The Tale of Seven: Kidnapped Hope

[Reno]

Terra blinked as he got the answer they were looking for; damn, he was more popular then Venita to some people?! He really had to use this to his advantage more often. He smiled to the woman gratefully as his lover ran off. "Thank you very much." He reached over, snatching up a pen and writing his name down on a blank pad. He winked to her, "To show my gratitude." He dropped the pen then hurried after his 'girl'friend.

AND WHY WERE THEY RUNNING UP THE STAIRS?!


"Said what?" Roxas asked, when his dad trailed off, his heart hammering in his chest from the man's melancholy tone. But when he noticed he was looking over his shoulder, the blonde looked back as well. His eyes went wide, jaw dropping open and he silently mouthed 'Ven?'. He had no doubts that it was him; he knew all about his brother's double life. He didn't let it bother him too much since it was better than him stealing Pokemon but...

He came ALL this way... and wasn't even going to be their mom's SON?

He blamed Aqua for it all.

"V-Hey!" The blonde called as he was practically dragged away with his dad into a storage room, and frowned as he was standing next to the other. And then the beautiful blonde girl with a heart of gold let down her hair and became a punkish boy with a bad attitude.

The identical twin glanced between his shocked dad to his brother, a little more ticked off then before. And now he had a feeling he was here more to protect his twin then anything cause their dad was probably going to break some blood vessels. "Are you sure NOW was the best time for this?!"

[Rikugurl]

Axel crossed his arms as he saw the three go into the storage room. This wasn't good... why had Ven not wore his regular clothes? Had he decided to be Venita forever? And how was Terra taking it?

Narrow green eyes shifted to look at the said man who was coming to his side, their height almost matchable. His arms continued to stay crossed as he sighed. "Soo... getting rather popular now, huh?" Even in his small little town of Lavaridge, the girls at the Rescue Center swooned when they saw Terra's battles. He'd have to admit though, he was a great trainer, and having the looks as he did; exotic, foreign, tan and muscular, he had it all going for him.

Before Terra could come up with something, there was a violent knock on the storage door and a sudden wave of muffled yells. He pulled his hands away, looking concerned at the door.


"You were suppose to be support you jackaAAAAH!!" Ven was suddenly slammed into the storage door, grabbing his cheek that had been smacked hard with a hard hand. It hit so hard that it brought tears to his eyes before he looked up at his father, seeing how furious he was.

"DAMMIT VENTUS! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Sirocco yelled, veins popping from his neck. "First you go off and get your first pokemon almost KILLED, then you waste all the money we gave you, THEN you join Team Rocket and steal Pokemon, NOW YOU'RE A FUCKING WOMAN!? You've been NOTHING but a disappointment to the Holani name since you left the house! Why do you keep doing this to us!? You're mother is dying and the doctor just announced that she only has two days.... two days, Ventus..." His voice cracked, tears falling from his face.

He turned, pushing Roxas off him when he felt a tug on his arm. "I was hoping my three boys would come to give some strength... I should of known one wouldn't show up... because NOW I realize that I only have two boys."
Ventus blinked, eyes widening. What did he mean...?
"Dad---?"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT! You're not my son anymore! I want nothing to do with you!"

[Reno]

The brunette silently watched his lover go off into the room, a little worried about what he was up too. He knew exactly what he was going to do, and like Roxas... didn't think this was the best time for it.

He glanced at the red-head he was standing next to, raising an eyebrow at the curious question. He saw Roxas and Axel every now and again, when they were passing through for a mission and had some extra time. He wasn't sure if it was the mission or the connections of their Eevee's else, but all seven of them had become friends of sorts. Enough that he got letters from Sora and Riku and phone calls from Aqua and was DATING Ven. It was... strange how things worked out.

He smiled a little, about to tell Axel that it was a bitch when a concerning noise drew both their eyes to the door that led to the small, empty room his lover had taken his family into. "What the hell...?" He started walking towards the door were faint yelling could be heard. Shit...


