I doubt anyone would read this pft, pft. A rarepair that no one ships but I just wanted to get this story out anyway. I'm taking a lot of liberties too with this story. Like, a whole lot. Using various FF titles mixing it with KH. Sorry, but Disney characters won't show up here. They will have references though!
It's the year 199X where humanity would thrive, blooming with the power to wield magic. Outside of controlled made magic for humans, those born with magic, sorceress, are condemned. But one unwilling little sorceress with her obstinate and sinister self-proclaimed dark knight by her side gets dragged into a plot to find The Promised Lands.
esoteric
Chapter 1
A small drop of green would grab her attention.
Her eyes filled with solemness watches as remnants of the Lifestream would drip into her view before it would vanish away into white light upon meeting the floor; it had been the only color that would bloom in the stark white room that held a bitter scent. It was devoid of nearly everything. But Naminé didn't mind the color white. White was a color blank, unstained, waiting, ready for hues and tones to blend in with it, so many possibilities came with white. But. That didn't mean she liked the color either. Rather she was indifferent towards it. She was indifferent towards everything. It's how she lived her life now. It's now the only way she knew how to live her life. Where her heart should be was a shattered mess of what once was.
Just stay quiet. Work. Don't feel. I do not need feelings.
These orders were drilled into her mind from the moment she was brought into the labs. And Naminé knew that if she were to step out of line she would only bring a great amount of devastation to herself. She knew that for it had happened before when she was younger. Bolder and more rebellious in that subtle way, of course, she was still a meek girl. Subtle she tried to be, her reward for such efforts would be punishments. All sorts of punishments that were unspeakably cruel. But it's alright. She wasn't a human, the scientist would reason that to themselves.
She was a sorceress. A witch, as they would call her.
What was considered an insult to her kind was used frequently in these labs. She'd grown indifferent.
Despite her seemingly apathy towards everything (it was better this way, the pain wouldn't affect her as much), she often daydreams herself locked away in an ivory castle, as though she was a princess (she was rather fond of fairy tales) waiting for her knight riding a white horse and clad in armor to rescue her. It was rather foolish to think about and reality would always remind her of the fact.
But can't she even dream?
Beautiful. Delicate. Fragile. Ready to break at any given moment.
If it weren't for her battered soul, Naminé would've been sick of it. She would've spoken up about this treatment.
But she couldn't. Wouldn't.
She wasn't the only one in this facility treated like this. There was another subject that was almost like her. Almost. She wasn't a sorceress but she was made to contain one should the time ever come. She was everything that Naminé wished she could be. A soul that was not fragile and brittle like Naminé's. Someone who was close enough to be human.
However, they call her No. 1 but her "official name" is the puppet. Because that's all she'll ever be. A shell of an existence that shouldn't be. Something that would hope to use to get answers for their experiments. It felt degrading, far too much for Naminé to handle. Out of a small sliver of the little pity Naminé had left, she started going through a list of names in order to humanize this poor girl. Naturally, it had been tough to find something fitting. Even more so when the girl was unresponsive to her. It was not as though she had a lack of conscious, quite the opposite actually, it was because of what Naminé is that makes her this way. "Witch," she had once spat out. "They told me not to talk to the witch or else I might get cursed" it was a rather ridiculous thing to hear or it would be if there weren't cases of this. But undeterred, she would often work past her hostility. She wanted. Needed another person to talk to in spite of how broken she was, something that can somewhat fix her. And so the list of names continued on. With a dull tone, she would say a name and the puppet's answer would always remain the same: silence.
"How about Xion?" came her suggestion one day. She was met with silence once again.
A sigh. She was about to turn on her heels until she heard a small voice speak out. "...Xion...?"
It was quickly decided that she be called Xion. It was the mark of their friendship, one formed out of gratitude. But a friendship nonetheless.
Contrary to what Naminé had initially thought, Xion wasn't as meek as she was. The girl was outspoken. Rash. Often getting both Naminé and herself into all sorts of trouble. But kind all the same. The two only had only each other. And it was thanks to Xion that she had some bits of her old personality intact. It wasn't much though. Naminé was convinced that she truly was broken. They had broken her long ago. She felt like a puppet, cut from its strings causing it to tumble down into a depressing crumpled form. And no matter how much the other scientist would try to treat her with the utmost care, she was still that same doll with fine-lined cracks coating her porcelain skin and missing parts of her heart. Xion was the only light that Naminé sought out for. And Xion was all too happy to share her too big of a heart to her. And that was her problem. She cared too much. She loved too much. Feelings that the scientist would gladly stomp out soon enough.
