The Roxas Chronicles

[Mizagium]

Riku and Namine jumped when DiZ slammed his fist on the keypad. He turned his seat and stood up, facing Namine. Only his eyes and mouth were visible, but the fury on his face was evident. He walked decidedly towards Namine.

"What went wrong?" DiZ said slowly, anger seething from his voice.

"I-I don't know." Namine stuttered defensively. "Everyth-thing was going p-perfectly, and then..." She lowered her head as she trailed off.

"Yes, everything was going perfectly." DiZ repeated sarcastically. "But then Roxas walked away instead of Sora!" He reached out and grabbed Namine by her throat and brought her up to eye level. "Now I'll ask you again: What went wrong?"

Namine scratched at DiZ's bandaged hands, gasping for breath. "I...ack...don't know! I don't...ack..know! Please!" Namine pleaded. Riku moved toward toward DiZ, his arm outstretched as if to to pacify DiZ.

"DiZ..." He said. He was ignored. "DiZ!" He shouted again. "That's enough!" DiZ looked over his shoulder at Riku, as if warning him to stay away, then turned back to Namine.

[Mizagium]

DiZ was thrown sideways, his grip on Namine released and she fell to the floor. He doubled over in pain, gathering his air. He looked up angrily. Riku stood confidently, Soul Eater held in his fighting stance. Namine got to her feet and ran to Riku for protection. She hid behind him like a frightened child.

"You!" DiZ spat. "You attacked me!"

"You might have killed her if I hadn't." Riku defended, never raising his voice.

"She's a Nobody!"

"She's a person."

DiZ caught his breath and stood up to his full height, making him several inched taller than Riku. Even though their heights were similar, DiZ presented himself in such a way that he seemed to dwarf Riku. He moved himself right in front of Riku and stared. Riku met his gaze and held it. The two stayed like that for the better part of a minute, staring each other down.

Finally, DiZ looked away and continued, content with Riku's response. Riku lowered Soul Eater. Namine reappeared from behind Riku.

"What now?" Riku asked.

[Mizagium]

"Roxas may have returned to the Organization." DiZ stated, sitting back down in his chair. He turned back to his monitors and typed something on his keypad. Information on Donald and Goofy appeared on the screens. Images of their pods also showed up.

"But wasn't Roxas running away from the Organization?" Riku asked, pulling up his hood.

"Yes, but without Sora's memories clouding his head, corrupting his judgment, he might feel safer with other Nobodies." Namine observed.

"Particularly the one called Axel." DiZ produced an image of Axel. "Organization XIII No.8, Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames and master of the Assassin subspecies of lesser Nobodies." DiZ read of information about Axel.

"He also worked with the master of Castle Oblivion, Marluxia to capture Sora for their own use. He subsequently betrayed him and Larxene, perhaps following order for the Superior." Namine gave more information based on her time in Castle Oblivion."

DiZ tapped his fingers on the keypad thinking, planning. "Perhaps Leon and the others could help us." Riku offered. "They're in Hollow Bastion, maybe they would help us find Roxas."

"Perhaps..." DiZ mused. He scratched his bandaged chin.

[Mizagium]

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End Chapter Three.

Well? Comments? Suggestions?

[Xelwes]

F**K yea! lolz. I'm gonna wait for the next chapter now.

[Mizagium]

I'm considering a Riku/Namine pairing. Thoughts?

[Xelwes]

Yatz! do it, do it faggot.

[Mizagium]

Okay.

[Xelwes]

haha i was stating my support but mokay

[Mizagium]

Fine. I am still working out EXACTLY what changes in the story this will bring about. It's kinda fun.

[Mizagium]

Chapter Four: Misplaced
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Roxas stood before Xemnas and the remaining members of Organization XIII. Everyone besides Roxas sat on their raised chairs, looking down at him. It didn't bother him. He knew he was capable of killing each and everyone of them.

"Your first assignment after being reinstated into the Organization," Xemnas began, "Is to assist member Xaldin." Roxas raised one eyebrow. Xemnas must have seen it becasue he continued. "You were sent there before with him. It seems his mission is taking longer than expected."

Roxas waited for Xemans to finish. "When you arrive, you are to find Xaldin and give him whatever assistance he needs in completing his mission." Roxas nodded. "But," Xemans continued. "As per your probationary stauts, another member will accompany you there." He turned his head to look at the remaining members. "Axel." He said finally. "You will accompany Roxas."

[Mizagium]

"Me?" Axel pointed at himself, a surprised look on hi face.

"Yes, you. Is there a problem?" Axel looked at Xemnas, then at Roxas, then back.

"No. No problem." He hopped down from his chair and landed next to Roxas and looked up to face Xemnas. He bumped Roxas cheerfully and gave him a quick friendly smile when he turned back to look.

"You both are to leave immediately. You know the way." THe both bowed slightly in obedience and diapered into a Corridor of Darkness.

[Mizagium]

"Is that really a good dead, Xemnas?" Saix asked once Roxas and Axel left Where Nothing Gathers. Xemnas turned his head to inicate he had hear his question and was curious.

"Is what a good idea?"

"To send Axel with Roxas."

"Why would it be a bad idea?"

