Chapter 23
Sam couldn't recall the last time she slept. The last several hours had passed in a panicked blur. She sat between Hinata's and Riku's cots on a crooked stool that leaned and creaked from every minor adjustment of her weight on top of it. In a way, it kept her awake. Every time her eyes faltered and head slumped forward, a creak of the wood startled her back to attention. She couldn't seem to tune it out, not the same way she did with the others.
Dr. Finklestein's wheelchair grated over the metal floor as he rolled from his lab to the conduit still powered up in the center of them all. Jack Skellington mumbled about with Sally, while Ben tried to keep the spirits up. All of them almost drowned out the sleepy whines and mumbles coming from Riku, Hinata, and Axel. The three of them only became louder over time, though Sam hardly noticed anymore. As the hours passed, her heart stopped jumping at every sound and twitch they made. She merely watched over them, slumped over in her stool, unable to rest until there was some sort of proof they would wake up.
Guardian watched it all, floating silently over Riku's body. Sam felt its eyes on her every so often. Though she didn't look back, its company was comforting all the same. Velcia remained asleep in the lab. After a few hours, she too joined in with the others with groans and nonsense mutters. Sam wasn't entirely convinced she made it to any of their dreams. If anything, she was worried all they had succeeded in doing was trapping Velcia into her own nightmares.
Sam ran her hands over her face, making a conscious effort to breathe in and out. Her heart raced endlessly in her chest. It had been since Velcia entered the dreams several hours ago, leaving her alone as the only person on the team not strapped to a bed. She wasn't sure how long it had been. Maybe a day, or even more. She had lost track of time.
"Sam," DiZ's voice drew her attention.
She looked up from her hands to see Ben standing in front of her, his eyes dimmed blue. During their stay, she had oddly grown used to DiZ's voice coming out of him at random moments. Lowering her hands, she simply waited for him to continue.
"I'm becoming concerned about your lack of rest," he told her. "Without it, you might not be available to help when the others need it."
She glanced past him towards the others unconscious in their cots. "Yeah, tell my heart that," she mumbled, her fingers gripping the edge of the stool. "I can't get the damn thing to calm down enough to let me sleep even if I wanted to."
"You're worried," DiZ stated matter of factly.
"And you're not?" she asked.
"I have faith in them," he clarified. "Riku and Hinata are capable and their hearts are strong. They will find their way through. You should trust them."
Sam's gaze went downcast. "I do, I just—" Her voice cut off and she chewed her bottom lip. "What if they don't wake up? What then?"
"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it," he explained. "But only then. You will be taken care of, regardless."
"It's not me I'm worried about," she admitted.
There was a pause. Sam glanced up towards Ben, surprised by the sudden silence. His eyes were fixed on Hinata, the blue hue to his eyes deepened considerably.
"I get it," Ben replied in his own voice with a rare solemn tone. "I keep thinking back to finding Hinata on Bentopia. She had nightmares a lot and didn't sleep much. But every time she did, it would be just like this. Mumbling and crying in her sleep until she'd wake up in a cold sweat. She's been through so much since then, I can only imagine what sort of nightmares she's dealing with now."
He sighed heavily, his entire body slumping.
Sam blinked, unsure how to take his new disposition. Rubbing the back of her neck, she started to say, "Wow, Ben, I—"
"Not to worry though!" Ben jumped back up straight, startling Sam as he slammed his fist into his open palm. "If there's anything I know about my captain is that she can pull through anything! I know all of them will be a-ok!"
"Can you not, for like two seconds?" Sam put up her hands like she was about to strangle him. "You can be real and talk like a normal person—" she caught herself and groaned "—not a person, hell you know what I mean." She breathed out harshly and planted her face in her hands. "I don't have the energy to tell you off. Just, leave me alone. You're not helping."
Ben scratched the side of his head. "Sorry… I'll just… go over there."
Sam listened to his metal feet clang against the floor as he walked away. Her heart skipped in her chest, causing a pang of discomfort that made her suck in a sharp breath. Their reassurances did little to help her perpetual panicked state. She wanted to cry and scream at no one in particular. She just wanted to do it to get it out that she hated being alone, hated waiting with baited breath for something to happen.
"Please wake up," she muttered.
Another hour passed before anything changed. The tiny lights lining Riku's helmet blinked rapidly. Sam noticed it first, her eyes narrowing and head tilting to the side.
"Um, Doc?" she called over her shoulder, hesitantly getting up from her seat.
Jack flew up from his spot resting on Hinata and floated to Riku's side. His black nose wiggled as he sniffed, then his tail began to wag. A grin spread over Sam's face and she rushed to Riku. His hands opened and closed around the edge of the cot, unable to lift from the leather straps holding him down.
