Wandering [Open]

[axie]

His hold on the world was back to being about as tenuous as before, after what felt like years of honing the will to be. It had taken so much effort just to hold onto himself in the darkness, to distinguish what was Axel from oblivion. He may not exist, but he was very much self-aware, and that's the only thing that got him through--holding on because he had no choice and slipping back to the point that it felt like none of his efforts would matter.

But he'd made it through, and he was alive.

Well.

About as alive as a Nobody could be expected to be, and certainly more alive than the Nobodies he'd turned to nothing. Castle Oblivion should have echoed of them, should have kept some memory of them in its white walls and bleached flowers--but Castle Oblivion didn't supply memories, it sucked them dry. That was fine by Axel. He had no real desires, but he definitely didn't care to remember the seemingly endless game of deception and betrayal that had resulted in the complete eradication of half the Organization. Sora, his favorite actor, diamond in the rough, final gamble and very last trump card, had come through for him after Roxas and Xion both disappeared from his life as quickly as they'd entered it.

Well, he thought idly, running midnight black fingers along the pristine walls as he crossed to the orb that would show him everything in the castle. Gotta start somewhere. After all, he'd been to the ruin of the World That Never Was and seen for himself that the empty world was uninhabitable. If any other Organization members had survived, they would likely gravitate here as the last stronghold against Sora.

And Axel would be the first to know.

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent didn’t really know why he was here, but he had this feeling inside, that this place could give him some answers that he’d be able to take home. He’d heard that this place had been the core for the last darkness in this place, so maybe… just maybe it would have something for Vincent to use in the spreading darkness in Gaia…maybe find a way to get rid of Sephiroth before he caused more damage than he already had.

He moved slowly through the main doors, his red gaze moving over the walls, the floor, even the ceiling, and although it seemed eerie beautiful, Vincent could just feel it… this was like the Sinra building all over again. The images of that place flashed in his mind, the coffin he’d spent more than fifty years in, his own darkness that he had lived with, and even now, still lived with.

“Maybe theres some hope here…” He took a small sigh, his gaze moving once more over everything. His cloak seemed to hug his figure, which never was a really good sign. He could feel his core shrink, the humanity he had found… it felt useless here, completely useless. He felt like he had all those years ago, feeling nothing inside, and right now… he felt fine with it, for the first time in a long time… he was fine with feeling nothing.

He needed to fight to keep his mind, to tell himself he was here for a reason, not to feel calm in his own body. He needed to find something for Tifa, for Cloud, to get rid of Sephiroth… that’s what he needed to do. But this place… he couldn’t help but just want to wonder its halls, enjoying this feeling, to not caring that he felt basically nothing.

[axie]

It took Axel some time fiddling with the seeing orb to get it working again. The spell that gave it power was old, and he hadn't used it in some time to boot, so it was a bit of an adjustment. Once he'd gotten it working, even if the image would be a little cloudy for a while, he started sifting through the rooms of the castle. All the rooms touched by Sora's memories were fading, empty shells of the vibrant worlds they tried to simulate, to the point that Twilight Town was completely gone and Traverse Town only had a few rooms that were fully functional. Destiny Islands was the only place that seemed to be mostly intact, probably because it was the place strongest in Sora's memory.

No one was in any of the rooms, of course, and the ones between floors seemed empty as well. The basement was a ghost town of scientific implements, folders full of notes, crumpled paper and scattered pens, and other signs that three of the original six had once inhabited it. Upstairs, Naminé's room was long since vacated, and Larxene and Marluxia's quarters were sparse. The two of them hadn't given much thought to material things, and most of their plans passed through word of mouth.

When he flicked over to the main doors, however, Axel was surprised to note that someone was entering. He squinted, trying to bring the foggy image into better focus by himself, but couldn't discern much besides red and black. At first he'd been on his guard--those were DiZ's colors and DiZ was a person to be hated and maligned--but the black manifested in long black hair that meant this was anyone but DiZ.

