Friends
Axel was walking in the corridors of the Castle That Never Was, the HQ of the Organization XIII. In that corridor, there were many doors … doors that led to the bedrooms of the members.
He passed by the bedrooms of Xigbar, Xaldin and Vexen until that moment so he starts to think: "I was the one who put an end to Vexen. Just to be aware of Marluxia's plan. I did that under Xemnas' orders, didn't I? No, I did for me and for my old friend, Saix. Correcting: my former friend".
"We, since the very moment that we joined the Organization, planned to overthrow the group. But I changed… and… Saix changed as well. We lost what someday had been a friendship. I don't feel like I can talk to him the same way I talk to Roxas and Xion".
"They make me feel like I can feel… like I can feel angry at Saix by the way he threats Xion like an object… or feel sad when I thought Roxas had substituted me by Xion when I was at Castle Oblivion… or that laughs we share at the Clock Tower are real and not just something I learned to copy from the time I was a human".
He was lost on his thoughts when he notices where he was already. He was where he wanted to be. He was in front of XIon's bedroom. She had collapsed after her mission to capture the impostor and she failed and was sleeping.
The Nobody enters at the bedroom. He sees the girl lying on the bed with her shut eyes staring the ceiling. Near the pillow, there was a seashell: Roxas' doing obviously. She did this to him when he collapsed and now he is returning the favor. "That two are realy special, because they act like they really have a heart"
So Axel steps a little forth when he sees a man wearing a black coat with yellow eyes, pointed ears, blue hair and an X-like scar on his face. It was Saix.
-Oh, so you really came to see it. I started to think you wouldn't come – he said with his calm voice full of sarcasm and giving an emphasis "it".
-Stop calling her as "it"! She isn't a puppet! – Axel yells.
-But she is a puppet. Or better, she is worse than that, she is a … "failure".
-What d'ya mean calling her as a puppet!? – Axel yells and takes Saix by his collar – What d'ya know? – he said aggressively and Saix didn't even react – Spit it out! Now!
-First I got a question to you – so his voice gets more grave – Why you and your other "friend" care so much about this … "garbage", Lea?
-Because they're my... my... they are my friends.
-"Friends"? Oh! Don't be stupid! You can't even…
-Shut… up, Isa!
-What did you say?
-You heard me. Now answer my question and leave.
-I won't answer you but you could take a look on our library.
-You jerk! – He gets his hand out of Saix, who leaves in a Corridor of Darkness.
So Axel heads to the library and after some hours there, he finds a project Vexen have achieved. It was called Replica Program. It was through it that Vexen created Riku Replica and under orders of Xemnas, has also created his most successful experiment, No. i or now called… (Axel couldn't believed what he have just read) Xion.
He couldn't believe Xion was a replica. Since that moment he thought replicas were just tool to use and throw away just like he did with Riku Replica.
But Xion and Riku Replica developed personality. They weren't just empty dolls. But one thing he surely knew: Xion and Roxas couldn't discover that.
Then Axel resolves to face Saix. He is at Addled Impasse, his favorite place on the castle where he could stare the Kingdom Hearts. So the red haired Nobody jumps at Saix while summons his chakram, but Saix summons his claymore in time to shield himself.
-You knew! You knew and didn't say a word! How could you, Isa!?
-Oh! So you already know. I didn't tell because I didn't want to wake you up from your silly world of illusions, where you and your "friends" are happy.
-You monster! You aren't the Isa I once knew. You turned your back to your friend to become a pawn of Xemnas.
-I didn't become a pawn of Xemnas, it is because I want my heart back and with him maybe I could achieve my goal but don't forget. You were the first to turn your back to your friend and not me. You have changed.
-Yeah! Maybe you're right. – He summons back his weapon and walk to the passage where he came from and stops in front of it – Now I have real friends. And you're right. I changed. I changed the same as you did –And Axel leaves behind his past behind. He leaves the only thing that still was around from his life as a human. He leaves behind the man who once was his friend…
This obviously happens while Xion was in coma stasis. Look out for more.