Chapter 9 (Demyx!): Waking Up

Demyx's POV

When Xiggy and Luxy arrived back home, they explained Seirei's physical condition to me. And my metaphorical heart stopped.

"She's what?" I gasped.

"Basically comatose. She won't wake up. And that blonde girl was about to kill me." Girls, blondes especially, seem to like to kill Xigbar. In fact, he was murdered by a blonde girl, and so he arrived here.

"Oh, God…" I groaned, setting my face in my hands. "What do I do?"

"There's always Vexen you could ask, mate."

I lifted my head in a quick jerk. "Vexen?"

"He's been around so long. Surely he'd know."

Xigbar turned to our roommate. "Luxord, I'd been kidding when I suggested Demyx see Vexen. No one—"

"I guess I should go, then. The sooner we know, the better." I got up and started towards the door.

Xigbar paled. "W-Wait. Where are you going?"

"To see Vexen."

"Seriously?" I nodded. "Christ… Honestly, Water Boy, you've lost it."

"I have to save Seirei," I said. And that was the end of it. I opened the door and exited into Ghost Town.

Why does Vexen know all? Well… he's been around here a long time. And I mean a long time. He was killed in the Crusades, if that helps you figure out how long he's been here. So he knows a lot. As for why Xigbar was nervous about me coming… let me explain this for you. Ghosts can live in Ghost Town and the living world for two hundred years after their death. Exactly. And then they go to heaven, or whatever's waiting for them.

But that causes a contradiction, I know. If Vexen was killed in the Crusades, he shouldn't be around. But you see, Ghosts can transfer some of the time they have left to another. That's how Vexen works. He gives information at the cost of time. For himself. He says he's content with staying here forever, not wanting to know what lies beyond. So he keeps giving out information, adding years onto his "lifespan". And I was going to see him. But it was for Seirei. I had to save her.

I got to Vexen's home. The "wise man" so to speak, was there. He was always In his home, waiting for a spirit to come and ask him something. I knocked on the door, and a sickly pale man with platinum blond hair and green eyes answered.

"Vexen. I need your help."

He looked at me curiously. "Demyx, right?" I nodded. He glanced down. "My God. What have you done to yourself?"

"Got in a fight with a demon. But I need information."

"Very well." He turned and started into the house. "Follow me." I walked behind him to the sitting room. He took a seat on the couch. I stayed standing. "Now, what question do you have?"

"A living human was possessed by the demon. I exor—got it out of her, but now she won't wake up. Do you know how I can wake her?"

He was silent a moment. "Yes. I believe I do."

"How?" I gasped. "Please tell me!"

"Hold on, Demyx. First, payment."

This was the painful part. "How much do you want?"

"Thirty years."

Thirty years? I only had fifty years left! From using various ghost abilities in the living world, I'd already lost six years, but thirty? All at once?! But it was for Seirei… Vexen reached his hand out, and hesitantly, I took it. The effect was instantaneous. I yelped. Pain was coursing all through my body, forcing me to my knees. It hurt, giving up so much life at once. Thirty years was nothing to sneeze at, that's for sure.

Finally, the pain subsided. Vexen sighed in relief. "It's always so nice to get more life," he said.

"Not very pleasant losing so much," I groaned, standing back up. "You have your payment. Now, tell me how to save Seirei."

"It's simple, really. Obviously, during possession, the demon trapped your… friend's… spirit in some way. You just need to enter her body, find the spirit inside there, and free her."

"How?"

"The best thing I can think of is possession. They do say that eyes are the window to the soul… and since possession requires looking into the vessel's eyes… perhaps you can find her spirit."

That was all I needed. "Thank you, Vexen. I'll be on my way."

"Just be cautious! Possessing a body in your condition is dangerous if the vessel fights back." He was referring to the injury on my side. I nodded in thanks, and quickly headed to the living world, to wherever Seirei was.

I stayed invisible, so I could see who was there. The three triplets, Roxas, Seirei's parents, the two other adults, and few others were sitting around the table. Roxas kept glancing towards the couch worriedly. I looked behind me to the couch. It was pulled out, and Seirei was lying there, wrapped in sheets. Her eyes were closed and sunken in, and her skin was pale and clammy and drenched in sweat. But she was completely still.

"My God… Seirei…"

And then the blonde girl, Naminé, glanced my way. "Demyx?" She asked.

