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Desperate Reflections	By : Crya2Evans Category: Kingdom Hearts > Slash/Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 9442 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
A/N: Don�t worry, that part in the middle is not supposed to
make any sense. It�s a combination of dream, flashback, and sensation. But
there are clues in there, if you look hard enough.

Thanks everyone for your continued support. I hope the
cliffhanger wasn�t too bad. I put review responses on the bottom!

Chapter 9: Crimson Vow

A gout of flame flared
against the grey sky as another pale wolf dropped to the ground, silent as it
writhed in pain and burned to nothing more than ash. But as quickly as it fell,
there were three more to take its place, each as hungry as its fallen brother.
Axel scowled as he panted, lifting his already weary arms to defend himself
from yet another leaping shadow beast, comforted only by the steady presence of
Reno somewhere in the vicinity.

Hordes of them, far more
than either man had ever seen before, had attacked suddenly, as if banding
together to take over the city. The two of them, he and Reno, had been working
tirelessly to drive the beasts back. Two other gatekeepers had joined the
battle but they were still vastly outnumbered, and quickly losing ground.

Axel himself was not wholly
without injury. One of the beasts had torn a good chunk from his arm and blood
was dripping into one of his eyes from a slash across the forehead but
nevertheless, he was standing tall, determinedly fighting. He shifted his
vision, catching sight of Reno, fumbling a bit from the vicious tear in his arm
when a beast had latched its fangs around him before Reno had been able to
electrify it but otherwise holding steady.

His nostrils flared at the
scent of blood and death, a scent that he realized he was all too familiar with
and was frankly, just plain tired of. More and more memories of battle and
destruction from his time as a Nobody were returning to his present state. It
seemed all Axel could do with his life was fight. Was he nothing more than a
weapon in a never-ending battle?

A snarl from nearby
distracted him and Axel immediately returned his attention to the fight,
wearily lifting his chakram once more and slicing a memory beast through the
middle. More swarmed around him, some getting past and loping into the city
before he could stop them. He didn�t understand why there were so many at one
time and where the hell were the other gate guardians? Why weren�t more people
coming to help? He couldn�t help but feel that it wasn�t all some big
coincidence.

Axel twisted his body to the
side, avoiding a leaping beast and sending another gout of flame towards a twin
set approaching from the left. More snarls and growls echoed around him, the
screams of those few helping him as they fell and the scent of blood so thick
on the air he could taste it. The battle was getting fiercer, rougher...
deadlier. He didn�t know if he would be able to come out on top this time.

It reminded him of one other
time before. With Sora... surrounded by the Nobodies in the in-between path.
That was when he had died, when he had for once done something for someone else
rather than for himself. He couldn�t help but wonder if that was to be his fate
once more.

There was a shout, vaguely
audible above the din of battle. Axel�s gaze swept to the side, searching for
the owner of the cry when an abrupt darkness fell, shadows leaping from all
directions and he crashed to the ground, breath whooshing out of them. Three...
maybe four bodies piled on top of him, snarling and snapping as claws dug into
his skin through clothes already ripped and torn. He couldn�t see anything but
brief glimpses of grey sky between the wriggling and furred albino wolves.
Axel�s heart thudded painfully in his chest, reminding him that he was alive...
and that fear was beginning to eat its way inside of him, despite his efforts
to forestall it.�

He growled, twisting his
head from side to side as he struggled to avoid those powerful jaws, dimly
hearing someone call his name from above the press of bodies. It could have
been Reno... or it might have even been a figment of his imagination. Memories
were starting to crop up, flashing in front of his eyes and blending with
reality, silvery lithe bodies and white muscled creatures all blending into a
mass of murderous terror.

A maw clamped down on his
left leg, drawing blood and ripping away skin, bringing him forcefully into
some semblance of reality. He howled in agony, jamming one chakram upwards as
he worked an arm free. He summoned up another burst of strength and called to
the flames inside of him, smirking when he felt the burning heat surge from his
body and flare outwards at his attackers.�

The beasts yelped and
yipped, thrown backwards as fangs were forcefully yanked from his leg, taking
some of his flesh with it. The putrid odor of burnt fur wafted to his nose and
he gagged, rolling over to his side and trying to plant one shaky hand on the
pavement, aware that the battle still was not over. He could feel the blood
dripping from his body, down his leg and into his eyes from where fangs had
grazed his cheek. It was then that his head started to spin, dizzy from both
the loss of his strength and using far too much magic at once.�

Bleary vision caught Reno
trying to fight through the beasts to Axel�s side but the firestarter was
determined to make it on his own. He didn�t want anyone to have to protect him.
Fighting against the pain in his leg and a new wound he hadn�t even realized he
had on his arm, he rose to his feet, albeit a bit shakily and stood there
swaying for several seconds before he opened his eyes, not even realizing that
he had at some point closed them.

