he lazily scoffed at as he tried not to think about Xion and their encounter. Axel knew he wasn't going to tall Roxas about it, it'd make the kid overwhelmed with worry just like when Xion went missing and was in her short coma.
Axel also noticing Roxas hadn't questioned about Xion not being here at the moment. "Well it's not like Xion hasn't not showed up before maybe he's getting used to her on and off showing up" Axel reasoned with himself.
Roxas could only smirk as he was talking about his earlier days in the organization "Yeah. I have to hang onto something, right? It's not like I have memories from before the Organization. Don't you remember? I acted like a zombie."
Axel puts his hand on Roxas's shoulder
"Right, that first week you could barely form a sentence. But come on, you're still kind of a zombie." Axel smirked as he then sat up and made fun of Roxas.
The red-head then gives him a playful pat on the back
"Oh, thanks!" Roxas then stated as the two busted out laughing and then their laughing died down to silence as the two Nobodies started out into the sunset. It amazed Axel that he could enjoy the calmness of a sunset despite his lack of feelings or memories of feelings whichever it was.
Thinking back to earlier that day "But Xion was nearly crying at Castle Oblivion; and Roxas worries over her and me but why would they?" Axel then thought to himself
Axel then recalling his mission as Castle Oblivion, once he let Naminé escape to cause trouble for Marluxia, he thought back to what he himself said, "and do make it enjoyable for me…wait I really am enjoying this; you guys are something else"
The more Axel thought on it; Xemnas was the one that always had it imprinted in their minds that they couldn't feel what so ever. "If we couldn't feel, why would he waste the time telling us that we couldn't?"
The Organization (at first) all followed Xemnas without question but as time went on, Axel had noticed that he and his fellow nobodies all had certainly personalities which would have to be based on emotions for them to act the way that they did.
Out of all the members dead or alive, Xemnas was the only one among them to behave so monotone and robotic and based on the things he had told them. They all should be acting like him, "so why didn't we?" he asked himself.
Yes it was true they had no hearts they hall had the scars to prove that but then Axel began to wonder, "Had been Xemnas been lying us all this time, to keep us in line and to do his bidding?" Axel's mind then asked while excluding the fact he and Saïx and their plans of betrayal.
Axel had to get his mind on something else and fast at this possible revelation on the superior of Organization.
"Hey, Roxas" Axel then spoke out loud "Bet you don't know why the sun sets red?" Axel creating a temporarily distraction for himself, but the red-head knew it wouldn't last long.
Roxas only looked at Axel with a 'huh' expression which also said, what brought this on?
"You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest." Axel then explained further to the young boy.
Roxas elbows him in his side "Like I asked! Know-it-all." Stated the boy
They laugh out loud once more. More time passes and Roxas finishes his ice cream. Axel is again resting on his back
"Seriously, where is she?" Roxas, now asking about Xion. Axel inwardly groaned, "I stand corrected" his mind stated as he was wrong about Roxas getting used to Xion not showing up as often. Roxas looks to the corner entrance, which is empty.
Axel's face turns serious and he sits back up, mentally debating whether he should tell Roxas what happened "... I'm not sure she's gonna show today." Came from Axel's mouth.
Roxas now worried, "Did she collapse again?"
"Shit!" Axel said in his mind "She..." He looks away from him, thinking, "I can't believe I'm doing this" he then thought "...What, didn't you hear? She got sent on a really important mission today. Pretty cool, huh?" Axel said to the boy.
Roxas going from worried to relaxed "Oh... So when's she coming back?" he then asked Axel.
"Well, I guess that depends on how well she does her job, right?" answered Axel, as the red-head felt the memory of guilt, running throughout his body.
"Heh, fair enough." Roxas then brushing off the topic. Roxas noticed that Axel wasn't looking at him when he said it. "Something's not right here"thought Roxas
While number fourteen of the organization was still at Castle Oblivion searching for the answerers that she wanted desperately, never giving to the thought of what the consequence of this action will do eventually do to her later on.
Xion looks into an orb in a room of Castle Oblivion "No... Then...I'm not... The person I was before...wasn't me."
Diary Entry: Day 255,
I had ice cream with Axel after work today, but Xion didn't show. Axel said she got sent on an important mission, but he wouldn't look at me when he said it. I've been wondering what's wrong with Xion all this time, but now that I stop and think about it, Axel's not himself either.
-Roxas
Day 256,
For the second time since Roxas had entered the Organization, a meeting for all the Nobodies had been summoned as they were all seated in the round room. Roxas looked around the room, seeing the empty chairs of the deceased members.
Roxas also took note that Xion wasn't here,
"Xion is gone" Xemnas said to his Nobody workforce; Roxas's eyes widen in shock.
They all turn their focus on Xemnas as he was sitting in the highest chair, it was rare for any of them to see the superior unless you were Xigbar or Saïx. In fact there had been many discussions about the superior and what he did all day.
Demyx was the first to speak "What! Whoa-whoa, time out... You mean she, like, flew the coop?
"Hah, preposterous." Xaldin commented in his disbelief "What would drive her to choose her own demise?" he asked as he looked up to the superior.
Xemnas ignored the question "On the contrary. No one is to go looking for Xion without my express permission." He told the Organization.
"What? Why not!" cried out Roxas while Axel stayed silent.
"Your "friend" will be left alone. Or would you rather we find some punishment?" Saïx threatened the boy, Xemnas watching from his chair; glaring his eyes at Saïx while a fist tightened. Xemnas at times would forget that Roxas wasn't the boy he would easily mistake him for and all those old memories of Aqua and his other self making promises to the protect the boy no matter what were hard to fight off.
Xemnas flashing back to a memory,
"Look at him, Terra, he's just so helpless just laying here and having recollection of his memories" Aqua said to her companion as they watched over the comatose, who had recently become an apprentice to Master Eraqus, Terra simply reached out his arm and placing a hand on Aqua's exposed shoulder and pulled her into his side as he wrapped around his arm around her to comfort her as best he could.
"The master didn't say how this happened to Ventus, and I'm glad he didn't because I don't want to imagine..." Terra cut Aqua off by "Shh" He felt Aqua's head turn as her forehead was close to his mouth and chin. "Then it's a good thing, Master Xehanort found him when he did" Terra said, he felt Aqua nod her head in agreement
"But still Terra, its horrible what's happened." Aqua muttered as she tried to not be upset "I know" Terra then said as the two then stood in silence.
Terra being the one to break the silence "Aqua, Ventus is in Master's Eraqus's care now, He's going to be fine and he'll have us to help him every step of the way, to get him back to his old self" he told her; Terra glancing down as he looked into Aqua's blue eyes with his own blue eyes.
"Aqua, I promise you, Ventus will never be helpless in any way ever again, I'll always protect him...and you, Aqua" Aqua's eyes went up in surprise "As long as I am breathing, no matter what destiny has in store for me, I will always protect you" declared Terra.
The brunette then leaning his head down and placed his lips on Aqua's forehead, as he lightly pecked her with his mouth; it was something he always did to help cheer her up.
"I promise as well," Aqua then said, "To protect you and Ventus" as she then looked up to Terra
The memory ended "Goddamn it! Now is not the time for this" Xemnas holding back the old urges of protect, he wanted nothing more than to injure Saïx as he openly threatened the Ventus look-a-like. "It's not even the real thing"
And this gesture hadn't gone unnoticed by a certain one-eyed man. "Tsk" went Xigbar, "Pathetic" thought Xigbar.
"I'd rather you get her back!" Roxas then yelled at Saïx
"And why would we do that?" spoke Saïx
"Rrgh..." the young boy growled.
Xemnas finally regain his own composure, not that they noticed the superior spaced out on them, well save for Xigbar. "All will be revealed when the time comes." He tells the organization.
"Hmm...Which means if the time doesn't come things can stay as they are..." Axel muttered with his usual tone of voice.
Saïx switching from Roxas to Axel "Lord Xemnas has spoken, Obey, or face your end" he screamed at Axel but the comment was directed to the both of them.
Xemnas glancing a look at the boy he could see. Roxas looks disheartened. "Born from another and oddly identical to Ventus but perhaps Sora was much closer to Ventus then I anticipated" thought the silver haired man.
Later, Roxas enters The Grey Area
"Where could she have gone?" Roxas over heard Demyx speaking with Luxord, "Only a fool bends to the cards. We shape our fates through action. Sometimes fun and games can make a serious difference in life." Luxord told the younger man.
Xigbar then entering the area "Get your asses out on those missions." He yelled at everyone.
Xemnas appearing into his own personal chamber of the castle; sitting on his own mattress as he tried to repress the memories of his past, "I can't do what I need to do, if these memories won't stop" he said as he grasped his head in pain as he had more mental flashes of Terra.
"All these past years, they have been little to non-existent, why is it now that they have become stronger." He spoke to himself.
"Ahh" Xemnas letting out a pained scream but then regain some control, "Something had to have triggered them but what was it." Xemnas asked in a demanding voice.
Xemnas thought back to when he encountered Aqua on Destiny Islands, when he brought a young Kairi to Aqua, "No, the memories were still week then." Then He thought some more as he watched over Aqua in Traverse Town when she was fighting that man, "Not then either" but then recalling when he fought her at Hollow Bastion, "That was moments before the boy had unlocked his heart and then Roxas and Naminé came into existence"
"But then afterwards, Vexen had completed…" Xemnas's golden eyes widen in his new found answer, ever since Xion had come to the Castle that never was. The leader of the nobodies had been mentally fighting with himself as he kept his distance, so nobody would see the difference.
Xion took memoires from Roxas as designed too but Number fourteen had to have taken something else from Roxas or even Sora; to make me of beings to react this way.
"What did it take?"
Roxas enters the corridor after completing his latest mission and has ice cream on the clock tower, "Axel could've shown up at least." Roxas said in tone that sounded mad because he now knew Xion wasn't on a special mission and Axel lied to him.
Unseen by Roxas; Axel stands at the entrance in silence, his arms crossed and head down
Diary Entry: Day 256
Xion has gone missing, but nobody said anything about her being hurt, so that's good...I guess.
Did she run off? That doesn't make any sense. Xemnas told us not to go after her. The way Saïx explained it, it's almost like they don't think she's worth getting back. What is going on?
-Roxas
Day 257,
Roxas walks into The Grey Area, seeing no sign of Axel.
"Can't say I blame the girl for wanting to bail on these missions, but...I'm not about to go get myself turned into a Dusk over it." He heard Demyx say to Saïx
"Much remains to be done and Stay focused on your mission." Saïx tells Demyx.
Roxas travels to Wonderland with Xigbar to defeat an Emerald Serenade. Afterward, he goes to the clock tower but sees it's empty again
"Xion... Axel... Where are you?" He sits alone and waits
Diary Entry: Day 257
I want to talk to Axel about Xion, but I can't seem to get ten seconds with the guy. What am I supposed to do? I can't believe he's avoiding me. We're supposed to be friends.
-Roxas
Secret Report,
The air is charged. I can feel it. You go out on a big gamble at a time like this, and you're going to lose big. That said, it's betting against the worst odds that nets you the biggest win. I'm eager to see how this hand plays out.
-Luxord
Day 276,
Roxas stands on the beach at Destiny Islands. He remembers Sora and Kairi on the beach, and picks up a seashell
"Xion..." he mutters as holds the seashell in his hand before placing it in his pocket.
He looks around and sees a cloaked figure on the bridge to the smaller island. He gasps and runs to it. The figure walks to the small island and stops
"Xion!" he cried to the petite figure.
They stand silent for a moment before the cloaked figure turns to face him. It takes off its hood and Roxas is taken aback. Something snaps in his mind and the silver-blue hair of Zexion is revealed
Zexion lifting an arm "Surely you must've known that this was going to happen"
Roxas stands stunned, Riku walks in from the bridge "Why would I know?" asked Riku
Roxas switches his gaze through the two of them "Because, in your memory, you've been to a number of worlds before you came to this one."
Zexion and Riku start to walk around Roxas; Zexion and Riku's voices becoming one "And of course, in those worlds, the only beings you met were the dark kind."
The world around Roxas starts to flash and fade. Roxas clutches his head in his hands trying to make the pain stop "That's all that's left in your heart, the darkest of memories." Said both Riku and Zexion
Roxas falls to his knees in agony "Your memories of home are gone…everyone."
He thrusts out a hand to catch his fall and the flashes get more intense "That's a lie! I remember everyone from the islands!"
Then Roxas's own image begins to fade as he now turns into Xion; Xion continues to clutch her head in pain "They're my...my closest friends."
She falls to her side "And who threw away those friends? Maybe it's your own actions you've forgotten." And then transforming into Riku
And continues to squirm in pain
"It was you who destroyed your home!" but then the image of Riku faded and became another; Sora's eyes are wide in agony, his head throbbing.
