Up, Up, and Away

[Rikugurl]

Riku sat at the battle station he knew the best. He was still tired and a bit shaken up about moving so quickly. He looked over at Sora slightly, making sure he was ok. They'd be in Delshad in 20 minutes... but was that not fast enough?


Axel stared at his lover on the bed. He wouldn't blink... wouldn't move. He didn't want to miss anything. However, the sound of the heart monitor made him turn his head. It was speeding up. He too could feel his heart speed up. His body started to feel cold. No... something was wrong. What was happening? The doctors were moving as fast as possible and---

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Axel's eyes widened. Not from the sound, but the feeling in his heart. It was gone... that feeling that he always had since he met Roxas for the first time at the Organization base. The feeling like he had a heart...

It was gone.

His breath caught, his hand grasping at his chest. He staggered and winced, catching the eye of another nurse. "Sir!" She rushed to his aid and held him up the best she could.
"Get him outta here!" The doctor called as the other one pressed the pads on Roxas's chest.
"NO!" Axel screamed. "GET AWAY FROM ME!?" He shook in the nurses arms.

He just wanted to push everyone away with his force. He just wanted to save Roxas... to save that light in his heart. But he knew... no matter how much he wanted to save his lover... he couldn't and if he pushed everyone away and grew violent about it... he'd definitely lose him.
He pulled away from the nurse and walked around to the end of the table, where Roxas's head was.

His fingers moved through the blonde hair down his ears and to his cheeks. "Roxas... please.... please wake up..." Tears ran down his face, over his tattoos and dripped off his chin. "I can't...I can't live without you...."


Riku yawned slightly but it got caught, seeing Sora react all of a sudden. "Sora!" He got out of his chair fast and rushed to the brunette, wrapping his arms around him. "What's wrong?"


"We're stopping it." A firm and true voice came from behind the other two chasers. He slowly walked over, standing next to Terra and looked down at the two. His keyblade was in his hand and suddenly disappeared.

"You have to remember that we always offer a peaceful way to take the keyblade from the owners. We try to capture keyblades before they reach the hands of a keyblader. We do everything we can to cause the least amount of pain possible."

His eyes started to change slowly, the golden pushing through the blue. "This is their choice... not ours. Once all the keyblades are take away and secure... people will no longer have to worry in fear from the Darkness. No one will have to go through having their worlds split apart. And... even if the Darkness is doing this to us... and we don't know it... then someone can come and kill us... but I'm not stopping my mission... no matter how much it hurts."

He looked away and frowned. "You're not a keyblader anymore Aqua... and neither is Terra. If you don't want to continue than please don't... but I have to continue.... with or without you."

[Reno]

"Clear." the doctor ordered a second time, pumping the eletrcitified pads back down. Roxas' whole body jerked, a single beep uttering then falling silent.

Falling... falling... into darkness.

It was like he was flying into suffocation. Imaginary wind whipping at his clothes, tossing his hair. He could not breathe - he was cold, so very cold. Every nerve of his body was screaming in pain, his small body spasming in the darkness even as he fell. No ground to catch him.

He fell, further and further, a new light apeparing below. He did not see it but it glew through his eyelids. It was warm and welcoming.

It offered air, it offered warmth, it offered sweet oblivion. Desperate and yearning to escape his pain, he reached for that light. He spasmed a second time, the pain searing all over again, rolling over him like waves of the ocean.

Roxas!

The fingers before him twitched, hesitating even as his pain increased.

please... please wake up!

His head throbbed.

"clear!" the doctor called a third time.

His grit his teeth, the third spasm sending his body richoeting, the light below becoming farther away. He moved his arms desperetely, trying to swim for it.

I can;t... I can;t lvie without you!

He felt something wet on his face, and then fire encased him, warm and hot and alive. His mouth opened in a soundless scream-

-Only to breathe an intake of air desperately.

The herat monitor beeped in his ears. His eyes could see blurry red above him, beautiful green, and then he was unconcious again - but very much alive.

The doctor breathed in relief, taking immediate action, his orders becoming sharper and quicker. they had to finish quickly.


