Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney, or anything associated with it. Anyways, enjoy~

OoO=short cut

XxXX=Long cut

'Xion'=thoughts

Xion=narration

RTC= Return to Castle (Nobody's hideout)

CO=Castle Oblivion


Chapter 1: Existence

Who am I?

I know there's an answer out there, somewhere, but when I try to think about it, the memory fades away…

Day 8

Xion stood in the center of a large, white room. Circling around her were thirteen chairs each with varying heights that towered above her. Looking back, she realized this was both her oldest and fondest memory because that was the day when she met him, when she met Roxas.

A deep voice drowned the room of all the conversations that went by her, "Today is a momentous occasion, for I am pleased to announce a new comrade has been chosen to wear the black coat," Xemnas said.

All the eyes of the Organization XIII members were now intently focused on her, but Xion only looked at one member, a boy with blonde, windswept hair and deep, blue eyes. His face was soft and round, and when their eyes met, Xion smiled at him.

'That boy…' Xion thought to herself. 'He looks so familiar…'

XxXX

Day 9

Xion laid on her bed, staring at the whitewashed ceiling, her eyes rested on the walls straight across from her which was noticeably bare except for a small shelf of books with nothing inside them. Everything from the pages within the books to the smooth walls that enclosed her was bathed in white, making her room feel much bigger than it actually was.

'There's never anything to do around here, wish I could actually go missions like the other guys…'

She felt her eyelids grow heavy as she listened to the rhythmic strumming of some type of instrument playing in the other room. She tried to fight off the urge to go to sleep, after all, it just be a day wasted, a day of sleeping and doing what she was told didn't interest her so much.

'Well, if no one's gonna give me anything to do guess I'll just give myself something to do.' Xion hopped off her bed and onto her feet. Quietly, she opened then closed the door and ventured down the long, white hallway. After a while of walking in silence, she could hear a conversation growing louder and louder with each progressing step she took.

"...I still don't understand what the point was of inviting another brat into the organization." A woman's voice.

"Tch, hell if I know," Now a man's voice. "But if I don't know, you really must not know, it's not like boss man speaks loud enough for the guys on the bottom to hear."

A different man spoke, his stern, tempered voice a clear contrast to the other's more rough, and seasoned voice. "Rank has nothing to with status, it's simply the order of which we entered the organization, how many times must I tell you of this."

"Right, right number 7."

A new voice interjected, one she'd come to favor. "We've just been getting new members left and right, anyone wanna place bets on when 15 will show up?"

"Hopefully it'll be someone semi-competent, like yours truly, otherwise the Organization's in deep shit if our only trump card is a dumb kid."

"You? Competement? Hate for him to be as good as someone who's number 12 in the organization."

"You—urgh! Will you shut up about your rank already?!"

"As if."

As the other organization members were chatting away, Xion quietly slipped through the door, completely undetected by everyone. Inside, the room was dipped in a coating of light gray with only a few pieces of white furniture, a refreshing break from the milky white she was used to seeing.

She made her way to a corner where only one organization member stood reading a book and she eased onto the chair. 'Everyone here feels so...distant…to me at least.'

The door opened up, emitting a large creaking noise that got the attention of both Xion and Zexion, though both of them watched the tall man with unruly, pink hair and an utterly emotionless yet pretty face walk in, Zexion soon lost interest and returned to his book while Xion intently studied him. 'I remember that guy from yesterday, and how he...looked at me as if I wasn't even there.' She felt herself sink down in the chair, only half-listening to what the other members were conversing.

"Am I assigned to blade wielder today, Saïx?" Marluxia asked in such a dulled down, monotone voice it annoyed the other members.

'Why is he asking me this? I told him this information numerous times, was he not listening?' "Correct. You are to show him what it means to be a Keyblade wielder."

Marluxia looked at Saïx blanker than usual so he elaborated a bit more. 'He truly never listens to me.' "Just tell him why slaying the heartless is so important for the Organization, you can do that much, it's the most basic of assignments."

