Starting with a recap from chapter 8
[♥]
The Boy in the Mask has known nothing but pain for his entire life, so it only stands to reason that in death, he should be surrounded by never-ending pain. It's excruciating, so painful that he can't even bring himself to scream. Darkness is enveloping him, causing his bones to crack and break as his lungs fill with the thick gunk that makes up the darkness.
"Hey."
The voice is kind, and the only somewhat normal thing that has brought Vanitas something other than pain.
"Hey," Vanitas responds.
It feels like talking to an old friend, someone he can trust and rely on.
"Do you need a break?" the voice asks.
At the same time, the pain lessens. It becomes more bearable, his bones and muscles finally receiving some relief as the spasms subside and his mind starts going numb.
"Yeah. I think I do."
"If I let you in... do you promise not to do me harm?"
Vanitas pauses, mulling over the question.
"Yeah," he finally responds, before gasping in relief as the pain fully stops and he's pulled into an unknown light. "Heh. It's warm here."
"There's always room in here for one more... Vanitas."
An overwhelming feeling of relief rushes over the boy, like a calming wave soothing over the sand after a fierce storm. For the first time in ages, he can breathe without a wince of pain, and move his body without fear of agony.
He cautiously opens one eye, and then another. He's lying on the ground, staring up at an endless black sky as he slowly comes to his senses. With a shake of his head, Vanitas sits up, running a hand through his messy hair as he glances around. He's seated on a beach devoid of water, in a place he's been many times before.
In fact, he was born in the very spot.
The edge of the Realm of Darkness.
And then, it all comes rushing back. The fight in the Keyblade Graveyard, the failed merger with Ventus... Somehow, despite losing, he's still alive. But, how? Who was that voice who pulled him from the abyss?
And why does he have a sinking suspicion that voice is somehow connected to Ventus?
~
Vanitas' years stuck in the Realm weren't much different than [Name]'s and Aqua's. He wandered around the fallen worlds alone, fighting off Heartless and other monsters lurking in the shadows. And yet, true to form, his worst enemy remained himself. No matter where he was or what he was doing, Vanitas couldn't escape the memories of his past.
He couldn't forget the years of abuse suffered at his Master's hands. He was manipulated, transformed into nothing but a heartless killing machine. But is transformed the right word, if he's been a monster from birth? Well, whatever happened to him, all he knows is that his body is covered in scars, his bones crack constantly from healing poorly, and he secretly jumps at loud noises because he fears it's Xehanort coming to harm him once again.
After all, his Master's motto is that strength comes from blood and pain. And Vanitas sure learned that lesson fast.
Maybe that's why he absolutely hates people so much, he finds himself thinking. The only person he really, truly interacted during his whole life is a man who beat him senseless during his daily trainings. That's not exactly setting him up to have a healthy relationship with humanity... Then again, he does greatly enjoy inflicting pain on others, too. Maybe that's why he and Xehanort made such a perfect match – a bond formed through suffering. Because Vanitas definitely dreams of a day where he can watch the worlds burn under his palms, finally feeling real control.
And what a beautiful dream it is...
So then, he finds himself wondering during his absolute darkness moments, why does he feel loneliness as he walks through the Realm alone? Why, during moments of pure silence, does Vanitas feel a strange yearning towards the outside worlds, to Ventus... to a small boy with brown hair who visits him in his dreams and tells him everything will be okay?
Maybe the darkness really is making him crazy.
Despite his fleeting moments of humanity, Vanitas ultimately wants to create chaos once more. He wants to finish his task – the reason for his birth. The x-blade WILL be forged, and it WILL be wielded in his hands. He WILL wield the most powerful weapon the worlds have ever seen, even if the process kills him. Because if there's something Vanitas doesn't do, it's fail. Those who helped to force his failure must pay, for their devastating meddling. He spends many, many hours wishing for their deaths – for Ventus, for Terra, for Aqua, for [Name] to die. And oh- how sweet that reunion will be, when he can finally exact his revenge!
And now, much to his luck, before him sits one of those very bastards right now – huddled up on a beach, shaking with fear, and eyes as wide as saucers as she watches him from over her shoulder.
But he didn't save [Name] because he's a nice guy – fuck that.
