A girl's night out [Castle Oblivion - COMPLETE]

[her_reality]

Now that she had a taste for the world outside, Naminé could say for certain that she found the Castle fairly boring. Zexion and Xigbar, she assumed, had duties to attend to. And she had failed rather spectaculary at being friendly towards River. The witch did feel guilty for the distress she made the other girl go through - so much for a warm

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[crimson_apathy]

Shadows always had the habit of following the one that creates it, and yet the halls of Castle Oblivion were unnaturally bright, causing those natural shades of darkness to shy away into the darker corridors. But sometimes darkness must learn to embrace the light, and so one black mass in particular did so; a gloved hand sneaking over the blonde’s shoulder, fingers tangling into those soft strands.

The hand in particular belonged to someone that wasn't new to the smaller Nobody, but it was far from the reassuring grip of Riku's. It was calmer, apathetic, yet with a grip that could easily break her shoulder if desired. Fortunately that hand remained docile, gently goading Naminé to turn and face its owner.

And there to meet her were that lethargic expression of Axel's, green eyes dulled into that same mask that the blond had learned to embrace for those long four years.

"Naminé" The redhead finally mouthed out in a tone that expected the girl to explain her absence.

[her_reality]

Naminé jumped at the sudden touch, nearly whirling around, eyes half-mad with glee at the hope that the touch was Riku's. Yet she already knew it wasn't, and her hopes were crushed instantly at the sight of fiery red hair and sharp green eyes.

But then she smiled. Well, Axel was better than no company at all. The way he spoke implied that he wanted some explanation. She had the sinking feeling that she had to tell Axel... what happened to Riku... or perhaps what happened to this entire castle.

"... Yes?" She replied, not struggling against Axel at all. On the contrary, she seemed rather comfortable with being interrogated. Almost.

[crimson_apathy]

Despite Naminé's cooperation Axel still felt the need to hold onto her shoulder, giving her a serious look despite her efforts to be friendly.

"Where have you been?" Only someone so arrogant can dismiss the length of time the blond had been missing, which the redhead definitely wasn't. But what struck his seemingly apathetic stature even more was the fact that the girl was alone. And that either meant that Riku had dropped her off, or the Nobody arrived back to Castle Oblivion on her own accord.

And as much as the latter looked to be unlikely, the redhead already suspected that Riku was still out there. And the Superior wasn't going to be so thrilled about this if the silver haired man prolonged his absence even more.

[her_reality]

She knew he was going to ask that question. And she dreaded giving him the answer. But Naminé knew she could trust Axel. She thought so, anyway. Would he turn her over to the Superior if she told him it was her fault Riku was missing?

"... I was at Hollow Bastion," She answered truthfully, and she was willing to stop there, except the redhead would only pry her for more answers. How? Why? "When Riku... tried to take me back here, something went wrong. He couldn't control the corrider of darkness, and he pushed me off into the darkness. I landed in Hollow Bastion."

She lowered her head, almost as if waiting for an axe to fall.

"It was my fault... that we got seperated."

[crimson_apathy]

...

"This, this is why Riku is incompetent." And just like that his expression changed into a bored one, almost like he was expecting some more dramatic than 'Riku losing Naminé in the darkness and almost getting them killed'. He even emphasized this with a yawn, not bothering to hide it for the sake of decency, because Axel wasn't much of a decent person to begin with.

"Then how did you manage to get yourself back?" The redhead asked more of an afterthought than anything else, already conveying disappointment for Naminé's lack of creativity for storytelling.

[her_reality]

Naminé was surprised. Did Axel expect some narrative on how they were seperated? He traveled the corriders of darkness often - he knew what they looked like. There was no need to explain anything else, she thought. Ah, but Naminé was no storyteller. She chose not to comment on Riku being confident, yet the urge to defend her friend rose

[crimson_apathy]

Xigbar.

"Xigbar?" The moment that name fell Naminé's lips his face contorted to a scowl, having to drop his hand from the girl's shoulder or he really would be inclined to break it on accident. Whatever else the Nobody was saying was promptly ignored, green eyes flickering as his head twisted to every direction of the hallway.

All of a sudden the castle had become too crowded, suffocating the occupants that had resided there for several years. Axel, for one, was perplexed as to why the older man came back in the first place, but he assumed that the Superior was starting to call the members back one by one. And if there was something he had a distaste for more than Riku it was the rest of the Organization.

