Chapter 1
Xigbar sighed loudly to break the oppressive silence that seemed to linger throughout Castle Oblivion. He looked around the empty room and berated himself again for not bringing something to do while here. The glistening white walls were broken only by tall windows that let a bright light into the hallway. A faceted pillar towered above his head from the white floor to the m ceiling. His black long, leather coat made him stand out like a sore thumb in the bright room.
Xigbar shifted restlessly, causing his coat to creak and the metal chains around the neck to chime as they swung against each other. He rose from his leaning position and tugged at the large hood, feeling the leather on his arm and chest strain at the motion. His gloved left hand brushed against the deep scar that ran vertically from his jaw to cheekbone. His hand trailed across his face to a black eye patch that he had also gained on that fateful day. The eye beneath was gone, but the last scene it saw still burned before him, her face was still there, that crooked grin she had always carried, those tears streaming from vacant eyes. Xigbar's hand lingered, stroking the eye patch slowly.
His hand froze when a black, gaseous energy wave seeped from the center of the circular pattern in the middle of the room. Tendrils crept upward to form a dark orb that pulsed silently. The energy dispersed and a figure emerged, clad in the same black leather with the hood up to cover his identity. Xigbar lowered his hand and crossed his arms, waiting for the newcomer to shake off the temporary effects of using the Darkness and address his superior.
Luxord stumbled forward out of the Corridor of Darkness and tried to focus his vision. He still had yet to master using the portals to travel despite the fact that he had been a Nobody for almost seven months. He took three shaky steps toward Xigbar before finally regaining his balance. Looking up, Luxord shed his hood and straightened his coat.
"Well, that was hardly a fitting entrance for the tenth member, Luxord. I can hear the scorning voices of the others now. Here's an idea, maybe you could, like, practice or something." Xigbar watched as Luxord's face began to turn an interesting shade of red. "It's not like you don't have enough time."
"Like you didn't have some problems when you were new, Number II."
"Perhaps when I was new, but you have been travelling through the Corridors for seven months. Even Demyx mastered that within a month. Maybe he can give you lessons."
Luxord crossed his arms. "Well aren't you in a crapper mood. So what has your knickers in a twist? Did Number VIII injure your pride again?"
Xigbar glared out at the man from beneath his hood, "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Well, there were those rumors floating around concerning a certain old chap and an incident with an exploding box. Specifically how the chap let his guard down-"
"As if. Keep your mouth shut about things you don't understand, Luxord. And remember who you are addressing. Talk like that again and I'll have to report you."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Anyway, why are you here? I thought Number III was supposed to clear us?"
"Again, keep your mouth shut about things you don't understand and don't involve you."
"Bloody hell, you can be so difficult sometimes. It's a wonder that Superior keeps you around, let alone how Number III is so patient with you."
"Another word and you'll regret ever becoming a Nobody."
"What is up with you? I'm just joking, Xigbar."
"Whatever."
Luxord ran his gloved hand through his short blonde hair with a sigh, closing his blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Xigbar. It's just-"
"Xaldin is waiting. Get moving."
Blue eyes opened and tried to pierce into the dark recess that was Xigbar's face beneath his hood. Luxord could hear the strain of something in Xigbar's voice, but couldn't quite determine what it was. In a different person, Luxord may have called that tension a result of grief or regret, but not Xigbar. No, Xigbar had made it very clear that Nobodies could not truly feel.
"Hey Xigbar, I was going to stay late tonight, and I was wondering if you would, I mean if you have time, maybe come by and give me a few tips and spar or something."
"Luxord, first off, don't mumble. It's annoying. Second-"
"Forget I said anything. I can ask someone else." Luxord began to pull his hood back on and prepared a portal. He was a fool for thinking that Xigbar would even waste his time sparring. Xigbar was too strong for simple sparring.
"You're mumbling again. Though I suppose I can stop by later after I finish up here. Wait at the Hall of Empty Melodies."
"Oh, well, umm," Luxord racked his brain for a response that would not sound completely foolish. "Then I guess I'll see you later, then." Luxord moved toward the portal and turned his back on Xigbar. He was lucky to have raised his hood already so the confusion on his face was unseen by Xigbar. "Xigbar, do you ever…"
"Do I ever what?"
