If We Had Hearts
Author's Note: So… I got this finished yesterday, finited some details and saved it…. BUT FORGOT TO UPLOAD IT! Damn it I wanted both of these to be updated on AkuRoku day… BAD AUTHOR YOU FAIL! YOU MEGA FAIL! DISHONOR! DISHONOR ON YOUR WHOLE FAMILY make a note of this… DISHONOR ON YOU, DISHONOR ON YOUR COW…
Sorry I was really peeved at myself because I worked really hard to get this done yesterday and only just NOW realized I didn't post it when I meant to. Grrrrrr… ANYWAY ENJOY!
Chapter 13: Betrayal
~Day 296~
"It's no use…" Roxas sighed heavily. For days She and Axel searched for Xion, but she was nowhere to be found. Roxas started taking extra time after her missions to go searching… she even skipped ice cream because it just didn't feel the same without Xion there. At her wits end she walked with Axel to their usual spot on the tower, to pow wow.
"You sure you haven't forgotten someplace."
"I've looked everywhere I know how to get to." Roxas insisited with a heavy sigh, watching him sit casually. "The only place I haven't checked is Castle Oblivion."
Axel let out a short sound of surprise. He slowly glanced up at Roxas who stare down at him, face set.
"It was just the other day that Xion was asking you what the place was like… and on the day before she disappeared, you said she was put on an important mission. Remember?"
"Yeah… but there's nothing there anymore. The entire castle has been emptied out of Organization property."
"Still… Xion might be there." Roxas insisted and had Axel sighing.
"Apparently… Xion comes from Castle Oblivion." He pulled up a leg, resting his arm on it. How much should he tell her? How much could he afford to tell her? "That's probably why she was asking about the place."
"Really? I had no idea."
"Me neither… I only found out a little while ago." He told her with a heavy sigh. He hated keeping secrets from her.
"Castle Oblivion…" that settled it Roxas decided as she settled in beside Axel. Somehow, someway, she'd find a way to get there.
It hadn't taken much effort at all, as coincidentally the next day Saix had mentioned the imposter being spotted inside the castle. Quick on the uptake Roxas volunteered to take the mission. Saix was against her going alone… but like always Axel had her back.
"Then how about I go with her? I know that castle better than anyone."
"Fine… go teach that imposter the price of wearing our coat." Saix said with mock disdain and strolled off to continue his own duties. Axel gave her a thumbs up and she grinned ear to ear.
Axel opened the portal, and stepping through the void they reappeared in front of the castle. The sight of it left Roxas a bit awed… but there was a weird shiver that ran over her skin… as if she'd been here before.
"This is odd… why would this place be familiar to me?" She murmured under her breath and stepped through the doors. She looked up and around. "So this is castle oblivion…"
"Yeah, nothing special, right?" Axel waved a hand around, then slowed his pace to keep his eyes on her. He watched her start to wobble some and his eyes narrowed. "Roxas?"
"I…" She walked forward, looking around… and suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. Visions rushed through, flashes of people and places she'd never seen before. "What? What's going on? My head!"
"Easy, Roxy. Come on, let's retreat for now!" Axel grabbed her as she started to collapse forward but she shook him off stumbling.
"I'm fine! I gotta… find… Xion!" She fell to her knees and Axel rushed to her holding her to his chest. Her hands were clamped over her ears, eyes shut tight and she grunted and groaned.
"What's going on? There's… so much… rushing into… my head!"
"That does it…" Axel grit his teeth. He knew this was a bad idea. Ever since he saw Xion collapse he knew Roxas would have a similar experience. He had to get her out of here. He picked her up princess style and opened a warp.
"No… not yet…" She couuld almost see… almost remember. There were shadowy figues… names at the tip of her tongue. "I can almost… MNNG!"
Axel rushed through the dark and out into Twilight Town. By the time he saw the light Roxas had passed out from the pain. He knelt down holding her to him and gently patted her cheeks.
"Roxas? Are you alright? Roxas?"
"Mnnng…" Roxas stirred, voices still crammed into her head… and a name that brought both joy and sorrow.
Giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that.
"RIKU!" Roxas shot up gasping and Axel kept her from jerking away. "What? Where?" She looked up at Axel confused. "What happened to me?"
"You collapsed as soon as you walked into the castle doors." He pressed his lips to her forehead. She'd frightened him, he realized… somehow he had felt the quick shock of panic in his throat and the worry hit him straight in the gut. She was making him remember all of his former feelings… making him feel as if his heart still rested in his chest. "Don't you remember?"
"I only remember going inside…" Roxas stroked a hand over his chest then pulled back stumbling to her feet and holding her head. "Mmmmph the pain is gone… let's go back."
"Don't push yourself, Roxy." He pulled her back into his arms stroking her hair. "I'll go back and look for Xion."
"I'm going with you… I-" she started to protest but then spotted the figure behind him. "Xion?"
"What?" he whirled around. Two figures stood nearly side by side. One was Xion, the outine of her face clear enough to them. The second was taller and unfamiliar, and said absolutely nothing.
"The imposter!" Xion backed away into the black warp.
