((Late update again, I apologize...=_=

Um...wow. I haven't gotten around to replying to individual reviews yet, but thank you all~. Though I had to re-read that last chapter and found so many mistakes...o.o. I'll fix them ASAP. I'll also try to look over future chapters, including this one, more carefully...

This is somewhat short, I think, but major stuff happens so please bear with me!

And I figured out how to use page breaks...well, I never tried before. That may make things easier :3.

Enjoy~))

Day 410 ~ Back, Again

No nightmare. But then again, Sora didn't dream at all on this night.

It was...strange, to say the least. Still, the fact that he wasn't dreaming meant more time for Xion and I to talk. If we could think of anything to talk about in the first place.

"What will we do?" Xion asked.

"Hm...?" I wasn't sure what she was talking about, exactly.

"About...Axel." She turned and looked off, staring into space. Of course, that's all that there was to stare at.

"I don't know," I answered honestly, shaking my head. "I still can't think of anything."

Xion sighed. "If he...if they really think he's a traitor...do you think that they'll-"

I"No."/I My reply was instant, more of a denial than anything close to an answer. My mind would never be able to accept it. I would never be able to accept if Axel was...gone. I'd already thought it had happened once before-before Axel got back from Castle Oblivion.

He couldn't be gone.

"It's just..." I tried to think of something else to say. "He can take care of himself, right? He wouldn't get destroyed.."

Both Xion and I looked at one another. In her blue eyes I could sense all the same thoughts I was feeling-all the same 'emotions.' Fear, for Axel. Confusion. Anxiety. And...hope.

Slowly, finally, Xion nodded. "He can."

It seemed silly that we were both reassuring ourselves and one another of something that might not even be true. But it was the only way we could get through this-and I had promised her that we would.

I couldn't break that.

((Okay I'm not 100% certain that I've actually had him verbally make that promise *is forgetful*. But with all the reassurances...at the very least, it's an unspoken promise, I'd say.))

After that we decided to talk about some of the mission's we'd gone on in our life with the Organization. As connected to all this as it was, it somehow made us forget our current troubles. We just kept remembering things. Remembering our past.

Then, finally...Sora woke up.

He yawned and stretched, forgetting for a moment where he was—but instantly he remembered, as soon as he realized his surroundings. Donald and Goofy were already awake, their voices could be heard in the next room. Naminé, however, was still sleeping soundly.

Sora noticed how...peaceful she looked. And, though he was reluctant to admit this to himself, she was pretty. Her pale blonde waves of hair perfectly framing her sleeping face; her eyelashes long and graceful-looking.

She reminded him a lot of Kairi.

Sora quietly went into the next room to join his other friends, making sure not to wake Naminé in the process. When he walked over to the table, he saw that Donald and Goofy were arguing over who had gotten the larger pancake for breakfast-both their meals half-eaten in front of them.

"Hey, guys," Sora greeted through another yawn. "What's up?"

"Good mornin', Sora!" Goofy greeted. "We were just discussin' that Donald got a bigger pancake!"

"Did not!" Donald shouted in denial. "Yours is! It's not fair, you know that!"

They continued this, and Sora just ignored them as he took a seat across from the two at the table. Geppetto had a small smile on his face as he gave Sora his breakfast.

Sora, suddenly realizing how hungry he was, quickly thanked him and began eating.

Because Donald and Goofy were still arguing, Sora finished up before both of them. Around this time, Naminé came in, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Sora decided that this was the perfect time to announce his plan-to go to Destiny Islands.

"Hey, everyone," he sat up straight so that he could speak loud enough for everyone. "I know where we should try to go, next!"

All heads turned to look in his direction.

"Where?" Donald asked, before anyone else could.

"Destiny Islands," Sora tried to say this calmly, though he began to feel anxious, feeling as if he needed to go there.

"Why do ya think we should go there, Sora?" Goofy questioned. His tone was as light as usual, but I wondered if he would try to stop Sora from going there, or something..

Sora shrugged. "I just...I have a feeling that's where we should go. That's all."

