The Year Between [Alpha Draft] - Pt 40;

[keybearer]

Chapter 40: The Warning

He’d barely stepped through the door before the sound of swift, thundering footsteps reached his ear. Three fluffy, white blurs zipped down the steps, pushing, shoving, grinning, and shouting. He should’ve known that this would happen. After all, it’d been half a year since their last trip to Hollow Bastion. Who could blame the kids for their excitement? As Huey, Dewey, and Louie reached the bottom of the stairs, the Replica watched with a smirk, while Naminé concealed her mouth behind a hand, giggling at the sight. The boys stumbled over one another, toppling towards the floor, but just before their heads reached the ground, Scrooge dashed out in front of them, threw out his arms, and caught all three ducklings in one fell swoop. Momentum sent him waddling backwards, and he slammed his cane down on the carpet.

Once he caught his breath, he straightened his hat, adjusted his collar, and cleared his throat. “Now, now, boys! I know you’re excited, but please remember your manners.” He swiveled around, sweeping his cane at the Replica. “They’ve had a perilous journey, and—”

The Replica snorted and crossed his arms. “Please. You think we can’t handle a little excitement?”

“Ah, well, I’m certain you’re both exhausted from your adventures!” He scowled, rattling his cane. “Why, that blasted Marluxia! If it weren’t for that scoundrel, you wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place.”

“I know.” Naminé bowed her head. “But it’s okay. Marluxia’s gone now, and I honestly think it was good that we left.”

“What?!” the boys squawked in unison.

“But… but don’t ya like us, Naminé?” said Louie, pouting.

“Of course I do!” She smiled gently, bridging the distance between them. “But at the same time, we had to go.” She eyed the Replica. “He had to continue sealing the Keyholes, and we learned so much.”

“Ew.” Huey grimaced. “Didja have to go to school?”

“Huey!” Scrooge once again swished his cane. “I’ll have you know that education is the foundation for the future!”

“Yeah, but heroes don’t have time to worry about homework!”

“I’m not a hero.” The Replica turned around, heaving a tremendous sigh. “But nah, we didn’t go to school. We just got a reality check.”

“Did something happen, lad?” Though the Replica didn’t look, the sound of Scrooge’s voice gave off a slightly worried edge.

And he smirked, grabbing Naminé’s charm. “Sure, a lot happened. It’s been months. But the point is, I’m done running.”

“We both are,” said Naminé, her voice surprisingly firm. “And don’t sell yourself short. It’s thanks to you that we’ve been able to buy ourselves time.”

Okay, she had a point there. With another sigh, the Replica flipped back around, holding up both his hands. “True, but that doesn’t mean we’ve won. Sooner or later, they’re gonna figure things out.”

Scrooge chuckled. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to worry about that later, laddie. Right now you should relax. Make yourselves at home, and I’ll see if I can get Duckworth to brew a fresh batch of a tea.”
The Replica blinked, taking a step back. “Hey, you don’t have to—”

Scrooge thrust out his chest, leaning into his cane as he stood up on his tip toes. “Oh, but I insist! It’s been far too long since we’ve seen one another, and I’d say this calls for a celebration!”

Huey’s face shriveled up, and he crossed his arms. “But why tea? That stuff’s nasty!”

“Yeah!” Dewey shivered. “Don’t ya think we oughta go for something sweeter? We don’t wanna melt their taste buds off.”

Shaking his head, the Replica snickered. “Oh, c’mon. It can’t be that bad.”

Louie gasped, throwing his hands over his beak. “You mean you actually like that stuff?”

He shrugged. “Depends on the tea.” By now, he’d tried enough different flavors to have a vague idea of his tastes. After all, back at the tower, that was practically all they drank. Green tea, chamomile tea, sometimes sweet tea or water. Sure, he asked the fairies for a soda once, but between the three’s bickering over the color and him having to explain what a soft drink was, the end result was nothing short of a sticky, bubbling catastrophe.

So tea? Totally cool in his book. If that suddenly made him a weirdo, well, the kids would just have to deal with it.

Meanwhile, Naminé squeezed her way past Scrooge and knelt down next to the boys. “Well, what would you like to have?”

