Chapter Six: Just between a vampire and a Nobody.

Jim was lost. Lost in his mind, lost in his heart, lost in his soul. Absolutely spinning. Everything hurt, but it wasn't physical. He was exhausted and wired to the point of breaking at the same time. A crying jag sounded really good right about then, but Jim wanted to laugh, too. Laugh and shout and break down in tears.

"It sucks, doesn't it?" The voice came out of nowhere. Jim blinked sluggishly, not used to hearing someone else talk to him. He'd been rejecting all visitors, so who could this be? Looking around the room with his reddened eyes, he saw that there was indeed no one there.

"It's okay, I don't really exist." If anything, that just sunk Jim down deeper. Now he was crazy, too. Hearing voices kind of crazy. "But, y'know, not existing sucks. So let's say I'm here to listen. C'mon, kid, spill your guts."

"My life sucks." Jim didn't know what had possessed him to actually say that; it just slipped out. He must've been more desperate to talk to someone than he thought.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I'm a fucking vampire, for starters." Jim was starting to warm up a bit to the non-existing voice and the conversation. "All of my friends like to pretend that nothing's changed, but ignore the fact that everything has. They can't be around me, and I can't be around them."

For a moment the voice was silent, and Jim thought it had vanished, and he was alone again, alone with no one and it hurt-- "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You didn't cause this," Jim said. The words were meaningless, they were always meaningless anytime anyone said them, but guilt ultimately forces them out.

"No, you're right. I didn't cause this. But someone has to apologize for the way the world's fucked you over. So... a vampire, huh?" Jim flinched.

"Yes, I already said that," he ground out.

"Vampires are interesting characters, you know. Living, but their heart doesn't beat. Wouldn't you say that's like not even having one?"

Jim shrugged. "I guess. The technicalities aren't really what I'm worried about."

"Yeah, well, I didn't have a heart." Jim raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't? And what do you mean by that?"

"I didn't have any emotions. But then... I died. Or faded back into the non-existence I came out of, either one. Now I'm not sure if I have a heart or not."

"...Right."

"Well, listen kid, it's been nice talking t'ya, but I've got to go find someone now. Someone.. very important to me."

Feeling a lot better, actually, after having a conversation even that short, Jim staggered to his feet, and then to his bed. "Alright, that's fine with me. First, though, could you tell me your name? I just told you some of my most personal thoughts, so it's only courteous that you could do that much."

The voice chuckled. "I'm Nobody, but you can call me Axel."

"Bye then, Axel. I hope you find who you're looking for. Just... just in case he or she drops by like you did, what should I tell them?"

"He. His name's Roxas, and you can tell him that Axel's working his ass off trying to find him, so don't move an inch and wait for me. Oh, and even if he doesn't tell you his name, or can't remember it, or something, you'll know him because he'll be sappy as hell." Jim could practically hear the soft smile in Axel's voice as he talked about his friend.

"Okay. I hope you find him."

"I hope you come to terms with being a vampire. Try to make the best out of it. Maybe if you...." Axel's voice slowly faded out, as if he was walking away. Jim felt his mouth twitch upwards into what might have been a smile.

Make the best of it, huh? As Jim fell asleep for the first time in over 48 hours, he resolved to speak to a representative from Ingravesco Deus tomorrow. Maybe he could look more into that offer about becoming a Pius Unus....

Axel and Roxas (c) Square Enix