Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Desperate Reflections ❯ Portals and Shadows ( Chapter 6 )

Flashback

- - - - Scene change

 

Review responses at the bottom! Thanks everyone!

 

Chapter 4: Portals and Shadows

 

Standing and staring at the huge building that housed his apartment, Axel found he was not impressed. Plainly put, it was a concrete square with perfectly spaced windows, like every room was the same size down to the last cubic inch. And though tall, it didn't pass the other buildings around it in height, just managing to stay below the tallest to its right.

 

Axel could literally feel his individuality seeping away as he looked at it.

 

“Ready?” Vincent questioned, standing right beside Axel and nearly mimicking his stance. His wings stretched and folded again at his back, as if tired of walking and seeking to fly.

 

The red-haired male raised an eyebrow. “Sure,” he responded sarcastically. “Let's give up all freedom and conform. It'll be fun.”

 

Vincent eyed him, expression unreadable. “You remind me of someone,” he commented softly. “He used to cover up his insecurities with sarcasm, too.” And with that enigmatic statement, he stepped forward and entered the apartment complex.

 

Axel allowed himself a moment to gape before darting forward and hurrying to catch up. He slid through the swinging glass doors with ease, scanning the lobby of the apartment complex only to find his companion waiting patiently at an elevator. Shaking his head, he strode towards the usually silent man.

 

“Who?”

 

Vincent raised a brow. “Who?” he repeated.

 

Emerald eyes rolled. “Man, you're slow,” he replied contemptuously, ignoring Vincent's glare. “The one you're comparing me to. You know, the guy that `covers up his insecurities with sarcasm'?” he questioned, mocking his companion.

 

The other male shrugged nonchalantly. “I don't remember.”

 

Axel exhaled noisily as the elevator in front of them dinged with a cheery tone that rankled on his nerves. “Yeah, first you hide things from me then you lie to me. I'm so flattered.” His tone was sharp, and Vincent didn't fail to recognize it.

 

They stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the fifth floor. Luckily, no one else climbed into the lift, and the door slid shut, entrapping the two men within. It was strangely quiet inside, only the hum of the mechanism enough to break the silence. The lift shuddered and rumbled as it climbed in a non-assuring fashion.

 

“I wasn't lying,” Vincent responded. “I know that you're aware of how difficult it is to have any clarity in our memories.” He paused, one claw brushing off imaginary lint from his pants as he studied Axel from the corner of his eye. “You're still upset by what Reno said.”

 

Emerald eyes narrowed into slits, and Axel crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to respond to that. Okay, so maybe he was reacting out of anger, but he felt justified. Something akin to betrayal had blossomed up within him, enough so that he was also reeling from the realization that he considered Vincent his friend, and judging by his scattered memories of his past, such things were few and far between.

 

Still, somewhere between the gates and the Lego structure that they liked to call an apartment complex, Axel found he had already forgiven Vincent. That irked him, his own forgiveness. It made his anger seem more like the petulant acts of a child. Truthfully, however, he was still young; at least, he thought he was.

 

He remembered distinctly what Reno had asked of him. At first, he believed himself to be the victim of some huge joke, but the more time he spent with Vincent, the more he realized how incredibly lonely the man was and just how lonely he himself felt. He missed Roxas, couldn't be sure that he would ever see the blond again, and was alone in a world that sought to drive from him everything that made him Axel.

 

A little friendship never killed anyone.

 

“Are you planning on remaining in the elevator all day?” Vincent's slightly annoyed tone interrupted his thoughts, and Axel looked up in surprise, finding the other man standing just beyond the elevator doors with one hand held in front of the sensor to prevent them from closing. He seemed amused, however, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Axel had been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't even realized that they had arrived.

 

Resisting the urge to flush with embarrassment, the redhead scowled and unwound his arms, stepping from the elevator and onto the thin and ugly carpeting of the hall. “As exciting as that sounds, I'm more interested in seeing what other luxuries paradise has to offer me,” he drawled lazily. His eyes darted around him, finding that the hall was as boring as the rest of the building, devoid of decoration and utterly lifeless.

 

When Vincent didn't respond, Axel sighed and followed him down the hallway to room 508. The silence was unnerving to the redhead, and there weren't even the jangle of keys to soothe him. Axel was one who preferred chaos to order, noise to quiet. It was easy to hide then. On his own, in a structured and contemplative world, he was edgy and uneasy.

 

As Vincent unlocked the door, Axel crossed his arms over his chest. “Damn. I need a cigarette,” he muttered, more to himself.

 

The other male froze, one clawed hand still on the doorknob. “You smoke?” he questioned, a strange note to his voice.

 

Axel looked at him curiously, even as he gave a dismissing wave with his hand. “Actually, no. It was a passing thought. I hear they're bad for you.” His words were nonchalant, but he was closely watching his companion for further reactions. He man was so secretive, and it was natural for Axel to be so damn curious.

 

“So they are,” Vincent murmured in response, finally turning the knob, allowing them inside the apartment.

