Now HERE's the sequel to Flowers :) And it's one of the longest stories I've ever written O_O
Anyway, this is yet another ZeXi songfic... You know you have tons of ideas when you write the same character's death three times -sinks in a failboat-
Meh, whatever. If you don't like, you don't like it. The song is Open up Your Eyes by Daughtry.
It was a cold night in The World That Never Was. Every Organization member had retreated inside of the castle for some much needed warmth after a cold day. Except for one small figure, standing silently on the edge of Memory's Skyscraper, staring up at Kingdom Hearts.
Xion sighed, the frosty breeze ruffling her hair. The moon shone brightly in the sky as usual, becoming closer and closer to being complete.
"What are you doing up here again?" Xion turned her head to the side at the sound of her best friend's voice.
"This is the third night in a row," Axel said softly when she didn't reply, coming to stand beside her.
Xion shrugged, twirling the rose she held between her fingers. "Just… thinking."
"About him?" the pyro's voice was quiet, unusually sensitive.
Xion shrugged again, looking down at her rose, as a salty tear dripped off her face and splashed on a pitch black petal.
A single rose left to remember
As a single tear falls from her eye
Axel lay a hand softly on her shoulder. "Come on, I want to show you something."
"This is Proof of Existence," Axel said to his friend when they stepped into the room.
Xion gazed around silently, wide eyes taking in the small, sloping room.
The walls were white, as usual, though they circled around instead of being flat. There was a ramp in the middle of the room, leading up to a circular door. On either sides of the ramp were three flat levels, with eleven strange keyhole-shaped objects on them. Six were lit in various colours, but five were dark.
"What is this?" she asked, looking up at her friend.
He didn't answer, instead saying "Look at that one." He nodded to a keyhole on the right of the room.
Another cold day in December
A year from the day she said goodbye
It was one of the dim ones. The small panel on the floor had been badly damaged, and Xion was unable to read what it said. But she could read the text on the keyhole just fine.
"The Cloaked Schemer."
Her eyes stretched wide, and she took a step back.
"Axel..." Xion then squeezed her eyes shut. "Why did you show me this?" Despite her best efforts, tears were beginning to leak through her tight eyelids.
"I thought it was something you should see," Axel replied. "I'm sorry if it upsets you."
She took a deep breath, then let it out, opening her eyes, smiling through her tears. "No, I'm fine. Thank you for showing me this." She steppes forward again, laying the rose on the destroyed panel.
Axel gave a slight nod, then grunted as Xion flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around him, sobbing.
"Why did he have to die?" she wailed. "I barely even knew him! I just wanted to be friends…"
It seems it's only been a moment
Since the angels took him from her arms
"He found out too much," Axel muttered, not loud enough for her to hear. He rested his chin on her head, tears gathering in his bright green eyes as well.
Xion clung to him, sobbing into his coat.
"I'm so sorry," Axel whispered lowering his head.
The two Organization members stood there, arms around each other, crying silently until dawn broke.
And she was left there, holding on to their tomorrow
But as they laid him in the ground, her heart would sing without a sound
Xion poked her head through the doorway of Proof of Existence. "Hey," she whispered, walking slowly up to the broken grave, a single black rose sitting on the cracked panel. "It's me again." And there she sat for a few hours.
"It's just so hard," she said, exasperated. "Where are you now? I want to talk to you again; I felt like I barely knew you!"
"In here again, poppet?" Xion sighed, then, standing, turned. Xigbar was leaning casually on the doorway, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Xigbar, this really isn't a good time," she told him, attempting to be stern.
"Oh, come on!" Xigbar protested, standing up straight. "All you've done for, like, months is hang out in here. Let's go practice fighting or something. It would be better than just sitting here moping!" He turned away.
"You know, he's not going to come back if you ignore all your friends," the Freeshooter said quietly.
Xion sighed again. "I know," she muttered. "It's just… I feel like everyone else has just forgotten about them. All the members that were lost at Castle Oblivion." She looked down, her voice growing quiet. "I don't know how you can just go on with your lives after what's happened."
Xigbar turned gazed at her, a kind look in his amber eye. "I know how you feel."
"No you don't," Xion grumbled.
The space-controller stepped closer to her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. With the other hand he tilted her chin up until she was looking at him.
"Yes, I do," he assured her. "You wouldn't have known it, but Lexaeus was one of my best friends. I was devastated when he never came back. But look at me now," he exclaimed, stepping back and spreading his arms. "Am I the happiest person you've ever met, or what?" He grinned, making Xion giggle a bit.
"There you go!" Xigbar exclaimed. "Now come on, I bet Axel and Roxas have really missed you."
For the first time you can open your eyes Xion nodded. "You're right. I should start being closer to my friends." She smiled. "Thanks, Xigbar."
And see the world without your sorrow
Where no one knows the pain you left behind
He grinned again. "No problem, poppet."
There he is
"Where did I think I could go?" Roxas said aloud, then laughed bitterly. "What a joke." He buried his head in his arms again.
Xion took a deep breath and stepped from behind the wall, sitting down beside Roxas. It took him a couple of seconds to notice she was there, and when he did, he gave a little start.
"Xion!" he gasped.
She said nothing, only held out an ice cream. The blonde nodded and took it. "Thank you," he said genuinely, then took a small bite.
Why? she cried silently. None of this would've happened if Zexion didn't die! She looked away from her friend. Poor Roxas… I know I shouldn't have abandoned him after what happened at Castle Oblivion.
I should've been a better friend. But now I'll make everyone happy… by going away now.
Memories flicked through her mind as she made her choice.