No, Vanitas stumbled upon you by mistake. As he was wandering throughout the darkness, searching for a creature to kill while pretending it's Ventus, he suddenly found himself drawn to a voice in the distance. It was almost like a siren's call, something he couldn't ignore.
Likely because it was the voice of his Master.
He ran to the Castle of Dreams, following after the voice at a frantic pace. He knew Xehanort would never leave him here alone! He knew he'd come for him, and save him from his fate!
Vanitas flew through the castle, barging through the dance hall and the hallway leading to the balcony overlooking the dance floor, where you were trapped. He saw his Master using Terra's body, forcing open the door to the balcony with his shoulder. Vanitas watched, he saw the terror on your face as you held up your Keyblade to fend off the much taller man.
And for some reason, as if being operated by a puppet master, he raised his hand and created a portal under your feet. He watched as you glanced down before you were sucked into the abyss, disappearing from all danger. Xehanort was too busy fighting off a swirling blizzard surrounding him to notice your absence at first, and with a sigh Vanitas vanished in a portal of his own to follow after you.
Fucking Ventus – even in a coma he still manages to ruin the fun.
And that's what led to the strange scene of Vanitas perched on a boulder, watching a trembling [Name] as she sits on an empty beach, both of them trapped in the Realm of Darkness.
"Didn't you hear me?" Vanitas snaps, leaning forward on his palms. "I said, how the fuck are you alive, and what are you doing here?"
"I-I don't know," you reply, turning around so you're facing the boy with your legs crossed over one another. "The last thing I remember is running to protect Ven... after YOU possessed him," you can't help but add with narrowed eyes. "I was hit with some... light. And then I woke up here. I've been here ever since... alone."
You don't want to tell him that Aqua's here too, and possibly risk her safety.
"A hero's sacrifice. How fitting," Vanitas mocks as he pushes himself off the rock and onto his feet.
He starts to move towards you, and you quickly scramble back, pointing a finger at him.
"S-Stay away from me," you stammer, which makes you sound about as threatening as a puppy.
"Or what?" Vanitas laughs as he pauses, putting his hands on his hips as he stares down at you.
"I'll," you pause, your mind blanking, "bite you."
He opens his mouth to give a witty retort before his face contorts in a confused frown, his mouth shutting as he contemplates what you said.
"... Excuse me?" he finally asks.
"Shut up, I panicked. But I WILL hurt you if you come any closer," you state, finally getting a control of your emotions.
It's hard being around one of the people who caused you to be trapped here, and tried to kill you and your friends. As far as you're concerned, he's one of the harbingers of death. And now you're sitting here with him, as if nothing's happened. Your face drops, and you stare at the sand as your hand falls down to your lap and you heave a sigh.
"Just leave me alone, Vanitas. After everything you did... Even here, I'm not desperate enough to want your company."
Vanitas watches you for a few moments in silence. Your fingers are digging into the sand, and there's a look of profound sadness on your face as you glare down at the ground. For a second, Vanitas feels a pang of guilt knowing that you're trapped down here because of him and Xehanort's mission. A voice inside of Vanitas is screaming, calling out to him to tell you it will all be okay. A voice inside of him is telling him that the least he can do after all the pain he's caused, is to make you feel a little better.
Ventus has annoyingly become that little voice in the back of Vanitas' head, the conscience he was never born with but has now attained...
Vanitas takes a few steps towards you, watching as you peer up at him from the corner of your eyes. He reaches a hand towards you, causing you to wince and shift away from him.
"C'mon," he hums, shaking his hand to gain your attention. You continued to stare up at his face before looking at his hand. "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead already. We're all stuck here together," he adds with what he hopes is a reassuring look.
You think he looks constipated, but you keep that to yourself.
Silently, you accept his hand, allowing him to pull you up. His skin is cold, like ice, and his fingers and palm are covered in calluses.
"Thanks," you mutter, quickly dropping his hand once you're on your feet as you take a step away from him.
You turn your attention to the beach, staring out at the purple and gray sky. It's beautiful, in a haunting way. There's something about this spot that feels safer than anywhere else you've been. It's quiet here, and hidden from everything.
"So seriously," Vanitas speaks up, and you peer over at him. "How did you get here?"
"I told you."
