Chapter 3
Oblivion was known to be a very prestigious High School in town. It was a place that looked ridiculously expensive. It was said that it was founded by Scrooge McDuck from Duckberg and his longtime partner, Lord Xehanort. The two old men, or rather old duck and old man, worked tirelessly to make this school huge, comfortable and welcoming. So it said on the website.
Then if this is true, how come Sora didn't remember anything about enrolling here or even anything before coming to this school? He knew some of his classmates and he even knew things about the world, but how come his memories were a blur? He asked Roxas, and even his memories were off.
They decided to ask around for Namine, and they thought they would begin by asking their close friends. Perhaps they knew something.
Roxas went to his group of friends while Sora went with his circle.
"Namine? I remember her. She was in art class with me. I haven't seen her in a while." said Kairi who was sitting on a bench outside in the gardens, eating some oranges.
"How long ago was this?" asked Sora.
"I don't remember. A couple months maybe?" said Kairi.
"I see." said Sora.
"You look worried? Were you friends with Namine?" asked Kairi.
"No. But Roxas needs to talk with her. It's about something serious." said Sora.
"Sora, are you in trouble?" asked Kairi.
"I- I don't know." said Sora as he sat next to Kairi.
"You've been odd lately. You stare into space and you hardly make jokes anymore. Did something happen? You can tell me. I'm a safe person to talk to." said Kairi softly.
Sora liked how comfortable Kairi was. Indeed, she was a safe person to speak to. She was like a calm ocean breeze. He nodded and decided to tell her the truth. The whole story. No secrets. After he was done, Kairi was lost in thought.
"Those dreams sound very scary. And you say I'm dead?" she asked.
"Not dead. Asleep. There are times you are asleep with your eyes open, as if you lost something important." said Sora.
"What you're telling me sounds very familiar," said Kairi.
"Yeah! Roxas said the same thing! Almost everything I said is familiar! To me, to Roxas, heck even Rafiki! He admitted as much." said Sora.
"The same thing happened with Namine." said Kairi, thinking.
"Then, do you have any idea where she would go? Anyplace she liked to visit?" asked Sora.
"Namine liked to go to the library. She also liked going to the gardens. Anyplace really where she was able to draw. Which reminds me, her drawings were also something amazing. They all looked familiar. Heck, this one time, she drew a castle. I never saw that castle before in my life, yet I knew what it was and the name!" said Kairi.
"Really? This is interesting." said Sora.
"Yes. I remember calling the castle Hollow Bastion. I remember I scared Namine that day because she came up with the same name too." said Kairi.
"There was more than met the eye on her huh?" said Sora shrugging.
"So you think whatever is causing your nightmares, Namine might have the answer to it?" asked Kairi.
"I hope so." said Sora.
"Then I'm in. I'll help you look for her. In fact, we should form a search party or something." said Kairi.
"Do you think Riku might help?" asked Sora.
"He needs to help us. You tell him about your nightmares." said Kairi.
"He'll laugh at me and think I'm making things up. He's not an easy person to convince." said Sora.
"Perhaps he'll listen. Maybe something you tell me him might sound familiar to him, like it did to me." said Kairi.
Sora nodded in agreement and he was hoping Kairi was right.
In the Principal's Office, Lord Xehanort was doing paperwork. He had to sign documents regarding construction on a new water fountain, permission for Ariel's Choir to take place in the gym after school, and of course, he had to sign paychecks. All that stuff.
How he ended up in this position, he will never know. But all in the name of world domination. After he was done with some work, his office door opened and Vanitas walked in, with Braig and Axel by his side.
"What is it?" said Lord Xehanort, looking up with his piercing yellow eyes staring intently at the three young men who entered. Vanitas was much younger than Braig and Axel. But he was the one who was chosen to speak to Lord Xehanort.
"There is a disturbance." said Vanitas.
"Oh really now? Was it those boys Hayner and Seifer fighting again? Braig, take Hayner to Rafiki's office. Let the baboon handle him. And as for that idiot Seifer, you Axel, have him work with that fool Hans cleaning horse poop outside the stables."
"Sorry old man, but it's not that type of disturbance." said Braig casually.
"It's another type of disturbance. If you catch our drift." said Axel, biting his lip nervously.