Who, then? he wondered, eyes narrowing in calculation this time. Axel was alone, as far as he knew--very possibly the only surviving Organization member, and he wasn't going to be quick to trust anyone who wasn't Sora. So he'd watch and wait, and see if the stranger's motives didn't reveal themselves. If nothing else, maybe they'd do something interesting. The fact that they were in a castle with dominion over their memories already put Axel in the position of power, since a Nobody wasn't vulnerable to those kinds of things without DiZ's interference. No need to rush things, he thought, crossing his arms and settling back to wait.

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent moved further into the hallway in which he stood, taking small shallow breaths as his gaze moved over everything. Why was it like this? How did it manage to calm Vincent’s soul with such ease? Even the Chaos inside felt docile… like nothing was happening at all, that Chaos wasn’t even fighting for control. He took a small breath once more, his armoured fingers moving towards the wall, his fingers tracing down what looked to be white marble… but he couldn’t really place it, he couldn’t really say for sure that it was marble, but it looked like it.

“This place… I think I like it more than I really should” He moved from one room to the next, seeing how some were more realistic than others, how some seemed so much like the places he’d been to already in this world. But no matter how hard he tired, he couldn’t understand how, not even why, but for some reason… Vincent didn’t really care.

Finally he ended up in some type of basement, one that sparked off strong memories of his time in Hojo’s lab. Cringing slightly, his eyes closing, seeing the images flashing in his mind, remembering that last argument he’d had with Lucrecia, his confrontation with Hojo and that final moment of fear as that bullet moved towards him. His breathing increased as his head fell, even know he still blamed himself for everything… if he had only been that bit stronger… that bit wiser, knowing that Hojo would do anything to protect his experiments… maybe Sephiroth may have been avoided altogether.

“It’s a good thing no ones watching this… I mean if Yuffie had to see this I’d never hear the end of it…” Vincent turned, seeing the image of waking up, seeing the nightmare that the world had become because of him flash before his eyes, seeing the monster that he himself had become. The first time he’d seen what he’d become, that realization that it was him that he was looking at, that he was more a monster than anyone else... that he'd be this monster for all time... Shaking his head quickly, needing to stop thinking about that, to stop feeling about the pain inside at seeing what Hojo had turned him into.

“I have to admit… I haven’t had memories this strong in a long time…”

[axie]

"Funny, isn't it?"

Axel followed up his own disembodied voice with his appearance, the dull, whooshing roar of a portal erupting in the doorway behind the black-haired stranger. He was leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed, jade eyes glinting. "Seems like this castle gets right to the point of things. Takes you straight back to the good ol' days, and you remember all the things you couldn't before." He smirked. "Gotta be careful we don't forget the present while we dawdle in the past, eh?"

He let his arms fall and slid past the doorjamb, gliding more than walking. His entrance was meant to disarm, startle, but not necessarily provoke attack unless the observer were unnecessarily aggressive, so he figured he was safe enough to move in. Before he got anywhere near Vincent, though, he redirected and ended up in front of a set of test tubes. "Brings up...all the old regrets, too. A scientist used to fondle these, y'know." Gloved fingers traced the lips of the tubes almost reverently, and Axel scoffed. "Icy old bastard." Heat licked at the glass, melting it into new patterns under Axel's fingers.

The Flurry turned, implements clinking behind him as he rested his elbows on the table, and shot Vincent a more direct look. "So. What brings a mysterious stranger like yourself into this ashen graveyard~?"

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent turned quickly, his blood red gaze moving over the addition to this horrid place. Although his eyes were narrowed, his frame somewhat aggressive, it wasn’t aimed towards the male, not in the least, Vincent just hadn’t learnt to control himself with the emotions that rushed through him at these simple memories. His gaze focused on the male, watching him closely, trying to determine if he was a threat or not.

“There isn’t much right now that needs to be remembered…” He knew for a fact that that wasn’t really true, he wouldn’t know what he would if he had to just forget everything that he’d been through over the late few years, Tifa, Cloud… even Yuffie would hurt if he ever had to forget them. But remembering everything that had happened before, before Lucrecia, remembering what he had been before. Even the memories of his father rushed back, and although those hurt more than anything, he had really missed them.

