Chapter VI: Bitter-Sweet
Hey guys! This chapter will feature a few new characters for this story. Or atleast one or two!
Also, prepare for a deeper look into Xathe's history. Prepare!
Disclaimer: Still don't own it... Step One! Get ticket to Japan…
Go! -The Key To Darkness
Day 230
…
Xathe tosses and turns in his bed, restless but unable to wake up.
"Do you want answers?" the voice of the raven-haired boy speaks.
"Of course I do!" Xathe shouts frustrated.
"Then why do you persist at not listening to me?" The teen growls.
"Because I don't even know you! I can't trust you, and I've never even heard of this "Cloud" guy that you keep talking about!" Xathe spits, furiously.
"Fine. But when you decide that you truly do want answers… go to Hollow Bastion. For now, you're going to have to finish battling with yourself. Part of you obviously doesn't want the answers…"
Xathe is finally let free from the cold grip of slumber, rolling from his bed to the floor.
He lays motionless on his back. "Hollow Bastion…" he whispers to himself.
Suddenly a flash blocks his vision, after he says those two words and another memory comes to him.
(Flashback)
A young boy with spiky, white hair looks around at the strange city around him.
"What is this place?" The boy asks.
"Hey you!" a girl's voice shouts.
A short, teenage girl with short black hair, a white headband, black jacket, and shorts rushes up to him, catching the boy by surprise.
"Are you a newcomer?" she asks calmly, except for the fact that she seems quite hyper and jumpy.
"Y-Yes," he answers.
"Great!" she jumps with glee.
"Umm?" the boy rubs the back of his head awkwardly.
"My name's Yuffie. What's yours, stranger?" she asks.
"My name is Tahe`. I'm a Keyblade wielder," he smiles.
"Wow! That's quite a merit! Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Suddenly, an explosion from the other side of town is heard and even felt.
Yuffie and Tahe` nearly fall over from the shake. "Oh no. Guess you came at a bad time, Tahe`," Yuffie gulps.
"What was that?" Tahe` asks, hastily. He readies himself for a battle.
"I don't know… but I hope it wasn't the Heartless!" she gasps, turning around and rushing towards where the massive quake happened.
Tahe` pulls his backpack on tighter and rushes after her.
"What the hell was that?" Xathe gasps, getting his vision back and standing to his feet, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
He stops and thinks for a second, "Who is Tahe`? And who was that Yuffie person? I guess I'll just have to visit that place soon…" he shakes his head and walks out of his room.
...
Xion walks down the quiet halls of The Castle That Never Was, deep in her own thoughts. She couldn't stand it anymore. She had to get some answers… and she was getting them today. Why did Riku call her what he did? And who was she once, as a human?
Was she even real?
She turns around a corner and runs into something solid but with a leather-like texture. Her nose hits the object and its smells enter her senses instantly. She welcomes the smells, gratefully.
Some type of fruit. That's what it smelled like. It was sort of sweet... but at the same time, kind of bitter. It felt slightly different and mysterious. It tickled her nose and felt like fire.
Bitter… different… mysterious…
Xathe…
She gasps and jumps back in shock.
"What? Miss me?" Xathe smirks, crossing his arms.
"Huh? No… I mean yeah, I did, but-… anyways I have to go," she states, about to walk around him when his arm stops her.
"What's the problem?" he asks, seriously.
"Nothing."
"You're a horrible liar," he smirks, amused.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?"
"I'm not in the mood for your games, Xathe."
"But I'm just getting warmed up!" He laughs.
"Shut up! Just go away!"
Xathe glares at her, "If you have an issue with me, I'd prefer you tell it to my face instead of acting like this. Now answer my question."
His demanding tone startles her. She didn't exactly expect something like this from him.
"Well?"
She shakes her head, "Look it's not about you. I just want answers to some stuff, okay?"
He raises a brow in suspicion, "Why do I get the feeling you're going to get yourself into trouble?
"I'm not..."
"Your skill of lying has not improved in the last five minutes..."
"I'm not lying. I just. Want. Answers."
Xathe lowers his arm and then crosses it with the other one over his chest. "Fine. Go ahead. I can't stop you."
His voice was rough and angry. But to Xion's satisfaction... he walks away.
"Finally..." She exasperates.
Xion quickly continues what she was doing, rushing down the hallway and turning into a room with a large computer monitor and a wide keyboard. The main computer.
It was time for some answers...
…
…
…
Xathe walks down the hallway, leaving behind what he did with Xion.
He walks past a large, open door. The room inside the door was much larger than the massive steel door.
Time seems to go in slow motion as he walks past the room. The room was once the laboratory that Vexen frequently worked in, at one time.
Inside, was a giant desk in the center of the room, with lots of scientific tools and experiments. Around the desk, attached to the walls, were 13 big, glass tanks that all held strange pink liquid. Xathe's eyes open wide with surprise.
The liquid wasn't what surprised him… but what was in it besides the liquid. The tanks also held a Neoshadow in each one. The Neoshadows floated ominously in the liquid, in dormancy. They were very much alive…
But as fast as he looked in, it disappeared as he walked away from it.
The scene was strange… but Xathe knew it wasn't his concern.
...
Xathe walks into the lively grey room. Most of the members were around, either waiting for their missions or talking.
Saix stood where he always does, and with his arms crossed.
Xathe walks towards him, but is stopped after hearing someone call for him, "Hey, Xathe!"
He turns around, to see Axel walk into the grey room as well.
"Yes?" Xathe asks.
"You like ice cream?" asks Axel, casually.
"Ice cream?" asks Xathe, confused.
"Yeah, ice cream."
"I don't know. I've heard about it from Roxas… otherwise, I've never tried it before."