Later, Xion is held in someone's arms, disheveled
"Who am I? What am I...here for?" she mutters in her sleep as Xion is being watched over by two figures dressed in organization coats.
The silver haired boy brushes her hair aside and recalls a conversation with Naminé.
They sit in a White Room, at opposite ends of the table
Naminé looking at the two people before her "I wasn't sure I'd see you guys again" Naminé confessed to Aqua and Riku
"You made me a promise." Riku said to her
Naminé nodding her head "To look after Sora. I remember. I'm sorry... I'm not sure I've kept that promise very well."
Aqua putting a hand on Riku's shoulder to make sure he wasn't getting mad. "What happened, Naminé?" the keyblade Master asked.
"Some of Sora's memories are missing." Naminé told them.
Aqua and Riku had mutual feeling of shock "How can that be?" they both asked at the same time.
Naminé continued to speak "They're escaping through Sora's Nobody into a third person and now they're starting to become a part of her."
Riku listening in the direction of Naminé's voice "You can't get the memories back out." Riku figured out while Aqua went into a state of silence.
Naminé nodding her head "If they're still separate...then yes, I can still get them back and into Sora"
She looks at the sketchbook on the table of the picture of Axel, Roxas, and Xion. "But if they join with her memories, things get a lot more complicated. I would need to untangle her memory before I could finish Sora's... What was supposed to take months might take years and DiZ would be furious." Naminé further explained to the Master and Pupil.
"So what's the solution?" Riku then asked.
"If I try to just jump in and rearrange her memory then I risk Sora waking up to find out that nobody remembers him anymore aside from you and Aqua." Naminé said
"I can't do that to him. It's too late either way. His awakening will have to be delayed. I never imagined Sora's Nobody and the other one would fight so hard to be their own people. Unfortunately, the only real solution...is for them both to go away." Finished Naminé
"Kill them" thought Aqua, at that thought she shook her head.
"Did you know her face was blank at first?" Naminé asked Riku, Aqua never really having encountered the girl.
"Only now can you see someone. That proves some of Sora's memories are inside her. Some inside her, some inside Sora...others inside Sora's nobody... I can't sort it out anymore. All I can do is pick up the pieces once what has to be done, is done." Naminé once again finished explaining.
Aqua could only listen to what Naminé was saying but then Aqua had a thought suggested to her by Master Eraqus, "Aqua, perhaps, those Nobodies of Sora's is where our Ventus ended up."
"You've been awfully silent for sometime" Aqua responded to her Master. "I know but it's limitations of this state that keep me from doing more." He answered her.
"All right, then." Riku told Naminé
"Aqua, one of organization members is here" Riku informed his master as he could sense the nobody. The bluenette keyblade master watched as she sees a blonde spiky haired boy running into a dark corridor, "That boy, he looked like…" Aqua began to mutter
"Aqua!" a voice crying out to her, Aqua looking around but the keyblade master could only see Riku and the girl "…unless…Ventus!" she said in her mind. "Aqua, I'm so glad it's you, you don't know what I've been through." Ventus cried out to his old friend. "It doesn't matter, we're together again and this time I know it's really you." She told him.
While Riku looks down back at Xion.
She has a dream of her, Roxas, and Axel watching the sunset from Destiny Islands
"Is it that I'm not supposed to exist?" questioned Xion
Roxas and Axel look over at her "Well, what do you want to do, Xion?" Axel asked her
"I want...I want to be with you two." Answered Xion
She folds her hands in her lap and Roxas places his hand on hers "Then come back with us." Roxas said to her as he smiled.
Xion now looking down on the sand "I can't... Not the way I am now. But...what would it take for me to be like you?"
Meanwhile, Axel sits on the clock tower, when Roxas walks in
"Wow, you're actually up here." Remarked Roxas
"Been that long, huh?" said Axel
Roxas sitting next to him "I got to go to the beach today for my mission. There was this girl there who looked kind of like Xion...but I couldn't get close enough to tell for sure. I probably imagined it." Roxas told Axel "To be honest, I'm not even sure today's mission really happened. I feel like I just woke up from a dream or something. This is gonna sound crazy, but you know how we promised each other we'd all go to the beach? Well, I think I only saw her there because I wanted her to be there." Added on Roxas
"Ah, Fuck It!" thought the red-head as he stood up
"You want to go look for her?" Axel then asked Roxas
"Huh? But Xemnas's orders..."
"Orders, shmorders. Starting tomorrow, let's use our spare time between missions and coming here to try and find Xion." demanded Axel
Roxas standing up, himself "Okay... Yeah, it's a deal!"
Roxas look toward the sunset while Axel is looking down
Diary Entry: Day 276
I don't remember much about today's mission just that it was by the beach. Or was it? The mission didn't even feel real. Me and Axel agreed to start looking for Xion tomorrow.
-Roxas
Diary Entry: Day 277
I've looked everywhere for Xion, in every world, but there's just no sign of her. Where is she? Why did she leave the Organization? I don't get it, any of it.
-Roxas
Day 296,
Roxas and Axel sit on the clock tower
"It's no use. We're never gonna find her" spoke an disappointed Roxas.
Axel looked at the young boy "You sure there isn't someplace you're forgetting to check?" Axel then asked.
Roxas shaking his head, "I've been everywhere I know how to get to" answered Roxas as he put his head in his hands. Axel scratching his head, "Right..." Axel forgetting that most of Roxas's corridors are made for him; Axel then looking down to the pavement of the train station.
Roxas then looked to Axel "The only place I haven't looked is Castle Oblivion."
Axel lifts his head, "Xion was asking about it, remember? And the day before she disappeared, you said she was put on an 'important mission'." Explained Roxas, Axel noticed the emphasis on important mission.
"Yeah, but..." Axel tried to explain to Roxas "The place has been cleared out, man. There's nothing there."
Roxas merely shrugged his shoulders "and that would be the perfect place to hide then, Xion might be there."Axel did have to admit, Roxas did make a good point "You know...that's where she comes from. Castle Oblivion." Axel then said to the boy.
"What? Really!"
Axel nodding his head, "That's probably why she was asking about it."
"I had no idea..." muttered Roxas
"Hey, neither did I. I only found out about it a little while ago myself."
"She must have a lot of questions. Poor Xion..."
Diary Entry: Day 296
There's one place we haven't checked yet to see if Xion's there at Castle Oblivion. When I brought it up with Axel, he surprised me by saying that Castle Oblivion is where Xion comes from. I guess he just found out himself. Is that where she is?
-Roxas
Secret Report,
None of us really know everything that's going on in Castle Oblivion. Some rooms even Xemnas doesn't know about. Not many are ever aware that Xion was born there. I wonder if the truth about that place will ever surface.
-Xigbar
Day 297,
"The impostor has been sighted again." Saïx informed Roxas
"Impostor? You mean the one that Xion..." replied Roxas. "He's prowling about Castle Oblivion as we speak." sneered Saïx. Roxas had perked up the moment that name was spoken "Castle Oblivion? I'll go." Roxas then said to Saïx.
"Not by yourself, you won't. This target is extremely dangerous."
"Then how 'bout I tag along?" Axel volunteered "I know Castle Oblivion better than anybody else in this outfit."
"All right, better. Go, then, and teach this fraud the price for wearing our coat." Saïx walks away.
Roxas and Axel nod to each other. "Castle Oblivion, huh? Ask and ye shall receive." Whispered Axel
"I've reassigned you to Castle Oblivion for the day. Axel will be accompanying you."
Axel and Roxas depart.
They enter into a white hall; Roxas was walking right behind Axel as they entered from the corridor.
The young nobody looking around the very bright and white walls of Oblivion "So this is Castle Oblivion..." Roxas tried to say but as he suddenly clutches his head
"Roxas!" cried out Axel as he turned back to look at his friend; Roxas falling to his knees "Agh, my...my head!"
"Hey, easy man! C'mon, let's retreat for now and..." But the boy refused to move "No... We have to...find Xion... Wh...what's happening?" Roxas tried to say but the pain was becoming all too much for him.
"Roxas!" Axel yelled once more as the young nobody's world goes white "All these...pictures...rushing into my head..."
"We're leaving this place right now!" Axel screams at Roxas "No, wait... There's something... I can almost..." Roxas collapses. Axel holds his arm over his shoulder and helps him into the corridor. "Giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that." Spoke a foreign voice in Roxas's mind; Roxas waking up, yelling the name "RIKU!"
Axel and Roxas are on Side Street in Twilight Town; the flurry of dancing flames actually looked taken back by Roxas's sudden outburst "Whoa, you okay there?" he asked his young friend
"What happened to me?" questioned Roxas as he looked to Axel, "You collapsed right inside the castle doors." Answered Axel "Don't you remember?" the red-head then asked.
Roxas shook his head ''I remember going in, that's it."
"Hey, you should take a breather." Axel told the boy. "I'm fine. We need to go back to Castle Oblivion." The young nobody determined to find Xion whether she was at the castle or not.
"Hah," the red-head letting out a mocked chuckle "I don't think so." He said to Roxas.
But before Roxas could even voice his protest; someone stands watching them. Axel was the first to pick up on the presence.
"Who's there?" demanded the nobody; they see three cloaked figures, "Xion?" Roxas asked as one of the figures looked to be around Xion's build.
One lowers their head and opens a corridor walking inside of it,"Xion, wait!" Roxas runs over but the other two figures steps in the way as the corridor closes.
"Ventus was right, this boy looks exactly like him." thought the taller but feminine figure.
"Rrgh..." Roxas now struggling with the two hooded covered figures "Get out of the way!" Roxas then shouted.
Axel was watching the two figures, scoping them out; Axel could feel that there was something strangely recognizable about these two figures, but then Axel looking to the ground he saw their shoes, one pair for a male and the other pair with medium wedge heels.
Axel's green eyes widen in the surprise, "It's her…Aqua which would make the other one, Riku without doubt," thought Axel.
The womanly figure raises her leg and kicks Roxas back away from them giving them distance but then the two figures say nothing as they have chosen to run off.
Roxas was sent back with force but it wasn't enough to hurt him "Hey!" he screamed as he noticed them running away and began to set forth after them. "Roxas, wait up!" Cried out Axel as the red-head saw the young boy begin to follow them; Axel in turned followed Roxas.
They chase the impostors through the Underground Passage. They see them open a gate and enters the tunnel, "Wait!" again Roxas screamed, they follow them until the duo reaches the gate to Sunset Terrace, where they escape through a corridor.
Axel and Roxas arrive just when it closes "I thought there was one impostor and he was sighted in Castle Oblivion! What's he doing here?" Axel said, "They must have been switching on and off" thought Axel
"Yeah and they have Xion..." muttered Roxas; Axel turned to Roxas "There ain't no way that was Xion!" he told his friend.
"The other one was, the one who escaped before" Roxas explained to Axel, "but...I don't get it. Why would she run from us?" Roxas then asked.
Xion hides around the corner, overhearing them. The impostors walk up to her and they take off their hoods, revealing themselves to be Aqua and Riku
"You want to go back?" Riku then asked Xion, While Aqua could only stare at the girl after encountering her on Destiny Islands where Aqua was reunited with Ventus, who had told her pretty much everything about Organization XIII, filling in the blanks that Naminé couldn't answer.
Xion says nothing and looks in their direction.
Later, Roxas and Axel have ice cream thought both boys weren't feeling up to it but they weren't ready to go back to the castle that never was anytime soon. Considering they hadn't done the mission at castle oblivion regardless of encountering the imposter…imposters in Twilight Town.
"Why would she do that?" Roxas once again asked Axel, who didn't have an answer for him before.
"At least we know she's safe. She'll come home when she's ready." Axel then stated to the boy.
Roxas wanted to believe that but as he remembered the recent meeting about Xion "But won't they turn her into a Dusk?" he then asked
Axel taking in a soft but firm breathe "Not necessarily." The red-head answered
"Who were those people she was with? Why is she cooperating with him?" Roxas then questioned but Axel simply chooses not answer for Roxas's own sake.
Diary Entry: Day 297
I went to Castle Oblivion to find Xion, but I don't remember anything about it. Axel said I collapsed as soon as I got there.
I woke up in Twilight Town, and incredibly enough, Xion was there. But she wasn't alone there was these two people with her, and they were wearing the Organization's cloak. I could tell by their build's that they wasn't one of us, though. Who are they?
-Roxas
Secret Report,
The man they're calling the imposter, that fake Organization member? It's Riku. Roxas could very well remember that, somewhere deep in his memories. Still, it's too soon to report this. I need to know why Xion was with him first. If she's siding with the heroes, it could easily mean her erasure. What are you planning to do, Xion?
