Tying Knots

[Reno]

Terra was about to argue with Ven - it wasn;t like Aqua was a weakling. They'd done missions alone before and if she needed help, she knew to call for it. they were only a portal away - but Aqua's yell ended up distracting him.


Roxas stirred, eyes sliding open at all the yelling and Axel's movements. he stretched out yawning. so they had found Saix?

He sat up, listening quietly. He didn't really remember much about Saix personally. He was just a creepy guy who wanted a heart. He was also rather scary when he changed into that beastial form but Roxas had only seen that through Sora's eyes.

How was it Sora was always the lucky one who got to see everyone's bad side?

"Wait Aqua's there?!" Roxas said, tuning in blinking in panic. "He;s a beast! Tell her to get back here!"


Demyx rolled off of Axel, stetching out as well, sitting up. "Saix?" He grinned excitedly. "Really!" Sure, he and Saix never talked or even really... got along but Saix was one of them. A nobody from the Organization. they had worked together as a team to gain back what they had lost and even now he still felt that connection.

He didn't think Saix was really dangerous or crazy... just misunderstood.


The tears slowly started to fall. "you did Sai..." She grinned, reaching in her pocket, pulling out the glowing stone. "See? I have it now."

"Daddy? Why does Sai have to hide so much?" Aqua asked as she and her father 'entertained' some angry neighbors complaining about how sai had destroyed or killed this or this. She knew for a fact they were all liars - that her brother had been up in the attic with her all night where they slept. But it seemed the townpeoples liked to plain missing livestock or natural occurences on her poor brother.
If it rained - it was Sai;s fault. If the crop was bad - it was Sai's fault. If a window was broken - it was Sai;s fault.
Now Sai was up in the attic, unable to come down until the angry townspeople left.
"He;s just different Aqua." Her father explained quietly. "and ltos of people don;t understand different."
"I do." Aqua murmured, sticking her tongue at the angry epeople at the door before running up the stairs to go entertain her lonely brother.


"GET LOST!" The angry 13 year old Aqua snapped at a harried mid-aged mother. "It;s bad enough we have lost a father - but now you come with your fucking grievences of things beyond control and blame them on my brother?! So you lost a fucking tree - did the STORM last night mean nothing?"
"Yeah, well with a monster like that-"
Aqua, not caring how much trouble she;d get in for it later, slapped the woman hard enough to send her reeling. "Get the fuck off our property - or i swear i'll make you!" she slammed the door shut.


"you really shouldn;t of done that Aqua."
"I know." Aqua mumbled, ashamed, looking towards the floor as her brother chastised her - just like her father used to.
"I can fight my own battles."
"I know." She mumbled, slouching her her seat.
"and they're JUST words. I've heard them all my life it;s not a big deal."
Tears welled in her eyes. "I know."
She was suddenly enveloped in a hug. "thank you."


Aqua yelped, falling into the icy water of the ocean. she tried to scream, but only succeeded in drinking water. She struggled, the violent waves tossing her around - where did this storm come from?
She thought of her brother. How hard it would be for him to not only watch his father get buried - but her as well. Who would no longer have anyone to stick up for him. Who would be all... alone.
'I'm so sorry Sai' She thought, just as she lost conciousness.

Aqua suddenly threw her arms around her brother, hugging him close. "Oh Sai... I missed you so much... I'm so sorry!!"

She stayed like that silently for a few moments, then a crackle on her communicater drew her attention to where she was. she chuckled thickly, murmuring, "It;s okay he;s my brother." She laughed a bit at Terra's response.


Terra, panicked about how the others were acting, began to worry about his female teammate. He lifted her hand, noticing how there had been no sound at all. "Aqua? Aqua respond. What;s going on?"

There was a pause, then a voice came back, choked up and emotional. "It's okay he's my brother."

Her brother? Sai? The Beseker who died back when she was 16? By... heartless... Sai... Saix.... oh shit.

"Oh you've got to be fucking shitting me." Terra said. "Who the fuck is up next for a damn family reunion? ME?!" Pff, only way that was happening is if his mom rose from the grave.

[Rikugurl]

Axel frowned as he looked at them all panicking. God, how was Saix surviving without Xemnas?? The 'Superior' was no longer around to tell him what to do. To treat him like a pet.

He blinked though as he heard Demy in the background. He looked back and tilted his head. "You seem happy about that." Which was... very odd. Did they even talk once?


Golden eyes looked down, seeing the stone... and very slowly a smile arose from the corner of his mouth. He was slowly... starting to remember....

He blinked when he felt the hug. It had been... so long. This warmth was so... soothing to him. His smile grew as he wrapped his arms around her in a protective brace. He had tried to forget everything... like Xemnas had ordered...

