Another chapter! Yay!!

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Roxas looked around nervously as he pulled the hood of the dark cloak he wore around his face. He ran over to the wall that surrounded the palace. Next to it was a tree, which he grabbed a branch and began hoisting himself up.

'I can't stay here. I'm sorry, Dad,' he thought. He was brought out of his thoughts by Rajah pulling on the end of his cloak. The cat whimpered his yellow eyes big. Roxas felt a prang of guilt in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Rajah. But I can't stay here and marry someone I don't love. I have to go." the blonde whispered, hugging the cat around it's neck.

Rajah seemed to frown before using his head to help Roxas over the wall. Roxas gave him one last fleeting look, feeling horrible.

"Good-bye."

Next Day, Palace

"Lord Cloud," Xemnas greeted, bowing.

"Hello, Xemnas. Have you had any word on my son?" Cloud asked.

Xemnas hid a smirk. "Not yet. But, I know a way to find him."

Cloud stood. "What is it?"

Xemnas smiled, pointing to the sapphire ring on Cloud's left ring finger. Cloud looked hesitant. It was the ring he had been giving from his wife, Aeris's, family when they married. She died in child birth with Roxas.

"I-I don't know…" Cloud whispered.

Xemnas held out his staff. On it was a Heartless. The Heartless's eyes glowed a odd yellow, making Cloud fall into a trance.

"Everything will be fine." Xemnas said silkily, smirking. "The ring?"

Cloud gave it to him. Xemnas's smirk deepened, taking it and walking away. He went into a secret room, where Zexion sat. The lilac-haired teen looked up at his arrival, giving the man a flat look.

"You have it?" he asked.

Xemnas nodded. "Yes. Now, shall we find our Diamond in the Ruff?"

Market Place

Axel sat with Demyx on the top of a shop, watching all the people that pasted. None were worth really looking at, however. He was bored out of his mind with nothing to do. He watched as Demyx toyed with a few coins they had stolen from a rich man that was flaunting all his money.

"Hey, Axel. Look."

The red head looked up. There was a shorter boy with a cloak covering his face. A lot of people stared. The cloak was made of velvet. Axel's eyes narrowed. No one around here had that type of money.

The boy looked nervous. He kept backing away from everyone, and looked rather self-conscience. He backed up into someone and the hood fell. Axel's eyes widened. He was gorgeous.

He had blonde hair that swept over to the side, and bangs that fell into his bright blue eyes. He had a slightly childish look to him, and long eye-lashed. Axel blinked when Demyx suddenly nudged him.

"Cute kid?"

The taller teen snorted. "Cute doesn't cover it. Are your eyes working?"

Demyx laughed. "He's not my type."

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Roxas looked around nervously, not liking the looks he was getting from these people. He saw a little boy, obviously starved, trying to reach for an apple. He was too short however. Roxas frowned and, without thinking, grabbed the apple and gave it to the boy.

"There you go." Roxas said, smiling.

The boy smiled and ran off. Roxas began walking off when someone grabbed his arm.

"I hope you're planning on paying that."

Roxas winced. "'Pay'?"

The man threw the blonde's wrist on the cart next to him. "Do you know that price you pay for stealing?"

Roxas's eyes widened as the man pulled out a sword. He was about to cut off his wrist when someone grabbed the man's sword and stopped him.

A tall boy, probably over two feet from Roxas's short height, smiled charmingly at the man. He had bright red hair that spiked out and reminded Roxas of a porcupine. He wore slightly baggy pants that didn't fit his small waist and a black sleeveless. He had beautiful green eyes and black teardrop tattoos under them.

"Thanks so much, mister." The boy turned to Roxas. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Roxas blinked. "What?"

"Just play along." He whispered.

The man glared at the boy, obviously recognizing him. "You know this boy, Axel?"

Axel sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, yes. He's my cousin. He's a little crazy."

Roxas huffed. "Hey!"

Axel smiled and took Roxas by the hand. "C'mon, Cuz. We gotta go see the doctor."

They walked away. Roxas felt himself blushing, staring at their joined hands. He had never held anyone's hands before. Especially someone's who was so beautiful like this teen in front of him.

"Hurry up, Axel!"

Roxas blinked. A blonde, only a little taller than Roxas himself, was standing in the rafters of an alleyway. He had large emerald eyes and his dirty blonde hair was in a Mohawk-like style. He, too, wore clothes that didn't fit his skinny form, though not as badly as Axel's. His were pale brown pants with a blue shirt.

Axel smiled. "I'm hurrying, Demyx."

