Chapter Seven: First Mission
My boots thud softly on the hard clear flooring as I follow Braig to Xehanort's chamber. It's in apart of the castle that I've never been in. Apparently they need me for a mission. I honestly wasn't expecting one, at least not so soon. I hope it isn't something that will hinder Sora too much. One thing that worries me is that I haven't even seen Lea or Roxas today to tell them, Braig came and woke me up. It must still be pretty early.
Braig knocks on the door when we reach the entrance to Xehanort's chamber. He doesn't wait for a response as he swings the door open, gesturing that I should go inside.
I enter into a sitting room where Xehanort is sitting in a semi extravagant armchair. A man I think is Xemnas at first glance stands before him. But when he turns to look at me I realize that he definitely is not, though he greatly resembles him.
"Braig, Xion, good," Xehanort says, glancing at me before turning his eyes to Braig who's shutting the door quietly.
Trying not to be nervous I move to stand beside the man who's already there while Braig leans against the wall behind us.
"Xion, you are to accompany Braig and my younger self on a mission to rescue one of our number," Xehanort tells me. "He is being held captive by an old friend of mine, Yen Sid. Do not even attempt to get away if you want your friends to remain safe. Do anything Braig or Xehanort tells you. If the master of the tower gives you any resistance, engage only as long as you have to to get away. However something tells me that might not be necessary."
I nod. "Understood."
The younger Xehanort opens a portal and Braig and I follow him into its depths. He leads the way through an opening and I step out onto grass. A light wind stirs my hair, knocking my bangs into my face. I brush them back, taking in my surroundings. The sky here is beautiful. However we're only on a small swath of land, covered in grass with many bushes scattered around. Not far in front of us is a tower so crooked for a moment I worry if it's about to fall. But on a closer examination I think it was designed that way on purpose, as for why? I don't know.
Braig strides up to the door, confidently trying the doorknob. It swings open easily. Looking back over at the young Xehanort and I he shrugs before stepping forward...only to be sent spiraling back into a bush. He gets to his feet as younger Xehanort approaches the door cautiously, looking inside.
"Should have known I couldn't just waltz in there, as if!" Braig says, brushing leaves off of his coat.
I walk up to the doorway. I cautiously stretch my palm towards the door, intending to touch the unknown force only slightly, however Young Xehanort knocks my hand away before I can. He shakes his head no, before stepping back thoughtfully.
"What sort of unknown force is this?" Young Xehanort mutters.
"Well we have to get in so can you just try to bring it down already?" Braig asks.
Young Xehanort nods. "I think I can handle this."
Summoning a Keyblade, he uses it and his hand to throw some unknown magic at the doorway. Though nothing looks different he smiles as though pleased and steps inside easily. I follow after him. I am really beginning to wonder who this Yen Sid is. He must be very powerful to have put such a spell on the door, and for Xehanort to tell us not to engage him in a fight. Maybe he could help Roxas, Lea and I get away. He must be on Sora's side if he's holding a member of the organization hostage.
Braig pulls forth his Arrowguns, taking the lead as we head through the mysterious tower. At last we reach a room near the top. My first thought is that it looks like a study...yet not quite. Braig scowls, resting one of his guns on his shoulder.
"Now where could he have hidden him," he mutters, beginning to circle the room.
I walk up to a desk with a large throne-like chair behind it. As I reach out to touch the wood I notice a shimmer in the air in front of me. I leap back, summoning my Keyblade as a tall man with a blue pointy hat and long gray beard appear before me. He gives me a glare before looking over my head.
"I had not thought you so bold as to come here to free one of your seekers of darkness," the man whom I'm assuming is Yen Sid, says.
"Yes, well, we need him back," Young Xehanort says, standing in front of a bookshelf. "It appears he's behind here. You two keep him distracted while I get the replica."
Replica? Does he mean another puppet, like me? I don't have time to puzzle over it as Young Xehanort uses magic to reveal a secret door behind the bookshelf. Yen Sid however sighs, surprising me.
"I suppose it really doesn't matter now...here, take him," Yen Sid says.
He moves his hand in a sweeping motion and someone with silver hair falls on the floor before me. I jump back, before letting out a gasp and running over to him.
"Riku?" I say, surprise coloring my tone. What is he doing here? And why is he working for Xehanort?
He pushes himself up, before giving me a glare. "I'm not Riku! And who in the world are you?"
So he must be a fake...just like me. I look down at my feet as I hear the sound of a portal opening behind me.
"Why do you give him to us without any resistance?" Young Xehanort asks.
"Because there would be no point in keeping him now, so you might as well take him," Yen Sid says. "Now begone from here!"
Braig grabs my arm and hauls me into the portal. Young Xehanort follows with the replica Riku who seems to be fighting him to get away. Stepping backward I bump into someone. I turn around swiftly taking a few steps back and away. There stands the older Xehanort grinning as he looks at the fake Riku. A chill runs up my spine as he pulls out his Keyblade as Braig and Young Xehanort hold replica Riku still.
"He's ready," Xehanort says happily.
I watch as the tip of his Keyblade alights with some sort of magic that he shoots directly at the fake Riku. I hear a sharp intake of breath from him and instinctively look away. When I look up again I find that Braig and Young Xehanort have let go of him and he stands looking downwards, his bangs covering his face. Older Xehanort lets his Keyblade vanish as I run over to the Riku replica.
"Are you okay?" I ask, before turning around and glaring at Xehanort. "What did you do to him?"