"Doc!" Sam yelled again, this time looking behind her to see Dr. Finklestein rolling into the room with Jack Skellington and Ben in tow. "Get the hell over here! I think he's waking up!"
"Have some respect!" the Doctor scolded, flipping his hand towards her. "Move, move. Let me through."
Sam backed up, watching everyone crowd over Riku as she focused on breathing. Observing it all, she was suddenly brought back to waking up in the ambulance back on Montressor all that time ago: the pain trickling through her as consciousness came back, the panic from being surrounded by unknown sounds and people, and then the rush of emotions when Jim reassured her that everything was alright.
"Did it work, Doctor?" Skellington asked, his voice snapping Sam back to reality.
"Aha!" The Doctor clapped. "He is waking up!"
"Why can't I move— or see?" Riku asked, his body pulling against the bindings. "H-Hello?" he stammered, his voice slightly panicked.
"Quickly! Remove the bindings!" the Doctor ordered, rolling back his wheelchair to give them room. "I'll take care of the helmet."
"Riku, it's Sam." She rushed to the other side of him beside Guardian, undoing one of the clasps around his wrist. "You just woke up in a lab. You're alright. You just need to stay still so we can get everything off of you. Ok?"
His thrashing immediately stopped, though his body remained tense. "Y-yeah, alright."
Within seconds the bindings were loosened and Riku began lifting his hands towards the helmet concealing his face, before Sam gently smacked his hands.
"I said stay still, you doof," she chided even as her voice shook.
"Careful now," the Doctor said slowly, enlisting Ben's help with taking off the helmet.
Riku winced from the light, his eyes squeezing shut as his face was completely revealed. He blinked rapidly, tears watering over his eyes from just waking up. His hands ran over his face as he took in deep, long breaths. Looking up, he noticed all of the faces staring down at him expectantly. An awkward half-smile tipped his mouth, a warm flush covering the tips of his ears.
Clearing his throat, he moved to sit up.
"Come on, give him space." Sam shooed the others away. "You can run your tests on him later."
As Finkelstein grumbled away with the others, Sam grabbed Riku's arm, helping him swing his legs over the side of the cot.
"Thanks," he mumbled, still getting through the sleepy haze. He jumped when Jack flew into his arms, his tail wagging wildly as he barked and whimpered happily. "Hey, Bud." He smiled, scratching Jack behind the ears. "Happy to see you too."
"You actually woke up." Sam sat down beside him, shaking her head and laughing under breath.
Riku didn't reply as he began looking around the room. Sam watched him without saying anything, gauging his reaction. As she expected, his eyes lingered on Axel, but then settled on Hinata.
"So… did Velcia show up? In your dream, I mean…" Sam eventually spoke up.
He nodded. "Yeah, she did."
"Do you remember all of it?" she asked.
His brow furrowed and he nodded again. "It was… It felt real. I can't really explain it. I sort of wish I wasn't the first one out."
"Yeah, well, you can't control that sort of thing." Sam shrugged, then she paused. "Actually, I get it. I wouldn't want it that way either."
"Empathy? From you?" he teased. "Maybe I'm still dreaming."
"Oh shut it," she laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. Letting out a sigh, she admitted, "Serious talk though, I'm glad you're ok. I… seriously wondered if…" Her voice trailed off, her hands tightening in her lap.
"Yeah…" he whispered. "Me too."
They were silent for a beat until Sam sent him a half-smile and said, "I'm surprised you haven't noticed your Guardian friend yet."
"Guardian?" he asked, looking around.
"Yeah, he's right—" She looked over her shoulder but Guardian had vanished. "Oh, I guess he… left. He showed up right after you went out and stayed over you the whole time— other than when he helped Velcia out a bit."
"Really?" Riku asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Destin! What a relief it is to see you awake!" Skellington exclaimed, grabbing his hands and shaking them. "I knew the Doctor's invention would work! And it did, to perfection! Now all we have to do is wait for the others. I'm sure Velcia will come through."
"I know she will," Riku agreed, looking around. "Where is she?"
"In the other room, the main lab," Sam explained. "I think that's where Doc and Ben are right now, checking in on her."
"That reminds me"-Skellington tapped his chin- "When Destin was waking up, did you call him Riku? That name sounds familiar. I'm sure I've heard it somewhere before."
"No, she didn't," Riku quickly shut him down, hitting Sam with his knee.
Sam's eyes widened as her lips pursed out. "Oh, yeah, no, I did not. I called him… Dicky."
"Dicky?" Skellington repeated.
"Yeah," Sam explained with a widening smirk while Riku settled into a glare. "Because he's a—"
"It's just a dumb nickname," Riku cut in. "Don't worry about it."
"If you say so," Skellington replied, still seeming a bit worried and confused. Shaking his head, he changed his tune and excitedly pointed into the air. "No matter, I will go and check in with the Doctor! Make sure to take it easy, Destin. You did just wake up, after all."