"Well, I don't see any problem with it.." Jiminy suddenly voiced, appearing from somewhere across the room where Pinocchio was. "Who knows-maybe if Sora's heart is connected to that place, and he thinks we should go...it might be a good idea."

"Connected?" Sora asked.

"Think about it, Sora," Jiminy began. "You spent your childhood there. It's where you met Riku and Kairi. Your home. It would make sense if your heart had a strong connection to that place."

"Hm..." What Jiminy was saying made sense, but Sora had never thought about that before.

"So, when do we leave?" Donald asked.

Sora's grin returned. "Let's go!"

Chip and Dale informed Sora that it might be slightly difficult for them to get to Destiny Islands-but that they'd try.

After many hours, we were finally able to reach our destination.

Sora could barely believe that he was actually there, back, again, on the islands. And this time, it wasn't a dream.

He walked along the edge of the water watching the tide come and go, and enjoying the breeze that slightly tousled his hair. He took a deep breath of the sea-salty air and murmured just two simple words- "I'm home."

And they felt completely true. Even to me.

'It's so pretty...' Xion observed, as Sora looked out at the ocean.

He saw the main island out there, as well, and wondered if Kairi was there, or if she was somewhere on the same island as he was.

He didn't have to wonder for very long.

"S-Sora!" Kairi's voice came from behind him. Sora turned and saw her exiting the secret cave. At first she was walking, but after a few steps she broke into a run, coming quickly toward Sora.

She stopped a few feet away, and paused, staring at Sora.

"It's...it's really you, right?"

Sora nodded. Suddenly he found himself in her arms, being hugged.

The moment they touched, though, I heard Xion cry out a bit.

'Xion!' I hoped she was okay. I remembered what she said about Kairi in the dream..

'I'm...fine...' her voice sounded a bit strained.

Kairi eventually let go, and stepped back to look at Sora, again. "You came.." she said.

"Yeah.." Sora was still a bit dazed. He was seeing her for real, for the first time in a long time.

The two simply stared at one another for a few more moments. I noticed how Kairi's eyes, Kairi's face...they reminded me of Xion.

Like Naminé.

Suddenly, a shout came from Donald, who was a few yards down the beach.

"Sora! Look out!" Donald was jumping up and down, pointing at something that was on the dock.

A Dark Portal was there. Some kind of Dark Portal. I wondered what was happening, but then...

Axel stepped out.

First I felt relief, but then...confusion. Something was off.

He teleported over, closer to Sora and Kairi. "Kairi," he said in a seemingly urgent voice, barely sparing a glance at Sora. I knew something was...wrong. "You need to come with me."

"What...?" Kairi automatically took a step back, away from him. "Who are you?"

"My name's Axel," he declared. "Got it memorized? Now...I'd love to stay and chat, but that isn't exactly an option."

"Wait.." her eyes drifted to the Organization cloak that Axel was wearing, then back to his face. "You...were you the one who told me Sora would come?"

Axel chuckled. "No, I wasn't. But I think I know who you're talking about-and he is the one who's the reason I had to come here and get you." Axel took another step forward, causing Kairi to step back, and Sora to step forward more in-between the two.

Axel shook his head. "Sora, Sora, Sora..." he scratched his head. "Almost like that time...huh..."

"What do you want!" Sora asked, defensive of Kairi.

"We need the princess," Axel stated. "Or so the big man says...in any case..." I was shocked as I saw him summon his Chakrams. "If you won't move, I'll have to take her by force."

Sora summoned his Keyblade. "What's your problem...!" Sora demanded. "Just a few days ago, you-"

"Well, well, well, Sora, have you heard of something called..." he lunged forward to strike Sora, first, "change!"

Sora blocked his first attack, but Axel kept attacking. The next time he blocked, the Chakrams got stuck, intertwined somehow with the Keyblade.

"It's always around, Sora," Axel said. "Get it memorized." Suddenly a flame protruded from the Chakrams, crawling up the Keyblade, almost reaching Sora's skin before Sora dropped his weapon.