""I wouldn't do that if I were you, Fourteen."
"Just wanted to see what you were doing."
"Here," he said, as if discussing the weather, plucking a rose from its vine. It was black.
I reached out with trembling fingers and took it, lowering my eyes to look at it. It was perfect, the petals arranged perfectly. While waiting for him to say something, I counted them. Twenty petals. I couldn't help but notice that it was our numbers added together.
"Just… thinking."
"About him?"
"Look at that one."
"The Cloaked Schemer…"
"In here again, poppet?"
"You know, he's not going to come back if you ignore all your friends."
Xion winced. The memories were so vivid, they hurt. "Roxas…" she gasped. "I'm out of time." She stood, taking off her hood while Roxas looked on.
This is it.
She heard the gasp from Roxas, and went on. "Even if I'm not ready… I have to make this choice."
I'm not ready!
Despite every cell in her brain screaming at her to stop, Xion continued. "You have poured so many memories into me… given me so much… that I feel like I'm about to overflow."
I'm so sorry, Roxas, Axel, Xigbar… Zexion. This needs to be done!
"Look at me, Roxas. Who do you see?" She turned toward him, knowing what her face would look like, hating who it looked like.
"If you see somebody else's face… a boy's face… then that means I'm almost ready."
But I'm not…
"This puppet will have to play her part." Blinking away tears of absolute sorrow, she looked at him.
"This is him. It's Sora." She hissed out the last word, hating it.
Roxas stared in shock as she walked off the tower, her feet making no noise. He stretched out a hand, then stood up to follow her.
Putting her hood back up, Xion turned. She had rehearsed what she was going to say, to make herself look evil so he would have to do it.
"You're next, Roxas."
I'm sorry! she cried silently, praying he could hear her.
"I have to make you a part of me, too." She could barely force the words out of her mouth. "Don't you see? This is why I was created."
All the peace you could never find
Is waiting there to hold and keep you
Welcome to the first day of your life
Just open up your eyes
Good, job, Roxas. Xion fell to her knees, her eyes rolling back in her head. Roxas stumbled toward her, a look of confusion on his face.
"Who are you, again?"
Oh, the irony.
"It's weird. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important."
"You'll be… better off now," Xion said faintly, then fell. Roxas darted forward to catch her, cradling her in his arms.
Xion could feel her body fading away. It was agony. It felt like someone was using a potato peeler to shave away her skin.
Through her pain, she heard a voice. "Am I… the one who did this to you?"
I can't tell him the truth. He needs to be able to live the rest of his life in peace.
"No," Xion said sadly. "It was my choice… to go away now. Better that, than to do nothing."
She gasped as more of her faded, and she couldn't feel her legs. "It's too late for me to undo my mistakes."
Roxas stared down at her, a mixture of sadness, shock, and confusion on his face.
"Good-bye, Roxas. See you again. I'm glad… I got to meet you. Oh… and of course, Axel, too."
I hope Axel doesn't remember me either. I was such a bad friend… to him, Roxas, Xigbar…
"Tell him thank you for staying with me through everything. And… showing me what he did. No matter how I reacted… it was a good thing to show me."
Roxas nodded, still looking a little stunned.
"You're my best friends. Never forget," she whispered, raising a hand to touch his face. "That's the truth."
A single lifetime lays behind her
As she draws her final breath
"Xion, no!" Roxas exclaimed, finding his tongue. He grabbed her hand. "Don't leave me."
"I have to," she replied faintly. "…Roxas?"
"Yes?" He had tears in his eyes.
Xion smiled softly, looking up at the sky. "Sing to me."
"Sing?" Roxas asked incredulously, then seemed to think better of it. "Okay." Just beyond the door he'll find her
Taking her hand he softly says
He leaned over her, his lips moving slowly as he sang. "For the first time you can open your eyes
And see the world without your sorrow
Where no one knows the pain you left behind"
Xion closed her eyes, sighing contently. "Thank you," she whispered, barely audible.
Roxas' voice was beginning to crack, but he continued anyway, his tears flowing freely now, dripping onto her face. "All the peace you could never find
Is waiting there to hold and keep you
Welcome to the first day of your life
Just open up your eyes"
The numbness was creeping up to her torso now. Roxas' voice faltered as he saw her fading.
"No," she protested weakly. "Don't stop."
He was sobbing, his song barely understandable, but he kept singing. "As I lay down tonight
Safe on the other side
No more tears to cry"
"I'm ready." Xion couldn't feel anything any more. She opened her eyes for a few seconds. Roxas' blue eyes were full of pain, but he was still singing. "For the first time you can open your eyes
And see the world without your sorrow
Where no one knows the pain you left behind"
I hope no one remembers me.
I'm such a rotten person. So selfish. Look at how much pain he's in because of me. "All the peace you could never find
Is waiting there to hold and keep you
Welcome to the first day of your life
Just open up your eyes"
Roxas let out a shaky sigh as he finished singing. "Stay with me," he pleaded.
Xion gave no answer, just closed her eyes.
"Xion, no!" Roxas yelled again.
Good-bye…
I cut out most of Xion's death because it's boring. Oh, and I added that part at the end, obviously.
The room Axel shows Xion is Proof of Existence from Kingdom Hearts II. It's that room that looks eerily like a graveyard, and you have to kill Saix and Luxord. Zexion's "grave" is the lower right (I think) and his weapon panel is shattered, so you couldn't see what it was. Xion put her rose on that (the one he gave her in my story, "Flowers)
Xigbar could be counted as Xion's friend because he's potentially nice to her, I guess.
Thanks for reading! Review please :)