Xigbar hated the Proof of Existence.
The Proof of Existence was there to keep tabs on the Organization members' whereabouts, but it also served as a constant reminder that the Organization's members were capable of death, even though they seemed immortal. Whenever one of their ranks was 'disposed of', their Proof of Existence would stop lighting and turn a depressing shade of blood red.
Xigbar had watched as half the markers in the Proof of Existence burned out, signaling that almost everyone sent to Castle Oblivion had been terminated. Only Axel returned at all. But even through that, the Freeshooter didn't pay it any mind other than a mild surprise. He wasn't especially close to those that were gone. Lexaeus was the only one he really got along with. But now, all Xigbar could do was stare at the newly burned-out Proof in silence. The burned-out symbol of the sitar burned deep into Xigbar's mind, and the Freeshooter couldn't find it in himself to look away, no matter how much he wanted.
Demyx was gone.
In all honesty, Xigbar didn't think much of the kid when he first met him. Demyx seemed timid, but optimistic. Despite the fact that Nobodies weren't supposed to have hearts, Demyx showed more emotion than any of the other members of the Organization combined. Xigbar had even grown to like the kid. He had even overseen Demyx's fighting training, even though there was only limited success. He knew that Demyx's limited fighting ability made some of the others feel that he didn't belong in the Organization to begin with, but Xigbar couldn't find it in himself to blame him for trying to get out of doing missions. Some of the missions Demyx got would be near-impossible for someone with average fighting abilities to accomplish.
Xigbar didn't like where the Organization was going. Xemnas was obsessed with Kingdom Hearts more than ever, Axel had gone rouge and Saix was growing more and more suspicious by the day. Xaldin was always at that Beast's Castle for some reason or another, as if trying to accomplish a self-provided mission. Luxord was the only one left Xigbar considered to have his head on straight, and even then he was spending a good amount of time in Port Royale.
And now Demyx, the only one left Xigbar actually considered sane, was gone. Xigbar was, for once, at a loss for words. Demyx had always said that Nobodies could feel emotions, but theorized that the transition to Nobody erased the knowledge of how to reach the emotions in the first place. Demyx was always seemed a lot more life-like than the others, expressing emotions such as fear, happiness and excitement. The others, Saix especially, simply accused Demyx of pretending to have a heart, but something always told Xigbar that somehow, Demyx was telling the truth.
Xigbar definitely had to admit that things around the castle would be a lot quieter without Demyx. The younger Nobody was always spending his free time playing that instrument of his. Even though the others saw no point in music, a select few in the Organization found the music soothing, although Xigbar was the only one that was still around after the incident with Castle Oblivion. Xigbar had to admit that he actually enjoyed listening to Demyx play that sitar because they seemed to awaken some strange feelings in him. It was almost as if some memories of his life pre-Nobody were awakening, but not enough for the Freeshooter to remember them.
Demyx had been gone for a good while now, but Xigbar still couldn't believe that the younger Nobody was gone. Xigbar never would have imagined that he would be the one to outlive Demyx. He almost didn't hear the footsteps coming up from behind.
"You're here far too much, Xigbar." Saix noted plainly and emotionlessly.
"Shove off, moon-boy." Xigbar shot back, not even bothering to give the blue-haired berserker a glance.
"Xigbar, you have to focus on the predicament we are currently in." Saix said. "We are drastically losing our numbers and the Keyblade Master is getting closer to us."
"I'll do whatever I want with my free time." Xigbar said sharply.
"What do you care about number nine?" Saix asked, folding his arms. "The worthless musician didn't even deserve to be in our ranks."
Xigbar's good eye flared up in anger as he spun around. "Excuse me?! Demyx had just as much of a right to be here as the rest of us!" He barked.
"He couldn't fight and almost never got any missions done." Saix said, narrowing his eyes.
"Only because the missions you sent him on were too much for someone of his skill level to handle!" Xigbar shot back. "You probably…Actually…" Xigbar paused in realization before his good eye narrowed in hatred as he got right in Saix's face. "You KNEW he wouldn't accomplish his last mission, didn't you?!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Saix said as he casually backed away from Xigbar.
