Disclaimer: I don't own the creative work of Square Enix or Disney. Rated T for some reason.
Chapter 5: Old Friends
Kairi took one last look out the window. She could hear the ocean waves crash onto shore as the seagulls flew above the large island. "Are you ready?" asked a fully dressed Namine as she stood in the living room with a waiting Roxas and Xion. Namine wore a simple white sundress that wasn't too revealing with her baby blue sandals while she held a suitcase in her hands. Roxas wore a black t-shirt with blue jeans with a white and black duffle bag sling over his shoulders and had on a pair of black sneakers. Xion waited along with everyone else and was getting impatient as she overlooked herself again. She had on a black t-shirt and black short pants with sides pockets with her signature black and white sneakers as she shrugged and turned back to the others.
"Yeah." smiled Kairi while she adjusted her hot pink dress shirt that went along with her black pants and purple sneakers as Xion opened the corridor. "I'll sure miss this place."
"You can always come back." said Xion as she sling her black duffle bag on her shoulders and walked through the corridor with Roxas, Namine, and Kairi following behind her as the corridor closed.
Radiant Garden
All three girls sat in the same red sofa while Roxas sat in the easy chair as Xion was once again, helping herself to a piece of candy that was in the same bowl on the same coffee table. It was then that Ansem walked through the large oak door and took a seat while moving the bowl away from Xion. "So what do you have to report, girls?"
"We've learned that Vanitas has some kind of connection with the Unversed creatures." said Namine as Xion played with her candy wrapper while Ansem looked that her with disappointment while Roxas chuckled along with Kairi.
"From what Sora said, he plans to recreated another keyblade war with the X-blade." said Kairi when she finished laughing with Roxas as Xion threw the wrapper into the trash bin. "But in order for Vanitas to return, he needs help from someone that can control both light and darkness."
"I guess that would be the copycat." said Xion while crossing her arms and looking at random things inside the study as she set her eyes upon the easy chairs that Roxas and Ansem sat in, to the bookshelf that was right next to a grandfather clock, until she decided to look out the window.
"Very interesting." said Ansem as he stroke his blonde beard. "I don't know much about the Unversed, but have you considered to ask Master Yen Sid?"
"We decided to head to Twilight Town and confront him." said Namine as Xion let out a sigh and placed her hands behind her head while leaning back in a more comfortable position. Roxas looked at Kairi as she seemed preoccupied with something and came to a conclusion that she was still mourning her grandmother's death or was missing Sora.
"Then I'll contact Master Yen Sid and let him know of your arrival." said Ansem as he turned to Xion and thought that she wasn't dressed properly while Xion stared up at the ceiling, but turned to face Ansem when she noticed that he was staring at her. "As for you, wear something nice."
"Yes, sir." said Xion with a salute, sounding annoyed as she stood up and left the study.
"While Xion is getting ready, Cid Highwind stop by and delivered these items." said Ansem as he bent over and reach under the coffee table and took out a suitcase. "Just the basic items that could be useful like Materias, light shields, grappling gun that can support any weight."
"I don't think Namine will used the light shield." said Kairi as Roxas looked at her confusedly while Ansem opened up the suitcase and laid some necklace, rings, and ping pong ball sized sphere on the table. "Plus, we already know some magic."
"Just think of the Materias as an upgrade while teaching Roxas some magic." suggested Ansem as he closed the case while Namine took a necklace that was the shape of a plus sign that she noticed that Roxas was looking at.
"Roxas can used the light shield." said Namine as she tossed him the cross shape necklace at him.
"How do I used it?" asked Roxas with the necklace in his hands with confusion on his face.
"When ever your in danger it'll protect you on it's own." explained Namine while Kairi took the sphere and placed it into her wrist.
"Did Sora say how Vanitas will obtain the X-blade?" asked Ansem as he stroke his bread while standing next to the eight foot window looking onward as his granddaughter came running up the stone steps with her school bag on her back.
