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“There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to do here!” Roxas sighed melodramatically, throwing himself onto his bed and burying his face into his pillow. “I’m so bored.”
He turned expectantly to Axel, his Irish Setter, but the dog just jumped onto the bed and sat on his back.
“Oh my god, get off, you weigh like sixty pounds,” Roxas gasped, flailing his arms uselessly.
Axel whined in the back of his throat and moved to lie down next to him.
“I’m not calling you fat, if that’s what you’re worried about—although you do eat more treats than you really should,” Roxas said to his dog, sitting up and running his hand through his silky russet fur; Axel turned his head to lick his hand and Roxas scratched behind his ear.
“Seriously, though, do you think Xemnas will let me out of the Castle this year? It’s going to be my eighteenth birthday and all…”
Axel growled a bit at Xemnas’s name but otherwise didn’t respond. But of course, he was a dog. Still, talking to a dog was just a bit saner than talking to oneself, and, besides, Roxas thought Axel was pretty intelligent as far as dogs went.
“I mean,” he continued, “I know he said it’s dangerous out there but he can’t keep me cooped up forever. And, look! I even come with a weapon!”
He demonstrated by summoning his Keyblade and twirling it around a bit before looking at Axel—who was staring at him rather lazily—and asking, “That’s a good argument, right? I should definitely remember to mention that point. Hey, Ax—” He tapped the dog lightly on the head with his Keyblade. “You want to see the lights too, don’t you?”
Axel seemed to sigh at him. Dumb lights that happen to show up every year on your birthday. Yeah. Real exciting. Go read a book or something, you dreamer.
Okay, so maybe Roxas had developed a sort of voice for Axel over the years. He was still sane.
“They are exciting!” he protested. “And, fine, I know there are like three hundred books in the library I still need to read, but you can only read for so long before you need a break.” He paused, then added, “You know, for being a hunting breed of dog, you’re not very active.”
He actually yawned at him. Just because you’ve read all about Irish Setters doesn’t mean you know everything about me. And I can be active when I want to, thanks.
Which was true. Sometimes he drove Roxas up the wall with his energy. But the rest of the time, he was just lazy.
“Whatever you say,” Roxas muttered, forgetting, as he tended to do, that Axel’s voice was just a figment of his imagination.
He dismissed his Keyblade and sighed. “It’s just so lonely here.”
At that, Axel got up and shoved his head insistently against Roxas’s chest, and Roxas laughed lightly as he hugged him.
“I know, I know. I have you. But still. Don’t you want to know what’s out there? I’ve read the books, seen the pictures. It’s not fair for Xemnas to keep us locked in here when there’s so much out there.”
Axel licked his face. Then he stopped, growled lowly, and hopped down from the bed, crawling under it.
Roxas sat up a little straighter in bed. He knew the signs; Xemnas was coming.
A second later, he was there, speaking before the darkness had completely dissipated from where he’d teleported into the room.
“Good afternoon, Roxas. I trust you’re well?”
“Yes, of course,” Roxas replied. As if this day was any different from the rest of his life.
“Good.” Xemnas peered at him. “After all, tomorrow is a very special day.”
Roxas brightened; Xemnas had remembered! He cleared his throat. “Actually, Xemnas, I was wondering…”
“Yes?”
“I was wondering if…since tomorrow is my birthday and all…” He hesitated.
Xemnas’s golden eyes seemed to darken. “If you have something to say, I suggest you say it.”
“I was wondering if you’d let me out to see the lights!” Roxas shouted, just a bit quicker and louder than he’d meant to.
Xemnas paused. “The lights?”
Roxas nodded. “Every year, on my birthday, the night sky fills with these beautiful lights—”
“Those are stars, child,” Xemnas interrupted, sounding more pitying than annoyed.
Roxas resisted the urge to glare at him. “Yes, there are stars, too. I know what stars are. I’ve read about them. I’ve studied their patterns. And they’re nothing like the lights that appear on my birthday. Those aren’t stars. They’re something else. And I…I want to see them up close.”
“My apologies, Roxas,” said Xemnas, not sounding very sorry, “but I cannot allow that. It’s too dangerous.”
“But—but I have a weapon!” Roxas said, summoning his Keyblade.
“You do not know how to effectively wield it. And, besides, it is not a proper weapon,” Xemnas dismissed immediately. “This is not up for discussion, Roxas. My answer is final.”
“But—”
Xemnas glared at him, and Roxas slammed his jaw shut with an audible click of teeth.
Xemnas’s eyes seemed to soften then, and he said, “You must understand, I’m doing this for you. To protect you. It’s dangerous outside this castle. You would be dead in an instant, Roxas.”
Well, gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Roxas thought mutinously, but was unable to say the words out loud.
“And you must remember, if anyone were to see your Keyblade, they would covet it. It is very special—you are very special. And that is why you would be in grave danger in the outside world. You are safe here,” Xemnas enunciated.
Roxas, who couldn’t find the words to reply, simply stared at Xemnas. Sure, it was safe in his room, in this castle, but surely that didn’t mean he had to spend the rest of his life here. What was the point of being safe if it meant he never got to do anything, ever?
“I will be back this evening,” Xemnas said after a moment. “I just came to check up on you. Be good while I’m gone.”
He disappeared in a flash of darkness, and Axel crept out from under the bed, growling.
Roxas heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I don’t like him, either. What say we figure out a way to get out of here?”
Axel barked, seemingly in agreement with him for once, and Roxas grinned.
“I knew you’d see things my way. Now, what if—”
He broke off as Axel growled again and began shuffling back toward the bed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Roxas asked, concerned. “Xemnas can’t be coming back already, he—”
Then a young silver-haired man who definitely was not Xemnas appeared in the room in a burst of darkness and Roxas, before he could think to do anything else, swung his still-summoned Keyblade at the person’s head. It connected with a crack and the man fell facedown onto the cool gray tile of the bedroom floor.
“There’s a person in my closet,” Roxas said to Axel, who was sniffing the wardrobe cautiously. “There is a living and breathing—albeit currently unconscious—human being. In. My. Closet.”
Axel barked. You said that already. Multiple times. Yes, there’s a person in your closet. So…
“So…”
So what are you going to do about it?
“I—I’ll show him to Xemnas!” Roxas decided. “Then he’ll have no choice but to acknowledge that I can take care of myself!”
Brilliant plan.
Roxas squinted at his dog. “Are you being sarcastic?”
You tell me.
“You know what, I’m not talking to you. You’re just jealous of my brilliant plan.” He looked at the closet and grinned, feeling rather proud of himself. “That was so easy, though. I could have knocked him out blindfolded. Xemnas is just being paranoid. …He really is super-paranoid, huh?”
Axel barked low in agreement. He’ll never let you out of the castle.