"Understood." Marluxia made his way to the couch by the window where he would wait for Roxas to appear.

Saïx's face, just for a moment, flickered with irritation. 'That man, how dare he be so difficult, he makes me remember how it feels to be so angry at such an insolent person.'

Larxene approached Saïx after eavesdropping on their conversation. "You made it sound like we're all supposed to teach that brat the ropes of the Organization. I figured only one or two would have to."

"Nearly every organization member will teach Roxas, including you."

"Tch, does that include the new one too?"

"No. That one is different."

The door swung open once again, and once again Xion looked back, it was him; Roxas. He looked like he had a lot on his mind, but he was definitely searching for someone. Xion sat down before Roxas could notice her, but it was too late because she could hear his clunky boots approaching her.

Suddenly, Roxas was in her face, he was smiling and for some reason, so was she. "Hey, Xion, I'm Roxas!"

'He's talking to me.' "..."

"I don't really understand this place either, but we'll be working together in the future, right—"

"Roxas."

Roxas perked his head up, he turned to Saïx, despite his seemingly calm tone, he had a tempered expression and his eyes were narrowed, signaling for Roxas to return to him. Immediately.

"We'll talk later," Then he left. She stared his back slowly grow smaller and smaller while she sat in the chair, watching him leave as if there was a barrier forcing them apart. He exchanged a few short handed conversation with Marluxia and Saïx, then finally walked back out the door.

'I wonder where they're going?' Xion felt herself move out of the seat and walk towards the door too, it was like an automatic response. 'I guess I'll find out…'

"Where are you going?" Saïx asked coldly.

"Back to my room." She said without looking at him.

"Good."

'Well, it is the truth, I am going back to my room...just not for long.' As she made her way down the hall, back to her room, she heard a voice call it to her.

"Hey, Xion, right?"

She felt...irresponsible for not knowing his name in return, after all he knew hers, but he didn't seemed to be too bothered by it because he continued anyways.

"Name's Demyx, I live next door to you," He said in a relaxed tone, completely different than the venom she was used to the hearing from the other members. Aside from his voice, Demyx was young looking and had a pretty face with bright blue eyes and dark blonde hair styled in a mullet.

"I've heard a lot about the Roxas guy, but when I ask about you, the conversation goes totally no where. Are you hiding something?"

Xion shook her head.

"Huh? Oh, you don't talk either? Guess I can't ask you—"

"Shouldn't you be out on patrol today?" Another man said.

Demyx snorted. "Me? Out on patrol? Man Axel, what world do you live on?"

"Typical. Well, now I see why boss wants to turn you into a dusk."

"W-wait...he...said that?"

"Yeah, I just passed him and Saïx in the hallway and heard them talking specifically about how much better your work ethic would be if you were a...disposable dusk."

Axel finally allowed himself to grin while watching Demyx quickly run away in a rush to get to his position. "Really though, I'm not sure why Xemnas doesn't consider the possibility of turning that idiot into a dusk, he certainly would work more," He said, then turned to Xion. "Don't you think?"

"..."

"Hm well, I'm Axel, alright, got it memorized?"

Xion nodded. 'Axel…' She thought to herself. His fiery red and stylized into slick back spikes, contrasted the calm, mysterious person Xion perceived him to be. He was different in a way she couldn't describe and although it was her first time meeting him, she was certain it wouldn't be the last.

OoO

Because of Demyx, Xion was back in her room, back in her bed, and back to staring at the white ceiling, waiting for the next day to arrive. She lost track of Roxas and Marluxia, it was like they vanished into thin air.

XxXX

Day 23

Day after day, Xion would wait for Roxas in the Gray room, he would leave with a different Organization member and that would be the last she'd see of him until the next day. Days soon melded into weeks of this same routine until she simply gave up and stayed in her room. Usually she would take a nap or practice casting magic, but today would be a different day, starting with the unprecedented knock on her door.

