Time: Unknown.
Place: Unknown.

A boy stood alone within that dark forest. Draped in a black coat, he took a few steps forward, towards the town that seemed to shine in the twilight.

As he approached the clearing, he heard something. The swirl of darkness breaking and reconnecting, and the presence of something new. He looked around him. Black creatures surrounded him, and seemed to close in on him. A vortex appeared on the ground, and a giant entity emerged from it. It seemed to have hair that had a life of its own, and appeared as dark as the shadows around him.

Shadows.

The boy raised his hand, and flicked his finger. White and black lines surrounded him, and samurai-like things emerged, swiping off all the Shadows in one blow, then disappearing. The boy stretched both his hands to his side, and a light formed in both of them.

"……Die." He ran right through Darkside as the light formed two blades. As the Darkside screamed and drowned in the darkness, hearts started to float towards the sky… to his world.

"Impressive, Roxas. Looks like you haven't lost your touch." Another black-coated person emerged from more white and black rough lines.

"…Axel. What's the count for today?" Roxas said as he kept away his two blades: Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

Axel let his Chakrams disappear in a flash of fire, and put his fingers to his ear. "About…48?" He looked at Roxas again. "According to Vexen anyway."

Roxas sighed. "You think that with his intellect and seniority, he would know why these things are even attacking us."

Axel pulled the boy along with him. "C'mon, it's good for us too. Who knows? You may just find your heart, too. Want some Sea Salt?"

Roxas smiled as he followed Axel. "Sure. I'd like that."

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"Two on the go," Axel requested as he placed the Munny on the counter. Roxas watched as the man took out the ice-cream wrapped in the oh-so-familiar blue wrapper. The blue that matched the colour of the ice-cream itself. As they left the shop and pulled off the wrapper, Axel and Roxas disappeared, and reappeared on the top of the clock tower. "Cheers, to another day."

"…Cheers." Roxas slapped his ice-hard bar against Axel's, and they both sat down as they ate.

Axel looked down from the view they had. All the buildings, against the calm of dusk. "Maybe one day, we won't have to do this anymore."

Roxas looked at all the people, instead. "…Axel. Have you ever wanted to be like them?"

"Them?"

"Those people in the town."

Axel looked at him, stunned. He then laughed. "Hah! I've had my chance, but I wasted it away! At least I'm still alive, in a sense!"

Roxas looked on solemnly. "…But we can never truly feel, again. Can we? I…I don't even remember who I was…"

Axel gave him a slap on his back. "Cheer up, Rox. This life isn't over yet. You have time to find your heart. I'm sure."

Roxas turned to him. "…Thanks, Ax."

"Anytime, kid."

…But…if what Marluxia says is true…

You may have to sacrifice more to…

"Organization XIII, report back to Castle That Never Was. Now!"

Axel tapped his ear again, and replied, "Roger. XIII and VIII, on our way."