Chapter 33: Twilight Town

Hey everyone I'm back. In this chapter we dive into Roxas' past and see some of old faces from along with some he never knew about. Please review and enjoy.

After Raven had removed the seal from Wonderland and Roxas had sealed the keyhole protecting Ever After from anymore Heartless attacks things had been quiet and peaceful.

Roxas was sitting in Prof. Rumpelstiltskin's class lost in his thoughts as Rumpelstiltskin went on and on about his lecture.

'I've been here for almost a year and I'm nowhere near close to finding my heart.' Roxas thought when he remembers what the Fairy Queen told him at the Forest Fest.

"Try looking in the place where it all began." The Fairy Queen said.

'The place it all began…for me it all began in one place.' Roxas thought when Prof. Rumpelstiltskin walked up to him.

"Hey!" He yelled startling Roxas.

"Wha-What is it?" Roxas asks looking around.

"Class is over get lost, so I can get some food." Rumpelstiltskin said gesturing to the door.

"Oh, okay." Roxas said getting his books and walking out.

In the Castleteria Roxas was sitting down just playing with his food as Namine, Raven, Apple, Maddie and Ashlynn looked over.

"Hey anyone know what's up with Roxas? He's been acting like a zombie lately." Raven asks.

"He certainly doesn't seem very happy that's for sure." Maddie said.

Apple gets up from her seat and walks over. "Hey Roxas, is everything okay?" Apple asks, but he doesn't respond. "Roxas?" She then claps her hands right in front of him startling him.

"Huh? Oh, hey Apple." Roxas said looking over.

"Is something on your mind? Lately you've been kind of out of it." Apple asks.

"Sorry…guess I have a lot on my mind." Roxas said.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Ashlynn asks.

"Maybe…round up the team and meet me at the Tempest I need to ask you all something." Roxas said getting up and leaving.

"The Tempest? Is another world in trouble?" Raven asks.

"I don't think so, he usually tells us immediately if that happens." Namine said.

"Well let's call everyone see if they can make it." Apple said as they left to get everyone.


An hour later as the group was getting their supplies ready and heading towards the Tempest Ramona walks over to them. "Hey, got room on that ship for one more?"

"What are you doing here?" Cerise asks suspicious.

"Face it hood you die out there what happens to me? I could lose my story." Ramona said before leaning to whisper. "Dad sent me, he thinks if I stick around and give you hand you won't get hurt." She whispers.

"I can handle myself, but welcome aboard." Cerise said.

"Are you sure I'm ready for this Namine?" Rosabella asks walking with Namine.

"Just remember what I've showed you and you'll be fine." Namine

So, Holly you ready for more adventure?" Poppy asks.

"You know it Poppy, look what I bought last week." Holly said holding up her own cast iron frying pan.

Poppy lets out a laugh. "Pretty soon they might start calling us the Frying Pan Twins."

"I am so ready for this I got my guitar and my arrows all ready for Heartless." Sparrow grins.

"Please leave the bow and arrow to the pro." Hunter said when Cupid walks past him.

"Thanks for the complement Hunter I try." Cupid smiles.

"I meant me!" Hunter said annoyed.

"Save it for the Heartless Hunter." Ashlynn giggles.

"I wonder what world we'll be going to this time?" Lizzie asks excited.

"I remember Roxas telling me about another Wonderland I wouldn't mind checking that world out." Kitty said.

"I'm hoping I can get some more practice with my Keyblade." Alistair said.

"Hey Darling, nice shield." Dexter said looking at the new shield on Darling's back.

"Thanks, you never know when it might come in handy." Darling said.

"Honestly I love this ever since I started coming with Roxas on these missions my fans have practically doubled." Daring smiled.

"Nice to know you're doing this for the right reasons Daring." Melody said sarcastically.

As they all gather in front of the Tempest Roxas walks over. "Hey, guys listen the reason I asked you all to come here is because…I need your help with something it's kind of personal." Roxas admits.

"Wait so a world isn't in trouble?" Briar asks.

"Oh shoot, I was hoping for some more Heartless for my Mirror Cast." Blondie said.

"At the Forest Fest the Fairy Queen pulled me aside and gave me some advice she told me that if I wanted to find some clues on how to find my heart she said I should begin my journey where it all began. I'm asking you all as a friend if you will come with me and help me find some answers?" Roxas asks.

