Late! I'm late! For a very important date! And that stupid Heartless in Wonderland made me late! I'm going to be in so much trouble! I ran into Demyx on my way up to the tower. We both fell to the floor harshly, shaking our heads and staring at each other.

"Xe-Xe!"

"We're late!"

We spoke and got up at the same time. I snatched Demyx's hand and dragged him up the stairs. We reached the tower and it seemed Xemnas hadn't started speaking yet. With a soft sigh, I walked up to stand in between Saïx and Axel. Demyx lingered behind and I looked up at Kingdom Hearts, where everyone was staring at the moment.

"The time has arrived."

I jumped slightly when Xemnas abruptly spoke but kept a blank face like everyone else. He raised his arms as if to offer a prayer to the giant golden heart in the sky.

"And at long last, we see before us the great collection of hearts," Xemnas continued speaking "Hearts full of rage…hate…sadness…and bliss. Shining down upon us is the crystallisation of all hearts – Kingdom Hearts. There, in the sky, hangs a promise of a new world."

He lowered his arms and turned to us.

"My friends!" he spoke and I fought the urge to just raise a sceptical eyebrow "Let us gain further power to conquer the human heart, and claim it as our own. Let us remember why we are here and what we hope to achieve."

Is it me, or do I feel like I'm a part of some cult right now? Xemnas had quite the voice to give speeches and to lead this organization but by his tone, I felt like I had been roped into some weird cult that I would never join in a million years. …Can vampires live up to a million years old?

"Hearts shall be gathered," that strong powerful voice broke my reverie once more "and be made our own. Hearts shall never again have power over us."

Hearts. That was what the Organization's goal was. To make Kingdom Hearts to create new hearts for us all. But, why was there this little part of me that didn't believe Xemnas? Am I really doubting his words? People began leaving and I turned to leave too. But something rooted me to the spot and I found myself counting the members that we had left. I only realise now, there are ten members left but weeks ago, we had sixteen. Ten members sounds like a big number but it felt like a huge chunk of the Organization was gone. Was it really necessary to send those seven members along to Castle Oblivion with only Axel coming back as a survivor? Axel was even responsible for two of those deaths.

"XVI."

I jumped and felt myself blush when I realised I had lost myself in my thoughts again. I turned to Xemnas.

"I apologize, I've been thinking a lot lately," I said and was about to leave when he spoke my number again.

I turned around fully and looked up at Xemnas's cold amber eyes.

"I have heard that XV escaped Castle Oblivion."

My eyes widened.

"You mean she's alive?" I whispered.

"It seems VI's death distraught her so much that she fled the castle," Xemnas explained.

"How do you know of this?" I asked.

"The Dusks are useful spies. They never lie."

He leaned in close to me.

"Keep an eye out for her," he ordered.

"And if I find her?"

"Terminate her."

I gaped at him and stepped back.

"Is that a problem?" Xemnas seemed angry at my body language.

"She is just a child," I whispered "Cast away from her family since she was four years old. Raised by…by wolves who died just before she fell to the darkness."

"She is a threat to the Organization."

"She's only eleven years old," I was still arguing, why was I still arguing? "I can't kill a child, I just can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Send someone else to do it, I couldn't possibly…"

"Wolves and vampires are enemies, are they not?"

My eyes flashed in anger at the mention of wolves. It was hard enough to say the word without snarling but I was beyond caring now.

"It would be appropriate for you to terminate her as you yourself have said, she was raised by wolves. She smells of a wolf, acts like a wolf and has instincts as a wolf."

He was saying wolf too many times, was he trying to spark my anger? Because it was working.

"Are you really passing the opportunity of killing a wolf?"

"No!" I suddenly snarled at him and bared my fangs "Fine! I'll terminate her! Just stop saying that word."

My mind was clogging itself up with thoughts of how vile, barbaric and filthy wolves were and I stepped back, glaring at Xemnas. He had that smirk on, as if his lips were about to utter that one word again. Before he had the opportunity, I turned on my heel and flounced off back into the castle.


So I went on with my missions as usual, keeping an eye out for the small figure of XV. Roxas left the Organization, he killed Xion and disappeared. Saïx and I began out relationship with one another. Sora, the Keyblade Master and Roxas's human form, woke from his slumber and was now exploring the worlds again. And then finally, I found her.