 

“Don't you think it strange?” Axel inquired as he followed Vincent inside. A switch was flipped, flooding the interior with cold and sterile light. “How we can remember some things but forget others. I know I don't smoke and what a cigarette is but…” he trailed off, the words dying on his lips at first sight of his new home. “Fuck.”

 

He hated it on sight. The carpet was a dim grey, the walls white and bare, the furniture thin and wobbly. He had only what was necessary for the barest minimum of life, and the entire apartment gave off the aura of conformity and emptiness.

 

Axel explored the remaining rooms, his heart sinking with each revelation. It was not warm or cheery. There was no consolation or a lived-in feeling like Vincent's home. It left him feeling hollow, empty, and incredibly lonely all in the same time. And he still shivered with imagined cold. He didn't like it, not one fucking bit.

 

Even if Reno had not asked him to continue living with Vincent, Axel might have decided to do it on his own. Living here would send him faster into his grave than merely coping with the truth behind “paradise”, and as he strode into the living room, Axel was already forming a plan in his mind.

 

“I hate it,” he announced as he came into the room. Vincent was, unsurprisingly, standing at the open window, staring down at the strangers below. He turned, raising an eyebrow at the redhead's proclamation.

 

“It's empty and cold,” the redhead continued, gesturing around him. “There's no color, and the fridge is empty. I can't cook worth a damn. I'm gonna starve to death.”

 

A faint smile tugged at the corner of the other man's mouth. “I highly doubt that. There are plenty of delivery places around.”

 

Axel waved his hand. “It's too quiet and bare. Not at all homey like your kitchen,” he continued, moving to stand by the window and by proxy, Vincent. He glanced out the window, surreptitiously eyeing Vincent to gauge his reaction. “And the view fucking sucks.”

 

“Every home is the same as is every view. Grey and robotic minions. Were you expecting a rosy splash of color?” Vincent questioned sarcastically.

 

The younger man shook his head as he scowled. “No,” he claimed, dragging out the word as he appeared to think deeply. “But I think it would be better if we didn't split up… for escape purposes, of course.” He wagged a finger, half turning his body to give Vincent his most serious expression. “Don't want you disappearing without me.” He laughed at his own joke, all the while waiting for a reaction.

 

“You want to live with me?” Vincent inquired disbelieving.

 

Axel beamed as he slung an arm over the winged man's shoulders, his hands brushing across them. “It'll be fun, don't cha think? Hot cocoa in front of a fire in the winter, pillow fights at the crack of dawn, sharing breakfast before work…” His smile morphed into a smirk. “You know you'll miss me if I don't.”

 

Vincent titled his head to look at him skeptically. “What happened to all the furious hatred of a few moments of ago?”

 

“Oh that,” Axel responded easily. “So I have mood swings. Doesn't everybody? Besides, you can hardly blame me. That was an awful big secret for someone to keep.”

 

“I had my reasons.”

 

The redhead rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know that. All I'm saying is: what can it hurt?” Axel waited patiently for the other male to make up his mind, inwardly hoping he would say yes. He didn't look forward to remaining in his sterile and empty apartment, nor did his quietly protesting stomach.

 

Vincent exhaled slowly, folding his arms over his chest as he turned his head to the side. As he thought, he unconsciously pulled his bottom lip between his fangs, chewing absentmindedly, and just when Axel was about to shake him, he heaved another sigh.

 

“I suppose if you are really that lonely,” he acquiesced with a faint hint of reluctance. “Grab your clothes, and we'll leave. I'm no more enamored of this place than you.”

 

Axel's face nearly cracked with the force of his grin. “Good choice.” He patted Vincent on the back with enough force to make the older man to huff and pull away. The red-haired male headed for the bedroom before pausing in thought, half-turning back towards Vincent. “Wait? Clothes? They already knew my size?”

 

Vincent paused, seemingly considering his statement. “How long did you think you were in the cleanser?” he asked cautiously, crimson eyes searching Axel's face.

 

Axel shrugged. “A few hours,” he answered, leaning against the doorframe that separated the living area from the hall. A frown appeared on his features. He had the feeling he was about to hear something he would not like. Although there was a moment when he had almost lost himself, that time had seemed very brief to him, certainly no longer than a few hours at the most.

 

“You were there for three days, Axel,” Vincent stated.

 

His jaw dropped in surprise. “What?” he asked, unable to help his astonishment. It was impossible.

”When did you think I had the time to speak with Reno?” Vincent questioned as he turned to snap the blinds closed. His clawed fingers worked nimbly at the strings.

 

Axel shook his head. “I didn't--" A slight nervous laughter escaped his mouth as he brought one hand up to his forehead. “I can't --” Words escaped him completely, and he rubbed at his forehead furiously with two fingers, trying to force some comprehension into his brain. He raked his fingers through his hair, very disturbed by the thought of losing three days. He wasn't sure how to feel. Surprised? Angry?

