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I ran away from the Sandlot as fast as I could as I tried to remember all of the places Axel and I had seen earlier that day. I wanted to find a place to just sit and be alone.
Up ahead, there was a building with some steps and boxes that gave easy access to the roof. I jumped up to the top and looked around the other side of the building. Below was a small alley that was easily hidden from the rest of the shopping center I was in.
I jumped down and sat in the far corner. I pulled my knees up to me chest and wrapped my arms around them. I sighed as I placed my chin on my knees and tried to picture old memories to make me feel better. But all that kept coming to my mind were the memories of when Roxas left. And the memories of how everything changed after he left.
Five members had been eliminated shortly before Roxas left. No one else seamed to care that Roxas was no longer with us. In fact, they are the ones who sent Heartless and Nobodies out to destroy him. They thought he was a traitor like Marluxia for leaving to go to the real worlds in seek of the truth, even though it was one of the members who gave knowledge to Roxas about the truth.
Thoughts of Axel having to deal with Roxas' absence flashed through my mind. For months he would sit by himself and not talk to anyone. He accepted no missions, never went to meetings, and never let me talk to him and try to make him feel better.
"Raene! Raene, where are you?" A voice called out from somewhere outside your hiding place.
'Darn, the found me,' I thought to myself. All of a sudden, Axel came around the corner and came up to me.
"Hey, are you ok?" He asked kneeling down next to me.
"Yeah…I'm…fine," I replied raising my head off of my knees.
"Good. Hey why don't you go get some food? You'll need some for the journey."
"Journey?"
"Yeah. We need to get going. We can't go back to the Organization right away. Well, at least not you. I need you to stay here."
"Then, why do I need food? And why do you keep saying that we need to get going?"
"I have to go back to the headquarters. I need you to stay here. Maybe you could go and see Naminé up at the mansion. He should be at the real one, so I think you are fine to go to where she is."
"Why do you get to go back?"
"Xemnas has something for me to do. Just stay in this town. And please don't go to the real world please."
"Fine. So, what am I doing?"
"Go get some food. Then come back here and say good-bye. Then, I don't know, just go find Naminé or something."
"Whatever…" I said standing up. I concentrated and my clothes changed. I couldn't be seen walking around dressed like this. My black boots changed to light blue shoes that reached half way up my lower leg. (Just like Kairi's in KH2). They had black and white ribbons lacing up the leg somewhat. The long black cloak disappeared and so did the long sleeve black shirt and pants. In their places, was a pair of short white shorts with two large pockets on the front and two in the back. My black shirt changed to a light blue shirt. It had a small V-neck dip in the front and the bottom came up revealing my belly button. The sleeves were sort of long but were cut loosely so they didn't fit on the arms. They hung slightly off and flew to the side when the wind blew. The same necklace I had had since I was a baby hung around my neck along with a tight black ribbon choker. I smiled at the sudden change in to lighter clothes and stocked off to the ice cream store.
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"Axel?" A small, high-pitched, angelic voice sounded.
Axel spun around to see Naminé standing in the corner behind him. "What are you doing here?" He asked with a straight face.
"Axel, I know you aren't happy with what I do. But I promised Sora I would give him back his memories."
"But you promised Roxas you would keep him safe. Don't you remember? Ever since we were little, we always promised to keep each other safe."
"I know, but you have to understand, Roxas won't be gone. He'll still be there. Just not the way we wish."
"You're killing him, Naminé!"
"He'll be whole. You'll come to see that, just as he will some day."
"Have you spoken with him?" Axel asked his tone softening.
"Yes, but not much. Just yesterday. I told him that I wanted to meet him. Then just a little while after that. I helped him summon the Keyblade. Shortly after that, I pulled him out of a Darkness he could not get out of himself. I then told him my name. I asked him if he remembered his true name, but DiZ's assistant pulled him back to this town. Nothing else." Naminé finished explaining and looked up to meet the eyes of the disappointed teenager in front of her.
"How much longer is Roxas to stay like this?" He asked.
"For the past year, I have just been rearranging the pieces. That takes the most time. Once they are in the right order, I just have to emplace them into Sora. That only takes about a week."
"How much longer, Naminé?!?!"
"He's at 48 last time I saw. That was early this morning, before anyone would be awake. He has about two days left, I'm afraid."
"So, I only have two more days to tell my best friend how much I care for him. How much I miss him. How sorry I am that I didn't save him from this fate. Is that what you're saying?!?!"
"Axel…I am going to speak with him; maybe later today, maybe tomorrow. I am going to tell him more about his life, about you. Then when you speak with him, it will be easier."
"Nothing can be easy. Everything is falling apart. Why didn't I stop him? Why didn't I come and see him earlier?"