A low growl, significantly
deeper and more terrifying than the others raised the hair on the back of his
neck and Axel whirled around to come face to face with another of the memory
beasts. Only this one was far larger than any he had ever encountered, both
taller and heavier then he was. A smirk crossed the firestarter�s face,
immediately dropping into his battle stance as he spun the chakram on his
fingers. He pushed all dizziness and pain inside, the thrill of battle surging
in his blood.

He had to survive.

The beast swiped at him with
one massive claw but Axel easily danced out of the way with nimble steps. He
darted in to slash at the furry hide and sent a spray of blood through the air
before he dodged away once more, narrowly avoiding another angry claw. The
monster was big but essentially slow and stupid. It would be a cinch to take
out, provided that nothing else got Axel first.

A fireball soared through
the air, pinging across the memory beast�s forehead and singeing its pale fur,
blackening it with ash. It howled and Axel smirked, unable to resist a goading
taunt. �Too hot for you?� he mocked, shifting his weight as the creature leapt
forward, snarling with foam-flecked fangs and eager to tear him limb from limb.

Smirking, Axel quickly
pulled his chakram out in front of him, summoning another burst of blaze,
igniting the sharpened blades of his weapon. As the beast skidded to a stop,
scrabbling against the pavement to turn around, the firestarter wasted no time
in unleashing his attack, sending both chakram flying at the beast�s head and
neatly slicing it from its body.

The decapitated head bounced
several feet away as the body went limp, falling to the ground in an almost
comical slow-motion. It slowly began to turn to dust, like all the other
defeated beasts before it. Axel caught the returning chakram with little
effort, snubbing his nose at the big, dumb creature. It was then that a vague
prickle of warning raced up his spine, every sense in his body screaming
danger.

�Abarai!�

He turned, emerald eyes
widening in shock as a flash of bright red hair darted in front of him, barely
catching sight of Reno�s black uniform. Time seemed to slow, stop even, as he
helplessly watched Reno take an attack that had been meant for his unprotected
back. Bright scarlet blood splashed into the air and on Axel�s face when claws
raked down Reno�s chest, digging so deeply he half-expected them to come out
the other side.

Reno jerked, one arm
flailing to the side before he collapsed backwards into Axel. In a flash of
fury, the firestarter snarled and sent a course of flame rippling outwards,
immediately incinerating the beast before it could even hit the ground. Reno�s
body began to shake as he struggled to suck in a breath, blood already gurgling
sickly as it trickled down the front of the other man�s body.

Axel quickly caught his
friend before Reno could slump, chakram clattering to the ground and horror
filling him to the core when warm fluid washed over his hand from where he had
wrapped it around the older man�s waist. His own legs shaking in horror and
shock, Axel gently lowered the gasping man to the ground, a fiery rage unlike
anything he�s ever felt before beginning to build up within him. It was as if
flames licked at his insides, burning up his organs and turning his blood to
nothing more than boiling lava.

Orange flame burned in his
eyes, once emerald now a fiery orange, a cry of rage escaping from his lips. It
was primal, animal even, and did nothing to quell the fury or the general
helplessness that washed over him. The beasts had done nothing but terrify him
from day one, attacked him when he was weak in the beginning, attacked
others... they slayed for no purpose but the joy of killing and the Council did
nothing. Nothing.

Something roared in his
ears, wordless cries of destruction and death and he knew nothing but this
sudden desire to kill and destroy. The darkness, once useful for nothing but
despair and depression, turned to rage as he rose to his feet, flames licking
at his boots. He dug deep down inside of himself for every last vestige of
power, every tiny bit of emotion that he could grasp onto as his chakram began
to rise of their own accord off the ground, spinning with gouts of dancing
ocher on their tips.

His body began to shake, the
ground trembled he was sure of it, and deep inside of him, something burst,
exploded into a few thousand pieces and Axel screamed, roared his rage. The
world went white-hot as explosion after explosion arced out from around him in
all directions, incinerating everything around him. The gate became nothing
more than a pile of ash, every building in the area crumpling to piles of stone
and rock... even the other gatekeepers that had survived the beasts burned in
the blast, leaving him standing in the middle of a blackened pit.

With a gasp, Axel fell to
his knees, dizziness and weakness attacking him with the fierceness of a hungry
carnivore. He swayed, struggling to remain upright as his hand fell on something
warm and sticky. He peeled his tired eyes open, only to pale in sudden
recognition. He had subconsciously protected Reno from the blaze yet... it
seemed it was for naught, judging by the pool of blood already staining the
ground and spreading out in an increasing puddle.

Those aquamarine eyes were
unfocused as Reno struggled to draw breath, coughing up blood and to Axel�s
horror, he could see the glistening of the other man�s innards, nausea striking
him in that instant. He ignored the destruction around him and his own
weariness, jerking off his torn over jacket and pressing it over Reno�s wound,
ignoring the older man�s wince of pain.�
Surely there was something... he couldn�t sit and watch Reno die!