Axel used that as a chance to knock Sora aside, then quickly teleported behind Kairi and grabbed her around the waist. She yelped in surprise and he put a hand over her mouth to silence her.

Sora rushed forward, trying to grab Kairi, but Axel opened a Dark Portal. But because Kairi was struggling, he couldn't teleport instantly, it seemed..

Axel was suddenly distracted by a shield flying toward him. He instantly countered this with a flame, then, to prevent further interference, put a wall of fire around Sora and himself. "Now your friends can't be a bother.." He slowly began to disappear into the Dark Portal, taking Kairi.

'Ah...!' I heard Xion cry out again, but I wasn't sure what for.

'What-?'

Sora reached out, trying to grab her hand at the last minute.

'No-...Roxas!' Xion's thoughts shouted, as soon as the two made contact. The contact only lasted for a moment or two, but as soon as they let go-when the portal disappeared-I knew something was wrong.

'Xion...!'

No response.

She was gone. She had gone when Axel and Kairi left, disappeared with the Dark Portal. I could tell...it...felt different. I think Sora would be able to tell, too, if he weren't thinking about Kairi. He fell to the ground, anger, sadness, frustration, and regret overcoming him. Some tears fell, and he punched the ground.

Then, at the same time that I thought it, and in the same words, Sora said, "I need to get her back, again.."

The fire had disappeared when Axel had, and Sora felt a hand on his shoulder. A light touch.

He looked up, eyes still frantic, finding himself looking at the calm, blue eyes of Naminé-the eyes that reminded him of Kairi.

"You'll find her," Naminé reassured. "It will be okay.."

I didn't know if Sora could tell, but I knew-her eyes didn't show as much sadness as her voice portrayed.

((Woot. Another chapter done, short as per usual =.=

Well it felt short...

Um but look you also get bonus! And the chapter was fairly, interesting, I think, hopefully...))

•Naminé•

It was impossible not to admit-I felt jealous when I watched Sora and Kairi together. Why couldn't Sora care about me that much? Why couldn't anyone?

I'd never been more glad to see Axel. And when he took Kairi away, I'd never felt more grateful toward him.

I just wish she could stay away.

•Axel•

I couldn't believe it. I just...I didn't want to.

So the Organization had finally found out my intentions of helping Sora...and their reaction? I'd help them kidnap Kairi, or be turned into a Dusk.

Well, not having much care for her, I agreed to it. It seemed like a fairly good deal...or at least, I thought that at first.

I teleported to Destiny Islands, and was fairly surprised to see them all in one place-well, somewhat. Sora and Kairi were staring at one another like love birds, and Naminé and Sora's other friends were some meters away, watching.

Well, Sora had actually looked in my direction as I walked out of the portal, thanks to one of his tattle-tale friends. Not like it'd make much of a difference, anyway.

I teleported closer to Sora and Kairi, making things easier for myself. "Kairi," I didn't hesitate to get her attention quickly-I wanted to get the job over with, to be honest. I could tell Roxas and Xion were watching, watching with Sora.. "You need to come with me."

"If you come back voluntarily, Saïx will let all this drop." Roxas's voice came back to me, when he had been speaking to Xion. Before I...forcefully brought her back to the Organization's castle.
Why was it coming back, now?

"What...?" Kairi took a step back-not surprisingly. "Who are you?"

"My name's Axel," I responded. "Got it memorized? Now...I'd love to stay and chat, but that isn't exactly an option."

Love was impossible for a Nobody like me. But it was true that staying to chat-with Roxas and Xion-would have been more enjoyable than kidnapping.

"Wait.." the girl's eyes scanned me for a moment, before her fearful expression returned it's attention to my own face. "You...were you the one who told me Sora would come?"

I couldn't help but laugh a bit at this. "No, I wasn't." If Xemnas had a heart, he might've been amused as well-not that I had one, or anything, but.. "But I think I know who you're talking about-and he is the one who's the reason I had to come here and get you." I took a step toward her and she stepped back-Sora then stepped in front of her.

I sighed and shook my head. "Sora, Sora, Sora..." I recalled when Roxas had tried to protect Xion from me, so long ago now.