"You tried to stop him. And you couldn't have come any earlier. The gate was blocked until four days ago when Sora began to remember."
"It's not just me. What about Raene? She was always there for me. She tried to comfort me when Roxas left, but I just pushed her away. She had no one to comfort her. You were gone too. I never got to help Raene through this. Now, how is she supposed to handle the fact that Roxas is supposed to be gone forever now?"
"I'll tell her. Now, I have to go for right now. Tell Raene that I'll be back at the mansion. I need to check on Sora. Tell her stop by, and that I want to talk to her. I'll see you later, Axel." And with that she disappeared.
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"Hey, Axel, I'm back." I came out from the street and walked over to the preoccupied Axel, while licking a strange mint-blue colored popsicle.
"I just talked to Naminé. She had to go check on Sora. She says to stop by. She wants to talk to you."
"How is Sora? How's his progress?"
"48. He has two days, she thinks."
"I'm gonna miss him."
"Me too. But we'll talk to him before he has to go, I promise," he said placing a hand on my back.
"Do you promise?"
"Of course. Why?"
"Too many people make promises and never keep them."
"What do you mean?"
"My sister said that I would make friends on that island. I never did. Roxas said that we would meet again. We never did, not in the same way. He doesn't remember us."
"Not everyone can keep the promises they make. Roxas couldn't help it, and neither could your sister. Ok, now I really have to go. Why don't you head off, Ok?"
"Ok, I'll see you later, Axel." I smiled and hugged him quickly.
"Yeah, see ya later," he said as I released him and then he stepped into a portal.
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I walked through the familiar woods again to the same old mansion. I stepped in through the doors and took in the old surroundings. Right when Sora was taken to the mansion to remember his memories, I had come here with Naminé. Well, to the real mansion. Right now, I was in the one that was created. Sora was in the real world but when Roxas was to go away, he would meet up with Sora in this mansion, but Sora would awaken in the real one.
When I came here with Naminé, I would watch as she put together Sora's memories. DiZ and his assistant would observe them from a computer in the real world. I came here after Axel finally got back to being is old self. He was always so sad when Roxas left and no one was there for me. I was always trying to get him back on his feet. When he finally did, I came here to see Naminé. I watched the Sora I had seen so many times in my sister's thoughts. He looked just as I remembered. Kairi had forgotten him when he forgot her. So I didn't get to see him unless I came here. When DiZ found out that I was against his project he stopped me from coming here unless we were to join him.
I never did, so I stayed away, until Naminé could find a way to get us back here. DiZ and his assistant guarded the portals; the ones that led into the fake Twilight Town. Those were the only way to get there without going to the real Twilight Town. But, DiZ was in the real one, and wouldn't let us pass. Naminé finally found a way for us to highjack the system and come here.
I walked around the foyer for a while. Furniture was thrown everywhere. A year of having second thoughts about what you were doing could do that to a teenage girl who has been locked up for so long. I finally made my way up the stairs and into the large, white room.
The room was exactly the same as the room I first felt comfortable in nine years ago, minus the bed and a few other furnishings. Naminé was sitting at the end of the table that she always sat at. "I heard you coming," she spoke quietly. "Come, sit. I'm sure you want to talk about some thing, yes?"
I nodded and took a seat at the opposite end of the table. Just as I was about to talk, my body went still and everything around me disappeared to focus on something passing through my mind.
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The familiar island atmosphere came into view and the lost figure of my memories was seen walking up a small dirt path lined with large, beautiful flowers of all colors.
"Kairi! Wait up!" A small child-like voice called from behind her. Kairi turned around to greet her life long friend, Selphie. They looked the same, but different at the same time, since the last time I saw them. Kairi had grown her hair out. It was now the same length as mine. Her eyes were the same ocean color, and her baby face smile was the same. Selphie looked the same as she had, just taller.
They were both dressed in their school uniforms as they walked home. "Kairi, you wanna go to the island today. Tidus and Wakka won't come because all they care about is their stupid ball game."
Kairi kept walking. "Not today, Selphie. Sorry."
"Aw, why not?" Selphie asked as Kairi stopped a few feet ahead of her.
"Do you remember those boys who used to hang out with us?"
"Riku?"
"Yeah."
"I wonder whatever happened to him. I sure miss him."
"He's far away. But I know we'll see him again." Kairi smiled.
"Sure. Of course we will." She smiled rocking back and forth on her feet.
"And the other boy?" Kairi asked.
"What other boy?" Selphie asked. "I don't remember another boy. It was just you, Riku, Tidus, Wakka, and I. Right?"