"Come on Roxas you don't need to ask of course we'll help." Apple smiles.

"I'll admit I'm really interested in what world you originally came from." Raven said.

"The origin story of Roxas as we walk through the streets of his memories I love it." Blondie smiles.

"You guys are the best." Roxas smiles as they climb aboard.

"Been a while since we were there." Namine said.

"Yeah, except the one we met in was different." Roxas sighed remembering what happened.

Namine frowned. "Roxas you may not have gotten what you wanted, but you did what everyone needed."

"Yeah I guess." Roxas said walking to the controls.

As the ship takes off the memories of his time in Twilight Town came back to him doing missions with Axel and Xion while he was in the Organization and the memories from the fake version Diz put him in to get Sora's memories from him.


Soon everyone was stepping out of the Tempest and examine the world around them.

"Is there your home Roxas?" Poppy asks looking around.

"Not exactly, but this is where it all began. Everyone welcome to Twilight Town." Roxas said.

"This place sure beats sitting around Ever After." Ramona said.

"Anything we need to know about this place?" Dexter asks.

"Well in most worlds they're either light or darkness except for a few worlds which are neutral Twilight Town is one of the neutral worlds, so we'll be fine." Namine explains.

"Shame I was really hoping I'd get the chance to slay more Heartless." Daring said.

"We're not here to play the hero, we're here to find clues to help Roxas." Raven said.

They all make their way into town.

"You know it's nice actually being able to explore a world for a change." Cerise said.

"Yeah this place seems nice." Kitty said when they passed by a store.

"Hey kids!" A man calls out getting their attention. "Come and try some of Twilight Town's amazing Sea Salt Ice Cream!"

"Oh, so this is where your love of Ice Cream started." Apple smirks.

Roxas rubs the back of his head and chuckles. "Uh yeah I guess you could say that."

"Well I'm getting one I need to taste the original thing." Poppy said walking over.

"Ooh, yummy yum." Maddie said following her.

Roxas looks at the stand and shrugs. "Alright we can stop for some ice cream who else wants some?" Roxas asks.

After paying him the man takes a close look at Roxas. "Hey, have I seen you somewhere before?" He asks.

Roxas takes a good look at him and remembers his face. Whenever he finished a mission for the Organization Roxas, Axel and Xion would buy some ice cream from him. In the fake Twilight Town Diz had created he gave Roxas fake memories where he believed he was this man's favorite customer.

"I guess I just have the kind of face." Roxas said taking the ice cream. "Thanks for the ice cream." Roxas said walking back to the others.

As they ate Roxas lead the way through Twilight Town.

"So, any of this seem familiar?" Briar asks.

"Yeah sort of." Roxas said as they were walking towards the station and he finds a room by the entrance. "Wait is that? Uh give me a second I need to look at something."

Roxas walks inside the room and finds three teens around his age one was a boy with spiky blonde hair, one was a chubby boy with brown hair and a headband, and the third member was a girl with long brown hair. These people were Hayner, Pence and Olette in the fake world Diz created he made it so these three were his closest friends.

"It's really them." Roxas said softly as they turn to see him.

"Hey, this is our spot! Get lost!" Hayner said.

"Be nice Hayner he doesn't seem like a bad guy." Olette said.

"He definitely doesn't look like one of Seifer's friends." Pence said.

"Hi there, I'm Olette and these are Hayner and Pence. It's nice to meet you." She said.

"Uh I'm Roxas." He nods.

"So Roxas, what brings you here?" Pence asks.

"Oh, uh friends and I were just looking around and I saw this place." Roxas said when they all walked in.

"So, this is what was back here?" Raven said.

"Wow are you guys all moving here?" Pence asks surprised by the large group.

"What? No we just… got off the train here." Roxas said remembering the train station.

"Uh right." Cerise nods in agreement.

Hey Roxas, how about we go back to looking around town? This place is really small and it's starting to get a little cramped." Daring said.

"Well excuse me, but we never thought we'd have more than 3 people here. And what's with the crown aren't you a little old to be pretending to be a prince?" Hayner said striking a nerve.

"Pretending?! I'll have you know my father gave me this crown!" Daring said offended.

