Kingdom Hearts 358-2 Days

by Tomoco Kanemaki

  Axel didn’t even know his name. He was probably a newborn, freshly arrived this very day, right here in Twilight Town.

  This was a special place in the gloaming, neither overshadowed by darkness nor overwhelmed by light.

  Nobodies belonged nowhere, but they could exist at ease here.

  So whenever Axel had time to himself, he spent it lingering in Twilight Town.

  He’d been wandering around as usual when Xemnas appeared in front of him.

  He wasn’t supposed to be on a mission or anything, but there was nothing quite as awkward as bumping into your boss when you’re completely idle.

  Xemnas had no scoldings for him, though. Just an order. “This is our newest member. Take him back to the castle and get him ready, then bring him to me.”

  “Huh?”

  But a dark portal was already swallowing Xemnas up.

  Why don’t you bring him back yourself? Axel had wanted to say, but that wouldn’t have gone over well.

  Meanwhile, the boy didn’t move a muscle.

  Axel sighed. “Well, come on.”

  He opened the Corridors of Darkness, but the kid was as still as a zombie.

  “…Hello?”

  Axel had to close the portal back up for the time being and approach the boy himself. Finally, he moved, looking up at Axel.

  “So what do they call you?” asked Axel.

  The boy only blinked, not enough to signal that he’d even heard.

  “Let’s try that again. What’s your name?”

  “…Ro…xas…,” the boy croaked, as if he’d never spoken before.

  Then Axel realized that Xemnas had named him only moments ago. It had been the same for him and his own name.

  “Okay, Roxas. I’m Axel. Got it memorized?”

  Roxas just stared at him blankly.

  “Well, let’s get outta here.”

  Axel had his doubts about taking someone who had just come into being to that stark, cheerless castle, but he didn’t exactly have a lot of other options at the moment.

  Then Roxas shifted his gaze. It was the first hint of a reaction to anything around him.

  “Hmm? What is it?” Axel followed his line of sight to a cluster of local children.

  Axel had seen the trio out and about countless times, always talking and laughing. Roxas looked about the same age as them, actually.

  Each one held an ice cream bar—sea-salt flavor, pale blue, and distinctly salty-sweet.

  Axel was rather fond of it himself. Or rather, he remembered that he liked it.

  “…Why don’t we get some ice cream first?” Axel started toward the shop in the town square. “Come on, Roxas! I’ll even give you an exclusive tour to a good hangout spot.”

  But Roxas was still as a statue.

  “Ugh, seriously…?” Axel went back and clapped him on the shoulder.

  Roxas jumped and looked up at him.

  “Come with me.” To his relief, when Axel started for the sweets shop in the center of the square, Roxas followed.

  “Is this…the treasure chest?” With the object in question at his feet, Roxas turned uncertainly to Axel.

  “Sure is. Well done.”

  Roxas stared at the chest without moving.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “The mission was to find a treasure chest…,” said Roxas. “So I’m done, right?”

  There were, perhaps, certain sensibilities he lacked.

  “Uh, Roxas? There’s this thing about chests. They have stuff in them.”

  “So I should open it?”

  “Yes, that is generally what we do. And you get to keep what you found.”

  Then a big glowing key appeared in Roxas’s hand.

  The members of the Organization each had their weapons, but this… Was this the Keyblade?

  Roxas touched the key to the treasure chest, and it opened with a burst of light.

  No question. That’s the Keyblade, all right, Axel thought. What did Xemnas call him the day I brought Roxas to him…

  “The Keyblade’s chosen.”

  Did that mean Roxas was a Nobody who could wield the Keyblade?

  But Axel had never heard of a wielder becoming a Heartless.

  Roxas took the potion from the treasure box, and the weapon in his hand disappeared.

  “Bravo,” said Axel, keeping his cool with some effort. “So whaddaya think? Got the hang of this mission stuff yet?”

  “…Uh-huh.” Roxas mumbled something else at the ground.

  “What was that? Couldn’t hear you.”

  He raised his head. “I said…”

  “Well?”

