DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS. As much as I wish I did. Nor do I own any Final Fantasy characters. However, I am allowed to play with their emotions and hormones. Yay me!

WARNING: For those of you with light stomachs, this story might not be for you. This is my first story of this type, and apparently, I cant keep the gore out of it. If you really want, you can read it, then stop, but if you're anything like me, then that's impossible. I am a few chapters ahead in writing, so I can warn you, it's not pretty. I tried rewriting about 4 or 5 times, but I cant keep it clean. (You can take this to mean either the gore, or Axel's mind. Both options work.)

Also, here are some guidelines on what means what with me:

This means normal story.

If it's one or two words, this means emphasis.

This means memory.

If it's one or two words, this means emphasis. (But only when it's surrounded by memory - see above.)

'This means someone's talking through a headset or comm unit.'

"THIS MEANS YELLING. AND TO BE HONEST, IT'S REALLY ANNOYING, SO I DON'T USUALLY DO IT."

(A/N) This means I'm interrupting you from reading and being an ass. I have yet to do this, but who knows.

I don't usually bold things, so there should be no use listing what that means. Even I don't know - could mean EXTREME emphasis, but who knows?

"And everyone should really know that this means talking, but i'm listing this just to be safe. And because i like to rattle on and not shut up. Usually only in person, but I'm in a talkative mood at the moment, and it's affecting my updating."

Anyway, I've held you up for too long. Go ahead and enjoy. And don't say I didn't warn you.

The ornate giant keys knocked against my leg as I walked down the street, away from Destiny High. Cheesy name for a school, I know, but it was still a good place. My latest project testified to the fact.

My tech teacher had obviously taken to me, because I know for a fact that he would never let another student near the metalworking equipment for a personal project, ever.

"Thanks, Prof. I owe you one." I looked down at the two keys – each 3 feet in length, they were fashioned after old skeleton keys. I had held onto their designs for ages, only deciding I had the skills to attempt making them now. And after a week of late nights of staying after school in the shops , I was finally finished.

At one of my friends' insistence I had named them – Oathkeeper, the white Keyblade, as I called them, had a delicate-looking design, but was surprisingly sturdy. To be honest, it looked more decorative than anything, but the edges of the key were sharpened to a point, distinguishing it as a weapon. Oblivion, the other Keyblade, was designed to look a little more menacing, while still possessing an ethereal beauty. It was a deep black, seeming to suck all the light into it. There was a decorative silver chain welded down the shaft of the Keyblade for decoration.

'I want to see them as soon as they're done. Care to stop by with them?'

I recalled Zexion's words, spoken earlier that day, when I had mentioned how close to finishing the Keyblades I was. Smiling, I took a turn at the next street, heading to Zexion's apartment. The 19 year-old lived in an apartment on his own, ever since his parents had abandoned him back in 9th grade. Forced to fend for himself, with no income, Zexion had dropped out of school for a full-time job for two years. He started attending school back in my grade 9 year, and had helped me with a major science project, sparking our friendship. Really, we were all the other had – no one wanted to be friends with the smart emo kid who had missed three years of schooling, and I was a shy boy who wasn't fond of crowds of any sort.

"Roxas! How are you?" Aerith's sweet voice carried over from across the street, where she was standing in front of her flower shop, watering her goods.

"Good, Miss Gainsborough. What about you? Busy day?" I looked down the street before crossing, then went up to the young woman.

The woman chuckled as she pulled me into a hug. "How many times must I tell you to call me Aerith? And I've been quite good – a slow day, no stress. Anyway, I see you've stayed late again. Have you finished this project of yours?"

I backed up from the hug, then unhooked the Keyblades from my belt, holding them out. "All finished, Miss."

I smiled at the look of awe on her face. "Roxas, the craftsmanship... it's amazing! The details are beautiful. You really poured your heart and soul into these, didn't you?

I ducked my head, cheeks heating up. I had never taken compliments well, and apparently, I wasn't about to change now.

"Aw, you're such a sweetie, all embarrassed... Anyways, you should get going before it gets too dark. You've still got a ways to go."

I shook my head, hooking the keys onto my belt again. "Actually, I'm headed over to Zexion's."

Aerith smiled. "Well, all the more reason to get going. Don't want to make him wait any longer to see those keys of yours."

Smiling, I turned to leave, waving. "Thanks. Goodbye, Aerith. It was nice seeing you."

"Anytime, Roxas. You'll always be welcome at my shop. And say hi to your brother for me when you see him next!"

I nodded at her, smiling, then made my way down the street.

I was only a few blocks from Zexion's when I was grabbed. The man – much taller than me, and quite strong – grabbed me by my hair and threw me into the alleyway he had been hiding in. I cried out as I hit the ground, landing on top of the Keyblades. Why did I have to make them so spiky?

Before I could fully comprehend what was going on, the man was kicking me incessantly in the side. I curled up into a fetal position, but that failed to help, so I decided I had to fight back. I mean, I knew I was smaller than average, but I could still pack a punch.

Just as the man's foot connected with my stomach, I curled around the limb, holding tight. Then, rolling away, I pulled him off balance. In the meantime, I unhooked the Keyblades and tossed them a few feet away, so I wasn't lying on them anymore.

Of course, my quick thinking wasn't as smart as I originally thought, as I found out when the man landed on top of me. However, luck was on my side, and I was able to reach his groin and give it a good squeeze, causing the guy to cry out in pain. I pushed him off me and scrambled to my feet, grabbing Oblivion. By the time I was on my feet, blade in hand, the man was also up, and diving for me with a knife. Letting instincts take over, I leapt to the side and brought the back of Oblivion down across his neck, knocking him to the ground. As I backed away, he managed to get back to his feet, spitting a glob of blood onto the pavement. "You little brat!" He exclaimed, and ran at me again, slashing with his knife. I managed to jump out of the way, but he kept coming, fury dancing in his eyes. I barely managed to stay ahead of the blade, until my back slammed into the wall, and the man scored a deep hit, right into my shoulder. I cried out from the pain, dropping Oblivion and clutching my injured shoulder. Looking up, I barely had the chance to register the man's wicked grin before the blade slammed into me again, this time slicing across my chest, causing my eyes to momentarily black out from the pain, as I slid down the wall to collapse to my knees. I cried out again as the man's knife came for me again, but the blow never came. I opened my eyes to see the man being thrown against the opposite wall of the alley by another person, this guy in a long leather coat with the hood up. The newcomer, while holding the mugger against the wall, brought his fist back and punched the man with enough force to knock him unconscious.

As the mugger slumped to the ground, the man in the coat turned to me, and kneeled in from of me, putting his hand to my wounded shoulder. I whimpered from the contact, but I had lost too much blood to be embarrassed, and I could feel myself passing out.

"Who are you?" My voice was low, almost a whisper, but the man heard me. He pulled his hood off to reveal a spiky mess of red hair, and a pair of emerald eyes, a small upside-down tear tattoo under each.

The last thing I remember before passing out were his words.

"The name's Axel, kid. Got it memorized?"