It seemed like any other ordinary morning in the castle. Woke up, brushed his teeth, combed his hair and jumped in the shower for a good 10 minutes to wake up. Xigbar just yawned, rubbed his eyes and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He touched his hair and grimaced at the gray streaks that were so noticeable through it.
"Man! It feels like every day I get even grayer! I'm not even THAT old, "He moaned and then grabbed his hair tie to quickly pull it back into the low ponytail he had every day. It was always dark out, but he had grown so accustomed to this schedule that he didn't even need an alarm clock. He knew when to wake and where to go every day.
As he pulled on his gloves and slipped on his boots, the sound of Demyx and Axel shouting out something in laughter could be heard from the hall. They were talking about something that happened at dinner the night before. He smiled and grabbed his snipers for his next mission sets for the day.
"Hey Xiggy! You're awake finally! Saix has been waiting for you for awhile now. I'd hurry if I were you. You know how he gets when he's kept waiting," Demyx said and smirked. Axel seemed to glance at Xigbar with a strange look. Not an amused look but a look that said he knew something and Xigbar was part of this something.
"Where are you two headed anyway? You still have missions today too you know!" Xigbar said with a growl at Demyx and then stared at Axel for a moment suspiciously.
"Yeah, but you know I never do them! And Axel's waiting for Roxas to show up. So we're just hanging until then. YOU on the other hand, need to go to work. I mean that's what old guys like you do anymore: Work, sleep and gripe about us younger folk." Demyx taunted and Xigbar twitched his eye in fury.
"You little piece a-"
"Now now, Old man. Don't want your ticker to break now do we?" Demyx laughed and Xigbar tried to keep himself from reaching for his rifle. Axel walked between the two of them, arms outstretched toward Xigbar.
"OK now guys. Cool it. We don't wanna have Xemnas stepping in again. Demyx, you know that Xigbar IS second in command and you should at least respect him little." Axel said and Xigbar smirked and made a face at Demyx in triumph.
"That's right squirt! So respect my authority smart ass!" Xigbar said and looked up at Axel. Demyx shrugged, still smiling and started down the hall again.
"Axel…do you have something to tell me?" Xigbar asked and Axel grinned.
"Sorta…" Axel said and Xigbar growled.
"Well what then? I don't like being kept in the dark here," Xigbar snapped and Axel sighed and shook his head.
"You'll find out if you hurry up to the main room," Axel said as he turned and started to walk down the hall after Demyx. Xigbar watched Axel leave, still suspicious of what he knew and why he wouldn't tell him what it was. But he realized that unless he started moving now, Saix would most likely hunt him down and drag him there screaming in agony.
Xigbar turned to look down the hall toward the main room. Xion and Roxas walked past him on their way to the main room, giggling and chatting. Roxas blushed when Xion clung onto his arm.
"Oh, Xigbar! Are you going to see Saix too?" Roxas said when he noticed Xigbar standing alone. Xigbar nodded and Xion beamed at him kindly.
"Why don't you walk with us? It's never fun to be alone all the time," Xion said and Roxas nodded.
"Yeah, Come on Xiggy," Roxas said in agreement and Xion grabbed Xigbar's hand, pulling him along down the hall as they walked toward the main room. Xion smiled and was in good spirits and Roxas seemed to be rather happy aswell. Xigbar couldn't see why everyone was so different today. It seemed like any other day to him. That's when he saw them. Saix stood in the center of the room with another cloaked and hooded figure that seemed to be quietly staring out the window, shoulders shaking a little in nervousness. Xaldin was sitting on one of the white couches with Luxord sitting on the other. They were playing cards and, by the look of anger across his face, Xaldin was losing horribly. Only to be expected honestly. Marluxia sat on the other side of the room on another white couch with Larxene, gossiping about the latest news in the castle.
"Ah, nice of you to finally join us Xigbar. I'd like for you to meet someone," Saix said glancing at the figure beside him. "This is our newest member. Number XV, Dexla."