-Axel
Day 298,
Roxas walks through Nothing's Call when he hears a voice; "You're ordering me to what!" hissed Axel as he tried to keep his voice low
"Tell me what choice is left, now that Xion has had contact with that man in the black coat." Saïx said without a care; Saïx looks in Roxas's direction, Axel following. Saïx walks away when Roxas comes closer
"Um, Axel?" Roxas tried to ask. Axel says nothing, turns, and walks away.
Soon after, Roxas enters The Grey Area. Axel leans against the window, silent
"Xion has betrayed us." Says to Roxas,
"What? No!" protested number thirteen.
"You saw the creature consorting with those impostors. What more evidence do we need?" said Saïx"
"That's not evidence!" deafened Roxas, "Who knows why she was with them?" he then asked. He looks over to Axel, who has no response.
"I think we all know, and you just don't want to accept it" Retorted Saïx.
Roxas now with his head hanging low "they might be forcing her." He then said
"Ha! Spare me your repulsive displays of would-be sentiment." Spoke the blue haired man.
"It's not a display!" shouted the boy "Why is it such a crime to give each other the benefit of the doubt?" Roxas then yelled to Saïx
Axel walks closer and shakes his head; Saïx looking at the boy with a disapproving expression "The impostors have resurfaced in Twilight Town. Go and destroy them, Roxas like I expected you to do yesterday." Saïx ordered the boy.
Saïx then turning to Axel, "Axel, you bring Xion back. Gagged and tied up, for all I care. If that proves too troublesome, then you are authorized to adopt a more permanent solution." Saïx then said with a smirk across his lips.
"What?" Roxas looking back from Axel to Saïx "Saïx, no!" Roxas then protested. "Get going." Saïx then spoke as the blue haired man walked away.
"Well, this is pretty icky, huh?" Axel then said breaking his silence "You're not actually gonna follow those orders?" Roxas then asking out of concern for Xion.
"Relax. I'll think of something clever once I find her. You just worry about yourself, huh? That guy in the coat didn't look like the type to go down without a fight." Axel explained to Roxas
"I know" muttered Roxas.
It was Xion and Aqua waiting within a private area of Twilight Town while Riku was getting into his planned position. Aqua had been spending time with Xion as she had refused to take to the mansion, fully well what DiZ would say and to do Xion but regardless Aqua would still have Riku go there to watch over Naminé and Sora incase DiZ tried anything, he made his hate for Nobodies very well known to Naminé.
"Xion, are you sure this is what you really want to do?" Aqua then asked the dark haired girl "Because we will think of something else" the bluenette told the girl.
Xion again hadn't said anything,
"Xion, I'm aware that we don't know each other very well but that doesn't mean I want anything bad happening to you, who knows, what will happen to once your back in the organization." Aqua then said.
It wasn't only Xion, that Aqua was concerned about it was Ven as well, mostly because if anything did happen to Xion, what would become of Ventus?
"I'm also very well aware, that you're concerned for your friends and you would want nothing more than to protect them; believe me no one knows that feeling more than I do and there are times that we have to do complicated things to ensure that protection even if the outcome isn't the one you've always imagined" she said to the girl.
The female nobody could only look at the keyblade master with a curious look
Roxas enters Twilight Town by way of Side Street. He walks to Tram Common
"I know that was Xion I saw yesterday. But...who were those people with her? Why didn't she try to get away from them?" Roxas talking to himself out loud
He then spots one of the impostors on a tall building, "Huh? Hey!" The impostor runs off with a great speed "Wait!" Roxas called out to the imposter He chases the impostor into the south alcove.
Having quite a head start on Roxas, Riku heads into the alcove where he has caught the gazes of Aqua and Xion, his silence indicating that Roxas was close behind him, Xion then putting on her hood quickly as Riku and Aqua quickly made their way out of there.
Roxas entered the alcove right after Aqua and Riku left but the boy hadn't even seen them, all he could see was the hooded figure whose back was facing him; the figure turns around and takes off her hood
"Xion" Roxas saying her name with surprise, he walks up to her "Where have you been? Axel and I have been looking all over for you."
Xion not expressing her usual contentment of appearing happy "You have?" she asked in a soft voice "Sorry" she then added in a monotone voice.
"Let's go home." Roxas said as he held out a hand to Xion, "If you come back voluntarily, Saïx will let this entire thing drop. He has to." He then added
Axel stands with his arms folded on a ledge around the corner, listening but unknown to Axel, he'd been spotted by Aqua as she and Riku were under the Vanish spell. "What's he doing here?" Aqua mentally asked herself.
Roxas continuing on; not even looking at Xion's face and seeing what she was expressing, "I don't care what he said to you. I'll be there. Me and Axel will make sure…"
Roxas stops talking as he sees Xion takes a step back as he is still holding out a hand to her
"I really can't." Xion then says to him, trying to mask her tone of voice
Roxas wearing a confused expression "Why not? Come on..." He tries to grab her, she backs further away. She looks down and tries to run but Roxas grabbing her arm "Wait!" he tells her.
Xion stops...and summons her Keyblade, pointing it straight at him, His eyes widen and Roxas lets go of her arm.
A chakram flies in, but she blocks it and it shoots into the ground, lighting on fire and disappearing. Axel walks in from the steps "Well, hello there...Xion."
"Axel?" questioned Roxas
Meanwhile, Aqua stretched out her arm in front of Riku, stopping him from blowing their plan, "Looks to me, Roxas wasn't expecting company" Aqua whispers to her pupil. "Riku, the plan was to get Xion back to the organization to influence Roxas into coming to us, if she came back with Roxas with a struggle it will look just a tad more questionable considering she didn't even go to them the last encounter perhaps with some form of confrontation it could suggest something else." She explained to Riku
"Maybe but Xion's questionable loyalty to them will still be putting her at risk, fight or no fight" argued Riku.
"I'm well aware of this Riku, but look more closely, Axel is clearly a more experienced fighter then Xion and since I have fought him at Castle Oblivion along with Sora and I can tell you Riku. He's holding back his power on purpose; clearly he was sent to retrieve Xion, meaning they are not done with her anytime soon." Aqua told Riku as she watched the friends fight.
Riku didn't argue that possibility "From what Xion's told me about him, he's her one of her best friends, so he wouldn't really want to hurt her" Aqua then added, Riku then picked up the change in tone of his master's voice.
"You say it with experience" pointed out Riku.
"Yeah, so I am." Aqua not denying the fact, Riku's small discovery "I have a good idea what Axel's thinking, right now" commented Aqua.
Xion lunges for him "No, wait!" Roxas screams to his friend
Xion takes a strike at Axel, who summons his chakrams in a swirl of fire. Roxas stands helpless as the two exchange blows. Xion blocks an attack and the chakrams fly back to Axel.
Xion runs for him again
"Stop!" Roxas then yelled, Xion hesitates, looking over at Roxas, before getting a smack from behind that knocks her unconscious. She falls forward, but Axel grabs her, and her Keyblade falls to the ground with a metal clang, vanishing
"Xion..." Roxas runs to her. Axel carries her over his shoulder and exits through a corridor, Leaving Roxas by himself, running at nothing.
Aqua and Riku are watching Roxas, "What now?" Riku asks. "Back to waiting, I have good confidence that'll she succeed in her task, after all she is a part of Sora" answered Aqua, "Xion…Ven, good luck" Aqua mentally added
Roxas takes a corridor back to The Grey Area
"Axel!" shouted Roxas as he finally found the red-head nobody
Axel looked to see Roxas "Oh, hey, Roxas." He greeted the boy and acting as if the fight earlier never occurred
"Where is she?"demanded Roxas
"Safe." Axel simply answered
Roxas didn't know what was becoming of him but he couldn't hold it back "How could you do that to her?" he snapped at Axel
"Do what?" Axel really playing simpleton with Roxas
Roxas felt like pulling his own strands of hair out "You didn't have to use force." He then tells Axel, "Didn't I?" retorted Axel
Roxas was slow in his reply "No...Of course not! We're supposed to be best friends." He reminded the red-head.
"This isn't about friendship." He scratches his head. Roxas just looks at him in disbelief
"If that's all, I gotta go." Axel then walking off
"If that's all!" Roxas then shouted in his brain.
Diary Entry: Day 298
I don't believe it. Axel attacked Xion. There had to have been some other way. I know she's acting weird, but I hardly recognize Axel these days either. What's going through their heads? I feel so left out.
-Roxas
Secret Report
Axel failed to report that the imposter and Xion are working together. Instead, that news came from Roxas. The boy is far more easily handled than Axel, but now Axel has captured Xion and returned her to us. His motives are impossible to read. Our plans can be altered if necessary, but doing so can only delay their realization.
-Saïx
Day 299,
Axel and Saïx talk on the upper level of the Hall of Empty Melodies
"You're sure things are better this way?" Axel asked Saïx
Saïx giving Axel a questionable look "I never expected you to question it. If you could save one of them...why would you choose the puppet?" Saïx then asked the red-head
Axel crossing his arms as he mentally struggles with his thoughts; Saïx catching on to Axel's hesitation "Or put it this way. Which would you rather suffer the loss of: some make-believe friendship, or a real one?" Axel looks away, "Asshole" Axel said in his thoughts; he knew Saïx was doing this on purpose.
"Things are finally right again. Of course we're better off this way. Xemnas is exasperated from all the "fixing" we've had to do. We have to set things right. There is simply too much on the line...Lea." Saïx using Axel's true name
Axel walks out on this conversation as Saïx had really gone too far this time, "Apparently that make believe friendship is more real then you could ever remember…Isa" thought Axel.
Roxas spent most of the day looking for Xion as he earlier he went to her private quarters to visit her but she wasn't there, since she had no scheduled missions.
Xion had to be here in the castle that never was and from what Roxas noticed most of the members didn't even know she was back into their fold as Roxas did ask Xaldin and Luxord on Xion's where about.
Roxas was now left alone in The Grey Area "Doesn't anybody know what happened to her?" Roxas asks himself out loud but as he plopped down on to the couch in a frustrated and giving up fashion but then Roxas came up with an answer "Unless HE does..." the boy muttered to himself.
Roxas was almost afraid to do it, he's never really had the time to known Xemnas as he did the others, he wondered how do you address a leader that is practically a stranger to you but Roxas took a deep breath and reminded himself, he was doing this for Xion.
Roxas then opened the dark corridor
"So it appears that Aqua has finally made herself known. I shouldn't pretend to be surprised it was only a matter of time. Though very smart of her using Riku to get close to Xion" thought Xemnas. "Aqua, are you really that afraid to face me, yourself now?" his mind added.
Xemnas thinking back into the time he had been discovered by Ansem the Wise, and taken into his care and his somebody had heard a female voice calling out to him "But I can't lose you too Terra, not again. You're just too important to me and if I did lose you, I couldn't bare it" For ten years he remembered that as the last thing she ever said to him, well save for when she gave him her keyblade and telling him, she was always with him.
He wasn't sure how he did it that night, when he opened the corridor and saved her from a fate of eternally wandering the realm of Darkness, "Perhaps, Aqua there is a part of you, still waiting for the other me to come and save you" he thought
But that was when Xemnas heard an echo of memory; that he had put behind him a long time ago, "Aqua…Ven…Someday, I'll put an end to this"
Xemnas sits in the Round Room; the concentration into his thoughts is broken as Roxas appears on his chair. Xemnas didn't say anything but he didn't let his surprise show as the Ventus doppelganger, entering without being summoned by him.
"I need to ask you something." Roxas said to the superior
Xemnas raised a brow "And what would that be?" Roxas was nervous "What happened to Xion? Axel brought her in yesterday and she isn't in her room, Can you tell me where she is?" questioned Roxas
Xemnas merely looked at the boy with curiosity "Put your mind at ease. Xion is a valued member of the Organization, but she needs her rest. She has been in the medical quarters and seeing how Vexen and Zexion are no longer with us, I am the only one suitable to watch over Number Fourteen in this regard" Xemnas answered.
Roxas nodded to Xemnas and becomes distracted by his own thoughts and thinks about the conversation at The Dark Margin. Roxas stands hooded as Xemnas walks past him, placing a hand on his shoulder
"Sora" spoke Xemnas as he left the boy on the dark beach. The memory ends, Roxas then mutters "...Sora."
Xemnas says nothing; Roxas then turns to the silver haired man "Who is Sora?" Roxas then asked,
"He's the connection." Answered Xemnas
"The what?" Roxas didn't understand
Xemnas then decided to explain "He is what makes you and Xion a part of each other's lives. Just as he is the reason I placed Xion among our number. And if you want her to stay that way, I must insist you get your mind off these needless distractions. I will have Xion return to her duties tomorrow. Today, you must focus on yours." Xemnas warns the boy.
"All right." Said Roxas, he leaves the Round Room.
