I was tempted to call this chapter "Why Axel Doesn't Drive" for absolutely no reason whatsoever…but I decided not to. XD
Chasing The Truth
By FlikFreak
Chapter Twenty-One: Empty Welcomes
"You go from world to world in this?" Axel said as they stepped into the gummi garage.
Sora nodded. "Yep. This is Excalibur."
Chip and Dale, whom had appeared earlier to welcome them, grinned proudly. "She's the most fuel- and ammunition-efficient gummi ship we've created thus far," Chip explained. "Not once has she ever failed us."
"Except for when she ran out of fuel," Dale pointed out.
Axel rubbed his neck skeptically. "You never have to worry about that when you use corridors…"
"Corridors?" Neku echoed.
Riku took a deep breath. "Corridors of darkness," he began, remembering his own experience using them, "Are basically portals. Organization XIII used them a whole lot…looks like the Zoners can, too."
"Hey, fast travel is fast travel," Axel pointed out. "Although it does kind of wear you out if you do it too much."
"So why don't you just use a corridor, then?" Neku asked, shrugging his hands in the air. "Wouldn't that be faster?"
Sora winced very noticeably, and Riku knew it had nothing to do with knowing the hard work Chip and Dale put into making the Excalibur (he had heard numerous stories about it). "Um, well…"
Sighing, Riku volunteered to speak again. "Not just anyone can make a corridor," he said. "I used to be able to make them, but after we defeated Xemnas I couldn't anymore. Besides, they're hardly predictable and even less safe because it could potentially corrupt your heart."
"Organization XIII used them all the time because we didn't have hearts to be corrupted," Axel added. "Heartless used them too, but they were already as corrupted as you can get. Not much more damage they could take in that department. The only way anyone else managed to stay untouched is if they were either lucky or they had a black coat."
"Besides," Sora continued, walking up the ramp, "Gummi Ships are not only safer, but a lot more fun." There was a moment of silence and Sora gave an annoyed glance to the roof. Neku snickered, knowing what was probably going on in Sora's mind.
Once the group had boarded, Axel's feelings towards the gummi ship changed drastically. His eyes went wide as he examined the glowing control panel. "This is amazing!"
Sora smirked. "Wait til' you see the view."
Axel blinked. "View…?"
Riku sat down and fastened himself into his seat, grinning to himself. "Chip, Dale, set a course for Disney Castle."
"Roger!"
Neku buckled himself in next to Axel, still seeming wary about the Nobody. Sora, on the other hand, had an enormous smile on his face. "Okay! Get ready for liftoff, everyone!"
Cid leaned back against the wall. "So…you're tellin' me that the computer in that cave has a replica of every member of the Organization?"
Zidane nodded. "Yep. From what we gathered, Neku was the energy source they wanted, but he revived Axel and took down one of the Zoners."
"Impressive," Cid commented. "But what're we gonna do now? Something tells me that shutting it off won't be as easy."
Shantotto nodded. "To revive a data replica they need a new source, and I believe that their alternative isn't one any would endorse."
Cid stared blankly before Freya rolled her eyes. "She means that they're probably going to look for another source of energy, and it won't be a good one."
"That ain't good news," Cid grumbled. "Can't we shut off the damn thing?"
Shantotto shook her head. "A clever choice of action I must agree; But I'm afraid it may not be so simple, you see."
"Axel's existence hinges on that computer," Zidane continued. "If we shut it down, we may stop the Zoners, but he'll go too, meaning we'll lose an ally."
"Sora and the others are headed to Disney Castle as we speak," Freya added. "The King may have something – information or a tool – that may be able to help, but there are also nobody signals coming from there, so it'll be rough."
"Convenient," Cid remarked sarcastically. "What're you three gonna do?"
"Shantotto and I are planning on staying here to help resolve some trouble with the computer," Freya said. "We'll be more than happy to help get rid of the Zoners."
"I need to get going somewhere," Zidane said. "Can your nobody trackers pick up specific types?"
Cid nodded. "Yeah, more or less. What kind are ya lookin' for?"
Zidane's expression darkened. "Dragoons. I have a score to settle with someone."
"No wonder you guys don't use corridors. This view is amazing!"
Sora felt Roxas grin through him when he caught the sight of Axel gawking at the window. He remembered the first time he had seen it: he hardly wanted to tear his eyes from the window. After waking up in Twilight Town and boarding the Kingdom that Yen Sid had brought for them, he had found himself staring again, not because he hadn't seen the sky in a while, but because Roxas hadn't.
I don't care how bad you drive in the routes, Sora. This view is totally worth it.
I'm glad someone agrees with me.
Riku cleared his throat, having arrived from the back room when he went to check on a few things. "Guys, I think we've got a stowaway."
Sora blinked, turning around in his chair. "Huh?"
A familiar white dog bounded out of the back room and jumped into his lap, barking happily. Sora's face fell, not sure whether to be ashamed or annoyed. "Bolt? What're you doing here?"
"He's as bad as Pluto was," Riku commented, returning to his seat. "I don't think he'll be leaving us anytime soon."
"What do we do with him, then?" Neku asked. "Letting him come along when there are Nobodies around isn't a safe idea."
Bolt growled in protest. Sora gave the dog a curious look. "I think that's what he wants," he replied. "Besides, how hard can it be to lose track of a dog?"