"He didn't know." lied Kairi as she realized that she forgot to ask him. Ansem breathed a long sigh of disappointment as he turned away from the window.
"You didn't ask him, did you?" said Ansem as he gave Kairi a piercing look. Kairi slowly shook her head no as Ansem breathe another sigh and quietly left his study. Namine resumed in explaining how the Materia worked to Roxas as simple as she could.
After, fifteen minutes had passed, Xion returned to the study wearing a purple tight skinny vinyl pants, with a strapless black padded bustier as she put on a purple jacket that featured a three button closure, two front pockets, short sleeve, and a belt at the waist. She also wore a pair of black shiny boots and a spiked collar. "I hope this is okay." said Xion as she buckled her belt.
"You look gorgeous." smiled Kairi while she placed a ring on her middle right finger as Namine watched as Xion took the items off the coffee table. "Right, Roxas?" She turned to the easy chair, but Roxas was gone as she heard the door close. "Great." sighed Kairi as she stood up while Namine walked over to Xion. "Are you wearing makeup?"
"Just the powder." said Xion as Roxas returned to the room while Namine opened the corridor and they all went threw.
Twilight Town
The corridor opened up in the woods just outside the town's wall as the four friends looked at their surroundings. "Come on, there's a huge opening along this wall." said Roxas as he lead the group of girls to the opening hole as they all step through. "This part of the town is called the Tram Common."
"Where's the train station?" asked Xion as they boarded a passing trolley.
"It's just up the hill." said Roxas as the short trip on the trolley came to a stop as they started the climb up the hill. They had to stop a few times for Xion to catch her breath and started up the hill as they came to Market Street. "We're almost there, the station is just around this corner."
"Good, I'm starting to get tired of all this walking." said Xion as she followed her friends up the hill. They came to a large opening as Kairi ran ahead and looked over the balcony and stared in awe with Namine standing beside her.
"There's a better view from the clock tower." said Roxas while walking towards the station with Xion following him while Kairi and Namine caught up with them. Kairi and Xion paid for a ticket while Roxas stayed behind as Namine decided to stay with him for company. Roxas and Namine waited on the platform with Kairi and Xion as a purple train with stars on it that also had stars for windows. "That's the ghost train."
"Ghost train?" asked Namine as Xion and Kairi boarded the train and waved at them while they waved back. "What do you mean?"
"Twilight Town is known to have seven wonders. The sixth one is the ghost train with no conductor, no return." said Roxas sounding spooky while Namine laugh as the train left the yard as Roxas turned to face Namine. "So, I'm going to meet some friends and I'll introduce you to them."
"Sounds great." said Namine as she followed Roxas as they left the train station heading back down the hill.
The Tower
"Walking up the hill was worst, but now stairs." complained Xion as she stepped into the tower while Kairi closed the door. Master Yen Sid lived in a tower that look as if it over looked a sea of clouds and the only way to arrive at the tower was through the train that Master Sid could send.
"Come on, Master Yen Sid is waiting for us and knowing him he'll want to test our straight." said Kairi as she and Xion made the long climb up to the first floor. When they entered the first room, after they had climb up a spiral stair, a few Heartless appeared as both girls quickly defeated them without summoning their keyblades. Once Xion defeated the last Heartless with a fireball that she shot out of her hand, both girls continued up another set of stairs to the next floor. They entered another room full of Heartless as they quickly defeated them and continued up the last set of stairs.
"Are we there, yet?" asked Xion sounding annoyed as they reached the last step.
"Yep, this is Master Yen Sid's room or more like his office." said Kairi as she opened the door as Xion followed her in the small room that had a moon and star shape windows with a bookshelf on one side of the room with another door to the far right. In the middle of the room sat a man with a long gray beard with a blue robe with a blue cone hat with white stars all over his hat. He sat behind a large desk with a skull with a candle on one side while a large closed book was in the center of the desk. "Master Yen Sid." bowed Kairi as Xion followed her lead. "It's an honor."