The new member turned to look at Xigbar and the others and removed her hood. Xigbar seemed to stop in his tracks and his breath left him for a brief moment. Dexla's hair was long and silver white like snow and starlight. Her eyes were a deep sparkling violet that looked peaceful and quiet. Her pale complexion and tall thin figure looked fragile yet graceful like a swan. Xigbar had never seen such a beautiful woman and he began to blush as he speechlessly stared.
"H-Hello...I'm Dexla. It's a pleasure to meet you all," Dexla said bowing her head slightly and smiling. She was trying to look happy but her eyes looked scared and sad about something. Xion and Roxas both greeted Dexla with great warm smiles and Xigbar still stared.
"Hi Dexla! I'm Xion! It's nice to meet you!" Xion said kindly and laughing a little in excitement. Dexla smiled and laughed back a little.
"I'm Roxas. Looking' forward to working with you," Roxas said shaking her hand. Dexla nodded at him and then glanced over at Xigbar. She looked at him peacefully, waiting for a response from him.
"Go on Xiggy," Xion said poking Xigbar on the shoulder. Xigbar seemed to snap out of it and cleared his throat embarrassed.
"U-uh Hi there. I'm Xigbar," Xigbar stammered as he stumbled forward a little as he tried to shake Dexla's hand. Dexla took his hand lightly in hers and shook it slowly, all the while beaming a kind smile at him. Xigbar could tell something was different just by her touch. It was strange, but she was not like the other members at all. Like she had something everyone else lacked.
"Today is Dexla's first day obviously and she will be going on her first mission today as well. Mostly just training, nothing too serious. Xigbar," Saix explained and then turned to Xigbar who snapped his attention back at him. " Xemnas has ordered you to take her with you on your first mission. You are to train and get her acquainted with her unique powers, whatever they may be."
"Wait, you're saying you don't even know what her powers are?" Xigbar asked and Saix shook his head.
"Unfortunately, we have not been able to figure them out. She has not been showing any signs of magic or elemental anything. We're not quite sure what her talent is and that's why we're placing it with you to find out," Saix said handing a file to Xigbar. Xigbar snatched it and looked it over.
"Gathering hearts again I see. When are the exciting missions gonna start huh?" Xigbar said with a slight whine and Dexla giggled a little at Xigbar's immature attitude. She found his aura quite funny.
"Look, I don't make the missions, I just hand them out. Now quit your bitching and go already. You're wasting time." Saix said now ignoring Xigbar and handing files out to Roxas and Xion. Xigbar stuck out his tongue in annoyance at Saix who pretended he didn't notice. He then turned to Dexla, grinning.
"You know how to teleport yet?" He asked and Dexla shyly shook her head blushing, embarrassed.
"No I'm sorry. I'm not very good."She said quietly.
"Hey, no worries. Come on,"Xigbar said taking Dexla's hand and pulling her toward him. He held her close to his side and as quick as a blink, they were engulfed in black smoke like clouds. They cleared and the two of them were in a completely different place. Xigbar let go of Dexla and walked forward to take a look around. They seemed to be in a jungle like landscape, with vines and tall canopy trees surrounding them. They were standing in a clearing alone.
"Where are we?" Dexla asked looking at some beautiful birds that were cawing and screeching on a nearby branch.
"I dunno. I think some sorta rainforest. Haven't been here yet."Xigbar said shrugging and then turned to Dexla. "So, we should start trainin'."
Dexla nodded but looked unsure of herself. She had never fought before and she was afraid of what Xigbar would think if she couldn't defend herself.
"Okay, so do you know…"Xigbar began and then he, without looking, snapped out his gun and shot a heartless in the side, stunning it in its place. "What this is?"
"A heartless?" Dexla answered.
"Exactly. You're very smart. And do you know what this heartless carries?" Xigbar asked and Dexla nodded.
"A heart."
"Right again. Now this sort of mission we're on is probably one of the simplest. You're to go in, kill a few of these things, collect the hearts and head back to the castle. Nothing to it. Well, unless you're working with Zexion, then you're here for hours collecting double the amount cause he's a god-damn perfectionist,"Xigbar said and the mumbled to himself. Dexla walked over to the Heartless and cocked her head to the side as she seemed to study it intently.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Xigbar asked not sure what was so confusing about this concept.