I walked across Hollow Bastion's plaza, my mind deep in thought. Sephiroth hadn't appeared lately, I wasn't complaining. It was pretty peaceful and I didn't have to come here with fear in my heart anymore. I smiled to myself as I held a small silver chain that had a silver heart charm attached. I sometimes got little presents for Saïx just for the sake of it. Sometimes, he'd return the favour. I giggled, feeling like a little schoolgirl with a hopeless crush.

"Xeann!"

I turned my head, a faint smile still on my lips. It faded when I recognized the small girl that stood in the plaza with me and I pocketed the chain with a small grimace.

"XV," I said as it ran up to me.

"What, can't remember my name?" it gave a lopsided smile.

"Of course I do, Laxes."

It was better to not give something a name if you were going to kill it after all. You shouldn't even give it a pronoun other than 'it'.

"What's with the sombre look?" it tilted its head to the side innocently.

"You've been gone from the Organization for quite a while," I chose not to reply.

"Well, I had to get out of there," it shrugged "And Axel tried to kill me too, I wouldn't really want to return to the Organization."

"Then why approach me now?" I asked.

"Because, I guess I know I can trust you."

Oh the poor child.

"Really?"

"Yes, you're like the mother I never had."

I wanted to melt into the shadows and slink away but I saw a glint of yellow then Xigbar's shadow disappearing. I felt paralysed. If I left it and went back, what would Xemnas do to me? I looked down at that eager green gaze and swallowed.

"Really?" I kept speaking and tried my best to mask my unease.

"Xeann, is something wrong?" it easily picked it up despite my efforts to hide it.

With a grimace, I shook my head.

"No, I've been really tired out lately," I lied through my teeth "Ever since the Organization's number has dropped, I've been taking on more and more work as I am practically Saïx's secretary."

It laughed. Then with a sombre sigh, it bowed its head.

"I miss him," it mumbled.

"You miss being bossed around by Saïx?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"No, I mean Zexion."

I grimaced. I was aware that they had become romantically involved. This kid acted real mature for its age. I looked down at the tiles, rubbing my fingertips together thoughtfully.

"Abandon the Organization."

Huh? What? I looked up to meet its determined gaze.

"It's only a matter of time until the Keyblade wielder kills them all," it said "I don't want you to be in that number."

"I can't just abandon them," I said "They'll come after me too."

"What have you got to lose?"

Saïx.

"My perhaps only chance in becoming human," I replied "And my friends."

"Don't tell me you're still friends with VIII?"

I gave a single nod and it snarled.

"How could you?! Don't you know that…?"

"He killed Vexen and was responsible for Zexion's death, I know," I interrupted it "But he was under orders, he would have been eliminated himself and someone else would have killed them."

"He was ordered to kill the traitors! Zexion wasn't one of them!"

It went silent as I summoned my shadow blades and brought them up to get ready to attack.

"I have orders," I kept speaking as it stepped back "I must eliminate you, you're a threat to the Organization."

"Why you?!" it raised its voice at me.

"It's completely appropriate," I spoke "You were raised by wolves and you act like them, smell like them and you even have their instincts. But think of it as this way. You're not fighting Xeann, your mother figure at the Organization. You're fighting the vampire beast that you hate with your very being."

"Xeann…"

I narrowed my eyes.

"Please, don't hold back. Defend yourself. Use your survival instincts to try and kill me."

It got my hint. I didn't want to kill it. I wanted it to survive. I wanted it to kill me instead. I would rather die at its hands then to leave it and face punishment or kill it. And I blacked out as the beast within me reared its ugly head.


I stormed through the castle corridors, tears streaming down my cheeks. I sobbed and choked as I found my room and went to the bathroom, stripping and turning the shower on full blast. I sank to a sitting position and brought my knees tight into my chest. I stayed like that until Saïx walked in and turned the shower off. I looked up at him as he stared down at me and took his hand when he offered it to me. I didn't register much else until we were sitting on my bed, I was wrapped up in a towel and he was trying to talk to me. I suddenly burst out into tears and he jumped.

"I killed her!" I sobbed and covered my face in despair "I killed a poor innocent child!"

I was brought into a comforting hug and I just blacked out from exhaustion. The guilt of my murder lifted eventually, I kept on thinking to myself that she was in a different world of non-existence, reunited with Zexion. Now whenever I think of her, I imagine her in a white robe, reading peacefully with Zexion. I smiled up at Kingdom Hearts one night when I couldn't get to sleep and uttered.

"I'm sorry, Laxes."