 

The sound of booted feet on the thin carpet alerted him to Vincent's approach, and he looked up, somewhat surprised by the concern he found. “Do not be so surprised,” the other male explained in a soothing tone, though it came off rather condescending. “In fact, I have known others to stay within for a much longer time. It is a testament to the strength of your heart that three days was the least of times.”

 

Axel shook his head, turning away from as he rubbed at his temples. “I'll, uh… I'm going to grab my clothes,” he said, dismissing himself. He didn't wait for Vincent's response, instead hurrying away in a frantic need to suddenly be alone. The words, the truth, reverberated in his mind as he shut the bedroom door behind him, leaning against the wood.

 

He didn't know why the thought of lost time shook him up so badly, but it did. Perhaps it was because it didn't feel longer than a few hours. It was obvious, that somewhere in there, he had lost himself for a long period of time. He had very nearly succumbed. For close to three days, he had given in to the mind training, and only Roxas' voice had pulled him free.

 

Anything could have seeped into his mind at the time, any number of thoughts that weren't his own, any number of beliefs. What if, dear Kami… what if he hadn't come out as unscathed as he had believed? What if some of his memories truly were false? A way to lead him astray?

 

The questions pounded around in his skull, echoing until a full-blown migraine began to take form. Axel cursed, the heel of his hand rubbing furiously at his head as he stumbled further into the room, slumping down onto the bed as his legs threatened to give out beneath him.

 

What if he had only imagined that he was fighting for something important? What if it was some programming that the council had input in him recognizing the desire in him to escape? If there was even one to begin with!

 

Argh!

 

It was all so confusing. He didn't know what to believe anymore. He had lost himself for three days! For such a short period, it felt like a lifetime to him, and gear began to coil in his belly as the memories flashed by in his mind. Blond hair, ocean blue eyes swirled until they blended into a conflagration of scenes that made little if any sense to him. What was he if it was fake? What was he at all?

 

A sudden knock at the door had Axel flicker wary eyes towards it. He was reluctant to answer, knowing that Vincent was just beyond. However, he didn't need to, the handle turning of its own accord as the winged male stepped inside. He stayed within the doorway, thankfully.

 

“Your memories are not false,” he said simply. “I know that is what you fear at this moment, but believe me, all that you recall - Roxas - is not a lie.”

 

“How do you know that!” raged Axel, one hand slicing through the air. “They could have implanted that in you as well! You can't tell me that it isn't a possibility!” His body hurtled off the bed of its own accord, and he discovered with much surprise that he was trembling.

 

Red eyes blinked. “You're right; I cannot. Save that I know my own memories aren't false. They can't be. I was once a Heartless, but I am one no longer.” A clawed hand unconsciously went to Vincent's chest, touching some unknown object beneath the dark fabric. “The longing I feel is real. That cannot be faked. They can employ emptiness, they can take away personal thought, but they cannot create emotion. So instead, they remove it.”

 

Vincent's calm words were like a balm for his raging spirit, but Axel still felt incensed and confused. He faltered under the all-knowing gaze ,although he was still in turmoil. Of all that he feared, he was afraid of losing himself the most and his memories of Roxas. If those were taken away, then Axel himself was as well.

 

“You can't be sure!” he responded, shaking his head. “Not in this place,” he continued, voice faltering. “Here you can't believe in anything.” His hands clenched at his sides, fingernails digging into his palm.

 

“Then don't. Quit looking around you and look inside. Ask your heart if Roxas is real, and see what it says. Once you know that, it becomes easier to accept.” Vincent's voice softened. “They can't completely erase you who are, Axel. That's why they attempt to bury it beneath layers of conformity. There is nothing, no machine that can take away your true self.”

 

Axel slumped, eyes closing. Why was it that Vincent always knew the right words to say? Always calm in the face of everything? Had he been on Gaia so long that he could no longer react? Was he losing his humanity? Would that happen to him as well?

 

So many questions, every answer only piling more and more until he felt he was drowning in uncertainty, but he pushed those fears aside, attempting to concentrate on the one thing he begged to believe was real. He filled his mind with thoughts only of deep blue eyes and the fluttery feeling he knew went with them. He focused wholly on that, feeling the telltale quickening of his heart. A sensation of relief rushed through him, unlocking his tense muscles, and for a moment, he could have sworn that he heard someone other than Vincent whisper his name.

 

Axel exhaled all in a rush, anger draining from him nearly as quickly as it had arrived. He had always been too tempestuous for his own good. His body calmed. and he opened his eyes, feeling suddenly weary. Vincent still stood there, unmoving as he watched Axel with a calm expression.

 

“I was wondering when the aftershocks would hit you,” the older man explained after a moment.

 

“Aftershocks?” Axel asked, slightly embarrassed at his loss of control. He raked a glove through his hair, now searching the room for something to place his clothes in. He walked over to the closet, flinging open the door.