"Running into a burst of light isn't a plausible answer."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's what happened."
Vanitas grits his teeth as you release a light chuckle, his fingers twitching as he imagines grabbing his Keyblade and hurling some dark magic your way.
"Why do you care anyway?" you add, facing him directly.
He pauses, glancing down at you so that his golden eyes directly meet yours. For a brief moment, you actually feel at peace around him as you just stare at each other in silence.
"Because I clearly fucked up somewhere, if everyone's alive," he replies simply. "Yes, I know Aqua's here too," he adds as your eyes widen in shock. "My memories of what happened are... vague. I'm trying to piece it all together, and I thought you could help. Silly me."
You roll your eyes, scoffing as you turn to once more stare out at the ocean. Despite his poor attitude and the fact that you're pretty sure he's plotting your murder as you stand there together, there's something very calming being around Vanitas. Maybe it's because you know you're of more use to him alive than dead, maybe it's because he saved you from Xehanort... Or maybe it's another reason entirely.
"Hey, Vanitas?"
"Not a big fan of silence, are you?"
"Are you and Ven really the same person?" you ask, ignoring his attempt at deflection.
"Yeah," Vanitas responds with a shrug. "I'm half of him. The better half," he adds with a smug grin.
"Oh, brother," you mutter with a roll of your eyes as he releases a laugh. "Anyway... I know this is weird, but I was just... wondering... well, how is Ven? Can you feel him, or something?"
The smile fades from Vanitas' face as he tears his gaze from you, staring at the sky in the distance. It was only a matter of time before you asked about Ven, since you and he are best friends. But he hates being reminded of his connection to the blond brat. Ven's his weakness, and – ironically – his strength. He's always present in his head, always trying to push him towards the light and away from the darkness.
"He misses you a lot," Vanitas finally admits, wondering if Ven's rubbing off on him more than he realizes as he actually finds himself enjoying the wide smile that grows on your face at the news.
[NINE YEARS AFTER THE FALL OF THE KEYBEARERS]
[DESTINY ISLANDS]
Darkness.
A door.
A monster from the depths.
A key...
Sora wakes up from his nap with a loud snore and a jump, sitting up as he pants and tries to catch his breath. Another weird dream plagued his sleep, taking him to a place far away from his beloved island. But this time, it was different. Very different...
But in reality, the sun is shining, the sand is warm, and with a yawn Sora lies back down, ready to take another nap and dive back into the unknown world he keeps dreaming of...
After only a couple seconds, he opens his eyes because he can't shake the feeling that someone is watching him, only to be met with the upside down face of a girl with dark purple hair.
"Whoa!" Sora yelps, rolling over on his side before he hops up, perching on the sand on his knees. The girl giggles, standing up straight as she clasps her hands behind her. "Gimme a break, Kairi."
In the four years since Kairi moved to the Islands, she quickly fit into Sora and Riku's friend group. She's sweet enough to play along with Sora's vivid imagination and endless energy, but sassy enough to talk back to Riku when he gets an attitude. It's been four years of easy living on the Islands, as peaceful as life can get for the three friends.
"Sora, you lazy bum," Kairi teases with a lilt to her voice. "I knew I'd find your snoozing down here."
"No!" Sora argues passionately, recalling his dream that felt so vivid it had to be real. "This huge, black THING swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe, I couldn't..." he trails off as the back of his head suddenly seizes with pain, as if he had been hit. "... ow."
"Are you still dreaming?" Kairi asks, leaning forward so her palms rest on her knees.
"It wasn't a dream! Or... was it? I dunno..." Sora mutters as his head drops. "Where was that place? So bizarre..."
"Yeah, sure," Kairi hums as she walks towards the water, eager to dip her toes in the ocean.
"Say, Kairi?" Sora speaks up, turning around to watch her. "What was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up?"
"I've told you before, I don't remember."
"Nothing at all?" Sora presses.
"Nothing."
"You ever wanna go back?" Sora asks as he stretches his legs out on the sand.
"Well, I'm happy here," Kairi states with a smile as she watches the water calmly lapping at the shore. "But you know, I wouldn't mind going to see it."
"I'd like to see it too," Sora agrees. "Along with any other worlds out there! I wanna see 'em all."
