Oh, what a fool Zexion was! This was wrong, Axel was wrong- everything was wrong here! Oh, how Axel was going to get a verbal hiding when Zexion returned...

All this 'take time out to smell the roses' crap had been a terrible idea!

Zexion religiously kept his gaze downward, his choppy blue hair acting as an umbrella to the unsettling gazes probing away at his unusual appearance. He didn't like this one bit at all...

"Mommy, can that man see from under all that hair on his face?" one voice chirped, probing Zexion with large, youthful eyes.

Knuckles cracking, Zexion trudged forth in hope to escape the harsh glare of the public scrutiny. He was, by no means, at all used to such attention, especially from that of his colleagues back in the World That Never Was.

Nevertheless, the Cloaked Schemer quietly observed how the eternal afternoon sun painted the skies a mellow golden tinge. How the adults chatted amongst themselves with ease. The fact that schoolchildren rode on skateboards, laughed happily and consumed ice-cream. There was nothing remarkable about this place.

Suddenly, Zexion recalled his current whereabouts with no particular fondness.

"Twilight Town...how quaint." He muttered with no particular interest. Why did he come to this particular town in the first place?

Zexion walked amongst the bright, cheery citizens of Twilight Town, the sinking uncertainty within his being continued to kindle as he earned bemused, suspicious looks. Perhaps this was a very bad idea, he thought in a panic. Just as the thought crossed Zexion to turn around and go home, he thought he found something that just might make his little escapade to Twilight Town almost worthwhile.

Almost.

Zexion caught glimpse of the modest little book store in the far corner of his eye and rushed over to the periphery of the bright, bustling marketplace. He entered, suddenly startled by the strange jingling noise that invaded his sharp hearing as he entered. He glanced upwards, noting the cute, miniscule bell hanging from the corner of the doorway, rusting with passing time. Inquisitive to justify his inferences of the jingle, he reopened the door, watching closely as the bell dangled as the wooden door passed it, re-erupting into the sounds of the welcoming chime.

"Can I help you?"

Zexion leapt with a start, being unfamiliar with the sound of a genuine, happy tone of voice. He turned unwillingly to the front of the shop, to be met with the presence of a young female. Her bright smile was very becoming to the Cloaked Schemer's sight, his eyes attempting to adjust to the young girl's radiant countenance. He scrutinised the foreign entity with much care.

Much too bright, Zexion thought with distaste. She was, by no means, what he was used to back at the castle. Her emerald green eyes struck his sight like an array of wild thorns, which were framed by long tousled chocolate brown hair, wavy and soft, almost tempting enough to be stroked. Her facial features were small and delicate, the way her porcelain skin completed her pouted rosy lips and button nose and almost gave her a doll-like resonance. She held herself with confidence, her arms neatly crossed over her apron-clad front as her bubbly smile beckoned to him.

She was pleasing to look at, Zexion would give her that. But was that all this heart-bound individual could offer to the world? How useless!

Zexion finally broke from his scrutinised gaze of the female when he, unconsciously, took in the smell of the shop.

Oh. What a peculiar smell. Zexion could definitely detect those familiar smells of old books and classic literature stored in the shop in various locations, but the girl...

He whiffed the air once more. Her smell. It was so...

Intriguing.

Zexion could sense the sweet aromatic mix of mint and coconuts, interlaced with baby powder. What a curious mix of scents. She definitely smelt clean and pleasant....

But more importantly, he could smell the light that radiated from her. So strong and luminous, he felt almost blinded to...

"Are you alright there, sir?"

Zexion snapped out of his trance, scolding himself for his foolish behaviour in public. This was no place for him to divulge in over-analysing any creatures of the light!

"Forgive me," Zexion cleared his throat, finally turning to face the brunette head-on. "I'm looking for a particular book it's..."