He turned to leave and Sam bubbled into a laugh the moment he was through the door.
"You're almost as bad at lying as Hinata," Riku grumbled, though he smiled.
"Oh I wasn't even trying." Sam shrugged, still snickering.
"Ah Destin!" Ben exclaimed, cutting in and rushing towards them. He clapped his hand on Riku's shoulder. "I hope you slept well!"
Riku wearily looked up at him with a plain expression as Sam snorted. She quickly covered her mouth when Riku arched his brow over at her.
"Ben, that is so messed up," Sam whispered through her hands, attempting to hide the way she was still snickering.
"What? I'm kidding. Obviously!" Ben laughed awkwardly, patting Riku's shoulder. "Right…?"
Riku let out a sound that seemed to be a scoff mixed with a laugh as he moved Ben's hand off of him. "Guess it's nice to know how much you both missed me. Haven't even been awake five minutes and you guys are like this."
"They were certainly worried," DiZ's voice came through Ben, getting a surprised then quickly understanding look from Riku. "I will admit, I was concerned as well. It is good to see you awake."
"Thanks." Riku half-smiled.
"It is only a matter of time until the others awaken," DiZ continued. "In the meantime, there is much we should do to rid this world of the creatures Thaanix unleashed. That is, if you are feeling up for it."
Riku nodded, standing up. "What can I do?"
"Hold on." Sam crossed her arms. "You just woke up, you can't seriously be thinking—"
"I've done enough lying around for one day," he talked over her. "I'll go crazy if I stay here just waiting."
Sam sighed heavily. "Yeah, I know how that goes." She looked up to Ben. "Why didn't you tell me about this stuff? I could have gotten started on it rather than sitting here doing nothing." When DiZ didn't reply right away, she put up her hand. "Actually, on second thought, don't answer that. I know why… At least let me come with then."
"With the exhausted state you're in, I don't believe that would be wise," DiZ countered. "We have confirmed that Velcia's abilities are a success, you should rest."
A fire sparked in her chest, a weaker one than normal, but still there all the same. Her fingers tightened along the edge of the cot and she wanted to snip back. Blowing out a breath, she nodded. "Alright… fine."
Riku glanced at her, but she averted her eyes, an embarrassed warmth filling her cheeks. She vaguely listened as DiZ began filling Riku in on the details of his plan. Riku agreed without many questions and went to Hinata's side, gently squeezing her hand before disappearing in a wisp of smoke.
"Sam—" DiZ spoke up once Riku was gone.
"It's fine," she cut him off, looking to the floor. "I know I still haven't proven myself to you since I bailed on training. Why would you send me off on my own?" She stood up, her legs wobbling from exhaustion. "I'm going to see if Sally can find me a place to sleep that isn't in here."
"When you are fully rested, I would like to speak with you about your place on the team," DiZ said as she walked past. "It will be your decision to make, but I do believe Hinata was right in standing up for you."
Sam paused, but didn't say anything. She glanced back at him over her shoulder, then looked at Hinata, a soft smile curving her lips.
Velcia found herself in an endless space. Her feet stood against seemingly solid ground, but she couldn't see the surface. Wisps of blues and purples mixed amongst the black all around her. It was different from the Corridor she and Riku battled in just moments before. Rather than chaotic darkness stirring around her, it was instead… nothing. Every setting in Riku's nightmare reflected on Velcia's heart. She felt the guilt, the loneliness, the pain of everything Riku experienced. Here, there was no emotion. It was empty.
"If Riku did wake up," Velcia hesitantly spoke up as if her voice would disturb the ethereal realm around her, "then I should be in another dream." She spun around, looking for any sign of life. "But whose?"
She began to walk forward, though she did not know where she was headed. Unlike the first realm she had been sent to, the floor did not ripple beneath her feet, but instead lit up like white sparkling dust. Shining particles burst around her feet with every step. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her glowing footprints etched behind her.
"All of these places are strangely beautiful," she commented with a sense of wonder. Continuing onwards and cupping her hands around her mouth, she called out, "Axel, Hinata, are either of you here?"
An ember sparked to life in front of her. She gasped, her eyes widening in wonder. Amongst the darkness, the ember shined brilliantly. It flickered with bright oranges and reds, casting warm light on Velcia's face as she leaned on her knees to look at it closer. She lifted her hand, feeling its resonating heat. Then it blinked out of existence. Velcia straightened in surprise, her hand withdrawing until another orange glow caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She looked up, seeing another ember floating further on, beckoning her forward.
Without hesitation, she ran after it. The moment she approached, it fizzled away and another flame ignited. Velcia followed their path, seeing flame after flame extinguished. She reached one at long last and it remained in front of her, its glow dancing over her. Velcia took a moment to catch her breath, and looked up from the ember to see where she had been led. Far off in the distance she could make out the shimmer of crystal.