“Hmm…” Huey squinted, stroking his beak. He paced back and forth, stopped, then huddled with his brothers. The whole time, the Replica watched with a raised eyebrow, while Scrooge sighed and rolled his eyes. A few seconds later, the three flipped back around with wide grins lining their beaks.

“Hey, how ‘bout we have a great big pizza with extra cheese?”

Dewey spread his arms out wide. “With lots of pepperoni!”

“And don’t forget the root beer!”

“Now look what you’ve done, Naminé.” The Replica grinned, setting his eyes on Scrooge. With a huff, the old duck strutted right up to his nephews and scowled.

“Ach, we can’t be having junk food every day, lads. Think of your health!”

“Aww, but we’ve been working real hard, Uncle Scrooge!”

“Yeah!” Louie pounded his fist against his palm. “All that climbing and hammering and lifting can take a lot outta ya.”

Dewey raised his index finger and nodded. “And it gives us a mean appetite.”

“Besides,” said Huey, “it’s not about us! You never even asked what they want.”

Scrooge blew out a monstrous sigh. “I suppose, but…”

The Replica looked down, placing a hand over his gurgling stomach. “Think I’m gonna have to side with the kids on this one.”

“…Very well, then.” Scrooge flipped around, slinking into the hall. With that, both the Replica and Naminé made their way across the room and flopped down on the couch. And, just like any old ducklings, the kids trailed right behind them, exchanging glances and muttering to each other. By the time three caught up, they all hopped up next to Naminé.

And then, without warning, an explosion of questions blasted them on the spot.

It all started with Huey, who leaned towards the two with his hands pressed against his legs. “So how come you didn’t visit us sooner?”

“And didja really beat all the bad guys?”

“Oh, and did you ever pick out a new name?”

The Replica’s hands dropped to his hips. “Okay, first of all, we didn’t visit because we were being stalked by two crazy Nobodies. Yeah, we beat them, but I’ve still had my hands full trying to seal the Keyholes, and Naminé’s been working her butt off trying to get Riku’s memories patched up.”

Dewey gasped, and his eyes flew from the Replica straight to Naminé. “Quackaroonie! Then I bet you’ve got all kinds of cool pictures.”

Naminé’s face reddened. “Well, I don’t know about ‘cool,’ but…” She set her sketchbook down on her lap, and all three of the boys glued their eyes to the pages.

With a tiny smile, she flipped through drawing after drawing, stopping on an image of a grinning skeleton dressed in a pinstripe suit. He was joined by Riku, clad in a tattered, hooded cloak with thorny straps crossing over his chest, a boy with spiky brown hair, a pumpkin mask covering his face, and tiny bat wings sprouting out of his back—Sora, the way he used to be. Briefly, the Replica grimaced, as his eyes wandered across the sketch. Next to Jack, Riku, and Sora, he spotted Donald wrapped in bandages with a gaping hole separating his torso from his legs and Goofy with a horn in place of a nose and a huge screw jutting out of his skull.

Dewey’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned over the drawing. “Hey, how come everyone’s wearing funny costumes?”

“Because it’s Halloween Town. The whole place is crawling with ghosts, monsters, and way too many exploding pumpkins.”

“Aw man,” said Huey. “How come Uncle Donald gets to go to all the cool worlds?”

“Because he had to?” The Replica laughed. “I mean, c’mon. Maleficent and her lackeys were kind of making a mess of the worlds. Plus, back then he was still obsessed with his mission.”

“I know, but it’s not fair. When we left home, Uncle Scrooge never let us go exploring. And he still won’t take us anywhere cool.” He slumped and folded his arms.

Naminé frowned, gripping the rings of her sketchbook. “But don’t you like it here?”

“Sure, but most of the time we’re stuck working.” He slouched and crossed his arms. “First we were stuck running a shop in Traverse Town and now we’re helping Uncle Scrooge sell his ice cream.”

“Yeah…” Dewey peeked at the page and sighed. “It’s been forever since we all had a real adventure.”

