The screen flickers for a bit before the author appeared, waving from behind a desk.
*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and welcome back to another chapter of Key to New Possibilities.*
*A little bit over the two weeks I promised last chapter, but here it is. Can't make any promises about future chapters being out so quickly.*
*Anyway the meaning of the chapter's title, Rencounter means a hostile encounter. Which perfectly fits the one Roxas has in his search for what happened to Naminé. Which I hope you all enjoy.*
*Few things to do before we start the chapter.*
*First I have to thank warrior of six blades for his help with the chapter, couldn't have done it without you friend.*
*Secondly I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the Toaru series.*
*Finally just sit back, relax, maybe put some music on, and enjoy. I'll see you all at the end of the chapter.*
The author snaps his fingers as the screen turned static before the chapter begins.
Rencounter
A Corridor opened and Roxas took in a deep breath as he exited it and closed it. Looking around to see that he was at the edge of Tram Commons, the sun just starting to set.
Flipping up his hood up as he took in the familiar sights of this area of Twilight Town.
It had truly been a while since he had been here, he even had a clear line of sight to the see the stand where he, Axel, and Xion used to get sea salt ice cream from. As much as he was tempted to get some, he did just have a bowl and something more important to do.
"No turning back now." Roxas muttered before stepping into another Corridor.
Heading back to the accursed mansion once again.
"That was a close one." Axel said as he obsevered a member of the Organization depart into a Corridor.
Wouldn't be the first time he had seen them prowling around Twilight Town since he left them and Sora departed to other worlds. Considering this world was also so close to their home turf, they were protective of it almost as much as they were to Castle Oblivion after Marluxia's little scheme to weaponize Sora backfired.
Judging by the build he could glimpse, Axel would have to guess it was either Xigbar or Luxord.
The former was surprisingly stealthy when he wished to be, Axel dreaded getting caught by him almost as much as Saïx.
Still he knew from enough experience to have just as much time to complete his task.
Vanishing into a Corridor before reappearing into the shadows, walking towards the stall and pulling out munny from his bag.
"One sea salt ice cream please." He asked, getting the vendor to nod with a smile.
"Of course, wouldn't expect anything less from one of my best customers." She said with a smile while going for the ice cream. "Still I wonder where you two friends are, they usually came here nearly all the time."
"Two?" Axel blinked before realizing what she meant. "They're far away now, not sure that they will be coming back."
"Such a shame, I missed them coming around." The vendor said, getting Axel to sigh.
"Yeah you have no idea." Axel sighed out.
If he had a heart he was sure the aching would be more manageable, or not.
It had been over a decade since he lost
He had thought and from Vexen's notes Xion would have been erased from memory should she have been destroyed or absorb. Something which he knew that most of the remaining Organization wouldn't have cared about.
Something he had seen through the notes that Vexen was not pleased with and was hoping to fix according to his notes.
And he just had to kill him in Castle Oblivion.
Perhaps his biggest regret from that whole fiasco aside from manipulating the replica of Riku. He could have turned out like Xion too if he left him alone instead directing him to eliminate Zexion.
Couldn't do anything like that, like he couldn't with Roxas or Xion...
Axel would start to remember Xion shortly after he booked it from the virtual prison, leaving a way out for Roxas. Which the Organization caught on when he promptly fled and he had no doubt DiZ would have interfered if they entered. He tried Corridoring back, but it seemed his little 'backdoor' was the only way to and from there other than the main terminal.
The Organization had it on lockdown and there had been no trace of DiZ, Riku, and Naminé in Twilight Town since.
As the memories came back the pain nearly doubled.
There was two people who made him feel like he had a heart and it was gone.
If he could knock some sense into his past sleeve and have gotten the hell out of dodge with those two...
"Axel are you okay?" The vendor asked, breaking him from out of his thoughts. The popsicle in hand.
"Just a lot on my mind now, thanks." Axel said, handing her the munny. The vendor nodded as he began to walk away with ice cream in hand.
Honestly the only good things to have come out of recent days was that Naminé was with Riku and that Roxas didn't have time to remember Xion before reforming with Sora.
Seems like memories of her were starting to return to everyone at least now, took a while.