 

“The last reverberations of the Cleansing. A failsafe device you could say. It was the last component of the process. I'm not saying that there is not something to worry over from here on, but at least your doubts of your memories will go away. Now, you only have to hold on to them.”

 

Axel spotted a box in the floor, probably that one his now hanging clothes, had originally come in. “You knew this was going to happen?” he questioned. “Why didn't you tell me?”

 

Behind him, Vincent shifted, but Axel couldn't see what he was doing. He started throwing the things into the box in a careless fashion, not caring that they were going to get wrinkled. They were ugly and tasteless anyways, more of the same of what he was already wearing. He idly wondered if there was a clothing shop on Gaia's Grotto… or if he even earned money.

 

“It wouldn't have made a difference,” Vincent responded. “The doubts that it flares up inside can't be prevented, only fought against.”

 

“Heh.” Axel scowled. “Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” he remarked dryly. “I tell you, these council members are a piece. What I wouldn't give to set their crazy asses on fire.”

 

“And they would be much the better for it.” There was an almost amused tone to Vincent's words.

 

A pair of boots joined the last of the stack of clothes in the box before Axel folded the flaps over, sealing everything inside. The top bulged, one shirt-sleeve dangling out of the small gap in the flaps, but he didn't care. He hefted up the box, the vague echoes of their voices in the room really beginning to bother him. He was more than ready to get out of there, not to mention his stomach was growling quite loudly. He turned back towards the door, bypassing Vincent on his way out.

 

He still felt slightly embarrassed from his reaction to the aftershocks and refrained from looking the older male directly in the eye. Instead, he concentrated on finding the door to the apartment, eager to leave as quickly as possible. He could hear the sound of his companion behind him.

 

A thought occurred to Axel as he headed for the door, hesitating long enough to allow Vincent to open it for him. “Has anyone ever actually seen the council? I mean their faces, not just shadows on the screen.”

 

Vincent shook his head as they went into the hallway, shutting the door behind them and locking it. He wasn't sure why he bothered. There wasn't a theft problem in Gaia's Grotto nor was there anything worth stealing inside the empty apartment.

 

“Not to my knowledge,” he finally replied as the two made their way to the elevator, the hall just as empty and silent as before. It was unnerving, as if there were no other residents on the floor. Come to think of it, the elevator hadn't even been playing any music.

 

“And they've always been here, ruling this place? The same eight people?” Axel questioned, increasingly curious.

 

The winged man frowned, pressing the button to call the elevator. “Not always,” he stated. “There was a time before I arrived, when there was not a council, when there was only a king.”

 

“King?”

 

The elevator dinged quietly, a low throbbing sound that was scarcely an announcement for its arrival. The doors opened to reveal an empty compartment, which both were grateful for. Vincent waited until they were inside, speaking if only to fill the empty silence.

 

“I don't know much, but once this place might have actually lived up to its name,” he explained. “The king is gone now… or so I've heard. He disappeared one day, and no one knows how or why. A short time later, the council showed up and for some reason, no one sought to argue against their leadership.” Vincent's lips pulled into a distinctive frown. “I was always told that Gaia's Grotto was a true paradise… up until the moment that the monarchy faded.”

 

“Interesting,” Axel murmured. The elevator lurched, coming to a stop and nearly wrenching his stomach from his gut as it did so. Stepping out, he continued to ponder on the other man's words, recalling the brief time he spent with the council.

 

One of the members in particular stuck out in his mind, the one with the saccharine but condescendingly rude voice. He hadn't been able to see that man's eyes, but he couldn't shake the eerie feelings that the man had invoked in him. He had been left feeling very uneasy and afraid for his welfare. The way that unnamed man spoke left Axel feeling tainted, as if the man had wanted nothing more to do than strap him to a table and take him apart piece by piece.

 

The redhead shuddered at the thought, shifting his train of thought to something much more pleasant. The lobby was still deserted, something he found odd. He had seen residents in the streets but not in the buildings.

 

The redhead male bit back a sigh, stepping up the pace towards the swinging glass doors. Something about this place made him feel edgier than normal. Vincent followed behind him, silent and probably lost in his own thoughts as well.

 

Axel turned, shifting his weight to push open the exit door with his right hip. However, at the same time, someone was trying to enter by the same way, yanking it open and making him lose his balance. His hands flew out to catch himself, dropping the box of clothing with a thud. Embarrassingly, he tripped over his own feet, his body twisting only around to collide into the stranger.

 

They both fell to the ground in a mixture of limbs and groans of pain, Axel landing directly on top of the poor man, nearly kneeing him in the groin. Inwardly, he cursed himself for his distinct lack of grace. Wincing as he attempted to move a now bruised knee, Axel used one hand to push himself up off the ground, emerald eyes moving up to take in the identity of his assailant.

 

A pair of hands settled on his shoulders as the form shifted beneath him. Axel looked up and found himself staring into…

 

…echoes of the past, twisting and turning inside of him. His head sagged against the brick wall behind him, limp spikes drooping down across his forehead, as he tried to grasp understanding of his surroundings. His entire body felt heavy, filled with lead, so much so that he couldn't even lift an arm.