Roxas is walksing through Twilight's View; He sees Axel and stops "Hey, Roxas." Greeted Axel but Roxas says nothing and walks past him into The Grey Area. The young nobody then bumping into Xigbar first as he entered the area "I bet you're relieved to have Poppet home, eh?" said Xigbar
"To fret so, over something so insignificant... I cannot understand Xemnas." Xaldin then putting in his own two cents,
Saïx coming over to Roxas "If you have time to mope, then you have time to work. Focus, Roxas." Roxas is sent to The Night Sea in Never Land to hunt down Shadow Globs.
While as Saïx meets with Xemnas in the Round Room "Are you certain we've taken suitable measures with Xion and Roxas?" Saïx questioned his superior
"I will admit Xion has strayed from our original designs. But this unpredictable behavior is proving to have an interesting side effect." Xemnas told Number Seven.
Saïx making a dead-panned expression "Really?" he then asked.
"We wanted the Key. Xion's exposure to Roxas affected a transfer of its power, just as we had hoped. Had things stopped there, Xion would have been an unequivocal success. But then, through Roxas, Sora himself began to shape "it" into "her," giving Xion a sense of identity. I was ready to scrap the whole project then, it occurred to me: Xion is keeping Sora's memories trapped by claiming them as her own. Keeping her close to Roxas will prevent Sora from ever waking." Xemnas explained to Saïx.
Saïx finally understanding why Xion wasn't to be destroyed "I see. And what do you want to do about the impostor in black?"
Xemnas looking to the other man "That nuisance? See that he stays away from Roxas. He only poses a threat if his buzzing reaches Xion's ears."
Saïx nodded "Then we are back on track."
Outside, in the Dark City, Riku and Aqua stands atop Memory's Skyscraper. Riku looks over to the moon, while Aqua was staring over at the castle; she thought of Terra, Ven and Sora.
Having finally returned to her own bedroom Xion sits, curled up in on her bed and she is actually having tears running down the side of her face, "Riku, Aqua what should I do?" she whispers to herself. She looks toward the moon outside her window.
Diary Entry, 299
Xemnas told me that "Sora" is the connection between me and Xion. But just who exactly is Sora?
-Roxas
Secret Report,
Roxas doesn't trust me after the whole Xion incident, but I can't tell him the truth yet. So I keep lying. It's no big deal when you're a Nobody.
There's no guilt, no feeling at all. So why does it still sting, just a little, when I lie to him? All my dealings with Roxas give me these bizarre illusions of humanity.
-Axel
Day 300,
After a long and grueling mission in Never land, Roxas sits on the clock tower, for the first time in a long time; Axel and Xion join him. They sit in silence.
Naminé stands in the Pod Room "Oh no..." she says as the young girl hadn't expected a result like this, and Aqua nor Riku had come back yet as they were out getting rid of heartless and lesser nobodies in the area.
DiZ walks over "What has happened?" Naminé looking from the pod to DiZ "its Sora... His memory has stopped." She said to the older and faced hidden man.
"Stopped?" he questioned
Naminé nodded her head "Unless something is done, he'll never wake from his slumber." She said in a panic as she hoped Aqua and Riku were on their way back.
"Then so be it. The gloves must come off." Spoke DiZ
Naminé looking at DiZ in worriment "But...what'll happen to..." as her thoughts went to the two nobodies involved in this.
DiZ looking down on Naminé "Those Nobodies had no business existing in the first place as you fully know well, Naminé." He said to the girl
Naminé closing her eyes on that harsh comment "Yes..."
Diary Entry: 300
For the first time in a while, the three of us met up on the clock tower. None of us really knew what to say. We used to talk each other's ears off, but I guess those days are gone. So much has happened lately that I've been forgetting to write about those pictures in my head. Now it happens even when I'm not on missions. More often, too. They even show up in my dreams. Xion told me she has dreams, too. Is all of this connected?
-Roxas
Secret Report
We watched the sun set today. The three of us. I didn't think we'd ever be able to do that again. It's like that dream I had-the one where I was by the shore with Roxas and Axel, watching the sun set over the water. I just want to stay with them. But how? What should I do?
-Xion
Day 301,
Roxas walks into The Grey Area, avoiding both Axel and Xion, As Axel could see Roxas giving them a cold shoulder; he turns to Xion
"Hey... Everything going okay?" Axel asked Xion; the dark haired girl then nodded "I'm fine." She tells Axel "I'm...I'm so sorry, Roxas..." she then says in her mind.
Diary Entry: Day 301
I dream all the time now, but I don't sleep well. I wake up tired every day. I guess that makes them nightmares, not dreams.
Xion and Axel don't come to the clock tower anymore. I thought maybe if I got everything off my chest with them, I might stop having the nightmares...but so much for testing that theory.
-Roxas
Secret Report,
Xion is burning through missions at full tilt. She seems frantic. Why, I don't know. And speaking of, I still don't know what to say to Roxas. Even without my orders from Saïx, I'd do anything to stop Roxas from being erased. I just don't know if I can stand by and let that happen to Xion, either.
-Axel
Day 321,
Roxas has a dream about Sora losing his Keyblade to Riku. A tear falls from his cheek and he wakes up "Wh-what... Did something get in my eyes?" as the boy rubbed his face away of the tears.
He enters The Grey Area, "Why the long face? You have a bad dream or something?" Xigbar mocking the boy
Xion coming to her friend "Roxas are you okay?" Xion asked as she was getting a good look at him "You don't look so good..." she told him flat out.
"I'm deploying you and Xion together today." Said Saïx.
Roxas and Xion arrive in the Palace Gates area. Roxas summons the Keyblade
"Okay it's just the two of us. So what's wrong?" she asked him, "Nothing" Roxas replied.
"You look pale..." Roxas cutting her off "You're imagining things" Smiling at Xion "Let's go."
Xion knew he was lying "Well...okay..."
They explore more rooms in the Cave of Wonders. They reach the lamp chamber and approach the sealed Keyhole
"End of the line" commented Roxas
"I remember this..." Xion tells Roxas
"Huh?" Roxas was unsure of what she was talking about "It's a keyhole. See?" Xion has a flash of Sora sealing the Agrabah Keyhole.
She feels faint, but Roxas catches her
"You okay?" Roxas asks
"Y-yeah..." She looks into his eyes "You look so much like him" "Do you mean me or Sora?" Ventus playing commentary but Xion ignored the statement.
Xion gets out of Roxas's arms "...What?" is all he could say.
A Heartless appears. After a short time, Xion strikes it and the heart is released, "H-how... How did I just do that? Where did that power come from?" Xion asking question left and right
She then sees Roxas, exhausted "Roxas?" She runs over to him "Hey, are you all right?" she asks him. "Yeah... Using the Keyblade these days... I don't know what's wrong with me, I just run out of steam." Roxas tells the girl
Xion eyes then darken as she said "You...you do?" Roxas shrugging his shoulders "You know what, never mind. I'm probably just overworked, heh." He then said.
"You sure you're okay?" Xion asking once more "'Course I am. C'mon, Xion, let's return the to the castle" Roxas enters the corridor; Xion hangs her head and enters after him.
They have ice cream together at thier usual spot on the clock tower.
"You're really, really okay?" Xion not letting this drop as she was really worried, "Okay, you're starting to weird me out." Roxas tells her; that kind of statement threw Xion off her own guard "Why?" she asked
Roxas looking at her "Since when do you ever worry about me?" "Well, excuse me!" Xion then snapped. Roxas shrugged his shoulders "Just feels strange, that's all. Usually, I do all the worrying over you. I don't think it's ever been the other way around before." he admitted to her
Xion shook her head "Well, for your information... I worry about you all the time, Roxas." She told him.
"I'm really glad you're back, Xion." Roxas then tells her "I just wish Axel didn't have to be so rough with you." He added.
"I guess he's not coming today" As Xion looked at the corner of the tower. "You want him to?" Roxas then stated with his tone sounding agitated, "What" says Xion while quickly turned her head to look at Roxas "Did you two have a fight, that I don't know about?" Xion then asked
"I still can't believe that jerk would actually attack you" Roxas finally getting something off his chest.
Xion's blue eyes actually widen in surprise at Roxas "So he's a jerk now?" Xion saying it as more of question then a statement; Roxas says nothing, Xion then sighed as she shook her head "Roxas, I wouldn't be sitting here with you if Axel hadn't done that." Xion then tells Roxas
Roxas still says nothing, "He's your best friend." Xion says to him, "So are you" retorted Roxas. Xion then rolling her eyes as her shoulders slumped down in a defeated way. "It's just not the same without all three of us..." she then tells Roxas, who doesn't say a thing.
Afterward, Axel walks through Naught's Skyway
"Axel!"Xion calling out to the red-head, she runs up
"You need something?" Axel then asked her
"What? No...I just... Something's wrong with Roxas" she answers, getting Axel's full attention "I thought you might know what's up. He says the Keyblade wears him out now when he goes to use it and suddenly I find myself fighting the same way he does..." Xion explained to Axel
"Well, you know him better than me." Axel then said to her. Xion was taken aback by the remark "Why...why would you say that?" Xion asked Axel.
"Ask yourself what's doing it to him." Axel then snapped at Xion but in a hushed voice, Xion was confused at what Axel was implying to her "I'm not sure."
Axel looks at her "Oh, you're not sure? What, did they forget to build you with common sense?" he says very harshly
Xion gasps, "Oh, come on, don't look shocked. You already know you're a Replica." Axel then tells her. "A puppet whose original purpose was to duplicate Roxas's powers; if he's getting weaker and you're getting stronger... Well, that just means you're borrowing a little more than you ought to be." Axel finished explaining
"Ouch Axel, Ouch" Xion said in her head, that comment really hurt her. "…What should I do, then?" she asks him
Axel having a hard gaze on her but then his eyes softened "I can't make that decision for you. You're no puppet in my book. You're my best friend. Mine and Roxas's. Got it memorized?" he tells Xion.
Xion nodded her head "Yeah...Can I ask you one other thing?"
"What's that?" "I saw a boy today who looks just like Roxas. Is he who I think he is?" Xion asked Axel.
Xigbar stands around the corner overhearing the conversation
Diary Entry: Day 321
I feel so tired-almost disconnected from my body. The dreams have gotten stranger. Now I wake up with water on my cheeks. I don't know how it got there, but I think there's something really wrong with me.
Today I was teamed up with Xion. She seems to be in a lot better shape than me. We had ice cream together, something we hadn't done in a while.
-Roxas
Secret Report: Xion
Axel's always helping me out, so I just assumed he would again. How long has he known about me? Maybe since long before we met in Castle Oblivion. But he told me to think for myself. I was so happy. But now, as I get stronger, Roxas keeps getting weaker. I shouldn't exist anymore. They say that Nobodies were never meant to exist, but I'm the real affront. But before I'm gone, I want to help Roxas and Axel. Even just a little. I think the boy I saw today is the same Sora from my memories.
-Xion
Day 322
Saïx, Xigbar and Xemnas sit in the Round Room
"Sora is having a powerful effect on her." Xigbar noted to Xemnas
"Yes, it was not supposed to gain a mind of its own nor become the person we see. But in the end, it only proves the puppet is the more worthy vessel. At last, the time has come. Saïx, are the devices ready?"
Saïx nodding his head "All three will be operable in a matter of days."
"Good" stated Xemnas
"What do you want to do with Roxas?" asked Saïx
"Both of them have connections to Sora, but we only need one of them under our thumb. Let Xion take from Roxas the rest of what he has to give...Or, let him destroy her first and get it all back. It makes no difference to me. Either way, Sora's power will be ours." Xemnas said to the number seven.
Roxas enters The Grey Area
"I had another dream. My head feels heavy." Thought Roxas
"What good is luck if you never stop to enjoy it? You should take a break." Luxord told the boy as he saw how weakly Roxas was looking these days. ""Passion is a virtue, but no game was won by over eagerness." Luxord then said. Roxas was aware of how tired he was but the fact that he just understood Luxord's riddled speak, just entirely proves it.
"Hey... Don't get yourself into trouble." Axel then said as he passed by and stood next to Xion
"Please, Roxas, don't... Don't do anything crazy." Xion then said to him as Xigbar was walking by "Ain't Xion just a peach now?" he said to the trio "The face of an angel. Just gotta be careful; girls her age have many faces." He then said, the very comment made Xion and Axel stop.
Day 352,
Xion stares at the moon outside her window "I'm going to wreck everything... What's the right thing to do? I'm sure Aqua and Riku would know..." Xion thinks back to when Riku and Aqua found her.
She wakes up in his arms on Destiny Islands.
"Are you..." she tries to ask but Riku cuts her off "Riku, Sora's friend" he says, "Sora? You know Sora?" Xion then questioned
"Yeah." He replies, Xion then moving her gaze to the bluenette whom was standing over them, "Then, that makes you, Master Aqua" Aqua merely glanced at the girl, before nodding her head for yes.
