Justified

            They move the same way. It was the first thing that came to Axel’s mind as he watched Sora and his friends fight the mass amount of Nobodies between the two worlds. In his own mind, he gave the kid credit. He made it this far despite everything they threw at him, despite how much everyone was trying to play him like some sort of puppet. This kid, the Keyblade master, would not be used. Not Sora and not Roxas either. Yet as he watched Sora take down Nobody after Nobody with ease, he wondered if somewhere deep in his mind that kid knew who he was, if somewhere the memories that Roxas came to possess were somewhere buried in that mind.

            They were so similar yet so different at the same time. Sora was not Roxas though, even if he somehow remembered the past, Sora was no the person he was fighting to see, Sora was the person standing in his way, Axel knew he should hate this kid foe existing, for having such a will to live that he could not just become a heartless and stay that way so his nobody would remain free. This boy with such a strange heart, with such a desire to save his friends, the world even, this was the person keeping Roxas away. If Sora becomes a heartless then Roxas would return, it was as simple as that.

            You silly kid, why did you have to leave in the first place?

xxx

            “I can’t believe you can’t see it.” Roxas sighed, his blue eyes looking up at the dark, lifeless sky of The World That Never Was.

            “I just don’t see the heart.” Axel replied, giving the younger man a small smile as he leaned back on his gloved hands, feet hanging over the edge of the building, watching the moon take shape in front of them, as Xemnas’ Kingdom Hearts began to take its place. That moon was going to be their hope and simply looking at it and the feeling its light shed on their world was motivation enough to continue with the plan. At that moment, however, he was bored. While he knew they would have to play a part in this eventually, at the moment, the Keyblade master was off fighting heartless after heartless and adding to their collection. Saix once mentioned that as long as the door remained open the heartless would remain and for Sora to close the door would be nearly impossible. A few of the members of the Organization seemed skeptical that the boy could pull the deed off somehow, but no one seemed worried right now because sitting next to them, they had their own secret weapon. The one they found wondering between light and darkness, the Nobody of the Keyblade master himself, number 13, Roxas.

            Finding Roxas was like finding another Keyblade master. If Sora should fail there would be no reason why Roxas could not continue the task. He could wield the Keyblade and that was what was needed to kill the heartless without losing the precious hearts. Roxas was special and that was why everyone acted differently around him. While a skilled fighter, he was admitted to the Organization simply for whom he came from. Axel, however, found the younger man’s company enjoyable and while the others were off doing whatever needed to be done, the two of them would sneak away to various corners of the world and simply sit together. Tonight, they both decided to stay close to home and the reason seemed obvious. The light of the Kingdom Hearts was soothing, it was warm, and there was nothing quite like it.

            “Hey Axel?” Roxas’ voice brought Axel back from his own mind. Blinking the haze from his eyes, he looked at the younger man sitting next to him.

            “Yeah?”

            “Are we justified?” The question seemed so simple, like it was something that was supposed to have a very simple answer, but Axel did not have the slightest idea what the kid was talking about.

            “Justified with what?” He asked, deciding that it was better to get a straight answer than to make up something that could be wrong.

            “With that.” Roxas pointed a finger at the moon in the sky. When he looked over at the older man next to him he sighed and Axel could only guess that he noticed the blank expression on his face. “Creating a Kingdom Hearts, are we justified in making one?”

Axel found himself at some sort of crossroad with no options that seemed correct. He did not know how to answer Roxas because he was not sure himself. Not once had he even thought that what they were doing could be seen as wrong or right or even if their reasons had any merit behind them. He knew for a fact that younger man looked up to him much more than any of the other Organization members and it seemed wrong to give him an answer that was not correct.

            “Why wouldn’t we be?” He asked, hoping he could push the kid to admit what he was thinking and possibly come up with his own opinion on the matter.

            “We are Nobodies and as Nobodies we don’t have hearts. We’re the shells of people who were changed into Heartless. We are making a Kingdom Hearts because we want hearts, we want to be whole, but isn’t a want, a desire, aren’t they from hearts? How can we say that we want hearts when wanting something is a desire of hearts, which we don’t have?” Roxas explained, looking at the moon before at Axel. “Does that make sense?”