He was looking at his brother, so he didn't see it coming either, but he jerked in surprise when something flew in his line of vision and jumped some when there was a sound of flesh hitting flesh and his short brother went stumbling into the door, a hand going up to his face. Wha...? He looked at his dad in shock, eyes wide as he started to yell. "D-Dad!!" He called, reaching out for him, trying to snap him out of it, and stumbled as he was shoved away, having to catch himself on a rack full of medical supplies when he tripped over a box.

He regained his balance just in time to hear something that broke even his heart. "You're not my son anymore! I want nothing to do with you!"
Silence was thick for a few moments before an anger rose between the youngest, that old protective nature overcoming him. Roxas shook his head, hurrying to get between the two so he wouldn;t try to hit his poor twin again. "Dad, stop it!" He snapped at him, "How the fuck can you say that?! You can't just get rid of him like he never existed! Like... like the rest of us don't have an opinion! He's apart of the family!"

[Rikugurl]

Axel frowned even more when he saw Terra go to the door. Great, a fight was going to break out and someone ELSE was going to get themselves into a room up here. That reminded him...
Slowly he looked down the hallway that Sirocco had first come from and walked towards it. When he reached the room, he slowly walked inside, seeing a curtain around the woman's bed. Knowing the procedure from the Center, he took one of the masks by the door, pulled it over his mouth and walked towards the curtain. Thin fingers ran up to to pull it apart.

"Mrs. Holani?"
The curtains opened to a sad scene. The woman was laying in bed with tubes in her nose and needles in her arms. Machines were going off around her, showing her brain activity, heart monitoring, blood pressure....
And it all seemed to be failing.
She must of been too late to report it and with the brain activity monitor... it was clear it had gone to it.

He swallowed as he sat down in the chair by her bed, feeling the warmth from her husband who must of sat in it all day.
Slowly his hand came up, taking hers carefully and gave her a soft smile.


Ven frowned, shaking a bit at all the yelling and... his father's words. He knew his dad had no tolerance... and maybe this wasn't a good idea but... He just wanted to see his mom...
"You're right, Roxas! He is APART of the family."
The old man whipped around, glaring down at his cross dressing son. "Why are you doing this, Ventus!? Are you so ashamed of being a Holani that you have to be someone ELSE your whole life!? What HOLE DOES IT FILL!?"

[Reno]

The woman in the bed breathed softly, the mask around her face turning white with every breath. It was slightly erratic and uneven, showing that it too was failing. Her eyes were partially open, a sickly blue with dilated pupils despite the bright light in the room.

Her body was thin, almost malnourished though it was obvious the doctors did not do this to her. It indicated instead a long time on an IV, enough to lose sufficient weight. Her brown hair was dirty and in tangles around her, not washed in awhile and bringing questions to where Ven and Roxas' hair color came from.

When she felt the hand over hers she reacted but sluggishly, the fingers twitching against the red-head's.


Roxas teeth grit and was about to open his mouth and yell right back, to defend his brother and his reasons - but then there was a turning of the door knob that drew all there attention and then it swung open, making Ven stumble. Strong, tan arms curled around the teen to keep him from falling, and the two stared at the man as he looked down at the 'girl' he had come in with.

No shock showed on the brunette's face at the sight of the woman turned male, but concern did as he noticed the redness on 'her' face. "Ven?" He tilted her chin to the side to get a better look at her cheek. Blue eyes went dark as they saw the mark shaped like a hand print, already bruising. He slowly looked up, scowling at the one who he KNEW must of done it because Roxas didn't slap, he punched. "What the FUCK did you do to him?"

[Rikugurl]

Axel felt her hands move and frowned, slowly looking down at them. They were cold and her nails were longer than the last time he saw them. How did she go to a bright, happy woman who offered anything and everything... come to look like this. It made him........ angry. The doctors needed to find a cure for this months ago... and the death toll was only getting higher... and it wasn't getting publicized! Fucking Venita and Terra were more popular that this deadly disease...