"Because," Luxord interjected. "Roxas is Axel's friend. If Roxas tires to run off, Axel probably won't stop him." Xemnas turned to speak to Luxord.

"Axel is loyal to the Organization, he proved that both in Castle Oblivion when he killed Marluxia, and when he brought Roxas back to us." Xemnas was not thrilled about being questioned, but let it continue. If they received satisfactory answers they would follow more easily.

"But Axel is also loyal to his friend." Luxord persisted. "He always was. And besides, He was the one who killed Vexen, not Marluxia."

"Vexen had outlived his purpose." Xemnas stated. "So had Lexaeus. Marluxia and Larxene had betrayed the Organization. Axel saw to it that they were eliminated. He will not betray us." He vanished in a puff of darkness to signify that the conversation was over.

[Mizagium]

"I still don't like this." Saix said to himself, but mainly to those four who remained.

"Roxas betrayed the Organization once who says he won't do it again?" Xigbar shot is his hotheaded way.

"And Axel was always a wildcard..." Saix muttered.

"Roxas in=s more powerful than Xemnas realizes." Luxord observed. Demyx looked at him incredulously.

"No one's more powerful than The Superior!"

"Oh don't be so naive!" Luxord snapped. "Roxas is the wielder of the Light Realm's Keyblade. Marluxia and Larxene could have easily taken the Organization if they got Sora under their control! Roxas is just as powerful."

"R-Really?"

"Agh, it doesn't matter," Siax waved everyone silent. "For now, we keep quiet. Xemnas might be right. After all, he was right about Marluxia..." He trailed off and eventually vanished into a Corridor of Darkness. Luxord followed, then Xigbar, then Demyx. Where Nothing Gathers was empty again.

[Mizagium]

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End Chapter Four

[Mizagium]

Chapter Five: Unfamiliar Friends
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DiZ, Riku, and Namine stepped out of the Corridor of Darkness into Hollow Bastion. The world was vastly different since Riku last was here. Before, only the castle and its inner chambers had survived the Heartless assault when Riku came looking for the Final Keyhole. Now the world was restored much to its former glory, the town had sprung back up and the citizens stranded in Traverse Town had returned.

Unbeknownst to Riku, DiZ was also experiencing a wave of nostalgia. His was just as unpleasant as Riku's if not more so. It all felt familiar to him, but not at first; it was like walking in a dream for him, he couldn't quite believe he was here.

Riku rested is hand on DiZ's shoulder gently, jolting him out of his reverie. "Where do we go from here?"

"I think Namine knows who to contact." He replied with a smile.

[Mizagium]

Namine nodded ever so slightly. She did know who to go to, after all she did have Kairi's memories. She remembered Leon, and Yuffie, and Aerith, and Cid. But this town was new to her, locating them would be difficult.

DiZ could not help but smile. The layout of the town was coming back to him after almost ten years. It still felt strange to be back, though. He never thought he would be back before he had exacted his revenge. But plans change. Roxas' revival threw a monkey wrench into everything he had carefully laid out.

Namine moved to the head of the group and motioned for the others to follow. They neared the center of town, their strange dress drawing suspicious looks from the townspeople. A man wrapped head to toe in red bandages, a tall figure in a black cloak hiding his face, and a young girls in a plain white dress and sandals: not exactly the most normal bunch.

[Mizagium]

Namine stopped suddenly. The townspeople were running around madly. DiZ and Riku glanced at each other, guessing the cause of the chaos. DiZ pulled Namine back cloe to him and Riku produced Soul Eater. They stood for a moment, expecting Heartless to attack them.

A Soldier Heartless leaped seemingly out of nowhere. It was on top of them before they realized what happened, but a quick reaction from Riku sent the Heartless spiraling away. A followup slash destroyed it.

"Look out!" Namine called out to Riku. Too late. A Large Body Heartless slammed into him, throwing him away from DiZ and Namine. The Heartless then turned on them. Riku scrambled to his feet, but ti was too late: the Heartless was already charging at DiZ and Namine, and they were unable to get out of the way in time.

[Mizagium]

Then a figure ran up behind them, leaped into the air, and brought down his blade on the Heartless, splitting it in two. Riku reached DiZ and Namine as the Heartless vanished and the figure stood up.

The man had shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. A scar ran diagonally across the bridge of his nose. He wore a short leather jacket with small red wings on the back, and a red symbol on the left sleeve. His jacket was lined with fur. Perhaps the most unique part of the man was his blade, it resembled a cross between a sword and a revolver. A gunblade.

"Leon." Namine whispered.

[Mizagium]

"You people should be more careful around here," He warned. The warning was gruff but underneath it was genuine. "The Heartless still keep popping up all over the place." He shouldered the gunblade and turned his head and Riku rejoined DiZ and Namine. "You know, I don't remember seeing any of you around before..." He looked them over carefully.

"We just got back here," Riku offered. "With the world coming back together, we just arrived. We didn't know about the Heartless." It wasn't very convincing. Namine sighed, and DiZ chuckled a little. Leon wasn't buying it, but didn't press any further. Instead he turned back to Namine.

"You look familiar, like someone else I know." He furrowed his brow in contemplation. "And yet, you aren't that person."

Namine merely shook her head. "We're friends of Sora and - "

"Sora! Why didn't you just say so! How is he?"

"Well see..."