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Chapter 1: Story of Roxas part 1
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In a completely unrecognizable room, there were twelve people in white hooded cloaks with the Nobody emblem on their backs. They were all lined up and facing forward while a black hooded man was walking in front of them with the Heartless Emblem on his back.
"Listen up you hollow mannequins! Your mission is the same as yesterday: go to the assigned world, spread out and collect all the Emblem Heartless you can as well as the hollow bodies! we're going to need a large army if we are to defend this project against that traitor brat and that stupid mouse!" All twelve of them nodded in perfect unison as if they had no emotion or souls but were simply just hollow machines.
"Oh! and to help motivate you dolls; you got a new member to your little organization." The Keyblade Wielder of Darkness then backed off and waved his hand toward another person in a white hooded cloak.
"This is Number 14, She's gonna help you all collect the Heartless, she's our newest experiment! In other words, she's more valuable than the rest of you soulless lot, so make sure you keep her safe!" Again, all twelve of the people nodded in creepy unison the hooded man just huffed in annoyance and walked off.
"Just get the job done quickly this time! Creepy hollow freaks..." The Keyblade Wielder of Darkness left the room the other twelve strangers in white hoods started marching out of the room in unison then after they were halfway out Xion walked up to follow them. She however walked up too quickly and accidently bumped into Roxas whose hood fell off. He then turned around and faced Xion with an emotionless face and soulless eyes. Xion then took off her hood and looked at him in confusion, she then reached out and touched his face. instantly Roxas felt the warmth in her hand, and he blinked as the shine of life came into his eyes.
"... why do you look so familiar?"
Roxas then suddenly woke up with his hand in the air as if he was reaching out to something, Roxas was confused on why he was like this. As Roxas got up, he noticed he was crying despite not feeling the slightest bit sad. Roxas tried to, but for some reason he couldn't remember what he dreamt about or why it made him cry. Roxas then looked out the window to see his hometown, Twilight Town. Roxas then looked at the clocktower and suddenly his head hurt, then he remembered his strange dream, he couldn't make sense of any of it, but what stuck to him the most was his memory of Xion.
"Who was that girl?"
"Roxas, it's time to get up!" Roxas then quickly got out of his bed after hearing his mom's voice, he got changed and went downstairs. There was his mom who had already prepared breakfast for him. Roxas joyfully went to the table and started eating while his mom was cleaning the dishes.
"Mmmh! hm? Hey, where's Dad?"
"Oh, he went off to work early today dear... say Roxas you haven't been getting into trouble recently, right?"
"Hm? what do you mean?"
"People around town have been saying you were stealing something."
"What? Mom, I haven't stolen anything!"
"I believe you Roxas but... maybe those friends of yours might have."
"What?"
"Oh, I don't mean all of them. Pence can be sweet sometimes and Olette is just absolutely lovely. I honestly don't understand why you haven't asked her out yet. but Hayner on the other hand can be a kind of ruffian."
"Come on Mom, my friends are not like that, and neither am I! trust me when I say we didn't steal anything!"
"Ok Roxas, but please be careful dear, you don't want to ruin the organization."
"Yeah, of course mom, anyways I'm out to see... wait what did you just say?"
"Hm? I said you don't want to ruin your future dear, remember summer is almost over and you're going to have to get back to school and not only keep up your grades but also your reputation if you're going to grow up and contribute to society like your father one day."
"oh... right, got it Mom I'll be careful, bye!" Roxas then left the house and traveled through Twilight Town to meet up with his friends at the hideout.
"What do you think Roxas... Roxas? Hey Roxas! What's up with you? You, ok?" Roxas then realized he was dozing off as Hayner was discussing the thief problem.
"Oh, sorry guys it's just... I had this dream I can barely remember but... there was this girl... ugh, it felt so real, but I can barely remember it."
"Oh?! A girl? Was she pretty?"