There was something really wrong about that...

And he was angry at Sirocco. How come he didn't brush her hair? Or make sure her nails looked nice? If she is dying... she should at least keep her pride...
"Roxas and Ven are here, Mrs Holani... I'm sure Sora is on his way..."


Ven was about to snap as well but blinked when the door opened and he lost his balance. However, he didn't hit the floor like he excepted too but in warm and strong arms that he knew so well. Blue eyes shifted to look up at the other, not flinching when he felt the hand tilt his head to show the slap.

Sirocco blinked, looking at Terra and then at Ven in his arms... seeing something---
"And you're fucking gay too...." Sirocco sighed, looking away and shaking his head. This day... couldn't get any worse...

[Reno]

Though she was obviously out of it, her mind corrupted by the vicious disease that was known for its dehumanizing effects, a smile still tipped the sides of her lips. Those names... she still recognized them. Loved them, even with her mind half gone and her body wrecked. Her eyes slowly fell shut, but the smile stayed, her mouth moving but uttering no sound.

'My boys...'


Terra's eyes widened some from the words, his arms tightening a little around Ven for comfort before letting him go. His lips pulled back to reveal teeth like some ferocious Mightyena as he walked into the shed, Roxas quickly getting out of the way as the man passed.

His hands curled around the older man's shirt collar and lifted him up, pushing his body against the shelves, making the things rattle loudly and a few of the lighter things fall right off. "First you hit him... now you insult him!? I don't give a flying SHIT who the hell you are, you DO NOT treat him like that! Especially your own fucking son!!" He growled, grinding his teeth. "I happen to love that man and MY parents taught me that's all that fucking matters shit hole." His hands tightened into the other's collar. "Ven, go get into some other clothes and go see your mother."

[Rikugurl]

As lips smiled, another set frowned. As her eyes closed, Axel sighted softly. This wasn't even his own mother... but since he never really had one... it hurt seeing her like this. It hurt a lot. Even as Aunt Sera as a guardian, he still felt pulls at his heart when he watched children with their mothers and fathers.... and the thing his brother told him.
That he was responsible for their death... If he was never born....

Green eyes shifted when he heard an airy voice, not able to understand it completely. At least some of her was still there... Slowly he stood, rubbing her hand softly. "Stay with us, Mrs. Holani..."
What he was thankful for was that his parents died before he even turned one... and never had to go through the pain like he knew the Holani's would...


Ven's eyes widened when he saw what Terra was doing to his dad. He was going to cry out, to cool his guns but at what his lover was saying... made a smile run over his face. He never saw him say such things, probably because no one knew their secret until now... but it felt good knowing that the man you were with for almost five years really.... loved you. Not that he ever doubted Terra's love but at first, it had gone pretty rough... and not in a good way.

He glanced at Roxas and nodded, "Go see mom!" When his identical brother left and after Ven promised him that he wouldn't let Terra kill their dad, he looked back to hear his name called. Get changed? Right!
Quickly he pulled on his wig and felt that it was alright before rushing out of the doors and down the hallway. The receptionist looked worried about all the sounds but even with her call of - "IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT!?" Venita only called back, "EVERYTHING IS FINE!" With a cute giggle and she was gone.


It wasn't hard to find a luxury hotel close to the hospital with the status that Miss Troublefield had. With the gear now able to be looked through, though the feeling of being rushed still in his head, he quickly got dressed in his own kind of clothing. He pulled on a new belt and grabbed the first ball, pressing a button to enlarge it before opening it in his hand. The energy that came from it seemed to fall on the floor, taking the shape of a cat.

"Espeon!" A graceful and pretty call came from the lavender cat with a split in her tail.
"Come on girl..." Ven called as he walked the door. She, knowing what had gone on thanks to being able to hear outside of the ball, knew what was happening and wasted no time coming to his side, both running back to the hospital.