But he could never forget his sister. She was tied with the moon and water of this planet... and he could always feel it... even without a heart.
"Sorry...?" He asked softly. "You've done nothing wrong... Aqua."

He smiled at her softly as she pulled away and looked down at the book she had dropped while she was talking to... who ever. It seemed that she no longer lived on this world...


Every ones eyes widened as they heard her. Axel blinked. "Whoa! That nut had a sister??"

Ven could only started laughing hilariously. "I guess it runs in the family!!"

[Reno]

Demyx grinned at Axel. "Yeah well, he;s one of us! And he's back and hopefully sane and~" He nodded to himself quietly. It made so much more sense in his head. so he sung, "We allll have to learn how to foooorgive!"

"Oh god don;t sing." Rxoas groaned.


Aqua picked up the book, ignoring her friends on the other side as they talked. She brushed it off, before looking up at him. "I did everything wrong. I ran away when I should have been ehre I should have turned into a keyblader here... then you wouldn;t have... wouldn;t of died..." Her shoulders slumped, looking at the ground. "I ran away and i fell into the ocean and next thing i new i was in Frebrand;s country. So far awya and... I'm so sorry Sai."


"Well shit." Roxas grumbled. "I didn;t even know Aqua had had a brother."

Demyx grinned. "So that;s why he always looked so sad." Like he was missing something terribly... something so bad it hurt even without a heart to guide the emotion. Family.

Terra just chuckled at Ven;s words, much more calm. It looked like they might of just enlisted more help.

[Rikugurl]

Axel blinked a bit and covered his ears. Why was it that people loved to sing when their voices were horrible!?


Long blue hair swayed as he shook his head and closed his eyes. Slowly he left her side and walked towards the ocean, the water clipping at his ankles.
"At least you weren't taken Aqua... at least you survived. That's what really matters. The town was attacked so brutality... and out of nowhere. There were just so many of them... you would of made it if you were there. You wouldn't have time to gain a keyblade."

He stopped, realizing what he just said. She... had a keyblade? He looked up at the moon shining down on them.
"Even to the end... I protected mother. So emotionless... Even when I fell and cried... she ran away... and never looked back. How could a mother do that...? Then I was taken... and my soul appeared elsewhere... but my heart was gone. I chose to be emotionless... like her... thought it would ease the pain of loosing my heart... even if it was claimed that I wouldn't feel any pain anyway..."

He looked back at her, his golden eyes glowing like the moon. "She's dead isn't she?" He looked down and shook his head. "I hope she learned her lesson... or at least that she is kinder to father now." Slowly he left the waters and returned to his sister's side. "but the bright side is... we don't have to sleep in the attic anymore." He smiled softly at her.

He looked at the town and sighed, the wind blowing his hair over his pointed ears. "I can't stay here though... I'm sure to those who survived... they'd blame it on me.... and since that night... I'm sure they thought that since I was gone... that their bad luck went with me. I won't be accepted here anymore. I was angry at myself... Father always said I would grow up to be a great guardian of this realm... but I couldn't even protect him.... or mother... but... then I realized that I was still young."

He chuckled a bit and shook his head. "But I guess I won't have to sleep in the attic anymore."


Axel looked at Demyx and laughed. "Either that or Xemnas didn't put out." He laughed and raised his hand for Demy to give him a high five.

[Reno]

Aqua was quiet as her brother spoke, looking at the ground. No maybe she wouldn't have... but she didn;t know. that was up to fate - wasn't it? Was it really up to a perceieved chain of events that determined her fate as a keyblader?

She didn't answer any of his questions because she felt like he already knew the answers. she didn't have to tell him.

Aqya put her hand on Saix's arm tentatively. "I don;t live here anymore either." She frowned. "Without you there hadn;t been a point... and besides i had a fate to follow." She looekd at her town. "But... I do live with my friends on a base... and... and you can come there too if you want?" She blinked up at him, smiling. "We... have a lot to catch up about."


Demyx laughed, rasing his hand.

Roxas growled, gripping onto both the backs of their heads, smacking their forehead together. "IDIOTS!"

One had to wonder how Mickey Donald and Goofy could sleep through all this.

[Rikugurl]

He blinked and looked down at her. Go with her? Yes.... that seemed like a good idea. He looked back at the town... almost longing for it. He was a Berserker... and protector of this world... wasn't it his duty to stay here...? Perhaps in time... they would understand.

"Alright..." He said softly as he looked back down at her.


Ven watched the two get hit in the head, and couldn't help but laugh.