Considering how Roxas was able to dial wield Keyblades, the elder Nobody figured what must've happened after he almost passed out and Xemnas took her. Axel dreaded how Roxas would've reacted to that.
And unlike with him, he wasn't sure that it was possible to separate her.
Once he got Roxas back he'll make it up to him...somehow...
First was to get Kairi and bring out Sora's darkness to the point of turning to a Heartless. Needed to be careful or otherwise he would end up like Ansem, Larxene, and Marluxia.
And then there was also the possibility that Organization would use the opportunity to pinch Kairi off of him to manipulate Sora.
Plus there was the fact Riku was watching over Sora, Kairi, and Naminé while the King acted in the shadows for Sora. He needed to plan carefully.
But Axel was sure it would work, Sora was as stubborn as Roxas and Xion. He did the impossible of maintaining his self as a Heartless and returned to human form. If he could do it once before, then Axel knew Sora could do it once again.
He'd get his friend back and then he'd leave Kairi alone…it had to work…
He could at least get one of his friends back.
Axel sighed as he took a bite from the ice cream and vanished into a Corridor. He had a lot of prep work to do.
"So they truly are gone..." Roxas said, looking at the empty pods in the hallway, shaking his head as he walked through the basement. Both Keyblades in hand as he continued to walk on through.
He exited the Corridor into the room where he was last was in the simulation, where he was supposed to have disappeared and mergered back with Sora.
The best places he could think of to check for Naminé was either in her room or the main computer room, he wouldn't put it past DiZ to keep records on it...if it was still intact.
But if he couldn't access it then he would check Naminé's room next.
Aside from that he was checking the basement just incase DiZ or the Organization was here.
The Nobody was under no doubt if he entered the mansion, DiZ would be aware of it. He, Riku, and Naminé were based out of here for 10 months, he wouldn't put past DiZ to continue to monitor it long after he abandoned it.
If it at least lured Riku here then it would be worth it for the information on Naminé alone.
With the Organization he wouldn't be surprised if they had left a large number of Nobodies inside it just incase anyone ever came back.
From what he was seeing so far no one has yet, there was a thin layering of dust everywhere.
Walking out of the hallway with the pods he came to the room where he had last met Axel in the virtual Twilight Town. As expected there were no scorch marks and no corridor, this was the real deal.
Roxas sighed and shook his head, briefly giving the room another look over before entering the main computer room, frowning at seeing the intact monitors.
And how much cleaner this room was than the other parts of the basement. Still some dust but looked more used.
He walked and glared at the terminal and felt the urge to repeat what he did in the virtual world, only to shake his head.
No, he need to find about Naminé. Smashing in the computer again would be cathartic but not counter productive.
Dispelling his Keyblades he sat down in the chair and began to type as the monitors flared to life. Seeing he needed a password Roxas sighed as he got out of there.
He didn't expect to get far, but it was worth a shot. Still the Nobody doubted he could figure out what the password would be and lock himself out.
Considering how little he knew of DiZ the password was probably something he couldn't guess, nothing simple like sea salt ice cream.
With that he opened a Corridor of Darkness and stepped through it, emerging in Naminé's room.
Stopping when he heard a slithering from behind the door. Bracing both Keyblade and placing his back to the wall, readying to pounce as the slithering continued.
He waited another minute, glimpsing a familiar gray shape opening the door and brought both Keyblades down on it before he was spotted.
The Dusk fading it of existence as he closed the door cautiously, Roxas sighing as he saw there were no other Dusks nearby.
His suspicions were correct as the Organization probably left a handful of Dusks to alert if anyone returned to the mansion. Maybe some more types of Nobodies lying in wait.
A singular Dusk going missing wouldn't be known for a while, so he still had some time.
Looking around the room Roxas saw to his disappointment that there seemed to be no sign of Naminé. Dust was lining the table and chair. Her notebook and several of the pictures he had seen along the wall were gone.
The only things that seemed new was a stack of blank paper, crayons, pens, and pencils lying on the desk and a single new drawing.
It was him, Naminé, Axel, and Xion in front of the train station in Twilight Town, the clock tower rising in the background.
