Sora: Day 15

Sora wasn't quite sure what brought him to awareness. He found himself not caring.

The white room was familiar. He recognized himself in the drawings around the room. He knew he should feel… something when he looked at them. But there was nothing.

Naminé was there, in a chair near his bed. He felt his heart start to pound.

Why?

He had no idea.

Nor, he found, did it concern him.

"Sora," he heard her say.

He sat up.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Sora took stock. All his limbs were there, his heart still faster than normal, his head was a little fuzzy. No big deal. "I'm fine," he answered.

"Are you in any pain?" Naminé asked.

Sora shook his head. He felt normal, or comparatively so in the last week-ish of memory. "What did you do?" he finally asked. He had some vague recollection with Naminé from an unspecified amount of time before. He couldn't quite put a finger on what happened.

"I blocked your emotions," she whispered. Her eyes were on her hands clasped in front of her. "They're still there, just… you don't have access to them right now."

Sora contemplated this for a moment. He remembered expressing emotions, like Naminé had said, but now… he couldn't decide if he were happy, sad, angry… anything.

Did he care?

…

He found he didn't.

Not really.

"Okay," Sora said.

Naminé looked up in surprise. But then she looked away again and sighed. It took a few moments before she met his eyes again, this time with determination. "I'm going to make this all right. I know I've messed up, but I'm going to fix this."

Sora shrugged. Either way, it didn't matter to him. He'd finish the mission the Superior had set for him. He stepped out of his room, ready to find him.

Roxas: Day 60

Roxas wasn't sure how long he and Kairi had been ascending the castle, but it couldn't have been more than a few days. According to the numerals above the next door, they were nearly at the top. Floor XII.

What was with the Organization and numerals anyways?

Kairi had proven herself adept with magic with the Heartless they'd fought.

Except, they didn't seem like the normal Heartless he'd fought. They didn't release any hearts for him to collect. They just… disappeared.

One more oddity about this castle.

"Ready for the next one?" Roxas asked.

He saw Kairi smile. "Do you even need to ask?"

Roxas smiled back. He found it easy to talk to her, much more than he thought after that initial meeting. Maybe it was the familiarity he had from Sora's memories.

They pulled the doors open together to reveal…

Twilight Town?

"Sora never came here," Roxas said, eyes roaming over achingly familiar buildings. This was where he'd had his first missions, eaten ice cream with Axel, then Xion. It was a world he'd seen with his own eyes. Not Sora's.

"I didn't think so," Kairi agreed.

"Do you remember, from…" he trailed off, not sure how to finish that thought.

"When I was in Sora's heart?" Kairi helped. "Kind of. I got a lot of glimpses. Well, more like impressions. But nothing from here."

"But I've been here." Roxas wasn't sure where this was going. Was it possible Sora had had some of Roxas' own memories? He dismissed that thought.

"Well, you two are connected," Kairi said. "Maybe the castle pulled on that?"

Roxas took a moment to consider it before shrugging. "Makes as much sense as anything else."

Before they could take another step, Roxas heard the distinctive whoosh of a Dark Corridor. Were they caught?! His Keyblade appeared in his hand. He froze in his movements, however, when he recognized the red hair.

"Axel?!" Roxas felt weak in his knees. His first friend that he had made, that he didn't know from a past life, was in front of him. Alive. He searched for anything to say next, but what came out of his mouth was less than enthusiastic. "I thought you were dead!"

Axel looked away, his arms crossed. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Disa- what? I've been worried sick about you! Zexion said only he and Marluxia made it. What're you still doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. And who she is," Axel said, gesturing to Kairi.

Roxas responded after a moment. "I remembered who I used to be. And the people I knew. But Kairi told me she saw my Somebody after I was created." Axel shifted. Roxas wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. "I have memories of this place, but they get fuzzier and fuzzier the more recent they are. Something's wrong here."

Axel sighed. "Look, about that…" His gaze shifted to Kairi a moment before focusing back on Roxas. "Something happened for Sora to lose his memories. Can't really give you specifics there, but Marluxia has him under his thumb. If he sees you here, I don't know what he's going to do." Roxas wasn't sure if Axel meant Sora or Marluxia.

"What about Donald and Goofy?" Roxas asked. He knew they'd been here with Sora at one point.

"The duck and the dog? They jumped ship with a couple of Rikus and the mouse and some guy in red. They've been gone for a few days."

"Couple of Rikus?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, something going on that Vexen had a hand in."

"But at least we know they're okay," Roxas said. Kairi nodded enthusiastically.

"Do you know where they went?" Kairi asked.

"Can't say that I do."

Roxas sighed. He searched for what to say next, but Axel beat him to it.

"Look, you two should get out of here. It's not safe."

"What about you?" Roxas asked. If Marluxia was a danger to the two of them, he surely was to Axel, right?

Much to Roxas' worry, Axel shook his head. "Can't yet. Got some other assignment from the big boss. And keeping an eye on the key kid, too. What are ya, worried? That's an emotion, kid!"

At that, Roxas looked away. He knew he wasn't supposed to feel emotions. That it wasn't supposed to be possible. But still, the way his body tensed when around someone unfamiliar, the easing of his nerves after a day's work. The hole he felt in his chest when news of the C.O. team made its way to the castle.

But his body was tensed now, his shoulders up, fists clenched. Now that he had Sora's memories, he remembered what this feeling was.

Worry.

He was worried about Axel.

Roxas met Axel's eyes. "Well, I am worried."

Axel looked away again. "You shouldn't be. You should both leave before Marluxia finds you."

"What can we do to help Sora?" Kairi asked.

"There's someone else that is on it. Just not too sure what she's doing."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Can we trust her?"

"That's your only option, isn't it?"