"So what are we waiting for?" Kairi asks with a wide grin as she glances over her shoulder at the boy.
"Hey," a voice calls out from behind the two friends, and they glance back at the source of the noise, "aren't you guys forgetting about me?"
The third friend in their trio, Riku, is standing there with a massive hunk of timber under his arm. And it's at that moment that Sora remembers that he was supposed to be helping Riku when he passed out on the sand...
He gulps in fear of Riku's retribution.
"So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft," Riku half-jokingly mocks as his lips curl up in an amused smirk. He walks towards Kairi, tossing the log at Sora. Sora frantically waves his arms in the air in a feeble attempt to stop him, but it's too late – with a shriek, Sora falls back on the sand, smacked down by the log tossed on top of him without a second thought for his well being by his so-called best friend. "And you're just as lazy as he is," Riku scolds Kairi with his hands on his hips.
"So you noticed," Kairi proudly giggles. "Okay, we'll finish it together! I'll race you," she decides, pointing to the two boys.
"Huh?" Sora asks.
"Are you kidding?" Riku adds, not wanting to be caught dead doing something so immature.
"Ready, go!" Kairi yells.
Sora and Riku exchange a glance that lasts one second before they both take off down the beach, both wanting to win. As they've gotten older, they've both become much more competitive, especially with each other. Most days, like today, it's friendly, but on other days... it feels different.
As the years pass, they speak less and less about their strange dreams. Sora's have become more real, and personal. Sometimes he finds himself in the darkness, other times he's back in that stark-white room. But he's always alone. Riku's have remained the same – though now they're less vivid, and more faint. All that remains is a desperate desire to explore the worlds, and to find power.
And yet, he's stuck on this island.
But not for long. That's why they're building a raft – to set sail on the open seas, and find other worlds. Riku can't stay here any longer, wasting his life away on a beach. And Sora would happily go wherever Riku goes, just so long as they can explore the worlds together.
~
One day passes, and that's all the time it takes to make the raft and gather supplies. It's the night before they leave for new worlds, and Sora's so excited he can barely contain himself. He's lying in his bed, watching his toy boat hanging over his bed as he imagines the adventures that lie ahead with Kairi and Riku.
Sora jumps as there's a sudden crash of thunder and a burst of lightning in the distance. He scrambles up, leaning over his windowsill as he peers out at the island.
"A storm...?" Sora narrates, watching the vicious waves of the ocean light up from another large eruption of lightning that illuminates the water. "Oh no, the raft!" he realizes, his hands rising up to his head and lightly tugging at his hair.
Without a second thought, he leaps through his bedroom window, running down the hill and towards the beach just past the main dirt road through town. He can hear his mom calling out his name as he rushes away from his house, but he doesn't look back.
(The one thing he regrets later is never saying goodbye to her.)
Sora takes off on his rickety old boat towards the island, his heart practically pounding through his chest as his boat is rocked by hard waves and powerful winds. Thunder and lightning is still going off throughout the ocean, thankfully missing the island and Sora's boat. After a terrifying ride, he makes it to the dock, leaping off the boat and onto the sand.
Resting over the island, like a silent, ominous threat, is a gigantic, swirling black orb of black and purple. For a moment, Sora swears he's hallucinating, until he feels the unnaturally strong winds ripping around the island – it has to be caused by whatever this thing is. Maybe a side effect of a bad storm? Who knows.
Not only that, but Riku and Kairi's boats are already docked on the island, Sora notices with a feeling of panic.
So, where are they?
He's about to take off to explore the island, when strange black specks start to form in front of him. Out of the specs, rise small creatures. They're all black, with small antennas protruding from their heads. Their eyes are bright yellow, and they're all staring right at Sora.
With a gasp, Sora pulls out his handy wooden sword that was tucked away in his back pocket and runs through the quickly forming creatures, onto the island. He can feel them grabbing at his ankles as he hurries past – their paws are cold, almost like icicles, but thankfully they aren't strong enough to grab onto him.
As he makes his way up the dock and onto solid land, Sora spots a figure standing on the peninsula jutting out over the water – his favorite spot to perch on a tree branch and watch the setting sun. But there's no beauty to be found on this island tonight, Sora thinks to himself as he charges towards the peninsula. Only destruction.