Axel blinked. Oh hey Dem--- OUCH!! He whimpered as he held his head. "You're no fun!!" He yelped at his lover before he was cut off. A portal was slashed from nowhere and the whole group stopped.

Eyes watched as Aqua walked through... and then... a man that some had never seen before.
He was tall with long blue hair. Pasty skin broke through it with pointed ears like an odd elf. His eyes were golden and ... had a pretty nasty scar on his face in the shape of a 'X'.

Axel swallowed as he saw Saix and backed away a bit next to Roxas.

[Reno]

Aqua grinned, slashing a portal and leading him through it.


Terra chuckled along with Ven, shaking his head. But when he ehard the sounds of the portal his ehad turned, seeing Aqua walk into focus... and behind her the man they must of been looking for.

Saix.

Hmph, he'd seen worse.


Roxas rolled his eyes at Axel's antics, but when he looked at Saix, a bit of fear ran through him as well. He could still remember seeing him through Sora's eyes... and nearly getting killed too. Talk about your 'fun experiences'. His stance became firm. If Saix tried anything he swore he'd take him down himself.


Demyx looked at Saix, blinking curiously. He grinned suddenly. "Welcome to your new home!" he said cheerfully, waving enthusiastically. Well... he had always been a bit of a retard, for lack of a nicer term. He was never really afraid of Saix - merely because he'd never really been violent towards him.


Aqua chuckled nervously. "Of course um... you might already know a few of them." she wodnered, idly, how sora and Saix would react to each other. After all... she was pretyt sure it was sora who fought her brother. she'd have to kick the brunette's little ass about that later.

[Rikugurl]

Golden eyes looked across the room. There was Roxas next to a brunette... and... wait... another Roxas by.... Axel? No... the one next to Axel... was the real Roxas. He could tell by the stance. They had gotten their heart back too?

His eyes quickly moved to Demyx who looked like he should of been in a cheerleader outfit. He got his heart back too... the others....? He caught view of a screen.
Organization XIII
Xemnas: Negative
Xigbar: Negative
Xaldin: Negative
Vexen: Negative
Lexaeus: Negative
Zexion: Negative
Saix: Confirmed
Axel: Confirmed
Demyx: Confirmed
Luxord: Negative
Marluxia: Negative
Larxene: Negative
Roxas: Confirmed[/i]

So... they were the only ones.... so far. He looked around, seeing some more people sleeping on the floor. Aqua's home was quite crowded.

"Axel... Roxas.... and..... Demyx" He said softly as he looked over them again.

Axel rolled his eyes a bit. Damnit... he still had that same emotionless monotone voice. He grinned though, taking a glace at Demy. "Hey Saix... sorry about what happened to... Superior." He held in a laugh as he pulled his hand out for a hidden low five.[/color]

[Reno]

Demyx chuckled, about to high five back.

Roxas turned around, eyes furious, and knocked their foreheads together again.

"OW!" Demyx whined, rubbing his abused and now red forehead. "You're so mean Roxy."

Aqua blinked, confused. What the hell was that supposed - oh... OH. Her eye twitched, and her eyes narrowed on Demyx and Axel. "Watch it boys... or i'll drown you both." Protective little sister - wasn't she?

Aqua cleared her throat. "You also probably already know Donald and Goofy," she pointed to where the duck and dog slept. "This is Terra and the blonde is Ven." She said, pointed to each in turn.

Terra gave Saix a once over, rasiing a curious eyebrow. Well... He wasn't used to... 'formal introductions'. He just sorta fell into these things. Usually from fighting the person first. What was he supposed to do? Say fucking hello?

[Rikugurl]

Axel yelped as they hit their heads again. "DAMNIT IT ROX! You keep pushing brain cells out." He pouted but was stopped by Ventus.


"This really isn't a good time for this. We all need to get rest for tomorrow... we have to train really hard. I hope you guys haven't forgotten that there is a mad man out their destroying people and worlds... and that Sora almost died today." Ventus broke in before any more chaos could pick up.


Saix's glare lifted as he looked up at the blonde. He looked... exactly like Roxas... were they.... clones or something? And training....? He was sure his sister could fill him in... but he had to chuckle. Axel, Demyx and Roxas had not changed a bit.


Axel's eyes widened as he saw and heard Saix chuckle. He never saw Saix chuckle.... let alone smile. The last time he saw Saix smile was once when he was talking to Xemnas. But he nodded. "Fine fine... come on my minions!" He called as he marched back to the spot in the floor that they had been sleeping on before.

He got under the covers and nuzzled up to a bundle of clothes he used for a pillow.


Ventus looked up at Terra and pulled the piece out of the brunette's ear. "And you too..." He said softly.