"Is that where you were taking me?" Velcia asked, looking back at the flame and realizing she half-expected an answer. It simply flickered in response.
Leaving her flame companion behind, she went towards the crystal. It grew in size the closer she came and she realized the mass she had seen was actually dozens of intricately designed picture frames suspended in the air, aligned in a dome formation. She slipped between two of the frames and entered the dome. Axel stood in the center of it all, motionless, with his arms crossed. He stared up at the frames, unaware of Velcia's presence.
Velcia walked further in, spinning around as she went. In each frame, it seemed to depict moments in Axel's life. Once realizing this, Velcia focused her attention on her feet. Whatever the memories showed was not her business to see.
Hearing her approaching footsteps, Axel peeked over his shoulder. He didn't have much of a reaction to her as he looked back forward. "And who might you be?" he asked, offhandedly. "Can't say I recognize you."
"My name is Velcia," she replied, coming to a stop beside him. "I'm here to help you wake up."
"Ah, one of Hinata's friends then?"
"Yes." She nodded. "And you must be Axel?"
"The one and only." He shrugged, his voice dull despite the life in his words. "I'd ask how you got here, but I doubt I'd understand the answer."
Velcia smiled with a hum. "I hardly understand it myself, to be honest. But it's nice to meet you, Hinata has told me stories of the two of you growing up."
Axel nodded slowly. "Not to break up the small talk, but do you have any idea how to get me out of here?"
"Oh! Yes, of course, I apologize." Velcia pushed back her hair and moved to stand in front of him, so her focus could be on him rather than his memories. "Before I entered these dreams, DiZ told me that only by revealing the truth, would I be able to help you break free—"
"Did he now?" Axel commented.
"For Riku," she continued to explain, "his truth seemed to be that the dream held no true power over him. He was able to regain his abilities and as he did, the realm fractured and he was able to wake up… Or, at the very least, I believe he woke up. We were surrounded by a white light and then I found myself here."
"It was that simple?" he asked.
"Well, not entirely," she admitted, rubbing a piece of the fabric along her collar between her fingers. "Once things began to break, we encountered a creature that was feeding off of Riku's powers. It was after we worked together to defeat it that Riku woke up."
Axel thought about it for a moment. "So the longer I'm in here, the more this creature feeds off my power?"
Velcia nodded. "I believe so. Though, with each strike, your power should be returned. That is how it worked with Riku."
"That would explain why I can't summon my weapons." He held out his hand in front of him. "How did Riku regain his abilities?"
"I'm not entirely sure," she told him. "We were separated early on. Though for the time I was with him, he was confronted by his past. If I were to guess, he must have conquered whatever fears he has in his heart and doing so helped him break free."
Axel scoffed. "Must be nice." He looked up towards the frames. "I don't think I'll be getting out the same way."
"What makes you say that?" Velcia asked, tilting her head ever so slightly.
Axel motioned his hand in a circular motion. "Just look around."
"It's not my place," Velcia told him, looking back to her feet.
With a humorless chuckle, he assured her, "It's fine. Look all you want, it's not like I have the heart to be self conscious about it."
Velcia looked at him, then slowly turned her attention towards the frames. Some played out moments from his childhood. She recognized Hinata among them, a much younger version than she knew now. They appeared so happy, carefree, surrounded by flowers and laughter. Velcia walked up to one of them and watched as Axel and Hinata picked flowers and stuck the stems into the blue hair of their unamused friend. Velcia smiled, placing her hand along it before it rippled from her touch. She gasped, retracting her hand. Flower petals followed her movement, drifting out from the picture before dissipating into white shimmering dust.
Backing up, she walked over to another. She saw Axel walking through the back alley in Twilight Town. He stopped in front of a much shorter boy who wore an identical black coat to Axel's, though his hood covered his face. Axel grabbed the hood and flicked it back, revealing the boy's dirty blonde spikes of hair. The boy didn't react, he stared blankly as Axel placed his hands on his hips and talked.
"Who is that?" she asked, before catching herself. "I mean— I apologize, I don't want to overstep—"
"Roxas," Axel told her, walking up beside her. "He had just joined the Organization. They didn't tell you about him?"
"The name does sound familiar," she admitted, looking up at him while he watched the memory play out with a blank expression. "Axel?"
"Hmm?" He looked back at her, his brow raised.
"What did you mean when you said you wouldn't be getting out the same way as Riku?"
He shrugged. "What's here for me to confront? I see these memories, but I don't feel anything for them. How can I?"
She looked at the frames around them. "Because you don't have a heart," she recalled.
"Yep."
"Are you sure?" she asked.
He scoffed. "Unless I've been lying to myself the past nine years, then yeah, pretty sure."