Sora was numbly aware of Riku's arms, his body giving a little shake against him. He breathed in fiercely, trying to get his mind back in order. "His heart broke." He whispered, tears in his eyes. Another tremble overcame him and his nails dug into Riku;s arms, burying his face into the other's neck.

There where a few tense seconds when Sora quivered for the third time, every muscle twitching from his head to his toes, then he breathed in quickly. He stayed in the saftey of Riku;s arms, unsure of what had just happened. "I... don;t know what just happened." He whispered. It had felt like... roxas had been lost but... he was back...?

Roxas had died... in that short span of time they had lost him. the relizaation hit Sora hard.


Aqua froze at Ven;s last words, then bowed her head. "no..." she murmured then. "We're in this together. You two are my friends and..." she shut her eyes. "I'm sorry I forgot that. I... I just... it;s soemthing about them i just..." She looked awya, unable to come up with enough words to explain herself. So she just stopped talking.

Terra's eyes narrowed and he stood. "Ven are you okay? What happened?" he quesitoned, the yellow in Ven's eyes making him all the more nervous. What the fuck was this?! Turn all dark and creepy on Terra day?! He hated days like these. Usually their eyes didn;t change unless one of them was going through some deep emotional turmoil - Aqua's was obvious. She was torn between duty and sensitivity and could not decide what was more important, but Ven... concerned him. He was already and fucked up high winded kid - they didn;t need anything else.

[Rikugurl]

Axel looked down as Roxas's body jerked. It was so painful to watch... he just wanted to turn away but he couldn't... he wanted to see Roxas's first breath when he woke up. He was going to wake up. The sound of Roxas's heart monitor straight lining clawed at his soul.

He heard a third 'clear', his heart sinking in deeper. This was the last one... please... the love of my life... please...
His eyes widened as he heard the breath, the monitor now beeping rapidly. He saw the blue eyes open and a smile appeared on his face, the tears still dripping down.

He blinked slowly when the other's eyes closed again... but his heart was still beating. That feeling in Axel's chest slowly appeared again. A hand wrapped around his tiny arm and slowly pulled him away. They needed to finish the operation and quickly.


Riku blinked as he heard Sora's claim. Roxas...? His heart? It had to be the Chasers. He'll make them pay... He held onto Sora tighter, running his hand through the other's hair. At the quivering, he kissed Sora's temple and continued to sooth him.

Dale looked at Chip with a sad look on his face. Gosh... whatever was going on, it looked really bad.


They finally reached Delshad and appeared in front of Axel and Roxas's home. Riku looked up at it, seeing that the front door was wide open. He frowned... he had a feeling they weren't there. "Let's see if they're in the hospital." He said softly as he took Sora's hand.

They reached the Delshad hospital quickly and asked about the two. The woman at the counter seemed shocked, not knowing that their leader was hurt.
Riku frowned more. If they weren't at home nor in the hospital... where could they be?


Ven looked down at Aqua and sighed. "Get some rest Aqua..."
Luckily a new pair of blankets and sheets replaced the bloody ones. Ven and Terra both knew she'd be back... and wouldn't want to step in a room full of blood.

He turned then stopped when he heard Terra. Their eyes changed with hatred. The Darkness seeming through their hearts. Ven was full of hate... hate of himself. He hated how things had turned for him... and how different his brother's life was. How he looked straight into his brother's eyes and didn't know who he was except for some kid that they collected research on.

He hated himself that he had forgotten his search for his family... his twin brother. He hated that his oath to his twin was broke... he was far from being a teacher. The only thing he could teach was for people not to be like him.
He hated knowing that he could never become a part of the family he once knew... Roxas had taken his place...

His eyes looked up at the other's, soon turning the same color as Terra's once more. "I don't know..." He squeaked out finally. It was a lie and the truth at the same time. He looked down, shaking his head. He slowly continued past him, towards their bedroom.

[Reno]

While riku and sora depserately were searching twnenty minutes had passed in the ER. The surgery was still winding down, pump running through Roxas' veins at a more continual rate. The nurse murmured something about the pint number reaching five.