"What's the title? Maybe we already have it in stock," the youth smiled brightly, adding to Zexion's already mounting discomfort. He was definitely not used to someone being so...helpful. Back in the castle, everything had to be done on one's own accord. Assistance wasn't without strings attached.

Zexion hid his face, too abashed to say the title of the book so instead he slipped her a note in which he transcribed the book's title. She took the crumpled paper, read it and stared in disbelief before gazing up at Zexion in wonder. His fingers began to tingle when his eyes met with her large, inquisitive emerald eyes. The way her gaze probed at him, staring right through his protective shield and unveiling his soullessness.

"Oh."

"You...don't have that book," Zexion offered as an explanation, not bothering to feign disappointment.

"No, we...hmm," her powerful gaze averted his as she stared out into an unknown void with a confused frown upon her lips. What was she thinking about?

"What?"

"I'm sorry. It's just that...nobody has ever ordered...that book. Or those kinds of books, in fact."

"So I guess ordering the book from one of your affiliated companies is out of the question. Thankyou for your time anyway..."

"No wait!"

Zexion couldn't stop himself eyeing the glow radiating from the girl's reddening cheeks. Oh. She was blushing- something he could never do. How it looked exquisite upon her face!

"I could...still order that book, if you want. I'll just have to make a few calls. I'll get it for you, but it may take longer than any usual order."

Zexion raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Why was she being so...nice? She was going out of her way, possibly going against her job regulations just to help him? Zexion mentally slapped himself for delving into such thoughts. He need not be so suspicious- not all people were like the conniving, merciless beings he knew back home.

"I'll just write down the order for the book,"

He watched with incredible concentration as the young shop-keeper swiftly transcribed the information of the book order. He watched very carefully, almost memorising the way she delicately held her pen, with every flick and curve adding all the more to her neat cursive writing.

"...Do...you read?" he asked, almost surprised he actually said something publically deemed as ordinary to the young girl. She raised her head, glancing up at Zexion from under her lashes.

"Yes, actually. Though not many of the workers here actually read..." she mused.

"What do you read?"

"Well," The female dropped her pen, considering his enquiry. "I'm pretty partial to Austen. The Brontё's works are good too...Oh and Poe! Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keates...and-" she immediately ceased talking, a blush smearing her fair skin when she realised she was getting carried away. "Sorry about that."

"No-no, I was just curious. I didn't know creatur- I mean, young girls, took a liking to classic literature" Zexion was taking his chances now- heck; he didn't even know what girls at any age were into.

"Yeah, you're right-" Zexion sighed inwardly with relief as she continued- "If teenage girls are into any books these days, it'd be those tasteless angsty high school romances that have no literary substance at all. Or maybe some cheap, clichéd teen vampire romance..."

Zexion almost smiled as he watched the girl shake her head slowly in disgust over her generation. Her hobbies didn't allow her to belong, just as he.

"Well, anyway," she murmured, quickly jotting down one last sentence before thrusting it at Zexion's face.

"Your book should be in by next week, if not in a couple of days," she smiled at Zexion's dazed expression, "make sure you come in and get it ASAP- I hate having to look around for people's three week old ordered books!"

"Don't worry," Zexion assured her, coolly, "I won't let you down. I'll be on time faster than Luxord can even comprehend,"

The female tilted her head to the side, confused. "Huh?"

He hid his head, ashamed and muttered, "N-never mind" as he left the store in a humiliated haste.

Darn, why did he have such a habit to speak his thoughts aloud in front of this girl?

Zexion considered the notion with much confusion, as he slowly engulfed himself into a portal of darkness.

***

Well, fancy that for a first meeting! Did Zexion take a liking to Olette? Is he completely disgusted, or just utterly baffled? Hah, well, can't expect Zexion to know much about talking to girls, let alone people in general. Wonder what was the book Zexion wanted that made Olette so shocked? Unfortunately, that won't be revealed till MUCH later on- trust me, it IS an important aspect of the story. You'll find out later. See you next chapter!