"Why do we collect these hearts? What's the purpose?" Dexla asked looking back at Xigbar.
"Well…we, and I mean the entire organization, are trying to reach something called "Kingdom Hearts". When we do, we'll get our hearts back…become 'someone' and no longer be a nobody." Xigbar answered Dexla seemed to stare at him trying to process this information.
"But…I thought I already had a heart?" Dexla said.
"No, you were born like the rest of us. You don't have a heart, that's what makes you a nobody." Xigbar said with a slight chuckle. But Dexla seemed to look sad at this.
"But...if I don't have a heart then why do I have…" She began and touched her hand to her chest.
"Are you okay? What do you have?..."Xigbar said stepping forward a little uneasy.
"It's nothing sir…I'm sorry."She said bowing deeply and not making eye contact.
Xigbar stared at her for a moment confused but shook his head and grinned.
"Hey whatever. Let's start with this training thing 'kay?"
Dexla smiled and nodded, hands folded and looking politely at him.
"Yes Sir!" She said.
"Hey hey now. You don't have to call me sir or anything. Just call my Xigbar," He laughed and then he blushed and looked to the side, rubbing the back of his head in nervousness, "Or you could call me Xiggy if you want."
"Okay…Xigbar,"Dexla replied beaming again.
Xigbar cleared his throat and then took out both his rifles. He motioned for Dexla to follow him and Dexla quickly pranced over to him gracefully.
"You don't have a weapon or anything?" he asked and Dexla shook her head.
"No I'm sorry. I don't know how to fight,"Dexla answered sheepishly.
"You don't have to keep apologizing,"Xigbar said with a laugh.
"Oh I'm sorry- I mean..Okay." Dexla said surprised that she was doing that subconsciously.
They started walking down a cleared path through some brush and vines. It looked like it was made recently.
"So…about your powers?"Xigbar began and Dexla sighed.
"Yes, Saix was trying to get me to try and use them but to be perfectly honest, I don't even know what they are myself. I think I might have used them before…but I don't know how I used them at all." Dexla said trying to remember.
"Can you tell me what you were doing when they were used?" Xigbar asked.
"I was being chased by someone…and I tripped. I grabbed the person's arm when they grabbed me and then they just fell limp onto the ground….I passed out after that." Dexla said.
"Hmm….cool." Xigbar said thinking to himself.
Dexla stared up at the treetops and sighed to herself.
"I wish I couldn't remember. I remember too much."she said sighing.
Xigbar seemed to look interested at this remark. He was about to say something when, out of nowhere, A sound like a gunsot, cracked through the air, loud and earsplitting. Dexla squeeled in alarm and Xigbar grabbed her, jumping up into a treetop and onto a branch hidden in the leaves.
"What was-"
"Shh..." Xigbar said holding her against his chest and placing his hand over her mouth. She was shaking a little and he tried to keep her calm. He peered down at the path below.
"Clayton, for the love of all things decent, could you please silence that awful gun of yours! You don't need to shoot at every moving thing in this jungle, honestly! If you keep this up, we'll never find the gorillas, scaring them away with constant shooting!" shouted a woman, with long brunette hair and in a yellow dress that looked like it was most likely from London. She had a British accent as well. Behind her followed a short old man with a big bushy mustache and balding head. He had a big blue bowtie around his neck and wore a yellow tinted short sleeved shirt and brown short pants. He was stammering and panting from climbing the huge hills to get up there.
"I'm deeply sorry Miss Jane, but I was hired to ensure your protection and to ensure your protection, I need to use this beauty to scare all the bad animals away. Now if you don't wish to be eaten by a jaguar, I suggest you allow me to do my job." Replied a man with slicked back hair and a pointy mustache that made him look like an evil man to be sure. He was garbed in an exploration light tan outfit and carried a rifle that was polished and well maintained.