Kairi caught Roxas' eye. Her own were wide and gleaming. He couldn't quite tell what she felt, but she did see one thing. Trust. Unwavering. He didn't know how Kairi could possibly have any idea. But he knew he could trust her judgement.

Roxas nodded. "Okay. Don't get yourself killed."

Axel smirked. "Can't make any promises there."

Roxas turned to open a Dark Corridor. He and Kairi would have to retreat for now. If they were lucky, they could reconvene with Donald and Goofy (though is it reconvening if he's technically never met them before). And the… Rikus? He had an inkling where they might have gone. He just hoped he was right.

Before he stepped through, one more thought occurred to him.

Who was "she"?

Shin didn't like DiZ. Not at all. His one-eyed gaze sneered at him. Just him. It was rare that DiZ ever spoke to him. When he did, his nose was upturned.

It didn't take much to realize that DiZ hated him.

Why did he care anyways? So what if he looked like Real Th – uh, Riku?

It wasn't like he chose to be created, anyways.

Shin stepped out of the mansion, relieved to take a breath of fresh air. That building, exquisite as it once was, was absolutely filthy. He needed at least some time away from the dust. And some space from the others. DiZ's gaze seemed to follow him everywhere in there.

Well, fuck that.

A day after wandering the nearby forest, Shin found himself bored. So he wandered closer to the gray expanse of wall and found that there was a sleepy town behind it. After some hours traipsing around, he found he enjoyed it! Asides from receiving his new name, this was the first time he remembered liking something.

A couple of days into their stay at the mansion, Shin realized he found comfort in the town as well. There was something about its slopes, its orange sky, the clocktower that stood over it all that made him feel at home.

Which was why the sight of a black coat froze him mid-step.

No, they couldn't have found us yet! Shin cried internally. He hurried around the corner. Had the Organization member seen him yet? He could only hear the soft footsteps of the town's citizens. Cautiously, he peered around.

The black-coated figure hadn't moved from where he'd spotted them. Shin was surprised he'd even spotted them, the way they were huddled in the corner. He then noticed the figure was… shaking? And mumbling? He strained his ears to listen.

"Can't do it… destroy me… worthless…"

Shin moved to back away, but he found he couldn't. He remembered another figure like this. Naminé had been like this in the castle when she didn't think anyone could see.

He hoped she was doing okay.

Before he even realized, he approached the figure. The hooded head snapped his way at the sound of his footsteps.

"Go away," they – she – said. Her hands grasped and uncurled, as if she was trying to hold something.

Shit, what could he do now?

The girl made the decision for him. She summoned a ball of fire to her fingertips. On instinct, Shin summoned his blade to block.

He waited for the pushback that never came. He looked again at the girl. He couldn't see much of her face, shrouded as it was.

"Do I… know you?" she whispered. Her fire spell had long since dissipated.

Before Shin could contemplate her words, he heard calls of his name. He turned and saw Donald and Goofy round the corner. He waved them over. Shin turned back, a question on his lips, but the girl had disappeared.

Shin huffed, mildly annoyed, but welcoming their company regardless. Out of everyone at the mansion, Donald and Goofy were the warmest to him, which surprised him to no end. Maybe they missed having someone to dote on. Donald made sure he ate (Larxene always made fun of him for his growling stomach). Goofy helped him put something of a bed together (Vexen always said beds were unnecessary. Shin was sure that was a lie.)

It was odd to say, but Shin felt a growing warmth when he saw them.

Being around Riku was different. Shin didn't know what to feel. He would bet that Riku felt the same. To have someone run around believing they were someone else? And then running into that someone else? And now living with them? Shin felt like he was in a convenience store novel (that he certainly did not read when he had a moment).

All too soon, they were back at the mansion. Back to the oppressiveness. When they stepped back over the threshold, Shin imagined that DiZ had that single eye on him from whatever crystal ball he was watching from.

(Granted, he didn't know if DiZ had a crystal ball, though it would make sense if that were true.)

He trudged to his room and flopped onto the pallet he and Goofy had put together, coughing as dust clouded up. Shin grabbed the novel he'd stowed away, one of the few possessions he owned. He laid there, eyes on the words, but not really absorbing their meaning.

Who was that girl he'd seen? Why did she keep her face covered? Others who wore the coat showed their faces with pride.

And why was she so scared? When he was around the other members, Shin didn't see anything like what the girl showed. The others never showed any kind of emotion. Though, maybe he could count the pleasure they'd always had when hurting himself or Naminé.

Naminé…

He hoped she was okay.

In much too short a time, Shin heard the announcement that dinner was ready. As he had over the last couple of days, he waited. He didn't much want to run into Riku, and he especially wanted to avoid DiZ at all costs.

After he determined that enough time had passed (and after he'd finished another chapter of his book), Shin left the safety of his room. When he reached the kitchen, he expected for maybe a few odds and ends for him to put together on a plate. What he didn't expect was for a plate to already be made. Surely this was someone else's? After counting the plates in the sink, he realized this was his own plate. He felt something in his chest and felt a smile form on his face. Who had done this? And why?

After a quick glance around, just to confirm everyone else had eaten, he took the plate and hurried back to his room.

As Shin ate, he realized that warm feeling was coming back. He reveled in it for a few moments as he ate.

Maybe, just maybe, the mansion wasn't so bad after all.

He'd say something about the girl in the coat later.

A/N: Uhhhh, hi guys. Has it actually been 2 years?

I really didn't mean for this to take that long, but I find it really hard to be creative when I have to spend most of my time working. Things have finally calmed down for me, I'm only working one job now instead of 3, I'm married now to my wonderful husband, and I feel more comfortable in being creative again.

I can't promise when the next chapter is going to come out. Hopefully, it won't be in 2 years. One thing I can promise is that this fic is not dead! I will finish this one day!