Title: Present
For: Moonshine's Guide
Game: Kingdom Hearts II
Rating: K+
Description: Vexen goes to Christmas Town on a special and very personal mission.

Karai's comments: Merry Christmas to the biggest Vexen fan ever! Get your glomp ready and I'll get the heck out of the way. Seriously though, Moonshine, you should change your name to Sunshine because you always make me smile. I should warn you though, your present is rather sad. I wanted to show a different side to the Chilly Academic, a more loving one, and came up with this. Hope you like it.


The snow crunched under Vexen's booted feet as he walked down the hill away from the tree and towards the brightly-lit town below. He ignored the falling white flakes even when several attached themselves to his eyelashes and attempted to obstruct his vision. But when a high-speed snowball crashed into his back directly between his shoulder blades, he stopped, grinding his teeth and curling his hands into fists.

"Remind me again what we're doing here."

Vexen slowly turned around to the speaker behind him. He smiled sardonically. "Remind you? You mean you didn't memorize it?"

Axel smiled back at him, unfazed by the older Nobody's mocking of his trademark expression. The falling snow evaporated upon hitting him, and the drifts around his feet had already begun to melt. "How could I," he asked good-naturedly, "when you haven't told me yet?"

"Exactly," Vexen replied. "And I'm not going to because I never asked you to follow me. As to why you're here, I have no idea. One would assume you would know this information yourself, although in your case, it would not surprise me if one were wrong."

Axel laughed off the insult easily. "I'm here because the Superior is looking for you."

Vexen blinked coldly at him. "You could have told me this before we left."

"Yeah, but you said you were coming here, so I decided to tag along. Didn't realize you meant Christmas Town." He ran his sharp eyes over the scenery and shrugged. "Halloween Town is much more fun. Think I'll get out of this blizzard and go there instead." He turned and lifted one hand in a half-hearted wave before yanking open the pumpkin door in the tree at the top of the hill. "See ya, old man!"

Vexen watched him go curiously and wondered how anyone could call this light snowfall a "blizzard". Well, perhaps to a fire elemental any amount of snow was unbearable. His lips curled slightly as he thought of various ways he could educate Axel on the true meaning of the word "blizzard".

But that would have to wait. Now he had a mission to complete.

He resumed his journey to the town below. Although the lights outside still twinkled, most of the rooms within the houses were dark and the inhabitants asleep. Vexen walked straight up to the largest house in the center of town and opened the unlocked door. Inside, he threaded his way with practiced steps to the factory floor and only stopped when he stood before a long table that held numerous newly-manufactured toys.

Vexen ran his eyes over the gifts. He knew exactly what he wanted. He got the same thing every year without fail. There. His hand picked up a small doll with blonde curls and pretty blue eyes, clothed in a pink dress with white frills, little white shoes, and a pink ribbon in her hair. He tucked the prize into the crook of his arm and silently left the way he had come.

When he reached his second destination, he stood for a long time, just staring down at the stone. Absently, one thumb stroked the doll's curls as he held it in his arm. Behind him, colored lights illuminated the night-covered streets of Hollow Bastion, their quiet twinkling cheerfully announcing the coming holiday. But no one had strung lights in this place. A few fellow visitors had left wreaths or candles, but nothing signaling joy or hope. Not here.

As he stood there, Vexen heard another portal opening behind him, but he did not turn. Only one other person knew of his attachment to this place.

"The Superior is looking for you," his young voice said quietly.

"I know," Vexen replied. "I will be there as soon as I can."

Zexion was silent for several moments. Vexen could feel the younger Nobody's eyes on him, but he did not care. Finally, Zexion said, "Take your time."

"Zexion," Vexen spoke up quickly before the other could leave.

"Yes?"

"Do you think the Superior will succeed? That he will find our hearts?"

After a brief pause for thought, Zexion replied, "Yes. I do."

"Even mine?" He did not elaborate, but he did not have to. Zexion knew of his pain. No, the memory of his pain. For they could not feel, or so the Superior always told them.

"Yes," Zexion had answered. "It may be broken, but it will still be a heart. After all, to give one's heart to another, that is just a figure of speech."

Vexen dipped his chin into the collar of his robe. He clutched the doll tighter to his chest, tighter to where his heart should have been. "You do not understand," he whispered.

"No," Zexion admitted after a small pause. "I do not. I have no memory of such a love. I … " he hesitated. "I almost wish I did. Even if it did include with it the memory of pain."

"She was my sunlight," Vexen told him quietly. "When I looked at her, I felt as if my heart had filled my entire body. Filled it with joy and the purest of loves. I would have done anything for her. Given her anything. Anything at all." He listened to the sound of his own dead voice as it spoke into the cold air. It seemed so empty, as if his words held no meaning. But they once had. He remembered that they had.

"I … am sorry." Zexion's voice too was devoid of life, but Vexen could tell that, if the other had been capable of sympathy, he would have given it. After a moment, Zexion said again, "Take your time." He opened a portal for himself and vanished.

Vexen let his eyes travel over the stone. Over her name and two dates. They were only five years apart. Carefully, he knelt down in the snow and placed the doll beside her headstone. He smoothed the doll's blonde hair, thinking of hers and those beautiful blue eyes that had once looked up at his with childish love and devotion. He took a breath and spoke to her, his voice coming out in a low whisper.

"Merry Christmas, little one."

The End