Velcia hummed in thought, considering his words. She walked along the edge of the dome, observing the various memories, before stopping at another frame containing Roxas. "Can you tell me about this? What happened?"
"Yeah, sure, gives me something to do." Axel sighed and walked over to her. "Heh, that was the first time I got Roxas up on the clocktower."
"I believe I know the place," Velcia told him. "It's in Twilight Town, right? Above the train station."
"That's the one," he replied. "Roxas didn't say much when he first joined the Organization. So I showed him the ropes and bit by bit he started figuring things out." He chuckled. "I even got him to try some sea-salt ice cream. Little did I know how addicted he'd get to it."
Velcia smiled warmly. "Roxas seems like he became a good friend." She looked onwards to the other frames. "Can you show me more about him?"
"Uh, yeah, sure." He rubbed the back of his hair and walked along.
He stopped at another frame, one of him and Roxas on a mission together. Velcia listened to him recall the details. As he talked, the more life breathed into his voice and his demeanor. She pointed out another memory and he animatedly retold the event and how dopy Roxas had been. Each retelling ended with another sunset on the clock tower, sharing sea-salt ice cream.
"Oh, who's this?" Velcia asked, pointing to another frame higher up. "Another Member joined you and Roxas for ice cream?"
Axel walked up beside her, his arms crossed. His eyes narrowed at the memory of a cloaked girl sitting beside Roxas on the edge of the clocktower. "I don't remember that one at all…"
"You don't?" Velcia asked, looking around. "There she is again."
Following her, Axel slowed to a stop in front of a memory that showed him by the mansion gate in Twilight Town. Standing in front of the gate was the same girl, her hood fallen back revealing her short black hair and downcast gaze towards the grass.
"Does this seem—" Velcia began.
Axel abruptly grabbed the edges of the frame, startling Velcia. "Who is that?" he demanded, his voice ever so slightly shaking.
"Is it possible your memories of her were erased?" Velcia asked. "Similar to how Hinata's were."
"I never forgot Hinata," he countered, releasing the frame and backing away, though his gaze was still fixated on the girl. "Don't you need a heart for that sort of thing to stick?"
Rather than reply, Velcia's eyes wandered. Various frames showed the mysterious girl. She seemed to be as close to Axel as Roxas had become. The longer Velcia watched them, the more her chest twisted. She placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes. It reminded her of the sensation she felt in Riku's dream. Emotion that wasn't her own. Her hand clenched into a fist.
"Axel," she started, taking in a deep breath as she carefully chose her words, "Are you sure you don't have a heart?"
"Of course I am," he answered in a rush. "For nine years, all I've been is a Nobody, following orders like a good little soldier. Because that's what I was supposed to do."
"But then you met Roxas…" Velcia told him. "And something changed, didn't it?"
Axel didn't reply right away. His expression contorted, his eyes still fixed on the girl in the memory. "It doesn't matter what changed with Roxas…" Bitterness laced into his voice the longer he talked, his hands clenched into fists. "He's not here anymore. Neither is that girl or anyone that made me feel like I—" His voice cut off, as if finishing the sentence would make him sick.
"Like what, Axel?" Velcia pried.
His chest heaved as he shook his head. "Why are you asking me this stuff anyway? What does this have to do with anything?"
"When we found you, I was able to sense something inside of you," she explained, walking towards him and stopping in front of him to break his gaze to the memory. "You see, I'm able to sense people's hearts and…" She hesitantly placed her hand over his chest and smiled, feeling a warmth against her palm. "While it's not the same as what I can sense in others, there is something there. Something real."
Axel smacked her hand away and backed up several steps. "Don't tell me that. That's—That's impossible." He turned and raked his hands through his hair.
Velcia rubbed her wrist where he had smacked her. "I've been told that Nobodies have no emotion, yet when I asked you to tell me about Roxas, you came to life. I admit I do not know how hearts are created, but perhaps by creating that bond with Roxas and with that young woman, something sparked—"
"I know!" he cried out. "You don't think I know that? They made me feel like I had a heart!" He held out his hands in front of them and clenched them into fists. "But no, they just had to be taken away. What say did any of us get in that? Huh?"
He grabbed a frame with a yell and slammed it into the ground. It burst into shards, a shattering sound echoed around them, making Velcia jump with a gasp. Axel stood over the disarray, his body slumped and breaths heavy.
"Everybody always thinks they're right," he muttered bitterly. "Everyone wants something. And it's always my job to take care of it. I do the things no one else has the stomach for. And for what? So when I finally find something to drag me out of it they can be ripped away? Well I'm sick of it!"
A crack sprawled across the sky. Streaks of light cut through the darkness. Velcia looked up at it with parted lips while Axel grabbed at his chest. Looking back at Axel, she ran to his side.