"She was... the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, her hair was black and shined so beautifully, her eyes were blue and shined like gemstones and the way she looked at me was so..." Roxas then realized he was drifting off while his friends were just staring at him, Pence was looking at him in confusion, Hayner was looking at him with skepticism, and Olette was looking at him with eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Wow, you have a HUGE crush, what's the girl's name?!"
"Yeah, what's the name of your imaginary girlfriend."
"Guys come on I said it was a dream, it's just weird is all, I barely remember anything, but I can't get her face out of my head."
"Well sorry to burst your bubble but we really should focus more on this thief problem, Seifer's been telling everyone that we're the thieves! but we haven't stolen anything! we're not some Klepto club!"
"Oh yeah, my mom told me about that while I was having breakfast... hm, well why don't we just find the real thief and expose them."
"Oh yeah! That way Seifer will have to eat his words!"
"But it won't stop him from bothering us."
"It's a start, Hayner, besides we won't be able to justify going against his gang if we don't clear our names first. As of this moment everyone is on their side, so if we take him on now, we'll just look even more like criminals, my mom's already worried enough as it is."
"Alright, alright, I got it, gotta do as the Organization intended right?"
"Exactly see Hayner you don't need to... did you say Organization?"
"What? no I said gotta do as the law intends. Why would I say organization? What organization?"
"I- I don't know but I thought I heard you say it, just like how my mom-"
"What?! They're gone! Our _ our gone! huh?"
"Did you just say our _ are gone? but who could have... wait, why can't I say _?"
"Hey! what's going on I can't say _ no matter what I try?"
"Uh lets see _, _, _. WHAT?! seriously?! I can't even say _."
"This is weird, not only is all our _ gone but we can't say the word either?!"
"I can't say _ or _ either! it's like anything relating to it is gone as well."
"There's no way Siefer did this, on the plus side it further proves we didn't do this either."
"Still thought a thief that can not only steal something but the word as well? That's one dangerous and powerful thief, we better catch them as soon as we can."
"Alright then, let's start looking for clues. me and Olette will go into town center to see if any of the shop owners caught sight of the real thief while Roxas and Pence go to the edge of town and look for suspicious people who might be the thief." Roxas and Pence nodded and ran to the Sandlot while Hayner and Olette went to the town center.
At the Sandlot Roxas and Pence immediately ran into Siefer's group, they instantly started insulting them and accusing them of stealing. Roxas grunted in anger, but Pence helped him back from running at them in anger.
"Come on Roxas, remember what you said, we can't justify going against them without proof we're not the thieves."
"... yeah, yeah you're right, sorry Pence it's just frustrating."
"What's frustrating is how you're still walking free!" Then as if things couldn't possibly get worse Seifer showed up holding a Struggle baton.
"You stole all the _ in town and also the one we had! Give it back! We already know it was you, you lamers!" Roxas and Pence both covered their mouths when they heard that word, Siefer didn't have the best education track and as such it wasn't uncommon for him to use words incorrectly. As such despite providing several times to be stronger than Roxas and Hayner they could always pride themselves in making fun of him when he said ridiculous things.
"Pfft... ahem! Siefer, I know you're not gonna believe us but trust me when I say I didn't do it. but it is true!"
"... alright."
"Huh?"
"You heard me, I believe you. In fact, I wanna help you catch the real thieves." Roxas couldn't stop looking at Siefer in confusion, it was very unlike him to take Roxas's side on anything.
"For what price?! Knowing you, you're definitely asking for something." Pence quickly stood forward to question Siefer, Siefer on the other hand continued to smile.
"It seems that the _ stolen showed undeniable proof that we totally owned you lamers. So, if you want me to believe that you didn't steal them and that there are other thieves out there then bow to me and admit that you're a loser."
"you're kidding right, that's so petty Siefer." Pence just smirked at Siefer, knowing this was one of Siefers plans he didn't think through well enough. Roxas on the other hand seemed to ponder on this, he then slowly started stepping forward.
"hm... huh? HUH?! Roxas, don't tell me you're actually going to do it?"
"Do what?" Just then Hayner and Olette showed up and ran toward Pence to see what was happening.