Riku meanwhile stands at the edge of the peninsula, watching the island in the distance – his home – begin to crumble into the water, disappearing entirely. The sight is exactly what the voice inside his head warned him of – death and destruction would one day be coming for him, surrounded by a veil of darkness.
But why did that original voice inside his head always make darkness seem so ugly, so scary? It's such a beautiful sight – his key to freedom, earned by the loss of everything he holds dear. He much prefers the new voice that's taken over inside his head – the voice that tells him to give into his deepest desires, to embrace the darkness and all the power it can give him.
Riku can hear footsteps pounding closer behind him, and he turns to look only to see Sora racing down the wooden bridge towards him.
The final key off this island...
"Where's Kairi?" Sora exclaims, skidding to a stop behind his friend. "I thought she was with you!"
"The door has opened," Riku replies, echoing that voice that had reached out to him when he arrived on the island after noticing the storm threatening the raft.
His new friend is so wise.
"What?" Sora asks.
"The door has opened, Sora!" Riku excitedly states as he fully turns to face his friend. "Now we can go to the outside world!"
"What are you talking about?! We gotta find Kairi!" Sora points out, always the voice of reason.
"Kairi's coming with us," Riku argues with a wide grin that doesn't look his own. "Once we step through," he continues with a glance up at the swirling orb just on top of him, floating in the sky, "we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness."
The original voice inside Riku's head cries out, telling him to stop, but his new friend soon drowns it out.
Riku extends a hand towards Sora, begging him to take this journey with him. But to Sora, for the first time in their friendship, Riku's extended hand doesn't look like friendship or a promise of adventure – it looks dangerous.
"Riku..." Sora hums before looking down at the ground, blue eyes widening as he watches a thick, black substance appear at his best friend's feet.
The black sludge starts to wind its way up Riku's body, its tendrils enveloping him and threatening to swallow him whole. Sora runs forward, hoping to stop it, but Riku merely stands still with a haunting smile on his face. The darkness starts to wrap around Sora, as he reaches a hand towards his friend.
He has to save him, to bring him back. But he can't manage to reach him, as the darkness grows and widens the gap between the two friends. Just as Sora's fingers brush against Riku's, the darkness explodes, blinding Sora for a moment.
A calming light appears instead, freeing Sora from the depths and keeping him on the island. Sora stumbles forward as the darkness dissipates, a strange weight weighing on his right hand. He glances down, staring in awe at what can only be described as a giant, silver, oversized Key.
He barely even notices it at first, as he instead focuses on the fact that Riku's gone – vanished from the island. But Sora then realizes that he's now holding a giant Key of all things. With a frown, he stares down at the object, wondering what in the world it is, before a comforting voice speaks through his head – a voice he hasn't heard in years.
'Keyblade'
"Keyblade," Sora mutters under his breath as he grips the hilt of the blade, his mind racing faster than he can keep up.
His world is disappearing, he has a Key as his weapon, Riku's acting like a maniac, dark goo is covering his island, and Kairi is nowhere to be found.
Just a normal Wednesday, right?
[THE WORLD THAT NEVER WAS]
In the years since Xehanort's experiment – where he successfully created his own Heartless and Nobody and dragged seven other lucky souls with him – he's had nothing but victories. Without any Keybearers roaming the worlds, Xehanort (through his Nobody, Xemnas) has been able to bring everyone to their knees. Worlds have fallen, many people have lost their hearts, and – as he stands atop the highest tower of his castle, watching the dark sky of The World That Never Was – he's reminded of all his successes as he stares at the giant pink heart formed above.
A heart filled with the hearts of pathetic humans too weak to fight their fates.
A heart that will serve as the key to his glory.
Kingdom Hearts.
And Xemnas is not alone; he now has eleven loyal subjects, all Nobodies and all deadly. Saix and Xigbar have become his right and left hand men, eager to please and willing to do anything for their Master. Xaldin and Lexaeus are the muscle that are sent in to worlds that present problems, or try pitifully to fight back. Vexen and Zexion assist him with experiments, trying to manipulate forces and nature to help make their group stronger. And Axel, the most hesitant of the group, has become Xemnas' quiet assassin – a man without a conscience and happy to create anarchy.