The two slept by the bookshelf, on the other side of where Fran was sleeping.

Riku and Sora were still sleeping quietly in bed. Goofy and Donald in the corner. Fujin was alone in bed for the rest of the night.

As for Saix and Aqua, they went to the kitchen and closed the door... to catch up. By morning, the older brother leaned up against the wall on the floor with his sister nestled on his chest.

[Reno]

Roxas laughed, but at Ven's warning his mirth faded to weariness. His twin was right... They had a long, long day ahead of them. It was NOT going to be fun.

He retreated back to Axel's side, cuddling up against him.

Demyx gave one last final smile before hoping back to the other's sides, taking his place on Axel's stomach once more.

Terra blinked in surprise, then a small smile flitted across his face. "okay."


Terra, happily cuddled up against Ven, was smiling softly as he slept. Tommorrow - actually it was past midnight so later this morning was going to be quite a doozy.


Aqua told Saix as much as she could, as quietly as she could. Tghere was a lot she hadn't yet got to tell him, but she made sure to get the main points out. Like how she had found Terra and Ven. Or meeting Xehanort. Or how their life-long mission started. She made sure to tell him in as much detail as possible how Roxas, Ven and Sora were all related - and how without riku, sora, Axel and roxas' aid, she and Terra and Ven probably never would have decided to want to open their hearts again. And of course... she told him about the woman she had fallen in love with.

And of course she told him about Hatori and Terra's ancestry and how her friends had recently gotten badly hurt. Their knowledge was still pretty limited and it seemed like the guy had no weaknesses to exploit but... that's why they were training. And she looked at Saix murmuring as a final statement. 'I'm going to fight... that's why we're training tommorrow. to fight him. We need to stop him and Terra's going to show us everything he can so we can prepare better. And if you... you want to fight with us... I mean it's up to you but we could really use the help.'



Sora yawned, stretching out on his bed. His eyes fluittered open and he smiled, seeing Riku beside him - but the ebd was unfamilar. Where was he? He looked aorund. something about it was so famila-

Sora held onto a blackened arm, frowning a bit as he looked down at his twin. A twin he never knew he had. "Why can;t it be that simple?!" He had cried.

Oh.

Sora sat up, yawning a bit. he leant over, kissing Riku on the temple before shuffling from the bed. He stumbled out the door, looked around the computer area of the base. A soft smile grew on his face, seeing his friends and brothers all sleeping soundly. They all looked so close and cuddly - well except Fran. God he wished he had a camera.

He tiptoed past them and into the kitchen, his stomach rumbling lightly. He needed soemthing to eat for all the lost energy he had endured.

He blinked, his eye catching something blue and he turned to look, still only half awake, so he didn't react immediately. ah didn't Aqua look so cute cuddled up with...

"Eep!" Sora yelped, stumbled backwards into the wall. "Sa..." his throat closed off. Saix?! What was HE doing here?! And why was he holding Aqua? And... WHAT THE HELL?!

[Rikugurl]

It was a lot to take in at first... but he had heard of crazier things. When he was younger, he thought Dragoon was the only world out there. Then again... most kids did. Most adults did. They didn't know that every star in the sky was another world filled with humans... or lions or... well... anything. Just stars...

Saix was always a good listener. He would remember hearing his sister's stories when they were younger... like when she had gone to see the water dragon of the realm. She was always so happy when she saw her. It made the rainy season better in the attic with her company.

She was shocked that she had found and lover... and that it was another female. It was very frowned upon... he remembered kids teasing the very few gay couple in town. Back then... people who were together sometimes didn't even love each other... they justed needed children to help with crops or to carry out trades. Saix never bothered with any of it. As a Berserker... he knew he could never find someone to love him... except his own sister but that was besides the point.

No one could love a beast... and thankfully he didn't have a limited time to prove that wrong with a rose. Besides... he was a guardian of some sort and was too busy worrying about how good he'd be as one... not to try and find a perfect match. But Aqua... he wished that Aqua would find someone special for her. She damn well deserved it, if they be male or female.

He kind of understood though. He had told her how horribly submissive he had become to the Superior... and he still didn't understand why. Perhaps because Xemnas was the leader and powerful... like a dragon.... and Saix had to protect that. Axel and Demyx would never understand that.

He didn't have many things to say... anything about him could be easily looked up on the computer. He had no emotions... so couldn't tell her how it was like being a Nobody... except it was the worse thing he had ever gone through. Worse than being blamed for everything and having rocks cut into him.

He told her what it was like... the world were he awoken. The dark words with a deep red moon looking over jagged slopes and black ice that held destroyed souls. Obviously Aqua had never seen this world... and wasn't sure if any live person really could. Perhaps it was another section of the large Realm of Darkness...