"We checked all through Town and it seems everyone lost their _ too, they all think Roxas did it."
"Hey, wait?! What is Roxas doing now?"
"I think... He's actually going to bow to Siefer."
"What?!"
"Why is he doing that?"
"Seifer said if he did, he would believe Roxas is not the thief and help find the real one, but it sounded so dumb that I didn't think he would actually do it." To everyone's shock, even Seifer's, Roxas actually bowed to him. Seifer quickly calmed down and walked to Roxas, then he placed his foot on Roxas's head to which Hayner tried to run up to him and fight but Pence and Olette held him back.
"Haha, that wasn't so hard was it Roxas, now then since you said you weren't the thief, I guess this proves your right. So, I'll help you find the real one, but in return you guys have to join my group and call me Boss!" Hayner, Pence, and Olette were quick to shout their protest against this choice, but Seifer just smirked at them knowing they were going anyway. Siefer then looked down to Roxas who was still under his foot.
"What do ya say Roxas, want me to start calling me boss?" Roxas struggled to but still turned his head until Seifer could see the side of his face clearly. Seifer was confused to see Roxas smiling, then Roxas then forced himself up which made Seifer call down on his butt. Roxas then grabbed Seifer's baton and hit him on the leg with it, Seifer yelped in pain, but Roxas wasn't done. He pointed the baton straight at Seifer's face.
"Stay down Seifer, I'm not the thief and I shouldn't have to bow to you to prove that. Now I'm not giving up, I'm gonna find the real thief and if you wanna help then by all means, but if you're just gonna be a jerk then stay out of my way!" Roxas glared down on Seifer with determination to show how serious he was and that he wasn't going to take any more of Seifer's nonsense. Seifer then grunted and raised his hands in surrender, Roxas nodded, taking the surrender and walked back to his friends who were all silent but in awe. Seifer just smiled deviously with Roxas turning his back on him, Seifer then quickly got back up and charged at Roxas ready to strike him in the back of the head.
Roxas felt a strange jolt in the back of his head as a feeling of danger was closing in, as such he quickly backflipped high in the air leaving everyone, his friends, Seifer's gang, and Seifer himself in awe. Roxas then landed behind Seifer and slashed his back with the baton knocking him down on the ground. For almost a minute no one said anything. Instead they were all just standing there in silence but then Hayner broke the silence by cheering and Pence and Olette did the same.
"Roxas, that was awesome!"
"Roxas how did you do that?! that backflip was amazing!"
"Hey Roxas! Get closer to Seifer!" Roxas then walked closer to Seifer but looked back at Pence in confusion then was surprised when Pence took a picture. Pence held the picture to everyone while Hayner locked her arm around Roxas's neck to show his praise. However, the moment was quickly ruined when a strange gray humanoid figure showed up and stole the picture.
"What the- what was that?"
"The thief?"
"That didn't look like a normal thief... or even a person for that matter."
"It's gotta be the thief he stole another _, and even if he didn't, he might know who the actual thief is." Roxas then ran after the creature and his friends followed leaving Seifer unconscious and his gang alone to take him back to his house.
Roxas and his friends followed the thief across town, eventually Roxas followed it down a dark alleyway. Roxas carefully entered and found a large crack that led to a forest that Roxas didn't recognize.
"Huh, I didn't know there was a forest this close to Twilight town." Roxas then entered the crack and into the forest, however as he did his body suddenly felt lighter and stronger as well.
"Whoa! This place is... weird. hey, do you guys feel that too-" Roxas turned around to see if his friends caught up to him but to his shock the breach was gone, the wall was repaired as if it never existed.
"Woah, what?! what's going on! guys can you hear me back there?!" Before Roxas could say anything else the thief whipped him in the back badly. The cut only tore his clothes but left a sore red slash on his back. Roxas yelled in pain and turned to see the thief, now he could get a clear view of the nobody.