But in the years, more have joined his group. There's Luxord, a pale-haired man with a penchant for leaving life up to chance – so long as his odds are always greater than his enemies. Demyx has also joined them, a Nobody who would rather spend his days near the water playing his sitar. But he's loyal, and that's what matters to Xemnas. And lastly, there's Larxene and Marluxia. Even Xemnas is a little scared of Larxene's horrible temperament, contrasted by Marluxia's calm brilliance.
This is Xemnas' Organization, always standing by his side and ready to assist his plot to bring back the darkness – as well as their hearts. Because for all of their glory, what they miss the most is having a heart. There's a certain sad punishment to walking through life without a heart, unable to feel even the most basic of emotions. It's Xemnas' greatest regret, for he misses the satisfaction and power one feels as a human.
"Xemnas, are you listening to me?"
The gray-haired male turns his gaze from the sky to the tall woman standing beside him, cloaked in black and green and with skin as gray as the cloudy sky.
"Apologies, Maleficient. What was it you were saying?" Xemnas asks, not wanting to be rude to an old "friend."
"I was telling you that the Keybearer has started his journey. Well... both of them have," Maleficent states with a wry smile. "The clock has started, Xemnas. Next rests our salvation."
"Excellent," Xemnas muses, cracking the smallest hint of a grin for the first time in ages. "Keep collecting your hearts. Train the boys to fight, and to kill as many of your heartless creatures as possible. And then, soon, Kingdom Hearts will be ready – and we shall all be free."
Maleficent nods, giving a deep bow of appreciation to the man. Xemnas chuckles under his breath,
"As you command, Master Xemnas," she agrees, her green eyes flicking up to his for a moment before she disappears in a wisp of smoke.
Xemnas looks at where she had been standing before he stares up at the night's sky.
"So beautiful," he hums as he admires Kingdom Hearts, partially hidden behind some dark clouds.
With one last parting glance, he turns on his heel and makes his way back inside the massive headquarters of the Organization. It's late, almost midnight, so everyone's in bed and asleep by now. Xemnas takes advantage of having some rare time to himself, creating a portal that leads to the computer room tucked away in Radiant Garden.
Well, what WAS Radiant Garden. A few years ago, Radiant Garden disappeared, swallowed by the darkness like so many worlds. Some residents were swallowed, and accepted as sacrifices to Kingdom Hearts. Others appeared in other worlds, waiting for their world to return. And by the time it did return a few months ago, no one could even if they wanted to – the portals between worlds have been closed, making travel (or escape) impossible.
Xemnas is therefore alone in what is now known as Hollow Bastion, as he walks up to the gigantic computer in the center of the room. He slips a disc inside, types in a couple passwords, and takes a step back. A hum roars throughout the gigantic room downstairs, and Xemnas calmly walks down the stairs to the factory below.
A chamber has opened right before the factory, leading to a hidden staircase. Xemnas heads down, walking at a slow pace. The dark stairway spirals down to a long hallway, with closed doors lining the hall.
As he walks down the stairs, Xehanort basks in his glory, knowing that his actions have started a stream of events that can't be avoided. Through Ansem, he planted the seeds of dissent in that naïve boy Riku, using his dissatisfaction at life in Destiny Islands to propel him to give into the darkness and explore the worlds. He ripped away Kairi and her heart, and took Riku away from Sora, leaving the boy desperate to save his friends and alone.
Desperate enough that he'd kill as many Heartless as possible to save his friends.
At the very end of the hall, is a white door with black chains covering it. As Xemnas stands before it, the door opens, revealing an all white room with glowing black chains on the ground leading to the middle, where a white throne rests. Xemnas comfortably takes his seat, staring at a cluttered heap of metal in the corner of the room.
The remnants of Aqua's lost armor.
"Now that you're alone," Xemnas speaks up, staring at the armor with a faint smile on his face. "Shall we decide what's to happen next? I believe, old friend, that the time has come to end this battle."
[TWO MONTHS LATER]
[A/N: It's my estimate that KH1 lasts – in real life – for about 3 months. That's what I'm basing this timeline on]
[THE WORLD THAT NEVER WAS]
Every day for Axel is the same.