"Nice to meet you." smiled Xion as Master Sid summoned two chairs as both girls sat down.
"I was expecting their be another." said Master Sid in a deep scratchily voice.
"Uh…she stayed with a friend to keep an eye on him." explain Kairi with a smile while Xion nod in agreement. "But she said she'll meet up with us."
"It's fine." said Master Sid as Kairi and Xion breath a sigh of relief. "You've both came here seeking an answer."
"That's correct." said Xion as she examined the skull. "We wanted to know more about Vanitas."
"And his connection with the Unversed." added Kairi as Master Sid waved his arm and the book in the center of his desk opened.
"The Unversed, meaning 'those who were not well-versed in their own existences'." begin Master Sid as he turned the page to show Kairi and Xion a picture of their symbol.
"Are they similar to the Heartless or Nobodies?" asked Kairi as Master Sid shook his head no.
"A Nobody is what is left behind by those whose hearts have been consumed by the Heartless while a Heartless are beings of darkness which manifest in two forms, 'Pureblood' and 'Emblem'. While most Heartless are in fact manifest hearts, they behave entirely devoid of emotion." explained Master Sid as he closed the book with a wave of his hand. "Vanitas connection with the Unversed is that he can control these creatures."
"How?" asked Xion as she quickly stood from her chair while Kairi thought for a moment and stood up with Xion.
"Unless…" said Kairi as Master Sid nodded to her while Xion was clueless about what Kairi and Master Sid were thinking about.
Twilight Town: Ally
Roxas had lead Namine down a lonely ally. He had a bag full of Sea Salt ice cream as they came to a stop by a chain link gate fence with a torn red bed sheet that cover another part of the entrance. "This is where I hang out with my friends." explained Roxas. "We refer it as the 'usual spot', I wonder if their here."
Roxas went by the gate as Namine followed behind Roxas as he moved the red sheet aside and looked inside and found his friends talking to each other. As they fully emerged a blonde teenage boy with army pants that had matching shoes and a tan vest noticed Roxas and gave him a friendly smile. "Hey, Roxas. Where have you been? And who's your friend?"
"This is Namine." said Roxas as he introduced his friends to Namine. "Namine, that's Hayner, Pence, and Olette." Roxas gestured to the blonde boy, that was named Hayner and the boy next to him that wore a red jersey and blue jeans was Pence and the girl sitting next to him that was wearing bright orange and yellow colored clothes was Olette. "I've brought us some ice cream."
"Sweet." said Hayner excitedly as he stood up and took a ice cream from the bag as Namine helped pass it out to Pence and Olette. Hayner, Roxas and Pence all sat on wooden creates while Namine sat next to Olette on a old, dirty, orange sofa that was very comfortable.
"So, Roxas where have you been?" asked Pence while he took a bite of his ice cream. "You've been gone for the whole summer break."
"I've been showing Namine around town." lied Roxas while he and Hayner took a bite of their ice cream. "We've been investigating the seven wonders of Twilight Town."
"Oh, really." said Olette once she was able to speak. "Maybe you could write about it for your Independence Study homework."
"Don't start that again." snapped Hayner while Namine giggled along with Olette when she noticed Hayner's reaction. Roxas laughed with the girls while Pence continued to eat his ice cream.
"I take it that Hayner didn't start his." said Roxas as he turned to Olette as she simply nod. "I could write about it, but I've already finished my homework.
Hayner let out a cough as Pence patted his back until he was able to speak, "Seriously?" asked Hayner in a surprised tone.
"Really when?" asked Olette as she took another bite of her ice cream while Pence finished his. Namine was halfway through hers and Roxas was almost done while Hayner ate at his own pace since Roxas told Namine that he was worried that his stomach might explode.
(A/N: I forgot the medical term.)
"So, Namine where you from?" said Hayner to change the subject while Olette glared at him. "What brings you here?"