His grin widens in response. I look back at fake Riku as he slowly looks up, his eyes glazed over. I gasp. His eyes are now an amber-like gold and his ears come to a point. When his eyes regain their focus, he smirks, looking over at the older Xehanort.
"Marvelous," Xehanort says. "Come here Riku."
He does what he asks, moving over to stand beside him calmly. Braig walks up to me, he seems amused by my horrified expression.
"What about Poppet?" he asks.
I take a step back but he grabs my upper arm, seeming to pick up on my urge to run. Xehanort doesn't even look at me as he shakes his head no.
"She isn't ready," he says simply. "Just take her back to the castle. This Riku is coming with me for now."
"You've got it," Braig says, "Come on Poppet."
Feeling numb I follow behind Braig as he leads the way back towards the World that Never Was. However right in the entrance he turns to grin at me.
"Enjoy your time with Tiger and Flamesilocks. You're next, so you can't have much time left," Braig chuckles, stepping through the opening.
So that's the last step to becoming a Xehanort...that just can't happen. I won't let it. I take deep breaths, struggling to calm down. However try as I might I just can't.
"Go inside," Young Xehanort tells me irritably.
I step inside the Castle that Never Was...and nearly collide with Lea. I stare up at him without speaking and he placing his hands on my shoulders looking into my eyes anxiously.
"Xion? Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?" he asks, his words almost jumbled.
Moisture fills my eyes and I look away, nodding. "I'm fine, Lea. They just took me on a mission, I hope you weren't too worried."
He steps back, and when he speaks his voice is calmer, though still containing a hint of concern, "Of course I was worried. You just disappeared."
I still don't meet his eye though I can tell he's trying to meet mine. "...I'm sorry."
"Hey, Xion!" Roxas says, I hear his footfalls as he approaches. "Where were you?"
"A mission," I repeat. "Sorry if I worried you."
"Don't worry about it," Lea says, in a more happy tone as he reaches over and tousles my hair.
"So, did it go okay?" Roxas asks.
I look up at him sharply, before running past both of them. I hear Lea yell my name but I don't stop. I don't stop running until I'm in my room. Flinging the door open I let it shut loudly behind me. I lay down on my bed, curling into a ball as the tears start falling... How did everything come to this?
The sound of my door opening startles me from the beginnings of a dream, a dream which I honestly remember nothing of already. I sit up slowly, just barely making out a tall figure carrying what looks like a tray. I relax as I recognize the familiar head of spiky hair.
"Hello, Lea," I say, as he flips on my light.
He sits down on my bed, setting the tray down beside me. On a plate is what looks like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk.
"I made that myself so you better eat it," he tells me, grinning teasingly.
I giggle slightly, picking up the glass of milk. "Thank you Lea, that was really thoughtful of you."
He runs his fingers through his hair, a faint reddish color becoming apparent in his cheeks. "Well, I know you haven't eaten yet."
I take a sip of the cool liquid before staring into its depths. I don't know how much time passes before Lea takes the cup from me, setting it back onto the tray none too gently. I look up startled as he grabs my hands in his.
"All right, that's enough of that," he says. "What happened?"
"N-nothing," I mumble, trying to smile.
He sighs. "No secrets okay? Now tell me, what has you so freaked out?"
Tears fill my eyes again as I meet his that are filled with concern for me. Moving around the tray I throw my arms around him, burying my face into his coat. For the first time I truly know what it is to just cry. Everything looks so hopeless, I can't bare thinking about inevitably turning into another Xehanort. And I know Lea told me I shouldn't worry, but how can I not? There isn't anything he or anyone can do. I've just spent a couple months in the realm of darkness, have finally been reunited with my friends, and now I'm going to become Xehanort. A fate I consider worse than any other.
Lea brushes my bangs back gently, wrapping his arms around me. "...What happened on your mission?"
Not moving, my reply comes muffled as a result, "I went with Braig and the younger Xehanort to rescue a replica of Riku...have you met him?"
I feel him nod. "Yeah, I've met him. Go on."
"Well, after we got him out of Yen Sid's tower the older Xehanort came and he..." I trail off, taking a deep breath. "And he turned him into him. His eyes turned gold and his ears changed, and he stopped fighting against them entirely."
"...So they decided to give him up," Lea mutters.
I sit back slowly, frowning. "What do you mean?"
He runs his hand through his hair again. "Well, in order to give some of the seven pure lights more time to prepare, and to find the 7th,Yen Sid thought they should throw a wrench in Xehanort's plans. Abducting the Riku replica was just one of many things done to stall him."
As he speaks I find myself calming down slightly.
He grabs my hand, locking his fingers with mine and smiles. "They're gonna defeat Xehanort and his 13 darknesses...and you Xion, aren't gonna be one of the 13."
"How can you be sure?" I ask, looking down at our hands.
He sighs. "I can't. But so long as me and Roxas are around we'll make sure you stay you."
I smile, appreciating him not just assuring me falsely that things will be okay. "Thank you, Lea."
He looks away briefly. "Sure."
Removing his hand from mine he wipes the tears from my face with his gloved hand before getting to his feet.
"Get some rest, it's late. But don't forget to eat that," he tells me, pointing at the tray.
I nod. "I will, don't worry."
He grins in reply. "Good. I'll see you in the morning then."
He leaves, giving me one last smile before he flips my light back off. The only light now is coming from my window, but it's enough to eat by. I stare at the door for a moment before taking another sip of the milk. I smile slightly, looking at the sloppy sandwich. It was so thoughtful of Lea, who typically avoids making any kind of food, to bring me something.