A noise caught pointed ears as the light flickered on. Golden eyes slowly opened, still feeling Aqua cuddled on his chest. His arms wrapped around her protectively, he looked up, long blue hair shifting.
Sora....

A trigger started to light in his stomach but he fought hard to keep it tame. He was no longer a target... A soft snarl escaped as he buried his scared face into Aqua's hair. She had always seemed to sooth him the best...

[Reno]

Sora stared blankly as Saix's eyes met his, and the hairs on the end of his neck bristled when the other started to snarl at him. He tried to call the keyblade to his hand and panicked worse when it wouldn't. like... like it was gone from his heart.

"Can you feel it? the moon's power?" Saix hissed, seeming to float in the air. Riku and Kairi were yelling from the other side of the barrier but it was usless. He, Donald and Goofy where in this fight alone.
"Moon shine down!" The heavy claymore came down on the three and they spelt with a yell. Saix ran all across the battle field, mocking the three with his speed.

"give me strength!" Sora cried desperately, his colors coloring to yellow, just as Saix changed, claws coming for him. The battle raged, shockes and desperate leaps and cutitng attacks. Sora swung for the other's chest, claws nicked his arm.

Sora blinked slowly, clearing his head of the memory of the fierce fight. He could still rememebr what happened at the end though, after he had won.

Saix dropped his claymore, stumbling backwards to face the moon. It glowed over him, like an etheral being. "Why...?" the other struggled. "Kingdom hearts... Where... is my heart?"

Sora watched silently as Saix disappeared before his eyes, turning his own to the ground sadly.

Sora frowned a bit, relaxing slowly, trying to will his heart to slow down. If Saix was here... he probably wasn't here for any evil intentions.

Aqua stirred. "Sai...?" she mumbled, lifting her arms and curl around her brother's neck. Her eyelids fliuttered and she looked up seeing her brother, then glanced towards Sora. ...Oh. She ran her fingers over the scars soothingly. "don't worry Sai... he;s not here to hurt you."

[Rikugurl]

Quite honestly, Saix had forgotten about the battle. It wasn't him... and he usually always had blackouts when he berserked. Maybe... that was a good thing. People had used it against him... saying it was him who damaged things... and Sai would believe them until Aqua butted in... saying that she was with him the whole time.

The older he got, the more times he berserked... and couldn't stop it. Maybe that was his way of going through puberty. Much more dangerous than the normal teen.

A new calm came over his body as he felt her fingers on the scar. She had dressed it up the best she could along with their father... but he was more busy trying to help with the war... so Aqua was mainly by his side, cleaning his bandages and tending to him.

To Sora... this must of all looked so odd.


Since the base was in space, there was no real sun to tell them it was time to awake. The sun always shown since they weren't on a planet for it to go around. Axel would argue that some places just don't have sunlight... like Nobodia. Then someone would have to slap him and remind him that Nobodia was in a part of the Realm of Darkness. There was no sunlight there!

However, Ven, Terra and Aqua had their own little mind sets on what time to get up... and that was now.

The blonde stirred in his sleep next to Terra and suddenly yawned. His blue eyes opened as looked around the dark room, seeing everyone peacefully at sleep. He pulled away from the land keyblader softly as he stood and stretched. No comfy hoodie...

He blinked as he saw the light in the kitchen on and Sora in the doorway. He walked over and looked over the other's shoulder, seeing what Sora had seen. A hand wrapped around Sora's arm and Ventus pull him aside. "Saix is Aqua's brother..." He said softly.

[Reno]

Yes. to Sora this DEFINITELY was all very strange. the display before him made his brows furrow. to anyone else they would have guessed the two were in lvoe but...

though the touch and kind eyes WERE loving it wasn't quite as soul deep as well when he saw Aqua look at Fuujin. He was just trying to fathom was connection the two had to have with each other when a tug brought him to the side. he looked up at Ven, and at his words his eyes widened. "Wha...?" He looked over towards the siblings, seeing how happy Aqua was and.. even how happy Saix seemed to be. A small smile grew on his face. "that's great!!"

He grinned, knowing how great it was to reunite with a sibling again. He threw his arm around Ven's shoulders, bringing him into a random half-hug. "I'm so happy for them." It seemed like the nobodies being brought back where the ones whod eserveed to be...


Terra stirred when Ven did, but awoke more slowly, stretching out languidly even when the other left his side. He sighed unhappily, watching the blonde leave his side, throwing his arm over his eyes, willing himself for just a couple more minutes of sleep. some days he just didn't want to get up even when he knew it was necessary.