“You’re right,” Roxas said, frowning and forgetting that he’d said he wasn’t talking to his dog. “Maybe I should just leave now. Hey!” He grinned as a new idea hit him. “Why don’t we get that guy to show us the lights?” he proposed, jerking his thumb at the wardrobe.
Axel sort of just stared at him. That’s a ridiculous plan.
“Well, I think it’s a great idea,” Roxas said, and pulled the wardrobe doors open. He leaned in and looped his arms under the unconscious boy’s and hoisted him out of the closet.
“Axel, go find some rope or something, would you?” he grunted as he tugged the boy to his chair.
Axel barked at him and scampered off before returning with the rope Roxas used to use to let Axel play jump rope (from when he was a puppy and still liked playing instead of sleeping all the time.).
“Thank you,” Roxas said, dumping the boy on the chair and using the rope to tie him up. Then, taking several steps back, he cleared his throat and said, “Wake up.”
He remained unconscious.
“Hey,” said Roxas, loudly, “I said, wake up.”
When he still did not wake up, Roxas turned desperately to Axel. “What if I killed him?!”
Axel snorted and padded up to the chair. Rising up on his hind legs, he pushed the chair over; it clattered to the ground on its side. With that done, the dog trotted around the chair and began licking his face.
A few seconds later, he stirred.
“Ugh…what the hell? Get off!”
Axel backed away with a whine.
Roxas cleared his throat again to get the guy’s attention. “Who are you?” he demanded.
The boy peered up at him, and Roxas was surprised by his soft aquamarine eyes; he wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting—cold yellow, like Xemnas? Then his eyes flicked past Roxas to the walls behind him, and he wriggled his arms, bound behind the back of the chair.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in no position to be asking questions,” Roxas said. “Who are you?”
“The name’s Riku,” he replied distractedly, looking around. “And you?”
“Roxas.”
Roxas circled around Riku, Riku’s gaze following him.
“How about setting me upright?” he suggested, and Roxas stopped, placing his hands on his hip.
“How about you shut up?” Roxas said.
“Well, excuse you. I guess they don’t teach you manners here.”
Roxas flushed. He didn’t want to ruin his chance at getting out of the Castle by being rude. “Sorry.”
Cautiously, he righted Riku’s chair, then scuttled back several paces, as if Riku might somehow attack him if he stayed in range.
“Okay, Riku,” Roxas said. “What do you want with me? Does anyone else know I’m here?”
“What?” Riku furrowed his brows at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I just want you to untie me and let me go.” He strained against the rope, to no avail.
Roxas stared. “Wait, you didn’t come to, like, kidnap or murder me?”
“Should I have?”
“Then…” Roxas faltered. “What are you doing here?”
“Hmm. None of your business,” Riku said.
Axel barked, but Riku hardly glanced at the dog.
“I’m not looking for trouble or anything,” he said. “So if you could just untie me, I’ll be on my way.”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Roxas said, regaining his composure.
“You don’t?” Riku asked, and Roxas wondered, frustrated, why he sounded so amused.
“No, I don’t. See, I’m in charge here. You’re in no position to be making demands.”
“Right,” Riku drawled.
“So, how about we make a deal?” Roxas pressed on. “I’ll let you go—if you take me to see the lights.”
Riku was silent for a moment. “The lights?”
“The lights that always fill the sky on the same day every year. Tomorrow.”
“Oh, those lights,” Riku said, a look of understanding clearing his face. “You mean the lanterns. For the lost prince.”
Lost prince?
“Yeah, those,” Roxas said. “Take me to see them.”
“That’s all I have to do.”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” Riku agreed easily.
“Good.” Roxas moved behind the chair to untie him. “Oh, but there’s a catch. I saw the thing in your bag. Looks valuable. You’re not getting it back until I see the lights.”
Riku was silent for a long moment, and Roxas grinned smugly to himself. He knew Riku probably would have run, wouldn’t have kept his word. He supposed Xemnas was right about one thing: People were liars.
“It’s in that pot over there, isn’t it?” Riku asked.
Roxas cursed.
“No matter,” he said. “I won’t let you have it. Axel.”
He nodded at the dog, and Axel prowled over to the pot, where he lay in front of it and growled, glaring at Riku.
Riku sighed noisily. “Fine. I’ll take you to see the stupid lanterns, if they’re so important to you. So long as I get my crown back afterwards.”
Roxas grinned and released Riku. “Okay!” he said. “Let’s go.”
Sighing again, Riku snapped his fingers and opened a dark portal. Roxas eyed it with nervousness. He saw portals all the time, every time Xemnas came and left, but he’d never actually gone through one before.
“This won’t hurt, right?”
Riku smiled reassuringly. “Not a bit,” he promised. Then he shoved Roxas through the portal.
Roxas screamed.
After what could have been a minute or an hour, Roxas crashed into hard ground. Axel landed on him moments after.
“You—you liar!” Roxas wheezed, pointing accusingly at Riku, who was standing above him with his arms crossed and a smile on his lips. He rolled over and Axel hopped nimbly off of him, trotting over to sit by Riku’s feet, the traitor. “My stomach feels like it’s doing flip-flops.”
“Must be first time traveler’s sickness,” Riku said dismissively. “You’ll get used to it.”
Roxas glared at him, standing up. “You jerk.”
“Payback for knocking me out,” Riku said.
“Random guy appears in my room, what am I supposed to do?” Roxas asked.
He turned around without waiting for an answer, stopping short when he saw the small derelict castle towering behind him.
“Wow,” he said. Axel padded over to him and Roxas patted his head. “I’ve been in there for eighteen years. Eighteen years.”
Axel whined softly.
Riku was regarding him silently. “Come on,” he said now. “We should get going.”
“Okay,” Roxas said, turning eagerly back to him. “Let’s go.”
He followed as Riku walked down the darkened streets, Axel trotting along beside him.
“How did you find this place, anyway?” he asked. “Xemnas said no one would ever be able to find it.”
“Well, then I guess I got lucky,” Riku said.
He didn’t say anything else, and Roxas stared contemplatively at him.
“Anyway,” Roxas said, trying a different topic, “what’s the story behind the lights—er, lanterns? You mentioned something about a lost prince.”
Now Riku seemed surprised as he glanced at him. “You mean you don’t know?”
Roxas shook his head.
“Huh.” Riku shrugged and looked forward again. “Well, several years ago, the King and Queen had a kid. Twins, actually. But the night they were born, one of them was stolen away. Right under the guards’ noses. So every year on the prince’s birthday, they send out a bunch of lanterns, in hopes that the prince will see them and find his way home.”
“Oh,” Roxas said quietly, suddenly feeling selfish about his desire to see the lights. He’d just thought they looked pretty. They did feel special—but he’d just attributed that to the fact that they only appeared on his birthday. Now he knew the real story behind the lights, and he felt guilty about finding them so beautiful. “I hope they find him one day.”