Roxas sighed and smiled as he placed a hand on the photo.
"We'll meet again, someday soon." Roxas sighed out.
"Imagine to my surprise to find who tripped the motion sensors and tried to access the data Twilight Town. I had expected you to show yourself eventually."
Roxas brushed the drawing off the desk and threw Oathkeeper at DiZ, the Keyblade passing through him alongside a slash from Oblivion. The first Keyblade embedding itself teeth deep into the wall.
Gripping Oblivion while frowning in annoyance as he saw particular glitching around where he had just attacked DiZ who looked rather unfazed before his image reformed completely.
A projection once again.
"It would seem appropriate to use speak to you through projection Roxas." DiZ said, uncaring for the Nobody's icy glare directed at him.
"I thought you would do so. And speak about what? I will never help you with whatever you have planned for Sora and that's never changing!" Roxas said while trying to control his anger.
The last time he lost control around DiZ he had been lured into merging with Sora with no escape.
While he doubted DiZ had anything like that planned especially with Dusks lurking around the mansion, Roxas wasn't planning on taking any chances. As much as he hated the man infront of him, losing his temper got him caught in the first place.
"Then why return at all? A Nobody like yourself has nothing to desire with no feelings of your own. Despite wearing the coat, you have not returned to Organization XIII. Slaying a Dusk to make cover your tracks. Yet why would you try to access the terminal?" DiZ pondered, his expression unreadable. "Are you seeking revenge on Sora? Or myself?"
"Not on Sora, I want noting to deal with him as much as possible. Revenge on you is pretty tempting, but you're not my priority." Roxas said, summoning Oathkeeper back to his hand and training it at DiZ. "I'm here to learn what happened to Naminé, nothing more. Tell me what happened to her and you'll never see me again."
"And why would a Nobody like you care for her well-being, no need to play pretend Roxas. You have no feelings of your own, nor do you care about anyone." DiZ said, furthering angering Roxas.
"Pretend...you think I'm faking this...that I'm faking what I feel..." Roxas said, glaring at DiZ and wishing more than anything in that moment the man was right in the room with him. "My hatred for you is real! My worry for Naminé is real! My wish to leave this all behind is very much real! When I said my heart was my own, I meant it!"
DiZ for his part looked more bemused and laughed.
"Roxas you're a Nobody, you do not possess a heart." DiZ said.
Said Nobody barely held himself from physically lashing out at the projection infront of him. It would do nothing except playing into his hands.
And he wouldn't give DiZ the satisfaction of that.
"Yet you wished for me to share my hatred with Sora last time I checked!" Roxas shouted back, looking to see DiZ frown and gained a confused expression. "You say we Nobodies don't have emotions or a heart. Maybe you are right about having a heart, yet you count hatred among them. When clearly to hate someone is a very real emotion. Like you do the Organization."
DiZ remained silent, wishing to deny Sora's Nobody that he ever thought as much.
But he did, wishing for Sora to have inherited Roxas's hatred and directed it back at Organization XIII. He saw Roxas was barely containing his hatred towards the man and how useful it would have been in his vengeance towards Xemnas and his two remaining pupils.
Sora, Riku, and his Replica had already done half of the job for him.
DiZ began to think of what Riku had warned him before splitting ways, that his hatred of Nobodies was blinding him. Yet Nobodies didn't have to do pacify for emotions or hearts, any feelings were artificial replications of memories from their Somebodies...
Naminé and Roxas were the exception, due to their circumstances they had to forge their own feelings and experiences. So was it true-
DiZ shut down that thought as he shook his head.
Those two were not exceptions, they couldn't be...this was nothing more than a ruse from Roxas.
He had underestimated the Nobody before, never again...
"I was humoring a tool in his last hour, nothing more." DiZ said trying to keep his tone even. "With your return Riku should be willing to return for Sora's sake."
"I won't be here for that much longer, especially since Naminé seems to be no longer with you." Roxas said, turning his back to the projection and walking back to the desk.
"What makes you think that she is even alive right now? Going to abandon her after coming this far to shrine out about her." DiZ said.
Only to be surprised at Roxas chuckling at him.