�A...barai...�

The firestarter choked. �I don�t...
I don�t have any healing magic,� he stuttered fervently. �I can�t do anything!�
He jerked his head up, immediately scanning the area and despite seeing no one,
called out anyways. �Help! Medic! Someone!�

A bloodstained hand flopped
weakly against his cheek, dragging his attention back towards the dying man.
�Don�t... bother. No one will come,� Reno managed to garble out, swallowing
thickly before more blood bubbled up in his throat. And by the look in his
eyes, even as Reno managed a dry and raspy strained laugh, Axel realized that
Reno knew he was dying.

�Even a Turk knows when it�s
the end.� He blinked rapidly trying to focus on Axel as the younger man stared
at him, unable to comprehend the emotions suddenly racing through him. Reno had
been his mentor, his ally, his closest companion outside of Vincent and
something inside of him was breaking, shattering into pieces that he didn�t
think would ever heal. It wasn�t right. Axel was the one who should have taken
the hit, he was the one who should be lying on the ground in a pool of his own
blood. Not Reno.

�You... stupid,� the
firestarter muttered, fingers curling around the overcoat as he pressed it
futilely to the bleeding wound. A minute maybe, seconds more likely, that was
all the other man had. �It should�ve been me.��

Reno waved off his comment,
a serious and grave expression taking over his ghostly pale face. �Axel, listen
to me, yo. Get off this world.� He paused, coughing as his body began to shake
slightly. Already he could feel the tingling in his extremities, the horrible
creeping of an icy coldness that meant he was slipping away. �Do whatever it
takes. Don�t die here.�

On the edge of his
conscious, Axel dimly heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Most likely
bystanders drawn by the explosion and subsequent destruction but he simply
ignored them. They were of little importance and at the moment, he didn�t care
if anyone caught him. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but the
words wouldn�t or couldn�t come. He didn�t understand the raw rending pain
inside of him, how it made him speechless and how the back of his eyes burned
with tears he didn�t think he had ever shed before for another person.

It was all happening so
fast. Words blending one with another, his vision dimming and the sights and
sounds all swirling into a mass of confusion. Reno was gasping, trying to
breathe and hang onto life for just a bit longer. Axel was struggling to
maintain some grip on his sanity, attempting to patch Reno together with his just
his hands, as if by scooping up the blood and pouring it back in would somehow
save his friend. It was a futile notion but he couldn�t stop himself from
wishing. Seconds sped by so quickly that Axel was sure that the world had
started spinning double time. Reno was going to die before he could even find
the words to say, if there were any at all. And still the older man struggled
to speak, lips trembling and face becoming so pale that every outline of the
veins beneath were painfully visible.

Reno�s free hand, the one
not tangled in the front of Axel�s shirt, reached up weakly, grasping futilely
for the glasses somehow still attached to his forehead. The movement left a
garish streak of crimson across his pale features as he begged Axel with his
eyes.

�Do me a favor, ne?� he
asked weakly, voice hoarse and little more than a whisper. �Find Rude when you
get off, yo. Tell him--� He cut off suddenly, coughing as eyelids fluttered
over aquamarine eyes and Axel pressed even harder at the wound in his belly,
willing Reno to heal miraculously, willing his own strength to somehow seep
through his fingers and into his friends body.

�Tell him that I never
forgot him, okay? I never forgot!� The last was said firmly, loudly,
sapping all of Reno�s strength as his eyes flashed with determination, both
love and fire echoing in his bright orbs.

Axel nodded frantically,
swallowing thickly on an imagined lump in his throat. �I got it,� he uttered
quickly. �You never forgot.� He placed his hand over Reno�s, wrapping long
fingers around the black sunglasses. His heart lurched at the coldness in his
friend�s touch. Almost like ice...

�...P--promise!�

�I do!� he cried fiercely.
�I...� He swallowed thickly. �I got it memorized.� His usual phrase, felt hollow
coming from his lips, holding none of the teasing element that it usually
carried. If it weren�t for the relief in Reno�s aquamarine eyes, he might have
even regretted it. But the older man looked so comforted that Axel swallowed
down what else he might have thought to say. Truly, words had deserted him.

The sound of wings beating
floated to Axel�s ears, the noise of Gatherers, approaching, barely audible
over the blood pounding in his skull or the crying in his heart. This was
grief, pure sadness, and he didn�t know what to do with it. The pain was raw
and fresh, clawing at him from the inside and fighting for dominance. Reno
might have been just a friend, but to Axel, he was important, he was someone.
After knowing the other male for almost a year, he felt close to him, like a
brother.��

Reno�s eyes suddenly widened
in recognition as they shifted to the side, a brief moment of clarity shining
through. The slightest smile tugged on the corner of his lips even as he
coughed, splattering blood all over Axel�s arm. �Take... care... Vincent,� he
whispered, hand slackening in its once desperate hold of Axel�s shirt. �He
needs it more than you think.�

Footsteps echoed on the
harsh pavement, but Axel was oblivious to them, nodding wordlessly as the hand
fell away from his body completely, limply falling to the side. The heartbeat
that he had been frantically clinging to, became nothing, still and terribly
soundless. It was a heavy silence, louder than all of the noise around him and
Axel�s fingers curled tightly around the blood-soaked over coat and Reno�s
sunglasses, nearly breaking them.