“It’s been a long time, but they still believe,” Riku said. “The town makes a huge deal out of it—there’ll be a festival tomorrow. Of course, it’s the brother’s birthday as well, so.” He shrugged.
“Thanks,” Roxas said, “for taking me to see them.”
Riku looked at him oddly. “No problem.”
They walked, the silence broken by random comments Roxas made to Axel, because he wasn’t sure what to say to Riku, who didn’t seem to be forthcoming about any information about himself.
“Xemnas is going to kill us when we get back,” he said to Axel, who barked in agreement.
“Who is this ‘Xemnas,’ anyway?” Riku asked.
“Oh, he’s…” Roxas trailed off. “He takes care of me.”
“By keeping you locked up? Have you been in there your whole life?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “Xemnas says that the world is dangerous and that I’m safer there.”
“Well, fair enough, but what’s the point if you spend your whole life stuck in there?”
“That’s what I said!” Roxas said, glad to find someone who agreed with him. “Axel here never really cared,” he added, indicating his dog. “He’s lazy.”
Axel barked.
“You are, shut up,” Roxas said, and Riku chuckled.
“The world’s really not so bad,” Riku said. “I mean, it’s got its downsides, but it’s got its upsides, too. You’ll see.”
Roxas smiled nervously at Riku. “I hope so.”
At that moment, the bushes beside them rustled. Axel stiffened and growled, and Roxas dived behind Riku.
“What is it?” he whispered loudly. “Is it a Heartless? Or a ruffian? What if they were sent to find me?”
A bunny hopped out of the bush; Axel yelped and started chasing it, and Riku burst out laughing.
“Maybe it smelled your fear,” he managed to say between chuckles.
Roxas went red. “Shut up! What if it had rabies?”
Riku raised an eyebrow at him, and Roxas huffed, turning away. “I guess I’m just nervous. I’ve never been out here before.”
“Why are you so worried someone’s out to get you, anyway?” Riku asked. “You thought I’d gone to that castle looking for you.”
“Oh, well,” Roxas said with a nervous laugh, remembering Xemnas’s repeated warnings of what would happen if he were to leave the Castle and someone were to see his Keyblade. “No reason, really.”
There was a pause as Riku stared at him, clearly disbelieving.
“Well,” Riku said slowly, after a moment. “I think I know just the thing to make you feel better—some food.”
Roxas’s stomach growled at the prospect. “That does sound good,” he admitted.
“There’s a nice place not too far from here, actually,” Riku continued. “Why don’t we go?”
“Yeah!” Grinning, Roxas cupped his hands around his mouth and called, “Axel! AXEL! COME ON, WE’RE GETTING FOOD!”
Axel burst into view, yipping and circling Roxas excitedly. Roxas knelt down to briefly ruffle his fur.
“I swear, the only thing you like more than naps is food. Or maybe it’s the other way around,” Roxas snorted. Straightening up, he said to Riku, “So, where is this place?”
“Not far, we just have to get onto the main path and follow it,” Riku said, leading him as they walked.
Eventually, they emerged from the depths of the forest and came upon a dirt path. Axel barked, and Roxas turned to him, grinning. “Just you wait, Axel, I’ll get you a nice steak, and—whoa.” He darted over to the tree at the edge of the path, where a poster was tacked onto the trunk. To be precise, it was a wanted poster—with Riku’s face on it.
“Look, it’s you!” Roxas exclaimed, and Riku walked swiftly to the tree and grabbed the poster, crumpling it and stuffing it in his pocket. “You’re a ruffian?” He was impressed. He’d always thought ruffians were big, burly, scary men, but Riku was none of those.
Riku gave him a cruel smile. “Yes, I am. Having second thoughts about letting me take you to see the lanterns?”
“So you did steal that crown; I’d wondered,” Roxas said. “I thought you guys would be scarier. Looks like I worried for nothing.”
Riku stared at him for a long moment. “Well,” he said, his smile gone small and tight, “we’d better get moving. You want to eat, right?”
“Oh, yeah,” Roxas said. “Let’s go!”
They walked on for a few more minutes until Riku finally said, “Ah, there it is: The Cuddly Chocobo. Quaint little place.”
“Looks cozy,” Roxas said.
“Yep,” Riku said. “The coziest.” And he threw open the door.
Roxas recoiled in horror at the sight before him. Riku clearly wasn’t a good example of a ruffian, because these guys fit his mental image perfectly.
Roxas hid behind Riku (Axel hid behind Roxas), peering over his shoulder. He realized that no one was actually fighting, but there was a lot of yelling going on and weapons lying around.
Riku inhaled deeply and smiled at Roxas with undisguised evil. “Do you smell that, Roxas? It’s the smell of too much testosterone in one room.”
“I, um. Is it like this everywhere?”
“Well, this place is more tame than most,” Riku said. “A fight’s bound to break out eventually, but that’s not uncommon.” He paused, looking almost genuinely concerned. “Can you not handle this? This is just a taste of the rest of the world—you know, you’re looking kind of pale. Maybe I should just take you back to the castle.”
“Uh—no, um.” Roxas took a moment to strengthen his resolve. “No, I need to see the lanterns. That’s all I’ve wanted my whole life. I’m not going to let a few—” He gulped. “—ruffians stop me.”
Riku looked a shade irritated, but he said, with forced cheer, “Okay, then—”
“Hey.” One of the ruffians, with a scarily large battle-ax, had come to stand in front of them. He held up a wanted poster. “This you?”
“Well, I mean, maybe,” Riku said, and the ruffian yelled, “Grab him!” which was totally unnecessary because he then proceeded to grab Riku himself.
“I can get some pretty money out of you.”
“Wait, I need him,” Roxas started, but someone else shouted over him, “Screw you! I need the money!”
“No me!” yelled someone, clambering over, while someone else called, “Take his weapons!” Roxas didn’t even know Riku had weapons, but suddenly there were daggers clattering to the floor next to his feet.
“Get the royal guards!”
“No, stop!” Roxas cried.
Axel snarled and barked, but no one was listening to them; everyone was jostling Riku around as Roxas tried in vain to reach him.
“You stop squirming,” the ruffian snarled. He hefted his battle-ax. “I’m sure the royal guards won’t mind receiving you with a few missing limbs.”
“Maybe we can talk this over—” Riku began.
“Please!” Roxas said.
Before the ruffian could swing his ax down, Axel leaped and sunk his teeth into his leg; the ruffian howled and dropped the weapon, grabbing at Axel with his meaty hands.
“Let him go! He’s my dog!” Roxas said loudly, but the racket had only increased in volume. He clambered on top of a table and shouted at the top of his lungs. “I said, LET HIM GO!”
The whole place fell silent and all eyes turned to stare at Roxas, breathing heavily from where he was standing on top of the table in the middle of the little restaurant.
