Radiant Garden [COMPLETED]

[xWhisperingxDismayx]

So...Saix knew he could walk. Now why the hell wasn't he going to let him down! He was about to start telling the berskerer to put him down, when he found his voice cracking and scratching. Damned thirst. The redhead cursed in his mind for having not drinking in such a long time.

"Just put aside your pathetic mindset of doing everything on your own and take the chance that you don't have to do anything for a while. You're only making it hard on yourself if you keep up that attitude." ...That suddenly gave Axel something to think about, that hiss did. The sudden voice startled him, but the words startled him the most.

He'd never even noticed. He did do everything on his own and tried to. It was subconscious...but what made Axel do it? ...Oh. That was right. It was from the last time he had a heart. He'd gotten used to doing everything by himself. He always did everything for himself. And then Roxas was his friend. When he rejoined Sora, he had a reason to do something for someone else. He'd always wanted to help his best bud.

...Living alone. That was something Axel and Saix had in common.....He heard Tifa say something and suddenly listened. He hadn't even noticed how sad his emerald eyes had gotten during his last train of thought. He nodded at Tifa. Maybe he should start taking help. He'd have to get used to it of course, and make sure not to rely on everyone TOO much...

So...he finally stopped fighting everyone's effort. It was his resolution.  

[Diazu]

Saïx watched as Axel took in his words. He saw his once hateful looking eyes turn soft, then sad-like. Had his words hurt him? At least Axel finally desided to get the stick out of his a** and accept the help he so generously offered.

He heard Tifa snap, and he looked at her with a bit of surprise, but then quietly nodded his head. Saïx begun to walk again, finding it far more easier to move when the person you're holding isn't screaming and fighting to escape.

He then remembered that he was just like him.

Trusting in ourselves rather than others were what we believed in...because we had nobody to turn to. He thought sadly. Saïx sighed. But now it was different now. He was beginning to trust the people around him, to help them and to see what it was like to love somebody with every fiber of your being. Something deep within Saïx told him that he hoped Axel would learn to trust people the way he did, and the find someone he could share his life with.

That thought made him feel slightly better, but he still had a numb feeling in his heart. Why did fate choose Axel and him to suffer their past lives like that? What did they do to deserve such harsh torture at such a young age?

Saïx knew those questions would go unanswered.  

[queen_qing]

Letting himself be picked up, Stitch was allowed a much better view of the Great Pink One, considering the fact that a vantage point from a mere foot and one from close to six feet consisted of a major difference in the way one looked at things.

He gurgled delightedly even as he patted the large hands that held him up. Flashing a grin that was full of teeth - he meant no harm, really; it wasn't his fault that he probably had shark DNA hidden somewhere in his little person, right? - Stitch continued chittering. It was clear that he was being studied, but Stitch had no interest in that just as yet. What he was more interested in was how pink the man's hair was. Really, if only he could get close enough to tug at it...

Yeah, that was a good idea.

Stretching a small paw forward, the tiny summon grunted a little as he strained for a handful of the man's bangs --

--and found that he couldn't quite reach it.

Still, valiant little critter that he was, Stitch wasn't quite going to give up trying. No sir!

"Ehhh!! Ehhh!!"  

[SCDream]

Tch. These kids were always in such a rush to peg the bad guys. Too bad they almost never looked before they leapt--- the keyblade master seemed to be very apt in the art, as was his annoying little blonde friend. As such, One decided he was bored of the accusations and the direction in which the conversation was going. He did not answer them... at all. Instead, he merely dodged the first attack, heaving a dramatic sigh of boredom.

True to his name, he was feeling rather lethargic.

Sloth barely even flinched as Sora came running for him, keyblade gripped viciously and heading straight for his gut. Tsk, tsk. What a predictable place to be hitting someone. The robed man yawned, sidestepped the hot-headed boy and put his foot out, looking to trip to other. But then decided against it and grabbed the boy's dangling hood instead, exerting close to no effort as he brought him around---- enemies now face to face.