Anger began to blossom
inside of him, anger with himself and the council, with their words and their
actions. He was furious with himself, and his inability to save Reno. He should
have been stronger, watching his own back. His power should have been something
more helpful. He could destroy and burn... not heal and save. What good was the
power if he couldn�t rely on it when it mattered the most, when he couldn�t even
save his friend?

Reno�s words echoed in his
mind, the promise that he made, the other man�s request of him to leave. He had
the power, he knew of a method. Only Vincent�s suggestion of wariness kept him
from using it. But Axel no longer cared. He was not going to die on Gaia�s
Grotto. He would rather risk death in the darkness than rot away into
nothingness. He made his decision than and there, kneeling over the fallen form
of his friend, a man who had only ever wanted to return to the one he loved,
that he would try the portal. Nothing was going to stop him. He didn�t care if
he died trying.

�What happened here?�

He recognized the almost
accusing voice immediately and looked up, knowing that his eyes were most
likely swimming with tears. Vincent knelt beside him, crimson gaze darkening as
he took in the state of his friend. His wings twitched restlessly behind him as
one of his claws clenched at his side but the younger man only noted this with
a cursory glance. He swept his eyes past the Gatherer, noticing the crowd that
was beginning to gather. And quite a lot of them.

Not that it mattered
anymore. Axel had already made his decision and wasn�t going to waste any more
talking about.

He didn�t answer Vincent,
merely shaking his head as he reached out with a trembling hand to brush his
fingertips over Reno�s eyelids and closing them. He had no sooner withdrew the
touch when the body suddenly began to slowly disintegrate, turning to black ash
that swirled in the light breeze, rank with the smell of death, blood, and
failure. Almost as if Reno had never existed at all, as if he had been nothing
more than a Nobody.�

Axel set his jaw, sorrow and
fury blending so thoroughly in his soul that he couldn�t distinguish one from
the other. He ignored his blood-spattered clothing and the crimson fluid that
wasn�t his own, already drying on his face. His eyes gleamed, probably looking
partly insane. He felt a little crazy; he felt off-center. But by kami, he
wasn�t going to be on Gaia�s Grotto any longer. He was a fool for waiting so
long already.

�Vincent, we�re leaving,� he
announced, voice tight and barely under his control. His throat was thick with
unshed tears and one hand wrapped tenaciously around the blood-spattered
sunglasses.

Crimson eyes narrowed as
Vincent surged to his feet. �What the hell are you talking about?� he demanded,
his gaze flickering to the crowd surrounding them. �Have you gone mad?�

Axel shook his head, wasting
no time and not bothering to argue with Vincent. The time for talking was
passed. He rushed forward, quickly wrapping his arms around the winged man
before Vincent could even protest. The older man made a strangled sound in the
back of his throat, clawed hands landing on Axel�s shoulders but the
firestarter ignored him. He shuttered his eyes tightly closed as he looked deep
inside of himself, searching for the darkness that he knew resided there.

He remembered his research.
There were two portals he could use: either a gateway or a portico. The portico
would take him to the in-between realm of twilight but the gateway would take
him directly to another world, one of his choosing. He didn�t know what would
happen if they ended up in the in-between realm so Axel was aiming to summon a
gateway. He didn�t think he had the strength for more than one anyways.

He concentrated on his anger
and his helplessness, used his despair as fuel and his desperation as a guide.
Darkness coiled inside of him, battling with the light for control of his
magic. He dimly heard Vincent speaking but blocked out all coherent thought in
translating it. Instead, he latched onto the darkness and yanked fiercely,
calling for the gateway with every thrumming emotion inside of him.

He could feel it, licking at
his feet and ankles, working its way up his body. It was working; he was
succeeding. He tightened his arms around Vincent, hating the disorientating
rush that was accompanying the use of the darkness and grit his teeth against
the steady throb of pain that was building inside of him.

Tendrils of icy shadow
wrapped around his body and suddenly, everything exploded into nothingness and
he was only dimly aware that he was dragging Vincent along for the ride. He
didn�t know where he was going or where the gateway would take them. So long as
he was no longer on Gaia�s Grotto and they came out alive, he didn�t
particularly care. Darkness curled around him and he was...

... cold, so
cold and covered in ice. Light and shadow blended into nothing and everything
and there was fear, so thick and heavy and washing over him like a tidal wave.
�
�You are Lae no longer.�

He saw nothing and heard
everything, felt the pinpricks of sheer agony racing through his body. There
was pain, so much pain, and little pleasure. His heart ached, his muscles
strained, he was pulled in so many directions, his head splitting, blood
everywhere.

Cries in the dark, awful
haunted voices and tear-shod pleas.

�Daddy! Happy Birthday!�
Laughter echoed and curled around him like a snake, limiting his movement. His
soul shattered; his heart broke.

He said he was leaving.
�I�ll miss you...� Words faded. He couldn�t stop him, but he tried, kami knows
he tried. He was useless, he was nothing, he was...