When they got close, they noticed a very familiar man in the ally, sitting right in front of the security door. He should of known his dad would of called security on Terra. Their pace slowed as they walked towards him, a smile on his face. "Terra...." When he got close enough, he grabbed his lover by the shirt, eyes narrowing and giving him a pretty pissed off look before.... pulling him down and kissing him passionately.

[Reno]

His heart was still pounding, echoing in his ears and the vision before him was blurs of black and white and brown and tan and blue. Nothing really made sense. Why did Arceus damn the world with this disease? Why their family? Had not he and Sora and Ven done such good, continued to do good? Had Ven not gone through enough trial? Had Sora not suffered enough pain? Had HE not sacrificed himself?!

He bowed his head, salty rain dripping on his hand. Seeing his mother like this... even his emotional distance stood no chance. It hurt, seeing all the wires, all the struggle and technology that was needed just to have her breathe. From seeing Pokemon just like this in the centers he knew... he knew she couldn't make it. It didn't make him want to accept it; bad enough he called in her doctor, had yelled at him and DEMANDED they not give up on his mom. Begged. Pleaded.

But the answer was always the same. I'm sorry there's nothing we can do anymore.
There has to be something!!
Anything left is just a stall which will only hurt her more.
Stall then! Maybe you'll find a cure by then!
Roxas... a stall will only last maybe a few more days; no cure can be discovered so quickly and technology is too far behind.
You can't do this to her! Please!
We did all we could, we did our best. I'm sorry.

"Mom..." Roxas whispered brokenly, rubbing his hands against the pale, clammy skin of hers. The tendons where easy to see, frail almost. She had said his name once, he did not hear it but read her lips; how she recognized him, even beyond it all was a miracle in itself. But after that there was nothing. Her eyes did not focus on him or she fell to sleep at times.

After trading places with Axel, he knew nothing that went on outside this room, not of Terra, his dad or his brother. It was long being on the Mirage Island, displaced from it all; except this room held no beauty, no hope, no dreams. It was just bleak and dull. And it made his heart fall.


A strong brunette male drummed his hands boredly on the edge of the bench arm, his eyes rolling this way and that to stare at his environment to occupy his mind. His 'chat' with Sirocco was cut short when the coward cried for security. Having no choice he let them escort him from the building, raising some eyes all around. That was going to be in the Prima Vista paper tomorrow.

Not that he really cared. It was worth it a fucking one-hundred and twenty percent.

He heard his name called and turned his head, smiling when he saw who it was and stood. He was at least in some normal clothes now... it would be easier to move about without getting mauled by fans. "Ven." He watched the other curiously as he sashayed over to him, Espeon keeping up with him, but blinked in confusion as the other grabbed his collar, looking pissed enough to punch him. "Ve!-mmmmmm..." Blue eyes turned dark as lips pressed against his, a hot tongue pushing through and running along his own. He wrapped his arms around the other, bringing him closer and running his fingers through rough blonde hair.

[Rikugurl]

Tired green eyes looked out, not enjoying so much white. Why, he wondered, did the hospitals always color their walls white. Some said they wanted to make it neutral and peaceful. Then why not a light green or blue? Nothing was more relaxing that the thoughts of a fresh green forest or looking up into a beautiful sky of blue... but no... everything was white. A lot of people were afraid of white. When you die, they say you have to go towards the white light. What if your vision is blurry and a white light is all you can see...?

His thoughts were interrupted, making him blink a bit when he heard the footsteps of the doctor walk back out of the hallway. Roxas had called him in some time ago... and heard some yelling but he knew that there was nothing he could do. He wanted to...so bad. It was hard enough taking in infected Pokemon with this outbreak and then not being able to save it. They would have to put the pokemon down with injection and somehow explain to their owners... what they had to do.

It wasn't so simple with humans.