Riku stands and offers a hand to help her up; she takes his hand as he then pulls her to her feet "Thank you. You saved me...but I don't know why you did." Xion then says.
"I guess I just felt like it." Riku tells the girl, Aqua didn't want to say anything while as she was reunited with Ventus, who was telling her about how much he missed her and then started questioning on where Sora, Donald and Goofy were but Aqua told Ven to be silent for the moment.
Aqua seeing Riku was about to walk away as he had his back turn,
"Riku, please..." Xion then pleaded softly "Tell me more about Sora and that girl he's always with." She asked Riku
"You mean Kairi."
"Kairi..." Xion saying the name for herself, Xion putting a hand to the side of her head "That's right. She's the one who looks so much like me." Xion added on.
Riku turning around and standing close in front of Xion "To Sora, she's someone very special." he then said.
Xion then turning her body away from him while her hand still on her head but as her other one was over her chest "It's just... I remember things about the two of them. But I'm nothing more than a puppet; something that somebody created."
Xion walking close to a nearby tree placing a hand on it as she leaned against the tree; facing away from Aqua and Riku "So why would I have their memories?" she first asked Riku "Do you know where Sora is now?" Xion then asked as she turned to look at Riku
"That secret stays with us." It was clear to Xion he meant, himself and his master.
Turning her face away from Riku "Why's that?" she then asked
"Xion...your memories...they really belong to Sora." Riku told her, Xion's head and body perked up at the information, turning her face back to Riku
"So you mean...I'm like a part of him?" she then asked as Riku began to move closer to Xion
Xion keeping her eyes on him, "When his memories were scattered, some of them found their way inside you." Xion turned away again as she placed a hand back to her head "Now, Sora has been put to sleep so that we can piece together his memory. Except..."
"You can't, because part of it is inside of me. That means...he can't wake up." Xion having her head down and her eyes closed as she spoke
"Yeah. You got it. But, if you go with me to Sora right now, we could give the memories inside you back to him." Riku tells her and talking to Xion as if they're the only two people on the island.
"Riku's handling this really well" Aqua noted in her head.
Xion then moving her hand as her gloved covered fingers ran through her hair as she brought her head back up "So, do you hate me for taking your friend away from you?" Xion then asked Riku could hear Xion's tone of voice getting a bit dark there.
"Nah. I guess...I'm just sad." Riku then said.
"I'm sorry, but...I can't go with you. It's my friends, they need me and I need them, too." Xion then said; Riku places a hand on her shoulder "Maybe...you should take some time and think about it. Figure out who really needs you more and where you belong." He says to her
"How will I know where I belong, truly? I'm not sure I can promise you I'll come up with the right answer."
"Well, the answer you come up with can't just be right for you. It has to be one that works best for everybody, you and your friends and everyone else." Riku tells her
"I'll try." she then says to him as Riku turned away from her.
Riku leaves to join with Aqua as they planned to head over to her home for some supplies and drop off some items they won't be needing any more before they head back to the mansion in Twilight Town.
"Thank you, Riku" Xion then said. Snapping out of her memory, on her bed she pulls out a seashell and looks at it, "I have to make the most of the time he's given me." She looks back at the moon.
Roxas walks into The Grey Area
"Hey, Xion, good morning." He greeted her as she just happened to walk by,
"Good morning." She replied "Listen..." Roxas tried to say but Xion cut him off "Sorry, I got to go to mission" She leaves. Roxas sighs and Saïx walks over
"Roxas. How are you feeling today?" he spoke to the boy in an eerie calm tone of voice
"Same as always" He responded to Saïx.
"I have an urgent mission especially for you and your Keyblade. There's a Heartless that's surfaced in Halloween Town. I was hoping you might exterminate it for us." Said Saïx,
"S...sure... Leave it to me!" Roxas said with hesitation, he was keen on using his keyblade, ever since he started feeling very drained these days.
"Hey, whoa-whoa-whoa... Roxas, you really wanna do that?" Axel coming into the area as fast as he could, almost knocking Demyx down to the hard steel floor in the process
"Why wouldn't I?" Roxas asked Axel
"It's just, lately you..." Saïx interrupting Axel "Shouldn't you already be out on your mission, Axel?" the blue haired man asked Axel.
"Yeah, I need to get ready, too. Let's catch up later!" Roxas leaves to prepare for some items
"But..." once again Axel was cut off "Can't you just let things run their course?"
Axel says nothing, as Roxas reenters the room
"Heh-heh. Girls, am I right? Life's biggest mystery. One thing that IS clear, though, is that no girl wants to be with a guy weaker than she is." Xigbar making fun of Roxas exhaustion but the boy paid the man no mind
"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Of course, this isn't a game that lets a gentleman lose twice..." Luxord commented
"Head to Halloween Town and exterminate that Heartless." Saïx reminding Roxas of his mission
"Roxas... Watch yourself out there." Axel said to the boy.
Roxas arrives in Halloween Town, "Xion looked really upset when she left this morning. I wonder what's on her mind... I should go talk to her once I finish up here." The young boy told himself as he walked further into the world.
He walks into the Town Square "No sign of the Heartless here... Guess I'll check further in."
He proceeds to the Graveyard, "Still no Heartless. Where is this thing hiding, anyway?"
An Orcus appears out of nowhere "Wh-what! How could it get this close to me without me noticing?"
He summons his Keyblade and fights the Heartless. Even blow after blow, the Heartless seems unfazed
"It's...it's too powerful. I've got to finish this now, before it wears me down any further. It's all or nothing..."
A flash and the sound of flames. Axel blocks Roxas and Xion's attacks "STOP, both of you!" he screams as he blocked both keyblade with his own weapons
"Xion!" "Roxas!" as they mutual call out to each other as they just notice one another
"Xion was just as confused as Roxas was "Wh...what are you doing here? The Heartless I was fighting; it was you?" Xion coming to that conclusion as the two friends were trying to get over the fact that one of them almost killed the other.
"This mission was a setup." Axel said, getting both the attentions of Roxas and Xion
"What?" said Roxas, "It was rigged so you two would battle each other." Axel further said
Roxas trying to believe what Axel just said "Me and Xion? But..."
"They would do that?" Xion then questioned Axel, but there was no need for it, Xion had a pretty good idea as to why.
Later, they eat ice cream on the clock tower as they were trying to forget this...set up by the Organization.
"Brain freeze, ha-ha." Xion said as she bit into her ice cream really fast
"Been a while since we all hung out like this, huh?" Roxas pointed out to Xion and Axel
"Well, we have had our share of drama. Hey, I just remembered; did you guys know you should be checking your ice cream sticks?" Axel then said, Xion focusing on Axel "Really? For what?" Xion asked him, "Once you finish your ice cream bar, check the stick. It might say WINNER." Axel explained
Roxas listening to Axel talk "Hey, wait a second..." it reminded Roxas of the stick he found when Axel first went away but held giving it to him, since he wanted to give Xion one as well "Oh yeah!" Roxas then said out loud
Axel and Xion turned to look at Roxas " 'Oh yeah' what?" the red-head asked the small spiky haired blonde. "Uhh...n-nothing. So what do you win?" Roxas then said to change the topic
"Heh beats me." Axel said with no real care; Roxas then letting out a laugh "Ha-ha, you don't know, do you?"
"It's got to be something good, if you're a WINNER!" Axel then said to Roxas
"Right." Roxas said in a sarcastic tone of voice.
Xion letting out a laugh of her own "Heh-Heh... Wow. The sun sure is beautiful. I know we've seen a lot of sunsets, but today's puts them all to shame. If only things stayed like this." Xion said,
Axel says nothing
"What if we all ran off?" suggested Roxas,
Xion wide eyed, "What?" she says
"The three of us. Then we could always be together." Roxas then said.
"We don't have any place to run too." Xion pointed out to Roxas as she lightly gave his head a 'bop'
Axel still says nothing, "I know. Heh, I was just thinking out loud." Roxas then said
Axel breaking his own silence "Well, even if things change, we'll never be apart..." Axel was then cut off by Xion "As long as we remember each other...right? Don't worry, Axel, we got your hokey speech memorized." Xion said with a wide smile on her lips.
Axel then smirks at her "Just checking." He says
Xion then going back to the sunset "I'll have these moments memorized for a long time. Forever, I hope." She then says.
Roxas couldn't agree more with Xion "Me too. Forever..." however Axel returned to his silence.
"Naminé stands in the Pod Room, "Sora..." She saying his name out of concern.
DiZ walks over, "It appears we've come to a standstill."
"Yes" Naminé speaking softly
DiZ then turning to Riku and Aqua "This has gone on long enough. Riku...Aqua, I think you know what needs to be done." Spoke the older man
"Right."
Diary Entry: Day 352,
Me and Xion and Axel had ice cream. The sunset was beautiful. I don't have to write anything else down, because I'll never forget this day.
-Roxas
Secret Report,
Riku gave me this time. Axel told me to spend it thinking for myself. The Organization is determined to erase either me or Roxas. They'll never allow us to coexist. I love Roxas and Axel. I'm sure Saïx would scoff at that. Call it a trick of my artificial memories. But the time I spent on that clock tower was real. I wish the three of us could stay together, just like this, forever. But I have to end this. I'll never forget today's sunset. Even if Roxas and Axel do, I won't forget.
-Xion
Day 353,
Axel walks through Twilight's View, "You've meddled again." Entered Saïx's voice; Axel could only look at his former friend "Sorry, did you say something?" spoke Number Eight.
"We don't need them both. Just one. And pretending won't change it." said Saïx, Axel looks away from the other man; Saïx walking past him "Think about that."
Roxas enters The Grey Area and sees Axel, Xion, Xigbar, and Saïx in conversation. Xion's hood is covering her face once again
"Now here's an unlikely trio. Me, Xigbar, and Xion?" commented Axel
"Worried I'll slow you down?"said Xigbar
"'Course not. Everyone's so touchy, touchy... It's just not every day we get to go for a stroll with number II himself. Ain't that right, Xion?" Axel said in his demeanor
Xion nodding her head "Yeah."
"Hey, you three are teamed up for the day?" asked Roxas as he headed over to them
"You have your own mission, Roxas." Stated with Saïx, "I can't trade with Xigbar or something?" pleaded Roxas
Saïx sighed in annoyance "What an extraordinarily childish notion. Do you need Axel to walk you everywhere now?"
Roxas glared "No...I didn't...Never mind."
Xigbar, Axel, and Xion take this moment to leave "They can handle their mission. You hurry up and see to your own. Today's mission requires that you go solo."
Roxas disembarks for Twilight Town to eliminate multiple giant Heartless.
Meanwhile, Xigbar, Axel, and Xion are in Wonderland,
"Oh my god, why didn't I see it before, it's was a clear as day" Ventus said to himself as he took a long look at Xigbar and then it all came back to the wayward wind wielder. Ven wasn't controlling himself as got angry from the mere memory of Braig, now known as Xigbar.
Ventus taking temporary control over Xion and lunged at the one-eyed man; Xigbar knocking away an attack, "Ha-ha! Talk about a blast from the past." He said as he saw the appearance that Xion took on. It was Ventus.
Ventus and Xion is poised and ready to fight, Keyblade out
"Cut it out, Xion!" Axel said as he stood on the side lines
Xigbar summons his arrow guns "Of all the faces... Why do I look at her and see yours?"
Axel heard Xigbar say this, and for a split moment Axel looked to Xion and saw someone that appeared similar to Roxas but he wasn't wearing the organization coat. Axel then having a mental image of a boy in Radiant Garden, who had beaten in a game while using a wooden...keyblade, "Ventus?" Axel's mind then asked but the image of the boy changed to Xion in Axel's eyes.
"Do you always have to stare at me like I just drowned your goldfish?" Xigbar then said to Ventus-Xion
"Shut up!" Said Ven-Xion.
Axel watches. Xion stamps a foot on the ground, becoming invisible. Xigbar looks around furiously but is hit by Xion's swift left side appearance. Xigbar falls to the ground, and Xion dispels her Keyblade and opens a corridor
"Axel, I'm sorry." She says to him
"Have you flipped your freaking lid?" Axel screamed at her; Xion shaking her head "Please...let me go. I have to do this, or else...Axel look." She removes her hood and Axel gasps "What the..." Axel was too over come with shock of what he'd just seen.
She puts the hood back on, "Please, Axel. You have to take care of Roxas."
"But how are you...gonna..." "Please!" She screams, He thinks for a moment and then nods toward the corridor. "Thank you." She runs into the corridor of darkness and it closes behind her.
Axel looks at Xigbar lying on the ground and sighs.
In The Grey Area, Saïx is speaking with Axel and Xigbar; while Xigbar was rubbing the side of his aching head.