Broken into a million
shattered pieces of an already fragmented dream. His thumb rubbed over the
warmed metal, twirling it over and over around his finger. His eyes were red
and raw, aching from too many tears shed as the words they didn�t mean echoed
inside his heart.

�Hey, I feel like we�re
friends already.�

Time stopped and spun,
the world twisted on its axis. His breath was ragged in his chest; his arms and
his soul felt heavy, weighted down by those silly little truths called emotion.
Who knew that a heart was such a burden? Who knew that feelings hurt more than the
lack of?

�Want to spar?�

He was part of it, part
of everything. They were joined but there was a chance. Yes? A chance to try
again, to be his own self, his own purpose. But he was already dead. He had
already flitted away into ash and nothingness.

Despair clouded
everything; happiness was only a vague memory. Had he ever been happy? Did he
know joy? Could he even recognize it? And love, an equally foreign thought. He
claimed he loved her. She claimed that there was no one but him. And in the end,
�Daddy� was nothing more than a lie. He didn�t have a heart; Nobodies couldn�t
love.

Good and evil were mere
reflections of each other, desperately searching for the ultimate victory. On
either side, they loved or they hated, on either end they strove for something
more. Luck was on the side of the lucky and the victors wrote the history. Only
the winners are seen as good, but it�s the same story, just different sides.

There was nothing beneath
his feet. He was floating in an endless sea of tears and mistakes, soaring
through the darkened sky, filled with empty pits where stars once hung. And he
was falling, fallen, falling like so many others. His body shook as he dropped
like a boulder and plummeted downwards...

... landing on something
immeasurably solid and jarring every bone in his body it seemed. Axel grunted,
throwing an arm out to catch himself before he shoved his face into the
concrete and broke his noise. His head was spinning, dizziness and nausea
attacking his senses and he barely had the strength to breathe. He registered
that the gateway had deposited them somewhere, and fought to find it in him to
open his tired eyes.

Fuzzy images, bright colors,
the sun so terribly warm and just so damn beautiful that he could hardly
believe it. He could feel the heat on the back of his neck and it was the most
wonderful sensation in the world. It wasn�t raining and there was a breeze,
a soft and balmy brush of air against his clothing that ruffled his blood
spattered hair and gore-stained body.

�By Kami,� breathed a voice
and Axel was relieved to recognize it as Vincent. �You did it, Axel. I�m home.�
The relief in the winged man�s voice was obvious even to Axel, as well as
the joy and he knew he could detect the sound of someone struggling to rein in
their tears.

The firestarter remained on
the ground, panting as brief sparks of pain continued to resonate through his
body. He was gasping for breath and he felt weary, exhausted, and most
definitely pushed beyond his limits. Tears banked behind his eyelids but he was
the happiest he had ever been because he was alive and he was free and the
thought was titillating. He had managed to save Vincent as well, and in his
right hand, he still clutched Reno�s sunglasses, making an internal vow then
and there to find Rude.

He would pay his debt to
Reno the only way he knew how.

Axel rolled over and managed
a half-sitting position, aware that his limbs felt like limp noodles and almost
refusing to respond to his call. His eyes were half-lidded, threatening at any
moment to shutter closed. The calling of the gateway had taken every last
vestige of strength and he could only hope that Vincent�s �home� wasn�t
dangerous because he didn�t think he could defend himself.

Then he heard them, the
whispered voices and the concerned tones. He felt eyes on him, boring into his
body and he looked up, gaze locking with dozens of strangers that seemed to
surround he and Vincent. Behind him, the winged male struggled to stand, in
significantly better condition than Axel himself. He reached down and yanked
the woozy firestarter to his feet, jerking the younger male against his body as
he glared at the citizens staring at them with mixed expressions of curiosity,
worry.... and fear.

�It�s a heartless!� Someone
cried. The voice was male, the tone accusatory and Axel stiffened at the fear
evident in the man�s words. He dimly realized that anyone who didn�t know
Vincent�s appearance would probably mistake him for a Heartless, and Axel
himself was covered in blood and gore from the battle.

Any sane person would
believe they were dangerous just from looking at them.

He forced his weary head
upwards, trying to remain on his feet as the crowd began to grow restless and
edgy, terror rippling through them. Had they escaped from Gaia�s Grotto only to
be thrust into an even worse predicament? He couldn�t ignore the subtle shaking
of exhaustion in his limbs either, or the emotional pain that was still so
fresh it caused his heart to literally ache. They had succeed but at what cost?
What price had he paid for his hesitance?

�The Heartless have
returned!�

�Kill it before it kills
us!�

�No!� Axel roared, somehow
finding the words that had been momentarily stuck on his tongue. He reached down
deep inside of himself, and found the last vestiges of his strength, somehow
managing to stand straight and tall as Vincent hovered at his side. �We are not
Heartless!!�

But they didn�t appear to
want to listen and some of the bolder ones were quickly turning ominous. The
crowd of onlookers surged forward, backing Vincent and Axel even closer
together as their frantic comments and murmurings grew louder. They ignored the
firestarter�s words, remembering all too well the first attack of the Heartless
and the destruction of their homes. It appeared they didn�t want to take any
chances.