Riku chuckled humorlessly. "Not hard at all. Pluto runs off all the time. I can't say much for Bolt though…we haven't known him all that long."
It took less than ten minutes to reach the hangar in Disney Castle, and exiting the ship was as normal as it always was. After exiting the garage, the group found their way into the winding spiral stairway. Sora had been through it only once, but it never ceased to surprise him how strange it looked compared to the rest of the castle.
Neku paused in his tracks. "Hang on, guys. Who lives here?"
"The King does," Sora replied. "He and a few other people from here helped us fight the heartless and the Organization."
"That might be a problem," Neku stated. "I mean, how are they going to react to Axel? Wasn't Axel in the Organization?"
Axel winced, scratching his head. "You know, he's got a point."
You know what he really needs? A new outfit. I don't care if that cloak is protection. He could look way better in something else.
Sora snickered, covering his mouth. Is that why you changed out of your coat?
Not really. I had my old outfit to begin with…I just swapped it for a coat when I joined the Organization. Later on when DiZ put me in the simulation, I had to ditch the coat.
Riku quirked an eyebrow at Sora. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Sora replied in half-truth. "I…we…were just thinking that Axel might be better off in some new clothes."
Neku quirked an eyebrow. "I could have Shiki take care of that. We should contact her when we get done here."
"She can sew?" Axel questioned.
"She sewed the jacket I'm wearing," Sora pointed out; gesturing somewhat vaguely to the said jacket that Shiki had given him for his birthday. Though he missed his old ones – both the one he had left Destiny Islands with and the one that the fairies had given him – he really liked Shiki's.
Axel blinked. "Really? Not bad."
The group made their way up the stairs and Sora pushed open the doors into the courtyard, squinting a bit as he stepped out into the sunlight. Riku blinked a few times and stretched, followed by a very excited Bolt. Axel and Neku gave the area a suspicious glance, though Neku was a bit more curious than nervous. "This is it?" He asked.
Sora nodded. "Neku, welcome to Disney Castle."
"Something seems kind of off, though," Riku commented. "I only came here once, but still…"
"Didn't Leon say something about Nobody signals coming from here?" Neku said. "That's why we're here, right?"
Sora bit his lip. It was true, he was here to help, but he also wanted to ask Neku about the keyblade that had appeared for him. He had hoped that the King would know something. Shrugging, he nodded. "Yeah. We'd better tell the King about the Zoners, too. Let's check the library."
Neku's eyes widened. "Whoa! Hang on!"
"What's up?" Riku asked, turning around.
"This is a castle," Neku explained. "You sure it's okay for us to just waltz in uninvited?"
"It's better than letting any Nobodies do the same," Axel said, shrugging.
Sora nodded. "What Axel said. Besides, the King knows me and Riku. We'll be fine."
"If you say so," Neku sighed. "Still, I'm worried."
Axel was similarly anxious, but he went along with them anyway.
The hall past the garden was abnormally silent, but Sora knew better; the last time he had been in it, it had been infested with heartless. Of course it would be quieter now. "Your Majesty?" He called. His voice echoed across the hall, but no answer came. He pushed open the door to the library and called again, hearing no answer. "That's weird…why is there no one here?"
The group entered the room. The portraits hung in their same places, the books still neatly lining the shelves. There was a half-penned letter on the desk opposite of an unlit fireplace, and Pluto's bed nearby was empty. The candle stands remained lit as usual. Sun also came in from the skylight. All in all, nothing was out of place except for the people that were missing.
"Strange," Riku commented. "If anywhere, the King is usually either here or in the throne room."
"But wouldn't he have heard us by now?" Sora wondered. "The castle isn't that big."
"Is your King AWOL or something?" Neku asked.
Sora nodded. "Him and everyone else too, by the looks of it."
"Unless he's in the throne room," Riku suggested, "Or the Cornerstone Hall."
"Then let's go check there," Neku said, already heading for the door. No one had any complaints in following.
Out in the hall, they found someone waiting for them: a ghostly figure hovering in the air. Sora blinked. What the…
That's not me, Sora.
It's not?
Indeed, the figure wasn't Roxas. When Sora looked a bit more closely, he noted that the clothing was different. He blinked, recognizing the ghost from when he had first met Jaxuk. "…Ventus?"
The figure waved them forward and flew into the throne room. Sora started forward, ignoring Riku's protest, and screeched to a halt in front of the door to the audience chamber. "I think he went in here," he muttered, walking forward and pressing on the door in hopes of opening it. It didn't budge. "Come on, open up!"
"I don't think that's going to open it, Sora," Neku commented. "I think it's locked."
Sora blinked, chuckling in embarrassment. "I guess I shoulda thought of that before."
Nice job, genius.
Quiet, you.
After summoning Remembered Dream and opening the door, Sora pushed it open. "Come on, guys."
As they stepped in, several things happened. Bolt bared his teeth and growled menacingly. Neku simply stood his ground, unsure but prepared to act however he needed to. Sora and Riku whipped out their Keyblades while Axel summoned his chakrams in a burst of flame.
The throne room was filled with Dusks.
So...chaos, anyone?
Zoners:
The Deceptive Evoker, Meyxours (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Elegant Reaper, Jaxuk (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Fallen Prince, Zarxilt (Chasing The Truth/Final Fantasy XI)
The Ruthless Emperor, Naxeyv (Chasing The Truth/???)