If not at home or the hospital where... Sora bowed his head, thinking about that. He tugged on Riku;s hand, leaving the poor receptionist behind, worried to death. "they have to be at one." he murmured. This was different from what had happened to Axel he knew it instively. And Roxas had died and then come back. The only way that could happen is if something brought him back from the edges of death.

He looked across Delsha's scenary towards Radiant Gardens. He frowned. The towns were close enough - and its not like Roxas and Axel couldn't travel that way and randomly get attacked.

"come on." he tugged Riku lightly, walking towards the Gardens hurried.

When they came to the juncture point, Sora's nose wrinkled at the smell of darkness that reeked over the area. This was where it-

the sound of a soft splash alerted him as if he stepped into a puddle and he looked down, gasping in horror at what was under his foot. He moved his foot hurriedly, stepping on dry ground, nearly running into Riku as he backtracked, leaving footprints in his wake. Bloody footprints.

He bresathed, a new sense of urgency overcoming him and he hurriedly stepped around the blood, seeing drops of it trailing...

He hurried forward.

Moments later Sora was in front of the receptionist, breathlessly demanding to know where Axel and Rxoas were. They had to be here!

"Roxas is in the ER." she stated after a few moments of typing. "The red-head Axel is with him."

"Axel;s hurt too?!" Sora cried, his heart not being able t take much more, nearly fainting right then and there as he stumbled backwards into Riku.

"No-no!" she amended. "He's watching the prochedure."


Aqua noticed the curious exchange, but did not comment. She obeyed Ven;s suggestion, hurrying into her room. Other then a sudden missing bottle of lotion nothing seemed different. They had keopt it the same just for her.

Her heart pounded with nostalogia as she laid down, hugging her pillow. They cared about her and that was the best feeling in the world knowing she had friends like them.


Terra frowned, both of his friends were acting so strangely. He walked after Ven though, following him into the bedropom. He watched his wander around, almost aimlessly as if he ha djust gotten the shock of his life. "ven what is it?"

[Rikugurl]

Riku frowned, seeing the nurse look so shaken up. It seemed like the Delshad people really admired Axel and Roxas... then again... they were the reasons why they were there... they had lead them to their hearts. He guessed that was a good enough reason to care so much about them.

He felt the tug and walked out of the hospital with his lover. He looked around, thinking of where else they could be. Unlike Sora, he really didn't take notice of everything in the Gardens... just came here to vist and whatnot. He blinked as he was taken into a large garden, obviously the 'fence' between the two.

"Ut..." he blinked again as Sora pushed back into him. His eyes moved, seeing what startled Sora so badly. A huge puddle of blood soaked the greens. As he eyed it, his got a flash of golden in his eyes. It vanished as he noticed that Sora was no longer at his side but running after a trail of blood.

He quickly took chase that brought them both to another hospital. He again got back into but this time Sora was almost about to faint. He grabbed hold of the other, listening to the woman. Roxas was still in the ER?
A sudden yip got his attention and he looked back, seeing the moomba running up to them.

Of course Xio ran to Sora first... seeing that he gave the best ear scratching... but he looked worried. He didn't know where Axel nor Roxas were and was stuck waiting in the waiting room all by himself. He wouldn't be alone now...

3 hours passed and Riku sat on a chair, holding Sora close. The moomba was at their feet, watching people walk by. His head picked up when he heard the voice of a nurse.
"Roxas has been moved to a room... you can go see him now."
Riku stood with Sora. "What room?"
"138. It's down the hall and just take your first right."
138...?
Riku rolled his eyes. "What a coinky-dinky."

He took Sora's hand and walked down the hallway, Xio following close by. They took the right and looked at the room numbers, reaching room 138.
Inside, they saw a single bed and the sounds of some machines beeping. There was a chair neck to the bed holding a figure in black. They slowly walked in, seeing Axel leaning over Roxas, his face buried in the boy's chest.


The lotion had been moved to the other room.

The blonde moved around the room, moving things that didn't need to be moved. He finally sat on the bed and started to remove his shoes and then socks. His shirt came off next and unbuttoned his pants.

