Note: Zexion age nine.
He was told he was no longer his own person. No matter what he asked that was the answer. He didn't know why – Even told him it was because he had no heart. But how could that be? Of course he had a heart, otherwise he'd be dead. Right? He knew how the body worked; he knew the heart was important. He couldn't be alive now – standing and talking, confused thoughts running through his head – without a heart. He wanted to know the answers, but Even refused to tell him all because he was a child and wouldn't understand when really he'd never understand if the man didn't take the time to tell him. He would only become more confused in time without the right information.
The man also kept telling him to call him Vexen instead, that he was no longer Even. Crying out in frustration, the boy stated that he was too still Even – the man he came to see as a father figure. He still had the same voice, the same way he spoke, the same overall appearance as Even. He was even dressed in the same white lab coat. How can he say he was someone else all of a sudden?
Done with the boy's constant questioning and arguing, the blonde man turned to the other in the room and told him to take the boy to his given room. Aeleus – still dressed in his guard uniform – walked over to him and easily picked him up off the floor. The man carried him out of the room and down the halls all the while ignoring the boy's small fists hitting him as he demanded to be put down.
"Aeleus!" he cried out, his small voice bouncing off the white walls and down the hall. "Put me down!" he told the man as he started to kick and thrashed as a way to be dropped, but the man continued to hold onto him. Eventually the man opened a door and put him down on his feet inside the room.
"Get some sleep Zexion," the man said before pulling the door closed. It took Ienzo a small moment to remember that it was his new name he was addressed as. He didn't understand, why did they have different names now? Was he really no longer Ienzo?
'How can we even tell when it's morning?' the small Nobody wondered to himself upon waking up as he sat up in the large bed. The sky outside the window was still dark, barely lit by the scattered stars. As he looked at the dark sky, Zexion thought he saw a star disappear but blamed it on his mind playing tricks.
Climbing out of the bed that was too big for him – though he didn't mind it – the small boy straightened the black v-neck shirt he wore before making his way to the bedroom door. He pulled it open and stepped out into the white and slightly cold hallway. Glancing down both ways, he had trouble remembering which way Aeleus had come down when he took him to the room the night before. Risking it, he started down to the right.
As he walked, the cold tiled floor chilled his feet through his thin socks. He had forgotten to put his shoes back on as well as his lab coat he wore so often. He was starting to regret forgetting those clothing items as goose bumps covered his arms. Just as he was thinking if he should go back to the bedroom or not, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.
"Zexion," Vexen called to him as he made his way down the hallway, his voice bouncing off the walls and echoing slightly. Zexion turned to look at the blonde man as he walked closer and noticed he no longer wore his usual attire. Instead he was now dressed in a long black coat that stood out against the clean white walls. "What are you doing out here? You could've got yourself lost," he said coming to the boy's side. Zexion didn't answer him. With a sigh, Vexen put a hand on the boy's shoulder and guided him down the way Zexion came. "Come with me."
Vexen led him down the white corridors until they reached the room Zexion just left. He was taken back into the bedroom and watched from beside the door as Vexen walked to the bedside table and picked up a neat pile of black clothes he had failed to notice before. "Put this on," the blonde man told him, holding the clothes out for the boy to take. "Meet me outside the door once you're ready," he said once Zexion took the clothes from him.
He waited until the door fell behind Vexen and he was alone in the room. Not wanting to make the other wait, Zexion set the clothes down on the bed and started to undress before pulling on the black pants. Once those were on he took the black coat identical to the one Vexen wore and slipped it over his shoulders, momentarily fumbling with the zipper until he got it to close. Noticing that he wasn't given shoes to wear, he took the ones he had previously worn and slipped them on. After his shoes were on, Zexion grabbed the last of the outfit – a pair of leather gloves – and put them on. He flexed his hands in them, trying his best to get used to the foreign material clinging to his hands, back, and chest.
Now dressed, Zexion went to meet Vexen in the hall. Seeing that the boy was ready, Vexen straightened himself and held his hand up. Not even a foot away a dark portal-like circle appeared, its edges swirling. Vexen made to walk through it but was stopped by a tight grip on his sleeve. He turned to look down to Zexion who he had not expected to react this way – his feet planted, holding him in place as he held onto the man's sleeve and hiding half behind him, his eyes wide and glued to what was now before them.
As Somebodies, Even never knew Ienzo as one to be afraid of many things, but considering the boy's young age and lack of knowledge and answers, it was understandable as to why he was afraid now. "Don't be afraid," Vexen tried to reassure the boy, putting his hand on his back as to try and get him to walk. "You'll be fine," he said and gently pushed Zexion ahead.