�We can�t hurt them,�
Vincent muttered lowly, though one claw loosely dangled close to his weapon.

Axel frowned, emerald eyes
narrowing. �We might have to. I�m not about to let them tear me to pieces,
misguided and scared or not.� He tilted his head back, raising his voice
higher. �We aren�t Heartless!!� he reiterated, hoping that they would begin to
see reason. �We don�t want to hurt you. Stay back!!�

He quickly shoved Reno�s
sunglasses into one of his pockets as his chakram appeared in a swirl of fire
at his side, startling most of the onlookers gathered. They backed away a few
steps, the flame reflecting in their wide, frightened eyes and Axel shook his
head grimly, already dropping down into a battle stance.

He could feel the other man
stiffening behind him, resolving to defend himself as well. He knew Vincent
wouldn�t fire his gun but for the winged man, his claws were probably enough to
fend off their attackers. As it were, Axel planned to knock as many out as he
could, despite the weariness. He wouldn�t go down without a fight.

�What the hell is going on
here?� The angry demand was thunderous, cutting through the aura of confusion
and fear that had settled like a thick web over them. The crowds immediately
parted, allowing some male to come through, his face swirling with a storm. The
first thing Axel noticed about him was his piercing grey-blue eyes, reminding
him of an unsettled tempest.

The next was the subtle way
his hand hovered close to the layers of belts looped about his rather feminine
hips, perched over the hilt of a rather wicked looking blade that Axel couldn�t
identify. On the man�s shoulder, perched a fairy, unlike any the firestarter
had ever seen before, and the scar that crossed the man�s face didn�t detract
at all from his attractiveness.

Behind Axel, Vincent sucked in a breath and remembering that this was Vincent�s
home, he could only surmise that the winged male recognized this other younger
man. Surely, this man who seemed to be in charge, could stop the frantic and
frightened press of people around them.

One citizen suddenly turned
brave, taking a menacing step forward and Axel snarled, lifting up his chakram.
He was prepared to defend himself. �Get them back!� he growled, eyes cutting
towards the fur-wearing brunette. �I don�t want to hurt them if I don�t have
to.�

�Stand down!� the
unidentified man bellowed. �Return to your homes. I�ll take care of this!�

Dozens of strangers blinked
as Axel wobbled in his firm stance, uncertain if he could maintain his footing
any longer with the weariness weighing heavily on his body. The relief in the
face of the crowd was evident though, and it was clear they looked up to this
stormy-eyed brunet, content to leave the defeat of the �Heartless� to him. He
was intimidating, Axel gave him that much.

�Who are you?� The brunet
demanded as the mob began to disperse, stalking towards them with an almost
thunderous expression on his face. Muscles shifted panther-like beneath tanned
skin and the glint of metal around the man�s neck caught Axel�s attention, some
type of lion-shaped pendant made of silver.

The firestarter opened his
mouth with every intention to respond, however, nothing came out. Instead, a
strange sensation of falling suddenly spread through his body. He dimly heard
the sounds of his chakram hitting the ground, twin pings of metal against
pavement before they dispersed. Arms wrapped around his back, a faint prick of
familiar claws and then his weariness consumed him, sending Axel into the
comforting and overwhelming embrace of darkness.

It was a memory, one of
his favorites because it involved Roxas and the first time he had ever met the thirteenth
member of the Organization. At first, he hadn�t thought anything special of the
slightly scrawny and petulant blond that Xemnas seemed especially proud about
locating. The boy�s bottom lip pouted slightly but if anything, it was his eyes
that were the most mesmerizing, such a startling shade of ocean-blue and he was
caught in the tide.

Axel smirked, twirling a
chakram on his finger when Saix finished the introductions. They stood in one
of the many corridors of the Organization stronghold as Saix, shadows clinging
to darkened alcoves around them and giving the whole encounter a creepy aura
that would have made Axel shudder, if he truly felt fear.

��So we�re employing runts now?� he
questioned, raising one brow at the luna divider. �He sure doesn�t look like
anything special.�

The blue-haired male
laughed, the sound mocking. But it was actually Roxas who spoke, angrily
crossing his arms over his chest as irritation flashed in his eyes. �I am
certain I could take you down,� he spat, head tilted back to meet the gaze of
the taller firestarter.

Impressed by his
sharp-tongue and pride, Axel rescinded his original line of thought. This boy
was interesting after all. He drew himself to his full height, emerald eyes
flashing with fire as he glared down at the impudent brat, the lazy smirk never
leaving his face.

�Oh?� he taunted in a
languid drawl. �Care to test it?� He jabbed the tip of a chakram at the blond,
poking him in one scrawny shoulder. �I�ll bet you can�t even lift a sword.�

Metal flashed as
something clanged against his chakram, batting it aside easily and sending
reverberations up and down the firestarter�s arm. He blinked. Roxas had moved
so fast that he had barely seen the motion, and now gaped as the boy sneered at
him, not one but two weapons gleaming in his hands. They were similar enough to
swords that he was certain they weren�t light.