"Oh, please I bet you're just like Seifer an arrogant snob who thinks the world revolves around him." Hayner said.

"What?! Why you I outta!" Daring growls.

"Hayner why do you always have to pick fights with everyone?" Olette sighs.

"Easy you guys I'm sure we can find a way to calm down." Bunny said.

"Actually, there is." Hayner grins.

In the Sandlot by the train station Hayner picks up a foam bat and Daring does the same. "We're gonna have ourselves a struggle battle."

"Sounds good to me. Uh can someone tell me the rules?" Daring asks.

Roxas lets out a chuckle. "Don't worry Daring it's simple all you have to do is use that Struggle Sword to whack as many orbs off Hayner as possible whoever has the most after a minute wins. Each person starts with 100 orbs each."

"Oh, sounds like my kind of game." Daring smiles.

"Have you played this game before?" Pence asks.

"Uh yeah a few times." Roxas said remembering the time he won a whole tournament.

"Don't let what Hayner said get to you he's actually a good friend he just…has a bit of an attitude." Olette said.

"It's cool." Hunter said as Pence takes out a timer.

"Ready…Go!" Pence said starting to clock.

Hayner dashes forward using the Struggle Sword like a lance.

Sidestepping out of the way Daring hits Hayner knocking some of the orbs off him.

"Nice one Daring!" Dexter yells.

"Don't stop keep up the offence!" Darling yells.

"Come on hit him! Hit him!" Ramona yells.

Daring keeps up the offence whacking Hayner again and again knocking more and more orbs off.

"Come on Hayner you got this!" Pence yells.

As Daring charges in for another attack Hayner side steps and whacks Daring knocking orbs off him.

Hayner jumps back and charges in with his lance move which knocks Daring back causing him to lose more of them.

As the Struggle battle continues Daring and Hayner's expressions turn to smiles as they begin to enjoy the game and everyone from Ever After was having fun.

"Wow we should bring this game back to school it looks like so much fun." Cedar said holding up her Mirror Pad recording the match.

"Assuming we can get Headmaster Grimm to agree to it." Raven said.

"And time's up!" Pence calls out. "And the winner is…Daring with 125 orbs." Pence said as everyone cheers.

"Thank you, thank you." Daring said bowing.

"Oh man, you were insane out there." Hayner said walking over.

"Thanks, I have to admit this was really fun." Daring said.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Can we start over?" Hayner asks.

"I don't see why not." Daring said as they shook hands.

"So, what are you all doing in town anyway?" Olette asks.

"We're trying to find something here that will help Roxas." Ashlynn said.

"Hey, since you guys are new in town maybe we can help out." Pence said.

"We know this town like the back of our hands." Hayner said.

"Thanks, we'd really appreciate it." Apple said.


Walking through town Hayner, Pence and Olette pointing out everything.

"And up on that hill is the train station, there's one that goes all the way to the beach." Hayner said pointing up.

"I can't tell you how long it's been since I went to the beach." Hunter said.

"Best place to go on vacation." Sparrow said.

"So much ocean life." Rosabella smiles.

"We'd love to go there but going to the beach is expensive so it's only once a year we go." Olette said.

"You know we actually helped another friend out in your situation Roxas, he wanted to find answers too." Pence said.

"Oh, man he sure made our lives interesting." Hayner said.

"What was his name?" Melody asks.

"Sora." Hayner, Pence, and Olette said at the same time and Roxas' eye widen in shock as he comes to a stop.

"Roxas, you okay?" Cerise asks turning to him.

"Uh, yeah where did you guys take Sora?" Roxas asks.

"The only place that nobody ever goes to, the old mansion." Hayner said.

"That's where we need to go." Namine said.

They lead the Ever After High students through an opening to a woods area, when they reach the clearing they see a giant mansion and a metal gate right in front of it.

"Nice house." Kitty whistles.

"How come nobody ever goes there?" Raven asks.

"Don't know when the guy who lived their passed away a long time ago nobody wanted to buy the place, so they locked the gate and closed it down." Hayner said.

Roxas steps forwards and all the memories came back to him. Holding his head Roxas lets out a small scream of pain.

"Roxas?!" They all said looking at him.