The only time they could spend together was the short amount of time where they would send their subjects outside, into a small gated garden overlooking the polluted city of Midgar. It wasn't a nice view. It overlooked the slums of Midgar, ruinous landscape where life had once sprung in its place. It was an apocalyptic like the scene with iron and stone taking refuge in such a place. Even the Lifestream, something that should be free and bountiful, was contained by the oppression that only Midgar could bring. The white tower that they were in superiorly towers over the district. So the girls would instead sit on a bench far away from the view. Whispering amongst themselves. Sharing giggles and comforting one another. It was a time that Naminé cherished. No matter how short it may be.
She was sitting, waiting for her friend to show up. Watching, as the Lifestream swirls around the dirty city, trying to break out of its prison imposed on it. Not many can see the Lifestream. It was a rare force and only those who possessed magic could see it. Because of this, many would think that she's a trance of some sort. Some would be inclined enough to call her insane. She was used to such accusation, no matter how inaccurate they may be.
"Spacing out again I see. You know, the more you do that the more people will think that you're actually crazy."
Lips would quirk upwards upon seeing her friend with that crooked grin of hers. Softly, ever so softly, she would murmur: "Xion... you know that I can see it."
"Yeah," said Xion with a sigh. "I know. But no one really believes that. Well, I mean, aside from the scientist but knowing how desperate they are. They'll pretty much believe anything."
The Lifestream was a legend. A myth. An old wives tale. Passed down to the newer generation to ignite hope for where they are going once they grew older. To the Promised Lands. But once they would shed their childhood away and become yet another tired and oppressed adult these beliefs would fade away. Until they would tell their children of the story they once believed in. Making this an eternal cycle. But what if, what if they were true? A vague, ghost-like question that would come to mind in a wispy manner and would she often finds herself mulling over. The Lifestream very much exists, that much Naminé knew, perhaps the same could be said for the Promised Lands. But her claims were not taken finality. They could never be taken as such.
"Do you believe me?" Because that's all that truly mattered to her.
"Of course I do! You have no reason to lie, you're too innocent for that."
Innocent. A wistful smile graces her pale features. Oh, how she wished she was innocent as Xion believed her to be. "I'm not really."
"Please," she waves off. "You are. You're... how do I put it? You're too nice. Stupidly nice actually."
"Just because I'm nice doesn't mean I'm innocent."
"Yes, it does! You're too much of a pushover too." A light tap on her back was given and she would ever so slightly lurch forward due to the minimal force behind the tap. Naminé's expression not at all changing. She was used to Xion's need for touching people now. Knowing that the girl was starved for touches. For affection. For freedom. No matter how big her heart was (a puppet with a heart? how outrageous) Xion had moments of vulnerability as well. Touch give them the illusion that they were the same as them. The same as humans.
"You should start standing up for yourself more," she continues with her reprimands.
"But then I'll only get punished by the scientists..." Naminé trails off.
"I'm not talking about the scientists. I'm talking about them," Xion juts her thumb in the direction of the other patients. They were wandering around, aimlessly with their mouths open wide as they drink in the nasty view of the ravaged city. "You always let them bully you."
Witch. They would spit at her like Xion once had. She understood why they would torment her so. They were afraid. They were curious. So their aggression was a mixture of both. It would've been a risk if it had been the old Naminé. The one that wasn't used to the experiments. But she was different now. She knew how to control her powers, forcefully. It wasn't the natural way and perhaps this was one of the leading factors to her battered heart.
Now, she afraid that she fails any experiments thrown at her.
"I'm used to it."
"You shouldn't be," she said. "I'm not getting anywhere with you, am I? Well, anyway, what happened to you yesterday? You look still look pretty beat."
"They used my powers on them," she said and she would look away from Xion's concerned gaze.
"Them?" Of course, she would question her, she had been vague with her answer yet not on purpose. She had wanted to omit her doings whenever she talks with Xion about these things.
"The people who know too much."