He turned to Roxas, who swore his heart skipped a beat at his smile. "Are you okay? That was a brave thing you did back there."

Roxas blushed. "I'm fine. And I'm sure anyone would've done it."

Axel snorted. "Yeah, right. Those people would've left him to starve. Most of us have to steal to get by and hope we don't get caught."

Demyx jumped next to them, surprising Roxas. "Everyone's so poor that, you sell what you have, but steal so you can sell. See how it works?"

"N-not really." The shorter boy muttered.

Axel led them up some stairs and into an abandoned house. It wasn't that bad except it was dirty. Roxas looked around in awe. To him, it was perfect. Axel had him sit on the steps that led to a huge window that was covered by a brown blanket.

"This is how it works; you have to sell things to get money so you can get food. But you have nothing, which is why you have to sell. So you steal so you can sell." The red head explained.

Roxas looked at his feet. "I had no idea it was so bad around here…"

Demyx gave him a friendly smile. "It's alright. It could be worse."

Axel sat next to Roxas, making the blonde blush at their closeness. "Where are you from?"

The thought of home made his stomach lurk. "What does it matter? I ran away and I am not going back."

"How come?" Axel asked.

Roxas frowned. "My father's forcing me to get married."

Demyx and Axel shared a look. "That's awful."

Roxas didn't look at them. "I like it here though. It's nice."

Axel smiled. "It's not much, but…"

He pulled the blanket off the window. Roxas's eyes widened at the sight. It was the rest of the town and the palace. It reflected the setting sun. It was beautiful. Roxas had never seen anything like it.

"It's beautiful."

Axel leaned on the window sill. "I've always wondered what it would be like to be at the palace…If it's any different than others."

"It's…nice, I guess." Roxas muttered, tearing his eyes away from the place.

"It's gotta be better than out here…Stealing to eat."

"People telling you how to get dressed."

"Never having anything that's really yours."

"It makes you feel…"

"I always feel…."

"Trapped." They both said.

Demyx hid a smile as Roxas blushed and Axel took his hand. Though he did feel…lonely. He shrugged it off. It wasn't anything to worry about.

"I, uh….never got your name." Axel admitted, smiling sheepishly.

"Roxas."

"Roxas…" Axel repeated, leaning forward.

"Stop, thief!"

Both jumped. Zexion and a group of guards stood with swords. Axel and Roxas's eyes widened. Roxas immediately recognized Zexion as Xemnas's helper and Axel knew those guards.

Demyx stood next to Axel, looking around worriedly. "How'd they find us?"

"My father must've sent them." Roxas said, holding Axel's hand tightly.

Axel looked around and he and Demyx shared a look. They knew what they were going to have to do. Axel edged them to the window.

"Do you trust me?" he asked Roxas.

Roxas looked up in surprise. "What?"

"Do you trust me?" Axel repeated.

"Yes…" the blonde answered.

Axel smiled before he had the three of them jump out the window. Roxas wanted to scream but it caught in his throat. Their fall was slowed by a cloth that acted as a ceiling for the alleyway. Axel recovered quickly and they began running. The guards appeared, smiling unpleasantly.

Axel looked around. All their exits had been blocked. He gave Roxas's hand a reassuring squeeze, promising to find a way out of this. Demyx glared at them all. He didn't like this at all.

"Get them." Zexion ordered.

The guards grabbed Axel and began pulling him away. Roxas grabbed Zexion's arm and stopped him from leaving.

"Zexion, release him!"

"Under whose orders?" one guard demanded.

"The Prince!" Roxas snapped.

The guards's eyes all widened, and kneeled. They made Axel and Demyx both kneel as well. Axel's mind was in shock. Roxas…was the Prince?

"I'm sorry, but the order comes from Xemnas. You'll have to take it up with him." Zexion sneered, eyes narrowed.

They took Axel away and Roxas quickly followed after. Zexion turned to the other boy and stopped short. Demyx glared at him defiantly, still struggling.

"Release him." Zexion ordered, eyes never leaving the blonde's.

The guards looked confused but did so. They returned to their posts, leaving Zexion and Demyx alone. The blonde looked at him suspiciously.

"What're you after?" he asked.

"There was no order for you. I don't want you in the Dungeon if you don't have to be." Zexion answered.

Demyx relaxed slightly. "Who are you?"

"Zexion, currently under Mentorship of the Royal Vizier." The slightly shorter teen did a mock bow. "You?"

Demyx smiled. "Demyx, currently Thief-At-Large."

Zexion smiled, for the first time in a long time. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Demyx."