The Replica’s smirk faded abruptly, and his gaze dropped to his lap. He inhaled, opening and closing his fists, and stared at the chandelier dangling over their heads as faint echoes of his memories spoke out.

If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one?

Just sitting here won’t change a thing. It’s a same old stuff, so let’s go.

It wasn’t his memory. He never lived on Destiny Islands, but at the same time, he still remembered some facsimile of Riku’s hopes and ambitions. A desire to leave a peaceful world behind, to go out into parts unknown, free from his perceived prison. They might not’ve been his ambitions, but to his heart, every last one of those memories was real. Authentic. A part of him, and by bringing those memories back to the surface, a cold, slithering guilt grabbed his heart in a deadly coil. After everything he went through, Riku had to have missed his home. Missed those easygoing days where his only worries were whether or not he’d keep his untarnished win record against Sora and the others.

So when he finally turned to face the kids again, his face stiffened. “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. You guys have it good—you’ve got a family, a home… Sure, the outside world’s exciting, but sometimes that excitement comes at a price… A big one.”

Namine flinched, and her shoulders shot up. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, resting a hand over his sleeve. For a split-second, the kids all gulped, exchanging glances and fidgeting in place. Then Huey, bold as ever, tipped his chin up and pulled out the Junior Woodchucks Guidebook.

“Aw, but we’ve faced all kinds of bad guys before! And don’t you remember the way we helped ya fight that Heartless?”

“But you guys weren’t the ones on the front lines. And if you start traveling alone, there’s no telling where or when you’ll end up cornered by an even bigger Heartless. Or worse, a whole horde.” He leaned towards them, brow creasing. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“Well, uh…” Louie’s gaze drooped. “What if we went with you and Naminé?”

“But we couldn’t do that,” said Naminé. “If we did, your Uncle would get worried sick.”

“And the second you leave with us, you become walking targets. The Organization would look at you and probably use you as blackmail to get me back on the right track.” The door creaked, then slammed shut, and the Replica shuddered. His head snapped towards the doorway just in time to spot a twig-like figure draped in black, leaning against the wall. Axel.

He snickered, wearing a sleazy, broad smirk. “Well, looks like you’re already catching on. And here I thought this would be tough.”

All three of the boys hopped down from the couch at once, and Huey darted up ahead, thrusting his finger up at Axel. “Who’re you?”

He flapped his hand. “Oh, just an old acquaintance. No one you need to worry about.”

Something light thudded against the floor, followed by heavy, frantic footsteps. A white blur zipped out in front of the boys, pulling them aside. Straightening his hat, Scrooge marched straight up to Axel, swishing his cane.

“Stay away from my nephews, you… you Organization fiend! I’ll not have you set another foot in me mansion. Do you hear me?”

Rolling his eyes, Axel pushed away from the wall. “Easy there, old timer. I’m not here for the kids. No, I’ve just got a little business to take care of. Got it memorized?”

“Aye, I know very well what kind of ‘business’ you’re after.” Scrooge pointed his cane at Axel’s neck. “But if you wish to get to the boy and his lass, you’ll have to go through me.”

Louie stepped forward, punching the air. “And don’t forget about me!”

“Yeah, you’ll have to deal with all of us!” said Huey. “And we’ve got lots of experience fighting bad guys.”

Biting her lip, Naminé slid down from the couch. “Wait, you don’t have to fight him. He’s our friend!”

“A friend?” Scrooge balked, shooting her a wide-eyed look. “Wait a minute.” He looked to Axel once again, squinting and rising to his tip toes. “Ah… it’s you, isn’t it? What did they call you again—Axel?”

“And here I thought you’d forgotten all about me.” He pressed a finger below his eye. “It’s the tattoos, isn’t it?”

“Well, it’s been a very long time! At least a decade…” He turned around, pulling his cane away. “But you’re the one who warned them before, yes? And if you are looking out of them, then it wouldn’t be right for me to drive you away.”