Memories. Something that she can use, rechain, and destroy with but a flick from her fingertips. These were her powers as a sorceress. A cursed magic that would make many tremble in fear. It was tough to control, at first, often shattering memories unintentional. People began to stay away from her once they found out. A sorceress was regarded as powerful women who can only bring a great calamity behind their footsteps in their wake. Naturally, many were frightened of them. It was justified, Naminé finds herself thinking. Her powers were unpredictable, almost hard to control at times. She was able to channel most of it through her sketchbook. With her sketchbook being her tome and her pencils her wand Naminé was truly an outstanding sorceress where some would come to her for solace. To remove harsh memories of a time they did not want to relive. Memories were a fickle thing after all. They can often bring out the best, but they can lure you into the worst of times as well. There was a balance to be found and Naminé was able to break through that balance as though it was nothing more than a piece of paper.
But. As always, there was a drawback to her power. Should she become highly emotional, her magic would escape from the confine that is her body and sure enough affecting everything that would cross its path. Her powers causing a great misfortune several times and it would take and take memories from unwilling citizens. Sure enough, once it drained all of a poor soul's memories it would harm their heart, causing it to shatter. That person would become a doll. Unseeing. Unmoving. Death would be a merciful thing for them.
Sure enough, rumors about her would spread around Midgar eventually. In effect, the professors would have heard of her, making SOLDIERS capture the young woman. It was a terrifying ordeal one that she did not like to think about.
So she brought those who knew too much the gift of mercy. She would tear about their change of memories.
"Whenever someone knows too much, or if they had a sudden change of heart they always stop whatever experiment they're doing and make me destroy their memory. But it's a long process, there were twelve yesterday... I thought I could've handled it."
Xion was ready to protest but Namine would raise up her pale hand. "I did. But I used up too much of my power, I felt the Lifestream pulling towards me."
"Naminé. You stupid, stupid girl. You should've destroyed their memories instead."
"Don't you see? I cannot do that."
"Why? Tell me why you can't do this?!"
She raises her hands towards Xion, making her eyes come to level her wrists. "See these around my wrist? All of the scientist who experiments on me use them, if I were to use my magic on them it would only be rebound, hurting me in the process and destroying bits of my heart. Not too much... and then, it could bring the subject to their death. I don't want that for them."
"Oh Naminé... if only I could help you."
If only I could take her place were her unspoken words.
There were so many things hidden within her. Naminé could see her plans, various plans to help her one of them being Xion need to escape this place with her. She could see her dream of doing so in her heart. She could feel Xion's need for wanting to fill the empty crevice where a broken heart lies with her own heart. Xion claimed that Naminé was far too kind and yet the same could be said for her. Naminé looks to her with gentle eyes and shakes her head. "It wouldn't work..."
"What?"
"Your plan of escaping, it wouldn't work."
"Right... I forgot you can see into the hearts of others." Naminé knew that it still freaked out her friend. Which is why she tries to use her powers as little as possible around her, holding it back to the best of her ability. This one, however, was hard to control.
Xion moves to stand, dusting her robes in the process. "Our break time is almost over..."
Naminé makes no move to stand along Xion. She focuses her gaze on the Lifestream. Trapped within its confines. "I wish I could jump into the Lifestream... but I wonder what would happen if I did?"
Xion frowns, walking back towards her she would grab a hold of her hand. "Promise me, promise me that you won't overwork yourself again? That you won't die on me."
Promise was too strong of a word for her to held therefore, she could not carry that amount of weight behind it.
With a sweet smile, she gives Xion her answer.
"I'll try."
Right after their short, much-needed break, it was time for all them to head back to their cells. In spite of the many amenities some would have (not her, she wasn't allowed to feel comfortable so they must keep hers empty as she is) Naminé calls them their cell rather than dorm like everyone else would refer it such. Not that it mattered. Not a single thought she would mull over did not matter, it would always dance around her mind similar to the way a flame would on a wick before the wick would give out; making its dance come to a complete end.
In her cell, there would be a scientist in there to lead her to the Glass Room. A place where she did nothing to do but draw. Draw, draw, draw. Into the night, that is when her magic would give out causing her to enter a weakened state. Without any help, she did not deserve it anyway she would think, Naminé would drag her exhausted bed back into her cell and collapse unto her pristine bed. Sleep would conquest her subconscious.
Such was not the case today. In her room, she would find Larxene toying with one of her knives. Larxene was one of the more cruel assistants, almost rivaling Hojo's cruelty. All too eager to conduct experiments, especially when knives were involved.
She was quite proficient playing with her knives and as nice it can be to look at there was a hidden message beneath the play.
You can't run away.