"Xion wait!" The imposter stepped between them and her to allow Xion escape. "Out of the way!"
"What's he doing here… Roxas wait!" He shouted at her when the Imposter fled and Roxas went off in pursuit.
"Let's go after him!" Roxas rushed ahead. Axel ran behind her his long legs eating up ground and easily catching up. Heartless started to pop up and block their path, but the two ate through the distraction and to the core. They chased him all through the underground pathways, fighting heartless and trying to catch the guy off guard.
"He's fast!" Roxas panted and skidded to change course and duck down another hallway. "STOP!" She shouted at him and with the tip of her blade sent three rapid fire blizzards in his direction.
The figure dodged and bat away the attacks, his face still shrouded but his body gestures sounding alarms in the back of Roxas' brain. She ran forward and reached out to try and sink into the shadow warp with the imposter, but missed and nearly ran straight into the gate.
"Damn it… he got away."
"I thought the imposter was sighted in Castle Oblivion." Axel questioned as he panted from the sprint.
"It was Xion…" She whispered half in a daze.
"No way was that Xion!"
"The person who ran first was Xion!" She held herself as confusion and hurt overwhelmed her. "...but why run? What's happened to her?"
~Day 298~
"Xion has betrayed us." Saix spoke in his usual monotone voice.
"What!?" Roxas held her chest. "No! That's not-"
"You yourself witnessed her in cohorts with the imposter. Tell me what other explanation makes sense."
"He could be forcing her!" Roxas insisted and looked to Axel to back her up. "We don't know what the circumstances are. Haven't you ever heard of giving someone the benefit of the doubt?"
"Ha! Spare me your repulsive displays of would be sentiment." He sneered and had Roxas bubbling inside. Her fists clenched and she lifted her head. She wanted so badly to take her keyblade and wipe that smug look off his stupid face.
"The imposter has resurfaced in Twilight Town. Go and destroy him, Roxas, like I expected you to do yesterday."
"Tch… fine I will, and while I'm at it I'll bring Xion home and you'll see!" She whirled around and stormed through the warp. She'd take this frustration and irritation out on her mission, and on the guy who was ripping her friendship apart.
"...and one of these days Saix… I'm going to use your face to relieve my frustrations." She promised with a huff.
~Meanwhile~
Xion walked through Twilight Town, lost in thought and with Riku close by giving her someone to talk to if she needed it. Yesterday she'd seen Axel and Roxas chase after Riku, and had felt extremely guilty that they looked so desperately for her.
"I want to go back… I want to be with my friends… but I can't go back the way I am." She rubbed her arms closing her eyes. Riku touched her shoulder and she looked up at him.
"Xion.." Riku murmured to her. "I won't stop you if you want to go back… you need time to think about your decision, and where you're really needed."
"Needed… not what i really want?"
"Yes… what you decide has to be good for everyone, not just yourself." He told her and paused glancing back towards the Sandlot. "I sense the darkness forming… seems like they're onto us. You may want to hide for the moment. I'll distract them."
"R-Right…" Xion peeked over the edge of the roof. She saw Roxas, keyblade out and eyes fierce. "It's Roxas."
"Get away before she sees you." Riku whispered to her harshly, but it was too late. Roxas' eyes lift and she spotted the cloaked figure.
"You!"
"Busted!" Xion ran from the roof and she and Riku went in opposite directions. Roxas was quick, cutting down heartless that popped up in her path but kept her eyes trained on the figure in black. Despite Riku doing his best to lure her away, confuse her, Roxas focused on Xion and tracked her all throughout Market Street.
"Persistent as always, Roxas." Xion panted and made a dash into an alley, but found herself trapped at a dead end. With no other option she started to open a dark portal but Roxas caught up snatching her hand.
"Wait!" Roxas pulled her back, her breath panting out and eyes wet and grieved. Caught Xion pulled her hand away and pulled off her hood to reveal her face, sad and conflicted.
"Xion… I knew it! Where have you been? Axel and I have been looking all over for you!" Roxas told her and brought her in for a hug. Taken aback by it Xion lifted her hands and slowly pat her back.
"You have? I'm sorry."
"We've been so worried… Come on, let's go home. If you come with us voluntarily Saix will let all this drop. He has to." She smiled comfortingly and kept her hands on her friend's shoulders. Xion looked down unable to meet Roxas' eyes. Seeing her discomfort and conflict Roxas' grip tightened a little. "I don't care what Saix said to you before. I'll be there for you, Axel and I-"
Roxas gasped a little when Xion yanked away, tears threatening to spill from those wide sad eyes.
"No… I really can't!" She couldn't… not when she felt so conflicted and pained. She knew if she went back, her friendship with Roxas and Axel would never be the same. "I've been hiding things from you Roxas… things you wouldn't like."
"Does this have to do with why you're running around with the Imposter?"
"Partially…He knows things about me that have left me a bit conflicted. It's more than that though. The reason I haven't wanted to return home has to do with you… and with Axel. I… I kissed him."
"Oh.. you…" something twisted inside her and Roxas flexed her hands and let out a quick shaky breath. "Is that all?"
"Is that all?" Xion let out a sarcastic laugh. "You're just gonna brush that off? Aren't you supposed to be in love with him?"