"It's working, Axel," she told him in a rush, her voice shaking. "Maybe your truth is that you have a new hea—"
"Don't you say it," he cut her off. "If that's my truth, then everything I've done…"
The shards at their feet lit up. They lifted off the ground and spun before bursting into glittering dust and transforming the world around them. A dark room appeared, a young, dark version of Riku held up another man in a black coat by his neck, a purple aura surrounding them both. The man cried out. Axel watched. Everything shifted and mixed together. It settled on a field in front of an inn. Hinata, Sam, and Riku were there, confronting Axel. He burst into flames and Velcia shielded her eyes, but she heard the screams. Her heart dropped.
Their surroundings melded together once again and they stood in front of the Twilight Town mansion. Another member stood in front of the gate, begging for his life before Axel snapped his fingers and the man was incinerated instantly.
"That's enough!" the real Axel yelled, clenching at his chest.
Everything changed so rapidly, Velcia struggled to make out details. Worlds mixed together, people and memories intertwined in a nightmarish cacophony. Voices wailed, pleaded for mercy, some were angry and demanded justice, while others sobbed, accepting their fate. Velcia recognized Hinata's cries and Sam's yells as part of the horrific symphony.
Axel fell to his knees beside her, his hands clamped over his ears. Holding out her hand, Velcia summoned her Keyblade and raised it above her head. A golden beam shot out of the top and a shimmering shield surrounded them. Then everything fell silent. Axel took a moment, before looking up, his hands steadily moving away from his ears. His entire body trembled.
Neither of them said anything. Axel stared out at the nightmare swirling outside their temporary haven, his eyes distant and heavy. Velcia watched him, then drifted her gaze towards the crack still settled in the sky.
"This is what's waiting for me, huh?" he asked hoarsely. "A new heart to be tortured with." He let out a long breath. "Should have known all of it would come back to haunt me."
Velcia didn't reply at first. She tried to swallow to coat her dried throat, but there was no moisture to be had. The mixture of memories taunted her from the corner of her eyes, displaying all of Axel's darkest moments for her to see. She ignored them as best she could, and kept her eyes fixed on the crack in the sky.
"Axel…" she finally said.
There was a beat of silence, before he replied, "...What?"
"It hurts a lot," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Feeling… everything. Losing our loved ones, dealing with our guilt…"
"What do you know about guilt?" he bit.
Velcia winced, but didn't fight back. Her fingertips traced the details along her Keyblade as she closed her eyes. The memories, the screams, replayed through her mind, causing her to shiver. So much pain, sorrow… her chest ached. She placed her hand over her heart and took in a long even breath, listening to it.
"You aren't alone, Axel," she said softly, taking a new approach. "The bonds you carry stay with you, even as memories. They can help you through this."
"No, they're long gone," he countered, shaking his head and staring at the ground. "What good are the memories anyway? Just a reminder of everything I've lost, everything I threw away to…" his voice trailed off. "I don't even know anymore."
Velcia quietly moved to sit down beside him. A silence rose between them as she allowed both of them to think. The longer they sat there, the more Axel's shoulders fell. He was defeated. The anger had fizzled away, replaced with a heaviness that emanated off of him and into Velcia. Her grip tightened around her Keyblade in her lap.
"Hinata talks very fondly of your days together, in the past. From what I see up there" -she motioned towards the obscured pictures floating outside their barrier- "it looks like the others appreciated your friendship, as well."
Axel sighed. "Well, a fat lot of good my friendship did for them."
"You're trying to make it right though, aren't you?" she asked, gently.
"How could I? The things I've done…" He shook his head, clenching his teeth. "I've gone too far to come back."
"If you did find that you'd grown a new heart—" she started hesitantly, looking over to gauge his reaction before continuing, "perhaps that's a sign that you're on the way back already. Maybe you just need to… follow your heart. Listen to it. Where would that lead you?"
"I'd…" he started, then he groaned. "I don't know! That's what I've been trying to figure out since those bastards took Roxas!"
Velcia startled. "What? Who took—"
"I promised I'd always be there to get him back," he continued, his voice rising. "But when he needed me most, I failed and now he's gone." He abruptly stood up, Velcia scrambled up after him. He put his hands out in front of him. "But maybe that's what's wrong. I keep standing by, letting things happen. Keep following orders, keep playing nice… I should be trying to fix all of this," —he clenched his hand over his chest— "and keep my promise."
The crack webbed further across the sky as he spoke, the sound of it piercing through the air and rocking their barrier. Velcia nearly lost her footing and the shield dissipated with shimmering gold. The screams from the memories bombarded them the moment their barrier was gone. Velcia covered her ears, while Axel stepped into the nightmare fog.
"Axel, wait!" she called, running after him.