On instinct, Zexion closed his eyes has Vexen took him closer to the thing he had summoned. Throughout Ienzo's life he had always had a fear of the dark, especially when it was seemingly endless, and what was before him now was just that. Pushing the fear down, Zexion allowed Vexen to guide him. Walking into the swirling darkness, the temperature dropped instantly and all Zexion wanted was to be back in the bedroom he slept in.
Vexen continued to lead the boy until they eventually reached a new location. Feeling the air go back to the temperature before walking into the darkness, Zexion opened his eyes and was met with all white again. The room they were now in was circular. In the center was a circular platform that he and Vexen stood in the middle of. The platform was surrounded by tall large throne-like seats – so large that they seemed too big for the men sitting in some of them.
Zexion recognized all but one of the men – Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus sat among the three seats in front of them along with a man with silver hair. The man easily intimidated Zexion and he averted his eyes as the man spoke down to them. "Nice of you two to finally join us," he said while Zexion looked anywhere but him. He counted the seats surrounding them – there were thirteen, all but the ones being used lowered to the ground floor. The platform he and Vexen stood on had an odd symbol on it. Looking the chairs over again, he noticed the same symbol on the back of each one. He didn't know what it stood for, but had a feeling he wouldn't like it.
"My apologies sir," Vexen replied.
"I'll let it pass," the man told him. "Please take your seats," he said and gestured to his right. Before he could take a step, Zexion found himself wrapped in the darkness once more, causing him to tense his shoulders and grab onto Vexen's sleeve. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone and Zexion stood with Vexen in front of two of the seats beside the one Braig was seated in. Vexen gently pushed Zexion to the one to their left before taking his own seat beside Braig's.
Zexion went the chair he was suppose to sit and seated himself, moving so his back was against the back of the chair, his feet barely reaching the edge of the chair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Vexen's seat rise to near the height of Braig's. His chair followed closely after, stopping a little lower than Vexen's seat. Zexion pulled his knees to his chest, not liking the height.
"Now that we're all here, let's begin," the man with silver hair spoke up again. He started a speech that Zexion blocked most of out. The man's voice was deep and echoed through the room, making it not entirely easy to ignore so there were some things that the boy managed to pick out from his words. Things like the term 'Nobodies,' and explanation of the human heart, darkness, and ranks of some organization. "We start today with missions," he said, gaining Zexion's attention. "Xaldin and Vexen, I want you two to go back to Radiant Garden and look for anything or anyone." With that said he disappeared in the swirling darkness that Zexion was starting not to like.
At the sound of Radiant Garden, he sat up and looked at Vexen – thinking of how he could convince the man to let him go along. As if Vexen already knew what he was going to do, turned to him and said, "Zexion, stay with either Xigbar or Lexaeus while I'm gone. Understand?" Zexion nodded in answer before watching the man leave the same way as the other man had.
Before he could think of how to leave his seat, Zexion was greeted by Xigbar who appeared on one of the thick armrests of the chair. "Guess it's just me and you, squirt," the man said leaning forward to put an arm loosely over Zexion's shoulders. He glared at the man, only to have his vision blocked by black. Once the chilling air was gone was when he opened his eyes again to see a new room. It was more grey than white and the wall in front of them was entirely windows that showed the dark sky. Couches and low coffee tables were scattered throughout the room. "Welcome to the Grey Area," Xigbar said with an arm gesture to the room.
Zexion ignored him and walked to one of the armchairs, climbing into it and silently curled up, his arms hugging his legs against his chest. He watched as Xigbar stretched along one of the near couches before closing his eyes and resting his head on his knees. They were both silent for a long while – for how long he had no clue. It seemed as if there was no certain way to tell time in this place.
Eventually an empty feeling was felt in his stomach. He tried to ignore it but failed as the feeling grew worse. Sparing a glance at the only other person in the room and seeing his eyes closed, Zexion uncurled himself and pushed to the edge of the chair to stand. He was successful in standing silently and even more so when walking away, surprised that his footsteps didn't make much noise at all. Walking out of the room and into the hall, he picked up his pace.
He had no clue to where he was in the building – or if was even the same building. He was certain he would get lost in search of Lexaeus – he often did in Ansem's castle so there was no doubt he would get lost often in this odd place – but he really didn't care at this point. Vexen found him the first time, maybe he would again.
Unfortunately for him it wasn't Vexen who found him in the halls. After walking down so many corridors and turning corners, Zexion knew he was lost and wouldn't be able to retrace his steps to go back to join Xigbar in the Grey Area. Each hall looked the same and there wasn't anything he could recognize either – all the doors were the same and there wasn't anything else in the corridors to be used as marks. Just as his feet were starting to ache slightly from the walking he heard a deep voice call out to him.