"Ah... hey, why do you look so familiar?" The nobody then pulled out the picture and looked at it then back to Roxas, it then grabbed his arm and started dragging him along as it floated through the forest toward an unknown destination. Roxas grunted and tried hard but could not get the nobody to let him go no matter what he did. Finally, the nobody let go leaving Roxas exhausted and in pain on the ground, he had to force himself up to see what was going on. Roxas then found himself in front of a mysterious and old looking mansion with a large lock on its gate. The Nobody was trying to open the lock with its strange arms but then it turned around and noticed Roxas getting up and stopped to face him.
"Ugh, alright time for round two freak!" The Nobody's mouth unzipped, and it roared at him. Roxas then raised his baton and swung at the Nobody hard. However, the baton didn't actually touch the nobody but phased through him. The nobody then whipped him in the stomach hard which forced him back. Roxas groaned in pain but forced himself up, he then charged at the nobody and slashed it several times with his baton; again, it did nothing but phase through. The Nobody seemingly laughed as it used its whip- like arms to slash Roxas several times which again forced him back and rolled on the ground in pain. Roxas tried to get up again but the Nobody whipped his back several times, not only cutting his shirt but leaving cuts on his back as well.
Roxas couldn't help but start crying in pain, all the while the Nobody started laughing at him. When the Nobody finally stopped it went right back to trying to pick the lock to the mansion, Roxas grunted in pain, it hurt so badly but still, he forced himself to get up. The Nobody was seemingly almost done with the lock but then it looked back at Roxas and made a surprised noise.
"I... don't know what you are..." The Nobody got scared as seemingly the area around them started glitching.
"I don't know... what's going on..." The glitching grew more intense almost like an earthquake but Roxas was too angry to focus on anything other than the nobody.
"But I'm not backing down... I'm not giving up... I will stop you!" Then suddenly a large wave of magical energy released from Roxas. Despite still being injured, he felt a rush of energy due to the magic flowing everywhere. Then suddenly strange rings of code appeared around his hand and Roxas was forced to drop his baton as the Kingdom Keyblade appeared in his hand. Roxas looked at the Keyblade with great confusion; he had never seen a key so big or so golden before. For some reason he felt even stronger holding it as if it was filled with magic and giving some of that magic to him.
Roxas then smiled and faced the Nobody, it hissed at him and floated at him headfirst, opening its mouth ready to bite and rip him apart. Roxas used the keyblade to guard, the recoil from the impact made the nobody forcefully fly away and land hard on the ground. Roxas couldn't believe it, earlier this nobody was hurting him so badly and he couldn't do anything to fight back, now he was the one in standing while the Nobody was on the ground. Roxas looked at his keyblade in confusion but also astonishment, did this thing give me this power? What is this key? and... why does it look so familiar?
The nobody hissed and floated forward at high speed nearly getting Roxas this time, it was biting its fangs onto the keyblade and trying its best to force Roxas back. Roxas couldn't believe how strong he felt now, before he felt like the Nobody had the strength of a pro wrestler with metal armor but now it just felt like fighting a rabid dog. Roxas shook off the nobody and quickly slashed it in the stomach making it hiss in pain. The nobody backflipped and tried to whip Roxas with its legs while doing so but Roxas managed to block in time. The nobody then stretched its arms forward to whip him again, but he slashed the arms clean off making it hiss even louder in pain. Roxas then ran toward the nobody and slashed it in two, defeating it finally.
Upon being defeated the nobody just withered into a strange fabric looking substance as the darkness flowed out of it. Roxas was now confused as he stared at the strange fabric wondering what it was or if it was even safe to get close to it. Suddenly the fabric floated in the air and disappeared.
Suddenly Roxas was surrounded by code and slowly all the wounds on his back and the tears on his clothes were being mended. Then instantaneously he was teleported back to the alleyway only this time there was no large crack to enter the forest.
"Roxas?! Roxas?! oh hey! there he is." Roxas saw Olette, Hayner, and Pence all running toward him into the alleyway.
"Roxas you're ok! and... hey! you got the pictures!"
"Yeah, you got all the... wow! we can say the word now!"
