Disclaimer: I don't own kingdom hearts.
THe character introduced in this story is actually an old sharacter that I came up with a friend a while back. He is featured in another one of my stories, Rainy Fate.
But there is no real need to back to read that one seeing as it takes place after this one.
The Unnamed Boy
"Just hang on damn it!"
"Easy for you to say. You're on the cliff."
"That doesn't make me feel any safer. Now give me your hand."
The black haired kid stared at Axel's waiting hand for several seconds before taking it. Axel grunted as he pulled the boy up. As soon as he could grip the kid's hand with both he did and things went much smoother as the boy caught the edge of the cliff with his other arm.
They collapsed in the dirt and breathing heavily. "T-thanks." the kid breathed.
"You're welcome." Axel said as he regained his breath. "How the heck did you end up over the edge anyway?"
The youngster blushed. "It was an accident. I was practicing…"
"Well.. You shouldn't be playing on the cliff edge anyway kid."
The kid glared up at him. "Kid? How old do you think I am?"
Axel glared at the boy. "Old enough to know better Young enough not to care."
"I'm thirteen."
"Just what I said. Too young to care, old enough to know better." The nobody lifted his hands into the air. "I don't know why I bother. My advice is probably going through on ear and out the other." Axel waved as he started to walk away.
"What would a human like you know?"
Axel froze midstep before turning around. "What do you mean?"
"What makes you think I care what you think? You're an adult, worse, you're a human. Thanks for the save, but buzz off." the boy waved a hand at him. Axel caught the hand by the wrist.
Axel's glare soften slightly as it gave way to surprise. "That's not possible."
The boy squirmed. "Will you let go?"
Axel released his hold. "You can't be real."
The boy blinked up at him, before glaring at him. "I'm here aren't I?"
Axel sighed as he tried not to grit his teeth. "Look… you know you're different… I can kind of understand it. Because I'm just like you."
The boy gave him a skeptical look over. "Prove it."
"I don't have a pulse either, because I don't have a heart." Axel pointed out as he held out a wrist. The boy eyed him before checking for himself. The boy slowly backed away from Axel, his expression hard.
"I thought it was because I was just a freak." the boy said as he turned away to look over the edge of the cliff again. "I think I preferred it that way…"
"We're called Nobodies."
"Well that's pleasant." the boy said sarcastically.
Axel gave a short laugh. "Yeah tell me about it. But the thing is that it's pretty much the truth. We don't have a proper existence in this world by normal people's definition. To be more exact. We are what's left behind when a person's heart has been stolen by the darkness."
xXx
They spent a few more hours talking about being nobodies, how the boy's life had been since he had lost his heart, and about their abilities…
"You know… we've been talking for the better part of the day talking and I don't think I ever caught your name kid." Axel mused.
The boy let the prod roll off him as he shrugged. "My name used to be Neal." the boy said quietly. "But it doesn't feel right… using my old name…"
"How about Xelan?" Axel suggested. "Most of us have an 'X' in our names to differentiate our selves from our somebodies."
"Xelan…" the boy mulled it over. "I think I could live with that…"
"Well Get it memorized. You'll be stuck with it for a long time."
"How long do you think?"
"Well the organization is trying to create kingdom hearts so that we can one day regain our hearts." Axel said a little more bitterly than he meant to.
"You don't really believe that do you?" the boy asked cautiously.
Axel sighed as he stared off into the sunset. "I don't know what to believe anymore. The guys in charge of the organization… they're more sinister with each passing day.. Heck if they found out about you…"
"They'd lock me away wouldn't they?"
"You don't have a Proof of Existence… It's insanely rare for a higher nobody to not have a Proof."
"So I am a freak anyways. Good to know."
Axel sighed as he checked the time on his watch. "Look I hate to say it but I've got to be going, otherwise they might send someone out to find me. Do me a favor and stay out of trouble okay?" Axel got to his feet and offered the boy a hand.
Xelan smiled up at him. "I can take care of myself. Thanks for the history lesson."
"Oh, and if you see anyone in a cloak like mine just hide."
"Can do." Xelan saluted.
"Heh." Axel grinned and held out his hand. The portal sprung into existence. "So long kid."