The Replica watched them in silence, brushing off one of his sleeves. Why was Axel even here? They hadn’t seen each other in months, and here he was, waltzing back into their lives like nothing changed. And for what? A cluster of storm clouds closed in around the Replica, casting shadows over the room. He tensed, clamping his jaw shut while he shoveled through the questions spewing into his skull. Had something finally gone wrong? Was Axel just bored? Did he find Sora? Was Riku finally awake? Dozens of possibilities existed. If Axel wanted to talk business, it had to be important.

So he pulled himself across the room, brushing past the ducklings and weaving between Axel and Scrooge. “So what do you want, Axel? You gonna fill us in or what?”

“Sure I will, but I don’t do too well with crowds.” He twisted the doorknob and slipped halfway through the door. “You want some answers? You’ll have to follow me.”

He slipped outside without another word and, without even giving the others a second glance, the Replica darted right after him. Chuckling, Axel led the Replica and Naminé clear across town, between rows of battered houses, up a flight of steps, and through an all too familiar tunnel. The whole time, he stayed silent, avoiding eye contact, save for the occasional short glance. By the time they made it into the Bailey, he strutted up to the window, resting his arms against the concrete.

He stood with a hunch, perfectly still, other than the rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed. Gripping the rings of her sketchbook, Naminé inched closer to him, but he didn’t budge at all. It was like he’d fused with the wall. So why the silent treatment? The Replica tapped his foot and blew out an exaggerated sigh. Still, Axel said nothing. Did nothing.

And then, just as Naminé reached out for his arm, he said, “The jig’s up.”

The Replica stumbled forward, grasping at his chest. It was like somebody had just dropped a glass, shattering it into a million pieces, then flung those shards at him like tiny darts and daggers. He knew this was a possibility. Sooner or later, they’d catch on, but despite that knowledge, Axel’s words hit with the force of a freight train.

Stunned, the Replica’s eyes bulged, and then he coiled his arms around his body, slamming his eyes shut and taking a deep breath.

“So they finally found out…”

Axel nodded, still gazing out the window. “Surprised it took ‘em so long. You’d think that after the first week, they woulda put two and two together.” There was something odd about his tone. His words came out… soft, almost strained. What happened to his confidence from earlier?

The Replica watched him, half expecting him to flip back around with another one of his trademark smirks. He didn’t, and after a few more seconds, Naminé placed her hand against his back.

“Axel, is everything all right? You’re acting a little strange.”

He sighed. “Look, uh…” He looked at Naminé, then immediately averted his eyes. “Don’t you realize what this means? They know what’s going on, and you can bet they’ll do whatever it takes to get the ball rolling again.”

The Replica raised his hand, snapping it into a fist. “Too bad. I’m done playing by their rules.”

Axel’s shoulders hunched, and he struck the window sill. “You don’t get it, kid! They—” He paused, sucking in some air through clenched teeth. His eyes hit the floor, and he shook his head. “Like I said, the jig’s up. They know you’re behind it.”

“What?!” The Replica lurched forward, swiping his arm through the air. “But how? It’s not like I’m the only Keybearer out there.”

“I…” His voice grew hoarse, and he looked off to the side. “I… might’ve had something to do with it.”

Naminé gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands. “But Axel, how could you—”

“Do you really have to ask?” He snorted. “You know better than anyone how persuasive they are. If I didn’t talk, they were either gonna kill me or turn me into a Dusk.”

“Great.” The Replica sneered. “So what else do they know?”

“That you’re pals with the King and that all the other Keybearers are in on your master plan. But that’s not even the worst part…” At long last, he turned around, striding over to the Replica with a scowl. “See, they’re still sore over what happened with Vexen, so this? This is like pouring a whole tub of salt over a crusty, festering wound.”

“So are they gonna try and kill me?”

“Oh no. They’ll let you live.” He cracked his knuckles and waved his arm. Flames spiraled around his hand, forming into one of his chakrams. “But it’s like I told you before. They’ll strike where it hurts, make you wish you’d never stepped outta line… In other words, play time is over. For real.”

“No.” The Replica almost shouted, fire blazing in his eyes. “I’m not giving up. We have to buy some more time.”

“Well, I can’t help you there. Besides, who says they’ll go for you first?” His eyes drifted towards Naminé, while a tight-lipped smile slithered across his lips.