The ruffian, who by then had Axel by the scruff of his neck, dropped him; Axel scampered over, rubbing himself against Roxas’s leg, and Roxas stooped down to pet him and make sure he was okay.
“No, uh, he meant me,” Riku said, from where two guys still had him in a death grip.
“No, I meant my dog,” Roxas said, straightening up again. “But I need him, too.”
“He’s just a lowlife thief!” someone protested, and Riku muttered, “Yeah, like all of you guys aren’t.”
“The royal guard’s offered a huge sum for him,” another ruffian put in.
“I bet he just wants the money for himself.”
“Yeah!”
The clamor started again, and Roxas, quite frustrated by this point, yelled, “NO!” before the place devolved into chaos again.
“I don’t want the stupid money!” he said, fuming. “But I do want to see the lanterns tomorrow night—I’ve been dreaming of seeing them my entire life—and I need him—” He pointed to Riku for emphasis. “—to take me to them! Are you all so heartless that you would deprive me of my dream when I am literally less than a day and a half from seeing it come true?” He was pleading by the end, but he didn’t care. Beside him, Axel was whining, turning up the puppy dog eyes to full force.
The restaurant was silent.
Finally, someone said, “He’s right. Dreams are important.” He turned to Roxas. “And yours is so close to coming true.”
Roxas nodded emphatically, climbing down from the table as, slowly, the other ruffians and thugs began to nod with him.
“I dream of a quiet and peaceful life,” Riku grumbled as he was shoved practically onto Roxas.
Roxas grabbed his arms and half-spun him around. “You can get that after you show me the lanterns tomorrow!” he said, giddy and flushed with excitement.
Riku started to smile, a fond, exasperated sort of smile, when the door was thrown open.
“I found the guards!”
Cursing under his breath, Riku grabbed Roxas’s wrist and dragged him to hide behind the counter. Axel followed, pressing himself against Roxas, and Roxas hugged the dog to his chest.
“What do we do?” Roxas asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Riku whispered back. He leaned back, his head thumping lightly against the wooden counter. “Shit.”
There was a creaking sound, and Riku and Roxas both looked up. The ruffian with the battle-ax grinned at them from over the counter and gestured at the secret exit that had just opened up before them.
“Go,” he said. “Live your dream.”
Roxas beamed at him. “Thank you so much,” he whispered. “Come on, Riku!” Grabbing his hand, he dragged him down into the tunnel.
They’d been walking through the tunnel, Axel bounding ahead and doubling back, for a while before Roxas let out a relieved sigh.
“Well, that was eventful.”
Riku smiled at him a little. “I guess that was pretty exciting.”
“What’s this?” Roxas said. “I thought you said you liked peace and quiet.”
“Okay, I lied,” Riku said, rolling his eyes. “I live for adventure.”
Roxas grinned at him, then faltered. “Will we be okay going to see the lanterns?” he asked. “I mean, I didn’t realize you had such a high price on your head. Is this all because of that crown?”
“Well,” Riku said. “That crown is worth unimaginable wealth.” He paused. “And it’s from the royal palace itself.”
“Wow,” Roxas said.
“I know—I’m a completely horrible person.”
“Well, not completely,” Roxas said, elbowing him. “You are taking me to see the lanterns. That’s something.”
“Yeah,” Riku said after a moment. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
They kept walking.
“Look,” Roxas said, quickening his pace. “I see the exit!”
Axel barked joyfully, but Riku shushed both of them. “Wait! Someone might be waiting for us on the other side.”
Walking lightly, he ascended the steps and pushed open the trapdoor at the end of the tunnel, then hoisted himself up with quiet orders for Roxas and Axel to wait there. Roxas waited as he looked around and climbed out of the hole.
A moment later, he reappeared, looking down into the hole. “You can come out. There’s no one here.”
Roxas climbed up and waited for Axel to jump up beside him before swinging the trapdoor shut.
He straightened up, dusted himself off, and laughed.
“Something funny?” Riku asked.
“No, just—we made it! We’re home free! And tomorrow, I get to see the lanterns!” He picked up a stick and chucked it as hard as he could. Axel bounded after it with a bark, and Roxas jogged after him, still laughing.
Riku chuckled as he walked behind him. “Calm down, Roxas. You’ve got a whole night and day to go.”
Roxas slowed his pace to a walk, then knelt down as Axel came barreling back, stick clamped between his teeth. He tackled Roxas, who grunted under the weight, wrapping his arms around him.
“Sorry, I’m just really excited.”
“I can see that.” Riku knelt beside him, running a hand through Axel’s fur; Axel’s tail wagged furiously in approval.
They remained quiet for a minute as Roxas regained his breath and calmed down. But just as Roxas was straightening up and about to ask what they were going to do next, Axel growled, low in his throat, fur bristling.
“Axel?” Roxas asked.
Axel continued to growl, and when he started backing up, Roxas took a nervous step back of his own.
“Riku, something’s out there.”
“Are you sure it’s not another bunny?” Riku asked, but at that moment, something literally sprang from the ground, skin pitch black and eyes glowing yellow circles.
Riku cursed. “It’s a Heartless,” he said. “And they took my dagger at the Chocobo.” He turned to him, eyes wide. “Roxas, I’m so sorry.”
“What about your—your dark portals?” Roxas asked.
“It only works short distances,” Riku said. “Nothing to a Heartless.”
“So we can’t outrun it, either,” Roxas said, but he already knew it would be foolish to try. He’d never encountered a Heartless before, but he had read all about them.
“Not both of us, no,” Riku said grimly. “But if I distract it, maybe you can get away—”
“Riku, no—” Roxas said, but then the Heartless saved them from having to work out an agreement by leaping at Riku, and Roxas did the first thing that came to mind: He stepped in front of Riku, summoning his Keyblade to block the attack.
The Heartless was thrown back by his Keyblade; when it came back, Roxas cleaved through it, and it evaporated into a dark mist.
“Oh, shit,” Riku said. He looked stricken. “You’re—”
“Riku?” Roxas said worriedly, feeling a knot form in his stomach. Xemnas’s warnings were echoing in his head, but what else could he have done? Let Riku die?
“N-nothing,” Riku muttered. “We should set up camp. Make a fire. There aren’t supposed to be a lot of Heartless out here, but if any are skulking about, they’ll stay away from fire.” He hesitated. “You’d better dismiss that,” he added, nodding at his Keyblade.
“Right,” Roxas said, dismissing it. He looked at Axel, who whined at him. “Are you going to—I don’t know, never mind.” He sighed and sat down against a tree, drawing his legs up to his chest; Axel laid down with his head on Roxas’s foot. “Xemnas always said that if anyone saw my Keyblade, I’d be in danger. That’s why he never let me leave.”