Axel stood in the center of it, his eyes closed and chin down as he listened to the memories around him. "If this is what it takes to get them back…" he held out his hands to his sides. "Then that's alright with me."
With a sudden movement, he jerked his head up to stare up at the sky, a fire in his eyes and a smirk across his face. Embers ignited around the palms of his hands, before sparking into wheels of flames. The bright flash disappeared as quickly as it appeared, leaving two chakrams in its place.
Spinning the chakrams between his fingers, Axel yelled, "Hit me with everything you got! I'm ready!"
Light poured out of the cracks, filling the darkness and covering the memories. The screams faded, replaced with a ringing that itched at their ears. Velcia shielded her eyes from the intensity, while Axel grinned and watched as their surroundings melded into a new arena.
An intense heat enveloped them. Velcia's feet burned. She could feel the soles of her shoes melting away. She lifted her hand away from her eyes in a rush, seeing molten rock covering the ground. The tip of her Keyblade glowed a brilliant blue, an icy shimmer covered her, and thick ice formed around her feet. Even with the ice protection, she panted, sweat already beading on her skin. She looked up to Axel. He was unaffected by the heat and walked towards the center of the arena.
Velcia resituated her sweaty hands around her Keyblade and followed after him. The ice around her feet wasn't lasting long as steam sizzled beneath her with every step. She recast another layer as she reached Axel's side.
Walls of fire burst out of the ground, walling them off into a circle. Velcia gasped, her back going against Axel's with her Keyblade at the ready. Her eyes darted between the flames, her breaths heavy and skin slicked with sweat.
A familiar growl rumbled over the crackling fire.
"I recognize that sound," Axel noted.
"I thought you might," Velcia replied. "Riku mentioned the three of you fighting it before in Halloween Town."
"Heh, should have expected it." Axel spun his chakrams between his fingers.
As the final word left his mouth, the creature leapt through the flames and slammed into the ground. A wave of lava rippled in response. Velcia jumped back, her Keyblade shimmered and a translucent shield grew in front of her. The lava smushed against it, before settling back. As the shield sparkled away, she realized the creature had already disappeared back into the wall of flames.
"Did you hit it?" she asked.
"Tried to, but it got away too quick," Axel replied, spinning around for any sign of where it would jump out again.
Velcia looked as well, but quickly stopped when her feet seared in pain. The ice was melting away too fast. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and focused on the heat. It filled her senses even more than it already was, making it nearly unbearable as she grit her teeth. With a push of her arms, she forced the heat back. The lava at her feet gurgled from being moved, but listened to her magical intent. Her feet met with solid ground and Velcia let out a breath of relief. She opened her eyes to see the lava surrounding a small circular haven she created for herself.
"Nice, but will you be able to move?" Axel asked, jumping out of the way of another attack. He swung his chakram after the creature, but it disappeared into the flames and his weapon warped back to his grasp. "Dammit!"
"No, but I'll manage," she assured him.
Sparks shimmered against the wall and Velcia barely made out glowing eyes beyond the flames. Her eyes widened.
"Axel! Over—"
The creature burst through the wall, lunging straight towards her. Velcia held up her blade and summoned a reflective shield. A raging hiss filled the air as the monster impacted and bounced back, its entire body twitching from the shield forcing its attack back onto itself. Bright red energy erupted from it, finding its way back into Axel.
"There we go!" Axel cheered, clenching his fist as part of his power seeped back into him.
His chakram spun in front of Velcia, slicing through the side of the creature. It yowled, writhing as more energy flew out of it and back into Axel. With a hiss, it scurried away, disappearing back into the flames. As it did, the wall of flames dimmed ever so slightly.
Axel patted Velcia's shoulder. "Well look at that, you're more than just a pretty lawn ornament."
"A lawn ornament?" she asked, genuinely curious.
His eyebrow raised from her reaction, then he shook his head. "Ah nevermind, let's get this done."
"Right!" Velcia agreed.
They went back to back, watching the walls for any sign of another attack. The walls flickered, sending embers flying around the arena. Velcia used the back of her arm to wipe away the sweat clouding her eyes. They stood there for what seemed like an entire minute, the anticipation rising.
A spot of lava in front of Axel swirled together. He barely had the chance to look at it, before a geyser of fire ruptured through. Velcia screamed in surprise as another geyser shot up in front of her and another. Axel smirked at the sight of the columns.
"Took it long enough to use these!" he yelled.
Holding out his chakrams, he jumped into the air and whisked through the first geyser. His chakram sliced through it and the column fizzled away. He landed against the wall of fire and ran against it as if it were solid ground, before vaulting off and taking care of the remaining two columns. He landed in front of Velcia, the flames sizzling away behind him.
"You alright?" he asked in a rush.
She nodded wordlessly, panting from the heat.
"Let's get rid of this floor," he told her, looking around. "Attack on my signal, alright?"