The look on the doctor's face was grave, making Axel realize that no matter what they do in life to make themselves better or regain whatever they lost.... they couldn't stop or prevent death. He was never a pessimist but... sometimes, life isn't fair.
He slowly looked over to where Sirocco was sitting. "You should get some sleep Mr.---"
"Don't tell me what to do. I'm not leaving and have her die when I'm not here." The man said plainly, as if he was ready to ask this question in the long run...

Or maybe too many people had told him that already. Whatever the case was, Axel sighed and nodded. He'd feel the same if it were his aunt... or Roxas.


Blonde lashes swiped down as eyelids closed. Arms wrapped around a strong body, gripping onto the back of his shirt. Their kiss lasted a minute or so before the blonde pulled away, panting a bit before pulling away completely. "Terra.... thanks what you did back there..." He looked up however, giving him a disappointed face. "But chill with my dad. He's a real ass but you shouldn't of gotten yourself kicked out. Now you can't be there... for me.' A frown came over his lips but only for a moment before looking back at him. "How about you find us a good place to eat later and.... wish me good luck?"

He gave Terra one last kiss before walking back out of the ally. He looked back white waving, "And sweet talk them into letting you in again!"

He walked back into the hospital, this time taking the elevator up. He was already exhausted mentally and physically, having a hard time focusing on anything but when those doors opened and he walked out wit Espeon, he remembered his reason for being here. A small smile was given to Axel and not even a glance to his father as he walked down the hall and to the door where his mom stayed in the room. Slowly he looked in, seeing a curtain coming from the ceiling... and really nothing else... but he knew Roxas was in there somewhere.

"Roxas...?" He called softly, hearing nothing at first but then some shifting, seeing his identical brother coming from behind the curtain. He had... never seen him look so bad. It was like... all the light in him was pulled out by the room. A larger frown came over his features before reaching up, wrapping his hand around his charm that was below the Sandgem.
Sora.... hurry....

[Reno]

Terra coughed nervously as the small blonde chastised him now; well he supposed he was right. "Sorry..." He mumbled a bit embarrassed, but smiled faintly. "I will... and good luck." He lent down, giving him a tender kiss, before watching the blonde walk down the hallway. He smiled faintly at the other's parting, nodding and waving as well. Fuck yeah he'd do some sweet talking!

...If only it worked on men.


Downcast blue eyes disappeared behind lids as the blonde sighed, shaking his head slowly. A soft call of his name made him look up and turn his head towards the curtain. It was a voice he recognized as his only, just slightly rougher. Ven...

He squeezed his mom's fingers lightly, before slowly standing and leaving the room, neither having to look nor down at his sibling as they were the same height. He saw the hand automatically go to the charm around his neck... and couldn't help but do the same, fingers curling around the X and sharp points digging into his skin.


A third charm banged softly against a chest, the sign of a crown able to be made out. The sound of heavy paws hitting the ground echoed in a near empty forest, but fingers curled around a leather collar. "Come on Arc, step it up!" The great beast he rode made a growl and the paws came down faster.


Roxas sighed and shook his head, slowly reaching up and pulling off the mask. He didn't know what to say to his brother, hardly knew what to say to himself, so he merely placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and nodded, before heading down the hall to allow his twin some time with their mother.

He fell into the chair beside his red-haired lover, his shoulders low and head hanging to concentrate on his lap. He took a few deep breathes, each one come out more shuddery then the last. Finally he was able to choke out something, "There's nothing they can do." He felt a strong arm come around his shoulders and it seemed to break him, leaning up against the warm body of his lover and sobbing softly.

[Rikugurl]

Ventus swallowed when he saw his balls-of-steel brother come to him, placing his mask in the trash and feeling his hand on his shoulder. He nodded back to his young brother before sighing as he walked off. This was it...
Life had finally started to look up now. Sure it was hard living a double life... but he got more money being someone he was not... and money was something he needed now.
That and... his love for Terra. What would his fans think if they knew he was gay?

And now... none of that seemed to matter. Sure, money could be spent looking for a cure... and he kicked himself for no listening to the news or reading the paper when this Pokerus virus started to surface. He felt hopeless and...