"Really? Wow. Well, you should come by the station plaza in Twilight Town, later this evening. Roxas and Xion are gonna be busy, so I need a substitute to share ice cream with," he half-smiles.
"Sure, I guess. There doesn't seem to be any harm in doing so," Xathe shrugs.
"Great! Right after your mission, today. Whenever you finish, just head over to the station plaza and meet me there," Axel explains.
"Alright…" Xathe memorizes.
"Kay… seeya," he waves once, and walks away.
Xathe stands there for a minute and nods, "Might as well."
He turns around and walks over to where Saix stands, to get his next mission for the day. Saix glares at him for a moment but then retains his usual facial expression. Xathe gives him a suspicious look but then opens his mouth to speak.
Before Xathe can say a word, another flash blocks his vision. The flash brings sudden pain to his senses as the scene around him becomes clear.
(Flashback)
Tahe` rushes to where the explosion came from, to find hundreds of Heartless surrounding the city and several people fighting them off.
"Look out, kid!" a deep voice shouts.
Tahe` turns around to see a dozen Heartless surrounding him in a wolf-pack-like formation. Tahe` glares, unafraid and prepared. His right hand shoots out and his Keyblade instantly summons. "Alright, let's go!"
Before the fight begins, a tall blonde teen jumps to Tahe`'s side, his giant sword drawn and ready. "You look like you could use some help," he chuckles.
"Nah. You're seeing things! I've got this one covered," Tahe` laughs, spinning his Keyblade around in his grip and getting in fighting position.
Xathe looks up, grabbing his head in slight agitation. Saix stands before him, glaring as usual. "Well?" he asks.
"Right... I came to ask for my assignment," says Xathe.
"Of course. You are being assigned to a new world... Hollow Bastion... for recon-" Before Saix finishes, another flash blocks Xathe's senses as another flashback appears before him.
(Flashback)
Tahe` falls to his knees, beaten and injured.
It wasn't the Heartless that did this to him... but the strange masked boy with a black-red organic jumpsuit and Keyblade. He jumped into the fight before Tahe` could stop the Heartless.
"Cloud..." Tahe` mutters. He walks over and pushes the blonde teen's unconscious form. "You gotta... wake... up!"
Tahe` grabs his ribs in pain as he grips Cloud's sword and lifts himself from the ground, with the giant sword. He glares down the masked boy with anger. He had no idea who this new foe was, but he knew that he hurt someone who helped Tahe`... and that was enough to tick him off.
"What are you going to do, Tahe`?" The masked boy laughs.
"How do you know my name?" Tahe` spits.
"Because... I'm your watcher. I am making sure you get stronger, Tahe`," The masked boy explains. "What?" Tahe` asks confused.
"You don't get it, do you? Then you're not ready."
"Ready for what?!"
"For the plans that we have for you. I won't punish you... but your training will now be much more... severe," The masked boy snickers, darkly.
"Shut up! I've had enough of your lies!" Tahe` screams, charging at the masked boy and ready to battle. The boy simply shakes his head and disappears into a portal of darkness. Tahe` slashes at the portal... but to no avail. The masked boy escaped...
(End of Flashback)
Xathe was becoming annoyed with the raven-haired voice's antics, "Alright! I'll go to Hollow Bastion! Will that shut you up?!" Xathe screams at the voice in his head.
"Excuse me?" Saix spits.
"Uh-oh... I wasn't... I wasn't talking to- ugh, never mind... I'll just go," Xathe murmurs.
Saix raises an eyebrow at him as he slumps his shoulders in defeat, "Your partner will be Xion. Now be on your way. I expect you to leave as soon as you are ready and no later."
"Yes, sir..." he mumbles, walking away lazily.
"... Something is very wrong with him," Saix states.
Xathe walks down the hallway to Xion's room, deep with thought. He knew what his mission was and that he was going to do it... but something seemed off. Almost as if something was going to prevent Xathe's visit to Hollow Bastion. He wasn't sure why... maybe it was just paranoia. He didn't know... but he would soon find out, wouldn't he?
Xathe walks to her door and knocks three times.
No answer.
"Xion?" he asks, knocking again.
Again, nothing.
Well... he tried being polite. He was not in the mood for her attitude. He steps back and kicks the door open with his right leg. The door responds by flying open and slamming into the wall.
"Xion, let's go we have to-" he stops, noticing the room to be completely empty and lifeless. "Xion?"
He looks around but then sees a mysterious piece of paper laying on her bed, folded up.
Xathe walks over to it and picks it up, slightly afraid to read the content of it. Finally, his curiosity gets the best of him and he unfolds it.
"Dear Everyone," Xathe reads:
"I know this is very sudden... but I'm leaving. I can't stay here. There are things I don't understand and need to understand. In order to get these answers... I have to leave. I'm sorry for whatever trouble I may cause in doing this. And I'm sorry to Axel and Roxas especially. I don't mean to hurt you guys... you're my greatest friends and nothing will ever change that. Goodbye.
(P.S. Sometimes things that are too shrouded in the Darkness, can only be revealed in the 'light'.) -Xion" Xathe finishes.
It gets silent in the room as Xathe stares at the small, meaningless note.
"..." He continues to stare, blankly.
"Son of a bitch!" Xathe bellows, stuffing the note in his pocket and rushing back to the grey room with anger filling his entire body.
He reaches the end of the hallway and barely catches himself from falling on the floor as he shouts, "We have a very big problem!"
Everyone looks to Xathe in confusion, "What is it?" Saix asks.
"Xion's gone!" He growls.
End of Chapter 6. Dramatic, no? What do you think's gonna happen next?!
Xathe: I'm going to go look for Xion! That's what's gonna happen, idiot!
Me: I meant besides that...
Xathe: Whatever...
Anyways! R&R and I'm already starting Chapter 7 so expect an update soon!
Thanks, everyone! -KtD