"Explain yourself, Axel." demanded Saïx, "I didn't let her go. The old man needs to get his eye checked." Axel making sure he wasn't going down in this alone, "Anyway, she wasn't taking no for an answer." Axel then added.
Xigbar gave a sneering look to the red-head "I'll give him that. Can't toss the blame around when I couldn't stop her either." Xigbar then said.
Roxas walks in, "And now we're left with the one we can't use..." said an majorly pissed off Saïx as he then left the room, to take his anger out on the lesser nobodies before he'd deliver this news to Xemnas.
"What was that all about? Where's Xion?" enquired Roxas as he noticed only Xigbar and Axel
Xigbar looking at the boy with a glare seeing how the boy was dead ringer for Ventus "She flew the coop. Flamsilocks here couldn't trouble himself to clip her wings." Axel says nothing
Roxas turns to face his friend "Axel, he's kidding, right?" Axel remains silent
"As if. Your friend sat there sucking his thumb while Xion walked right off. ...I'm going back to my room." Xigbar leaves.
Roxas walks closer to Axel, "What happened out there?"
"Look, nothing" said Axel. Roxas gave Axel an expression of disbelief "Xion's gone! How is that nothing?" retorted Roxas, "It's just like Xigbar said. I couldn't stop her from going" Replied Axel
"Don't give me that! Why not?" Roxas was demanding by this point
Axel crossing his arms "Roxas... Xion is like a mirror that reflects you."
"What?"
"The Organization made her to duplicate your powers. She's a puppet."
"Have you gone nuts? Xion's a person, not a puppet."
"She's smoke and mirrors, Roxas. And when I looked in the mirror... It wasn't you I saw."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but Xion is Xion. You can't expect her to be me."
"That's not what I mean, Roxas. It was only a matter of time before somebody had to break the mirror" "You mean destroy her."Roxas figured out, Axel looks away "Answer me!" Roxas then yelled
"Roxas, if somebody doesn't, you'll... You won't be you anymore." Axel kept trying to explain to Roxas but the boy wouldn't calm down to even listen to him completely. "I'll always be me! Your best friend; just like Xion!" Axel shaking his head, "Roxas, you're...you're not seeing the bigger picture. Any of it."
Roxas whom was growing more than just upset with his friend "Ugh, forget this." He then tells the red-head.
Roxas starts to leave, "Roxas!" Axel calls out to him. He then starts to run away from the area. "Why can't you understand?" Axel then said as he was left alone.
Xion arrives on the Bridge of Beast's Castle and sees only Riku
"Riku!" Xion cried out to him, "Did you find the right answer?" Riku then asked Xion.
Xion nodding her head "Yeah. I did. I'm on the verge of losing everything I ever cared about but I can't let that happen." Xion then says to Riku "Tell me what I need to do." Xion added. Riku nodded his head "Go to Twilight Town, head into the woods, where you'll find a abandoned looking mansion, Aqua will be there meet you and she'll take you to see a girl there by the name of Naminé." Riku giving Xion her instructions.
"Naminé? What's she like?"
"You'll find out. I don't think you'll have much trouble tracking the mansion down." Riku then says
Xion nodded, she knew where the mansion was, she recalled that area, it was when Xion had lost her keyblade and Roxas and Axel had shown up to save her from the heartless. "All right. Thanks, Riku. Good-bye..." She enters the corridor.
Diary Entry: Day 353
Axel let Xion leave the Organization. Like he wanted her to go. She's a puppet? A mirror that reflects me? He's talking nonsense. I can't trust him anymore.
-Roxas
Secret Report,
I couldn't tell Xion she was wrong, and I can't bring myself to end her but it's either that, or I have to erase Roxas. There's no future where the three of us can sit around and eat ice cream. I know Roxas will never understand. I don't want to acknowledge it myself.
-Axel
Day 354,
Xemnas assembles the remaining Organization members in the Round Room
"Xion has vanished again" Xemnas informing the seated nobodies.
"Do we know where she is?" enquired Xaldin, Xemnas looking at Number Three, ""It," not "she." Xion is just a Replica...a puppet." Xemnas now revealing the truth of Xion's lack of identity.
"Puppet? Someone made her?" Luxord, now speaking up. "Puppets generally don't make themselves." Retorted Saïx
"The Replica Program was one of our little pet projects." Xigbar then began speaking up.
"Replica whatza?" mumbled Demyx
"Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us about this "pet project."" Said Xaldin, though the man was insulted at not being involved in this project despite being an original Organization member and followed Xemnas back when he was Xehanort, the apprentice of Ansem the wise.
"The goal was to duplicate the Keyblade wielder's memories, and through them, his powers thus making them our own. Vexen oversaw the project at Castle Oblivion. However, our efforts were severely derailed by his unexpected demise. And this particular Replica; the one we called Xion, came to form an identity of her own." Xemnas finally explaining further
"That caught us off guard. If anything like that happened before, no one at Castle Oblivion ever reported it." Saïx then told everyone in the round room, "Did they Axel?" he then asked Number Eight.
Axel remains silent as he glares at Saïx, knowing that Saïx had just put him on Xemnas's chopping block.
"Fortunately, the puppet has no means of dashing our plans now, even if she has learned to pull her own strings. Still, she knows our secrets. We need to shorten her leash... And perhaps tighten it." spoke Xemnas
Roxas, now looking up to his superior "You don't mean..." he tried to say
"Axel" Xemnas calling out Number Eight. Axel looks toward Xemnas "Seeing as how she escaped on your watch, the obligation is on you to capture her and return her here. I am willing to overlook and nicks and scratches. Just ensure she still functions on arrival." Xemnas giving his order to the red-head.
Xaldin shaking his head, "Why you would allow a deserter back under our roof... She should be eradicated!" argued Xaldin""Deserter" is hardly the term for a broken specimen who wandered out from under the microscope." Saïx said to the dark haired man.
"Axel, you have your orders. Dismissed." Xemnas vacates his chair
"Bring her back? It's shear madness..." Xaldin leaves
"All this time, I've been talking to a puppet... Intense." Demyx leaves
"So now we just sweep it all up? Heh... As if." Xigbar leaves
"If only the whispers at the top of the ladder carried to the bottom rung..." Luxord leaves
"Axel." Saïx calls out to the fire elemental nobody. Axel looks up, "Those orders were absolute." Axel silently leaves
"Still here, Roxas? Proceed with your mission." Saïx orders the boy. Roxas shaking his head, "Xion is one of us." He says aloud to Saïx, "A puppet, one of us? Don't be absurd. Count the seats. When have we ever been more than thirteen?" Saïx replies, he then exits leaving Roxas alone in the round room.
Later, in The Grey Area, Axel opens a corridor. Roxas runs in
"Axel!" Roxas walks over to him "I don't think Xion's safe here anymore. You're not really gonna do what Xemnas says?" Roxas begging Axel
Axel looking to the boy "I have to, or else I'm not safe here either."Axel tells Number thirteen "Well...could you at least try not to hurt her this time?" Roxas still trying to plead with Axel "That's up to her. Roxas... Xion is dangerous, when she wants to be" said Axel.
Roxas looked curious at the statement just made "Dangerous how?"
"Have you got all your strength back?" Axel asked hoping to change the topic, talking about it, still wouldn't make it any easier. "Not yet" answered Roxas, "How long have you known about her?" the young nobody had
Axel says nothing and looks away; Roxas eyes widen "You knew all this time, and kept it from me?" Roxas raising his voice to the red-head; Axel remains silent and enters the corridor
"Today I have a special project for you." As Saïx begins to give Roxas his mission, Roxas is given a device to place in Agrabah and takes his leave.
He enters the Cave of Wonders and makes his way to the Lamp Chamber
"This is the place." He sets up the strange device in the middle of the room. It hovers with a silver glow "Wonder what this thing even does"
Heartless appear, "Heartless! They must be after the device." He takes care of them quickly, though he is out of breath.
"What am I doing? Getting worked up over some device. Like I've got any clue what the Organization even uses it for... Everything's a mystery." Roxas then started ranting "They didn't even tell me about Xion." He then said "Hmph, the biggest mystery is me; the idiot who keeps doing everything he's told." Roxas then said
He leaves the Cave and returns to the corridor entrance
"Why am I doing this? Why am I going back to the castle? There's nothing there for me. How can I keep working for them if they're gonna leave me in the dark? What am I saying... This isn't about them, or Xion. It's about me. Whatever "me" is." Roxas then said as he was venting once more, in his words.
He looks up at the stars in the night sky, "I feel like I'm the only person who doesn't know. Have I got anything left? Any place I really belong? Any friends...I still belong with?" Roxas then asking himself questions, he wouldn't know the answers too.
His eyes water and he wipes his tears, puts his hood on, and leaves Agrabah.
Meanwhile, in The Woods of Twilight Town, a hooded King meets a tall cloaked figure. The figure takes its hood off to reveal a man with long white hair and yellow eyes. The King jumps back and summons his Keyblade. They stare at each other for a few minutes, anticipating the other's next move. The man puts a blindfold on his eyes and is covered in a dark aura. His body begins to change form, grow younger, and his hair turns to silver. Surprise appears on the King's face as he stands before...
"Riku?" Mickey says in rather stunned voice, He dispels his Keyblade and walks closer, "You're Majesty." Greeted Riku
"And he isn't the only one here" as Aqua's voice came out from a group of trees, "Gosh, have I been worried about you two since we parted at Master Yensid's!" spoke Mickey, "Where've you been all this time?" Asked the King.
"Searching, for a way to conquer the darkness within me; while we wait for Sora to awaken." Answered Riku
"For a second there, you looked just like...well, you know..." stated Mickey, "Yeah, we first noticed this as well back at the Mirage Arena. Riku's been doing an amazing job in learning his self control over these darkness based abilities." Aqua told King Mickey.
"You don't have to worry. I'm getting the hang of keeping the darkness under control." Riku then telling Mickey for himself.
King Mickey then smiled at the Master and Student, "That's great to hear. But, you said that Sora hasn't woken up yet... Did something go wrong?"
Aqua being the first to speak "There's a reason the Organization has been quiet since our battle at Castle Oblivion. and it's not because we weakened their numbers. What they did to Sora back there; the point wasn't just to take his memory apart. They went out of their way to make it hard to put back together" remarked Aqua
"Gosh, I guess that explains things. It's almost like they're trying to buy some time..." observered Mickey.
"Exactly. They want Sora's memories which means Naminé isn't the only one picking up the pieces. And as long as they've got their hands on Sora's most precious memories; the ones of Kairi. I don't think Sora will recover." Aqua then said
King Mickey then nodded his head, as Aqua and Riku were giving him the abridge version of what was happening "Well, then you have to let me help! Maybe I could get the memories back!" Mickey already wanting to help.
"I've got that area covered, Your Maj...I mean, Mickey. Maybe you could do me a favor, though." Riku then said, King Mickey nodded "Sure. Just tell me what you need." Said the king.
"I have to face one of the Organization's members soon. I might not survive the fight. And if I do, it might only be because I gave in to the darkness." Riku said "That means you're the only one, aside from Master Aqua who will be there for Sora, Donald, and Goofy, the only one who can guide them when they awaken." Riku finished explaining.
"He's already made me, promise." Aqua mentions to Mickey, "Though he is very pessimistic and slightly morbid, he has greatly matured into a fine apprentice; that I am proud to have" Aqua looking at Riku, as she gave her student a small smile.
King Mickey taking what Aqua said in regard, "Don't say that, Riku. You'll survive" Mickey rubbing a hand on the back of his head. "Promise me, Mickey. You have to be there for our friends."
The King thinks about the request for a moment, "Of course, Riku. I promise."
Diary Entry: Day 354
I don't understand the Organization. I don't understand Axel... I understand myself least of all. Why do I keep coming back to the castle? Me and Xion are special, connected by "Sora." If she's a puppet, maybe I am, too. I don't know what I am.
-Roxas
Secret Report,
I wanted to see Roxas one more time, but couldn't. What would I say? Did I ever really exist? Even if not, I just hope that those times we spent watching the sun set were real. I know Naminé will tell me how to get back where I belong. I should hurry to see her.
-Xion
Day 355,
Roxas awakes in his room, "It's all just too much... Xion was part of that Replica Program. Made to copy my Keyblade... And when she left us, Axel helped her. Like he wanted her to go. If he knew, why did he wait so long to tell me? Is it because I'm the same thing? Xion and I are both special Nobodies. What if they made me, too? Xemnas said...Sora was what connects her and me. But who's Sora? And who am I to him? Axel knows. I'll bet he's been sitting on all kinds of secrets this whole time. He doesn't even have the guts to tell me the truth about me..."
Roxas walks into The Grey Area to confront Axel, who is leaning against the window with his arms folded
"Axel."
