Light From the Past

Sea-Salt Ice Cream

Part Two: 358/2 Days

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???

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Beyond the path without you is a forgotten promise to keep.

We may have walked side by side, but now we go on back to back.

And though our path may not cross, all paths are connected somewhere.

When I arrive where you are, we may not appear to be as we were...

But we'll make another promise to keep.

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The girl with raven-black hair still sat on the ground. Three blue streaks ran through her hair, they were the same color of her eyes. Her skin was pale and her clothes torn. A small red mark was on her back where a device was once planted. But with it's job done, it detached and was gone. She remembered nothing, only one name. Riku. But the man standing in front of her was not Riku. He introduced himself as Axel.

He had spiky red hair and bright green eyes. Two purple upside-down teardrops were underneath his eyes. He wore a long black coat and boots. The girl wore the same boots, but had a blue dress. Her long black-blue hair fell around her. Axel smiled kindly.

"Here, put this on," he said, handing the girl a black coat like his. The girl easily slipped it on over her dirtied dress. "Come on," he told her. 

The girl stood up and followed him quietly. Axel's brow furrowed. After a few minutes of walking in the town bathed in twilight, Axel stopped. 

"What are you doing?" the girl deadpanned.

"Heartless," Axel hissed. 

The girl tilted her head in confusion. "Heartless?" The sound of clanging metal arose in the air. When it disappeared, Axel looked at her.

"Stay here," he ordered. The girl nodded. Axel pulled a small smiled and walked into an alleyway. "Hey, Roxas!" he called. The girl peeked around the corner. She saw Axel walking to a blonde boy. He had bright blue eyes and wore the same coat as Axel. His face was of pure shock. "It's been a while," Axel greeted. "What's that matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Axel..." the boy, Roxas, gasped. "I heard everyone at Castle Oblivion was annihilated..." The girl blinked. What?

"Not me. I'm tough," Axel boasted.

"You had me worried," Roxas said worriedly.

"Worry? We Nobodies don't have the hearts to worry, you know!" Axel laughed. The girl blinked again. No, hearts? "Besides, I picked up a new friend."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Axel smiled and turned to the girl. "It's okay! You can come out!" The girl slowly shuffled out from behind the wall and walk towards Axel and Roxas. Roxas's eyes widened further.

"Who's she?" he gasped.

The girl pursed her lips and looked at Axel pleadingly. Axel sighed. "She was at Castle Oblivion. On Lord Xemnas's orders I brought her back with me. But she's forgotten everything." The girl wanted to say that she did remember something, but she decided to keep her mouth shut.

"Oh, really?" Roxas said sadly. He looked at the girl. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," the girl replied softly.

"What should we call you then?" Roxas asked. Both of them looked at Axel.

"Whatcha' looking at me for?" Axel asked.