"Don't give me that!! You sent Demyx to Hollow Bastion to defeat the kid with the key!" Xigbar said. "You should have known that he wasn't going to win! I was supposed to get that mission and Demyx was supposed to go do recon in that 'Dragon-Land', but you switched missions!"
Saix folded his arms. "Think of it as a way of weeding out the weak." He said. "Plus, it gave us an idea on how the Keyblade Master fights."
"And you thought that sacrificing Demyx was worth it?!"
"Of course. Demyx's termination is hardly a loss."
Xigbar growled. He knew that the feeling he was getting was hatred, and he would have been confused at the emotion, but he was too mad at Saix to care at the moment. "Hardly a loss?! He was one of us and you discarded him like he was nothing!"
"Xigbar, stop pretending that you have emotions. You're looking just as bad as number nine."
"This ain't pretending, pal! You have no idea how angry I am right now!" Xigbar said. "Demyx was right, you know! We ARE capable of emotions!"
"This conversation no longer interests me." Saix said as he turned and started walking away. "The Superior has a mission to give you, so go and see him."
"I know what you're up to…"
This made Saix freeze in his tracks. The blue-haired Nobody looked over his shoulder. "What are you talking about?" He asked.
"You want to usurp the Superior. I overheard your confession of having Axel dispose of Zexion." Xigbar said, forming a crooked smirk. "You should remember to look up when you talk about things like that. You never know when there's gonna be someone walking on the ceiling above you."
Saix turned and narrowed his eyes. "No one will believe you." He said. "Everyone knows that I follow the Superior loyally."
"Who said anything about telling anyone?" Xigbar asked as one of his guns appeared in his hand. In a flash of black smoke, Xigbar was near Saix, grabbing the berserker by the cloak and pressing the barrel of his gun against the blue-haired Nobody's throat. "I want you to give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot a hole in that big head of yours."
Saix looked unfazed. "I'm disappointed by your lack of common sense, Xigbar." He said.
"Common sense?! You send one of our own to his death and you're trying to get power from the Superior!" Xigbar shouted. "Go on! Humour me! Tell me exactly why I don't want to shoot you!"
"Look at the Proof of Existence, Xigbar."
Xigbar suspiciously cast a sideways glance at the markers on the Proof of Existence, careful to make sure Saix didn't escape his grasp while he was looking. However, once he saw the markers, his eye widened. Xaldin's Proof of Existence had now burned out as well.
"Demyx is gone, and now Xaldin is as well. Nothing can be done about that now." Saix said. "Axel can't be trusted, so that just leaves you, me, the Superior and Luxord remaining. If you terminate me now, that's one less person to fight the Keyblade Bearer when he imminently shows up here."
Xigbar paused and snarled. The Organization definitely needed numbers now. The Freeshooter reluctantly let go of Saix's cloak. "You have no idea how much I hate you, Saix." He said.
"If I had a heart, the feeling would be mutual." Saix replied casually. "Unfortunately, we don't have time to dwell on that. We must be ready for the Keyblade Master."
Xigbar strode past Saix. "I hope the kid lops off your head." He said as he walked away.
There were now only four Organization members left, and Xigbar knew that all four of them would be needed to even have a chance at beating the Keyblade Master. That unfortunately meant that Xigbar was forced to leave the obvious traitor of the Organization alone and simply hope the kid with the key would deal with him.
Xigbar left, feeling a mix of emotions, including anger and depression. Xigbar would have wondered where the emotions were coming from, but all he wanted right now was to get away from the Proof of Existence. That room was just a grim reminder to him that, even though they were incapable of aging, Nobodies were still mortal enough to die. The Organization lost good members and some of them Xigbar knew didn't even deserve to be terminated.
Xigbar hated the Proof of Existence.
…He REALLY hated it…
END
Author's Note: This isn't meant to be a romance between Xigbar and Demyx. I always pictured Xigbar as more of a big brother to Demyx, anyway.
My reason for writing this was because I've been playing the Kingdom Hearts DS game. It's reawakened my realization of Xigbar's awesomeness while at the same time reminding me of how much of a jerk Saix is.