Quick note: I am basing the behaviors of the characters on how they act in the Kingdom Hearts Manga so that their attitudes, mostly Roxas's and Xion's, can match the story better. In the manga, they have a lot more emotion(ironically). If you haven't read the 358/2 Days manga, go read it. There are several sites who have it. IT'S WORTH IT.
Chapter 1: Worldly Secret
"Xigbar! Look out!" A ball of fire zoomed past the blonde nobody to target the man behind him. The blonde followed the fireball's path with his deep blue eyes as Xigbar dodged to the left as the fireball blazed through where he once stood. It slammed into the bushy maze wall farther away, burning and charring the leaves and branches. Xigbar's eyes were instantly on the rose bush where the attack had come forth and two gun-like weapons materialized in his hands in a swirl of darkness. He lifted one, aimed, and fired three, diamond sharp shots. The bullets pierced through the bush, slicing off roses, branches and leaves, to finally strike their target. There was a short squeak then a soft bang. A small heart emerged from the top of the bush and floated up a few feet into the air before disappearing. Xigbar let out a satisfied huff before letting his weapons dissolve from his hands and crossing his arms.
"You know, you didn't need to shout like that Roxas. You pretty much told everyone in the area that we're here." The blonde looked up at the man's scarred face, embarrassed to have freaked out over one small heartless. The truth was Wonderland always gave him the creeps, a world where anything could be a living thing and everything was not what it appeared. He turned away from Xigbar to stare ashamed at the ground as the large key in his right hand disappeared in a flash of light.
"Sorry, it-it's just that I don't feel very comfortable here. This world, it's. . . .it's weird." Roxas slightly looked up to catch a smile spread across Xigbar's face before laughing followed. "Ha-ha! As if! This world is far from the weirdest!" Roxas rose an eyebrow, confused as Xigbar turned away to continue along the path they had been following before their mild distraction with the Flare Note. "Hey! Wait! What do you mean?" Xigbar stopped and looked over his shoulder at Roxas as the boy ran up to his side. "I mean there are worlds that would leave this one to shame in a contest of the weirdest." Xigbar turned his gaze away from Roxas's still confused face to eye a rather large flower growing beside the maze wall.
"There's this one world that's has a very mysterious feature. It's so dangerous that only the most experienced nobodies go there." He said as he started to walk toward the overgrown plant. Roxas stood where he was, his wide eyes following Xigbar as he stopped a small distance from the flower, staring intently at the closed bud. "What world?" Roxas continued to watch Xigbar curiously as the older nobody continued to stare at the plant. "The world where you need direct orders from the Superior himself to even step foot in it. It's a world where you can't use magic or summon your weapon, which leaves you defenseless and no matter how you arrive, you will be turned into an animal." Roxas's eyes grew wider in shock as he started to think of what the strange world could be like.
A thought suddenly entered Roxas's mind that changed his expression from awe-struck to suspicious. "Wait. I'm experienced. Why don't they send . . . .?" Roxas's question was cut short as Xigbar's arrowguns suddenly appeared and a shot rang out. The flower exploded, shreds of petals and stem falling to the ground. Suddenly, a rift opened above the broken plant and a shadow emerged. The large, draconian creature with beady yellow eyes and short, bulky wings let out an angry, earsplitting screech. Roxas knew immediately that it was the Dustflier, their mission's target. His eyes darted back to Xigbar to see what he was planning to do next but Xigbar was gone. Roxas's head snapped in every direction, searching for Xigbar, but the man had vanished.
"Xig . . .?" The Dustflier's large head slammed into Roxas's chest, knocking the breath out of him and sending him flying backward. His back hit the ground hard and he slid a few feet across the grass before coming to a stop, groaning in pain. Roxas slowly picked himself up, his Keyblade forming in his hand as the Dustflier let out another shrilling cry. Once able to stand firmly once more, Roxas readied himself into combat position, Keyblade ready to swing and slice. The Dustflier stared at his threatening pose for a menacing second and then lifted its head back. Its mouth opened and a fiery aura started to form between its jaws in what Roxas recognized to be the dangerous attack, Meteor Breath. Roxas took a step back to feel a small breeze on his left side and turned his head to see Xigbar standing calmly at his side.