When Terra asked the question, his blue eyes looked up, a bit empty. He looked down again, rubbing his neck softly. On one side of his neck, he had handmade stitching over an open bite wound. Some other places on his body were bruised and cut, scabs easily seen. Battle wounds indeed.

"You know long ago when we first met... you ask me if I wanted to return home and I told you I didn't have a home nor a family anymore. Well... the home part was true... but..." He pulled his lips in a bit before continuing. "I think I found where my family is..." He swallowed. "I found out why Roxas looks like me.... when Sora split... his Nobody took the form of Sora's brother.... who happens to be me...."

[Reno]

Sora rested in the other's arms comfortably, sighing every once and awhile. The three hours seemed to take an eternity. Even Xio got impatient, pacing back and forth until Sora snatching him up, scratching him soothingly behind the ears, murmuring 'everything's gonna be alright' even if he didn't personally know. He bleueved it though. He had too.

After awhile the nurse came out, telling him exactly what he;d been waiting for Roxas was out. Sora grinned brightly, eagerly taking notes of the room number.

"What a coinky-dink" he heard Riku grumbled and blinked.

What was so speacial about thirteen eigh - ooooooh. Sora wlbowed the other in the ribs slightly, 'tsk'ing him. "You're a saop for even noticing." he said with a sweet smile, before gliding from his chair.

Together they found the room and they walekd in. The sight before sora made his heart break a little. Axel looked like a wreck and... and Roxas? He had bandaged around his stomach and his skin was paler then normal. He was breathing though and the heratbeat was comfortingly steady. Sora was the first to take a few steps forward. He placed his hand down on one of roxas', the warm touch sending a relieved feeling through him. He then reached out for the red-head, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Axel...?"


Terra walked over tentatively. If he had been a nicer man, he would have hugged Ven because he just looked so desoute and lost. His whole world seemed to be crashing down.

But he wasn;t a nice man. He afterall caused those stitches. so eh just waited for Ven to say his share.

What came out though... was unexpected. He stared blankly. "your brother..." He shook his head. "But..." sora and Ven... brothers? "but Ven we searched his whole memory. It's completely blank of you." he said it, trying to be gentle but knowing it was harsh to hear.

He reached over, placing his hand on Ven;s good shoulder. "Are... are you sure?" Ven was a smart kid with good instincts, he'd never doubted him before... but this was troubling. And bad. if Sora was Ven;s brother...

Then he just had to say it was a damn good thing Aqua came back because there was no way he could fight Sora alone.

[Rikugurl]

Riku frowned as he saw the scene. If these two didn't have bad luck, they wouldn't have any luck at all.
He walked in closer, but stopped as he felt something odd. There was something.... different about Roxas... something he couldn't explain.

There was a light... a glow that was gone from the blonde. He walked towards the bed again though and stood at the front. He put his hands on his hips as Sora started to do his thing with comfort.

Ocean eyes peered through the silver, just staring at Roxas. Gold swept over his eyes again, suddenly seeing a black cloud of smoke arise from Roxas's chest. His eyes widened but when he blinked, everything was normal again.


Xio walked over and sat down next to his master. His amber eyes looked up at Roxas, seeing that he was sound asleep.

Axel felt the hand on his shoulder and slowly lifted he head. He looked over at Sora, his face red and pasty from his tears. "Sora..." He smiled faintly but slowly looked back at Roxas, worry in his face.


"They took his keyblades..." A voice carried over the four. Axel blinked, looking up at Riku was was staring down at Roxas. "W-what?"


Ven's empty eyes looked down at Terra's hand. They closed for a moment before he looked up at the other. "Yea... I'm sure. When we shared that fruit... it must of opened my heart a little... and some memories must of arise. I remember... my twin brother... Soran."

Terra should of recognized the name. Ven had asked him to look it up.

"Sora had forgotten many memories because of Namine... and... somehow I lost my memories too. The Darkness.... it split us apart. I don't even know... if my own parents remember me..." Slowly tears started running down his face as he closed his eyes.

"Terra... tell me I'm a good person...."