"Pictures, Photos, Image! I can say all the words now!"
"So that must mean you caught the thief! who was it, Roxas! how did they steal both pictures and words too?"
"The thief uh... well he was in the mansion beyond the forest... right here." Roxas pointed at where the breach once was, but as he already knew it was gone. Pence, Olette, and Hayner looked at the wall in confusion but to their surprise Roxas looked just as confused as they were.
"There was a large crack here, a breach that led to a forest."
"a forest? I didn't know there was a forest that close to twilight town."
"There isn't supposed to be and even if there was this is why would it be here? and what does that have to do with the thief?" Roxas couldn't help but scratch his head because of Hayner's question, none of it made sense to him either and he experienced it all first-hand so he should understand it better than anyone, yet he didn't.
"*sigh* Well, long story short, I stopped the thief and got the pictures." Roxas then showed all the stolen pictures quickly Hayner and Pence took the pictures and started looking through them all.
"hm... oh?"
"You noticed it too, Pence?"
"Noticed what?"
"All the photos have Roxas in them." Roxas was surprised to hear this; he was so focused on all the confusion before he didn't notice the photos and what made them all connect. When he looked at them Hayner was right, regardless of location or setting, all the photos did indeed have Roxas in them.
"Oh! That must have been why everyone thought Roxas took them! Because only the pictures with Roxas in them were taken."
"But that just raises more questions? Why would the thief take pictures of Roxas? what's the point?"
"Hey Roxas, did the thief say anything before he got away?"
"He didn't exactly get away... it just disappeared?"
"It? As in not a person?"
"I... I really don't know guys; it was all so weird that it might as well have been a dream."
"Wow Roxas, you really look out of it."
"Hey, guys, let's just get these pictures back to their owners and then let's get Roxas's home. He really looks like he needs rest."
"Good call."
"That was a close one, that little scout of theirs nearly got him; and found us too."
"It's impressive but equally frustrating that they were able to find us so quickly."
"Well, what do you expect, the Guardians of Light put all their cards on one kid and now that kid is in stasis. Of course, things started falling apart, there's no one left to stop the Dark Army's resurgence."
"You have little faith in the light, what else can be expected from a keyblade wielder of Darkness."
"... in any case, why did it go after the pictures?"
"The Data magic surrounding the town and the mansion is being used to not only confuse foes outside the field but inside as well. However, the effects were not as promising as I had hoped, had I not released the code binding Roxas from his keyblade, the Nobody would have been victorious."
"It's not his keyblade though."
"It is Sora's and by extent it's his given the circumstances."
"... Anyways, now that a Nobody found its way in, there are bound to be more coming, what should we do?"
"There's nothing we can do, Namine is not yet done fixing Sora's heart; in the meantime, we must ensure Roxas stays in Twilight Town, if the Nobody's succeed in taking him then Sora's healing progress will hinder and he will lay dormant forever."
"I won't let that happen!"
"... speaking of which, I believe all keyblade wielders of Darkness were enemies of light, so why are you trying to protect its champion? Who are you?"
"Why I'm doing this is not important. As for who I am, I will just tell you this, my name is Ansem, Betrayer of Darkness."
"... hm, hehehehehe, hahahahaha!"
"What's so funny?"
"Ansem? you say? Are you sure that name belongs to you?"
"So, what if it isn't? How would you know?"
"Hm, very well Ansem, Betrayer of Darkness. I am ... let's see. oh! I am Diz, lost king of Knowledge."
"What kind of name is that?"
"A made up one! Much like your stolen name, it simply doesn't belong to me, but I will use it for the time being."
"... I suppose despite our common goals trust isn't exactly something you and I can bargain for."
"Trust is simply needed to make friends therefore you and I are not friends we are simply allies. and an ally, in these chaotic times, is something you can never have too much of."
"At least on that you and I can agree on."
