Chapter 5

He finds himself limping through a field of tall grasses, staring up at the sky for constellations. The stars almost seem to move, form things from his wildest fantasies. He searches for the moon, but sees none.

He is suddenly running through rows and rows of strange dusty swords, which are stuck in the parched earth, hilts up. He is searching for the others, sweat beading his brow, eyes watering in the desert wind. He can't seem to find them, but he has to. They need him. He needs them.

Another place, with - and - again. He is holding a bar of cold ice cream, trying to eat it before it melts all over his fingers. - elbows him, and he elbows - back. They all laugh. Good times.

The grassy field again, all alone. He looks down at his aged hands, and they seem to change before his eyes. He feels different. They look different. He runs a hand through his shorter hair and smiles, then laughs. He feels so much better. He runs through the field, diving under the grasses, popping back up again, getting his clothes all dirty. Life is good.

xxx

Xemnas awoke, looking out at Kingdom Hearts. Aqua had left while he was asleep, apparently. He touched his hair and ran his hand along it, feeling the familiar length and smoothness.

The hollow feeling in his guts hadn't gone away. He felt the need to grab the mattress to anchor himself down. He wanted someone to sit next to him, make him feel secure. But Saix was gone. So was Aqua.

He sighed deeply. He was going to the beach with Aqua. That thought filled him with substance, gave him a safe feeling. He didn't feel like laying around anymore.

Xemnas stood up and stretched his tense muscles the same way he had for nine years. He pulled on his clothes, which were piled in the corner, and shook out a fresh robe for himself. He opened the top drawer, grabbed the Paopu charm from his Memory Box, and pocketed it. He snapped open a dark corridor after closing the Memory Box and headed into it.

Roxas' expression was quite amusing when he saw Xemnas come in. "Superior, is something wrong?"

Xemnas sighed. "No. I just wanted to..." How could he explain this to the younger Nobody? "...visit, is all."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Uh...okay."

Xemnas sat down on the bed and fingered at the charm in his pocket. "About those others...the traitors...do you care that they're gone?"

"That was weeks ago," Roxas said. "Why would you ask?"

Xemnas shook his head. "I just wanted to know...if you had felt anything."

"Uh..." A lot was going on in the Key of Destiny's mind. It all clicked into place, apparently. "Nobodies don't feel anything."

"Oh." Xemnas rubbed the charm gently with his forefinger and thumb.

"Ventus?"

Xemnas felt a cold pang go through his gut. "What?"

"You said Ventus," Roxas said, "out of nowhere. You were just like 'Ventus'."

"I said that?" Xemnas felt confused. He gripped the charm in his hand. Seeing Roxas' unnerved expression, he clarified. "Sorry. I haven't been feeling myself lately. I'm probably distracting you." He stood up to leave.

"Terra." It was Roxas.

Xemnas spun around. "Yes?"

Roxas seemed surprised. "Err, Xemnas. You can stay if you like. I could use a little company while I do this." He indicated the desk in the corner, which had some paperwork on it.

"Thank you." Xemnas sat back down on the bed. "You called me Terra..."

"I know," Roxas said as he sat down at the desk.

Xemnas sighed and stroked the charm gently. The last time he had carried it was eight years ago. He listened to the sound of Roxas' pounding pencil as he wrote each word with thought and care. The pattern was so familiar. It was almost like...

"Can I see what you're writing?" Xemnas asked.

"Of course," Roxas said.

Xemnas stood up and leaned over the blonde Nobody's shoulder. His handwriting WAS familiar. Fluent, smooth, and slightly scratchy. Roxas continued writing about the progress in heart collection. Xemnas found himself leaning on the thirteenth member, watching how his hand moved as he wrote.

"Superior?"

Xemnas blinked. "Huh?"

Roxas repeated himself, "Superior, are you okay?"

"Uh, maybe." He got off of Roxas' shoulder. "It's just your handwriting."

Roxas looked embarrassed. "Sorry. It's so messy."

Xemnas shook his head. "No, no. It's not messy. It just looks familiar." He sat back down on the bed. "I kind of like it."

Roxas blushed. "Thanks, Superior."

"Call me Xemnas."

"Xemnas." Roxas went back to his work.

Xemnas flopped down onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He pulled out the charm and held it up to his chest with one hand. He felt peaceful.

Xigbar sat up and shook out his long hair. He pulled out the tie and allowed it to spill over his shoulder and face.

"What an adventure," he said to himself. Aqua? At the Castle? It'd been nine years since he last saw her, and now- she doesn't look a week over seventeen. He certainly hadn't expected her to do that falling backwards stunt on him, and then chasing him to the Passage of Creation and Ruin. And the rock? Classic. Unoriginal but effective.

He swung his legs over the edge of the platform as he thought of all these things. "Never would have thought," he said, then dropped feet-first into the tunnel.

xxx

Aqua stared out the swirling window at the heart-shaped moon. The room was silent, and she didn't like it. She ran out the portal and into the graveyard room that she had accessed it from.

There was a man there. He stood with his back to her, hands braced on his pronounced hips. He shook his fiery hair out and turned to face her.

"Lea?" Aqua asked.

Lea smiled. "Yo, Aqua. I'm not Lea anymore. I'm Axel. Got it memorized?" He tapped his forehead as he said that.

Aqua smiled. "Been a long time, hasn't it?"

Axel nodded. "C'mon, gimme a hug."

Aqua laughed and hugged the redhead. Axel hugged her back.

"What happened while I was gone?" she asked.

Axel seemed serious suddenly. "Everyone in this castle, except for you of course, is a Nobody. We all lost our hearts."

Aqua sighed. "That explains the names. But why the Xs?"

Axel shrugged. "No clue, but the boss man's really nutso about it." He let go of Aqua when she did the same.

"What's wrong with Saix?" she asked. "He kinda jumped out a window when I saw him."

"Oh, yeah," Axel said. "About Saix. It isn't such a good idea to go near him. He's kind of a...lunatic. Literally." He shrugged. "The moonlight makes him go nuts."

"That explains a lot," Aqua said. "Would it be much trouble if you showed me around?"

Axel laughed. "Of course not! C'mon." He walked down towards the lower end of the room. Aqua smiled and followed him.

Sorry about that allusion to Far Lands in the very beginning. I was starting to write that around the time I was writing this. R&R appreciated. Thank you.