*knock

*knock

The door swung open, and there she was welcomed to the looming figure of Saïx standing in the doorway. "You will be starting your first mission today, report to the Gray room at once."

'I'm going on a mission today, that sounds pretty exciting. With who I wonder?' The thought of finally being able to leave the castle or even better, find out wherever Roxas was going everyday, clouded her mind. She went ahead of Saïx and made her way to the Gray room.

'Hm, the usual members aren't here today...only Demyx, and a couple other organization members…' Xion took her seat in the lone corner where Zexion used to stand around, but he too was gone.

"I'm so happy that witch decided to go to CO," Demyx said, stopping briefly to tune his beloved Sitar. "'Won't have to be seeing her anytime soon,"

Luxord shuffled a hand of his own personal playing card. "Yes, but Vexen, Zexion, and Marluxia have also gone to CO, and they were excellent at poker," He said.

Xigbar rolled his eye. "Wow, the two know-it-all's and the one who looks like he wants to die are the best ones at poker, what a surprise." He sarcastically remarked.

"Precisely, I suppose I'll just play solitaire from now on."

Demyx turned to Luxord. "Solitaire, that sounds awesome, I'm always up for a game!"

Xigbar chuckled while Luxord shook his head.

"What—hey what's so funny?!"

The laughter was soon broken by the sudden opening of the front door, they looked back to see who had entered.

"It's just Roxas," Luxord said.

Xigbar glanced over at the blonde boy. "Roxas, huh? Weird, he's never this early."

Xion let herself off the chair and timidly approached Roxas. 'Is he my partner?'

When Roxas noticed Xion inching towards him, he smiled warmly at her, his eyes beckoning for her to come closer. "Hey Xion!" He greeted.

'I want to say something to him, but...' Xion stared at Roxas. 'I can't.'

Roxas thought for a moment. "Oh that's right, I'm going to be your partner for a while and today, we'll be going on a mission together."

'Going on a mission together? With him...'

"This is my first time leading a mission so sorry in advance if I sound like I don't know what I'm doing," He said sheepishly.

Xion silently nodded and she watched his eyes trace back to the floor.

He egged her on more. "Well, let's go, ready?"

She replied with more silence and more nodding, Roxas sighed and manifested a dark portal. 'Wow, that was my first time doing that and it already feels so natural to me,' He went inside the overflowing darkness with Xion following behind.

OoO

The two entered Twilight Town, a small town forever set in neverending twilight, as the sun was stuck in between midday and midnight, the sky always shone a beautiful, creamy orange that gave the entire town a warm glow.

Xion was star struck by the Twilight Town, she was so used to seeing the colorless world of the Nobodies, finally she could see the world as it was; full of color and light.

"This must be your first time here, I was pretty amazed too when I first saw Twilight Town," Roxas said, he extended his arm and a keyblade came into his hand. "According to the intel, all we have to do is collect hearts by defeating some heartless 'round town, pretty easy mission if you ask me."

'I wonder what heartless are anyways...I guess I'll find out soon enough.' Xion thought.

Roxas perched down on the building ledge and scanned the area for any heartless. "There." He stood up, then ran down the building.

Xion quickly trailed behind Roxas, while they were making their way down the building, a cut of shadow straying off on the side of the building formed into several heartless.

Roxas jumped over the horde of heartless, but Xion momentarily stopped. 'Those are what heartless are, well, time to put my practice into use.' She casted a weak blizzard spell at the heartless and they froze on the spot, Roxas used this chance to throw his keyblade at the frozen heartless and it shattered them upon collision.

"—ah, that was great, Xion!"

They continued down the building only for more heartless to be waiting for them at the bottom. Xion jumped off the building as she was nearing the bottom and casted a thunder spell on the animate shadows, stunning them.