"Never mind, it was nothing." Luxird stepped into the portal and let Darkness envelop him. Do you ever think that maybe we can feel, despite what your tests said? Can Nobodies really not feel?
Xigbar watched Luxord leave through the portal and shook his head. He couldn't figure Luxord out. Sometimes the man was cold and rude, the next a mumbling mess. True, he was the one who had brought Luxord to the Organization and turned him into a Nobody, but that was on orders from Xemnas, nothing more. He had heard once from Xaldin that Luxord looked up to him or something, but Xigbar had passed that comment off as a joke. Why would anyone want to look up to him?
Xigbar stared at the floor, trying to focus his thoughts on the pattern and not on the incriminating thoughts in his head. Minutes passed by, long and short, blending into one another as Xigbar stood motionless, hands clenched and teeth grinding. He wished there was a clock there so he could check how much longer he had to wait. As Xigbar's mind moved away from his previous contemplation of the floor to the train of thought about what kind of clocks could be placed in Castle Oblivion, a portal formed in the previously used region of the floor. The man who stepped out showed no sign of being effected by the Darkness, but instead sauntered out like he expected all eyes to be on him. Xigbar crossed his arms and waited for the man, Axel, to acknowledge the presence of a superior member in the room. Xigbar was only mildly surprised when Axel simply crossed his own arms mockingly. Beneath his hood, Xigbar snarled at the man's arrogance. If he had more time he would have reprimanded Axel, but today Xigbar just wanted to carry out his orders and leave the Castle.
"It's about time you got here you lazy piece of shit."
"You'll have to forgive me, old man. The mission took slightly longer to complete than predicted, and you know how I hate to leave unfinished business lingering. Besides, my orders were to check in by the seventh hour, so I still have twenty minutes before you can call me out for taking my time. Why are you here anyway, I thought Xaldin was supposed to check us in tonight?" The man lowered his hood to shake out his wild mane of fiery red hair. His bright green eyes danced with an amusement that disguised his cruel intelligence. His mouth was set in an ever-present smirk, white teeth flashing to make Axel look younger than he truly was. Red, downturned triangle tattoos adorned Number VIII's cheeks. Xigbar twitched in growing irritation at the man's attitude. He had never liked Axel; there was something unsettling about the Nobody that had always put Xigbar's guard up.
"Personally I don't give a damn what the hell took you so long. Though it would make my job easier if you wouldn't insist on trying the patience of Organization XIII at every turn and show the proper respect to your superior members. Luckily for you I don't have time to deal with you right now, so just get your ass over to Xaldin in the World that Never Was. Axel, I will give you this warning, waste my time again and I will waste you." Axel's eyes took on a dangerous edge of anger at Xigbar's threat. Xigbar waved the man away with a quick motion of his right hand. "Oh, and Axel, it's not just my time that you've wasted, and I think you are well aware of how Xaldin hates to be kept waiting. Be a good boy now." Axel's face paled a shade, much to Xigbar's satisfaction. Despite his arrogance and evident strength, Axel was far from capable of dealing with Xaldin in a foul mood.
"I get it already, no need to lecture me. I may be of a lower rank than you but I'm not an idiot so keep your threats to yourself, Number II. I should report you to Superior for shirking your own duties…"
The dark energy enveloped Axel and he vanished from the Castle. Xigbar watched Axel leave with his golden eye, his muscles taut and his mind racing with all the ways he could torture Axel for his egotism. Snarling, Xigbar stretched out the knots in his shoulders that came from leaning against a hard wall for two hours. He unzipped the first four inches of his jacket and pulled his hood off. He tugged at his long ponytail of gray and black hair to free it from where it had fallen down his back. He untied the leather cord from the nape of his neck and shook out his hair, causing it to fall forward around his face and pointed ears. As he retied the cord he scowled. Vanity kept him from cutting the locks to a more reasonable length. She used to love running her fingers though the coarse fibers. Xigbar shook his head sharply, banishing the memory to the corner of his mind. Soon he was enveloped in the Darkness that would allow him to travel to the quiet streets of Twilight Town.