“What brings me here… that is a good question stranger…” He tilted his head, keeping his gaze on the male, but seeing the room at the same time. He couldn’t help but feel his core empty, remembering everything he’d felt when he had woken up, his body twisting, Chaos trying to rip Vincent apart, but despite that… Vincent felt at ease, he’d rather remember everything when he was awake rather than having the nightmares.

“Answers… that’s what brings me here…” He moved his body, not thinking at all about the fact that this male could every likely attack him from behind, but Vincent wasn’t all to worried about that, he knew that Chaos would act up if his life was in danger,

“There was a darkness here similar to on my own world… being here might help me understand it” His frame moved, taking in everything that looked so familiar, that almost seemed like a mirror image of the lab he’d been murdered in, where he thought he’d seen his last sight, how wrong he really was…

[axie]

Axel crooked an eyebrow, thin body curving a little to one side so his eyes could follow Vincent. "Darkness? That's funny." He spread his hands to indicate the lab. "There's little darkness here, unless you're following the Heartless, and those are mostly faked. You're in Castle Oblivion, man. Distorted nothing realm of the lost vestiges who call themselves 'Nobody.'" But he took an interest in the world Vincent mentioned. While Axel wasn't really in a position to do anything for his own benefit without Roxas or Xion around to make his own nonexistence worthwhile, he needed as many connections as possible to survive. "But where're you from? If it's overrun with darkness, I might be able to help with that." A nonchalant shrug. "Or I might not. All depends." Axel had little use for money, but that didn't mean he wanted to come off as the type of Sora-esque personality who would do anything for a loosely termed "friend." Even so, he doubted the stranger would really trust him anyhow. "Oh, almost forgot--damn I've gotten rude lately, must be not having anyone to talk to. I'm Axel." He quirked an eyebrow, making his next words sound more like a joke than the threat he usually made it. "Got it memorized?"

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent listened to the male, nodding softly as he just listened. This changed everything now…absolutely everything. A realm of nothing… absolutely nothing, maybe that was why Vincent felt had home here… felt part of it. He turned, his gaze moving from Axels, taking the room in, trying to understand, but for once, not really needing to… not anymore.

“The more you tell me of this place… the more I’m starting to like it…” He turned his body, his clawed fingers running over the somewhat surface of the table to his side, licking his lips softly as his red gaze moved up to the roof, looking over it before moving back to Axel, seeing the way that the male didn’t seem to be all there… but again… he was. Vincent was getting tired of thinking this… that something was right, but at the same time it wasn’t.

“Where am I from… wouldn’t you like to know…” He looked at Axel, Vincent couldn’t help it if he didn’t trust easily, actually, he was surprised at all that he’d managed to trust so many people in this world,

“Gaia if you must know… and the darkness hasn’t really taken over anything… I just know that its there, I can feel it”
He turned his head, looking over the room once more, feeling that sickening feeling inside once more, then his crimson gaze moved to Axels,

“Axel… right…” He nodded softly, thinking over the fact, he knew that no one knew where the door to his world was, at least that was what he thought, but was it worth it to go making enemies now? Not to mention that he felt more at home here than in his own world.

“Vincent… is it normal to feel at home in this place?”

[axie]

Vincent didn't seem too impressed, but Axel's usual greeting didn't result in a death threat or glare. He liked the guy, in a twisted way. Not enough to save him from ill will, but just enough to take an interest and possibly scope him out some more, see what became of him. Someone this dark with this many attachments to oblivion probably wasn't strong enough to resist the darkness for very long, so it'd be disappointing in the end, but that didn't mean Axel couldn't appreciate a good show when he saw one unfolding.

"I don't know, actually. I haven't encountered much that's normal in...awhile." That would have to be enough to sate Vincent for the time being, because Axel was losing interest in the topic of Castle Oblivion itself. "Gaia? Sounds unusual. I've never been there before, I don't think." Not that he would necessarily remember. Axel had been a Nobody for some time and was responsible for a great many worlds falling into darkness. He couldn't necessarily be bothered to recall whether or not Gaia was among the fallen. "I'm from Radiant Garden, if you've heard of that place." It was just to get them on level ground, but it was also a lie. Axel had scattered memories of his home world to begin with and generally didn't care enough to tie himself to anywhere besides Radiant Garden, for which he had no affection as Somebody nor Nobody. Twilight Town was the closest thing to a "home" he had, and if his real home world even was still out there, so much the better if they remained dissociated.