"Do you happen to be lost?" the man with silver hair – who Zexion learned during the man's speech to be named Xemnas – questioned as he walked down the hall to him. Zexion only nodded in answer. "What are you doing alone?"
"I-I was hungry," Zexion answered quietly, only loud enough to be heard by the man in the mainly empty corridor.
"You were? Have you solved that? Are you no longer hungry?" Xemnas asked, stopping a couple feet away from the boy.
"N-no," he stuttered again, now realizing that the man was picking at the words he had spoken. "I still am. What I meant was that I got hungry and started wandering."
"I see," Xemnas replied. "Come with me, I was just on my way to the kitchen," he said and started walking again, pass Zexion and down the halls with no other words. Zexion quickly followed him before he got too far ahead, but kept a good distance behind him. "I noticed you paid little attention to my speech," Xemnas spoke, not bothering to look at the boy when speaking to him.
"I'm sorry sir," Zexion replied, addressing him the way he always did unless told otherwise. Both Vexen and Ansem taught him it and ever since he addressed every man he met that way – from the first time he met Aeleus, Braig, and Dilan to every time he spoke to Ansem. Ansem was the only one who he continued to call 'sir,' the others telling him to no longer do so with them.
"Please," the man started, this time looking at Zexion over his shoulder. "I rather you address me as Superior," he said with a hint of a smile before turning his attention ahead of him once more. Zexion nodded in understanding despite Xemnas not seeing it. "And do not worry. I did not expect you to be interested in the speech. I merely just wanted you there along with everyone else. After all, most of it was just explanations and information that may be boring to someone as young as you."
"There was one thing I didn't think was entirely boring," Zexion told him.
"And what would that be?" Xemnas asked.
"The human heart," he answered, absently walking faster to catch up to the man as he came to his side. "You mentioned something about that, didn't you?"
"I did indeed. I'm actually surprised you'd be interested in something like that," he said, stopping once again and turned to Zexion. "If there's anything you want you know about the human heart, I advise you to come to either me or Vexen. As of now I much rather get something to eat than get into something so logical." With that he took the handle of the door he stopped by and pushed it open, holding it open for the small boy.
Zexion walked into the larger than average kitchen – which he figured was appropriate with the amount of people in the castle already – and stepped out of the man's way as he walked pass him to the fridge. He watched as Xemnas opened it and grabbed a few things before turning to set them down on the island counter. As Xemnas walked to get pieces of bread and plates, Zexion moved to the island and looked over its edge at the ingredients there.
"I can help," he said as Xemnas came back to stand on the other side of the counter.
"You can?" Xemnas questioned as he put things in place. "I'm afraid the counter is a bit too high, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Zexion answered quietly, pouting slightly in frustration. "It is."
"Let's see what we can do about it then," the man said before coming around the counter. He put his hands under the child's arms and with ease raised him to sit on his knees on one side of the countertop. "There, that should work. Just don't tell anyone I let you on the counter," he joked. "Otherwise they would think it's okay for them to do so."
"Alright, I won't," Zexion told him.
Having fallen asleep, Xigbar was woken up suddenly by a voice yelling at him. Opening his eyes and sitting up he came face to face with Vexen. "What is it?" he asked annoyed.
"Where's Zexion?" Vexen asked. "And don't say he's with Lexaeus, I've already checked."
"Well shit, I don't know then," Xigbar replied and leaned into the couch, closing his eyes again. "Now leave me alone."
Vexen sighed, putting a hand to his head in frustration. "Just great, you just had to lose the boy."
"I didn't lose him, he's the one who most likely wandered off," the man on the couch mumbled out. "You know how he likes to get himself lost and or in trouble."
"He wouldn't, I told him to stay with either you or Lexaeus," Vexen tried to defend. "He's smart enough to know not to wander off in a place like this."
"But he did," a new voice called out and Vexen turned to see Xemnas standing near the entrance of the room. "I came across him lost in the halls. Xigbar and Lexaeus were not the only ones left to look after him is what you seemed to have forgotten. I can assure you he is fine. I left him in his room."
Taken aback, Vexen struggled to find the right words until he finally said, "Thank you. I apologize for the inconvenience."
"He was no trouble," Xemnas told him. "In fact, he was rather pleasant company, a fine boy really. Though I would head to his room before he wanders off again."
"Right, of course," Vexen replied and made his way out of the room and down the corridors.
I've had this sitting in my folder for who knows how long, and decided why not share it. It was at first meant to be a long one chapter story, but I thought it's be fun to give it a few chapters.
I always thought about the Organization in the earlier days, especially with how young Zexion would have been then, and decided to write something like a back story. I try to keep it as canonically correct as I can, but this is also just for fun so somethings may be wrong.
Reviews?