  “I could’ve done that blindfolded,” Roxas said with a shy grin.

  That was new.

  A smile spread across Axel’s face, too, and it brought with it a strange sensation he couldn’t remember feeling before. “Don’t get too full of yourself there. But you did good. And no successful mission is complete without icing on the cake.”

  He started walking.

  “Don’t we have to…return to the castle? RTC?”

  “Later. You remember our hangout spot?”

  Axel didn’t have to look to know that Roxas was right behind him.

  Their hangout spot was the clock tower above the Twilight Town train station—specifically, the top of it.

  From here, they could see the whole town.

  As Axel perched in front of the clockface, he noticed Roxas was still standing. “You sit down, too. Take a load off.”

  Roxas did.

  “Here you go. The icing.” Axel handed him a sea-salt ice cream bar.

  The boy stared at it.

  “You remember what this flavor is called?” Axel prompted.

  “Um…”

  “Sea-salt ice cream. I told you before. You gotta get things memorized.” Axel took a bite out of his.

  Following his lead, Roxas did the same. “It’s really salty…but sweet, too,” he murmured.

  Axel laughed. “You said exactly the same thing the other day.”

  “I did? I don’t really remember…” Roxas gazed into the glow of the sunset. A breeze ruffled his hair.

  “Actually, what’s it been, a week since you showed up?” Axel remarked.

  Roxas still stared straight ahead. “Oh. Maybe…”

  “Maybe? Come on, you must know that much.”

  The boy lowered his eyes sheepishly.

  “Well, don’t worry. Today’s when it really begins anyway.”

  “What does…?” Roxas looked puzzled.

  “Everything. Here you are, out in the field, working for the Organization! From now on, you’re one of us.”

  “Where it all begins…?” Roxas contemplated his ice cream bar.

  “That stuff melts if you don’t eat it, y’know.”

  “…Right.” Roxas took another bite.

  The clock tower’s bell chimed, and a train sped away in the distance. This was Twilight Town, a place always between light and dark, and for now, this little hideaway within it still belonged only to Axel.

  Chapter 2

  Sea-Salt Ice Cream

  EACH DAY, SAÏX ASSIGNED HIM A MISSION.

  On the ninth day, Roxas was told to go back to Twilight Town, with Marluxia this time. There weren’t many people out and about. Only the fading sunlight filled the streets.

  “Roxas, was it?” Marluxia addressed him gently. “I’m not sure I properly introduced myself. I am Marluxia. Number eleven.”

  This was Marluxia’s first encounter with a Keyblade wielder. In fact, he didn’t recall ever having seen the weapon in person. He had only heard of it.

  If there was anything special about this boy as a Nobody, Marluxia couldn’t discern it.

  “Okay, so…” Roxas avoided Marluxia’s eyes as he asked, “What do I have to do today?”

  “Your mission today is to collect hearts. Would you summon your Keyblade?”

  “Sure…” Roxas nodded, and the Keyblade took shape in his
hand.

  Marluxia took in his first sight of the thing—an enormous shining key with the size and heft of a sword. “Number thirteen… The Keyblade’s chosen, here among our ranks.”

  Roxas didn’t seem to hear. And then—

  A single pitch-black Heartless appeared, as if the Keyblade had called to it. It was only a Shadow, the weakest breed.

  “Nothing to be feared,” said Marluxia. “Roxas, shall we test that power of yours? Use your Keyblade and take down that Heartless.”

  No sooner had the instructions reached his ears than Roxas rushed at the Shadow with his Keyblade at the ready. He didn’t hesitate at all as he struck the Shadow, once and twice and again, until it vanished.

  He should aim to eventually take down a Shadow in one blow, Marluxia thought, but his current level was acceptable for a Nobody who had awakened so recently.

  “Good,” said Marluxia. “That kind of Heartless is called a Shadow.”

  “Heartless…,” Roxas repeated in a mumble, still gripping the Keyblade.