[Reno]

Sopra's heart twisted at the look on Axel's face, but then he smiled faintly. "He's gonna be just fine." he said, trying his best to reassure him.

but then suddenly Riku broke in. He looked up at riku sharply, then back down at his brother. He rasied a tentative hand, placing it lightly against his chest. the thumping of his heart was comforting... but like in the gsarden there was a lingering darkness that left a bad taste in his mouth.

He could no longer feel Oblivion or Oathkeeper. They were gone un bounded from Roxas' soul.

He took his hand away, clenching it into a fist as anger shook through him. It was those goddamned Chasers! When he got his hands on them he'd... HE'D!

Then just like that all the anger whooshed out of him. He sighed, as if expelling it. Whats done was done - and... maybe it was better this way. roxas and Axel were free from the duties of the keyblade - no one would come searching for them anymore and trouble would stop being attracted to them. they could live there lifes normally...

He wrapped a comforting arm around Axel's shoulder, bring him into a strange half-hug. "He's - no you guys are - probably safer this way anyways. The keyblades attract trouble."


Soran. Terra's eyes narrowed slightly, remembered that name. That search... that had led him to that passage in the journal. Hidden memories so deep in the heart not even Namine could reach. Memories forgotten yet not lost.

It all made sense now. Soran - sky. Ventus - wind. Twins who looked almost completely identical but were opposite in every way. Two brothers split apart, both becoming keybladers - one creating a Nobody with the same features of the one he had forgotten, the other wielding a keyblade of an oath forgotten.

He was shocked seconds later to see tears leaking down the other;s face. He reached up, wiping them away and whispered, "Of course your a good person Ven. whatever made you think you aren't?"

[Rikugurl]

While under the teaching of Diz, Riku had learned a lot about the Darkness. What it looked liked... how it acted... what it lived off of. He leaned that if someone had a darkness leaking from their chest, it was a sign that a keyblade had unlocked their heart and then locked it up again. It was rare... for the only real reason to unlock someone's heart was to make them a Heartless.

It had to be the Chaser that was identical to Roxas. He remembered when Aqua had brought them all to the one world, a boy who looked exactly like Roxas had a keyblade. Riku didn't catch his name.


Axel stared at Roxas... not believing that he was now.. no longer a keyblader.
Roxas always had his keyblades...
He... he was the "Key of Destiny"...

His green eyes grew dark and he suddenly pulled away from Sora, his chair flipping from the force. "NO! They... they can't take his keyblades!" His chest started to heave as he stood in the middle of the room.
"Those bastards! I'LL KILL THEM! They almost killed my Heart over... over stupid weapons!? How... how!?" He clenched his teeth as his hands moved away from his hips.

Rings of fire appeared on both, spinning fast until the chakrams appeared. He clenched onto them with all his strength. "After all we've been through... all they care about are these stupid fucking keyblades!? We're human beings! WE HAVE HEARTS! WE HAVE LIVES! WE HAVE MEMORIES!"

He suddenly fell onto the floor, his chakrams holding him up. Tears started to pour down his cheeks as he clenched his teeth more, rage filling every end of his body. "I'm going to kill them all... Let's see how much they like being hunted down..."


Ven smiled softly as he felt the fingers wiping his tears away. He looked up slightly at the other and shook his head. "I look at all the things that my brother has done... so true to his heart... just realizing that my twin has the biggest heart I've ever seen.... and mine... You'd need a fucking magnifying glass to find it."

He looked away and sighed. "I use to be like Terra... I went from world to world, chasing the Darkness away from it and collecting the keyblades that were up for grabs. I never forced anyone to do anything they didn't want to do... I would only warn them and be on my way. I've saved people in need and princesses...and... and ever since they injected me with that Darkness... I..."

He looked up at Terra. "I can't even find the words to say... what you mean to me."

[Reno]

Soea, a litle shocked, moved away from Axel as the pyro exploded, cursing at thin air and threatening death. The heat of the flames made him flinch a little and he watched as Axel fell to his knees, spent. He sighed a bit, then straightened, a determined look overcoming his face. "Axel!"

