Filling the Gaps
Written by Shaun Garin
I
When Namine was presented to Xemnas, he welcomed her with open arms. That is to say, he didn't look at the girl coolly or shun her, but accepted her like a daughter. No one really knew what the Superior was thinking as he loaded her with books on the world around her, and subsequent other worlds, but no one questioned Xemnas.
Neither did Namine for that matter, until she met Sora.
II
Xigbar was the second to accept Namine, not for her powers but her remarkable skills at deduction. The sniper often took her out with him before she was confined to Castle Oblivion for the experiment, and they spent long nights under the stars, thinking about life and why they existed. Xigbar also introduced Namine to drink, and for that matter, was the only person alive who could call Xemnas by his personal anagram, an anagram that often leaded to much physical violence in the castle that night - Mansex.
Unfortunately, this nickname would haunt Namine to her days; even Kairi can't stop giggling when she conjurers up the thought of Xemnas despite his evil world-crushing views.
III
Namine learned how to cook from Xaldin. True, nobodies didn't quite require the same sustenance as a complete body, but they missed the taste of food. To quote one specific Pirate "We cannot sate our lusts," said Xaldin one night while cooking up a storm, his spears swinging around like a maniac.
Namine learned sex from Xaldin, as well as cooking. Though he wasn't much of a teacher, and neither was she an apt pupil. In the end, Xaldin left the corrupting of her mind to Axel.
IV
Vexen drove Namine to the point of exhaustion for several days, until Demyx stole her away to quote "Keep her brain from exploding". Always a scientific pragmatist, Vexen kept checking Namine, trying to find out what kind of strengths the nobody of a Princess of Light had.
In the end, he chalked it up to an unknown factor, even after reading the gamut of her strengths and weaknesses. Namine learned frustration from Vexen, and he used it well to spurn goals.
V
Namine learned how to fight from Lexaeus.
She wasn't good at it, but it was something to drive away the monotony of the weeks to come. The big man was silent, strong, but most importantly he was good at what he did. She learned patience from him, as well as tactics.
VI
Zexion taught Namine never to believe what she first experienced. His power was over illusion, a strength uncommon in manipulating people. He taught Namine how to draw her own strength out, and cast memories away like feathers.
Namine learned how to question people that day.
VII
Namine never learned anything from Saix, other than to channel her pain and rage of being non-existent into creativity. She learned to draw from him, as Saix learned to draw his anger into a powerful berserk rage. Many drawings were created to the tune of Saix smashing things.
VIII
Axel taught her to be fickle, how to have fun and most importantly, he filled her head with naughty thoughts. Often accused of a irreparable prankster and troublemaker, Axel showed Namine the capriciousness of flame, how it changes on a whim.
He also once replaced her entire sketchbook collection with stacks of porn. She never quite forgave him for that one.
IX
Demyx took up teaching Namine after she came out of her room, scarred from the piles of naked men pictures in compromising poses with equally attractive women. He taught her how to sing, how to dance and how to play music. They spent long hours similar to what she and Xigbar did on a hunt, only this time they hunted music, frequenting clubs and jazz bars, trying to reclaim a spark of feeling.
It still brings pain whenever Namine tries to sing, memories of trying to capture feeling into a void where her heart was. Demyx would laugh when she tells him this, but inside he hurts just as much as she did.
They experienced sex together under a full moon that night, but the spark never rose, only melancholy strands of a lonely jazz player reaching them, never quite touching what they felt.
X
Luxord taught Namine how to lie.
A game of chance often shorn off the clothing of the various Organization Members, including Namine's white dress, Luxord smirking and fully dressed. Modesty was a part of being human, but the emotions associated with it often lacking. Luxord taught Namine how to hide her expressions behind a smile.
He never quite found his left glove after Namine took him for everything he had one poker night. Axel was also missing a chakram for the better part of a week, and Larxene never really forgave her for Namine taking her panties.
XI
Marluxia spent a long time in his garden, tending to the few flowers that grew. Namine helped him, and he told her that plants had hearts as well. He claimed to be just a gardener, but he didn't earn the name of the Graceful Assassin for nothing.
He also took a semi-mortified Namine under his wing, told her of the differences of man and woman, trying to oust Axel's influence. He taught her how to be a girl, and often was mistaken for a woman in another world when he tried to get her to smile.
He also taught Namine how to smile. It's a trait that she's never lost even after Marluxia died, after showing his true colors.
XII
Larxene never liked Namine, but she taught the girl how to be strong. Not physically but mentally.
Foul tempered and foul mouthed, the woman was a hurricane of movement, taking what she wanted, giving nothing back. Axel speculated that she was a pirate or a ninja originally. Larxene taught him to keep his hands to himself with an electrified kunai.
She also taught Namine there was no difference in pleasure, despite how hollow it felt.
Namine also learned that cunning was a part of life that day.
XIII
Roxas taught Namine how to love.
Of course, he wasn't too good at it himself, but he was new, filled with impressions for a girl so similar to Namine. That's where she first heard the name.
Kairi.
Roxas was an enigma, a nobody chosen by the Keyblade of legend. They spent long hours trying to figure things out. Roxas posed questions, and Namine posed more. Axel thought it was all fiddle faddle and went to steal the Superior's cookies, often dragging them together with him.
Somehow, Roxas filled the cracks and Axel reinforced them. Namine learned much till the final day she joined with Kairi.