  “Yes. Creatures of the dark that roam in search of hearts,” Marluxia explained. “They come in two classes. The one you just defeated was a Pureblood. But Purebloods don’t release any hearts when you defeat them.”

  “Then how do I collect hearts?”

  “By defeating the others, known as Emblem Heartless. Like those, right over there.”

  A few small Heartless had materialized in front of them, floating in the air.

  “Got it.” Roxas charged again, right into the cluster.

  He was incredibly light on his feet. Nimble was the only way to describe his fighting. Soon, a heart drifted up from each fallen creature, vanishing into the sky.

  This was another first for Marluxia—witnessing the harvesting of hearts.

  If we gather enough of them… But there was much to do before they reached that point. Still, the power of the Keyblade was truly marvelous. With that power in my hands…

  Roxas took out the last of the Heartless. Breathing hard with the effort, he turned to Marluxia, and the Keyblade disappeared from his hand. “Like that?”

  “Yes. The Emblem Heartless are your real targets. Did you notice? Unlike with that Shadow, hearts—which once were the hearts of people—appeared when you destroyed them. And your task is to collect those hearts.”

  “How? Do I have to grab them before they float away?”

  Marluxia blinked, a bit startled that a wielder of the Keyblade should know so little. “No, nothing like that. So long as the Heartless are felled by your weapon, the Keyblade, the hearts will be captured.”

  “…Then what happens to them?”

  Roxas had questions upon questions. He really was clueless. Marluxia took a breath before telling him. “They will gather as one to create the almighty Kingdom Hearts.”

  Roxas tilted his head. “…Kingdom Hearts?”

  Marluxia had not yet laid eyes on the real thing, either. He knew of it only as the product of their research. “Completing Kingdom Hearts is the primary objective of the Organization. To do that, we need all the hearts we can find.”

  “So that’s what the Organization does? Collects hearts?”

  “It cannot be accomplished without the Keyblade. You are the only one of us who can.”

  “Wait—what?” Roxas blurted in surprise.

  “The rest of us can defeat Heartless, but we have no way to collect the hearts they release. And eventually those hearts will turn back into Heartless,” said Marluxia. “Gathering them is a special task that only you can do with the Keyblade you wield.”

  “Me… A special task…?” Roxas’s head lowered as he considered this.

  It seemed he really did know nothing. Were things being kept from him deliberately, or was he only supposed to start learning now? Saïx had not issued any particular instructions regarding this mission beyond telling Roxas how to collect hearts.

  “So take down the Heartless and help the Organization fulfill our purpose of completing Kingdom Hearts,” Marluxia told him. “I have high hopes for you, Roxas. As do we all.”

  Roxas nodded.

  The last part of a mission was reporting to Saïx in the Grey Area.

  “It sounds like you’re making progress,” said Saïx.

  “…I guess so.”

  “Are you getting enough rest?”

  “Rest?” Roxas echoed.

  “I mean, are you sleeping properly? Keeping clean, taking care of yourself? Those things are all part of being fully prepared for missions.”

  “Um, probably,” said Roxas.

  Saïx looked vaguely unsatisfied with this response. “Being prepared is important and so is knowing your own capabilities. Starting today, you’ll keep a diary.”

  “Diary?”

  “You write in it each day to understand yourself.” Saïx handed him a notebook. “There’s no need to show it to anyone. It’s just for you. Now, you’re dismissed. Go to your room and rest up.”

  With that, Saïx left the lobby.

  Other members who had finished their missions were lounging around, chatting. The mood struck Roxas as odd, and he peered at each one in turn. Larxene was here, and Demyx, and Luxord.

  “What’re you looking at?” Larxene sneered. Roxas quickly turned his attention to Demyx.

  “So you play any instruments?” asked Demyx.

  “Um… I don’t…” Roxas fumbled. “What do you mean?”

  “You know, like this.” Demyx summoned an oddly shaped weapon to his hand.

  “What’s that?”

  “My sitar. Here, listen for a minute.” He gave it a strum, but the sound it created was eerie.

  “Ugh!” Larxene groaned loudly. “No one wants to hear that!”