Flashback:

Standing in front of the manor Roxas stood there no clue what to do when Xemnas appears out of a dark portal and walks over to him.

"You see answers, I can give you a purpose." Xemnas said as the letters for the name Sora appeared in front of Roxas.

The letters spin around Roxas when the letter X appears, and the letters come to a stop spelling out his name.

"Roxas." He said looking at his new name.

"That is correct, the new you." Xemnas grins.

In another scene Roxas is in a white room and is face to face with Diz the mastermind behind the fake Twilight Town. Behind Diz was a large white pod like machine.

"No! My heart belongs to me!" Roxas yells as he charges forward with the Kingdom Key Keyblade. He tries to strike Diz down, but it was only a hologram.

The pod opens and in front of Roxas was a sleeping Sora.

"Sora…you're lucky. Looks like my summer vacation is…over." Roxas frowns sadly as he begins to fade away as he memories flow into Sora giving up his existence, so Sora could wake up.

Flashback end.

Roxas lifts his hands up to see everyone looking at him.

"You okay man? You looked like you were in pain." Hayner asks.

"Roxas?" Holly asks when Roxas gets up and runs away back into the forest.

"Roxas wait!" Dexter yells.

"What's going on?" Lizzie asks confused.

"Namine do you know what's wrong with him?" Raven asks.

"I do." Namine said sadly as they all look to her. "That mansion is where Roxas' story came to an end."

All of them gasp in shock.

"This is why he was acting like that since we showed up." Maddie realizes.

"We have to find him." Poppy said.

"Everyone search the city Roxas has to be somewhere." Namine said as all the students and their new friends ran back to Twilight Town to look for Roxas.

"Roxas! Roxas!" They all called out running around.

"Roxas where are you?!" Apple calls out as she makes her to the train station. "Where could he have gone?" Apple asks as she looks up to the clock tower when she notices something on top of the clock. "Wait is that?" She runs inside the station to see if she was right.


Sitting in his old spot atop the tower Roxas sits down looking out at the sunset.

"Everything was so much simpler…before I left to find answers." Roxas frowned.

Looking out in front of him he remembers having to fight Xion, a tear runs down his eyes as he sees him delivering the final strike.

Flashback:

A girl with black hair and an Organization coat fell to her knees as Roxas held his head in pain.

"Who are you…again? It's weird I feel like I'm forgetting something really important." Roxas said walking to her.

"You'll be…better of now…Roxas." Xion said as she was about to fall to the ground when Roxas catches her just as particles came from her and started flying up into the sky.

"Am I…the one that did this to you?" Roxas asks but Xion shakes her head.

"No, it was my choice…to go away now. Better that than to do nothing…and let Xemnas have his way. I belong with Sora. I'm going back to him." Xion moves her hand to Roxas. "Roxas…I need you…to do me a favor. All those hearts that's I've captured…Kingdom Hearts…set them free." Xion asks.

"Kingdom Hearts…free them?" Roxas asks confused when he sees Xion's body start to turn to ice.

"It's too late…for me to undo my mistakes. But you can't let Xemnas have Kingdom Hearts. You can't. Good bye Roxas. See you again. I'm glad I got to meet you. Oh…and of course Axel too. You're both my best friends." Xion smiles as she brings her hand up to Roxas' cheek. "Roxas, never forget. That's the truth."

Roxas' eye widen in shock as he remembers. As Xion's hand drops Roxas grabs it.

"No! Xion…who else will I have ice cream with?" Roxas said as Xion's body turns to ice and all the light particles went up into the sky. All that was left was a pink and yellow seashell.

"Xion." Roxas said crying his first tears.

In another scene we find Roxas in the World that Never Was trying to fulfill his promise to Xion but ended up meeting Riku who was wearing an Organization coat and a blindfold over his eyes and Roxas had his hood over his face.

"Why? Why do you have the keyblade?" Riku asks.

"Shut up!" Roxas said swinging Oathkeeper but Riku grabs Oblivion and counters knocking Roxas to the ground and knocking his hood off.

Raising Oblivion Riku staps the ground next to Roxas thinking he's won when suddenly he heard a groaning noise.

Looking down he saw Roxas slowly get up and grab Oblivion.

Growling Roxas charged towards Riiku who fires a blast of darkness at him. Swinging his keyblade Roxas destroys it but misses Riku.

