FicWad

Zexion was starting to forget what being dry was like. Even after making his way to higher ground and escaping the floodwaters for the first time in this 24-hour period, the atmosphere of this world was so hot and humid there was no hope of his clothing ever drying out. And - he sniffed - he was starting to smell even worse.

He paused to remove his cloak. He seriously considered removing his boots, too, but decided he needed their protection, especially if he needed to break into any of these fancy houses. He'd made his way into a few whose doors had been torn off already, searching for food. Most of what he'd found was inedible, but he'd scavenged enough to keep himself going - he didn't need much; a handful of granola bars would do for now. Someone had left a few unopened bottles of clean water sitting on acounter as well, apparently abandoned when the family had evacuated; he'd helped himself to those as well. Food and clean water couldn't possibly make him feel better, but they certainly kept hunger and thirst from distracting him endlessly and gave him a better chance of finding Nine without collapsing. He was also making far better progress now that he wasn't up to his chest in floodwaters, which might have contributed to an optimistic spirit in a being with a heart to feel it.

He could see the Superdome, barely more than a mile distant as the crow flew. Unfortunately, his route wasn't likely to be so straight, but he'd do the best he could without risking his own safety. He'd almost certainly make it well before nightfall. And as far as he could see, there weren't any large-scale evacuation efforts going on yet. Anything suited to remove 30,000 people from a single building would be obvious even from this distance.

He wondered briefly if conditions were truly as horrific as rumor had it. Rumor rarely has it right...


Demyx would have punched a little kid for one of Zexion's granola bars, if any little kids in the Superdome had any. Scratch that statement; if he was that mean, he would have eaten better anyway. Thousands more people had piled into the stadium in the vain hope of getting a ride out. The food situation had gotten to the point where fights were breaking out; people were stealing food, blankets, water, anything someone else had that they needed. If I had any sense, I'd be joining them. He was saved from being involved in the fighting by not having anything worth stealing - just his ruined cloak and half a bottle of water, and if anybody looked funny at his water bottle, he'd cough a few times just for their benefit.

He needed that water bottle. It was his only proof that his powers were working again. And getting his powers back was looking like his only way out. He was sure neither "Fema" nor the Organization would rescue him - "Fema" had apparently been dropping the ball right and left, and he figured he was the single most disliked Organization member next to Saix and Xemnas, and no one would dare cross either of them. Axel put up with him because he wanted to borrow his CDs, and Roxas put up with him because Axel did, and Lexaeus put up with him because Five put up with everybody, and that about covered it.

And it's not like I'm a particularly valuable member either - Axel was right. And I'm an idiot. If I wasn't, I'd have gone back with him. He rubbed his forehead, feeling strangely dizzy; well, the stench and lack of air could do that to anybody, and he hadn't eaten all day. And the stadium kept getting hotter - or he was running a fever. Well, his cough had been getting worse the whole time he was here; why wouldn't he be?Maybe it was the fever saying everyone hated him - or maybe it was the fever suggesting everyone didn't. Maybe he didn't have a fever, but his imagination was running away with him. Or maybe he was being honest with himself.

I'm driving myself insane...

How long had it been since he heard music? It had been a few days, and awful days at that. Music always distracted him when he started thinking about things that made him uncomfortable; if it would ever help, it would help now. Besides, it wasn't as if anybody could steal his sitar. He tried summoning it; all he got was a faint hissing noise and a sound like a bubble popping a yard away.

Better than nothing. I'll get it soon.

"Dance, water, dance."




"...Where the hell am I?"

Roxas nearly jumped out of his skin."Axel?! You're awake?"

Axel groaned. "Unfortunately, yeah, and I feel like death in a microwave...where are we?"

Roxas hesitated a moment."Axel...who am I?"

Axel stared in disbelief. "You need me to tell you that?!"

"I need to make sure you know."

Axel rolled his eyes. "Your name's Roxas. R-O-X-A-S. Got it memorized?"

Roxas couldn't resist the urge to jump up and hug him. "What the -"

"Axel, for the past - I don't know, three days - you've been thinking I was Demyx! I'm just thrilled you got my name right for once!"

"...Are you serious?"

"Serious as a broken neck."

Axel groaned again. "I must have been making a royal fool of myself. What the hell happened to your hair?"

Roxas shrugged. "You were sick. I'll forgive you."

"I think I still am...I set your hair on fire, didn't I."

"Yes, Axel, you sort of did."

Axel cursed. "Is that why we've been shoved out in this tent? So I wouldn't burn down the whole castle?" Roxas nodded. "Gah...I'm so hungry I could eat my pillow."

It was Roxas's turn to roll his eyes."Vexen does one thoughtful thing for you in his entire existence, and you had to waste it. He made medicine for you and somehow blended it into ice cream, and you wouldn't eat it. I'd say it's been almost two days since you've eaten anything, and...Kingdom Hearts." Axel had suddenly leaned into the light, giving Roxas a good look at his face, and he looked /awful/.