"Yourself, Riku's not here and I take it the both of you are not seeing things eye to eye. Things aren't going your way with Sora and she's with him, am I right?" Roxas asked, looking over his shoulder and glaring at DiZ.
The silence was telling.
"Won't be here much longer." Roxas said, grabbing a piece of paper from the top of the pile. "It will only be a matter of time until Riku comes looking for me."
That was something he knew without a doubt considering what Riku had done to him to restore Sora.
He didn't know the exact location of Academy City amongst the worlds, but with Naminé at his side it would be sooner or later they would find him. At the very least Naminé was alive and safe.
"...this changes nothing Roxas. You're a Nobody, a being of nothingness that doesn't deserve to exist. Nor is your so called feelings." DiZ said as Roxas picked up a pen and glared at DiZ.
The man actually flinching at the intensity behind it before he sighed and sat down in the seat.
"Maybe you're right, yet these feelings are real to me. I might not have a heart or truly exist, but this is all real for me. I've decided that. Not you, Xemnas, Saïx, Riku, or even Sora. Just as much as my hatred for you!" Roxas shouted before taking a breath to calm himself. "For someone who claims to be a servant of the world, you have no problem doing what Marluxia tried to do to Sora onto me. You both did the same thing and looked what happened."
Roxas turned his attention and seethed as he began to right.
DiZ wished to speak before willing himself silent.
Marluxia had attempted to suppress Sora's memories with an entire lifetime of false ones to turn him into a weapon against the Organization, trapping him in Castle Oblivion to enact his ambition to usurp his former apprentice.
And he had unknowing attempted to emulate it, both plans having failed...
Was he truly this lost in his hatred to have emulated a Nobody...
While DiZ was lost in thought Roxas was writing on the paper, think carefully before deciding n his message. Hoping this could get to Naminé.
"...You despise them, the false memories I created for you." DiZ said, getting Roxas to turn back and glare at him.
"More than anything, what little I remember anyway. You gave me fifteen years of false memories of being a human and then delated them before I returned to Sora. All that is left is the knowledge and my experiences with my 'friends'." He said venomously before turning away.
Honestly that experience was probably the worse thing about his imprisonment
"So you would have Naminé get rid of the remainder?" DiZ inquired, Roxas shaking his head.
"No, you pretty much already did that on your own. I want to make sure she is alright before I ask for help with my memories. The rest are helping me to get settled." Roxas said coldly before he stopped writing.
It wasn't much, but it did convey what he wished Naminé to hear.
As he got up DiZ peered at the Nobody's message as he got up and opened a Corridor of Darkness.
"Riku and Naminé are looking for you while protecting Sora. He said to make sure whether you have any ideas for Sora or not. And not to go after either of you. I can only assume you wish to pass a message to them." DiZ said, having accepted that the Nobody would escape one way or another.
Not that it matter to him anyway.
Containing Roxas without Riku would only prove disastrous.
"I do, I have no interest in Sora if I can help it. And they know which world I will be on. That I'll be waiting for them." Roxas said, picking up the drawing he knocked down.
Sighing in relief that it was alright with it curling up. He would have hated to have ruined it.
Only to notice there was an other side to it.
The other drawing looked half finished, yet Roxas still recognized himself and some the windmills of Academy City on skyscrapers. Next to him looked to be the beginnings of three figures. Looking like she was beginning to draw their features, but was unfinished.
She must have been working on it before being taken away with Riku.
Roxas sighed as he placed the drawing on the table before placing his message next to it.
Turning to DiZ and glaring at the projection with as much hate as he could muster.
"You come after me or Naminé ever again and Kingdom Hearts help me you do anything to her…" Roxas threatened, getting DiZ to laugh.
"Riku has made already that notion quite clear. And what use would I have for tools that provide such a lengthy risk in the state they are. Better to leave things as they lie and out of Sora's path. I already have my own means to deal with the Organization's goal in progress." DiZ said his projection began to pixilate away as Roxas walked to the Corridor and gave him one last glare.
"If we meet again, I will not hold back any more." Roxas said as he disappeared into the Corridor.
"Wouldn't expect anything less…" DiZ said as the Corridor of Darkness closed.