            “What you’re saying is that any of our wants or desires aren’t justified because we don’t have hearts and aren’t capable of actually having wants or desires?” He pushed, meeting those blue eyes and the kid nodded. Now that he was thinking about it he realized he did not have an answer himself and for the first time he was questioning everything they were working toward; for the first time he was wondering if they were indeed justified.

            “Axel?” A hand waving in front of his face brought him back to reality. Snatching that wrist, he gave the younger man a look.

            “I’m still here, you don’t need to be annoying.” He replied evenly before releasing the kids wrist. “I don’t know Roxas, I guess we really aren’t if what you’re thinking is right. How can we want something if we aren’t capable of wanting? Then again, we remember what it’s like to have hearts so maybe we are capable of desires and wants.” Axel shrugged, “Either way, I really don’t know.” Glancing next to him, he found that the younger man was giving him a strange look, hardly moving at all. Meeting those blue eyes, he looked back and the two of them remained completely still.

            “Then our desires, my desires, have no meaning, they aren’t justified.” Roxas stated. He opened his mouth to say something back, to reassure him that whatever he wanted he had reasons and could attain it, but before he could say anything, Roxas leaned forward and kissed him. It was quick, soft, sweet even and before he could react, those lips were gone and the younger man was on his feet, looking a little surprised. He started to say something before he turned away, muttered something, and began to walk. Axel was on his feet before he could think twice and grabbed his arm, stopping him from opening a portal. He pushed the kid against the door that lead to the top of the building and held him there.

            “Where do you think you’re going?” He asked. Roxas’ eyes were wide, but there was no fear in that perfect blue, no defiance even, there was nothing.

            “Just acting on one of my desires.” The younger man stated in a flat voice, “Just one of those unjustified desires that mean nothing. Now let me go.” Axel laughed slightly.

            “What are you going to do if I say no? Pull the Keyblade out and defeat me?” He asked, giving him a sly smile, “You haven’t beaten me yet, Roxas. You aren’t going anywhere.”

            “What are you going to do to me?” Their eyes met and the smile got wider.

            “This.” Without hesitating he leaned forward and kissed Roxas, making it just as soft as when the younger man kissed him earlier, but he did not pull away, he savored the taste of his own desire, the person he found himself wanting for so long now. For a moment, he realized the kid was stunned before he kissed him back, carefully at first before adding some force. Axel felt hands travel into his fire red hair, balling it into fists and he had to brace himself against the wall with one hand while the other wrapped around the small waist of the kid in front of him. He never imagined that Roxas would taste this good, this sweet, that the feeling of his tongue meeting his was sending a shiver down his spine. His head was spinning; this kid was stealing the breath out of him, making him dizzy. Finally breaking away, he looked down at Roxas, into his blue eyes, breathing hard.

            “Our unjustified desires that mean nothing.” The blond haired boy said, breathing hard, keeping his eyes neutral.

            “Right now, I couldn’t care less. Got it memorized?” Was all he could say, giving his friend a coy smile and leaning down to kiss him again.

xxx

            Axel was furious as he waited near the exit of their world, arms crossed tightly across his chest. He knew whom he waiting for, but that was not going to make this any easier. For a leader, Xemnas just made the biggest mistake he could; he made them lose their secret weapon. Roxas found out just who’s Nobody he was and now he was off to get the answers he felt he deserved. Granted, Axel found he could not fully understand what his friend was going through, Roxas was one of two Nobodies who’s other had a heart again. To meet the person who created him, to get the answers he deserved, he did not blame him for wanting all of this, but it would all come in time. Sora would do their work for them, as soon as he woke up, and Roxas could simply ask. Turning on the Organization, he knew the others would not stand for it.

            Glancing to the side, he saw Roxas emerge from the darkness. His eyebrows were creased and he looked angry, Axel could tell by the way he was walking. The kid was never any good at hiding his emotions.

            “Your mind’s made up?” Axel asked without moving. That made the younger man stop, but he did not turn around to look at him.

            “Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know.” Roxas stated evenly, still not looking at him. You can’t look at me.

            “You can’t turn on the Organization. You get on their bad side and they’ll destroy you.” He exclaimed, moving away from his wall, glaring at the back of the man that would not look at him, the one that still stole his breath every time they kissed.