Riku settled down beside him. “Hey, it’s okay,” he said. “We’ll see the lanterns tomorrow night, it’ll be great. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Even though you’re a ruffian?” Roxas asked him with a weak smile.
“Ruffian is so crass,” Riku said. “How about ‘dashing thief’?”
“Thieves aren’t dashing,” Roxas retorted. “Princes are, or knights.”
Riku chuckled at that. “I always wanted to be a knight. Because they were brave, and heroic, and—and because of the adventures. I read all the books and everything. But…”
“So how’d you end up in the life of dishonest thievery?” Roxas asked. “That’s, like, the opposite of a knight.”
Riku’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m a commoner, Roxas. Only those of noble birth can be knighted.”
“Oh. That’s…really lame,” Roxas said, but Riku just shrugged a little.
“It’s been that way for centuries; I’ve gotten over it by now. But I guess it sucks being a little kid and being told your dream can’t come true.”
“Well, I think you’d make a great dashing knight,” Roxas offered with a smile that Riku tentatively returned.
“Uh—I should get the firewood,” Riku said, standing. “You wait here, okay?”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Roxas asked, scrambling to stand as well. “What if there are more Heartless out there?”
“I’ll be okay,” Riku said. “Like I said, there shouldn’t even be a lot of Heartless out here. We were unlucky.” Waving off Roxas’s further attempted protests, he said, “I’ll be back soon.”
Roxas watched him leave, then sighed and reached down to pet Axel’s head.
“He’s something, isn’t he?” he asked the dog.
Axel whined softly in agreement.
Riku came back unharmed and was pretty quiet for the rest of the night, talking for only a little while before announcing that he was sleepy and curling up with his back to Roxas.
Unsettled by his strange behavior and anxious for tomorrow, Roxas couldn’t get to sleep, so he stayed up, poking at the fire with a stick while Axel snored beside him.
“I take care of you for all these years, and this is how you repay me,” a voice said behind him, and Roxas jumped. “I’m so very disappointed.”
“Xemnas?” Roxas said, mouth dry, heart hammering. He stood and turned to face where, sure enough, his caregiver was standing in the shadows of the trees.
Axel stirred and growled a little in his sleep, but didn’t wake up as Roxas quietly made his way away from his sleeping companions.
“I was so worried when I came back and you weren’t there,” Xemnas said in his somber voice. “What could have happened to you? And here I find you ran away.”
“I was going to come back,” Roxas said defensively. “I was just going to go see the lanterns and come right back. Riku’s taking me.”
“Riku? That boy there?” Xemnas asked. “Come now, Roxas. You can’t trust that thief.”
“But I do,” Roxas said, clenching his hands into fists. “I do trust him. And—I think maybe he likes me.”
“You may think that now, but if he were to see your Keyblade…”
“Actually, he’s seen it,” Roxas said, and Xemnas almost looked surprised for a moment, but it was gone again in an instant. “And he doesn’t care.”
“Hmph.” Xemnas paused for a long moment, and then he said, “I tried to spare you from the pain, but you leave me no choice.” He tossed a satchel at Roxas, who caught it and peered inside. It was the crown Riku had with him when he’d arrived in the tower.
“If you trust him so much, give him that,” Xemnas said. “But I assure you, the moment his prize is in his hands, he will leave you.”
“He won’t,” Roxas said, glaring. “I’ll prove it.”
Xemnas just shook his head. “I will be waiting for your return, once you’ve learned the follies of your ways.”
He disappeared in his customary flash of darkness, and Roxas turned and walked resolutely back to their campsite, but once he was there, he couldn’t bring himself to wake Riku up. Sighing, he stowed the bag away and settled down beside Axel, stroking his fur until he grew tired and fell asleep.
When Roxas had woken up, he’d felt like he’d barely gotten any sleep. After staring at Riku—who’d been out like a light—for a long time, he’d gotten rid of the satchel and hidden the crown in his coat. Then he’d taken a deep breath, plastered a smile on his face, and woken Riku up. Loudly.
Now they were in the village and most of Roxas’s fears were forgotten, or at least pushed to the back of his mind.
“There are so many people,” he marveled, turning this way and that, nearly (okay, not ‘nearly’ in some cases) bumping into about a dozen people as he tried to take in everything all at once.
All the buildings were decked out in colorful banners and streamers and flags. In the center of town, there were a bunch of stands selling all sorts of things—set up, Riku explained, for the festival. A live band was filling the square with music. It seemed as if everyone in the village was out and about, and everyone was so happy and friendly, greeting each other and chatting and laughing. One lady gave them sandwiches Roxas had been eyeing (he hadn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday) for free, and all the little kids loved Axel; they ran over, squealing, and petted him, which Axel seemed miffed about, until they started giving him food, at which point he happily allowed the children to manhandle him, Roxas watching on with amusement.
This wasn’t at all like the world Xemnas had so often described to him.
“It can’t always be like this?” Roxas asked.
“Well, it’s not usually this lively,” Riku said, tugging his arm to save him from crashing into someone else. “Today is special. But it’s still a really nice village.”
He grinned. If the world was like this… “I’m never going back to the Castle.” He turned to see Axel still being petted by a horde of children. “Hear that, Axel?” he called to his dog. “We are never going back to the Castle!”
Axel yipped happily and rolled over to have his belly rubbed.
The song the band was playing ended, but they started another one just as quickly, and Roxas turned to Riku, still grinning.
“Wanna dance?”
“Not really,” Riku said, but Roxas was already dragging him out to the middle of the square, slipping his hands into his, laughing joyfully as Riku gave in and danced with him.
Despite Riku’s protests, he seemed to enjoy himself, and they both finished the song flushed and smiling, amid applause. Roxas looked around to see that other people had joined in the dancing while others had stood by and watched. He gave a little bow, pulling Riku down with him.
Riku, apparently, had money stashed; as he gave Roxas a large handful of coins, he claimed to have earned it through legal means. Roxas was skeptical, but he was really too excited about the festivities around them to resist, and the rest of the day was a blur of snacks and souvenirs, playing games, and hiding from royal guards when they came too close to spotting Riku.
Roxas got a doggy sweater for Axel that had the royal crest on it. Axel was not pleased, and then he sat and whined at a really soft handmade quilt until Roxas bought it. That had cost a lot, so, after that, Roxas had decided that he’d spent enough money on his dog (well, okay, maybe he’d get him a nice steak later) and set off to buy as many trinkets as he could hold for himself.
Late in the evening there was a puppet-show retelling of the kingdom’s history and the royal family, so-called the Guardians of the Key. Roxas really wanted to see it, but Riku dragged him back to the center of the square for another dance instead.
And then it was time for the lanterns.
“Where are we going?” Roxas asked as Riku led him to the outskirts of the village, the opposite direction from where everyone else was crowding.