�Impressive,� Axel
commented, still not willing to concede defeat. �But can you use them?� he
taunted.

A twitch in the left
eyebrow was all the warning he received before the boy was attacking him, twin
blades raised in succession. Axel merely held his ground, summoning up his
other chakram with a flurry of flame. Their weapons met in a resounding clang
as Saix watched impassively, neither Nobody managing to come out on top.

�You�re pretty strong,
kid.�

�Don�t call me that!�

�Touchy.� Axel smirked.
�What should I call you then? Runt? Boy?� He leaned in closer, until their
faces were barely a foot apart. �Blondie?�

Roxas snarled and surged
forwards, throwing the firestarter off balance. �How about my name, asshole?�
he growled as he stepped to take the advantage, raising his strange weapons
once more.

But Axel had been
fighting for long before him and quickly regained his control, using Roxas�
momentum against him. He twisted his body in an agile movement, allowing Roxas
to barrel past him before casually sticking out a booted foot at the same time
that he smacked the kid�s rump with his chakram.

Blondie went tumbling to
the floor, but not before he twisted his body and chucked one of his blades at
Axel. Emerald eyes widened in surprise as the firestarter moved to duck but was
not fast enough. He felt the metal bite into his cheek, drawing blood, before
it clattered to the floor behind him.

Axel cursed, glowering as
he reached up to wipe away the blood. It stung. On the floor, Roxas scowled as
he rose to a sitting position, eyes swimming with the irritation of being made the
fool. His gaze flickered to his weapon and Axel quickly caught the motion. He
smirked as he turned to swipe the strange blade from the floor.

�I don�t know,� Axel
lazily drawled, examining Roxas� �sword�. �If you can�t beat me, then I retain
the right to call you whatever the hell I want.�

�Tch.� Roxas glared as he
clambered to his feet, watching the firestarter give an experimental swing of
his weapon. He thrust out his hand, making Axel curious, until suddenly, the
blade in his grasp disappeared, only to reappear in Roxas�.

�Well,� the taller Nobody
stated, planting one hand on his hip. �Now, that�s a neat little trick. We
should be friends.� He couldn�t deny that it was fun goading this newest
member, and unlike Demyx, Roxas could dish it out as well as take it. There was
something about that fierce stare and the firm set to that almost dainty jaw...

Ocean blue eyes narrowed
and something inside Axel gloated. Finally, a worthy opponent. �Your logic is
irrational.�

�But a hell of a lot more
fun.�

Sudden clapping
interrupted their staring contest and the two young members of Organization
XIII whirled to find Xemnas stepping out of the darkness portal. He exchanged
glances with Saix, before sweeping his gaze over both Roxas and Axel. In their
short duel, they had forgotten that Saix was watching.

�You are getting along,�
Xemnas commented, though it came out sounding vaguely sarcastic and pleased.
�That is good since I require Saix�s assistance. Finish the tour for him,
Number Eight.�

Roxas seemed annoyed by
this and opened his mouth to argue, but Axel interrupted before he could.
�Whatever you say, boss. I�ll show the runt around.�

Xemnas� yellow eyes
gleamed dangerously. �I would be cautious if I were you, Number Eight. That
�runt� is the key we�ve been waiting for.� Xemnas smirked as he turned,
summoning up a portal with a wave of his hand. �Come Saix.�

The blue-haired Nobody
tilted his head in obedience and the two disappeared into the clinging, black
tendrils. Once they were gone, Axel laughed and shook his head. �Yeah, I�ll bet
he �requires his �assistance�,� the firestarter leered.

Roxas shot him an annoyed
stare. �You are an idiot.�

A reddish eyebrow rose as
Axel turned towards the blond, again captured by steely, innocent blue eyes.
�Why Roxy was that a compliment?�

�No, it wasn�t. And don�t
call me that.� He turned on his heels and stalked down the scantily lit
corridor.

�Where are you going?�

�Somewhere away from
you.�

Axel chuckled before moving
to catch up with him, long-legged strides making it easy. �I think we should be
friends.�

�I don�t want any
friends.�

�Aren�t you the feisty
one.�

�Go away, you.�

�Axel.�

�I don�t care.�

�A-X-E-L. Got it
memorized?�

�I�m trying to forget.�

The firestarter laughed
again, slinging his arms over Roxas� shoulder despite the shorter boy�s
protests. �Don�t worry. I won�t let you.�

The dream began to fade
then, swirling back into the confusion of his memories even though Axel tried
desperately to cling to it. He didn�t want to lose that sight of Roxas, that
annoyed scowl, those bright ocean blue eyes. His heart thudded in his chest and
suddenly it felt as if he were...