The man looked lost in thought once again as his projection finally faded away, leaving the mansion silent once more.
Roxas emerged from the Corridor, letting out a yell of frustration as he threw down both of his Keyblades. Their teeth sunk into the ground as he tried to calm himself down.
Never thought he could hate someone more than Xemnas, but of course it was DiZ!
The Nobody took a few minutes to compose his thoughts before picking up his Keyblades before dispelling them. Letting out a sigh as he began to walk over to the bridge he had been camping under.
Smiling a little as he walked under it, creating a light sphere as he pulled out his journal.
"So she is alright. Hopefully we'll get to see her again soon..." Roxas said as he began to write in his journal.
Naminé was okay and with Riku and the two were actively looking for him, well he had no other plans to leave Academy City for now. It was just a matter of time.
Today had been quite a long day between sea salt ice cream and confronting DiZ. At least he got to enjoy some of the former and made a friend in Uiharu along with finally having some clue on what to look for.
If Naminé's drawing was really a clue, than he had at least three friends during his first time in Academy City...in a city where most of the population was students numbering in the thousands...
Not really a helpful hint, but better than nothing. Still was going to take a long time to find them with no clue on what he would look for in them.
Back to square one in that regard, but Naminé did know.
For right now Roxas would just continue what he had been doing while trying to figure out how to settle in Academy City still.
With that he closed his journal and let out a sigh as he extinguished the light sphere, leaning against the foundation. Looking out the side to see the sky and the sun was starting to set.
Perhaps he would go do some more wondering, looking for a good spot to enjoy the sunset on this world. Perhaps making a point to check around for such a spot tomorrow.
But for now Roxas would take the moment to unwind, it had been a trying few minutes for him. Even still it was all worth it to know that Naminé was alright.
The screen flickered for a bit before the author reappeared.
*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter.*
*Anyway the main focus for this chapter was the confrontation between Roxas and DiZ/Ansem. With Roxas he absolutely hates DiZ for what he did and was holding back as he knew losing his temper against the man would be disastrous. DiZ for his part is still reeling from Riku's and working on his Kingdom Hearts Encoder, seeing his previous plans a lost cause while barely or any guilt for what he has done.*
*Put it bluntly both hate each other, with DiZ checking to see what Roxas was up to while the Nobody figuring out Riku left and has taken Naminé with him. Leaving a message for her and waiting for them both in Academy City.*
*DiZ for his part was checking to see if Roxas was doing what Riku had predicted, not expecting his own words being turned against him. Or being compared to Marluxia.*
*After all what he did to Roxas, heck it's implied he gave the Nobody a lifetime full of false memories in game with the intent to manipulate Sora against the Organization. That plan didn't check out, but he came closer than Marluxia and Larxene to succeeding. Well until Sora woke up.*
*I think that him even acknowledging Nobodies can emote and his original plan being compared to Marluxia's struck quite the blow to his ego.*
*In the end Roxas found what he wanted and left before he could snap even further.*
*Unaware of how close he was to Axel and vice versa.*
*With the older Nobody he is laying low knowing that trying to grab Kairi is a bad idea with Riku around and the Organization now hunting for him. And along with Xion starting to return to everyone wishes to knock some sense into his past self. Figuring he can only save one of his friends now, not knowing Roxas's continued existence.*
*It's only a matter of time until he shows himself up again while Riku and Naminé are keeping an eye out for him.*
*Finally Roxas manages to find a small clue to his past experience in Academy City, but without knowing any more it's back to square one. So he's going to continue what he has been in Academy City while starting to be more active on settling in. Knowing it will be difficult.*
*If only he knew how right it would be…*
*Anyway that should be all for now.*
*Next chapter Roxas finds himself helping Misaka once again as she unknowingly finds his current camping site. Later finding out how dangerous the recent bombings can be. And back with Riku and Naminé, the former becomes aware of a facet of Naminé's abilities that he was unaware of. Hope that you all will enjoy the chapter when it comes out.*
*If you have any questions, leave a review or PM and I will get back to you when I can. So until next time, ciao!*
The author waves goodbye as the screen fades to black.