He wakes up, takes at least 30 minutes to get out of bed, showers, brushes his teeth, eats a bagel with extra cream cheese, scarfs down coffee, harasses Vexen in his lab, and then meets with Saix to get his assignment for the day.
Day in, day out. Always the same, never anything new.
He doesn't have any friends. He lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps for the Organization. He can barely remember who he was before he became a Nobody. He can't even remember his old name. He thinks he lived in a small town, that had a large building overlooking the city. Maybe a palace, or a castle? And he knows he had friends, but their faces are fuzzy. After all these years without a heart and emotions, it appears his memories have disappeared as well.
But, thanks to the lack of a heart, he couldn't care less.
"Yo, Axe?"
Axel tears his gaze from the window, where he was watching the peaceful night's sky, to glance over at his fellow Nobody. Demyx is watching him, leaning forward in his seat with his hands clasped together in front of him.
"What?" Axel grumpily responds.
"Do you ever regret, y'know... becoming a Nobody?"
Axel pauses for a moment, contemplating the question. He finally starts to chuckle, causing Demyx's eyebrows to furrow as his blue eyes narrow.
"Where'd that come from?" Axel asks.
"Dunno, just thinking about it," Demyx mutters with a shrug as he leans back in his seat.
"Fuck no! What kind of question is that?" Axel retorts with a booming laugh. "Why, do you regret it?"
"Nah," Demyx lies. "Just wondering... sometimes you look sad, that's it. Everyone does here."
"We're Nobodies," Axel reminds him, rolling his eyes as if it's obvious. He glances out the window again, admiring the thick fog that's hiding the city below them. "We can't feel sad."
With a frown, Demyx hums under his breath, contemplating what Axel just said.
Axel frowns as well, wondering why that statement felt like the biggest lie he ever told.
[ONE MONTH LATER]
[REALM OF DARKNESS]
For longer than you'd like, you've been stuck on the beach with Vanitas. When you finally tried to leave one day after you arrived – desperate to find Aqua – he had grabbed your wrist and pulled you back, scolding you for even thinking of leaving the beach and heading back into the darkness. You asked him why it mattered, especially to someone like him?
And his response was simple: "Right now, we're at what can only be described as a corridor. We're in the brightest, safest place in the Realm. When the time is right, we'll go back home through here," he explained to you, pointing to the black water beyond the shore.
"Then why can't I bring Aqua here too?!" you demanded to know. "She's out there, alone, and I need to find her."
"You can't leave," he told you with a shake of his head. "Physically, I mean. Once you leave, you can't come back."
"Then how'd I get here?" you challenged, placing your hands on your hips as you tried to sound intimidating.
"Because of me," he replied honestly with a casual shrug.
You never asked him what he meant by that statement; you let it go at that point. And any time you tried to sneak away to find Aqua, Vanitas would be there, blocking your path. It was almost like he had transformed into your guard dog. You swore he never slept, because any time you'd wake up from sleep, he'd be there – perched beside you, silently watching you.
You were torn on how to feel at his treatment of you. On one hand, it was chilling. This person – if you could even call him a person – had without a doubt ruined your life. He terrified you, and whenever his eyes met yours, the hairs on the back of your neck rose. But on the other hand, he interested you. Vanitas is dark, and mysterious, and there's an unmistakable sadness to him. Yet despite his faults and your fear of him, at the end of the day... you pitied Vanitas. He's a broken boy, desperate for guidance and affirmation.
And with all of this in mind, he still willingly watched over you like a hawk for no discernable reason. Despite his threats and his prior actions, you felt... safe near him.
But that doesn't stop you from fighting with him 24/7.
"Why can't I leave?" you ask for the millionth time, bored of waiting for something to happen and absolutely dying to find Aqua. "You can come with me, so we can find Aqua and come back here."
"We can't leave because I said so!" Vanitas argues back, grabbing your arm to drag you closer to him. "I'm not sticking my neck out for you, or her, or any of your friends. I was stupid enough to help you," he growls, pushing you away as he releases your arm.
"I can't leave her behind, Vanitas," you tell him, taking a step forward.
"You'll be killed, idiot," Vanitas reminds you with an eye roll.
"I've lasted this long without you," you remind him with an eye roll of your own. "I'll be fine, you asshole."