He stood in front of the other, his arms crossed. "I KNOW your angry. You have every right to be, but this talk about hunting others and what not... it;s no better then what they are doing." He tapped his foot, looking as disapproving as a mother hen. "But you need to rest! and just cause Roxas is down does not give you an excuse to go running around like an idiot damaging your lungs further." He grabbed Axel by the collar of his shirt, dragging him to his feet. "We might be able to find a way to bring the keyblades back, but until then just cool it! We'll figure something out but until then, sit down, shut up and worry about my brother's health rather then his lost 'destiny'." The look on his face held an air of 'no nonsense'.

He knew he was just spouting out this speech because truthfully he didn;t want Axel acting like a brash idiot and getting himself killed AGAIN. "Besides, if you keep acting like this-" he smiled with faint humor. "you're nine lives are gonna run out real quick."


Terra listened to the other's onologue, blinking in surprise at the last few words. He sighed, then smiled leaning forward so their foreheads touched. "Sometimes... words aren;t needed to describe things. Stop thinking so much Ven, things will come with time." He kissed the other gently - eventually pulling away.

"So what now?" He murmured. "I'm not going to demand you to fight your own brother - even i'm not that cruel. Sora's keyblade still has to go though... for his saftey and ours. Would you rather sit it out and let me and Aqua take care of it?"

[Rikugurl]

Axel's eyes opened as he heard Sora. Well... that's where Roxas got his mother hen speeches from. It even made him smile. He had gotten a million of these when he and Roxas first got their hearts.

He blinked as he was pulled up, towering over the brunette. His eyes started to look ashamed as he looked away. When Sora was done, he sighed, the chakrams disappearing.
"Yea... you're right." He looked back at Roxas and sighed. "I just feel helpless..."


"You are helpless." Riku put, not wanting to sound too cold. "I mean... there's not much we can do at this point. Obviously the Chasers know us better than we know them... and they know when to strike. We'll just have to wait it out... we have no idea where they even come from."

He and Sora... were clearly in danger now. They'd have to walk with hips attached some something like this couldn't happen.
"Sora's right though... Roxas needs you here... not out killing yourselves." Mind he said 'yourselves' as in the rest of the lives he had left.


Axel sighed and slumped back into the chair by Roxas's bed. Xio slowly came up and licked his master's hand, getting a pet in return.
"So... what are you two going to do? It's going to get really dangerous from here..."


A small smile lifted up Ven's lips, then felt the other's press against it. A hand raised, running down Terra's neck before Terra pulled away. Terra wasn't such a bad guy himself... He was starting to act the same way he use to... before the experiments.

He looked up at the other but his eyes grew dark. "No... I'll fight him... perhaps he hasn't figured it out yet... besides, we worked really hard on learning that barrier attack. If he has figured it out... maybe the fact that I'm his brother would make things easier to get the keyblade from him...Aqua has done more than enough... she needs rest till her eyes become normal again."

[Reno]

Sora was about to amend the helpless statement, giving a sharp look to his lvoer when he agreed. He sighed though. what was said was said. At this current point and time he;d have to agree though. Axel was still recovering and now roxas would be going through his own hellish period of recovery.

At the rest of Riku's words, he tensed, glancing at his lover, senseing the faint fear in the other, growing a bit apprehensive himself. theyw ere in a lot of danger now weren;t they? they were prime targets...

But they weren't easy ones. How they got Roxas he didn;t know - but it must of been by surprise or by ambush. Either way, roxas didn;t seem the type to lose easily...

He glanced over at Axel's words, smiling brightly. "well, thats nothing new!" he said as cheerfully as possible. "Me and riku just won;t seperate." he nodded, then glanced at hsi lover. "I think we should go see King Mickey though... maybe he can help us more." He didn;t know whwere else to turn truthfully. The King had known about this all along - how long had Ven and Terra and Aqua been 'chasing' these keyblades again? Long enough for the mouse to know...

And even down one, they apparently weren;t a team to mess with.

He looked down at Roxas' reaching out for his brother's hand again. this time however, an electric spark lapped between them, shocking him briefly, crackling with a soft 'pop'.

Flashes too quick to register swept through his mind. Blonde boy... darkness.... -tus...