I turned back to the group. "Demyx is the one who saved Seirei, right?" The black-haired woman, Seirei's mother, asked.

The blond man beside her nodded. "I believe so."

Naminé cocked her head. "Why aren't you showing yourself?"

I winced. "Um… well… just don't freak out." And I let myself become visible.

The spiky-haired brunet screamed like a girl and jumped at the sight of me. The redhead guy stared wide eyes. "Good God… What the hell happened to you?"

I grinned sheepishly. "Uh… that's what I get for taking on a demon without any weapons… Probably not the smartest move…" I looked back to Seirei. "She's been like this since…"

The redhead answered again. "Since you exorcized that demon out of—Dude, are you okay?"

The word had brought me to my knees again. That stupid little word has so much power over one of us. "I'm fine. Just… please don't use that word. It's painful."

Roxas spoke this time. "Do you… know how to wake her up?"

"I think so. The only thing is… it requires possession."

"Possession?!" Seirei's father yelled. "No! Out of the question! No ghost is possessing my daughter!"

I winced. "Um… it's the only thing anyone in Ghost Town can think of…" The blond man was still seething. "And I'll come out as soon as I can! It's just… her spirit's trapped somewhere in there… and the only way to find it…"

"Is to enter her body," Naminé finished in realization. "Mr. Strife, I think you should let him do it."
"Why? He could… he could…"

"I think he should do it, Cloud." Seirei's mother said.

"Tifa?"

"Well… Seirei trusts him, apparently. And for some reason… so do I. And besides, do you have any better ideas?" The blond was silent. "Demyx, right?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am," I said.

"Do it. Save Seirei. And… I don't know if it'll help, but good luck."

I nodded in thanks. And I gently touched Seirei's face and pulled an eye open. It was dead and dull, but it would still serve its purpose. I looked right into it, and slowly felt myself, falling… falling…

Until I sat up with a gasp. Whoa, this was weird. I hadn't possessed anybody before, and being a female was so odd! I then noticed that I—or, Seirei, technically—didn't have any clothes on, so I quickly pulled up the sheet to cover my chest.

The Naminé, the redhead—Axel, I think?—the bluish-haired guy—Zexion—and Roxas came over. "Is that you, Demyx?" Naminé asked.

"Y-Yeah. It's me. Can't you tell?"

Then Roxas noticed something. "It's the eyes. They're sea-green."

"Exactly. The eyes always change."

"But… they didn't…"

"Barely. Abigail has blue eyes, so… at least in human form. You probably just didn't bother to notice."

"Is… Seirei… in there?" Roxas asked.

"I think so. I'll need to look around for a bit. Oh yeah." I lied back down. "Don't freak out. I'm not hurt or anything." And I, for lack of a better term, passed out.


Seirei's POV

I was so tired of being stuck! I was somehow chained to this wall—where was I, even? Sometimes I heard the voices of Mom, Dad, Roxas… I even heard Demyx once or twice. But I couldn't tell where they were coming from.

"Seirei!" Great. It was happening again. More voices. "Seirei!" Twice at once? Now that was different. "Seirei! If you can hear me, answer me! Please!" Was that… Demyx? Where was he?

"Demyx?" I yelled.

And then I heard a reply. "Oh, Seirei! Thank God!" And suddenly he ran into view. I stifled a scream. He had this huge, horrible wound on his left side…

And he was in front of me in a second. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I swallowed the scream and nodded. "The… that wound! Are you?"

"I'm fine. It looks much worse than it really is." He looked at the shackles chaining my wrists. "Just a moment." He closed his eyes, and suddenly the chains were gone. I didn't bother asking how on earth he managed to do that. I was free.

I jumped up and hugged him. "Demyx! Thank you!"

"D-Don't mention it. You might want to get home, though. Your family's worried."

"My family? What happened, exactly?"

"You were possessed by a demon." I was what?

"You might want to get back." Without another word, I was running. Where? I didn't know, but I had to get to my family. I had to ease their worries.


Destiny: Ugh, this chapter's short. I ran out of ideas.

Demyx: I thought you were gonna have us argue, and let it be seen from outside Seirei's body, so it was like she was arguing with herself.

Destiny: It didn't work out. I might use that later.

Seirei: Aww…

Demyx: Well, I suppose reviewing would be best, readers.