 

It was dark in the alleyway where he had awoken behind a stack of old boxes and trash, and to make matters worse, it was raining. Thick, fat, and cold drops matted his hair down and trickled through his thin clothing. Lae shivered, a chill wracking his entire body, a purely physical response.

 

But inside, he felt numb, dead… empty. There was a gaping sense of loss, as if somewhere along the way he had forgotten something important to him. It was a clawing sort of void, and he was lost, confused. Lae didn't even have the will to move, and he couldn't understand why.

 

He last remembered being surrounded by vaguely human-shaped creatures of with glowing, golden eyes. They stared hungrily at him, if emotion could even be reflected in such cold stares. The monsters had overrun his entire world, and he could only run as they chased after him, watching in terror as the things attacked his family and friends, covering them with their inky bodies. And then, he was entrapped by them. They pounced, and he felt their brief weight. There was a sensation of something being torn from him and then… nothing. Darkness.

 

He awoke to the darkness also, cold and lifeless. His head spun, and his limbs feeling weak and helpless. But most of all, he felt empty. Devoid of all emotion and thought. He couldn't even grieve for his fallen world, that feeling was completely gone to him. He didn't even think he could hope that there were survivors or that a savior had come.

 

“It hurts… doesn't it?” Low laughter rose up out of the night. “Or it would, if we truly felt inner turmoil.” The voice was smooth, deep and sensual, sending shivers down his spine.

 

He started in surprise. “Wha?” Lae opened his eyes, not even realizing that he had closed them, and looked around. He peered into the gloom, wrinkling his nose at the mildewy odor that surrounded him.

 

Then he felt it, a strange ripple of power that pulsed and throbbed, reaching out for him with icy tendrils. His eyes caught on a dark shape to his right that rippled like no shadow he had ever seen. The air wavered before it seemed to split, surrounded by tentacles of darkness, writhing and twisting like a mass of serpents. Another chill raced down his spine.

 

Green eyes widened in surprise as a man stepped from what was obviously a portal. His amber skin and white hair gleaming, a black cloak draping around him. His golden eyes were piercing, almost frightening, and they completely captivated Lae's attention.

 

“It is a heart which you lack,” he continued, moving to stand just before Lae. “That which the Heartless has stolen.” Behind the stranger, the portal dissolved into nothingness.

 

Lae frowned in confusion, something about the man unnerving him. “A heart?” He unconsciously pushed closer to the wall.

 

The stranger inclined his head. “The emptiness, no? The feeling of loss?”

 

How did he know? “Who are you?” Lae demanded, one of his hands managing to curl into a fist. “Why do you know this?”

 

Lacking a heart? He lived and breathed! Lae did not lack a heart! That would make him less than human… a monster. He was human!

 

A smirk pulled up on the corner of his mouth. “I've been waiting for you.”

 

He growled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

 

Anger began to flow through him, in him, igniting something dormant… or perhaps it had only just begun to exist. Whatever it was curled in his veins, rooting itself within his body. His fingers expanded and contracted unconsciously, as if missing the touch of something important.

 

The stranger chuckled, low and echoing. “That's it,” he commented. “Show me.” One hand came up, freeing itself from the cloak as he made a coaxing gesture.

 

A pulse of something, power perhaps, emanated from Lae's body as he growled again. “Stop talking nonsense! Tell me what the hell is going on!” The last came out as a scream as fire erupted around him, setting the trash at his side ablaze.

 

Wide-eyed, Lae threw his body to the side and away from the fire before it jumped to he and his clothing. He scrabbled on his hands and knees, pressing his body against the brick wall as his gaze darted from the flames back to the stranger.

 

“Wha… What's happening to me?” he asked, body trembling and suddenly weak. His fingers tingled, and his anger drained. Somehow, he knew without really knowing that he had caused the fire.

 

The stranger clucked his tongue. “I can show you how to harness that power,” he intoned. “How to use it to your advantage, to take revenge on those who stole your most precious heart.”

 

The fire burned on beside him, the orange flickering oddly on his eyes as smoke filled the small alleyway. “Power?” His gaze shifted to the flames. He unconsciously licked his lips.

 

“Yes,” the stranger answered, his voice resembling a purr. “That and more.”

 

Lae was teetering. The idea of power was enticing, but he also did not trust the bizarre, almost purposefully seductive stranger. He groaned as he pushed himself up the brick wall, attempting to stand with his weary body. He sagged forward but managed to remain upright, noting that not once did the nameless man offer his aid. He wasn't sure if he was glad or irritated. Then again, he wasn't really anything, was he? Not when there was an emotional void within him, lacking in everything, happiness, sadness… everything but anger perhaps.

 

He shook his head, returning his attentions to the odd man. “Who are you?” Lae questioned, breathing heavy.

 

Golden eyes bore into his own. “I am Xemnas. The leader of an organization of individuals, just like yourself.” He gestured towards Lae at his answer.