Another sigh came through parted lips that were now cleaned from lipstick before he pulled out a mask from the basket and pulled it on before slowly making his way to the bed. When he got by the curtain, he paused, unsure if he could really do this. His mother... god... his mother was the only person who believed in him when his brothers weren't around. She always gave a smile and a piece of courage and... he didn't know if he could see her like this. It hurt, telling himself that this might be the last time he ever saw her again... so he had to do it.

Slowly his stepped forward, looking around the curtain... before looking away, tears filling his eyes. It looked like those shows that were suppose to be sappy and sentimental. He never believed anyone could look THAT bad but... now he saw proof. Why did it have to be... his mother?
He looked back again, seeing all the tubes and needles. She was so thin... and her hair a mess. She looked like she wasn't even human and it broke his heart. How could something so simple as a rattata bite cause this.

He moved carefully around the bed, eyes glued to her as if this was just a bad nightmare where she might spring up and bite him... but when he reached the chair and sat down, he knew that she couldn't even see him. Blue, wet eyes looked down at the hand that many of her visitors before reaching up and placing his hand atop it. He squeezed it softly, feeling how limp and cold it was. "Mom...?"


Axel looked up when he heard louder feet, those that he knew well. His heart sank again, seeing the look on his lover's face. When he sat down, he was silent, letting Roxas breath and collect himself. It was hard for him just to see a woman that wasn't even related to him... so he had no idea how much Roxas was hurting. A lot, he was sure.
It was when those weak, hurting words came to his ears that his long arms wrapped around the smaller frame and pulled him close. "Roxas..." He whispered, letting the blonde cry on his chest as he started to rock him gently.

His face nuzzled the blonde swirls of hair as a hand rubbed his shoulder. He wished that he could have Moltres heal her... like she had done for her son.

[Reno]

Though her eyes were closed and she appeared to be asleep, the smallest of smiles appeared on her lips, a whisper of the boys name too inaudible to be heard. It was, like all the other times, a name. 'Ventus' A call for her sons she could still, despite all, still recognize.

There was still one name left to be said. The one of her eldest boy with wild hair and a big heart. One whose journey as a trainer was most successful, and his life with his Pokemon and Riku mostly peaceful.

But as the beep of the monitors around her echoed softly, going down one more point, it was obvious she did not have a lot of time left. Maybe not enough... to see him or hear him one last time.


It was late that night when it happened.

The Holani's didn't care that visiting hours were up. All three of them continued to sit in the hard plastic chairs no matter how their muscles ached for rest and their eyes drooped with exhaustion. None of them had eaten, none of them having the stomach for it, nor the care for food.

But at least they were not alone. With his glasses gleaming in the artificial lights, Axel still sat next to Roxas, holding his hand and Terra, who had managed to connive his way back in on terms unheard, sat close to Ven, holding him near. And between the two twins, laying on the floor with a sad air, were their first pokemon. A purple cat-fox and a smaller red fox, laying against each other for comfort.

"Flaaar..." Sighed the red fox, her ears low with sadness as she laid her head down on Espeon's paw. That was when a beeping started to ring, loud in her ears and making her pick up her head, ears standing up tall. "Eon?" She heard her master gasp and looked towards him before following his line of sight, were some people were quickly running into and disappeared behind a curtain. She knew of the smell of the area that it was the one that he'd her master's mother within.

[Rikugurl]

"SORA!" A silverette cried as he bounced behind his lover, though not as fast as he was during the day. "We have to stop and rest!" It didn't seem like the brunette was listening, still trying to push forward. "SORA! ARCY CAN'T RUN MUCH LONGER! SHE'S HURTING!" He called out one last time, gripping his shirt and tugging him hard. They were half a day away from reaching Porta Vista and they only got this far because Sora refused any breaks or rest. Now, the large dog was panting hard, her running being fast a slow spontaneous.