She wasn't able to respond as a growl resonated around them. The creature leapt out, flames igniting a trail behind it. Axel stepped out of the way, his eyes following where it was headed.
"Reflect, there now!" he ordered.
Velcia's blade lit up, a translucent shield rose right in front of the creature as it tried to flee. It smashed against it and bolts of energy coursed over its body as it fell and writhed against the ground. Axel smirked as the red energy poured out of the creature and back into him. Using his chakrams, he slid them underneath the creature and summoned a small burst of flames to flip them up and heave the monster onto its back. It hissed, its legs wriggling wildly through the air, leaving its golden underbelly exposed.
Axel pointed towards it, about to order Velcia to attack. Before the words left his mouth, pearls of light impacted the belly and golden acid burst over the floor. The monster cried out, its voice shaking the arena itself before bright light pierced through the lava floor all around it. They shielded their eyes from the light and Velcia half expected it to be the light that would end the dream. Yet, the light disappeared and Velcia opened her eyes to find them still in the arena, but with the molten rock flooring nowhere to be seen.
She looked to Axel, who simply grinned and sent her a thumbs up. Despite her exhaustion, she chuckled.
Their moment was short lived as the creature zipped past, surrounded with flames. Velcia rolled out of the way, powering up her Keyblade, but the creature was already gone. It happened again, at another angle, both of them dodged and readied for an attack. Then it was gone in the flickering wall of fire that was considerably dimmer from when the battle had first begun.
"Do you have any ideas?" Velcia called while they dodged yet another swift attack.
Axel straightened and looked at his hands. "Depends," he said. He clenched his hands and then opened them. A burst of embers ignited around his gloves. He smirked. "Yeah, I think I do." He looked over at her. "Think you can cover this place with a shield the moment it's through?"
"I can certainly try!" she called back.
As if on command, the creature burst in with a flash of fire following it. Rather than dodge, Velcia stood firm. She thought back to Guardian's protective wall and willed her magic to do the same. Her energy was already waning, but she focused every ounce she had left and cast a protective spell. Shimmering hexagons lifted out of the ground, encasing all of them. The creature hissed, skidding to a stop, but unable to slow itself as it slammed against the wall and fell back dazed. A barrage of energy spilled out of it and rushed into Axel.
Velcia clenched her jaw, grunting as she held out her Keyblade, trying to maintain the large shield. She looked over to Axel, seeing the energy still glowing around him. Holding up his hand, he snapped his fingers.
A spark ignited in the center of the creature, causing an explosion that engulfed its entire being. It screeched and wailed, its body flailing amongst the flames. Velcia's mouth fell open, her heart flipping and eyes widening. The shield fell away, her body falling to her knees and Keyblade dissipating away. She watched as the creature's skin blackened and crisped. The walls around them dimmed further and further, until flickering away into nothing but stray sparks. As the flames extinguished with a flick of Axel's hand, all that remained was a pile of ash and the remnants of red energy that swiftly whisked into Axel.
"That… That was incredible, and… terrifying, all at once," Velcia whispered, trembling.
Axel chuckled. "Yeah I get that a lot." He walked over to her and helped her up. As she stood up beside him, streaks of light began breaking through the darkness. Despite it, Axel kept his focus on her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I owe you one."
Velcia let out a breath and smiled, just as the light surrounded them.
**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope all of you are doing well. Thank you so much for taking the time to check out this chapter. I wanted to give a fun little update, I've started going through Third Beginning and making little edits to it. Nothing too major, I've gotten up to chapter 27 thus far. Mostly smoothing out conversations and interactions. Took out A LOT of kissing when Riku and Hinata get back together in Montressor. I apparently had things to work through when I wrote that 6 years ago, I don't even know. LOL! Still should take out more, but it got to a point where I would just be rewriting the entire story and I don't want to do that. This trilogy should be some sort of archive of my personal journey and I'll be eventually rewriting the entire series once I'm finally done with Forgotten Traveler. There's a lot of history in these stories, as cringy and as rough as they are. I want to preserve that on here.
Anyway, the largest thing we are taking out is the Time Loop concept. Which people are going to read this in the future and be like say whaaaaaaaaa? I just wanted to put it out there officially, that we are taking that concept out of the story entirely. It isn't out yet, but it will be within the next couple weeks. I'm just slow at editing.
It was a fun idea when we wrote it, but it just won't work with where we're going. I say we as my husband and I. Realized I should specify that.
Speaking of my husband! He's written some amazing Post!KH3 stories for Velcia that are up on my page. You can also find him on Ao3 under Alchemist_of_Thebes. I highly recommend checking them out! They are amazing and I love them. And it's fun to see Velcia's story develop beyond her time with Hinata and co.
That's about it! Thank you again for taking the time to read this. Have a wonderful week!**