Riku glanced at him with a smirk on his face. “Well, no point in half-assing it, right? I made sure to get you the front row seat.”
Riku took him to the docks, where there was a rowboat waiting for them. Roxas turned to Riku, wide-eyed and unable to find the words to thank him. Riku just pushed him gently forward.
Axel bounded forward to inspect the boat. Then he laid down right at the end of the dock and glared at Roxas.
I’m not getting on that thing.
“Well, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Roxas said. “I don’t need you raining on my parade anyway.”
Axel looked affronted, and Roxas dropped the treats he’d been saving for later in front of him. Axel jumped up immediately.
Okay, forgiven.
“Thank you,” Roxas said as he clambered into the boat after Riku.
They rowed out to the middle of the lake and Roxas drew in a breath, suddenly nervous.
“Okay there?” Riku checked.
“No,” Roxas admitted. “I’m just—I’ve been dreaming of this for years. What if I have unrealistic expectations? What if I’m disappointed?”
“It won’t be exactly what you’ve imagined,” Riku said, “That’s impossible. But sometimes the real thing is better than anything you can imagine. Don’t worry.”
“Even if that’s true, what do I do next?” Roxas said. “I never thought of what I would do after I saw the lights. I never even thought I’d ever be able to actually see the lights.”
“Well, what happens next is up to you,” Riku said, but he seemed strangely hesitant. “But…just wait until this is over, okay? Don’t worry about it just yet.”
“Okay,” Roxas said, but Riku needn’t have said anything, because the first lantern was rising to the sky and Roxas was enraptured by it.
Another lantern joined it, and another, and another, and then a whole bunch at once. The sky was rapidly filling with the glowing lanterns, and Roxas craned his neck back to look, his mouth dropping open as he stared.
The pitiful view from his bedroom window was nothing compared to this, the lights surrounding him and filling the sky, casting a soft glow on the lake below. It was breathtaking. It was beautiful.
Riku cleared his throat, and Roxas looked back down to see him holding two lanterns—Roxas had already forgotten that Riku had bought them. He took one and smiled across at Riku as they pushed their lanterns up in tandem.
“Look at them go,” he breathed as they joined the other lanterns in the sky.
“It’s really something,” Riku agreed, but when Roxas looked he realized that Riku was staring at him.
Their eyes met, and Roxas was struck with the inexplicable feeling of being found. His thoughts went to the lost prince, then, and he said, “I hope the lost prince is out there, somewhere…even if he can’t see the lanterns, I hope he knows his family loves him and is still looking for him.”
“Roxas, I have to tell you something—” Riku started.
“No, wait, I have something for you,” Roxas said. Shyly, he pulled the crown out from his coat. “I should have given this back before, but I was scared—”
“Roxas,” Riku said, taking the crown and setting it aside. Roxas blinked as Riku took his hands. “I have to tell you something important.” He paused and seemed to gather himself up. “You’re—” He stiffened, looking over Roxas’s shoulder.
“Riku? Is something wrong?” Roxas asked, glancing over his shoulder. But no one was there.
“N-no, I’m okay,” Riku said unconvincingly. “Sorry, I just…have to do something.”
He rowed them to the shore and grabbed the crown. Roxas stared, an uneasy feeling growing in his stomach.
“Sorry,” Riku said again. “Just wait here, okay? I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay,” Roxas said, but he was already gone in a flash of darkness.
Roxas peered across the lake and saw Axel on the dock across the water. The Setter was standing, waving his tail slowly. Roxas waved at him and wondered if he could convince Axel to swim over. Probably not.
Sighing, he sat down, leaning against the boat, and waited. And waited. And waited.
Where is he?
There was, of course, a very real possibility that—well, Roxas couldn’t even bring himself to consider it, so he just continued to sit and wait.
Something nudged him, and he jumped, but it was just Axel, dripping wet, tongue lolling out of his mouth. He’d swum over.
“Axel—” Roxas started, but a lump had formed in his throat.
Axel bumped his head against Roxas’s arm, and Roxas hugged him, pressing his face into his damp fur.
“He’s gone,” he said hoarsely. “Riku left.”
Axel growled. What happened?
“He took the crown and left, what do think happened?” Roxas said, pulling back and looking crossly at his dog. “He told me to wait, said he’d come back. Do…d’you think he might still come back?”
Axel just tilted his head at him.
“Maybe, right?” Roxas said, feeling his battered hopes rising, if only a little. “C’mon, Axel, sit down.”
Instead, Axel plopped down, lying across Roxas’s lap and demanding to be petted. Roxas combed his fingers through his fur until the dog fell asleep. He stared up at the sky, and then into the forest, willing Riku to appear, but he never came.
Roxas clung to the last vestiges of his hope until dawn broke. Then, feeling bitter and betrayed, he woke Axel up.
“We’re going back to the castle.”
I thought you said we were never going back there.
“Well,” Roxas said, feeling sick, “I lied. Xemnas was right about the world. Being stuck in there is better than being stranded out here.”
He shoved Axel off of him, the dog yelping in protest, and stood up, hands clenched at his sides.
“Dammit,” he said, and kicked the boat, but that only served to make his foot hurt.
It took half the day to make their way back to the castle, and then Roxas realized that he didn’t even know how to get into the stupid place. He’d always been confined to the upper floors, had never even seen the entrance hall.
“Yeah, this is a nice welcome home,” Roxas said to Axel as he kicked a stone at the wall.
Axel barked sharply, and Roxas gasped as tendrils of darkness rose from the ground, wrapping around his arms and legs.
“What—Axel!” he said, lunging forward as Axel backed away. “Don’t abandon me now, you coward.” He scooped all sixty pounds of the Setter in his arms just as the darkness closed around him.
With a gasp like he’d just surfaced from being underwater, Roxas found himself in his room.
Axel leaped from his arms and skittered away. Stumbling a little and feeling disoriented, Roxas looked around the room, vision spinning.
“Riku!” he gasped, seeing him sitting with his back to the wall. “What are you doing here?”
Riku didn’t reply, and Roxas ran over to him, dropping to his knees.
“Riku? Riku, hey, what’s wrong?”
A low snarl sounded behind him, and Roxas turned to see Axel staring at Riku, hackles raised.
“What’s the matter, Axel?”
But Axel gave no response except the very obvious, Something’s wrong.
Roxas turned fretfully back to Riku. He touched his cheek and was surprised to find his skin clammy and cold. Upon closer inspection—it had been hard to tell in the dimness of his room—he saw that Riku’s skin was pale and ashen. Tentatively, he brushed his bangs out of the way and Riku’s eyes gazed at him, frighteningly blank.
Roxas scrambled backwards, heart pounding, and Axel let out a sharp bark.
“Riku—” he started again, but a voice interrupted him.
“It’ll do no good talking to him when he’s like that.”