"I do… what you said… it hurts and I am angry you both kept it hidden from me. Still… you're both too important for me to just cut you off because of some misunderstanding." Roxas tried to soothe it over, despite the broiling emotions inside her.
"It's not a misunderstanding!" Xion snapped and whirled on her. She put a hand on her chest. "It's not like when you and I kissed. It wasn't memories or mistaken identity. I knew exactly what I was doing, and why I was doing it. I want to have a relationship with him the way you do. I want that special connection, that closeness. I want everything you have. I want…" She cut off and shook her head. "I want …"
I want to be you… she finished silently in her mind.
"Xion I don't care about any of that. You're my friend, Axel's your friend, we'll work through this so long as we're all together." Roxas tried to insist but as she stepped closer Xion jerked back and ran. Roxas made a grab for her but stopped short when Xion brought her keyblade up and pointed it up at her face. "Xion…"
Xion's face was set, eyes hard and body stiff. She sensed the attack coming and brought up her blade to block the Chakram that whipped through the air blazing. As the attack died Axel strolled up casually as you pleased.
"Well hello there, Xion."
"Axel what are you-" Roxas glared at him and gasped when Xion leapt at him, the two fighting. "Wha… stop it… what are you guys doing? You're supposed to be-" Roxas looked between the two people she cared for most. Seeing the animosity, and passion between them made something twist inside her. "STOP IT!"
Xion hesitated for just a moment at Roxas' plea, and it caused her to lose. Axel brought his hand over the back of her neck, knocking her out cold.
"Xion! Axel how could you… AXEL!"
Axel lifted Xion's limp body up under his arm and brought up the dark warp. Giving one sympathetic look to Roxas he sighed heavily and let the dark warp surround him and Xion. Before Roxas could reach him they were both gone and she was left alone in the alley.
"What the hell?!" Roxas turned and ran back to the RTC portal. Returning to the castle she spotted Axel right away and ran over shoving him.
"Whoa! Oh Hey Roxy."
"Don't "Hey Roxy" me! Where is she?" Roxas glared at him.
"By she, you mean Xion? She's resting, no worries." Axel tried to smile and brush it off, but felt the storm coming. "Listen, Roxas."
"How could you do that? How could you hurt her like that? You didn't have to use force!" She accused shoving at him again and making his own temper flare up.
"Didn't I!? She raised her keyblade against you, Roxas! Can you honestly tell me she was gonna come willingly after that little exchange?"
"Damn it, Axel we're supposed to be her best friends. We're supposed to-"
"This isn't about friendship!" He snapped back at her, Roxas' eyes looking both shocked and appalled by his raised voice. He let out a small growl and turned his back to her. "If that's all I gotta go." He walked off leaving Roxas to stew.
"I… if that's all?" Roxas clenched her fists at her side. What the hell happened to him? Why was Axel acting this way? Since when did he keep secrets from her? In fact why hadn't he told her that Xion has kissed him? She could understand Xion hiding it and not wanting to upset her, but Axel should have told her. She'd told him when Xion had kissed her. So why keep it a secret?
"Ugh… forget it! If he's gonna act this way then fine. I'll just find Xion on my own."
In a huff Roxas wandered around asking the various organization members where she was. When she got the run around she became fed up and decided to go straight to the top. She called for an audience with the superior… and immediately felt her position on the lowered pedestal in comparison to the risen one of Xemnas'
"I… I need to know." She started off, gathering her courage to look him straight in the eye. "What's going to happen to Xion?"
Xemnas stared down at her, a small pitying smile on his lips.
"Xion is a valued member of this organization… but she needs her rest." Xemnas explained calmly. "So worry not…"
Roxas narrowed her eyes then gasped when a flashback rushed through her. A conversation she'd had with him shortly after she'd joined the organization.
"You've been with us for six days now. The time has come…" Xemnas rose from the rock he sat on and walked by her. Laying a hand on her shoulder he whispered. "Sora." then stepped through the portal.
"Sora…" Roxas shook her head waking from the daze. Why did that name keep popping up? "Who is Sora?"
"The connection…" Xemnas said simply, his eyes lit with an odd triumph. "She is what makes you and Xion apart of each other's lives." He sat up straight a little. "She is also the reason I placed Xion within our ranks. If you wish for her to stay that way I must insist you get your mind off these needless distractions."
"Distractions? What distractions?"
"These so called emotions. Whether through dreams, memories, or design you cannot let the question of them cloud your judgement. Your attachment to Axel for instance."
Roxas frowned and lowered her head. So… they knew about her and Axel's relationship.
"I see…"
""Good, I will have Xion return to her duties tomorrow. For today you must focus on your task to collect hearts so that Kingdom Hearts can be completed. Keep your focus and I can assure you all will return to rights, and you will not have to worry about such trivial matters again."
In other words… Roxas thought with some disdain… go back to being a zombie and doing what you're told, or risk losing what you've come to cherish.
"Understood."
~Ask Briry~
Briry: I had more to say but because of my forgetfulness I'll just say... Happy Belated AkuRoku Day!
Next Chapter: The Puppet Master