"Why don't you quit?!" Roxas asks when Riku decides to test something.

"Come on Sora, I thought you were stronger than that." Riku smirks.

"Get real. Look which one of us is winning." Roxas said before pausing wondering why he said that.

"So it's true. You really are his Nobody. Guess Diz was right after all." Riku said.

"What are you talking about? I am me! Nobody else!" Roxas roars summoning Oathkeeper in his other hand and attacked Riku knocking him to his knees. "How many times do I have to beat you?!"

"Alright. You've left me with no other choice." Riku said standing up.

"What?" Roxas said confused.

"I have to release the power in my heart. The dark power that I've been holding back. Even...if it changes me forever." Riku said taking off his blindfold and letting out a roar as darkness surrounded him.

From it Roxas looks to see Riku's appearance had changed to that of Ansem the Seeker of Darkness and a dark creature emerged from his back.

Moving in like a bullet, Riku appeared in front of Roxas and the dark creature grabs him and lifts him into the air.

Growling Roxas struggles to break free but in the end, he drops his keyblade as he losses consciousness.

"If we can maintain the simulated town until Namine finishes chaining together Sora's memories." Diz said.

"What will happen to Roxas?" Riku asks.

"He holds half of Sora's power within him. In the end he'll have to give it back." Diz said walking to his computer. "Until then, he'll need another personality to throw off his pursuers."

"Poor thing." Riku said.

"It's the fate of a Nobody." Diz said as a beam touches Roxas and sends him into the fake Twilight Town.

Flashback End:

Hearing footsteps coming towards him Roxas turns his head to see Apple walking over.

"There you are. Everyone's running around town looking for you." Apple said.

"Sorry about that, this place is bringing back a lot of memories." Roxas said as Apple sits down next to him.

"Well it is your home after all." Apple said.

"Apple…this place was never truly my home. After Sora became a Heartless I was found here by Xemnas where he gave me my name. And when I did think I lived here, it was all fake." Roxas admits.

"What do you mean?" Apple asks.

"Diz created a fake Twilight Town and put me inside it so he could keep me busy while he slowly took all the memories I had of Sora and gave me fake ones. He even made me think I was best friends with Hayner, Pence and Olette. When my memories of the Organization came back I went to confront Diz, it was inside that mansion there I finally met Sora and it was there that I gave up my existence to give him back his memories." Roxas said.

Apple looked at Roxas in shock and sadness. "You…never actually lived here?"

"Never I want to find the answers, but this cold feeling courses through my body and causes me to freeze up." Roxas said.

"That's fear Roxas and I don't blame you for having that feeling." Apple said wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. "But you don't have to go through this alone, everyone here will be here to help and that includes me too." Apple smiles.

"Apple…do you really think if I go in that mansion I'll be able to find my heart?" Roxas asks.

"It doesn't matter if your heart is there if it's not we'll search all the worlds out there until we find it." Apple said.

"Thanks Apple." Roxas smiles as he hugs her back.

Standing up the two of them look out at the sunset.

"Wow the Sunset here sure is beautiful." Apple said.

"Yeah when I came up here to eat ice cream I would sit here and watch the sunset all the time." Roxas smiles.

"Maybe we can come back here sometime." Apple said.

"I'd like that." Roxas said as they walk down the tower to find the others. "Hey, do you think their might be a chance I could be friends with Hayner, Pence and Olette in real life?" Roxas asks.

"Absolutely those three would be lucky to have you as a friend…I know I am." Apple smiles.


Back in front of the mansion Roxas was walking towards the gate with everyone right behind him.

Taking at deep breath Roxas summons Heroic Arrow and opens the gate letting them inside.

Walking into the mansion they look around to see the mansion was in pretty good condition.

"You know this place isn't so bad." Alistair said looking around.

"Yeah, a little cleaning, some new furniture, maybe some electronics and we could all totally make this place our vacation home." Briar smiles.

"Wow you guys must be rich if you really think you all could live here." Pence said.

"Sort of my mom is a Chief Executive." Apple said.

"So Roxas any ideas where to start looking?" Kitty asks.

"Yeah follow me." Roxas said walking up the stairs.

They all follow Roxas into a white room with a long table.