"I'm from Hollow Bastion." said Namine as the three friends were getting interest in Namine's hometown. Namine explained that it was a nice place to live, but the crime rate was high and they were under a 10 o'clock curfew. "Hollow Bastion just had an annual skateboard competition and Roxas came by to visit and to watch me compete."
"How did you do?" asked Pence.
"You know how to skateboard?" asked Olette.
"Whoa guys, give her time to answer your question." said Hayner as he turned to Namine. "Okay, you can answer Pence's question."
"Well, their were 20 contestants and only five got into an accident and I got first place." said Namine as the friends were shocked that someone as beautiful as Namine could get first place in a skateboard competition. "I've been skateboarding for five years now, so I'm pretty good a it."
"She can pull off some sick tricks." said Roxas as his friends awed in amazement as Roxas explained that she could do a 'Moonwalk 5-0' with perfect balance and that she invented her own tricks as he described her McTwist as best as he could.
"Do you have any other talents besides skateboarding?" asked Olette as she finally finished her ice cream while Hayner still ate his.
"I can draw." said Namine as she took out her sketchpad from her backpack and handed it to Olette. Olette scanned through the whole sketchpad and stared in amazement at Namine's drawings while Hayner and Pence gathered around her to get a better look at her drawings.
"Wow, they're all beautiful." said Olette as she closed the sketchpad and hand it back to Namine while Hayner and Pence took a seat on the creates again. "So are you like visiting?"
"Yeah, I heard that Twilight Town had a beautiful sunset." said Namine as she put her sketchpad back into her backpack. Namine explained that she came to Twilight Town for her summer vacation and that she'll head back home in two weeks. Namine told her new found friends about the different types of art styles that she puts into her artwork than discuss her other hobbies and favorite movies and music. Namine thought that it was interesting that Pence was a photographer and a computer wiz and found out that Hayner would compete in the up coming Struggle Tournament. Olette was pretty much the same as Namine, but she was more of a designer as she showed Namine a coin purse that she made, which Namine thought was neat. Hours had passed as each friend decided to head home before it got too dark. "I'm glad to have met you all." said Namine as she wave to Hayner, Pence, and Olette.
"It was nice to meet you too, Namine." said Olette as she gave Namine a friendly hug and left with her friends leaving Roxas and Namine alone. Roxas had told Namine to follow him as he showed her around town and he even took her to the underground tunnels and explain where each one went. As they exited out of the tunnels they were back at the Tram Common as they watched the trolley slowly pass by them.
"We should meet up with Kairi and Xion." suggested Namine as Roxas agreed and they headed towards the steep hill, but before they left the Tram Common, Roxas had stopped and looked across the street. Namine had noticed and followed his gaze. "What's wrong?"
"Their's someone hiding on that roof." said Roxas as he walked towards the figure with Namine following him. They came closer and closer to the figure and as they got closer the figure step down from the roof and went into an empty lot. Roxas continued to follow after the figure as he and Namine blocked the only entrance to the lot and found that the figure they were following stood in the center of the lot.
"It's good to see you again, Roxas. Number 13, the keyblade's chosen wielder." said the person that Namine recognized was a man. He wore a black coat with a long sliver zipper, and had a chain across his neck that hung a little low like a necklace with two sliver pulleys while most of his face was covered with a black hood. "Why don't you take a hike, hot stuff? I've got a business proposition to discuss with Roxas."
The man raised his hands to his hood and removed his hood back to reveal his face. He had lime green eyes and fiery red hair that was slicked back, but was spiky with two pale purple triangles below his eyes. He gave a smirk to Roxas and held open his arms as two large balls of fire appeared in each hand. He finally grabbed hold of a sliver and red, cross section chakrams that had eight sided edges. "There's no need to bring out your weapons." said Roxas with sad eyes.
"This is just for precaution." said the man while he twirled his right chakram once than his left.