 

Lae was intrigued. “Like me?”

 

“You are a Nobody… a nothing, never having meant to exist,” Xemnas answered simply, stepping closer to Lae. “A mere shadow of your former self, you exist in neither the light nor the dark.” He smirked. “I'm working to change that. I'm trying to regain the lost pieces of ourselves.”

 

His eyebrow rose. “How?”

 

“Kingdom Hearts awaits us,” Xemnas intoned. “There, we can do anything, be anything.”

 

His non-existent heart thudded painfully in his chest. “Anything…” he whispered in response, head tilted to the side to watch the dancing flames. He knew, in that moment, that he had already acquiesced. He would join this Xemnas; he would regain his heart.

 

He missed the pleased smirk on the other male's face. “Then… what is your name, lost one?”

 

“Lae,” he responded, slightly distracted. At his side, one hand curled in and out of a fist as if anticipating future power.

 

“It is Lae no longer. From this day on, you are Axel, Number Eight… the Flurry of Dancing Flames.” Xemnas raised a hand, attracting Axel's attention. To his right, the portal reappeared, shifting darkness leading into a great unknown.

 

His eyes widened slightly. It didn't look all that inviting, but Xemnas reached out and took hold of his shoulder, moving him towards the portal. He stood directly behind him, as if he was going to push Axel through it.

 

“You have no emotions; you do not fear,” Xemnas whispered directly in his ear, warm breath ghosting across Axel's lobe. “And soon, the powers of darkness will be under your command as well.” With that, he gave only the smallest of pushes on Axel's shoulders, encouraging him to step forward.

 

Axel, never again to take up the name of Lae, moved towards the shifting darkness, Xemnas right on his heels. As he stepped into the portal, the tendrils wrapped around him, engulfing him completely. The world behind him disappeared as he was surrounded by what would soon become…

 

…an oddly familiar fear, enunciated by expressionless golden eyes. Axel blinked in surprise, mouth agape at yet another ghost from his memories. Xemnas, the man who started all this! He stared for another moment longer, seemingly unable to move as he searched those hauntingly familiar eyes.

 

Beneath him, the stranger shifted uncomfortably, brow furrowing as his eyes took in the face of his assailant. There was something about that man… something… He shook his head.

 

“Well,” the newcomer commented, pushing up on Axel's shoulders with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. “That was quite a tackle.”

 

Axel flushed, scrambling off of the stranger, though he continued to eye him warily. “Apologies,” he mumbled as he rose to his feet, offering the man a hand to help him out.

 

He shrugged. “No harm done. It was an accident.” Golden eyes flickered to Vincent, who was standing just behind Axel with the dropped box in his hands. “You live here?” he questioned.

 

The red-haired man nodded. “Yeah. Or I did.”

 

“Did?”.

 

Axel nodded again as he took a step backwards, taking the box. He knew there was no way this was that exact Xemnas, or even if he was, he probably didn't remember. Still, the resemblance was uncanny.

 

“I'm moving in with my friend,” he answered succinctly with a tilt of his head. “Have a good day.” Axel sidestepped beyond the newcomer, assuming Vincent would follow after him, eager to get away from something that had him feeling slightly shaken. For a moment there…

 

“And you as well,” the stranger responded. He watched their departure with an odd look on his face before disappearing inside the building.

 

The redhead exhaled noisily, relief flooding his body the further they got away from the complex.

 

“What was that about?” Vincent asked, having to step up his pace to keep up with his companion.

 

Axel shook his head, tightening his grip on the box. “For a moment there… I could have sworn that he recognized me.”

 

“You knew him?”

 

“Or just someone similar to him,” Axel responded. He shivered unintentionally. “That unfortunate accident served one good purpose. I remember now what I was before.”

 

“Heartless?”

 

. “No,” he denied. “A Nobody actually.” He chuckled faintly. “Nothing, never meant to exist… neither of light or dark… that was me. And what is my reward after that? To come to this hellhole.” Beside him, Vincent had fallen silent. “Vincent?”

 

“Impossible,” the winged male breathed with a shake of his head. “I have only ever known of Heartless to keep their memories. Never a Nobody. Never.” He enunciated the last. “Perhaps you really are the one to save us.” He regarded him with a vague hint of expectation that unnerved the younger male completely.

 

Axel snorted, uncomfortable with the thought of him being any sort of savior or hero. “Don't get your hopes up,” he responded, shuffling the box in his grasp since his clothes were actually quite heavy. “I'm no hero.” He knew this much.

 

Axel had only fought for one reason and one reason alone: to regain his lost heart and to be with Roxas again. It was purely selfish, not for the betterment of others or to save the lost, but for his own gain. And he was fine knowing that. He had no illusions. He didn't want to be a hero; he didn't want to save the universe. He lacked the simplest requirements for such a duty.