"ow!" Sora pouted, shaking his hand. "that hurt!" he pouted.


Terra looked at the other seriously. He knew Ven knew the rules - better then anyone. Whatever it took they'd get the keyblade from Sora. Maybe this brother thing... had its own advantages. "Then we'll go for him first." he murmured. "Is we can convince him he'll probably try and convince Riku in turn and we'll be done with it." That sounded pretty easy - and maybe it would be that easy. Sora was real gullible. He'd believe a puppy was his brother if you taped a fake tail to his butt.

Riku was the one he wanted to serperate the furtherest - his power and control opver the darkness wouldn;t be healthy for either him or Ven. he was afraid if they fought it would start a chain reaction of darkness and destruction between them all. There would be no balance. On top of that he was a fierce, agile fighter who took no mercy on his foes.

And ever since... that night with the paopu he had been getting this terrified notion of Ven getting hurt - and he wasnted to do as much as he could to prevent it.

[Rikugurl]

Riku grinned as he heard the 'non separation' talk. Like they separated in the first place. He supposed they'd even have to got to the bathroom together to keep each other safe. That'll go over well.
He blinked out of it as he listened to Sora.

He nodded. "Yea... Mickey probably could help us. Any little bit of information that he might have could help us a lot." He looked down at Axel and smiled softly. "You gonna be ok here by yourself big guy?"

Axel pouted at the 'big guy' thing but nodded softly. "Yea.. I think I can take things from here. Thank you for coming... and thank you Sora for calming me." He smiled, the tears on his face now drying. He would feel bad that the others would have to fight alone... they had help so much when Axel and Roxas got their hearts... hell, Riku almost died!

Riku walked over to Sora and blinked as he saw the shock. He laughed lightly and pulled Sora's hand up, kissing it softly.


Ven shook his head. "I don't think it will be that easy... Sora has a strong heart. He uses the keyblade to protect his friends... and to travel... he won't give it up so easily." He stood, walking towards the window, his pants falling down slightly on his hips seeing that he forgot to button them back up.

His blue eyes looked out of the window, looking out at the stars in space. He wondered... if he was so heartless to say that he still wouldn't flinch to kill Sora if he had too. They had lived this long without each other... why would they need each other now. Besides... Sora already filled the missing piece... with another. Roxas had taken his place as his twin.

The life of a Chaser...

[Reno]

Sora blushed at the kiss, grinning brightly at Riku. "all better!" he chuckled, kissing the other's cheek.

He looked at Axel, smiling more. "you're welcome. Now take care of my brother. We'll come back soon, promise."

He ruffled Roxas' hair, leaning over the other. "see you soon Rox. Hopefully you'll be awake then you lazy bum." he said, hoping his mirth could reach the other in his dreams.

He offered Axel one last goodbye hug, wishing him well. "Remember to get some sleep and to eat well!" He offered - his last mother hen comment before they left the hospital.


Hoever the two keybladers found out quite quickly that they weren;t ready for the trip. they were both exhasuted and - even if it was only an hour from Radiant to disney Castle sora had wisely muttered that it would be 'just there luck that they;d get attacked' if they did it. They simutaneaousely agreed to get some rest first.

But they had no munny. They couldn;t check in at an inn and Sora was unwilling to wake up any of his friends to ask for a place to stay. Riku had commented on how they could stay in Axel's vacant house but Sora refused, feeling uneasy by the idea somehow.

In the end they ere curled onto the cots of the gummi ship, drifting away behind a door that read 'Sora's room' in a happy print.

In the safety of the darkness, they had no sun to break their sleep, they had no rising tide to greet in the morning. they had only silence and the infinty of sleep.


They were so deep in their sleep, they did not hear the sound of someone else crawling on deck, securing himself to the captain;s seat. A course was set, the beeping noise barely scratching the surface of the two exhasted men's slumber.

The ship whirred to life, beginning to move at a rapid rate. Sora groaned, the change in gravity overcoming him. "'Iku stop 'oving the 'hip." He slurred, turning over. He faintly heard the response 'm'not you are'.