            “No one would miss me.” The blond haired man replied evenly and the tone of his voice made him feel a little sick. You can’t look at me.

            “That’s not true... I would.” Axel admitted, feeling defeated. A long silence passed between them.

            “I’m leaving Axel, I’m going to get the answers I deserve.” He took a few steps forward and he visibly hesitated, “We’ll see each other again, just not here. The next time we meet...” He paused and looked over his shoulder, looking into his eyes, “...it will be as enemies.” With those words, he continued through their world and vanished into the dark, leaving the red haired man speechless and dumbstruck before he opened a portal and returned to the base. Sighing heavily, he immediately knew that the rest of the organization was not going to be happy and he was most likely going to get all of the punishment for it.

            “I’ve been waiting for you, Axel.” Saix said from behind him. He did not want to see nor deal with whatever their so-called “second in command” was going to tell him.

            “What do you want, Saix?” He asked, crossing his arms across his chest and not turning around, not wanting to give that man the satisfaction of seeing the hurt in his eyes.

            “Roxas is gone.” The man stated and Axel could only roll his eyes.

            “No, really, I didn’t notice.” A smile formed on his lips when he felt the anger start to leek off his comrade.

            “You didn’t try to stop him? Roxas would have fought back and you don’t look exactly winded.” (You should have seen the other kinds of fights we got into.) Saix observed and he could feel the other man moving at his back. He did not put it past Saix to kill him, but not here and not in the back, that much he had faith in.

            “His mind was made up, there wasn’t anything I could do.” Axel replied sighing dramatically and throwing his arms into the air, grinning when the anger only increased.

            “You are to find him, Axel, I’m putting you in charge of bringing him back. We don’t care if you have to use force, you are to find him and bring him back or you will suffer the punishment.” The silver haired man replied, his voice as flat and emotionless as ever.

            “And what punishment would that be?” He pushed, wanting to know what these people could possibly do to make him feel any worse.

            “I will change your orders so if Roxas does not return you are to kill him. If you don’t kill him we will turn you into a Dusk.” That made him freeze, make him blood run as cold as ice for only a moment before turning fire red. He could feel his own anger start to build and there was a laugh behind him. “Finally, a reaction. That was what I wanted out of you, Axel. Since you let the enemy get away like you did, I’m going to punish you anyway. Your orders are to exterminate Roxas if he does not return to us.” The words made him want to burn something, someone, anything and he straightened. He turned and faced Saix, looking him in the eyes. He knew the hurt in his eyes was gone now, only anger, the anger he was known for, anger as red as his and as the fire he controlled. “Are you refusing?”

            “I didn’t say that, did I? I don’t remember saying a word, you must be hearing things.” Axel snapped back. The other man started to circle him.

            “Is it a fight you want? We already know you are oh so capable of killing your own comrades, you proved that in Castle Oblivion, but are you capable of killing me? Are you strong enough?” Saix was trying to provoke him into a fight that he could not win, not with Kingdom Hearts getting so strong and the Luna Diviner was feeding off of it. It was a fight he would not win and he would not give into a fight, not matter how much he wanted to.

            “Fine.” Axel stated, trying to keep his own voice flat, but knowing his emotions were leaking all over the place.

            “Fine what? You’ll fight me? You give your abilities far too much credit.” The other man replied sneered and now it was Axel’s turn to laugh.

            “And you think too highly of yourself. I’m saying fine to your stupid orders, that’s all. Go pick a fight with someone else, I won’t be provoked.”

            “Of course you won’t.” And Saix laughed briefly before the sound of him leaving the room was nothing more than an echo. Clenching his fists tightly as his side, he felt his entire body shake slightly in anger. Why couldn’t you look at me, Roxas?

xxx

            If there was one thing Axel was surprised about it was the extent Ansem the Wise went through to hide Roxas from them. Granted, he still managed to find him in that simulated town, but it was an extensive operation. It took only a small amount of time to find out that the one known as Riku fought with Roxas not long after their last meeting. He was defeated and taken by the enemy and now their time was running out. Sora was waking up and that meant trouble. If Sora woke up and Roxas was nearby then he would disappear. His friend would vanish and become one with his other.