"I remember this room." Namine said.

"This is where you came to me and told me we'd meet again." Roxas nods.

They all looked to Namine. "Diz kept me around to string together Sora's memories and when Roxas had to go back to Sora I came to tell him he wouldn't disappear and that he would come back." She said.

"And you were right Namine, he did come back and so did you." Briar said.

"Come on it's a little farther in." Roxas walks through the other door leading them to the library with shelves filled with book and on the table was a symbol drawn on it.

"Well I guess we should start going through these books." Cupid said stepping forward until Roxas stops her.

"No need, does have something I can write with?" Roxas asks.

"Here you go." Namine said handing him one of her drawing crayons.

Roxas walks to the symbol on the table and examines it. "Just like before." He said drawing the missing part and a bright light engulfs the room.

When the light disappears, a staircase is revealed going down to a secret passage.

"And just like that this trip gets more interesting by the minute." Ramona said as they all made their way down the staircase.

At the end passage they find a large room full of computers and various machines.

"What is all this stuff?" Bunny asks.

"It's something out of a science fiction movie." Melody said looking at the computer.

"You know I bet if I had time I could figure out all this stuff." Dexter said.

Roxas walks into the next room and in it was the same pod Sora slept and he gave up his existence.

"Hmm wonder what's in there now." Roxas said as the pod opens in front of him and inside was a ball of light. "What the?" Roxas said when the ball of light floats toward him.

Roxas reaches out to touch it and his eyes widen as new memories come to him.

In these memories he sees a tall man with brown hair sitting with a woman with blue hair and walking up behind them was a boy who looked exactly like Roxas.

"Wait a minute…is that me? But it can't be." Roxas asks when the memory changes to the boy who looked like was battling in what looked like a wasteland. Roxas gasps when he sees the 3 of them were facing Vanitas and a bald man dressed in black with the scariest looking Keyblade Roxas ever saw.

"What am I seeing? Where are they?" Roxas asks when he noticed thousands of weapons scattered around them. Roxas squints his eyes to examine the weapons and is shocked to see every single one of the weapons were Keyblades.

As the light starts to fade Roxas sees one last person charging in it was a small mouse like creature wielding a Keyblade. "Mickey!" Roxas said in shock as he snaps out of it and appears back in the room.

"That was weird." Roxas said holding his head. Walking back into the room everyone was looking around for clues.

"Hey Roxas, did you find anything?" Hunter asks.

"Yeah, I did and I realized something." Roxas said as they all turn to him to listen. "I have no idea how I am ever going to find my heart, but in that room, I saw something that might be of help against Darkness. But what we have at Ever After High isn't enough to help us we need a base to call our own." Roxas said.

"Yeah ,but I don't think anyone is going to give us munny to buy a place for that." Raven said when Maddie starts jumping up and down.

"Oh, oh what about a vacation home?" Maddie asks excited.

"Wait a minute…yeah Briar you said this place would make a great vacation home, what would you all say to make this place ours?" Roxas asks surprising all of them.

"Think about it there's plenty of rooms for all of us, lots of space to put in whatever we want, and we have an entire lab filled with all of Diz's research." Roxas said.

All of them stop to consider their options.

"You know this could be actually pretty fun." Raven said.

"I've always wanted a vacation home." Apple said.

"Not to mention the beach is just a small trip away." Rosabella said.

"Oh, in a place like this I could set up my own special for Mirror Cast." Blondie said.

"We're in." They all said in agreement.

Walking out of the lab Namine walks over to Roxas. "So, what exactly did you see in there?" She asks.

"I don't know I saw three people and I swear one of them looked just like me they were fighting Vanitas and an old man, but what really surprised me was the world they were in. It had what looked like thousands maybe millions of Keyblades scattered around." Roxas said.

"Keyblades?" Namine asks surprised.

"I don't know what it means, but just as it was ending I saw Mickey in it." Roxas said.

"The King? Sounds like we have some work ahead of us." Namine said.

"No kidding." Roxas said walking up to see Hayner, Pence, Olette, and everyone from Ever After High waiting by the door and a smile appears on his face. "But I'm in no hurry."

Roxas' harem: Namine, Cerise, Poppy, Apple, Briar, Maddie, and Melody.