Sora shot up in bed, eyes wide, the same minute the ship slammed into a warp drive. He yelped, smacking against the wall of his bedroom. "what the hell?!"

He groaned in pain, the G-force making it hard for him to breathe. And then it was over and he went tumbled back to his cot. He sturggled to his feet, running for the door in an instant, ignoring the shaking his his legs and how his stomach felt like mash.

He slammed open the door, just in time to see a black haired male rasiing his mallet, slamming it down hard onto the controls. Sora cried in outrage, rushing forward. "Get away from there!"

The man glanced back, satisfied smirk placed over his face, before he disappeared in the abyss of computerized darkness.

"H-Hey!" Sora cried. Red lights started to flash, salamrs blaring. the ship rocked, sending him to his knees.

"Mayday, Mayday. Central control system is down." A female, automated voice yelled over the ship.

"SHIT!" Sora cursed violently, struggled to reach the controls that were sparking violently. Below him... he could see a world. It looked dusty and dark, like a neverending desert - small blotches of blue maiming the surface, showing off its meager supply of water. And the ship... was being pulled straight into it.


Terra apepared next to his waiting partner. the world was dusty, painted like a rusty red. Big towers of land rose around them, much like a canyon but large stretchs of hard land marked this area as a natural phnonmenon - perfect for Terra to manipulate. the winds here were violent and twisting, bring up clouds of red dust - perfect for Ven to control.

"they're coming." He stated. If the two were harmed or even died in the crash it was not of their concern, as long as they got the keyblades.

[Rikugurl]

Axel smiled slightly at the hug, waving them goodbye. When they left he sighed and looked at his lover. Looked like he still had that violent anger in him stored up somewhere. That wasn't healthy. But... they hurt Roxas... almost killed him. He'd do anything to save Roxas's life... even waste his other four lives on it... hoping that he was a cat of some sort.

He left for a few minutes, making Xio watch him. He got something from the vending machine outside and eat it quickly, getting something in his stomach. When he returned, he moved passed his pet and slowly climbed into the bed next to Roxas. His face buried into his neck, making sure not to pull any of the cords attached to him.


Even if they didn't sleep in Roxas and Axel's house, Riku still went there and shut their door... so more people wouldn't panic to see it wide open and abandoned.
They would sleep in the cots.

That was fine for him, at least it was peaceful and always dark. He snuggled up to his lover and they quickly fell asleep. He really hoped his old friend would have some answers.

His body shifted a bit as it went into overdrive, not minding it all too much. He wasn't as use to the controls of the ship unlike Sora.
However, when he was tossed to the other side of the room... he knew that wasn't normal. He yelped as he slammed up next to Sora and then slammed down again, his hair going all over the place. "The fuck?"

He rubbed his head as Sora raced out of the room. He yawned then blinked, quickly following him. Can. not. separate! He came out behind Sora, too late seeing Terra at the controls. The red lights started to go off, ocean eyes widening as he saw the sparks coming from the control panel. Riku held onto the walls as he followed Sora, hearing the swear.

They both looked at the new world coming in close... and fast. The screens flickered, showing some shaken up chipmunks. Dale squealed as he did everything he could to keep balance. "What's going on!? What happened up there!? We're turning on the burners, see if we can land this somewhat smoothly!"

Suddenly the ship jerked, a smoke bellowing out of the front trying to slow the ship down.


Below, on the planet, a blonde boy waited.
The red sand danced around his feet as he looked at the baron wasteland. So many bad memories... How could Terra pick this world out of all the worlds in the universe? Raktus... the hidden world of the keyblades... the world they once trusted to keep the keyblades they collected safe.

His eyes moved across the sand, the desert known as Sunset Horizons, imagining those rows and rows of a thousand keyblades... all taken by the efforts of the Chasers. No one would find them there.

His body felt heavy... like if he was wearing the armor again.
The keyblades... all gone... Xehanort.
By day, it was hot and dusty. By night, the reflection of Kingdom Hearts shown in the twilight.
Ventus hated this place....

He felt the presence of someone next to him, knowing who it was instantly. He nodded, looking up at the sky.