 

Altruism and the desire to do good without expecting reward. Pssh. Axel wasn't one of the good guys, but he wasn't evil either. He was simply a man trying to regain his lost heart, in more ways than one. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

“And just what do you think it means to be one?” Vincent questioned, completely serious.

 

The redhead shrugged. “Everything I'm not,” he replied with a sniff. “Now as much fun as it is discussing the finer aspects of heroism, this box is damn heavy.” He tried his best to both avoid and pretend he could not see the strangers around him, still uneasy every time he looked into their vacant expressions. Thankfully, the older male fell silent, and the two were able to continue on their way rather quickly.

 

- - -

 

They entered Vincent's apartment very quietly, going their own directions without a word. The older man disappeared into his bedroom, the door closing behind him in. Axel just shook his head and went to his room, more than eager to drop the weighty box on his bed. It bounced and tilted on his side, making him to turn it over in irritation before ripping open the pathetic flaps.

 

Axel frowned as he began to unpack, staring at a pile of yet more of the scratchy and heavy fabric he was already dressed in. Hooray for conformity. He was practically jumping for joy. At least, they gave him an extra pair of the boots, and black this time. He could throw out the brown ones now.

 

With a barely restrained sigh and sincerely hoping he would not be on Gaia for too long, Axel began to fold them into the dresser, his mind wandering. How were they to find their way off of the planet? Vincent had been here for quite some time, though he didn't know the exact number of years, and was intelligent. Yet, he hadn't found a method. What hope did Axel have? Next to none, truthfully.

 

The sound of someone clearing their throat disturbed the redhead from his thoughts. He paused in his folding, emerald gaze lifting to the doorway where Vincent stood, a strange expression on his face.

 

“Settling in, I see,” Vincent commented. However, the older man seemed distracted, as if he had something to say but didn't quite know how to say it. His wings twitched restlessly.

 

The younger male raised a brow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah,” he responded. “Your powers of observation are astounding.”

 

Vincent inclined his head as he invited himself into the room, one hand suspiciously hovering near his pants pocket. “I believe your sarcasm is getting worse,” he replied, moving until he stood right next to Axel.

 

“Can I help you?” the younger male inquired, wondering at the winged man's sudden nearness. He half turned so that he was facing Vincent.

 

He nodded. “This belongs to you,” Vincent responded, pulling a strange metallic object out of his pocket. But rather than hand it to Axel, he laid it on the dresser top, the chain clinking as it struck the smooth wood. He then proceeded to watch Axel with a curious expression.

 

“I found it on your person when I rescued you,” he continued as Axel's full attention turned to the curious object. “I didn't want to return it to you until I was sure you would last through the Cleansing. Otherwise, it would have destroyed when I took you to the council, which would have been pointless.”

 

Axel vaguely listened to him, more entranced by the gleaming metal. It was a curious thing, a length of darkened and nearly black links connected to a three-pronged crown of the same ebony shade. He didn't recognize it at first glance.

 

“I had it?” he asked in surprise, one hand reaching out to reclaim his missing property.

 

Vincent nodded. “I don't know why or how, but sometimes when new residents arrive, they have mementos from their past lives with them, something they strongly desired to keep… a link to what they were leaving behind. I'm not entirely sure why this occurs.”

 

Axel's fingers brushed across the item, the metal feeling warm from being in Vincent's pocket and incredibly…

 

…smooth, like polished onyx or something. It was beautiful, sleek and deadly, always cleaving effortlessly through the air, as if it was made of something lighter than metal. Axel couldn't help the smallest stab of jealousy, though he knew his own chakram were something to be proud of.

 

“What is it?” he queried, looking up into the deep blue eyes of his friend. “I mean, what's it called?” A gloved finger rubbed over the crown-shaped keychain, fascinated by it.

 

Roxas winked as he took the keychain from Axel's hand, effortlessly calling forth the Keyblade to reattach it. “This one's Oblivion; the keychain is what makes them different, you know.” He held out his other hand, his second Keyblade, Oathkeeper, quickly materializing.

 

Axel made a face. “I prefer Oblivion. It's more… manly,” he finished, for lack of a better word. “It seems way more dangerous.” He gestured towards the Oathkeeper with a faint scowl. “That one's dainty.”

 

Though he would never think of Roxas as dainty, the blond was pure spitfire and stubbornness. Even for the short time that he had known the boy, Axel had come to understand this, not to mention there was something alluring in his eyes and seemingly innocent features. There was nothing childlike about him.

 

Axel had seen him in action, had seen Roxas facing down the Heartless as Xemnas had first commanded. The blond moved fluidly, rarely a move wasted. He literally flew through the air, weapons twirling and slicing about him. Even though he hadn't known their name at the time, Axel could tell that they were powerful, not to mention that he found it fascinating. He had two chakram; Roxas had two sword-things… Keyblades he now knew. It was a match made in heaven.

