Okay, someone (who isn't actually a user on this site) asked me to do a little study of Xion. However, we barely know anything about her. Grah. I was pretty much at a loss, especially since I'm not inclined to write Xion at all and therefore I had no inspiration. So this is probably not a great characterization; but I noticed that in all the pictures and in the trailer (for 358/2 Days), she seemed…kind of…weak? In a different way than people generally mean 'weak.' Like, she doubts herself a lot and she doesn't really smile. Her eyes always look very sad.

SO. I decided to use that as a base. This takes place just after Castle Oblivion, and – since we don't really know when she started – just before her first time running away. Obviously, because this is from her perspective (as much as I can get using this style, anyway), things are a little skewed. But hopefully the true dynamic shows through.

Here you go, Lex. Hope you like it.

Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Zheyne who didn't own Kingdom Hearts. The end. (Duly disclaimed.)

They didn't treat her much differently than they treated each other, but she knew she was different.

She was plastic, worthless. Like a Barbie doll, too childish and feminine to give any satisfaction to the boys who might play with her otherwise. So they played with each other, instead, the kind of playing that left her blushing under her hood when she thought about it.

Fresh out of her mold, she'd thought she would find someone to play with too, the kind of playing that would put a smile on her face, and then she found out that all smiles had to be faked.

So she didn't bother. More than once, she had wondered if she truly deserved to be even a Nobody.

"Hey, cheer up," said her shorter companion. His tone of voice suggested he was playing with her, the kind of playing that usually left a person in tears. She didn't understand how he could be so callous to everyone when he had a better understanding of what it must mean to be heartbroken.

Or maybe…maybe that was why. He knew and he'd risen above it. It was a thought she wanted to believe, because out of her two companions, he was the one she really looked up to.

"Duly cheered," she replied, trying for a smile. Maybe he'd stay and play a while longer if she humored him, joined the game. Maybe he'd start to look at her if she stopped acting like a little girl.

"Ha. That'll be the day, won't it?" Her other companion chose this moment to speak up, slinging his arm across XIII's shoulders. He was only ever nice on the surface, and she didn't know whether that made him better or worse. "We'll throw a party and invite the whole organization. Except the ones who already bit it, of course."

"Too bad. XII was your friend, wasn't she?"

She flinched at the harsh words XIII tossed out. Sure, they'd been friends…if the term included pain and fear and one-sided glee. The only reason XII had bothered with her was because they were both female and that wasn't friendship.

Then again, they were supposed to be her friends too. Maybe friendship wasn't as nice as she thought. She wanted them to be her friends. And maybe someday, they could. Maybe if VIII realized she would never be the one XIII wanted and XIII realized just how special he really was.

"Hmm…yeah, she was." One thing she could do well was lie, though XIII could always see through it. VIII…well, he probably did, but it wouldn't matter anyway. Everyone was the same to him. Except XIII.

"Liar," said VIII carelessly.

Numbers, she thought angrily, even in her head. She wanted to be able to call them Axel and Roxas, like they did each other, but she didn't think she had that privilege. She was just an assigned partner, a little girl meant to be watched. She didn't know if it was VIII's job, or XIII's, but it didn't matter because they did everything together anyway.

"So are you," she replied nastily. She gave him a pointed look, and then directed it toward XIII. He'd know what she was talking about. She'd be in trouble later, big trouble, but at least he couldn't press her any more at this time.

XIII looked between her and VIII, and narrowed his eyes. But VIII spoke before he could. "Go to your room, Xion."

"But-"

"Now."

She didn't like the voice he used – the dark one which meant he'd find a way to punish her and she wouldn't like it. It startled her, even though she'd almost been expecting it, and as she left she couldn't help but think herself foolish.

You can't be startled without a heart, little girl.

She wished, as she sat curled on her bed, that they didn't see her like she saw herself. But how could they not? She could never compete with VIII, and she could never be in the same league as XIII.

When she saw them again, XIII did not look angry any more and VIII did not look like he wanted to be on his feet at all.

It made her blush under her hood, because she was still a plastic doll to them, but she so desperately wanted to be where VIII was. And she would never be where VIII was because she'd always be a little girl. Maybe it would be better if she just ran away.

Then she really could be sure they hated her as much as she did.