"Because imagine having to face something like this with no Keyblade or any magic and hardly able to form a portal. Do you think your experienced enough to survive something like that?" Without waiting for an answer Xigbar charged at the heartless, guns drawn. Roxas soon followed, deciding it was not the time to ask any more questions. He would ask after the target stopped firing meteors at him.
A billion small lights reflected off the giant heart as it floated up into the air to join with Kingdom Hearts. Roxas dropped his Keyblade, which evaporated seconds after hitting the ground, and clenched his knees in his hands. Huffing with exhaustion, Roxas lifted his head to peer at Xigbar who was leaning against an old oak tree a few feet away, looking as if he had not just battled with a furious giant heartless. Roxas had a hard time understanding how he could not be exhausted after such a hard battle when Roxas himself truly was. Standing back up straight, Roxas slowly walked toward the one-eyed nobody with a certain world on his mind.
Knowing what was coming, Xigbar pushed his back off of the tree and watched Roxas with an amused grin. "If you want to know more you're out of luck. I've told you too much already." Roxas tried to hide his frustration but Xigbar's smile told him he'd already seen it. Roxas was about to say something smart when his curiosity beat his anger. "I just wanted to know why the Organization would care about a world they couldn't even use." His eyes studied Xigbar's face as Roxas hoped for an answer that would be useful for his cause. He felt satisfaction as Xigbar's eye shined with amusement and slight pride.
"You'd think the answer would be obvious." Xigbar leaned in a little to add effect as he whispered, "It's because the world is swarming with heartless." Xigbar withdrew from the tense moment and watched Roxas with a satisfied expression. Roxas just stared at Xigbar as if he were joking. "Swarming?!" Xigbar's smile was full of laughter as he turned towards the way they had come and started walking with Roxas right behind him. "Yes, swarming, thou they are hidden. Hidden and hard to deal eliminate without our weapons." He chuckled. "I find it hilarious to watch Axel frustrate over these problems!" Roxas's eyes widened and Xigbar stopped. "Oops." Roxas was in front of him in an instant. "Axel knows about it?!" Xigbar raised his arm to his face, covering his eye with his hand. "Oh dear, I've said too much!" He lowered his hand and stared calmly to the side. "Well, I'm sure you would have found out sooner or later, you being so clever and all."
The sarcasm in his voice irritated Roxas as Xigbar walked around him and continued. "Axel discovered on one of his wanderings and was the first to explore it. Ever since then he's been fussing over it like a spoiled child." Roxas slowly walked a little behind Xigbar, listening and staring at the ground. "But he never seems frustrated about anything." Roxas lifted his head and gave Xigbar a hurt look. "And he never told me anything about the world and we talk about everything!" Xigbar looked over his shoulder. "The world is strictly top secret but I disagree that we should leave you out of such a big operation."
Roxas studied Xigbar's face, trying to decide if he was being sarcastic or not. "And with the frustrated Axel part, I've noticed that he hides a lot of things, especially his negative emotions from you for some reason, if you can call them emotions." Xigbar turned his attention back to the trail and left Roxas to his troubled thoughts. A few minutes later they arrived at the RTC site and Xigbar proceeded to produce a swirling portal of dark energy. Roxas took a step towards the dark corridor only to have Xigbar block his way. His face was serious but playful as Roxas stared up at him in confusion. "Now you have to promise me two things. One: Don't tell anyone about our discussion and act like you know nothing. Two: . . ." Xigbar narrowed his eye and smirked. "Promise me that you'll never visit that dreadful place."
He said the last request in a fake caring voice and a face that looked almost purely concerned. Roxas's eyes drifted to the ground as he quickly thought it over. The thought of the mysterious world brought what Roxas identified as curiosity and fascination to his mind. An idea suddenly formed in his mind and he was barely able to stop his face from looking extremely excited. He straightened his expression and gave Xigbar an innocent smile. "No problem." Xigbar smiled and moved aside. "There's a good lad. Now you run along now." Roxas nodded to him and couldn't help but sigh happily as he stepped into the welcoming tangle of darkness. Xigbar smiled after him. "And remember! It's our little secret."