"Listen. I really am not in the mood to playing these little games. I'm only here to claim my little friend and leave." He flicked his wrist, punctuating the last point by tossing the boy back onto the ground. Sloth then turned to Envy, jerking his chin in the direction of a dark portal.

Envy only happily agreed and fled into the darkness, tail almost literally tucked between his legs.

Tch, what a goddamn wuss.

"It was nice chatting, but I really gotta go kids. I've got some chinese noodles calling my name." Black tendrils reached out, enveloping him bit by bit.

And then he was gone--- as fast as he had come.  

[Skwinky]

…Greed? Leon didn’t have time react. Why couldn’t he? There was a sudden pressure in the room when Zexion’s Heartless appeared. It was like darkness was choking his heart, blocking all entry of light. Was he that strong? And he just dragged Greed away? Saix? Marluxia? What was going on?

Xaldin was the first to react… well… overreact was more like the word. He completely flipped out on Marluxia but quieted down in a matter of seconds. The man also decided it was best to ignore the blue little creature whose decided to suddenly show his affection for Marluxia.

Leon’s mind began processing every little detail. They knew little of these Heartless but at least they knew more. They just lost a very valuable asset and that was probably lost forever. They now had no idea where the enemy base was nor had a way to go there.

Time to call in the troops.

“Everyone, outside with me. We’re heading out. I’m calling in everyone.” The man stepped outside to see both Roxas and Namine speaking together. Namine was here? That meant the group from Traverse Town was back.

“Roxas, stand up. It’s time for a meeting.”  

[Skwinky]

Roxas felt the heat in his face melt a little when Namine asked about the summon. “That’s Stitch,” the boy explained, still on the ground. He watched as the creature scurried away and into the house. “He’s nice enough. A little wild… but nice.”

It was quiet now. And he was all alone… with Namine. With the one girl… He and Saix had made a promise. Roxas was the one to bring it up. He knew how hard it was for Saix to bring it up… but this was the perfect opportunity. How could he pass it up? But then… what about Saix? Saix was his friend too. But Namine…

“Namine…” Roxas couldn’t even look into her eyes. They were beautiful eyes. Just the perfect shade of blue. Not too dark but not too bright either. “I… Namine… uhmm..”

But Roxas did not have a chance to break his process. Leon had suddenly stepped outside with a face so serious that it was almost scary. He did as he was told but not without a question. “A meeting?” he asked, rising to his feet.  

[Skwinky]

Leon hadn’t noticed it until now but it seemed like he had just interrupted a moment between Roxas and Namine. He examined the boy briefly. He would have to live without that moment. They would find another time. This was too important.

“I’ll cut straight to the point,” Leon turned to Roxas. “Greed was taken away by Zexion’s Heartless to their base and will probably be killed. We need to gather everyone and discuss our next plan of action.”

Next plan of action… what was there to do? There was no way to fight the enemy without finding them. That meant they had to search. There had to be an entrance, or at least clues, some where in some world.

“We’re going to leave Radiant Garden.”  

[Skwinky]

“Leaving Radiant Garden? Greed?”

Oh no. This was horrible. He had thought things were going so well. He had reunited with Namine and everything. Well, he wasn’t about to looser her again. With brow furrowed, Roxas continued to look at Leon. His hand however, acted on its. It slowly found it its way to Namine’s and tightened.

“Namine…” he began. For some reason, he found a new strength. Maybe it was because the situation finally hit him. They were fighting an enemy they knew little about and were much more powerful than they were. They were all at a horrible disadvantage.

“I’m not going to leave you again. Not like in Twilight Town. No matter what.”

“It’s a promise.”  

[queen_qing]

The ease with which Sloth had thrown Sora to the ground had stunned him. It was clear that One was so much more powerful, which worried him vastly.

Getting to his feet, Sora brushed off his hands, his Keyblades dissipating as he turned back to his remaining companions. Axel had gone off, as well as Namine, but the important thing was...where was Kairi? And Xemnas?