Xehanort rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. There was a disturbance in the force? You are making this sound like a poorly written script in a Star Wars film! Out with it! What are you three standing in my office looking like scarecrows!?" demanded Lord Xehanort.
Vanitas pulled what appeared to be a star shaped charm and put it on Xehanort's desk. The old man looked at it and stroked his chin.
"What's this?" he asked.
"You know very well what this is." said Vanitas.
"Are you mocking me?" asked Xehanort.
"No. You know what this means. What this star represents." said Vanitas.
Braig and Axel exchanged looks and it was Braig who broke the silence.
"I'll find, and I'll shoot him." said Braig darkly.
"You can't. You have to apprehend him." said Axel.
"You don't get it do you? He is dangerous." said Braig.
"No more dangerous than you. You have guns in a school." said Axel.
"Are you mocking me?" asked Braig dangerously.
Lord Xehanort stood up from his desk. "Where did you find this piece of garbage?" he asked.
"I found it on the ground, someplace." said Vanitas.
"Where exactly?" Xehanort said, gritting his teeth in frustration with Vanitas's attitude.
"Does it matter where I found it? I could have found it anywhere." said Vanitas.
Xehanort stood up and slapped Vanitas across the face. "Tell me!" snapped Xehanort.
"Damn! I found it in the locker room! The boy's locker room!" cried Vanitas angrily.
Axel's eyes widened, but Bragi sneaked a grin of satisfaction.
Xehanort looked at the star shaped pendant and grabbed it from the desk. He looked at the three, and sneered. "Braig. Keep an eye out. Don't do anything until I tell you to. Axel, you keep your mouth shut about this. I know you are close with some of the students here, so I appreciate it if you don't say a word. And as for you Vanitas, you will be with Braig and do the same. Not a word, and keep silent." said Xehanort.
"With all due respect old man, if we do nothing, things will move on ahead and before we know it, we might be too late." said Braig.
"Nothing is going to happen. If there is something abnormal, come straight back to me and we'll handle it. For now, we keep watch." said Xehanort.
"He might be on the move as we speak. What if he left the charm on purpose in the locker room, as a way to point the middle finger at us?" asked Braig.
"I doubt it. He left the charm there to let us know he's aware of "things." Keep an eye on him. That is all." said Xehanort.
Braig and Axel bowed their heads and left. Vanitas followed them with his blood boiling. He was so angry he went to the bathroom, pulled some napkins from dispenser and started screaming.
Suddenly, Sora walked in.
"Oh! Vanitas! Are you okay?" asked Sora.
Vanitas threw the garbage away and shook his head.
"You wanna talk about it?" asked Sora kindly.
"It's school business. You wouldn't understand." said Vanitas.
Sora put his hand on Vanitas's shoulder. "I might. C'mon. We're brothers! You, me and Roxas. We're a team." said Sora.
"I don't feel like we're a team. I feel like you and Roxas are keeping things from me. That's to be expected since you guys are twins." said Vanitas.
"We may be twins, but you are a year older than us and therefore you are close." said Sora with a smile.
Vanitas scoffed. "Tell that to Ventus." he said under his breath.
Sora knew he had to tread carefully. It's been a while since Vanitas mentioned Ventus, his other older brother. Yes, they were a family of four brothers. "Ven" and Vanitas were a year older than Sora and Roxas, and they went to the same school. However, circumstances happened and Ventus had a fallout with Vanitas. Because of that, the brothers were no longer that close.
"Have you seen Riku by anychance?" asked Sora.
"What?" asked Vanitas.
"Riku. I want to ask him something." said Sora.
"I don't know where he is, and you shouldn't talk to that lowlife." said Vanitas.
"Don't say that. He's a good friend of mine." said Sora.
"Yeah. One who competes with you and shows off everytime he gets it. Not to mention that Lord Xehanort has his radar on him." said Vanitas.
"What? Why? Did he do something?" asked Sora.
Vanitas shut his mouth, but continued to speak. "You should be careful around him. I don't trust Riku." said Vanitas.
Sora nodded. He didn't want to argue with Vanitas. He knew how angry his brother got whenever something was made up in his mind.
"Okay. I'll be careful. If that will make you happy." said Sora.
"It's for your own good. Stay away from him." said Vanitas.
"Alright." nodded Sora.
As he left, Vanitas looked at the mirror. "Yes. Keep away from him. Or you will be on Braig's radar too."