            For a time, he simply lingered in the shadows as Roxas went about his daily life in this world. It was strange watching him act like a normal person in this world. He did not seem like the normal Roxas at all. He had day jobs, he hung around with people that seemed like they were supposed to be his friends, he acted like he had all the time in the world. They talked about going to a beach, about simple things, and Axel could only wonder if this is what it meant to be human. If being human was just sitting around and living such a boring and simple existence. He almost wondered if fighting for this existence was even worth his time or his efforts. Almost, until he remember his time with Roxas, he remembered the feelings he got, and all thoughts that it was not worth it vanished.

            He watched silently as Roxas battled the Dusks he summoned with ease, with the same grace he had all of that time ago. When the last Dusk fell, he pulled his hood over his head and clapped his hands carefully. The world around them was frozen, as if time itself had stopped and it was only them. He smiled to himself when those blue eyes fell on him.

            “Roxas. All right. Fight, fight, fight.” He said easily and the kid gave him a blank expression. A knot formed in his stomach, there was some indication that Ansem had somehow changed Roxas’ personality and wiped his memories, but to see it hurt more than he thought it would. “You really don’t remember? It’s me. You know, Axel.” He removed his hood, shaking out his hair slightly.

            “Axel?” Roxas’ voice seemed lighter; maybe even happier than it was when they were together.

            “Talk about blank with a capital ‘B.’ Even the Dusks aren’t gonna crack this one.” Axel replied sighing as her walked toward the younger man, the fire forming the chakrams in his hands. He caught them easily.

            “Wait, tell me what’s going on.” Roxas demanded, the Keyblade in hand still. The older man looked around, his fingers itching slightly. This place made him uneasy and he felt angry, angry that Roxas forgot him, angry that he left in the first place.

            “This town is his creation, right? Which means we don’t have for a question and answer round. You’re coming with me, conscious or not. Then you’ll hear the story.” Axel replied, getting ready to fight. Maybe you’ll remember me, remember us. The air around them shifted and he stood up straight, eyes darting around, muttering an “uh oh.” Roxas sighed in frustration before throwing the Keyblade aside.

            “What is going on?” He asked again. In a flash of light, the blade was in his hands again. It never failed to amaze him that the Keyblade was so determined to stay with it’s master, even if it was only half of the real thing.

            “Number 13. Roxas. The Keyblade’s chosen one.” The older man said out loud as Roxas looked at the Keyblade for a moment. He prepared to fight again and he smiled to himself when he watched his friend also take a fighting stance.

            “Okay, fine. You asked for it.” He exclaimed.

            “That’s more like it.” Axel replied as they began to fight. That’s more like you. What took him by surprise the most was that the younger man seemed to have all of his skills still and if anything he might have improved a little since the last time they fought. As they exchanged blows, he realized that the point of this match, this game they played in this world, was to keep Roxas fighting, to keep him sharp. Can’t have Sora’s other half weak, right Ansem? He held back, he had to, despite how angry he was when he looked into those eyes he could not fight at his full power, he just could not make himself do it. Roxas knocked him back and he smiled. “Not bad Roxas.” And he was about to try and remind Roxas of whom he was when Ansem appeared, under the persona of a man called DiZ, wrapped in red bandages to disguise himself. It was just as he heard from the rumors in Castle Oblivion. Ansem the Wise was hiding himself. “So it was you.” Using all of his anger, he threw his chakram at the man who changed Roxas (How dare he) only to have them bounce off as if they were nothing.

            “Roxas, this man speaks nonsense.” Ansem declared.

            “Roxas, don’t let him deceive you.” Axel counted. For a moment, the two of them had a screaming contest to see who would get through to the kid. Roxas dropped the Keyblade again and gripped the sides of his head before looking up at the sky and yelling out three names. With that, the world around them started to move again. He opened a portal while Ansem also vanished. Another time, Roxas, I’m not giving up on you yet.

xxx

            Ansem was making his move, he deleted Roxas from the world and now he was putting the final preparations into place. There was no time for playing around, either he would remember at this moment or he would have to use force. To save Roxas he would have to use his full power and truly defeat him, bring him back to their world, there was no other choice. He had been there, he looked in the basement, he saw the sleeping Sora and how he was so close to waking up. He entered this town from the portal of darkness and was in a large room, glowing ever so slightly. If Roxas and I have to fight, it’s going to be here. And the thought of having to really fight Roxas made hom stomach twist into a knot. Sora was close Axel could even feel him, sleeping, waiting for half of his power to return to him. As he went looking for that kid, as he went looking for his Roxas, he wondered if he could do it, if he could really kill the one person he cared about. No one knows Roxas better than me and I know that he won’t stop fighting unless he fades away. He could only watch and wait, hope that he remembered, he wanted him to remember so badly.

