Author's Note: This makes slightly more sense if you read Watching and Waiting first...and maybe Slouching Towards Bethlehem, too.
Leon left Cid at the Accessory Shop, and went to Second District. Just around the corner, before the first entrance to the Hotel, there was a door, locked up with chains. Leon stopped in front of the door, and glanced around, before digging a key out of his pocket. He fit it into the padlock, and turned it. The lock was slow to give, but finally popped open, sending the chains clattering to the ground. He bent, grabbing them with one hand, and opening the door with the other. Leon dragged the chains in, and tossed them on the floor, closing the door behind him.
Here, at last, there was quiet. But it was short lived. "Here to question me again?" the rman asked, smirking a little. Leon didn't meet his gaze; instead he moved to the window, looking out for a moment, to see if he'd been followed. Then he met the man's eyes; they were green, each with an inverted teardrop beneath them. "Your answers never change." Leon stated, and his prisoner laughed. "I haven't got the 'heart' to lie." he said, putting the emphasis on 'heart', like it was a joke.
"Tell me who you are." Leon said, and it was something he'd asked, many times. "I'm Nobody." he shrugged, still grinning. "What's with the marks on your face?" he asked. "I'm the world's most depressing Clown." he stated, making a fake pout. "Where do the humans go when the Heartless steal their hearts?" Leon asked. The redhead stared at him for a moment. Then he leaned back against the wall, and pondered.
"I think...if you're strong enough...you turn into me." he said finally. "What does that mean?" Leon scowled. "I remember...monsters. Heartless...I was young; a teenager. My friend and I...we were in trouble, or something. We were in a room, a locked room..." he trailed off, and Leon crossed his arms, waiting for him to finish. The redhead got to his feet.
"Heartless appeared. They attacked, and there was...Darkness. Nothingness. And then...there was a beach...but not a nice sunny one, with waves and hot chicks in bikinis..." he stated, and Leon snorted softly, which made the redhead grin. "Anyways, the beach was like...if the dark side of the moon had beaches, that's the kind of beach it would have." he stated, and Leon simply raised a brow. "What was on the beach?" he asked.
"Me. I was. And then, there was a door. It was open, so I went through it. Then I was...not in my body, but I was back. I mean, I looked like I did then, but that was years ago, so I just grew up...but I don't have a heart." he stated. "How do you know that?" Leon demanded. Stubbornly, the man extended his wrists; both of them wore shackles. "I don't have a PULSE. Got it memorized?" he said flatly.
Leon frowned, but approached him slowly. He took one wrist, and slid the cuff back, searching for a pulse in the redhead's wrist. He frowned, and put two fingers on the man's neck, before stepping back. "No pulse. No heart. Are you a ghost?" Leon frowned. "I don't feel like one." the man admitted with a shrug. "Are there others like you?" Leon pressed, and the man stared at him, as if measuring him.
"They took Somebody from you." he accused, and Leon's jaw tightened a little. The man smirked. "What was her name?" he asked slyly. "Shut up before I make sure you REALLY don't have a pulse." Leon snarled, and the man laughed. "She must have been something special!" he mocked, and Leon moved so suddenly, the redhead didn't even dodge. He was standing one moment, and on the ground the next, his face aching as Leon shook his hand out a little.
"Okay...touchy subject." he muttered, tasting blood in his mouth. "There's probably more like me out there. But unless she went through the door on the beach...she's just a heartless monster now." The man stated, crossing his legs on the floor. Leon didn't look at him again; he just picked up the chains for the door, and went back outside. The red haired man with the tattoos on his face listened quietly while the chains rattled across the door several times, then the heavy lock clicked shut with a dull sound. He sighed, and leaned back, closing his eyes again.
Leon walked restlessly through the Square, heading back for the First District. He was deep in thought, and only battle honed instincts let him dodge the attack from behind. He drew his weapon and spun, but his assailant was standing well away, his massive sword over his shoulder. "Cloud." Leon said calmly. "Squall." the man replied, then looked a little annoyed. "Sorry...Leon." he added. "Find them?" Leon asked.
"No. Just ran into somebody that I used to know." he stated, and held up the golden gauntleted hand. "Nasty piece of hardware." Leon frowned. "It's kept them from getting to my heart so far." Cloud shrugged. "What about the guy you used to know?" he asked. Cloud was quiet for a moment. "If what your strange friend says is correct...he didn't come back through the door." He said finally. "I see." Leon said, musing on that a moment. Then he sighed, shifting a little. "You staying? Yuffie was asking about you." he stated. "No. I'll keep on looking." Cloud replied, and turned away, heading towards Third District.
"Cloud." Leon called, and the man went still, but didn't turn around. "Be careful. And if you're ever on that beach...walk through the door." Leon said calmly. "Of course." Cloud gave a slight nod, and they parted ways. Leon's mind whirled; thoughts of her in his head. Did she come back? Did she make the choice to live without a heart? He wouldn't know until he found her. But he would find her.
He would never stop looking...not when it came to her.