“Xemnas,” Roxas hissed, spinning around to see his caretaker step out from the gloom. “What have you done to him?”
“Roxas, did you know you have a very special ability?” Xemnas asked him.
“What did you do to Riku?” he asked again, loudly, but Xemnas just talked right over him.
“That Keyblade of yours isn’t just a weapon, and it’s certainly not meant to simply lock and unlock doors. No, we wouldn’t need Guardians of the Key—” He said it spitefully, and Roxas’s brain scrambled to figure out where he had heard the phrase before. It seemed recent; had he read it in a book? “—for something so trivial as that. No, your Keyblade can do something much more important.”
Roxas swallowed nervously. “Plan on telling me what’s so special about my Keyblade, then?”
Xemnas’s eyes narrowed, yellow eyes flashing dangerously. But when he spoke, his voice was as calm as ever. “It can unlock Hearts.”
Roxas stared at him.
“Do you know the secret of immortality, Roxas?” Xemnas asked idly, stepping forward. Roxas backed up, nearly tripping over Axel. “Bodies age and rot, but the Heart is eternal. Not any physical organ, but something like a soul. Transfer the Heart from body to body, and theoretically one could live forever.”
“Theoretically,” Roxas said, clinging onto the word. “You don’t know if your crazy plan will work, and even then—Riku didn’t do anything to deserve this. Let him go!”
“Oh, don’t be foolish, boy,” Xemnas said. “I don’t want Riku’s body.”
That brought Roxas up short. “You…you don’t?”
“Of course not. I want yours.”
Roxas blanched, but before he could reply, Xemnas explained.
“It will work. My father lived for hundreds of years—but then there was the Keyblade War. Everyone thought all the Keyblade wielders were gone—but there was one family of wielders left.”
“Wait,” Roxas said, his brain struggling to catch up. “The Guardians of the Key. The royal family.” He forgot how to breathe for a moment. “Then that means I’m the lost prince,” he choked out.
“Precisely.” Xemnas allowed a slight smile. “I need a Keyblade to unlock my Heart. Why would I use that boy’s body as my new vessel when I have you? With your body, I could take a new vessel very easily when the time came.”
“And what—what makes you think I’d ever let you do that?” Roxas asked.
“Because if you do not, this boy you’re so fond of will die.”
Darkness pooled around Xemnas’s feet, and Roxas took another nervous step back as a Heartless emerged from the darkness. Unlike the Heartless they’d encountered in the forest, this one had an emblem resembling a heart emblazoned on its chest.
“I have your boy’s Heart here,” Xemnas said with a malicious grin. “If it is not restored soon, he will die. Your Keyblade could save him, and I am willing to let you. But afterwards—”
“I become your vessel, right?” Roxas said shakily.
“Correct.”
Roxas stared at Riku. He’d only known him for two days, but still—he thought of the way Riku had been prepared to sacrifice himself so he could get away from the Heartless, his quiet confessions of dreaming of becoming a knight, their dances in the town square, the way Riku had looked at him across the boat… He liked Riku. A lot. He couldn’t just let him die. And it was Roxas’s fault he had gotten mixed up in all this business in the first place. If not for Roxas, right now Riku would be off somewhere with all the money he could ever want, not sitting slumped in Roxas’s room with blank eyes and his Heart trapped in a Heartless.
“Fine,” Roxas said. “I’ll do it. Just don’t bother Riku again. He’s got nothing to do with this.”
“Very well,” Xemnas said, eyes steely. He gestured with his hand, and the Heartless ambled up to Roxas.
Roxas summoned his Keyblade. “What do I—”
“If your powers have manifested—as they should have yesterday—then you simply need to strike the Heartless down,” Xemnas said.
“If—?” Roxas started, but Heartless leaped at him and Roxas instinctively raised his Keyblade.
The Heartless disintegrated into darkness, and Roxas turned desperately to Riku. He tried to go to him, but Xemnas grabbed him and yanked him roughly back, fingers digging into his shoulder.
Roxas looked at Axel, who bounded to Riku’s side and started licking his face.
For a horribly long moment, Riku was still. Then, he twitched and stirred.
“What the—Axel?” Abruptly, he sat up straight. “Roxas?”
Xemnas stopped Roxas from going to him, so Roxas just said, “Riku, you’ve got to get out of here, now.”
Riku’s brows furrowed as he took in the scene before him. “Roxas, what’s going on?”
He shook his head impatiently. “It doesn’t matter. Just get out of here. Don’t come back. And—and take Axel with you,” he said, the words coming out in a rush. “I know this is kind of sudden, but can you take care of him, please? You know he’s good, he won’t bother you very much or anything, just feed him and play with him sometimes and make sure he exercises—he’d sleep all day if he could.”
It was a testament to how bad the situation was that Axel didn’t even look reproachful.
Riku’s gaze fell to Xemnas’s hand, still holding Roxas’s shoulder in a death grip.
“And what will happen to you?”
“It doesn’t matter—” Roxas started to say again, but Riku cut him off furiously.
“It does matter, damn it, I’m not going to let you stay with him, Roxas!”
“Riku—please go—he’ll kill you—”
“I’m not leaving you here, you’re coming with me—”
“Why do you think Riku is being so insistent?” Xemnas broke in calmly. “Roxas, he knew who you were the moment he saw your Keyblade. Why do you think he never told you? Perhaps he was planning on ransoming you for money, hmm?” He directed the last bit at Riku.
Stunned, feeling like the bottom was falling out of his world, Roxas turned to Riku. “Riku, is this true?”
“No!” Riku snarled. “I mean—I knew you were the lost prince—but—”
“There, see?” Xemnas said. “He knew, and yet…he didn’t tell you. Can you really still trust him, Roxas?”
Roxas was torn, looking between the two. He couldn’t trust Xemnas, but maybe he couldn’t trust Riku either. After all, he thought, in the end, I’ve still only known him for two days.
“Roxas, don’t listen to him,” Riku pleaded. “I only wanted—” He broke off with a horrible strangled sound as Xemnas summoned a glowing red saber, and, moving faster than Roxas could blink, stabbed him.
“I grow impatient,” Xemnas said.
“No!” Roxas shouted. He charged Xemnas, but he spun around and parried the blow easily, sending Roxas staggering back. “You said you would leave him alone.”
“Oh, I was never going to let your boy go,” he said. “After all, he knew your identity.”
Xemnas had him pinned to the wall in an instant, saber held to his throat. “Now, Roxas, I will force you to use your Keyblade if I must.”
Roxas drew in a shallow breath, tightening his grip on his Keyblade, but he knew he was trapped. He glanced at Riku, lying very still with blood pooling around his stomach, and he felt anger rising in him.
He wasn’t going down without a fight, but what could he do? He was still trapped—
Xemnas let out scream and stumbled backwards.