Thankfully after they returned the pictures everyone forgave Roxas and apologized for accusing him in the first place. Siefer and his gang didn't apologize but Roxas and the others didn't really expect them to, so they left it as that. When Roxas went home his father congratulated him on getting the pictures back and so did his mother. Roxas was glad he wasn't getting scolded today but really was too tired and sore to enjoy it. Instead after his parents were done talking Roxas went straight to his room and fell right on his bed and went straight to sleep.
Now Roxas was walking in a hallway of a facility he did not recognize. Roxas was back in his white coat, and he stopped to look at himself in confusion. Roxas was wondering why he was here and what was going on.
"Roxas are you ok?" Roxas looked up and there was Xion ahead of him and looking back at him with her beautiful eyes. Roxas felt his face get warm when he saw her but quickly kept walking to keep up with her.
"Xion, I was... lost in thought."
"Thinking huh? I guess that's not something any of us do very often."
"We are Nobodies, we don't think, we don't feel, we aren't real. We just follow orders, that's all."
"... You make it sound so horrible."
"Horrible... that means something bad right? I don't mean it's bad, it's just what we are."
"Maybe it is what we are, but does it have to be who we are?"
"I don't understand."
"I mean haven't you ever wanted to be more than that? just a pawn of Xemnas?"
"Is there... a point to that? What is the point of being more than what you are?"
"To live!"
"... I still don't understand." Xion just pouted at Roxas while he started sweating in concern, still confused on what was wrong with Xion. Xion continued to moan in frustration while pouting at him but then she just suddenly smiled so brightly and beautifully. Roxas was shocked by this but also, he blushed at the sight of Xion smiling.
"That's it! That's what I'm talking about! That's life! shock, anger, pain, joy, warmth, laughter, love! all of it! I felt it the moment I saw you and I haven't stopped feeling it ever since! It's both overwhelming and so amazing! It's because of that, that I want you to feel it too! it's so incredible to just be alive!"
"But what's the point if you're all alone? Don't you need to be with others to feel joy and love."
"I... I think? I don't actually know..." Xion looked confused, though she was clearly more emotional than Roxas she herself barely knew anything other than what she was meant to do. Xion wondered if Roxas really was right about needing someone else to feel proper or strong emotions. For some reason Xion came up with an idea she herself would never expect to and blushed in embarrassment because of it. Roxas tilted his head in confusion while looking at her. Xion then held out her hand in front of Roxas, while blushing wildly making her as red as a tomato.
"Roxas... Can- Can you hold my hand?" Roxas just looked at Xion confused and looked at her hand even more confused. Roxas had no idea what this would end up accomplishing nor did he know why Xion was so red.
"Qu- Quickly please!" Roxas just took Xion's hand gently but what happened next was completely unexpected. Roxas quickly started blushing and he could feel the warmth in her hand. Xion was trying not to look at Roxas but when he took her hand, she looked at him. She wasn't blushing because of embarrassment anymore but because of something else. Roxas and Xion started staring into each other's eyes, it was as if they couldn't keep their eyes off of one another. Xion then lifted her other hand and took off Roxas's hood allowing Xion to see all of his face which made her eyes sparkle. Roxas then used his other hand to gently grab Xion's other hand and with that they were staring into each other's eyes while holding onto both hands.
"Xion... I- I think I understand now... I- I think I-"
"What are you two doing?!" Roxas and Xion quickly let go of one another and started blushing out of embarrassment instead. A Keyblade Wielder of Darkness started stomping toward them, seeming to be deeply annoyed with them.
"Are your heads as hollow as your bodies? Get to your resting chambers now!"
"Ah! sorry sir!"
"Yes! sorry!" Both Xion and Roxas bowed to the Keyblade Wielder of Darkness. As they ran off to their rooms the Keyblade Wielder of Darkness couldn't help but be stunned by what he just saw.
"Did... Did those Nobodies just display emotions?"
Roxas suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, once again he woke up with tears in his eyes. Roxas however wasn't sad but instead for some reason he felt happy, because he got to see that beautiful girl in his dreams again, and now he got her name.
"Xion... So, her name is Xion."