She closes the door behind her and Larxene would turn her attention to Naminé, sadistic thoughts lighting up her green eyes. She balances the tip of her knife on the tip of her fingers. Naminé would only watch, waiting, with hands folded.
"Evening witch! How many hearts did you break this time."
She knew. She knew that Naminé hated to recollect her sins for the day. "... enough" came her answer.
"What a boring answer, then again you're a boring sort of girl." Leaning back on the white chair she would look to the ceiling with an impish grin. "If it were me, I would've broken countless hearts by now. The more hearts we collect the more we can... well, I'm sure you know the answer to that."
Oh. Oh, how she knew the answer already. Hence why she refused to break any more hearts. The reasoning behind Shinra's greed was deplorable!
"Are you here for anything, Larxene?"
After she asks her question, a knife would cut through the air and land on the wall behind her. A small wound would break through pale skin yet not deep enough for blood to pour out of it.
"Oops," she says. "I missed."
She stands at her full height and with a clang, she would kick the chair over. In no more than two steps she towers over the petite girl and grabs hold of her chin, forcing for Naminé to look at her in the eyes as she drew close to her face. Eyes that had a ring of insanity to it. Lips would touch her ears and Larxene would whisper: "When talking to me try to be a little more respectful. Now, why don't you ask your question again."
"What––what can I do for you?"
Approval flashes in her eyes and lets go of her chin. "What else am I here for? A check-up obviously"
Now, this would draw an emotion from her. Her skin pales and she would back away slightly from Larxene.
"N-no, please no. I already had one just a few weeks ago."
"Well, looks like you'll have to go through them again. Now let's go." At her proclaim, Naminé's eyes were quick to look around her room in hopes that she could find a place of safety. The window would've been perfect... if she wasn't on the top floor that is. She backs away from the mad scientist, her back pressing against the wall, far end from the door. Like a predator, she would follow each step Naminé took. She struck, fast as a snake, and grabbed for her hair. A shriek and pleas would flow out of her mouth, tears almost brimming over the corners of her eyes. Of course, Larxene would only pull harder.
With the pull of her hair, hair threatening to rip from her scalp, Larxene begins to drag her towards the direction of the hospital ward. Her yells and pained grunts would bounce off the sterile walls and some of the subjects would come to their door to watch the speculation she was causing. One of them had been Xion, staring at her with sad, blue eyes behind the glass. She presses her hand against the glass, wanting to reach out to her dear friend, and then she would drop it by her side. Looking away from the terrible scene.
Naminé's cell wasn't too far from The Check-up Room. It took them little to no time to reach the room. Larxene shoving her into the room. With a honey-sweet smile, she waves her hands goodbye in a gleeful manner from the glass after the door would shut. She stood there. Not at all leaving like any other respectful scientist would do.
"Alright then," came the voice soft voice of Zexion. "If you will, have a seat we'll get started."
The horrid pink chair for the examination was set in the middle of the room with translucent sheets of paper covering it, around the circular space there would be countertops attached to the glass. A metal cart was situated amongst side of the chair, with horrid tools of all sorts displayed out in the open. To the left of the chair, there would be an IV stand filled with a light blue liquid. Magic, they had reassured her once. It was magic that they were pumping into her. Something about that made Naminé suggest otherwise. But one more, here, opinions, her thoughts, none of them mattered.
The structure of this room was meant for others to watch and take note as the would perform" medical" practices on her. Some patients could see from their cells as well, but Naminé hardly saw any of them pressing against their door to watch.
Shakily, she would move her head to and fro, blonde hair whipping across her face as the result of this. "Please," she begs. "I-I don't want to do this."
Large eyes would turn to the cool examinator yet her pleas would be in vain for Zexion was too busy looking over the papers.
"The sooner we get done, the sooner you can leave. Now come." He had a demanding tone in his voice and Naminé would find her feet obeying his command. Breathing suddenly became harder for her, the world was spinning, white noise invades her ears and she could see starts invading her vision and fear... fear would dig deep into her chest.
She takes a seat.
The morning came. The sun making the room all the more blinding.
She lays there. Lifeless. On top of the all too white sheets. Eyes locked on the ceiling. Her expression was blank. On her arms, one would see many pinprick wounds lining her them. She didn't cry. She couldn't cry after what happened yesterday. She finally became the doll for them.
Someone... she thinks to herself. Someone, anyone. Please. Help me.