"Asshole?" Vanitas repeats with a tick of his eyebrows.
It's the first time you've been brave enough to insult him.
"Well, what else should I call you?" you ask, resting your hands on your hips. "You've kept me prisoner here for how long?"
"One year," he responds without skipping a beat.
You swear your heart stops.
"What did you say?" you question in a near whisper.
"It's... been a year, that we've been on this beach," Vanitas tells you with a guilty shift of the toe of his shoe in the sand. "We've been gone for... almost ten years."
You've never felt so weak. Your knees buckle, and you fall back into the sand like a mallet hit your chest, your legs resting weakly in front of you. It's hard to breathe, hard to control your racing thoughts.
"10 years..." you mutter, staring at your shoes that are covered in sand as you sit on the beach. "I've been gone for... 10 years?"
How does one even begin to comprehend this news? You want to argue with the man, call him a liar, but by the sullen look on his face, you just know he's telling the truth.
Ten years...
What have you missed in ten years?
"How do I know that you aren't lying to me?" you finally ask, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
Vanitas' gaze darts up to yours.
"Have I lied to you since I met you?" he counters.
You can't argue with that...
A hand rises to your mouth, and you shake your head as your eyes grow hot with quickly forming tears. Vanitas watches you, as if unsure how to handle a crying girl in front of him. Just as he takes a step towards you, a loud shriek – like that of a powerful Heartless – roars behind the both of you. Vanitas glances over his shoulder, and you heave a sigh as your hand drops.
"Go check it out," you tell him, in your own way of informing him that you're okay, as you wipe some stray tears from your cheek.
"Okay," Vanitas agrees, not putting up an argument as a Keyblade appears in his hand and he takes off towards the source of the sound. "Stay here," he adds, calling out behind him as he disappears into the darkness.
You sit there in silence, waiting for him to return. Your mind is still racing, unsure what to make of what you just learned. Your foot slowly starts to tap as the impatience grows, wondering why exactly you're sitting still to wait for your enemy to return? Isn't this entire charade antithetical to what a hero is supposed to do, you ask yourself as you sit on the abandoned beach?
Without asking another question, you stand to your feet, ready to take the darkness by storm. You take a step away from the beach, where you know the darkness and Aqua are waiting, only to be forced to come to a stop as a swirling black portal appears in front of you. A man wearing all black with a hood covering his head and face steps out, looking around the beach as if searching for someone.
You quietly sidestep towards the nearest rock, hoping to hide from the man before he turns around and spots you. Three steps later, and the man peers over his shoulder, his vision clearly landing on you as he freezes.
"Who are you?" he asks, his voice soft and emotionless.
"Who am I?" you snap, taking a step back as you raise your voice to sound threatening. "Who are you, and how did you get here?!"
The man tilts his head, allowing the faint light from the moon above to briefly illuminate his face. You can make out pale skin, and striking blue eyes framed by shaggy blond hair. You stumble back at the sight, your heart leaping into your throat as you release a gasp and slap a hand over your mouth.
"... Ven?" you hiss, watching the man with wide eyes.
"Uh... Who?" the stranger repeats, his face once again hidden by shadows as he stands up straight.
"You're Ven!" you gush, breaking out in a smile as you run towards your long-lost friend. "I can't believe you're here, and awake... but why are you dressed like an idiot?" you ask as you tap his leather-covered arm.
"Hey!" the man protests, swatting your hand away. "My name's not Ven. Sorry."
"It's... not?" you mutter in disappointment, your face falling at the news. "But, how is that possible? You look just like him," you add, barely able to make out the features of his face even as you stand in front of him.
"I think I know my own name," he retorts, and you swear you can see him rolling his eyes.
You take a step back, sighing as you run a hand up and down your arm. It's telling just how strange your new "normal" has become, since you aren't even all that phased by having a stranger who looks like your friend appear out of a portal on a beach in the Dark Realm.
"Sorry, I think my time here is making me lose my mind," you admit, dropping your hand from your arm to instead extend it to the man. "I'm [Name]. What's your name?"
He stares at your hand for a few seconds, as if unsure what to do with it. Slowly, hesitantly, he accepts your hand, giving it a quick shake.
"I'm Roxas."