...burning up from the
inside; his body being consumed by fire, like his magic had finally turned on
him. He moaned piteously, wanting some relief from the aching throb. Then a
palm settled on his forehead, soft and cool as it chased away the pain with its
presence. The touch was gentle, reminding him of near-forgotten and far away
memories of his mother.

Yet, try as he might, he
couldn�t peel his tired eyelids open. He was simply too weary. So Axel relaxed
against some soft surface, probably a bed, and basked in the tender touch.

�He�ll be fine; he�s just
exhausted,� a female voice murmured from above him. �With all the blood, I
feared he was dead.�

�Most of it is not his own.�
He recognized that voice at least. It was Vincent. The thought comforted him some,
knowing that he hadn�t inadvertently killed Vincent by dragging him along
through the portal.

�Gawd!� Someone shrieked. He
thought it was female. �Man, where did you guys come from?� That voice, he
decided, was going to be annoying in the future. He hoped she didn�t speak
again since it turned out his tongue and mouth were working just as well as his
eyelids.

�It is a long story.�

�Tch! It�s not like we ain�t
got the fuckin� time, man! Yer buddy over there is unconscious.�

�Cid! Learn some manners!�
The kind voice above him chastised. The cool palm smoothed over his forehead,
brushing his hair back.

The gruff man grunted.
�Shit. What for? He ain�t caring.�

Someone groaned. It sounded
irritated. �If you wouldn�t mind, Mr. Valentine, I am quite interested in
hearing your story.� He thought he recognized that voice, too. Maybe the brunet
from before, when the mob tried to attack Vincent.

�Right this very moment? I
am as weary as my companion and much of it is his story to tell.�

Axel�s exhaustion was
beginning to consume him again and he felt it tugging at his consciousness.
Their voices were beginning to dim, which was fine, but the last strains of the
conversation still floated through his senses nonetheless.

�Very well. Yuffie can take you
somewhere to rest. Cid and I--"

�Leon!� A groan of
annoyance.

�Cid and I will help
Aeris move your friend.�

�Yay!� cheered an exuberant
female, the same one that Axel had already decided was annoying. �Come with me,
Vinny! I promise a five-star hotel... or at least a bed. Say, your eyes are
really cool. Can I touch your wings?�

�No.�

�Aw, come on. You�re no
fun.�

Hands were on his body and
he felt himself being lifted.

�What �bout your friend. Is
he fun?�

�Axel.�

�What?�

�His name is Axel.�

-�� -�� -�� -�� -

Thanks everyone! Leave a
review before you go! Theories are always welcome as are pictures.

-�� -�� -�� -�� -

Azshalade: Thanks! I�m glad
the Axel/Vincent-ness didn�t throw you off. I was worried it would, for some. I
hope this chapter was just as good. Thanks!!

AkuRokuLove: Is Roxas going
to be seme? Hmm, that�s a very good question and a very good possibility. But
you�ll just have to wait and see, hwa ha ha! Zexion is one of my fave
characters, despite having never actually seen him myself since I didn�t play
Chains of Memories. I�m trying to work in every Organization member but it�s
getting down to the wire. We�ll see if anyone else pops up. Thanks for the
review!!

Bunnyko: Absolutely! You are
almost guaranteed another steamy scene with me, especially if the story�s not
finished yet. I promise, it will be smut-tastic, as soon as I get to where I
want to be. More action to come, I promise. Thanks!!

SoulWriterofDarkTruth: I
love your username! Thanks for the review!!

Kyouya: I love your username
also! He�s my fave character from Ouran. I�m so glad that I didn�t scare you
away with the Vin/Axelness but everyone seems to be enjoying it. I�m happy to
hear that my characterizations are on track. Kingdom Hearts is a relatively new
fandom for me. Thanks for commenting on me to your friends! And i�m glad you
finally clicked. Don�t worry, we�re at the halfway point now. The story�s half
day. Thanks!!

Naoko144: I would LOVE it if
you drew me pictures. I hope you got the alert e-mail. I�m certain I added you
to the list. I, too, have read Change My Stripes and it is one of my favorite
stories. Thanks for calling me a fave! And for the review as well. Also, I
loved your sketches. They were great!

Meilin: Good things take time
and I want to make sure I bring you the best I have to offer. Thanks for the
rating! I promise, more is always to come. Thanks!!

Hope: Hates Vincent?!? Le
gasp! Vincent is perhaps my favorite character of all time! Thanks so much for
your wonderful review! It certainly left me very happy. I am happy that you
appreciate the complexity of my stories, I know some readers would rather I
just skip to the smut and forego the plot! This is perhaps the first fanfic
that I have written that is character driven more than plot driven, probably
why my beta finds this one too slow and boring compared to Shattered. Still, it�s
one of my favorites and I�m glad to hear you enjoy Shattered as well! I hadn�t
realized until you pointed out to me but yes... there are elements of The
Matrix in this. It was unintentional but I suppose it was just in the back of
my mind and came out, lol. Your review has given me hope for the future career
in novel writing. Thanks!
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Desperate Reflections

Chapter 9: Crimson Vow