A thousand spikes pricked the Replica’s skin, as if he’d been shoved into an iron maiden. He hunched over, wheezing, and for a split-second, he could’ve sworn he saw a target painted over Naminé’s chest. His eyes snapped shut, and he frantically shook his head, trying to block out the image. Instead, he saw Xemnas towering over her, one hand grasping her shoulder, pressing a glowing red beam against her neck.

When he opened his eyes, Xemnas was gone, and Naminé remained safe. Untouched. She tucked her sketchbook under her arm and slowly approached him, pain written all over her face. When she reached him, she took him by the hand, intertwining her fingers with his. His lips started to perk into a smile, but stopped the second his eyes landed on hers. Grimacing, he turned his focus on Axel, swallowing the boulder lodged in his throat.

“So what do you expect me to do?”

Axel threw up his hands and shrugged. “Hey, that’s your call. If you wanna keep stalling, fine, but don’t forget that there’ll be consequences. Might be better for her if you just drop the whole thing.”

Naminé’s eyes narrowed. “Axel, leave me out of this!”

“Hey, all I’m saying is that if he really wants to protect you—”

“I have faith in him.” She squeezed the Replica’s hand. “We knew all along that the Organization might attack us, and we’ve made it this far. How can you just expect us to stop now? We’re already so close…”

“Look, I—I just don’t want you getting hurt.” He gulped, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… sheesh, what’s gotten into me? Maybe I really have gone soft.”

The Replica arched his brow. Something was definitely up. Since when did Axel ever stumble over his words? Or hesitate? He always seemed so cool. So confident… too confident, really. And now, here he was, acting concerned?

“Did you hit your head or something?”

“Sure! Why not? Fact is, Nobodies can’t feel anything. Why should I care what happens to you?” He laughed, but not out of amusement. It was an uneven, airy laugh, the kind that only happens when you’re boxed into a corner with no other means of relief.

Releasing her hold on the Replica, Naminé scurried towards him. “Axel, please. If there’s something wrong, you can tell us. I promise we’ll do whatever we can to help.”

“Nothing’s wrong. What’d I just tell you? I’m a Nobody. Everything I say and do is an act.” He smirked and shook his head. “Ha… I should get going. I’m already in enough trouble as it is.” He swung his arm out to the side, calling up a corridor. “See ya.”

The Replica bolted at him, but he was too late. In the blink of an eye, Axel vanished, as if he’d never been there in the first place.

“That jerk…” The Replica groaned, poking his head out the window. Sighing, he lost himself in the shifting mass of shadows down below until he felt Naminé’s hand brush up against his sleeve.

“Well, what are we going to do now?”

“…We gotta tell the King.” He pushed away from the wall, fists clenched tight. “Maybe he and Yen Sid will know what to do. And even if they don’t, I don’t wanna stick around here… not after—”

“I understand.” She looked off at the entrance. “And to think that this happened just when everything was starting to look up… I guess we should have known.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll figure it out.”

After a hasty goodbye to Scrooge and the nephews, the Replica tore open a portal leading back into Yen Sid’s chambers. The moment he and Naminé returned, he dashed right up to his desk, slammed his hands down on the table, and repeated everything that Axel had told them. The whole time, he watched and listened with a sharp gaze, idly stroking his beard. Mickey’s reactions were in stark contrast. His eyes popped, his hands flew over his mouth, and an avalanche of questions followed. If Axel was their pal, how come he tattled on them? Just how much did he know about their plan? How long had the Organization known, and just what were they gonna do now?

“I don’t know.” The Replica flopped into a nearby chair, fixing his eyes on the ceiling. “But the fact is, they know what we’re up to, and now we’re gonna have to deal with the consequences.”

Mickey tapped his fingers together, pressing his back against one of the bookshelves. “But that doesn’t mean we should lose hope! Even if they do know what’s goin’ on, they can’t force us to use our Keyblades.”

The Replica snorted. “But they can try. And trust me, they’ll do whatever it takes. Break our weapons, threaten our friends, overwhelm us with so many Heartless that we have no choice but to play along… They’re not stupid, Your Majesty, and by now, they’re probably desperate.”