Roxas followed and threw his keyblade, full force, down at the heartless. The impact once the keyblade made contact with the ground emitted a large shockwave that destroyed all the heartless.

"There's still more we have to take care of!" Roxas called out, he landed on the now debris covered ground and picked his keyblade up. "After we deal with them, that should be it."

Roxas took the lead and dashed past several several winding alleyways, Xion followed him effortlessly despite how fast he was moving. As he was slowing down, Xion did too, and they waited behind the back of a small store. "Hold on," Roxas muttered, he motioned to the mobs of people gathered around a large arena mat in the center plaza.

While Roxas intently studied at all the people, Xion gawked at them. 'More nobodies...no, they must be real people, they don't look any different from us.'

"What're they doing…" Roxas said to himself. On the arena, there were two boys facing each other on opposite side, on the announcer's call, they started whacking each other with bats.

The boy with black hair had a fighting style in particular that peaked Roxas' intrest. He was aggresive and absolutely ruthless when his opponent made one slip up, when the boy realized Roxas was looking at him, he gave Roxas a piercing gaze that made him jump back. "What's with that guy..." He muttered.

"Hey you guys!" Someone yelled.

Roxas and Xion looked at each other.

Abruptly, a young man with blonde hair, wearing the widest smile any of them have ever seen before walked up to them. "You guys ready to struggle?"

Roxas blankly stared at the young man. "Ready to what?"

"I get it, you guys must be new, that explains the weird get up. See, in Twilight Town, every year we have this big tournament called 'STRUGGLE', right now we're into round 1, whoever wins, advances to round 2 and gets a complimentary ice cream." He explained. "The rules are simple, just beat your opponents to the ground and collect the most orbs."

'I guess it wouldn't hurt, we have time to spare.' "Uh...sure, sign us up."

The young man took both of them by the hand and dragged them to the sign up station. "Luckily you guys came just in time, sign ups are due in today!"

Roxas and Xion both signed up and took their seats in the stands next to two people around their age by the names of Rai and Fuu. "Are you guys competing too?" Roxas asked.

"Nope." Fuu said, she pulled a strand of her loose hair away from her vibrant red eyes and tucked it away behind her ear. Roxas and Xion both knew there was something more to her than she let on.

"We're just here to support Seifer y'know!" Rai proclaimed as he thumped his huge chest. "Hope that's why you guys are here too, 'cause there ain't no way you wimps stand a chance to him, y'know."

"Seifer rules." Fuu added.

"He's so gonna wipe the floor with you, y'know!"

"You're dead."

"Am not!" Roxas argued.

As Roxas was going back and forth with Fuu and Rai, Xion focused on the boy with black hair who gave Roxas such a cunning look. he was sitting on the opposite side away from them and had such a malicious facial expression Xion couldn't even put into words. 'That person is so creepy, there's something off about him.' Xion thought to herself.

Already, it was time for Roxas' match, he stood up from the bench and faced Rai and Fuu who were both sneering at him. "We're gonna win and get that ice cream, right Xion?!"

"..." Xion squeezed her hand, unsure of how she should feel about this. 'I just hope Roxas knows what he's gotten us into.' She gazed at Roxas' back, moving from the stands into the arena where he was handed a pouch of orbs and a comically large bat.

"Up on the stage we have two newcomers, both new to Twilight Town at least," Announced the same young man that entered Roxas and Xion earlier. He gestured to Roxas then pulled out a sheet of paper. "On this corner with the blue bat, we have...Roxas!"

Roxas looked down at the ground, visibly uncomfortable from all the eyes that were glued to him. It must of been the ominous black coat he was wearing that drew so much attention since it deeply contrasted with all the bright and colorful outfits all the townsfolk were wearing.

"...and on this corner with the red bat we have..." The announcer studied the paper. "An unnamed participant, so, are you guys ready?!"

Xion squeezed her hand harder. 'That boy...I hope Roxas will be ok.'

Both of them nodded, making it the announcer's cue to step off the stage.