Axel looked up in confusion. "What?Do I look that bad?"

Roxas hesitated. "Well...put it this way. Yes. You do, in fact, look like death in a microwave." Axel's eyes were still red, and his face was practically drained of color, except the tattoos and dark circles under his eyes. It didn't help his overall appearance that his skin looked like it was stretched tight over his bones. Before he could react to that statement, Roxas went over to the fridge. "Chicken sound good to you?"

"If it's not gonna run away, anything sounds good. If it does run away, it still sounds good, as long as Ican kill it at a distance and have you go get it for me."

Roxas looked. "I'm not sure, but Idon't think this chicken's gonna run." He took it out of the refrigerator and popped it into the microwave. "So...how are you feeling?"

"Like death in a microwave, got it memorized? I think I mentioned it before." The microwave dinged a few moments later, and Axel had no trouble accepting the dish Roxas could barely hold onto with his bare hands. "Did...Demyx ever come back?"

Roxas glanced away. "Eat first. You need the food."

"That means no." Axel ate ravenously but mechanically. "Is he still alive, at least? Is anybody out there looking for him?"

"Zexion is. The Superior had me talk to him before he left. And - I guess he's still alive...Xigbar's been here every day to check up on us; I think he'd have mentioned it if he wasn't..."

"You think." Axel took the last bite of chicken and promptly set the dish on fire. "You don't know."

Roxas took a step back. "Axel, calm down. He'll come back soon. Either Zexion will find him or he'll make it back on his own."

"I don't think that little runt could find his ass with both hands if it wasn't in a book. And what if he can't come back on his own? What if he's just as sick as I was? What if he's hurt?What if he got knocked upside the head so badly he doesn't remember his own name?"

Roxas sighed. "Why are you so worried about him?"

Axel scowled. "Because I treated him like shit and he saved my life. If I were him, I'd have let me die. I want to know why he didn't."

"Axel, he'll come back! Don't make yourself sick again worrying about it!" There was a smoldering look in those glass-green eyes that was starting to frighten Roxas. "The best thing you can do right now is just rest and recover - it's only been a few days- you don't know - AXEL!"

Ignoring the blond's protests entirely, Axel simply stood up, created a portal, and disappeared. Roxas was left standing open-mouthed in the middle of the tent.




Sss-pop.

Even closer than last time. I'll be able to soon.Demyx had been trying to summon his sitar all day, mostly to keep himself from thinking too hard. It wasn't completely successful. I wonder if anyone wonders what happened to me. Are they thinking "Thank Kingdom Hearts, he's gone" or "Oh, well, it was only Nine" or "I wonder what happened to Nine, I kind of miss him" or "Hey, pass the potatoes!" He had a sudden mental image of Axel sitting at the dinner table saying "I wonder what ever happened to Demyx...ooh, look, potatoes!" Depressing as the image was, he couldn't help but giggle. It made his throat and chest hurt worse than they already did, but he was getting pretty used to the pain. It wasn't like he could get medicine for it - there wasn't any.

Sss-pop! Better and better. Once he was able to summon his instrument, that would mean he had enough power to make a portal back home. It shouldn't take more than a few days at this rate. It wouldn't be long. He'd been here for a few days already, surely he could withstand a few more...just a few more days of the crowds - and the noise - and the heat - and the smell - and the hunger - and the sense that no one gave a damn whether he lived or died - of being alone - of being forgotten - worthless - he was nothing, after all...

"Hey! The buses! The buses are finally here!"

Demyx didn't think twice. He grabbed his cloak and water bottle and ran for daylight. I don't care where they're going! Just get me out of here!




Zexion had been forced back into the flooded area en route to the Superdome, but the water was much shallower here compared to what he'd waded through earlier. He was only up to his calves, this time, and his destination was only growing closer.

He sniffed. Over the endless smell of crude oil and sewage, he thought he could smell - maybe - ocean and seahorses -Nine...

And...diesel. Diesel?!

He looked up sharply. Tiny, but clearly visible in front of the Superdome, were a group of vehicles that each looked large enough to carry fifty or more people in reasonable comfort.

The evacuation...it's begun.

Throwing caution to the wind, Zexion took off running. If Nine was in the Superdome, and was sent off on one of those buses, there was little hope of ever finding him. If he was incapable of making his own way back - if he was desperately ill, or badly injured, or had forgotten who he was...

Do not think about those possibilities. Do not think about failure. Think about reaching the Superdome before those buses leave.Zexion was absolutely focused on his goal, barely noticing his surroundings. The water was getting a little deeper, and his chest was starting to burn, but he had to keep going, could not let Nine be carried off, could not risk -"Unh!"

The last thing he noticed before splashdown was a strong scent of silver and pears.

Zexion stood up, dripping, and hastily retrieved his cloak and lexicon. "Thirteen - what in Kingdom Heart's name-"