"Hey, Roxas." They stand silent for a moment
"You find Xion?"
"Like it's gonna be that easy"
"I know..." Axel says nothing
"Have you been keeping the truth about her from me this whole time?" Roxas then blurted out the question,
" ...Not the whole time." Axel answered honestly
Roxas moving on to his question "When did you find out?"
"Oh, I don't know. Somewhere along the way" he answered, "probably around the time Xion found out for herself, maybe a bit before that" he added
"Didn't get it memorized, huh?" Roxas said with a mocking tone
"Axel... Who am I, really?" Axel says nothing "I'm special, like Xion. I know that." Axel remains silent "But the Organization wanted me out of the picture."
"Yeah... They did."
"Is it because Xion copied by Keyblade and they didn't need me anymore?" Axel continues to say nothing.
"And you feel the same way." Roxas then asked "No, you've got that part wrong. You'll always be my best friend" Answered Axel "Best friends are honest with each other! Who am I, Axel?" Roxas snapped at Axel
Axel looks away, "Xemnas said me and Xion are connected to Sora. Who is that? Tell me! Am I a puppet like Xion?"
"No..."
"What, then?" Axel looking at his friend "You really think the truth is going to make you feel better? It won't." he tells Roxas, "Look, at what the truth has done to Xion" Axel then added
"What makes you so sure? I have a right to know who I am! How did I get here? Why am I special? Where did I learn to use the Keyblade? I deserve those answers!"
"Roxas..."
Roxas sighing "Are you gonna tell me or not? Axel... Who am I?" He demanded from Axel but he still wasn't coughing up the one thing he needed.
"You've just got to trust me, Roxas." Roxas then turning his back to Axel "I don't." he said to the red head.
"Hey, c'mon..." Roxas cutting him off "If I can't get answers here, I'll get them somewhere else. Somebody knows where I came from. That'll be the person I trust." Roxas told Axel
He walks back to his bedroom and looks at the winning Popsicle stick, "I tried, but...there's nothing left for me here. The answers are out there." He leaves his bedroom.
Roxas finally making his way to makes his way down through the Castle That Never Was until he is intercepted by Saïx."We don't accept resignations." Spoke the blue haired man as he wore a sadistic smile on his face
"I've got nothing to say to you." Roxas tells number Seven. "Then let's keep this short and sweet" He summons his Claymore while Roxas summons the keyblade
Saïx starts the fight by roaring and entering berserk mode and making a quick lunge for Roxas but the younger nobody dodged the attack as the boy jumped backwards and landing on a platform. Saïx lunging towards the boy once more but Roxas quickly doing a dodge roll off the platform as he once more avoided an attack with the claymore
The roll had given Roxas an advantage as he found an opening and starting to strike his blade into Saïx's body, getting in a three-swing combo on older nobody. Roxas stuck to this plan of his while Saïx would use shockwaves against the boy; some hits connecting and some not.
It was a long but rough battle but somehow Roxas managed to overcome the powerhouse that was Saïx was known for especially when he went into berserk mode but once Saïx falls to his knees, "Nngh... How much longer..." Roxas dispels his Keyblade and walks past him, "Kingdom...Hearts... Will your strength never be mine?"
Roxas leaves the Castle and walks through the neon-lit streets of the Dark City, passing Axel, who is leaning against a building
"Your mind's made up?" asked Axel, Roxas stops as he looks to "Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know." Was Roxas's answer
"You can't turn on the Organization! You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you!"
"No one would miss me." He walks away
"That's not true... I would."
Diary Entry: Day 355
I have to know who I am...I am DONE WITH THIS
-Roxas
Secret Report
The gears of Xemnas' plans have begun to spin wild since the loss of half our membership at Castle Oblivion. The results are there, but can this state of affairs fairly be called a success? If Kingdom Hearts can be said to possess a mind of its own, it is surely rejecting Xemnas; no, rejecting Xehanort. Roxas left the Organization today.
-Xigbar
Day 356,
Aqua having sent Riku off to find Roxas; she said to her pupil, "if possible try to talk him into coming, if not then do you feel you have to do." But she had Mickey watching over Riku just in case of anything; she most certainly trusted Riku, it was more of worriment if Riku gets attacked by another other members of the organization.
Aqua let out a small chuckle at herself, "I guess you were right after all Ven, maybe I'm more motherly then I ever actually noticed" she thought to herself with a tiny smirk on her face but that was when the voice of her Master had begun to join in her private thought.
"Should you even be surprised by those paternal instincts Aqua? You've watched these boys grow up around you as you taught them; it would be hard not to mistake as their second mother" Eraqus said to his former student. "I too have felt that instinct, when It came to Terra, I'd known him since he came into existence, his mother was an old friend of my mine, who left him into my care and then I had had the good fortune of meeting a bright young girl with blue hair" Eraqus added, "and I have had a great joy not only teaching you and Terra but as well as raising you two as if you were my own; I only wish I had that kind of time with Ventus then perhaps his fate could have been spared" finished Eraqus
Aqua nodding her head as she remembered her childhood "Well Master Eraqus, I believe you raised to be the perfect and ideal pupil while Terra was the one who was more of a son to you but let's get one thing straightened out, Terra and I were more like parents to Ven, in fact I remember being on Radiant Garden and Ventus handing us these passes to Disney Town and saying he need to bring his parents with him." Aqua said to her master. She then could hear Master Eraqus laughing, "Since that's the case, then Ventus was more like a grandchild" the master joked which was a rare event to even occur
But still it put a smile on Aqua's face, despite it all.
The curtains in the White Room gently sway as two young girls sit at a long white table while they are being over looked by the keyblade master, herself as she wrote in journal. The girl in black removes her hood
Naminé smiles at the girl "Nice to meet you...Xion."
"Naminé, you can see my face?" Xion asking the girl across the table; Naminé nodding her head as she spoke "Yes"
"What do you think I should do?" "What do you want to do, Xion?"
Xion looks over at the sketch of her, Roxas, and Axel hanging on the wall "I thought I knew at first. I wanted me and Roxas and Axel to be together forever. But then I started to realize these memories don't belong to me." Xion told the girl
While as Aqua was writing everything she can about Xion, alright so their plan to influence Roxas to coming to them had been shot down, due to complications but with the situation being as delicate as it was, Aqua wonder, should she have been surprised at all by this outcome.
"That's because you're Kairi. At least, the Kairi Sora remembers." Spoke Naminé
"The more I remember, the more I feel like I'm in the wrong place...like...Like I need to go back."
"Back to Sora?" answered Naminé, Xion nodding her head sadly.
Naminé letting out a sigh, "If you return your memories to him, you'll disappear and since everything about you was built on those memories...no one will remember you when you're gone; there won't be any "you" to remember. I can't save you, Xion; even a memory of you." Explained the female nobody.
Xion taking in a deep breath "I know. I'm ready. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. Roxas belongs with Sora, too. But...I don't think he would understand. Not yet." Xion then said as she looked over to Aqua.
"He can't feel Sora. But he will." Naminé said to the girl. "Naminé, will you watch over Roxas once I'm gone? You won't be alone. I asked somebody else to look after him, too. It's just...there isn't anything else I can do for him." Xion said as she was getting upset.
Naminé, nodding her head "All right, I promise Xion"
"Thank you..."
Aqua watched Xion, the keyblade master knew what the girl was planning to do and Aqua was certainly impressed with how brave Xion was being, if there was another way for Xion and Roxas to co-exist with Sora, she'd do it in a heartbeat.
Aqua couldn't help but notice just how alike Xion was with Sora in their personality and yet it reminded Aqua of her own younger self. "I'm sorry, to see you go Xion; I certainly would have loved to have taken you on as an apprentice" Thought Aqua as she just finished writing into the magically enlarged journal of Jiminy Cricket; Aqua whom had just finished writing a large passage about Xion. Even including her sketch of Xion as the girl, she should have been.
Naminé smiling towards the girl "If you're ready, let's go see Sora."
DiZ enters the room by way of the dark corridor; Aqua stood attention at the man who barged in
"Naminé, they've found us! They are on their way! That blasted puppet led them right to our doorstep!" DiZ accusing Xion "See what you get for trusting it?"
"Don't dare blame her or Naminé!" Aqua then yelled to the man; defending Xion, "Xion has been out of the organization's reach for last couple of days. This isn't Xion's fault; something big must have occurred at their world for them to even take an action. If they truly wanted her, they could have searched for her non-stop" spoke Aqua
"Roxas" was the first thought that came to mind, "I'll get rid of them!" Xion then told everyone as ran out the door. Naminé standing up, "No! Xion"
Xion leaves The Old mansion while as Aqua tried to follow her but was stopped as lesser nobodies began to fill in the main room of the mansion, summoning her master's keyblade.
"They couldn't have known that we'd been here, not after all this time" thought Aqua but then coming to a horrifying thought "They didn't know where'd she be…which means, this creatures could have been sent anywhere" realized Aqua as she fought off the silver creatures.
Xion now in front of the mansion's gate as she searching for the intruder; Axel enters through the corridor.
Axel walking away from the corridor "Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?" He stops once he sees Xion, "Axel..." saying his name in soft but firm voice
"Xion, what are you gonna do?" Axel then asking her the big question of her life; Xion's eyes were sad but she stood her ground "I've decided that I have to go back to where I belong." She answered, her tone never faltering.
"Well, to be honest, I always felt that was best, right from the very beginning. But you know, it still really bugs me. Something about this just stinks." He clenches his fist in anger
Xion looking down to the grass for a split moment "It's for the good of everyone." she then said as she looked up at Axel
Axel giving her a hard look "But how do you know that? Everybody thinks they're right..." Axel then tearing his eyes away from her
"This is right." Xion telling her friend
Axel then snapping at her "They're gonna destroy you!" he yells at her; She summons her Keyblade and Axel gasps "Please don't hold back, Axel. Promise."
Axel struggling hard "What's your problem?" he yell at her again; Axel's voice growing harsh "You both...think you can do whatever you want. Well, I'm sick of it. Go on, you just keep running. But I'll always be there to bring you back!" he shouted at her
He summons his chakrams and they fight a heavy battle as powerful as Xion had gotten, she still didn't have the experience to take on Axel.
"Xion" Aqua screaming for the girl as she made her way outside but only in time to see Xion fall into Axel's arms and then them disappearing into the dark corridor. "Damn it!" Aqua then shouted as she kicked the brick wall out of anger.
Later, Axel carries her back to the castle on his last legs, "Man... Why you always gotta...cause me...trouble..." Axel muttered as his body was preparing on giving out, Axel didn't realize how much Xion actually injured him and made him weary.
He struggles to walk and falls to his knees, dropping Xion. They both lay unconscious at Nothing's Call.
Xemnas arrives and picks up Xion as one would hold a cloth puppet.
Secret Report,
Our plans never accounted for the possibility of both Xion and Roxas leaving. How did this come to pass? When did Roxas grow strong enough to outmuscle me? What were you really after, Lea? We joined the Organization at the same time, and formulated our plan. At this point, it's just an idle fantasy. Everything changed. You, and me.
-Saïx
Day 357,
"The clock tower... I wonder if anybody's up there. I guess I could go take a look..." Roxas said to himself.
He climbs makes his way to the top and sits alone, thinking; Roxas chuckling weakly "Where did I think I could go? What a joke." He buries his head in his arms.
A hooded Xion enters and sits next to him
"Xion!" Roxas being surprised by her presence; She hands him an ice cream bar and he smiles softly, "Thank you." He tells her. They sit quietly and watch the sunset.
Xion taking once last glance at her best friend "Roxas...I'm out of time." Breaking the peaceful silence between them.
She stands up and takes her hood off. Roxas's eyes widen and his jaw drops, "Even if I'm not ready...I have to make this choice. You have poured so many memories into me...given me so much...that I feel like I'm about to overflow. Look at me, Roxas. Who do you see? If you see somebody else's face...a boy's face...then that means I'm almost ready. This puppet will have to play her part. Roxas... This is him. It's Sora." Xion said to Roxas.
Roxas is speechless. Xion walks off into the air, remaining suspended. She puts her hood back on and faces him. He stands up, "You're next, Roxas. I have to make you a part of me, too." She holds out her hand and dark tendrils move around her. "Don't you see? This is why I was created."
The dark tendrils and smoke envelop her and she becomes an armored being. She shoots out a hand and causes the world to go black. Roxas covers his face until it clears. He opens his eyes and notices he's standing on the floor of Bizarre Room in Wonderland. He looks around and sees an Organization device hovering on the table above. Xion's armored form rises from behind the device, becoming wrapped in its silver glow. There is a flash and her power increases
"Now you'll see!"