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent moved around the room, taking in the details of everything around him, seeing the images flashing in front of his eyes. Them all somehow relating to Lucrecia in some way or another. That was what annoyed Vincent to no end, that thinking about her now, he didnt care anymore, she wasn’t so important to him anymore. He shook his head quickly, feeling himself losing to the old emotions, feeling his core cool, his heart slow in its beats, all because of this place, this empty home that he’d found in another world.

“That makes two of us Axel...” Vincent turned, moving closer to the male, but his posture didnt hold aggression to it, not completely nor intended. “Normal happenings are thing and few between lately” He sighed softly. Ever since he’d found that door... and found a way into worlds so different from his own, meeting people that had fought evils that rivalled Sephiroth, it meant that Vincent would be able to learn, learn from them how to defeat their own evil, and hopefully save those he cared about now.

“Its a strange place... to me that is, last time I saw it was years ago” He moved against the small desk, leaning against it softly as he took a small breath, his eyes widening a fraction at the mention of those gardens. That was the first place he’d been to, actually, the place that he’d arrived at, and the only way he knew to get home.

“The gardens hey? I know of that place... very well I would think” He tilted his head, a soft smirk growing on his lips. He had a soft spot for that place, and he didnt care why, but he did. It was a place like this, a calming place, it cooled his soul and had him think of the more important things in his life, the now and not the past,

“Nice place that... good atmosphere... kinda like this place”

[axie]

Like this place? Axel's brow furrowed just slightly, even though he felt like it'd be more disarming to slide his jaw sideways and frown. While he couldn't exactly pull off the innocent look, if he looked stupid enough he knew it'd be a deterrent for the future. However, Vincent didn't strike him as particularly observant, so he didn't care to part from his usual snakelike amusement and subtleties.

Still, it was interesting to hear Vincent say that, and he wondered if Sora or Riku would say the same. Was it the same feel, this heartless, washed out place, to the broken vitality of Radiant Garden? Axel had never thought so, but Axel had always known what lay behind Castle Oblivion's bone white columns and splaying ivory rooms.

"Funny," he said instead, dismissing the similarity entirely. "Don't think I've ever seen you around. Family there?" The lilt of amusement was due to Axel's doubt. Vincent looked like the dark-past low-voice loner type; if he even had family still living, they were probably far from harm's way or thoroughly invested in a life apart from his. But that didn't mean he didn't have an important friend or two nearby, and Axel knew it helped to be prepared.

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent tilted his head, bobbing it from side to side as he thought. What family? He didn’t have anyone left… they had all died a long time ago… He shook his head, not wanting to remember anything to do with his father… mostly cause those memories brought back others that Vincent tried so hard to forget,

“No… no family there… none anywhere really” His hand moved to the desk, his fingers tracing over the papers that lay on its surface, a hint of a smirk on his face. What he said… wasn’t really true, he had a family, just not by blood. He had Cloud, and Tifa… even Marlene and Denzel were like younger siblings to him. They all needed to be protected if Vincent could do so… so then did they count as his new family? His family until the time they all passed and Vincent was left once more, to his own devices?

“There isn’t anyone in Radiant Gardens… if that was what you meant Axel” Vincent’s gaze rose from the papers, his eyes slightly softer, his blooded pupils losing their ability to hide what his soul was feeling… which was a mixture of confusion and pure calmness, an odd mix, but that was the truth, Vincent didn’t understand why… and he didn’t care much for it.

“That place just…” He paused, not knowing if this was a good idea or not, but he’d already started, “…it’s where I go to get home…” He tilted his head up, thinking over those facts. He hadn’t said that his home was a portal, or that he took a train that happened to pass through the gardens; so hopefully, he was safe… at least for now.