 

He had quickly latched onto Roxas as a future friend, finding the boy's smart mouth and biting remarks more to his liking than most of the other Organization members. Demyx was alright, if a bit whiny, but the others were merely arrogant assholes that gave him the desire to set everything on fire, not that he would. Xemnas would have destroyed him if he ever did such a thing. But how he wished. Maybe. Someday.

 

Roxas smirked, performing an intricate twirl of Oathkeeper with one hand, while he held Oblivion steady. “Wanna test it out?” he asked, a slight edge of taunting to his voice. “I guarantee my girly Oathkeeper can take down both your lame chakram.”

 

This time, Axel scowled fully, pushing himself up off the wall as he thrust his arms to the side, his weapons appearing in a flurry of flame. He twirled each of them around a finger, scowl turning to a smirk as they danced in his hands. This was quickly becoming his favorite entertainment, sparring with the shorter Nobody. Then again, any time he spent with Roxas became something to look forward to… if he had such emotions.

 

“Wanna bet?” he questioned, body quickly dropping into his battle position. He thrummed with the prospect of battle, tense with anticipation. Roxas already had his respect, and he was one of the few that Axel couldn't manipulate. Perhaps in his own way, the blond boy was just as devious. Only time would tell.

 

Roxas smiled, something sly and dangerous, as he wove the Oathkeeper one last time around his hand, body slipping easily into his battle stance. “You sure you can handle it?”

 

The redhead scoffed, already feeling the tendrils of flame flickering in the back of his mind. “You're the newcomer, so you tell me.”

 

“There will be no fight today,” a voice asserted, interrupting both their banter and intended duel. Axel and Roxas exchanged glances, irritation appearing on the older male's features as he dropped from his battle stance into a nonchalant position, the chakram disappearing.

 

To the right, a portal of darkness rippled into existence, their ever illustrious leader stepping from it with his gaze locked on Roxas. He waved a hand at the younger boy, encouraging the blond to put away his Keyblades. Axel scowled, more to himself than directly at Xemnas as he returned to his position on the wall, half able to guess what their leader desired.

 

“Xemnas,” he drawled. “Don't you have lackeys for this sort of thing?”

 

Golden eyes shot him a firm glare. “I believe you have duties to be attending,” he replied crisply, returning his attention to Roxas. “Number Thirteen, I have your first assignment,” he explained. “Come with me.” No explanation, no request, he simply demanded and expected obedience. Behind him, the portal continued to ripple and writhe, awaiting its summoner.

 

Roxas inclined his head. His gaze flickered to Axel in farewell before he moved to follow Xemnas, not appearing too thrilled by the prospect of his assignment. After all, the blond had only been a part of the Organization for a few weeks, the “key of Destiny” or so Xemnas had called him. According to their leader, the boy was the key to expanding Kingdom Hearts. Axel just took it all in stride, more interested in the fascinating Roxas himself than his usefulness.

 

“As for you,” intoned Xemnas, turning his cold stare onto Axel. “Get back to work.” He said nothing more as he gestured for Roxas to enter the portal ahead of him before both disappeared, leaving Axel alone in the small courtyard of Castle Oblivion.

 

The redhead scowled irritably. He chewed his bottom lip in aggravation, eyes narrowed before he pushed himself off the wall once more, angrily calling the chakram to his hands.

 

He stalked away determined to destroy as many Heartless as it took until the fury was gone…

 

…smooth to the touch. His fingers wrapped around as his flashes of memory faded, locking the name of the object deep within his heart. It was Oblivion, one of the Keyblades that Roxas wielded. It was yet another component of his past… so precious and yet fragile.

 

“A memento, hmm?” he questioned aloud, voice soft as he held the surprisingly light keychain in his hand. A sudden thought struck him as he flickered his eyes to the side, regarding Vincent with interest. “Like the ID tags, right?” he asked.

 

The other male suddenly froze, not expecting that question as his gaze shifted away, looking anywhere but at Axel. “I don't--" But one clawed hand unconsciously went to his chest, where the redhead suspected his ID tags were currently hanging, hidden beneath the dark fabric of Vincent's shirt. It was a motion he recognized from earlier in the day, and the older man's wings twitched across his back, a telltale sign that he was agitated.

 

“The ones that say Cidrick Highwind,” Axel interrupted, knowing that Vincent was about to claim he didn't know what he was talking about. “They're your link, aren't they? To that something special?”

 

Crimson eyes narrowed. “That's my business,” he claimed, voice turning cold.

 

He was afraid… and sorrowful, and that was understandable, considering how long he had been struggling to return home. Reminders not of his own making were probably painful, and in order to keep himself from losing his sanity, it was probable that Vincent found it easier to hide his secrets rather than share them someone… even if that someone could understand as well.

 

Realizing that the older male was only going to close up on him, Axel bit back a sigh and sought to change the subject. “Don't get so worked up.” He scoffed lightly, reaching out to clap his companion on the shoulder in a friendly gesture. “Now,” he began, directing Vincent out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen, slipping the keychain into a pocket with his other hand. “Come tell me what you've learned so far so we can get off this hellhole.”

 

- - -