"There was another. He was always with Riku and me all the time. We played together on that island. I used to hear his voice there, it was always there. But now, it's gone. I can't think of his face or his name. I just feel terrible. How could someone who I care so much about, just be forgotten like that? I told myself that I won't go back to that island until I remember everything about him."
"Are you sure…that you didn't make him up? What if you just imagined him?"
But before she could answer, the whole scenery was changing. I saw Roxas. He was falling. What was happening? Why was I seeing Roxas?
"Naminé…? What's happening to me?" His voiced asked, but he wasn't speaking.
"Who are you? And that's not my name. I'm Kairi." Her voice spoke from nowhere. Why was I seeing this? How were they speaking to each other?
"Kairi…I know you. You're that girl he likes."
"Who? Please…a name!"
"I'm Roxas."
"Ok, Roxas. But could you tell me his name?"
"You don't remember my name? Thanks a lot, Kairi!" The voice changed. I hadn't heard that voice in so long. How was he speaking? Was he remembering so much?
Kairi gasped.
"Ok, I guess I could give you a hint. Starts with an 'S'!"
Roxas faded away and Kairi came back into view. She was lying on the ground. Selphie bent down and helped her up. "Are you ok?"
Kairi nodded then took off in full speed to the beach. The two girls stood in the waves as the wind blew their soft hair around their faces. Kairi bent down and placed a bottle in the water and watched as the waves took it out to sea.
"I wrote a letter yesterday. It's to the boy I can't remember. I said that I would find him one day no matter how far away he is." Kairi spoke quietly. "When I stopped writing, I remembered that we made a promise, something important. This letter is where it starts. I know it."
"Wow. I hope he gets it."
"He will. Starts with an 'S'. Right? Sora?"
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And with that all the scene faded away and I found myself back in Naminé's room. "Are you ok?" She asked. "What did you see?"
"My sister," I said simply but then my words quickened, "so it is true, she doesn't remember him either? Roxas and her talked. Then Kairi remembered his name. It was on the island, then the tower. Roxas was falling…and there was a letter…and…and"
"Whoa, Raene. Calm down! You're speaking too fast. Kairi didn't remember Sora. Then Roxas was falling off the tower and was subconsciously talking to Kairi. She then remembered Sora's name. And then Kairi placed a letter in the ocean to Sora."
"Ri...right…why did you…how did you…know that? And why did you ask me if you knew?"
"I am Kairi in a way. I see things almost as you do. Well, sort of...never mind. But I just wanted to ask…just instinct, I guess."
"Right. So, yeah. How's Sora? How is everything going?"
"I just checked on him. He's at 79 now. He is gaining more and more at a time, now."
"Why?"
"I think that by putting Roxas in contact with Kairi by me, Sora was affected in a way that made him progress faster. I'm not quite sure."
"Just two days. Are you going to talk to him?"
"Yes. The students of Twilight Town have an independent study homework project due in a few days. I think that they are going to have to travel the town. The seven wonders of Twilight Town, they will have to come here for one. I'll speak to him; explain a lot, I hope. Then well, the last day; the day after tomorrow, everyone around him will forget him. DiZ'll call him here. I'll speak to him one last time."
"That's good. He needs to have it explained."
"You're upset. You want to say good-bye, don't you? You just don't know how because he doesn't remember you, right?"
I nodded.
"Well, don't worry. You'll say good-bye."
"I don't want to say good-bye. I already did that once! It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It seamed nearly as bad as having to let go of my sister."
"He kissed you?"
"Huh?" I looked up from the shiny, white table. "Yeah, he did. I don't know why, though. It's not like he liked me or anything."
"Didn't you used to like him? Back a long time ago?"
"Yeah, back when I was like twelve. I stopped liking him long before though. He just kissed me. Why?"
"I think he was just saying good-bye. Maybe a subconscious part of him knew that he might not have a chance to say good-bye again. Not like that. Maybe he just did it because he thought he may not have another chance to in the future."
"Why would he think of that, though?"
"I don't know."
"Heh, boys…they're so complicated."
"Tell me about it! So what did Axel say? I hear that he is going back to the headquarters. I hear they have a mission for him. What did he tell you to do while he was gone?"
"He just said to hang around for a few days. He said he would be back soon."
"Well, maybe you could stay here. I could find a place for you to sleep…"
"What's wrong?!" Naminé had frozen still listening carefully for something.
"You have to leave! DiZ is in the mansion. Hurry! There is a small hotel in town. Stay there until tomorrow!" And with that she summoned a portal and shoved me through.
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The steps grew louder and louder until DiZ and his assistant burst through the door just as the portal disappeared. "Where is SHE?!?!"
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Hey everybody! Hope you all liked this one! I'll try to have number 4 out soon. Love you all! R/R please. Thanks! D