Riku knew that getting to the hospital was important... but so wasn't the well being of his pokemon.
Even with desperate pleads and cries, fingers wrapping around a crown charm, the two dismounted and the tiger dog was pulled back into her pokeball. They walked the rest of the way, which wasn't far, to the city of Cherrygrove. Even when Riku started looking for places to stay, he would look at Sora every now and then, seeing the horrid look in his eye. "What's wrong?"


Hopeful ears kept listening closely, hoping that he would hear large feet and smaller ones behind... but it didn't seem to come as the large hand kept going around the clock, pushing the smaller to move ever so often. It seemed like that nice room at the hotel would do them no good, seeing that they didn't even think about getting up, only when they had to use the bathroom. Stomach went unheard as they growled for food and eyes screamed to be shut and brought to sleep.

But no one moved.

"Eon..." The purple cat sighed as well, placing her head on her sister's neck as her tail wrapped around her. But that didn't last long as they both perked up when they heard a weird beep.
Ventus was the first to shoot up and then the rest, his tired eyes widening as his heart started hammering in his chest. "MOM!?"

[Reno]

Teeth grit as he heard the yell of his lover behind him. Stop? They couldn't stop! They had to keep going! THROUGH THE NIGHT IF THEY HAD TO! He needed to get there, he needed to now and-

Sora gasped in surprise as he felt the other tug him back, hearing the other's concerned yell for his tiger dog. The Pokemon HE should always be thinking of first. He looked down at the dog, noticing the uneven gait to her run. She was near ready to collapse...

"Whoa girl." He tugged on her collar slightly, and she quickly came to a stop, her legs shaking, her body heaving with her pants. Saliva was dripping from her tongue and dotting the floor, and she slowly laid down as the two humans got off her. It had been a long time since she traveled so far or gotten quite so much energy. Her days on the island has made her lazy and her muscles weak to such strenuous activity. To her surprise it was Riku who gave her a pet and thanks, spilling some of the water from a water bottle out so she could lick up at the stream.

Her master meanwhile did nothing but pace impatiently on the trail, pulling out a map and looking at it like a man obsessed fingers curling and uncurling around that charm that always smelled like all three of the triplets no matter how long they had been apart. She was not angry with him, intelligent enough to know why this was happening, why everything was so off since they left the island. If her master wanted her to continue to push herself she knew she would.

Luckily for her, Sora merely recalled her, following after Riku with a nervous air. Maybe thirty minutes later, they came to top of the trail, seeing it branch out in many directions but the brunette remained distracted and off, his fingers curling around his crown again. His heart rate was growing, panic and fear coming from both his brothers now. And some feeling of... knowledge. Of knowing what was about to happen that was weighing down his heart, threatening to break it. That was when he heard Riku calling for him and he looked towards him.

For once, there was no hope to be read on his face.

"It's too late."


Some of them jerked in surprise as Ven sat up, but then at his yell they concentrated on the hall seeing where all the activity was coming from. Roxas heart started to beat so fiercely he was sure it was about to explode. "Mom..." He whispered before letting go of Axel's hand and also getting to his feet, running down the hall. He didn't notice Ven following him, or Terra and Axel yelling for them to come back. It didn't matter.

Disregarding the masks altogether, his hand curled around the curtain and yanked it open revealing to him and Ven a terrible sight. Doctors and nurses were all around their mother, the doctor yelling orders he hardly understood and nurses giving status. Drooping... too low... everything failing...

A nurse caught sight of them. "You can't be in here right now!" She called.
"But..." Roxas stuttered, hearing Ven cursing loudly behind him.
"Nurse get them out of here!" The doctor snapped an order while the beeping got more frantic and fast, a frenzy of noise. "I need a vasodilator now!"
The nurse broke from her post, another taking over, "Come on now, out!" She shoved the boys back, pulling the curtain closed behind her.
"What! But our mom!" Roxas continued to argue even as he was pushed back towards the waiting room.
"I know I'm sorry we're doing the best we can but you have to let us work!" Just as she said that... a flat line rang in the air.