"LET'S STRUGGLE!"

The two clashed with each other, they appeared to be equally matched, or that's how Xion viewed it anyways. Fuu and Rai on the other hand were doubtful Roxas would come out on top.

"Do any of y'all notice something off about the Roxas guy's opponent, y'know?" Rai asked.

'Now that he mentions it,' Xion studied his opponent's aggressive movements. 'There's something weird about the way he moves, it's like he's aiming to kill Roxas, just like how he was earlier.'

Roxas was switching to the defensive while his opponent came in closer and closer. 'I have to do something, otherwise I'll be losing more than just the game!' Roxas quickly moved behind his opponent and whacked the bat on his back. He expected for there to be a few orbs dropping, but instead he melted into the arena mat.

"Wh-what?"

"Could the unnamed participant somehow run away?" The announcer said, just as he finished his sentence, the arena shook violently.

Once the shaking stopped, a giant arm shot up from the center of the arena, next there was another arm, then a head, a torso and finally its legs. Towering over Roxas was a gigantic heartless with an equally large claymore to match, it was pitch black in color and clad in dark red armor. Roxas discarded his bat and wielded his keyblade instead. 'This is a…' His eyes locked on the heartless insignia across its armour. 'Must be the last one we have to deal with!'

Xion stood up, she held out her hand, a fire spell brimming at her fingertips.

"Disqualified," Fuu said.

Rai elaborated. "Fuu's right, you help your partner out there and both of you'll be kicked to the curb, y'know."

'As if that matters to me,' Xion jumped onto the arena and right as she stepped foot on the mat, the armored heartless swung its claymore, smashing the arena in half and clearing out all but a few of the more danger seeking townsfolk. Roxas jumped out of the way and shielded himself from the flying debris with his keyblade while Xion simply dodged it.

"Xion, let's try and aim for its head, we can't do much from down here with all the armour it's wearing!" Roxas yelled.

'He makes it sound so easy...' Xion darted backwards as the claymore was coming her way. 'Here I go…!' She jumped onto the claymore and shot her strongest spell, fira, at the heartless' face.

"Good idea, Xion!" While the heartless was impaired due from its head being on fire, Roxas whacked his keyblade on its head as much as he could, meanwhile, Xion traveled back down to what was left of the arena mat.

'I...really hope this works,' Xion shot a blizzard spell on the ground around the Heartless' feet, causing it to slip and fall backwards where it would soon hit the buildings behind it.

Though Roxas was able to jump away from the heartless, it lunged its arm at Xion's comparably tiny body and intended to either bring her down or squeeze her to death.

"XION!" Roxas yelled as he gunned towards the collapsing heartless.

Roxas made his way up to the heartless' shoulder and slashed off the wrist of the hand that was squeezing Xion. The hand snapped off and fell onto the arena mat, Roxas followed the hand down and caught Xion in his arms.

"Roxas..."

"Xion!" Roxas grinned. "You talked!" He landed harshly onto the mat and together they watched the giant animate shadow fall onto the buildings and get crushed under the decayed debris crumbling off the old buildings.

His name came so naturally to her, as if she was meant to say his name, all the words that were floating in her head, and Roxas was the one she wanted to, she had to, say the most. "Roxas…thank you." Xion murmured quietly to him.

"Of course. We're partners, after all, right?"

She nodded. "You're right."

"I think...it's time we RTC already."

Roxas opened up another dark portal and the two entered back into the white rooms of Organization's hideout. Roxas waved his arm. "See you tomorrow...Xion," He disappeared down the corridor and Xion did the same, returning to her room, welcomed and yet repulsed by the seeing the familiarity of her own room again.

She fell back on her bed, smiling, something she never recalled herself ever doing up until now. 'I can get used to days like this, I hope this lasts...forever.'


A/N: Some events are out of order in accordance to the day it happens, hope it doesn't bother you all too much. As always, thanks for reading.