((Collab between Rex, Double, and Letter Bee)) [B][I]Tocsax[/i][/b] "If you think I'm completely clean, you're mistaken," Tocsax would say to Drake. "I keep trying to excuse myself that my past lack of a Heart lessened my blame, but I know in my heart that only this quest can truly balance the scales." He would then look up at the man. "Show me. If by 'the old man', you mean Apokaukos, he isn't clean as well." A slight smile. "If you worry about being a good person, and are actively trying to stop doing bad things, then you're a good person." [b][i]Data-Ascot[/i][/b] "Let he who is without sin throw the first stone," Data-Ascot said. "That isn't you. And Tocsax is taking care of the 'we don't know anything about Drake' part now." He would then turn towards Seth. "You're better than you think you are." Drake took a deep breath and sighed before he stated, “Trust me. You’ve got a much stronger heart then I do.” He then razed his hand towards the clock and the scenery changed. They found themselves standing in a sort of lab with a much younger Drake inside a large tube while his parents prepped the experiment. “As you know, I was infused with the Shadow Nexus by my parents,” Drake said as his father began to type on a hologram keyboard. Black and silver liquid swam through the small tubes towards the much larger one holding the younger Drake. The liquid mixed and was filled into several syringes before they injected the mixed liquid into Drake. The world suddenly went dark before it came back as the two stood in the remains of the laboratory. “I can’t remember what happened after I was injected with the Shadow Nexus, but when I came too. I found myself in the destroyed lab. That’s when everything went downhill,” Drake explained as the world changed once again to a tavern were Drake sat with Nails, Viper, and the rest of the Surge Guardians. An elderly woman talked with them while Drake explained to Tocsax, “We had a woman come to use and hire us to take care of a scumbag business man that threatened to take her orphanage from her and change it into a brothel. She said he’d use the children in the orphanage as slaves. We accepted and dealt with the business man.” “However,” Drake continued as the scene changed to Viper, then Drake trying to get their payment while Drake went on, “She was unable to pay us the credits. We tried to get out payment, but we could never get it. After the final attempt.” Drake stopped. He didn’t want to see it again, relive it again, but he took a deep breath and closed his eyes as the Scene once again changed. The orphanage was on fire, the screams of the children and their care taker were muffled by the roar of the flames. Drake tensed up as he looked away and stated, “I burned the orphanage down with her and the children trapped inside. An order for Nails that I didn’t even question.” He turned to watch the building burn as the scene changed back to the clock at the park. “Everything crashed into me three months after that. I left the Surge Guardians and became addicted to Columbia to deal with the pain and regret. A friend of mine found me and helped me get over my addiction, but the regret is still there,” Drake said as he stared at the large key in the clock. He looked back at Tocsax and said, “I don’t deserve forgiveness after what I did. Nor do I deserve that key my dreams keep bring me back to.” Drake pointed towards the key in the clock --- Nails laughed and stated, “Won’t do you any good. Your boy won’t come back the same and will give Drake to us. Once that happens, we can utilize his powers. You see, his Shadow Nexus is special. Only he has it, but if we experiment enough, we can extract that power and infuse it into us and we’d be unstoppable.” [b][i]Tocsax[/i][/b] "Tell me, then," Tocsax looked unconvinced. "If given the chance to do it again, would you burn down that orphanage a second time? I don't think you would, and that would be proof enough that you've changed." He looked at the key in the clock tower, then said: "Drake, other people - our enemies - they don't feel bad for what they did, they don't feel grief or sadness [i]even when they are capable of doing so[/i]. I cannot forgive [i]them[/i]...but I could forgive you. Because you're no longer the person you were." Looking back at Drake, he continued. "You do not deserve to drown in this self-loathing. If I cast you into the pit of despair, I would not just be a hypocrite, but also no better than they are. So...take the Key." [b][i]Data-Ascot[/i][/b] "No, Tocsax is better than that. He will never give someone over to be tortured and used," Data-Ascot said. “If I was given the chance, I’d bolt out of the lab before my parents had the chance to infuse me with the Shadow Nexus,” Drake admitted before he continued, “Of course I wound ’t burn it down again. They didn’t deserve that, no one deserves that pain.” Drake listened to Tocsax before he looked back at the key in the clock. “Funny, you sound like Jinx. She said the same thing to me,” Drake said before he chuckled a little and added, “But she used more colorful language.” Think of his friend made him feel, good. He always kept the burden of his past to himself and carried the regret with him. “I’m done running, done fearing the past. I’ll mourn their loss by becoming a better person and stopping anyone who tries to go down the same path I did,” Drake said as he reached out towards the key in the clock. --- Nails shook his head and laughed, “Trust us, you’ll relinquish him to us in due time,” Nails said before he added, “Whether you give him to use or he comes of his own accord.” The shadow tendrils let out a wail as they began to slowly dissipate into the air. Small flakes of shadow rose into the air like ash from a flame as it slowly disappeared. “No! What have you done?!” Nails screamed in disbelief. Drake opened his eyes and smiled as he stated, “Get rid of a weapon that could harm people.” Drake lifted his hand up and his Keyblade (http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee244/rexdarkheart/Weapons/keyblade__mounting_key_by_nemo_nessuno_zpsn9bslcg6.jpg) appeared in his hand. His smile soon faded as he looked over to Tocsax and asked, “So do I just stick this in him and it will unlock his death or is there something more?” "Nothing more; just stick it in him and it'll unlock his death," Tocsax said, before he looked at Nails, smirking: "Sorry to be childish, but nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah! Drake proved better than you guys..." He then stuck out his tounge. Data-Ascot chuckled. Nails snarled as a door appeared next to him and Maze walked through it. Nails looked to Maze, then to Viper before he ordered, “Maze take him.” he pointed to Data-Ascot. He then turned to Viper and ordered, “Take that boy.” He then pointed towards Toscax. “What’s the point? We’ve lost the weapon,” Viper Argued. “We can still salvage this. We have Brook back in Chrono attempting to recreate the Shadow Nexus with those creatures that invaded. We’ll extract the memories from Drake and use what he knows to create another one,” Nails said. “Like hell I’ll let you create another weapon!” Drake yelled before he used his right foot to flip up his Blaze blue sword. He grabbed it in his free hand and charged towards Nails. He’d never duel welded swords. He’d done it with his revolvers, but never swords. First time for everything Drake thought as he swung his Keyblade towards Nails. Nails brought his Scythe up and the two weapons collided. Nails pushed Drake back and questioned, “You might have been helped now, but what happens after all this? You’re an enemy of your own world. Do you honestly think they welcome you back with open arms?” “Like hell I care,” Drake said as he skidded back before he charged Nails again. Their weapons collided again. “Maze turned to Data-Ascot and removed his battle shove from his back and waited for Data-Ascot to make the first move. He said nothing as he waited. Out of all of them, Maze seemed to most calm and collective. “Well I guess you’ll do,” Viper sighed as she removed part of her hair from her face and added, “Try to show me a good time.” She then glowed purple and changed into a purple gorilla.