A single drop of a tear would slide down pink cheeks.
The sound of her door opening would cause her to slowly turn her head, gaze on the figure who stood there. It had been Axel. He stared down at her with pity dancing in those green eyes of his. She hated it. Pity was a feeling that only made others feel good about themselves should they pity the weak. She was weak, yes, but she did not need a reminder of that. And while she knew he did this out of good intentions that didn't make the feeling of resentment towards pity melt away.
"Uh... Good morning," he says, with a rub at the back of his head. "Uhm... so yeah, today they want to bring you to The Glass Room. This one seems important so they sorta rushed me to get you."
"Okay," she simply said and she would move to get up. Her all too short white dress rising up a bit with her movements. Axel looks away, hand covering his face. Dusting it off she would stand in front of him. Waiting for Axel to lead the way. Without a word, the two would walk to the elevators. The Glass Room was located at one of the more lower levels, below the first floor. While standing inside the elevator, Axel would try to conversate with her. But it was useless, Naminé would either give half-heart one worded answers or stay silent.
"So uh... I heard that Xion might be able to leave this place soon enough. They're finished with all of the tests on her. Isn't that good to hear?"
No reply. Maybe it wasn't a bright idea to bring up Naminé's only friend in this horrid place, but Axel had hoped that perhaps this would get some answers out of the small woman.
"Uh, soooo... I think it's about time too, she's been with us for too long. Roxas and I might be able to finally hang out with her. And who knows! They might let you out too!"
His optimism would not reach her closed off heart. "I'm never getting out of here."
Even if she wanted too, she couldn't. It was impossible for her. She was somewhat attached to this place or perhaps it was because she believes that maybe she did deserve the foul treatment to her. That perhaps this place was made for her. But. She wanted help. She wanted freedom. Yet, all the same, she didn't want it. Her mind was filled with contradictions upon contradictions.
"I'm too valuable. I'm just a tool to them," she said.
Having that said, the doors would open on the first floor much to Axel's confusion and would step out of the elevator just check around his surroundings. He reasoned that perhaps someone else had called for the elevator. Yet. There was no one outside. A mistake perhaps? Just as he was about to head back in, he had felt someone knock into a pressure point, rendering him useless for a moment. Just as he was about to lose consciousness he was able to make out a figure through the haze of his vision. A set of two armored people, however, the one inside of the elevator had worn a tight uniform rather than using armor. His face obscured by a mask.
"So you're the white witch everyone's been talking about, huh, you really look a lot more boring than what I had imagined."
Axel would hear the shriek of Naminé as the dark figure proceeds to pick her up. He could see bare feet kicking at the man's chest and sure enough, darkness would take over.
"Well, this is pretty annoying. The witch can put up a fight," she wriggled and twisted around in his arms as if to prove his point, he nearly lost his balance at a particular kick to the chest. "Damn. Stay... still unless you want me to hurt you."
She stops in her struggles upon hearing his threat, somewhat trembling at what he could do to her. It couldn't be any worse than how she was treated in the labs but... she didn't want to find out what he had in plan for her regardless. She returns back into her usual submissive state with a hint of fright mixed in.
"Who are you?" she whispers. "Why won't you let me go... I need, no, I should stay here."
"Your knight in shining armor." he sneers in a mocking tone. "Do you really want to stay in this shithole? C'mon... just think of this as a rescue. Girls like that sort of stuff. Right, number three?" He turns back to look at one of the armored people. It was clear that he was just messing around much to the annoyance of Number Three.
They would only give out a sigh and cross their arms. "Let's just go Zero, before security actually comes."
"Yeah, yeah. We'll use darkness to travel this time around. Can't stand that stupid ship."
"Yes, fine whatever. Let's just go," came the baritone of the second person dressed in armor.
With but a raise of his hand, a smoke of darkness would appear before it would shape into a door like shape with purple tones in the darkness. The two kidnappers (yes that's what she's calling them since they are kidnapping her) would step into the Darkness first, disappearing upon entering it. The man would make a move to step into the void as well.
"W-wait! I don't want to go in there."
"You don't have much of a choice, dumbass. Now stop making this more difficult than it has to be."
She closes her eyes and braces herself for whatever may be inside of the darkness.
And so Naminé vanishes into the darkness.
Lol, still a bit rusty but it was a lot of fun to write! This will have a lot of chapters since this is a rather large story so brace yourselves!