Roxas fights her and she reverts to her first form. She holds up her hand the world goes black again. Roxas finds himself at the Manor Ruins in Halloween Town, where another device is located. Xion glows silver again and her weapon changes shape. Roxas fights her again and her strange weapon is destroyed. She punches the ground and the world goes black a third time. Roxas stands in the Lamp Chamber of Agrabah, where the device he had placed; grants Xion four sabers. Roxas fights this third form and she loses her swords. Darkness surrounds her and she floats in the air, sending out a wave of blackness throughout the room. Roxas runs through the darkness to a figure of Xion in her unarmored form. As he reaches her, the darkness pulls away and he stands in midair at the Clock Tower in Twilight Town.
He can see the ground far below him, yet he does not fall through the lattice barrier. He turns around to see a large form of armored Xion ready for battle
"Is that all you've got? Stop holding back! Get ready, Roxas!"
He engages her. After a painful and heavy battle,
Xion falls to her knees, the darkness wrapping around her. Something snaps in Roxas's mind, he falls forward. The barrier weakens and shatters like glass, spilling both Xion and Roxas to the ground. Xion has returned to her original form. Roxas holds his head while walking toward her. She remains on her knees
"Who are you...again? It's weird. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important." Muttered Roxas as he held on to the side of his head.
"You'll be...better off now...Roxas." Xion manages to say, She falls over and Roxas catches her in his arms. She starts to splinter, small shards of memory float out of her body.
"Am I...the one who did this to you?"
"No... It was my choice...to go away now. Better that, than to do nothing...and let Xemnas have his way. I belong with Sora. And now, I am going back...to be with him. Roxas..."
She places her hand on his, "I need you...to do me a favor. All those hearts that I've captured... Kingdom Hearts... Set them free."
Roxas was confused "Kingdom Hearts... Free them?" Xion's legs start to become crystalline. Roxas gasps.
"It's too late...for me to undo my mistakes. But you can't let Xemnas...have Kingdom Hearts. You can't. Good-bye, Roxas. See you again. I'm glad...I got to meet you. Oh...and of course, Axel, too. You're both my best friends.
She places a hand on Roxas's cheek, "Never forget. That's the truth." Roxas continues to hold her as her eyes close. She drops her hand, but he catches it, scattering more memories.
Roxas pleading, "No! Xion... Who else will I have ice cream with?"The crystal envelops her entire body. She is bathed in warm light until all that remains is a seashell. Roxas touches it and remembers her smiling face as they sat on the clock tower together.
"Xion." Tears fall from his eyes.
Unknown to Roxas, he wasn't the only one crying at the loss of Xion, Aqua keeping herself distanced from Roxas; ever since she saw Axel take Xion. The keyblade master had been searching for Xion all of that day and night, when she returned to Twilight Town, she was too late to save Xion from this brash choice of hers.
Xion had started the battle with a barrier that Aqua couldn't break, the bluenette watched as Xion had thrown the fight to give Roxas back everything that was rightfully his and now she watched Xion die in his arms, only to become a hidden memory to him.
"Aqua, we're fine" she heard Ven's voice.
Meanwhile, Axel lay in his bed, "How did this happen?" he asked himself. He sits up and sees an envelope on his windowsill. He opens it and takes out the winning Popsicle stick. He stands there, unmoving.
Presently, Xemnas and Saïx appear in the Round Room
"Xion is no more."
"It is probably for the best. Get me back my Keyblade wielder. Fetch me Roxas." Saïx nods and leaves his chair
Diary Entry: Day 357
I'm going to set Kingdom Hearts free and find my way to Sora. I'm going to get Xion back. The three of us will have ice cream together again...I know it.
-Roxas
Secret Report,
Roxas left. It's so like him to just leave that WINNER ice cream stick behind. Come tomorrow, I'll probably get the order to hunt him down, but leaving that here makes it feel so permanent. I wish the three of us..three? No. That the two of us could share some ice cream again someday. That's what it is to be friends.
-Axel
Day 358,
Aqua stood atop one of the buildings as she watched over Roxas; while she had Riku waiting into position at Memory Skyscraper. Aqua still feeling horrible about what happened Xion as much as she could as she remembered of the girl.
Aqua was beginning to feel like, she'd lost this battle because in the end; they haven't really stopped the organization only delay them; considering they had their own made kingdom hearts."Soon you'll understand" was what he said to her back at Castle Oblivion and even now, learning what she's learned; Aqua doesn't understand what he's pulling with her but the keyblade master knew, he had to be stopped, no matter what. "How many times have I've told myself this" Aqua muttered miserably to herself.
Aqua felt her eyes sting with water, "Terra, how could you do all this?" she said in hushed whisper as she crossed her arms over her stomach. She felt like she'd been punched in her gut the more she'd give into the thoughts of the horrid acts he's committed.
Aqua's silent tears fell freely down her face, not even bothering to wide them but that was when the gloved hand was nearing her face; Aqua using her quick reflex to grab the hand that was an inch away from her face. Aqua turned her face to see him, standing next to her, "Tell me" Xemnas started to speak, "how is it possible for a being of my condition become so drawn into you" he asked her.
Aqua ignoring his question "You don't get to touch me; never in that way" Aqua said. Xemnas smirked at the keyblade Master, "Are you really that upset over a puppet?" he then said, Aqua's eyes flaring with anger as she yanked the hand she was still holding captive; pulling his arms towards her as Aqua then sent the elbow of her other arm into Xemnas's face though making a connecting hit.
Xemnas had angled the arm she had in her grasp and wrapped his hand around her wrist; making her lose her grip while Xemnas then twisting her in another direction, Aqua keeping her mouth shut as she felt the pain in her twisted arm but the keyblade master wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of her screaming; Aqua then with some fast thinking, raising her right leg and kicking Xemnas in the face causing the nobody to let her go.
Now having creating distance between the two; Aqua summons the keyblade but Xemnas opened a dark corridor, "We'll finish this another time" he said while entering the portal; the corridor closed at fast pace. Aqua tightening her grip on the keyblade.
A hooded Roxas walks through the Dark City streets. His destination: The Castle That Never Was. He takes out his two Keyblades.
A horde of Neoshadow's appear and he holds the blades up in a cross-shape, they become the Oathkeeper and Oblivion. He strikes down the Heartless effortlessly and runs to Memory's Skyscraper. It begins to rain. Neoshadow's emerge from the ground where he walks. The neon lights of the city buzzing in his ears, the rain sizzling off their hot cores. He takes out the Oathkeeper and Oblivion, spins them, and strikes them together as if challenging the Heartless to attack.
The Neoshadow's fall to the deadly blades. The Heartless continue to appear. Roxas stands at the base of the skyscraper and looks up. Riku stands atop the building, over the large flickering video screen. Roxas jumps to the side of the building and runs up the length of it, striking down more Neoshadow's as they follow him upward relentlessly. Roxas tosses the Oblivion upward as Riku dives down to catch it. As he does, he gasps from the flood of memories of Xion pouring into his mind. Flashes of a wounded Xion on a Bridge, and in his arms on an Island. Riku and Roxas pass each other over the large video screen. Roxas reaches the top of the skyscraper and looks down at the ground. More Heartless emerge around Riku, who clutches his head. A Neoshadow lunges for him, but he strikes it down. Roxas jumps from the top of the building and the two of them attack the Heartless without a sound. The darkness is dispelled and Riku's memories of Xion flicker. They turn toward each other and jump backwards.
"Who are you?" demanded Roxas
"What does it matter? I'm here for you." Replied Riku
"Why are you trying to stop me?" Roxas then asked
"Because I want back the rest of Sora's memories."
Roxas now glaring at Riku "Sora, Sora, Sora! Enough about Sora!" he snapped at the silver haired teen.
"Do you even have some kind of plan?" Riku then asked Roxas "I'm going to set Kingdom Hearts free! Then everything can go back to the way it was! Me, and Axel, and...and her can go on having ice cream together."
Riku looking at the Oblivion, "Her? You mean Xion? It's a struggle just to remember the name now, isn't it? Either way, I can't let you go doing anything crazy." Riku warned Roxas
"I have to find this Sora person, and freeing Kingdom Hearts is the only way! I want Xion back. I want my life back!" Roxas yelled
Riku crossing his arms "If you try and make contact with Kingdom Hearts, the last thing you'll get is your life back. The Organization will destroy you." Riku pointed out. "Shut up!" Roxas then shouted,
Roxas attacks Riku. After a powerful and emotional battle, Roxas stands over Riku, who is sitting on the ground. Memories of Roxas, Axel, and Xion having ice cream fill Roxas's head
Riku looking up at Roxas "Why! Why do you have the Keyblade?" he asked Roxas; Roxas looks at the Oathkeeper, but shakes it off. "Shut up!"
Roxas once again attacks Riku, but Riku knocks him away, the Keyblade tossed from his hand. Riku walks up to the body of Roxas and slams his Keyblade into the ground. He stands there for a moment. He gasps as Roxas struggles to get up, using the Oblivion for support. He stands and pulls it out of the ground, running at Riku, who shoots a Dark Firaga spell at him.
Roxas blasts through the spell and lunges at Riku, who jumps away.
"Why don't you quit?" Roxas then said as he pointed a keyblade out to Riku
Riku then getting an idea "Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that." Riku purposely teased Roxas
Roxas giving Riku an expression only Sora could make, "Huh? Get real! Look which one of us is winning." Roxas said in a voice that Cleary wasn't his own. Roxas is surprised at this outburst.
Riku then nodded "So it's true. You really are his Nobody. Guess DiZ was right after all." Noted the silver haired teen
"What are you talking about? I am me! Nobody else!" Roxas summons both Keyblades and runs to strike him again. Riku dodges the first attack, but misses to block the second one and gets hit in the arm. He hears a voice, "Riku, please! You have to stop him!" Xion calling out to Riku.
Roxas growing frustrated "How many times do I have to beat you?"
Riku struggles to stand, holding his arm weakly "All right. You've left me with no other choice."
Roxas narrowing his eyes at the other boy,"What?"
"I have to release the power in my heart" He stands and takes off his blindfold, letting it fall to the ground, "The dark power that I've been holding back. Even...if it changes me forever." He lets out a scream as pillars of dark energy surrounds him. Roxas readies his Keyblades once again. The energy clears to reveal the body of a white-haired man and his Guardian counterpart, hovering in the air.
Riku teleports in front of Roxas and the Guardian grabs him by the torso and arms, forcing him to drop his Keyblades. They clatter to the ground and vanish. "I have accepted it." Riku said to the now out cold Roxas.
Riku stands over Roxas's body. Then Roxas's memories of Xion begin to fade, as if in a dream, until only Roxas and Axel sit upon the clock tower.
DiZ enters through a corridor of darkness and Riku puts his hood up, while as Aqua comes done from her temporary watching post; she went into shock at the sight of her pupil. "Riku, are you alright?" she asked.
"I'll be fine...just after some adjusting to this" said Riku. "and there's something else, Aqua,...he could feel Sora." added the newly transformed teen.
"Oh, he told you how he "felt," did he?" DiZ speaking in a mocking tone. "Ridiculous. A Nobody cannot feel anything." He then added. Aqua giving DiZ a one look over, "Yeah-yeah, that's what you keep saying but Naminé, Xion and Roxas are pretty much keep proving you wrong" Aqua said to him, it wouldn't be long now till that Aqua's own memories of Xion were gone
"If he had met Sora, things might have been different." Riku then said as he looked at his master.
"Roxas, don't be sad. I came from you and Sora. I am you...the same way that I am Sora. You'll forget me, but the memories themselves will never go away. Memories of you and me will always be together...forever, inside him" Xion said in Roxas's subconscious mind.
As a non-corporal Xion now looking at her new found company, "I can ask you something?" she asked Ventus, "you just did" replied Ven with the same smile Roxas has. "No, seriously" said Xion,
"sure, what's the question?"
"Why do you look so much like Roxas?" Xion asked, Ven letting out a sigh, "it's a long story" he told her. Xion moving her head from left to right, "I've got the time"
"It really begins, with three keyblade apprentices; named Terra, Ven and Aqua" as Ventus begun to tell Xion the sorry of the past.
Secret Report,
With luck, we can bring Roxas back into our fold, but even if Sora should awaken, as the hero of the Keyblade, he is bound to keep unlocking hearts. If he should come to target us, we need simply subdue him and use his powers ourselves once more. I must become one with Kingdom Hearts. I will become a higher existence. All of my true ambitions begin there.
-Xemnas
Day, 359
Roxas awakes in his new bedroom in Twilight Town. He sits up "Another dream about him..." He hears the bells ring at the Clock Tower and he opens the window to watch the eternal sunset. Later, he runs through the streets of Twilight Town.
"Maybe...today we'll finally hit the beach!" He runs to The Usual Spot, "Only seven days to go, and then my summer vacation's over." Thought Roxas
The End.
Stay tuned for Kingdom Hearts 2: Rebirth