Part 8: Simple Design
Day 281
Xemnas and Saix are in the throne room, in their chairs.
Xemnas: How is Xion doing in his care?
Saix: She seems to be performing her missions much better, no doubt as a result of his work.
Xemnas: "She" again? I take it she has a definite form now.
Saix: Yes, about a week ago, it completely took on a form of its own, voiding its original purpose.
Xemnas: True, the original purpose is shot, but perhaps we have gained something greater.
Saix: Perhaps. Now, instead of being a vessel for his memories it has become a memory being not unlike Namine you could say. Only, instead of arranging them, it's made of them.
Xemnas: Yes, but also, instead of having to absorb Roxas to become whole, she has become her own entity, no longer ruled by the memories of Sora, at least, not since her last fall out. Now instead of having one Keyblade wielder, we have two.
Saix: And, without the memories she has, our "hero" will never awaken. But, what of the impostor? He is a friend of Sora's, and he's defeated it before.
Xemnas: I know of him. As long as she remains with Xeeres, she's our own little lock to keep the hero out of our plans.
In the Grey Area, Xigbar and Demyx are on the left couch, Demyx playing his sitar. Xeeres is on "his" chair while Xion and Roxas are on the couch beside it. Axel was gone, out on a mission. She didn't know why, but Xion missed having solo missions. It wasn't that she didn't like Xeeres; they'd worked together for the last fifty-seven days and had grown pretty close. Maybe it wasn't the solo missions she missed, but the freedom, not feeling like she had to be constantly watched like a child, or an inmate. She felt useless and knew, had it not been for the keyblade, she'd be a dusk by now.
Xeeres knew she wasn't a fan of being baby sat. He wasn't a fan of baby sitting. Quite frankly, he didn't think she needed it. She was good, good enough to take care of herself. He hadn't been told of her encounter with the impostor. He runs the intricate chain links between his index finger and thumb.
Xion looks at him and remembers that day at Moonlit Garden. She hadn't told anyone what happened. She didn't know why, she just kept it to herself. She thinks back to that night, the nameless girl, the locket. She hadn't seen the picture inside, she was just curious to know whether or not he knew her. Apparently it was a touchy subject.
She was a pretty girl, very pretty; it wouldn't have been strange for him to want to look at her. Even if he hadn't known her, she thought anyway. Then she starts to wonder why. Why was he looking at her like that, like he had lost something so dear? She didn't understand or place the word for it. She could place the word, but would it be right? Why did he look at her as though he loved her? Did he? All she could think to describe the look was "love", but she still didn't understand. Was that it?
She'd have to ask Xeeres some questions, but next mission, when they were alone. It wasn't for anyone else to hear, her curiosity about emotions. Today they were off though, so her curiosity would have to wait. Axel walks into the room. They turn to him confused.
Roxas: Axel!?! I thought you were on a mission.
Axel: I was, yesterday. I got back this late and went right to bed. Just woke up, matter of fact. That one was exhausting.
Xion: Is that why you weren't there yesterday?
Axel: Yea.
Saix appears in his usual spot, emerging from a dark column. He folds his arms behind his back. Axel looks up at him, then around the room. He scowls.
Saix: Axel, Roxas, come here.
They walk over to him. Axel crosses his arms.
Saix: I want you to go to a new world, Eighth Wonder.
Eighth Wonder was just one of the many new worlds Roxas had been sent to, to collect hearts, but never for recon. That was somebody else, somebody else and, as Axel noticed but told no one, Toxin. These new worlds teeming with heartless were always discovered on Toxin's "special missions. What was so special about these missions anyway?
Axel and Roxas step through a dark corridor into a large, cybernetic forest. They look around confused.
Roxas: This place is strange.
Axel: Tell me about it.
They start their search, looking for the giant heartless, the Crimson Forest. After a while of searching, Axel looks down at Roxas, who looks like he's struggling with his thoughts. Axel opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted.
Roxas: What's love?
Axel (shocked and confused): I'm sorry!?!
Roxas: I know I've asked this before, but last time your answer, wasn't that great.
Axel: What makes you so sure it's changed?
Roxas: I don't know, I just really want to know what it is. I know it's powerful, Xaldin said that, and Xeeres mentioned you can be in it. Do you wear it, like clothes, or armor?
Axel (laughing): No, it's not like that at all, but it's pretty hard to explain.
Roxas: I see. Thanks anyway. (Quietly to himself) I can't ask Xaldin.
Axel: Why don't you ask Xeeres?
Roxas looks up at him. That made perfect sense. Xeeres was the one who brought it up; he should be able to explain. He smiles to himself; finally he'd get an answer. They keep walking and pass a red tree, not noticing it with all of the randomly glowing and blinking lights in the trees.
Axel stops after a few paces and looks over his shoulder suspiciously. He sees the red tree. Roxas stops a couple steps away.
Roxas: What is it?
Axel's weapons appear in a flash of flames and he throws the left one at the tree. It blocks with a vine. Roxas stares shocked, then pulls out the Keyblade.
Roxas: We walked right past it!?
The vines crash down at them and they jump back, avoiding it completely. They slide back.
Axel: Alright Roxas, let's make this quick. Those vines are fire proof but it's not.
Roxas: Gotcha.
He dashes at the tree, avoiding the roots that jut up out of the ground in attempts to stab him. Axel pulls his arms back as Roxas slashes through the vines, creating a tiny window of opportunity. Axel throws the burning chakram through the closing window. They hit the tree and there's a large explosion that sends Roxas flying past Axel. He catches himself and slides back. He looks up at the tree and sees that it's still alive, but its defenses were incinerated in the attack.
Roxas dashes at it before it can reconstitute itself. He slashes it clean in two. It screeches and fades, releasing the crystal heart that boss heartless usually release. He smiles, Xeeres would have enjoyed that. Xion was always talking about how Xeeres loved to watch the crystal hearts. Ah, Xion… Wait, why was he thinking about her like that. Axel taps his shoulder. He looks back at him.
Axel: C'mon, let's go.