“Oh my god, Axel, I love you!” Roxas gasped when he saw his dog clinging to Xemnas’s back, giving him what would be a nasty bite wound.
Xemnas twisted and threw Axel off of him; the dog went flying across the room and landed with a pained whimper. Roxas winced, but he forced himself to concentrate on Xemnas, who was rounding on him, saber raised. But before he could reach him, Roxas, not quite sure what he was doing, moving on instinct, swung his Keyblade up and pointed it at Xemnas’s chest.
For one moment, everything was absolutely silent.
Xemnas crashed to the ground, immobile. His eyes, still open, were a blank, dull yellow.
Roxas let his Keyblade clatter to the ground and disappear as he ran to Axel, skidding to a stop and falling on his hands and knees.
“Axel! You saved my life.” He ran his hand gently down his side. “Are you okay?”
Axel looked at him, then turned his head to stare at Riku.
I’m fine. Go check on Riku, you idiot.
Roxas smiled weakly at him and scrambled over to Riku. He was still alive, though his eyes were closed, and his face was contorted with pain as he breathed shallowly.
“Riku, hey, Riku, you’re gonna be okay,” Roxas soothed, pulling his head onto his lap. “I’m not gonna let you die.”
There was a pause, and then Riku coughed. “Of course—I won’t—die,” he said with effort. “I’ve—lived through worse.”
Roxas let out a relieved, shaky laugh and bent over to hug him.
“Ow—easy,” Riku grunted, but he wrapped his arms tightly around Roxas and buried his face in his neck.
A minute later, Axel came limping over with bandages, and Roxas hugged him, too, still shaking with relief.
“So, how was that for an adventure?” he asked Riku as he carefully bandaged him up.
“Hmm,” Riku said, closing his eyes. “Adventure is overrated. I think I’m ready to settle down.”
They waited another day to go back to the castle; they’d gone to a healer to see about Riku’s wound, and the healer had given them a tonic with the advice that Riku rest in bed for a day. Even though Riku had insisted Roxas go on ahead, Roxas and Axel were adamant, and so they waited.
It wasn’t just that Roxas didn’t want to leave Riku by himself, though. He was scared of what would happen after he went to the royal palace and so was very willing to put it off for as long as he could.
How would the royal family—his family—react when they saw him? He’d only been a baby when he had been stolen away, and now he’d be coming back an adult. He’d spent eighteen years without them, and now he was supposed to just…go back? How could any of it ever feel normal? Worse, what if they didn’t like the person he had become? After all, he’d as good as killed a man, locking Xemnas’s heart like that. He wasn’t sure what a ‘Guardian of the Key’ was supposed to do, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t it. Actually, he was pretty sure it was about the opposite of what he’d done.
“You’re shaking,” Riku said, and Roxas was brought back to the present…which was the road leading up to the palace.
“What if they don’t like me?” Roxas blurted, and Riku rolled his eyes.
“They’ll love you.”
“But what if they don’t? They’ve spent so many years wondering what I must be like, and what if I’m not what they want?”
“Sometimes the real thing is better,” Riku said, and Roxas blinked at the echo from the night on the boat.
“Right,” he said, voice still trembling slightly. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Riku nodded, and they started down the path.
When they finally reached the palace, the guards at the front immediately recognized Riku.
“You—!”
Four swords were drawn and pointed at them in an instant, but before they could take another step, Roxas moved in front of Riku and summoned his Keyblade, holding it high above his head.
He drew in a deep breath, exhaled, and said, “I’m the lost prince.”
Riku coughed lightly. “Show-off,” he muttered.
Axel barked in agreement.
The guards had dropped their swords, looking stunned.
“Y-your Royal Highness!” one stammered, moving to kneel; the others quickly followed suit.
“Um,” Roxas said, not sure what to do.
“Go inform the King and Queen!” one of the guards hissed to another, who quickly stood and started running.
Roxas watched him go, then awkwardly turned to the guards still kneeling around him.
“You can, uh, get up,” he said. “Um, I’m Roxas.”
The guards stood and crowded around him, talking all at once about how pleased they were that he was back, and how pleased the King and Queen and of course Prince Sora would be and was he okay? Was he hungry? There would be a feast tonight, of course. Would Riku be needing accommodations (Should they not be arresting Riku?)? Was that his dog?
“Move, move, out of the way!”
The guards parted immediately.
“Prince Sora,” they said in unison, and dropped to their knees so fast Roxas wondered if they’d hurt themselves.
He turned to look at Prince Sora and saw a boy with spiky brown hair and eyes that were as blue as his; he was grinning like it was Christmas but Roxas could also see that his eyes were very wet.
“Hi, um, I’m Roxas,” he said, and Sora grabbed him into a hug.
“I’m so glad to see you,” he whispered, and Roxas felt tears forming in his own eyes.
“Me, too,” he said, throat tight, bringing his arms around Sora.
“Mom and Dad will be so happy…” Sora trailed off and started crying harder, and Roxas inhaled sharply, trying to stave off his tears as he hugged Sora tight.
“Hey,” Sora said after a moment, sniffling noisily. “Where are you going?”
Roxas realized Sora was looking over his shoulder and turned to see Riku backing awkwardly away.
“Riku!” He pulled away from Sora, smiling apologetically. “Give me a minute?”
“Of course,” Sora said. He looked down to see Axel pawing his leg. “Aww,” he cooed. “Who’s this?”
“That’s Axel,” Roxas said. “Axel, that’s Sora, my—my brother.”
Axel looked at him. I know that. And then he proceeded to demand pets from His Royal Highness Sora. Spoiled mutt.
Roxas trotted over to Riku, who was waiting and looking increasingly awkward. “Hey,” he said. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“It looked like time to leave,” Riku said with a small shrug.
Roxas sighed loudly. “Hey, Riku, can I ask you something?”
“Hm?”
“Why didn’t you tell me right away when you realized I was the lost prince?”
Riku stared at him. Roxas stared back until Riku averted his gaze and refused to meet his eyes as he answered. “I was going to tell you after I’d taken you to see the lanterns. I just—didn’t want to say bye yet.” He looked distinctly embarrassed by now, but kept talking anyway. “I knew if I told you I’d have to take you to the royal palace. And then I’d probably be arrested and go to jail for my crimes and never see you again.”
“Idiot,” Roxas said affectionately, placing his hands on his shoulders, and Riku met his gaze in surprise. “I plan to see a lot more of you.”
He had to stand on his tiptoes to kiss Riku, who made a startled noise before sighing into it, adjusting their angle and letting his eyes slip shut in contentment. Roxas smiled into the kiss and mumbled into his mouth.
Riku drew back slightly, eyes opened to aquamarine slits. “What?” he asked softly.
“You found me,” Roxas repeated, pressing his palm to Riku’s chest and feeling the rapid heartbeat underneath. “I’m not going to lose you.”