  “No one wants to hear you.” Demyx muttered, pointedly turning away from her.

  “Excuse me? What was that, Spiky?” Larxene jumped up from the sofa.

  Luxord smoothly blocked her path. “Oh, we all need a little break now and then.”

  “True. And I’ll be taking a break from this racket.”

  “What, why?” asked Demyx, having already forgotten that Larxene’s harsh words applied to him.

  “Nothing you filthy bottom-feeders need to trouble your heads about. Bye now.” Larxene left the premises.

  Demyx plucked another note from his sitar. “I swear, she’s nothing but trouble!”

  “Isn’t that what makes women interesting?” Luxord stroked his smartly trimmed beard.

  “Interesting? Dude, is that supposed to make sense?” Demyx turned. “What d’you think, Roxas?”

  “I…don’t get it,” said Roxas.

  Were women all troublesome? He didn’t really understand what women were in the first place.

  “You’ll get it someday.” Luxord gave him a knowing smirk.

  The next day, Roxas was in Twilight Town again, this time with Zexion.

  Before Roxas joined them, Zexion had been the youngest member of the Organization. Now he was closely observing the newbie’s behavior.

  Without that Keyblade, our plan will never succeed.

  When Zexion thought back on their erstwhile research, the “plan” seemed to him like a contradiction in terms—trying to reclaim what they had lost through their own actions. He didn’t believe they had done anything wrong by studying and producing the Heartless. It just so happened that in that process, they had forfeited their own hearts.

  “Is that enough?” asked Roxas, having taken care of the assignment.

  “Yes, good work,” Zexion replied. “I hope you’ll apply yourself with that same diligence in your missions going forward. Now, have you got any questions?”

  Roxas paused, trying to think.

  Zexion had expected any questions to be limited to the scope of the mission itself. He wasn’t prepared for the words that came out of Roxas’s mouth.

  “Just what is Kingdom Hearts?”

  Unsure how to respond, Zexion hesitated for a moment.

  But Roxas
didn’t wait for his answer. “So when I defeat the Heartless, these hearts pop out and become part of Kingdom Hearts, right? But what’s the point? What do we do with Kingdom Hearts?”

  Zexion considered the barrage of questions carefully. How much should I say…?

  He could tell Roxas would not be dissuaded, so he gave it his best shot.

  “You and I, and all the members of the Organization, are Nobodies—which is what we call those who lack hearts from the moment they come into being. And Kingdom Hearts is made of the very thing we lack. It will have the power to complete us. That is the Organization’s objective.”

  Zexion doubted that Roxas would be able to grasp that explanation. But then again, did he need to?

  “You mean…I don’t have a heart?” Roxas questioned, mystified.

  He doesn’t even know what a heart is. I ought to understand a little bit more about it. After all, I used to have one, and I was studying it, too.

  I remember the surge of emotions so well from the time when I had a heart, but I can no longer feel them. Now all we have are the memories and the quest to regain those things.

  “Correct,” Zexion told Roxas. “None of us do. Which is why we seek them. We will merge with the multitude of hearts that is Kingdom Hearts. And you will help us amass them. Each member has a distinct role in achieving the Organization’s objective. Yours is to gather hearts by defeating the Heartless with that Keyblade of yours.”

  Zexion had heard, though, that Roxas had no memory. Which would mean that unlike the rest of them, he couldn’t remember ever having a heart. He might not even notice its absence.

  After the short lecture was complete, Roxas sank into thought, as he seemed wont to do.

  “Any more questions?” Zexion prompted.

  “Oh—sorry. No.” Roxas shook his head.

  “Then we should RTC.”

  As they stepped into the Corridors of Darkness, Zexion had to wonder whether Roxas was actually learning anything at all about the heart.

  After completing his mission with Roxas, Marluxia noticed Axel and called out to him.

  “I heard you will be joining us at Castle Oblivion.”

  “News sure does travel fast…” Axel paused and turned around. “We don’t have the same assignment, though. You’ll be dealing with the Keyblade wielder.”