"What is it that you want with Roxas?" asked Namine as she studied his movements. From the way he stood, he was in a defensive stance that he could change into an offensive form, and from the way he would spin his right chakram, he could either attack or use that as a distraction and would finally attack with his left chakram.
"A little bird told me, that you were looking for the X-blade and that's the reason why I'm here. Now, if you come back voluntarily all your crimes against the Organization will be like it never happened." smiled the red headed man.
"Roxas, who is this guy?" asked Namine as Roxas drew out two keyblades that she didn't know Roxas even had. She finally understood the man's statement about 'being a chosen wielder.
"The names Axel." said Axel with a smirk on his face. "A-X-E-L…Got it memorized?"
"Look, I don't want to fight you nor will I return with you." said Roxas as he stood in a defensive form. "I no longer serve Xemnas."
"Conscious or not, your coming with me." said Axel as Namine watch as he started his first move.
"Namine, stand back." said Roxas as he got ready for Axel's attack.. Namine stood by the small row of stairs as Axel threw his right chakram that Roxas deflected as the chakram returned to him like a yoyo keeping him occupied while Axel spun his left chakram as Roxas kept on deflecting the chakram. With a hard swing of his keyblade the chakram flew towards Axel as he easily caught it with his right hand.
Roxas was still standing in his defensive form, out of breath as he waited for Axel's next attack. Axel stood with a smirk on his face as he changed his form to offensive while he erupted his chakrams into flames. He leap back and threw his arms in a cross section as his fiery chakrams closed in on Roxas. Namine watched as the chakrams came close to Roxas and blew up while swallowing his body with a pillar of flames as Axel waited. Roxas charged towards Axel as he quickly tried to regenerate two new chakrams. "That's more like." said Axel while dodging Roxas' attacks.
Roxas swung his right keyblade while spinning his left keyblade into figure eights. Axel kept dodging his attack with a smirk on his face as Roxas changed his attacks to cross sect each other as his attacks became smooth. Namine watched as Roxas spun into a large circle like a windmill while Axel finished regenerating his chakrams and once again erupted them into flames. Roxas flipped away from Axel as he deflected an oncoming chakram and once again charged at Axel as their weapons interlocked. Axel blocked Roxas' attacks while Roxas kept Axel from removing his weapons as he stared at Axel with sad eyes while Axel only smirked at him. "I can't go back." said Roxas while he kept Axel from moving.
"You don't have a choice." said Axel as he released his chakrams and jumped to the rooftop while his chakrams exploded. Axel looked down while regenerating another pair of chakrams as the smoke slowly settled while Namine was getting concerned for Roxas. There was a loud whooshing sound as Axel dodged an oncoming keyblade, but unaware of it turning like a boomerang.
"Get Down Here!" shouted Roxas as the hilt of his keyblade knocked Axel on his head. Roxas watched while catching his keyblade as Axel landed smoothly on the hard concrete while rubbing the back of his head.
"That wasn't very nice." said Axel as he threw his left chakram to a wall while Roxas allowed one of his keyblade to disappear. The smirk on Axel's face returned as he threw his right chakram towards Roxas and leaned on the wall while Roxas kept deflecting the chakram as it kept homing in on him. "So, what's your relation to Roxas? Are you like his sister?" Axel asked Namine as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Or maybe his girlfriend?"
"Shouldn't you be concern about Roxas?" asked Namine while Roxas fought the chakram.
"He'll be fine." said Axel while he waved his hands as the chakram that was in the wall flew towards Roxas. Roxas could hear the whooshing sound as he re-summoned his keyblade and blocked both oncoming attacks while the chakrams spun like a saw as if someone was pushing them close to Roxas. Axel was once again smirking as he snapped his fingers and his chakrams exploded. "Well, I'm done here." said Axel as he and Namine watched Roxas' keyblades disappeared with him unconscious. "I promise not to hurt him."
Namine quickly ran ahead of Axel and blocked his path. "Your not taking him." said Namine with her arms spread while glaring at Axel.