“Hmm… this is troublesome,” said Yen Sid. “Naminé, how much longer will it take you to complete Riku’s memories?”

“Um, well…” She squeezed her sketchbook. “I’m getting close, but there are still some missing pieces. At this rate, it might take a few more months before he’s ready.”

“And time is no longer our luxury.” He shifted in his seat and gazed at the star-shaped window. “If Axel is to be trusted—and I admit that I am skeptical—then you are in grave danger, Replica. Even if you refuse to use your Keyblade, there is a chance that the Organization will find you, and when they do, I cannot guarantee your safety.”

“…No, I don’t think anyone can.” He rested his hands in his lap, locking his fingers together. “But I can’t stop now. The worlds need our protection, and I gotta keep sealing the Keyholes.”

Mickey pushed away from the bookshelf, marching over to the Replica’s side. “Then why don’t we stick together? If we work as a team, then there’s no way the Organization’d be able to hurt ya.” He winked, but despite his best effort, his words weren’t exactly reassuring.

“I appreciate the offer, Your Majesty, but won’t that slow us down? The fact is, we need as many Keybearers on as many worlds as possible. If we’re together, then we’re cutting ourselves short.”

Yen Sid scooted his chair forward and leaned over the edge of his desk. “But it would be foolish to travel the worlds alone. Doing so will risk not only your safety, but Naminé’s as well.”

He flinched, shooting a look at Naminé. “I know, but… Ugh, why does this have to be so hard? Is there no easy way outta this?”

“An easy way out…” Mickey folded his arms and tilted his head. He tapped his foot, humming under his breath, and then, outta the blue, he snapped his fingers and grinned. “Wait! I got an idea.”

Naminé sprung out of her seat. “You do?”

“Yup! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.”

“Okay, Captain Cryptic.” The Replica cracked a half smile, folding his arms over his chest. “You gonna let is in on your plan?”

“Well, pal, if the Organization’s after hearts, then all ya gotta do is go to a world without any Heartless.”

“But are there any worlds like that?” said Naminé. “There’s so much darkness out there, and it’s getting worse every day.”

He raised his index finger. “Sure, but the world I’m talkin’ about is different. See, it’s not that it doesn’t have Heartless. It’s that there can’t be any Heartless there.”

“Sure…” The Replica snickered. “But couldn’t the Organization just summon them?”

“Nope! This world’s protected by a powerful light. Even the toughest Heartless couldn’t break through.”

A soft chuckle blew out of Yen Sid. “Ah… But of course. Under the Cornerstone’s protection, he would be incapable of aiding them.”

“Uh huh. And if he stays at the castle, then he’ll have all the knights to protect him!”

“Wait, a castle? Knights? Don’t tell me you’re talking about—” He couldn’t even finish his thought. It was just too ridiculous to consider. Sure, Mickey was a friend, but there was no way he actually wanted to take him out to his world. Not a guy like him, who was still a copy at heart.

“Aww, are ya really that surprised?” Mickey beamed, patting him on the knee. “We’re pals, and if those Nobodies are gonna try and hurt ya, then I wanna make sure you’re somewhere safe.”

“But that’s your home. I don’t think I’d really… fit in.”

“Aw, shucks. You don’t have to be so hard on yourself!” He stood on his tip toes, stretching out his little arm so he could reach the Replica’s shoulder. “The castle’s full of friendly faces, and I’m sure they’d all be happy to help ya, if ya give ‘em a chance. Besides, there’s a bunch of fun stuff to do out in Disney Town. Fruit Ball, Rumble Racing…”

“…I guess that sounds pretty cool.” He sighed, watching Naminé closely. A smile tugged at her lips, and her eyes sparkled at Mickey’s words. But who could blame her? From the way he described it, the world sounded like something out of a fairy tale, minus all the evil wizards, dragons, and witches. A place free from the Heartless, a peaceful shelter where they could finally get a little rest, and Naminé could make some serious headway into Riku’s memories.