"I've known Zexion's return for a while." He gritted, voice low like he was expecting someone to be watching them. The next words were a series of inaudible murmurs, but it sounded suspiciously like 'More useless than Vexen...'

[her_reality]

Axel didn't seem... very happy? Granted, Naminé didn't know much about the other members of the Organization who were absent all these years, but she supposed there was some bad history between he and Xigbar.

... Or Axel just really didn't like him.

"Do you know why everyone is starting to come back?" Naminé asked, wondering why they even left in the first place. Well, considering how much blood was spilled in this place... Naminé figured if she was able to, she would have left as well.

[crimson_apathy]

"No. I just came back from my search for you and Riku." Axel simply replied, absent-mindedly leaning back into the marble wall of the hallway. The sudden influx of members was something to notice, but this reminded the redhead of something he had to prevent as long as he possibly could.

"...Naminé, do you want to be taken out again?" Already a small smirk playfully danced along his lips, leaning forward towards the girl much like a mother bending over to give their child a pat on the head.

"I promise not to lose you like Riku."

[her_reality]

Axel was looking for them? At first, Naminé was touched, but then she remembered Riku's importance to the Superior... and her own, she supposed. Axel might have simply been looking to save his own skin.

Well, she couldn't blame him. The Superior was pretty terrifying.

"Again?" She echoed, voice mingled with fright and excitement. While she was sure she had enough adventures to last a lifetime... well, a few more wouldn't hurt. What if this was Axel's way of inviting her to help look for Riku with him? It would be a way for her to atone for losing him...

Except...

"... Yes, but you would probably leave me in the middle of an unknown world for a couple of hours," Naminé teased. Of course, she knew the redhead wouldn't leave her for dead but... well, Axel was just like that.

[crimson_apathy]

"Oh, you looked into my plans even before I could think of them." But Axel was courteous enough to wave off the joking assumption. He knew better than to make the same mistakes Riku did. And while he enjoyed the silence the castle had offered it was difficult to keep himself entertained when there was no one to bicker with.

... That he enjoyed bickering with.

"Where do you want to be taken? Somewhere quiet? Crowded?" He offered a few things, since the boundaries of a Nobody could span practically across the entire universe if they wanted to.

[her_reality]

Naminé smiled, ever amused by Axel's antics. The redhead seemed serious though, since he continued to offer and even asked her what kind of world she wanted to go to next.

... What world did she want to go next? And furthermore, did she even want to go to another world? Perhaps she was simply never meant to leave the castle...

"... I don't know. Anywhere would be nice, it is a big universe out there."

[crimson_apathy]

"It's a lot smaller than what you assume it to be." By then Axel had begun to feel the ivory colored wall next to him, running and groping his fingers on the surface as if searching for something. Except moments later tendrils of darkness began to sprout out from where his hands resided, lazily entangling themselves and goading him forward.

The darkness grew until it formed a portal for both Nobodies to slip through, strands now pouring out and reaching for Naminé. But Axel brushed them away, only to offer his own hand for the girl to take.

The redhead could've easily used his own element to transpor them, but Axel was in a bit of a teasing mood for Naminé's recent faults.

[her_reality]

"It's big when you don't know what's in it," she retorted. Indeed, Naminé's universe until a few weeks ago had been the castle and only the castle. Riku was the one who took her to new worlds... and now he was gone for it.

She had no clue where to start looking, but Naminé knew anywhere was better than just sitting around and twiddling her thumbs. In any case, Riku was not at Traverse Town or Hollow Bastion... he could be anywhere.

Naminé couldn't help but jump back, easily frightened by the tendrils of darkness that were reaching out for her, and she almost fled from the room had Axel not swatted them back. What a terrible prank to play on her!

She feared the darkness, but she did not fear Axel. Naminé knew she could trust him and took the redhead's hand, a little shakily.

[crimson_apathy]

The moment Naminé's hand fell on his the redhead made sure to hold it tightly, more than determined not to make the same mistake as Riku foolishly did. By then the darkness grew impatient, wrapping themselves around both Nobodies before goading them into the Dark Portal before disappearing all together.

And in the Darkness the redhead pondered where to take the girl, green eyes indifferent to the black abyss surrounding them both. Every direction looked intriguing, but Axel decided to keep his path as straight as an arrow. So onward he went, pulling Naminé closer to him until they finally reached their destination.