"N-Now now Mr. Clayton. When I hired you, I hired you help with FINDING the Gorillas and I do believe this free ranged shooting is probably scaring them off, What if you hit a gorilla?,"Said the little old man, stammering slightly.
"Professor, please. I wouldn't dream of shooting at the gorillas. We're here for research after all, "Clayton mused but rolled his eyes when he turned back away from his two clients. He seemed to be scanning the area intently.
"What's he looking for?" Xigbar said to himself suspiciously, Dexla staring down at Clayton, still shaking slightly.
Clayton slowly looked up at the tree where they were sitting in and Xigbar glared down at him, not sure if he could see him or not. Clayton smirked and raised his gun. He shot at the branch and Xigbar pulled Dexla back and went through a dimensional hole to another branch of the tree, farther from view of Clayton.
"Mr. Clayton will you stop that please!" Jane shouted and Clayton grumbled something and rolled his eyes.
"Well…what ever it was, it got away,"Clayton said still staring up at the treetops suspiciously. Xigbar crouched on the branch, twitching his eye in anger and clenching his fist, wanting to bash Clayton's face in for just nearly taking out his other eye. Dexla moved Xigbar's hand from her mouth so she could breathe a little better.
Clayton and the group moved on, leaving Xigbar and Dexla up in the tree, still watching to make sure they wouldn't come back. After about 5 minutes, Xigbar leapt down, still holding Dexla, onto the ground below.
"Um Xigbar? You can put me down now," Dexla said blushing and giggling a little. Xigbar cleared his throat and placed her down next to him.
"Who was that man?"Dexla said after she brushed her hair out of her face and glanced at the path from which Clayton and the two London researchers left from.
"I don't really know. But if I ever see him again, I've got a bone to pick with him. He almost shot my other eye out, the bastard!" Xigbar said annoyed.
Dexla looked down at the ground below her and noticed tracks of some sort of animal but it didn't look like a gorilla's tracks. She touched them and they felt cold and strange.
"Xigbar, I don't think they're following what they think they're following…" Dexla said and Xigbar moved over next to her to see what she was looking at.
"You're right. Those are tracks from something very unfriendly." Xigbar replied and smirked a little.
"What do you think made these?" Dexla asked and Xigbar shrugged.
"I dunno. But it's not our problem. Come on, let's go back to the clearing-"Xigbar said and then saw Dexla walking toward where the three explorers went, following the tracks.
"Dexla!" Xigbar shouted and Dexla turned to him.
"I'm not leaving until I see those people are safe. I feel like something bad is going to happen," Dexla said and Xigbar was speechless for a moment.
"But Dexla-"Xigbar said but Dexla turned and began following the tracks again.
Xigbar jogged over and followed Dexla, unable to leave her here both because he liked her and because he didn't want Saix to gnaw his head off for failing the mission.
Dexla kept a quick pace and Xigbar had to jog a few times to keep up.
"Why do you care so much about these people? I mean, you don't even know them right?" Xigbar asked.
"I can't help but feel like I'd be responsible if they were hurt." Dexla answered and sighed. "It would feel like something in my chest was being crushed…"
"And why would you feel that?" Xigbar asked skeptically.
"Because I have a heart…"Dexla answered.
"Again with the heart thing? Dexla I don't think-"
"SHH!" Dexla hissed as she crouched down and peered through some bushes. She could see a clearing was and saw Clayton and the other two standing around resting and chatting. The woman, Jane, was sketching a butterfly she found and the older man was happily talking to himself as he walked around in inspecting everything.
"See Dexla? They're fine. Now can we please RTC now?" Xigbar said crouching down next to her.
Immediately after he said that, a creature started to form from the shadows on the ground, growing bigger and more solid. It was a Neoshadow and this one was one the biggest ones yet. It was silent and turned its creepy head towards the terrified people before it.
"Daddy what's that!" Jane screamed and the Old man ran over to him, frightened out of his mind.
"I've never seen an animal like that before!"The professor shouted, "Mr. Clayton do something!"
Clayton attempted to shoot at the creature but it was of little use. It grabbed the gun and threw it to the side.