It felt wrong to hide, but he couldn’t just ignore Axel’s warning or Yen Sid’s words. The fact was, the tides had changed. Both he and Naminé had targets painted on the backs of their heads, and if they wanted to triumph over the Organization, then some sacrifices had to be made. These past few months, he’d worked himself to the brink of exhaustion, hopping from world to world, trying to slip under the Organization’s radar, and the whole time, he’d dragged Naminé along for the ride. Maybe it was time to cut back and give her some room to breathe.

Well, no point in delaying the inevitable. Wiping his bangs out of his eyes, the Replica climbed out of his seat and watched as Naminé did the same. Then, slapping a hand on his hip, he peered at Yen Sid. “You’re really okay with us bailing like this?”

He nodded. “Rest assured, Mickey and I will continue to construct a proper plan in your absence. For now, you should focus on your own safety and ensuring a swift recovery for Riku.”

Naminé’s brow furrowed, and she clutched the front of her chest. “I know, and I promise I won’t rest until his memories are restored.”

“Naminé.” The Replica grumbled and clamped a hand on her shoulder. “C’mon, you shouldn’t work yourself too hard. Even you’ve got limits.”

“He’s right.” Mickey gave another wink. “You shouldn’t stop workin’, but if you’re gonna stay at the castle, you gotta promise me you’ll have a good time. Don’t forget to have a little fun, all right?”

“…All right. I guess it’s worth a try.”

“Aw, don’t worry, you two. I’m sure you’ll have a blast.” He dug into his pocket, plucking out his Star Shard. “Guess I don’t have to tell ya to hold on tight.”

“Nah, that was pretty obvious the first time around.” Rolling his eyes, the Replica marched right up to Mickey and grabbed onto his shoulder. “Now, c’mon. Enough talk. I’m ready to hit the road.”

Giggling, Naminé reached for the Replica’s hand. The ground rumbled. Light burst around their bodies, and before the Replica could even breathe, the three blasted through the ceiling, spiraling away from the tower, into the sky, and straight towards the unknown.

To think that he’d be visiting King Mickey’s world before Riku… It was kind of strange. Even unsettling. Butterflies fluttered around in his chest even as the constant jerking motions from the Star Shard left him dazed and dizzy.

But hopefully King Mickey was right. Hopefully it’d all turn out all right.

x.x.x

Silence washed over the Round Room. Empty chairs sat lifeless and still. It would have been the perfect time for reflection, had the circumstances differed. Alas, recent developments filled the air with a thick, foreboding tension, even with the other members absent. It was no wonder Saïx had requested his presence. After all, Axel was… a close companion at one point in his life. Before… fate had taken a turn for the unpleasant. But what was fate if not cruel? And friendships, if not fragile?

A cold chuckle drifted through the air, and Xemnas slid to the edge of his throne. He pressed his palms against the armrests and gazed directly at Saïx, who refused to meet his eye. He sat with a hunch, crossing his legs and his arms. A thick crease formed along his brow, and he leered at one of the empty seats.

“You appear… troubled,” said Xemnas. “It is a peculiar thing. As I recall, a Nobody cannot feel at all. Or have you forgotten?”

“No, sir. Not in the slightest.” Yet his expression did not change. “But look at what’s happened. Axel has betrayed us.”

“Axel has wavered. He has yet to truly betray us.” But before Saïx could speak, Xemnas added, “Make no mistake. It was foolish of him to protect the Replica, and I will see to it that he receives proper punishment. We will shorten the leash. And if necessary, tighten it…”

“But you won’t eliminate him.”

“No, but if he continues to walk this path, then I cannot make any promises.” His voice was low, heavy, and firm, and his eyes narrowed to slits. “Have I made myself clear?”

Saïx nodded. “I won’t allow anyone to interfere with Kingdom Hearts.”

“Very good. Then there is nothing to fear.” And despite the subject, Xemnas wore a faint smile. “Besides, Axel’s revelation has been… most enlightening. To think that fate would bring the Replica and the King together…”

“On the contrary, I think they’re a perfect match. Both allow their emotions to cloud their judgments, and they are both annoyingly persistent.”

“Yes, but even the King is not invincible. All he needs is the… proper motivation.”

TO BE CONTINUED