            “Look at what it’s come to. I’ve been given these icky orders to destroy you if you refuse to come back with me.” Axel said as Roxas emerged from the spot in the alleyway.

            “We’re...best friends, right?” The younger man asked carefully. The older man scratched his head.

            “Sure...but I’m not getting turned into a Dusk for...wait...you remember now?” He felt his stomach twist again, his hope was suddenly up, maybe there would not be a need to fight, maybe he would come back, maybe everything was going to be all right.

            “Y-yeah.” Roxas replied and the tone of his voice made him feel a little sick, he did not sound so sure.

            “Great. But, you know, got to make sure and all. So...what’s our boss’s name?” He asked and the silence was his answer. It made him feel like he was going to be sick, like he was just dropped from far up, and he could only sigh sadly. “Can’t believe this...” Roxas raised the Keyblade to fight. He defeated the Dusk’s around him easily, bur when Axel raised his chakram’s to strike, he found himself unable to move. Vaguely, he could hear the voice of Ansem direct Roxas to the mansion, but he could not stop him, he could not move. That man froze him and when he was gone, when he could move again, Axel could only feel defeat. “The Roxas that I know is long gone. Fine, I see how it is...” He said to no one before he moved to the mansion to wait. Sora was just beyond these doors and that was where he would go, that was where Ansem was trying to get him to go. This room was the last defense, the last place he could stop his friend.

            Yet as he waited he found his anger start to grow. What right did you have to pretend to remember me? It was cruel to get his hopes up like that, to make him think that maybe everything was going to go back to the way they were, that Roxas remembered him, remembered what they had and shared. Granted, he knew that as a Nobody he could not truly care or love anyone, but in those moments he shared with Roxas, those were the moments he felt human and for this new Roxas to pretend to remember him, to pretend to remember all of that, it made him angry. A few Dusk’s formed when the younger man entered the room and he defeated them easily.

            “Simply amazing, Roxas.” He mocked, walking across the room, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

            “Axel.” Judging from the way his friend said his name he knew that he remembered a little, he remembered some of what had happened, and it in his logical mind he told himself that as long as he remembered that was what matter, but his anger was too great. This Roxas, this new Roxas, was not the one he wanted back, this new Roxas was not the man he cared about.

            “You really do remember me this time? I’m so flattered.” The edges of the room exploded into flame with his anger, “But you’re too late.” In the midst of the flame, he watched as Roxas conjured both of his Keyblades, the one’s he used while he was in the Organization. He heard himself say out loud as he summoned his chakrams into his hands. “Come here, I’ll make it all stop.” And for the first time he fought with his full strength against Roxas, he used his flames; he wanted to watch this fake Roxas burn. This man was not worth getting turned into a Dusk for, this man deserved to die. But he was too strong, too fast, he was in his element with his two Keyblades, and before he knew it, Axel was gasping for air, stumbling off to the side. “Roxas...” He whispered, the flames around them vanished.

            “Axel...” He heard Roxas say as he looked up at him, into those blue eyes he loved so much, and he saw the man he cared about, he saw the one he was trying to save, the one who was getting away from him again.

            “Let’s meet again in the next life...” He said as he used the last of his strength to open a portal.

            “Yeah. I’ll be waiting.” Roxas replied and he knew that he would be, if he could, that if his Roxas could he would wait for him. He could only laugh a little.

            “Silly. Just because you have a next life...” Axel said in a soft voice as he vanished. Roxas was going to become whole with Sora, that was his next life. To get Roxas back all I need to do is turn Sora into a Heartless again. Kingdom Hearts, becoming whole, the ideas of the Organization, none of it mattered now. As he faded into darkness, as he watched Roxas fade from sight, he swore to himself that he would stop at nothing to get him back.

xxx

            As a person, Axel found Sora surprisingly easy to read. It only took a little digging on his part to find that if the Keyblade master had any weakness it was for his friends. As he walked through the World That Never Was he knew that things like this were going to be downfall, that Saix would no doubt label him a traitor, and yet as he opened the portal leading to Sora’s home he did not feel any regret.