"STOP!" Roxas had shouted. I hadn't listened.

I scratched my head, feeling a bit guilty, now... "Almost like that time...huh..."

"What do you want!" Sora demanded to know.

"We need the princess," I said simply. "Or so the big man says...in any case..." I called forth my Chakrams, reveling in the feel that the burning metal gave me, even through the leather gloves I wore. "If you won't move, I'll have to take her by force."

This caused Sora to summon his Keyblade. The same Keyblade Xion and Roxas used... "What's your problem...!" Sora assumed a fighting stance. "Just a few days ago, you-"

"Well, well, well, Sora," I cut him off abruptly. I didn't want to hear it. Whatever I did, I was always betraying Isomeone/I. "Have you heard of something called..." I rushed forward, striking at Sora with my weapons. "...change!"

He blocked it, but I knew the attack wouldn't have done much, anyway. Not without full force. I attacked again, using the same held-back power as before. I angled my blow so that my Chakrams would trap his Keyblade; his weapon trapping mine.

"It's always around, Sora," my eyes felt like they about to water-but water and fire didn't play nicely. "Get it memorized." I knew I had.

My whole life had changed. Xion faded, Roxas lost his memory of her and regained it along with everyone else. Even my memory of her had faded, but never fully. And when we both remembered...Roxas had to fade, too.

I hated it all.

Letting my hate transform into flames, I forced the fire to envelope my Chakrams along with his Keyblade. He let go of his weapon quickly, before the flame touched his skin.

I then dismissed the flame and knocked Sora away. Dismissing my Chakrams then, I opened up a Dark Portal to teleport, I appeared behind Kairi, wrapping one arm around her. When she made a surprised yelp, I covered her mouth with my free hand.

I opened another Dark Portal just as Sora got up and raced forward, reaching for Kairi. Damn the fact that I couldn't close the portal yet-Kairi was struggling too much.

I noticed something flying toward me. Before bothering to identify the object, I cast a strong firaga and deflected it. Then I made a wall of flame surrounding Sora and me.

"Now your friends can't be a bother..." I told him, darkly. I pulled Kairi farther back, deeper into the Dark Portal.

Sora tried again, reaching out for her. They briefly made contact, but I pulled Kairi away, sharply, and-now fully inside the Corridor of Darkness-quickly closed the portal.

But something felt...different, about Kairi's presence. Her struggling grew weaker, allowing me to concentrate more on what exactly that difference was.

Then I realized it. Xion. Her presence seemed to be intertwined with Xion's, as Sora's had been before.

I finally let go suddenly, alarmed. "Xion.." the name slipped off my lips, only causing IKairi/I confusion.

"What-" she suddenly cut off. It was silent for a moment. Then another.

Finally, her voice sounded, again.

"Axel..." I knew it was Xion. Kairi-Xion turned, and began to run, but I grabbed her wrist before she could.

"You're not going anywhere, IXion/I," I told her. "Not in this...'princess's body."

"Quit calling me Xion," Kairi glared at me, but quit struggling against my grip. "That's not me."

I smirked. "You wish.."

Finally, we exited the Corridor of Darkness, straight into the Round Room.

((Yep, that's correct-Xion is in Kairi's body now, not Sora's. Tricky tricky.

Because of this drastic change...I think it's a good hiatus point.

I will now try mainly working on Last Whispers, until I can get it caught up to Remembering XIV. I apologize if this displeases you...if it does, don't hesitate to bother me with messages. I'll then feel more inclined to get more work done, meaning I can get it caught up more quickly, and I'd like that, too!

I also have some AUs in progress, if you feel like reading some. But anyway...in case you're wondering, Last Whispers is just Remembering XIV from Xion's POV. The first chapters of it are her...reminiscing, I guess. But alone. Basically goes through some moments of Days, through her eyes. Then when Roxas finally gets there in Sora's mind, the storyline is all the same as this one. But you get to see the stuff that Xion sees and Roxas doesn't. Such as what happened in the nightmares...

That's why I really need to get it caught up~!

Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you liked it! :]))