Dexla couldn't wait any longer. She dashed out of the bushes and toward the Neoshadow. Xigbar took out his rifles and leapt from the brush, immediately trying to get a good aim at the beast's head.
"Dexla, don't get too close to it!"Xigbar shouted to her still aiming. Dexla ignored that warning and jumped at the Neoshadow, ready to do anything to weaken it at least. The Neoshadow took one big sharp claw and smacked her to the ground harshly.
"Dexla I said back off! You don't know how to fight yet!"Xigbar snapped.
Dexla got to her hands and knees and coughed a little. She winced a bit but she stood up and clenched her fist.
She ran forward again and the heartless turned to her again and used some dark magic like attack to whip at her. She reflexively put her hands out to block it, and as the whip slashed across her hands, her gloves were burned up, along with her sleeves. She shouted in pain as it burned her palms.
As she fell, she fell into the beast, touching its leg with her palm. Instantly, the Neoshadow relaxed and seemed to grow sluggish. It was paralyzed and Xigbar took this to his advantage, shooting a single shot through the heartless's head, killing it and releasing its heart. Dexla lay on the ground, injured and bleeding across the palms deeply. Xigbar ran over to her and lifted her up, a worried pale look across his face.
"Dexla, you ok? Can you move? How bad are you injured?" He said looking at her hands.
"Oh my," Jane said walking over slowly, a little alarmed at the sight of Xigbar.
"Oh Crap…" Xigbar mumbled realizing that he was in the middle of natives that weren't supposed to know he was here.
"Who are-"Clayton began but was interrupted by a strange collection of more shadows around them. Four more Neoshadows appeared and surrounded them, looking ready to battle. Xigbar grimaced and tried to grab his gun when suddenly, Dexla snapped open her eyes in surprise and gasped. Her eyes were glowing bright pink and rushing from her was a wave of forceful energy. It rushed over the neoshadows, killing them instantly. As they exploded into hearts and munny, Dexla came back to her senses and looked scared. Xigbar stared at the ground where one of the neoshadows exploded in amazement.
"Xigbar? What happened?" Dexla panted, frightened.
"Dexla, I think I know what your special power is, you're psychic…" Xigbar replied still gaping. Jane looked down at Dexla with a smile on her face.
"I must thank you for saving us," She said.
"Oh it was nothing…" Dexla said as she then passed out again from all the shock. Xigbar stood up and quickly disappeared through the dark corridor, back to the castle.
"Xigbar what the hell? I asked you to train her, not beat her until she bleeds!"Saix spat looking at Dexla's hands. He helped her over to the couch where Xigbar kicked Demyx off of and made room for her to lay down.
"Demyx! Go and tell Vexen to come immediately with medical supplies." Saix shouted and Demyx stood up from the floor and sprinted into the hall. Xaldin stood up from where he was sitting with Luxord and walked over, no emotion on his face but a scowl, to see what was going on. Luxord followed, looking worried and fidgeting with his cards in nervousness.
"So, what happened to your girlfriend there?"Xaldin said peering over at Dexla. She was wincing in pain as Saix was looking her cuts over.
"She's not my girlfriend, and we were fighting this HUGE neoshadow! And Dexla ran out and it used this whip thing and sliced her hands!" Xigbar said frantically, looking freaked out completely.
"You weren't seen by anyone were?"Saix asked and Xigbar looked away and rubbed the back of his neck guiltily.
"Uh of course not. We weren't fighting the neoshadows in front of Natives with British accents or anything…what?" Xigbar stammered and then looked back at Xaldin, Luxord, and Saix who were all staring at him not entirely surprised by this.
"You were seen weren't you?" Xaldin said and Xigbar grinned sheepishly.
"Well maybe, I guess. Hehehehe….sorry."
"You didn't converse did you?" Saix said raising an eyebrow.
"Not entirely….I thinks. Well we uh sorta saved them and uh…yeah...ehehehehe." Xigbar said still sheepishly grinning. Xaldin sighed, Luxord looked like he was going to pass out and Saix twitched his eye in complete annoyance and tried to keep himself from throwing Xigbar out the 23rd story window, not that that would do anything given the fact that Xigbar can just pop right back inside.