            “Maybe...waiting isn’t good enough.” He heard the girl say, the one known as Kairi, as he emerged from the darkness.

            “My thoughts exactly. If you have a dream, don’t wait. Act. One of life’s little rules. Got it memorized?” He declared as she turned to look at him. This girl was the focus of Sora’s rage and if anyone knew the consequences of rage it was he. Rage in a person who did not know to control it is a dangerous weapon; it made the enemy make stupid mistakes, a mistake that could mean the return of Roxas.

            “Who are you?” She asked carefully.

            “Axel. I happen to be an acquaintance of Sora’s. Why don’t we go see him?” Axel offered his hand to her. Her eyes lit up slightly when she heard his name.

            “...Sora?” Kauri asked carefully before the sound of a dog barking brought her back to reality. A dog emerged from a portal and circled the girl a few times as the Dusk’s began to close in on her. Behind them, another portal opened and someone whistled to the dog. It stopped and barked at her.

            “We’ve got something in common, Kairi. You and I both miss someone we care about. Hey, I feel like we’re friends already.” Axel said, watching as she ran toward the darkness.

            “You’re not acting very friendly!” Without a moment of hesitation the girl ran into darkness and the portal vanished. He sighed and decided to give her a moment to appear somewhere. Looking out, he could see the island where this all started. Crossing his arms, Axel wondered if resenting Sora was right. Roxas was part of Sora, so he could not resent him entirely, he only resented him for being so strong, so determined, that he managed to get his heart back. If there was some place you would end up, Kairi, where would it be? If there was one world the darkness would take you that would give you the best chance of find Sora, which would it be? The answer seemed too obvious. If Roxas was part of Sora then they would eventually both end up at the same place. They thought the same way. To the place where this started. Sighing, he opened a portal and made his way to Twilight Town.

            “What took you so long, Kairi?” Axel asked as he walked through the portal. She wanted to wait for Sora. The dog growled at him and went into a defensive stance. “Somehow I just knew you’d be here. I tell you, Kairi, you’ve got a lot of guts, jumping right into the darkness like that.” Ignoring the animal, he walked past a few kids that tried to attack him and snatched her arm, pulling her toward the portal.

            “Let me go. Let me go!” Kairi exclaimed, but he ignored her. All he needed to do now was get her to safe place and lay in wait for Sora to show himself. That was all he needed to do now. She was still struggling when they emerged into the World That Never Was. “Let me go, I want to see Sora!” She said it over and over again.

            “I already know that, I want to see someone too, and I need you for that.” He replied, dragging her behind him. The dog was still barking at him before he suddenly found himself surrounded by Dusks. What in the hell?

            “You’re too rash, Axel.” He hears Saix say from behind him.

            “Saix, what are you doing here?” He asked, turning around and instinctively pushing the girl behind him. He knew Saix, he would kill her to get to him, he would show no mercy if they got into a fight, and he knew he could not fight and protect her at the same time.

            “I’m here to clean up your mess. Give me the girl.” His so-called superior demanded, holding a hand.

            “Go to hell, Saix. That’s H-E-L-L, got it memorized?” Axel snapped. Saix did not even bat an eye. He simply waved a hand and the Dusk’s began to move in on them. Using one hand, he managed to summon one of chakram’s, but he knew he could only fend them off for so long. As he destroyed one after another he felt someone move behind him and she was out of his hands before he could move. “Saix, you bastard.”

            “You saved us some trouble.” He said in his flat voice, holding Kairi tightly, “This will fuel Sora’s rage against the Heartless and help us along. Maybe you aren’t as useless as we thought.” With those words he vanished into a portal, the dog following, and the Dusk’s vanished. Axel felt his fire form around him, his hands shaking. He was furious at Saix for ruining his plan, but even angrier at himself for feeling guilty, for feeling bad that Kairi was in much more danger now.

xxx

            How he managed to avoid the Organization from that moment until now as he watched Sora fight for his life was beyond him. He figured they must have given up and thought that if they met up again the Keyblade master would simply do away with him like he had to most of the others already. They simply kept a steady stream of Nobody’s following him around, no doubt trying to weaken him before the fight. The Nobody horde was never going to end and the kid was getting tired. He tried and he failed, he could not get Roxas back. He was out of time, the kid was going to the final battle, to destroy Xemnas, to get his friends back, and there was nothing that was going to stop him.

