Promises Broken, Promises Kept

"Well, here we are, son. Radiant Garden, our new home!"
Radiant certainly was the world. As strange as this new world was, it was certainly beautiful. In fact, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Not that he had much experience, being so young, so relatively new to this thing called life.
Still, how could this place be 'home'? This was nothing like their past world. There was no warmth here. No embracing hugs, not gentle kisses from a loving mother, long gone to the darkness. Now he was here, chased to this place of science and reason, of coldness and calculated beauty, just to escape the dark monsters that had taken everything away. This was not a place of the heart, not matter how deeply these men delved into it's mysteries.
Even the "warm" welcome that was bestowed upon the young boy and his father felt cold. Try as the poor lab assistants might, they just couldn't conjure the love the boy missed so much. So, he hid, dropping his head to allow slate-grey hair to cover ocean blue eyes. He listened silently, a few steps behind, as his father joined the ranks of the robots, already well into some discussion, his son forgotten. It was like this so much with his father's work, why should it bother him now?
"And who do we have here?" A kind voice, not unlike the one he had lost, greeted the child. It belonged to a man kneeling before the small boy. He had a kind face, and eyes that held a knowing light. "Are you to be one of my scientists as well?"
"I- I'm not a scientist. N-not yet." He dropped his head again, afraid to look the strange man in the eyes again.
"Not yet, eh?" The being laughed, his blond head momentarily thrown back. "No, perhaps not, young one. But, some day, maybe…"
"Papa!" The voice was cut off by a much younger one, full of joy. Much to the child's surprise, it belonged to one his own age, a small girl. She too was full of life, with that light playing in her eyes. Her cherry-colored hair bounced as she ran to her 'Papa', laughing as she was swung through the air. How could one person be so beautiful? Perhaps she was some sort of angel, like in the stories he had heard so many times.
"Princess!" The boy watched as some of the men in funny coats his father was so interested in bowed. Their reverence was understandable, but they payed it to one so small… the boy was in shock.
"Papa!" The princess locked her arms around the man's neck, a sudden pout on her small lips. "Make them stop calling me that! It's not my name!"
Her request was answered by the same laughter as before, with the same mirthful head motion. "Very well. You heard her, men!" The people shifted uncomfortably in their white coats, and the boy couldn't help but feel drawn to the pair before him. He wanted so much to be part of what they had, to share in their love, a love he wanted so badly…
The little girl suddenly stopped pouting, her attention finally turned to the new person before her. No one her age ever came to visit, only old men that called her cute before she was shooed out of the room. He seemed alright, except for his hair. It was a funny color, one she had only seen on the older servants, and it was cut awfully weirdly. Half of his face was hidden behind it, so she couldn't even see what color his eyes were. It made him seem sad, and a little lonely. Maybe he'd never had a real friend before either.
She stretched out her small palm in greeting, smiling as she introduced herself. "Wanna be friends?"
The boy paused, taken aback. No one had ever wanted to be friends with him, no one but his mother. He stared at the beaming face before him, his eyes locked on her indigo ones. Eventually, he felt his own face break into a small smile, and let out a small nod. He slipped his small hand into hers, surprised at how well they fit together.
"Sure."

The two became inseperable after that. They spent years that way, running around the small castle. Whether they were studying (an activity made much more tolerable now that they had someone to share the experience with), running around the castle, or playing one of their endless games in one of the many gardens, they were never seen apart. Even their names seemed to meld together, since one could never mention one of the children without the other's name following close behind. They were the best of friends that anyone had ever seen, and it stayed that way for several blissful years. That is until, the darkness returned.
It was too dangerous for her to stay. She needed to go someplace safe, somewhere where she could start over, forget everything. That's what they said, at least.
The boy, no longer small, couldn't agree. He wanted Kairi to stay. She was safest where she was, they could protect her, right? He couldn't lose someone again, not because of those dark monsters that haunted his nightmares. He wanted her with him, for things to stay the way they were. Who else did he have, what else? But he wasn't important.
He just managed to be there as she boarded the gummi ship. With only minutes to spare, she ran back and wrapped her friend in the tightest hug she could muster. "Ienzo? Will you make a promise with me?" She asked, hugging him tight.
"Anything."
"Let's promise to never forget each other, no matter what happens, ok? I'll remember you, and you remember me. That way, we'll always be together. Promise?"
Ienzo paused, about to cry. He flipped his long bangs out of his face and stepped back. The darkness was getting closer, too close. She needed to leave, now. "Promise."
With those last words, she was gone, and the darkness was there.



"Zexy! Zexion wake up!" My eyes snapped open, only to be greeted by a brunette shaking my small frame rather violently.
"Demyx, get off. I'm up." I sat up, attempting to extract myself from the tangled sheets that had ensnared my body.
"You were dreaming about your Somebody again, weren't you?" For a split second, I thought I saw worry in the blue eyes staring back at me, but I shook it off. He couldn't feel anymore than I could.
"How'd you know?" I sighed. Lying would do no good.
"You kept saying that name." Demyx looked away for a brief moment. "Who was she? That Kairi?"
"Nobody. Don't worry about it Demyx."
I shooed the Nobody from my room after that, reassuring him that it had only been a strange dream, and that the name I'd been speaking meant nothing. Once he was finally gone, I couldn't resist. No one would miss me for a few hours…
There she was. She wasn't as my Somebody remembered her. Now she was grown, almost a woman. It didn't seem possible, but she seemed… even more beautiful than she was all those years ago. She was happy here, in this world. I knew it had to do with her lack of memory, with her past stolen from her mind. I watched and waited, my Somebody's memories playing through my dreams night after night. I couldn't help but hope the same thing was happening to her, and every time her sleep was restless, I imagined she was reliving a childhood foreign to her.
Neither of them kept their promise. She forgot him, gained a new life away from the Gardens with new friends that loved and cherished her. He forgot her as well, fading into the darkness he hated so much. So, I remembered for both of them. I kept them together, my Somebody and the Princess. I kept their promise, even if it was only in my dreams.