Vexen came in, panting because he just sprinted up five floors with Demyx nagging him about being old and slow.
"I'm here, I'm here! Where's the damage?" Vexen said trying to calm his breathing. He walked over to peer down at Dexla, staring back up at him, eyes wincing every now and then. He pushed Xigbar out of the way and knelt down next to Dexla, taking out antibiotics and bandages.
"This doesn't look as bad as what Demyx was going on about," Vexen remarked as he picked up Dexla's hand and she gasped a little at the sting. He ignored her gasping and continued to clean her cuts.
"Saix…Can I talk to you for a moment?" Xigbar said motioning Saix to follow him to the other end of the room. Xaldin seemed to glance over at the two of them, raising an eyebrow in suspicion as Luxord and Demyx were eagerly trying to cheer Dexla up and take her mind off of pain of the spray and other cut cleaning products.
"When we were fighting, something really weird happened to the neoshadow…When Dexla touched it, it stopped completely, like it was in some weird spell or something. And that's not the weirdest thing. When a bunch of these other neoshadows popped up, she did this force push thing that just completely took them all out like they were nothing! It was so cool... Ahem, I mean it was interesting…"Xigbar informed Saix who looked interested by this new bit of knowledge. He glanced over at the couch at Dexla and noticed her ungloved hands.
"Was she wearing gloves during that battle?" Saix asked and Xigbar snapped into focus, remembering.
"Oh that's right! She touched the neoshadow's leg after her hands were cut. Her gloves were ripped off then and she touched the beast with her bare hands." Xigbar replied nodding.
"Well, we may have just figured out her ability then. Good work Xigbar. You'll be sure to get a good review on your file for this." Saix said as he smiled and walked toward the hallway, on his way to Xemnas to inform him of this.
Xigbar stood where he was turning toward the window and staring out at the large heart shaped moon thinking. Dexla seemed to have finished with being bandaged and Vexen stood up and looked over at Xigbar, a stern and annoyed look on his face.
"I suggest that you keep a closer eye on your partner during battle, lest you wish for her to be in a full body cast." He said and Xigbar glanced over at him, made a face that showed how much of a douche bag he thought Vexen was, and returned to staring out the window at the moon.
"What ever…just go back to your chemistry set in your pretend laboratory." Xigbar said with a wave of his hand and Vexen seemed to scowl at this and took his medicine supplies and stomped away down the hallway. Demyx was kneeling next to Dexla looking spazzy that she was injured, while Luxord was looking at his cards, trying to predict Dexla's future recovery. Xaldin just looked completely bored and groaned and moaned about how boring it was around the castle.
Dexla seemed to sleep for awhile. As everyone left to their rooms for the night, Dexla still slept peacefully. Not wanting to leave her sleeping on the couch, Xigbar picked her up carefully and carried her bridle style down the hall toward her assigned room. He unlocked it and set her down on her bed carefully, trying not to disturb her sleep. Her room was bare and the walls were clean. She had yet to style it or even get new furniture for it. She just had a bed and dresser with an empty picture frame on it. She continued to sleep peacefully, her hands bandaged and a slight smile on her face. Xigbar smiled warmly at the sleeping Dexla and then slowly he stood up from the bed and walked toward the doorway, peering back at her and closing the door behind him slowly and softly.
He laid down on his bed, shirt off and in his baggy sweat pants, staring out the window that peered out at Kingdom Hearts, the thing that would make him and the rest of his comrades whole. He thought about how great it was going to be, having pleasant memories and being able to love. He thought of how wonderful life would be if he and Dexla were together with hearts, in love.
That's when he realized that Dexla said something earlier…She said she had a Heart. She said she had a heart and she felt something hurt inside her before they fought the neoshadows. That if she didn't help those people her heart would hurt. And that's when something else hit him. If he didn't have a heart…then how could he feel like this for Dexla. How could he love her?