            “I’m sorry Roxas, I couldn’t get you back.” Axel whispered to himself before joining Sora. “Don’t stop moving or the darkness will overtake you!” He slashed one of the Dusk’s with his chakram, but he already felt weakened. The constant fighting for so long was hard and taking its toll. “Get going!” He demanded, knowing he would not last long here, he could not hold them off long.

            “Why?” Sora asked.

            “Don’t ask. Just do it.” Before he could yell at Sora some more for doubting generosity two Dusks managed to drag him to the ground. Much to his surprised, the kid ran over and knocked them off of him.

            “You okay?” He asked. You’re kind. He was kind too.

            “I kidnaped Kairi, but she got away from me. After that, Saix caught her. He’s a member of Organization XIII. Saix. Got it memorized? Now go save her.” For the life of him he could not figure out why this kid was hesitating. Sora knocked a Dusk away from them.

            “Leave us alone.” He exclaimed and Axel felt something inside of him snap. He said ‘us.’ Why does that affect me so much? Using what he knew was the last of his energy, he stood and began to fight side-by-side with Sora. Despite the never-ending enemies he could not help but remember the night on the roof with Roxas, the night when he asked if they were justified, and their own desires. Sora was not Roxas, but they were the same person, and every time he knocked a Dusk away, protected him, he saw it more and more. They move the same way. They stood back to back now.

            “I think I liked it better when they were on my side.” He heard himself quip.

            “Feeling a little...regret?” Sora asked, giving him a look, and he could only look back at this kid. He’s not Roxas, but they are part of the same person. If I want to protect Roxas I have to protect Sora, I have to clear a path.

            “Nah...I can handle these punks.” With those words he moved to the center of the horde. Gathering all of his strength, he felt the flames of his anger, his pain, he wants, he desires, they surrounded him, they became his power. And using everything he had left, he unleashed it all, a maelstrom of fire that obliterated every Dusk that was in the area. And his body, his body that was not meant to exist in the first place, began to crumble away. Collapsing to the ground, he lay there, and felt himself began to fade away.

            “Whoa...” He heard Sora say before the kid was at his side. Looking up, he saw the Keyblade master kneeling down next to him. “You’re...fading away...”

            “Well, that’s what happens when you put your whole being into an attack. You know what I mean? Not that Nobodies actually have beings...right? Anyway, I digress. Go, find Kairi. Oh, almost forgot... Sorry for what I did to her.” Axel said, looking at Sora. They have the same eyes, Roxas looked at me with those same eyes once. I can see him, in you Sora, I can see him.

            “When we find her, you can tell her that yourself.” The kid declared, sounding positive, and he could only smile. Roxas would assure me the same thing; he would tell me that it meant nothing unless it came from me.

            “Think I’ll pass. My heart just wouldn’t be in it, you know? Haven’t got one.” He could only laugh and it sounded pathetic, but he was showing weakness to Sora, to Roxas, and it was okay.

            “Axel, what were you trying to do?” He asked.

            “I wanted to see Roxas. He...was the only one I liked... He made me feel...like I had a heart. (He made me feel alive, he made me feel something in a dead world) It’s kind of...funny... You make me feel...the same... (You aren’t Roxas, but I feel same way, as I’m fading I feel that same warmth. Looking at you is like looking at Roxas and I feel whole, I feel human) Kairi’s in the castle dungeon. Now go.” Holding up a hand, Axel opened a portal to his world, to their world, so that Sora could get his friends back and stop Xemnas. You were right Roxas, we aren’t justified. Our desires aren’t empty, but what we did to Sora does not make it right. You knew all along that we weren’t justified, part of you must have known all along.

            “Axel...” He heard Sora say as he faded, but it did not sound like Sora. Looking over, he saw Roxas looking down at him, giving him a small smile, blue eyes shining as he faded into nothing.

            We weren’t justified, but that didn’t make me love you any less.

-03/27/07

-Re-write finished: 04/02/07