"Come on, guys." he said quietly even as he started walking. He had to get to Merlin's, where Leon was once he got everyone together. Kairi and Namine first, then to finally look for Riku.

"Kairi!" he called out into the darkness, looking around. "Kairi, where are you?" She couldn't be too far away, right?  

[Xandrei]

Demyx had been ready to throw his summoned water orbs at Sloth, one already flying in the direction of the Heartless before the other lifted up Sora. Immediately, the Sitar-wielding boy stopped the orb, causing it to come splashing into the ground below it. He couldn't hit Sora! Brows furrowed as One threw the keyblade master to the ground, barely even moving as he did so.

The sheer amount of power Sloth had was too much for just the three of them. There was no way they would've made it out of this battle alive if One had actually cared.

Which, he really didn't.

A dark portal opened and Envy scampered through, casting a terrified look at Sloth as he did so. Tendrils from the portal closed in around One as he left, disappearing a heartbeat later.

It was Sora who spoke up, and for that, Demyx was glad. There was nothing he could say after such a strange and terrifying encounter. So he followed the spikey-haired boy, a worried look on his face as they made their way back to Merlin's.  

[Xandrei]

Ienzo's mind had not even registered as Xaldin questioned him, proceeded to be angry with Marluxia, and then settle down. Dark blue eyes stared at the spot in which Greed had sat, intent on trying to process what had just happened.

Greed was going to be killed--- by his own "comrades".

The thought made the small boy absolutely sick, and he felt a small wave of nausea hit him. Vaguely, he heard Leon talk about rounding everyone up, but he needed to distract his attentions away from everything going on. His stomach gurgled at the thought, and he remembered that he was positively starving-- he hadn't eaten since he had arrived in Twilight Town.

Stiffly, the ex-Organization member walked over to the pot that Merlin had. After absentmindedly rummaging around in the nearby cabinets, he procured two beautiful things:

Pasta and Tomato sauce.

Ah. Spaghetti sounded really good right about now. And so, Ienzo went about the task of making said Spaghetti, concentrating on making enough for everyone. Merlin pitched in a little magic, and dinner was born.

Thank heavens.  

[queen_qing]

Looking over at Demyx, Sora frowned slightly. He truly had more pressing matters on his mind to think overmuch about One - like finding the others, for example - and the fact that Demyx looked so creeped out had surprised him.

"Hey Demyx, you okay?"  

[queen_qing]

Flashing Axel a gentle smile at his acquiescence, Tifa did not miss the sad looked that crossed his eyes, and she wandered at it faintly.

Feeling a pang of sympathy for him nevertheless, she patted his hand comfortingly, before she laid her hand on Saix's bicep. He looked a little sad and troubled, too.

It was then that Tifa truly realized that she did not know too much about either one of them, and the things that they had gone through. Had it really been that bad? Was this why the two of them had turned out like this?

She didn't know; truly.

Walking alongside them, the young woman was content to keep her silence, making up her mind to try to understand both of them - Saix, especially - a little more. He was still an enigma to her, and she wanted to know more.

Was it more than interest? She didn't know.  

[Xandrei]

At Sora's question, Demyx immediately perked up, plastering on a cheery smile in response. The musician was troubled about the appearance of One, but he didn't want that to show. Someone had to keep up the light atmosphere.

"Yeah dude! I'll be a-ok~" He grinned even wider, giving the boy a thumbs up.  

[BasslineRaver]

"OW!!!" Xigbar yelled as he flat out dropped Riku on the ground and rubbed at his head. "NO! That kid that you love! Sora, that's the name." He grunted as he rubbed at a sore spot and looked at him. He was pretty sure that his whines made a lot of noise and glared around at the locals. He sat back down next to Riku.

"Sorry I dropped ya, dude. But no worries." He smiled lightly. "We'll have fun to make up for it, huh?" He thought happily about the things that were ahead of him. Finally... Making up for those dreams and getting the real memories.

He hugged at himself and smiled gently, the simple thought making him feel all fuzzy inside.


(( "Ten Year Reunion" - Dirge of Cerberus OST ))