"Look, I don't want to hurt you." said Axel as he summoned two more chakrams. "Roxas holds vital information. He knows the key to achieving the X-blade."
"Then don't hold back, just because I'm a girl." said Namine as Axel stood in defense and faced Namine. "I won't let you take him."
The Tower
"So, Sora and Roxas are the only ones that can create the X-blade." said Kairi as she thought about Sora and wondered if he knew about the true meaning of his heritage, but if the same applied for Sora than it would be the same for Roxas.
"So in truth both Sora and Roxas are incomplete. Should we mention this to them?" asked Xion as she looked to Kairi for answers while Master Sid looked out the star shape window.
"I don't think they would handle it very well, but let's discuss this with Namine and we'll figure out what to do." said Kairi as Xion let out a long sigh. There was complete silence as Kairi's mind kept wondering to the legend about the keyblade wielder.
"The keyblade is said to hold phenomenal power." began Master Sid as he referred to the legend about the keyblade master.
"One legend says its wielder saved the world…" continued Kairi as she knew the legend also.
"While another says that he wrought chaos and ruin upon it." finished Xion as Kairi seemed shocked that Xion also knew the legend. "But which one is the hero?"
"There will be another time to discuss this, but would you girls please take care of our guest." said Master Sid as Xion and Kairi got up from their chairs to stand next to Master Sid. They looked outside the window and saw a black figure with the Heartless emblem on it's chest wearing a white grass like skirt and a black sliver helmet.
"It's the copycat." said Kairi as she ran to the door with Xion following behind her. Once both girls were outside the room Kairi and Xion leap over the staircase and fell all the way down to the second floor. They continued down the spiral stairs and were once again in the lobby, where the copycat stood. "Can we help you?" greeted Kairi as the Copycat said nothing. "Are you lost?"
"Who are you?" asked Xion as the Copycat said nothing as both girls watched as the Copycat held up his right arms. They were either shocked or amazed as digits appeared around his arm that was followed by pixies and finally a flash. "A keyblade."
"This should be interesting." said Kairi as she and Xion both summoned their own keyblades. Kairi tightly griped her keyblade that was design with sunflowers on the tip while a vine made up the spine, as for her hilt it had the design of ocean blue on one rim while the other half was also a vine pattern rim and had a star keychain. She held her keyblade with an out stretch arm on her left while Xion would hold hers with both hands. Xion's keyblade was different from Kairi's, it had a straight sliver spine with teeth that had a crown design and her hilt formed a perfect golden pentagon with a three circle keychain. As for the Copycat's keyblade it looked like a blue, red, and black bat wing with a blue snake eye on the hilt with no keychain and guard as the Copycat held his right hand up to his eye level while his left arm was held up as if he was welcoming something. "Got any plans, Xion?"
"Save the damsel in distress, kill the bad guy, save the world." answered Xion while Kairi giggled.
"That's the greatest plan you've ever came up with." chuckled Kairi as Xion smiled a little.
"I guess we should capture him and ask questions later." said Xion as Kairi agreed with her while no one moved as both girls studied the Copycat while he studied them. "Your move, pal."
To Be Continued…
A/N: So that's chapter 05 for ya. Please review, but no flames. Also If you read my very first FanFic that I titled 'Looking For You', I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I'll be making a sequel. As for the bad news, I'll start on it after I'm done with this story and my other story called 'THE MISSION', so it'll be a long wait. Next chapter, "Power Within", see ya.
Preview…
Kairi helplessly watched in horror as the Copycat picked up Xion by her neck with his keyblade ready to impale her as Xion tried her best to breath. "STOP!" yelled Kairi.
Xion closed her eyes and awaited death, but all she heard was a loud clang. Kairi had also heard the clang as she saw a crystal keyblade levitate in between Xion and the Copycat as five more crystal keyblade spun towards the Copycat, forcing him to release Xion.
See Ya.