AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I done goofed with posting and accidentally skipped this chapter! Whoops! Anyway, happy reading!
DAY 18
Callum stepped into the Grey Area, where Xion waited for him.
"Good morning, Xion." Callum said, mustering up his biggest, friendliest smile. He was dying with curiosity to hear her speak again. But she turned to him and stared at him silently again. "Uh... is everything okay?"
"Good morning... Callum." Xion said.
This time, the smile on Callum's face was real.
Xion and Callum headed towards the Station Plaza, where a giant Heartless and their next mission awaited. Suddenly, Xion stopped in her place.
"Callum." she said.
Callum stopped and immediately turned around. Slowly, she pinched the sides of her hood and lifted the black fabric over her face. Callum tensed with anticipation. Xion lifted her head and set her deep blue eyes on him. She had short, black hair with bangs that dangled over and around her face. A small smile stretched across her lips.
"Best of luck today." Xion said.
Callum realized he had stopped breathing. He let out a deep exhale and nodded.
"Yeah. Thanks..." he said. He turned towards the path leading to the Plaza. "Let's go."
Xion and Callum ran to Station Plaza. At first, looking around, they saw nothing, but then they turned around and jumped back at the sight of a Darkside looming over them. Darkness rose around it as it stood up.
"What is that?!" Callum cried, summoning Omega Weapon.
"Our target." Xion said, striking a battle stance.
"You ready for this?" Callum glanced at Xion and concern fluttered in his mind. How would she face this thing without a weapon?
"Yeah." Xion noticed his stare and flashed him an encouraging smile. It filled him with confidence, and the two charged towards the Heartless.
Callum attacked the Darkside's hand when it was within reach. It lifted its clenched fist in the air and pounded it into the ground, creating a swirling vortex of darkness around its knuckles. Shadows emerged and slunk towards them.
"I've got these guys." Xion said, running in another direction. "Take care of the big one."
Callum nodded and refocused his attention on the Darkside. It thrust its arms out and sent purple balls of energy towards Callum. He brought Omega Weapon up and deflected the energy balls, sending them back into the Heartless. The Darkside doubled over and clutched its gaping stomach. Suddenly, it stood up and swung its giant arm at Callum. He immediately brought up his Keyblade to deflect, but the Darkside knocked its fist right into him. He cried out as he and his Keyblade went spiraling in opposite directions.
"Callum!" Xion cried.
Callum heard her grunt, and he feared the Darkside now focused its attacks on her. The adrenaline rushed back into his body and he scrambled to his feet. Xion landed on the ground from a jump and turned around. Callum's jaw dropped in shock. Kingdom Key was in her hand.
"Xion..." Callum said. "You can use the Keyblade?"
Xion held up Kingdom Key and examined it intently. "I... guess so." She dispelled the Keyblade and smiled.
Callum ran his hands through his hair. "Wow, this... this is incredible!" he cried. "I know! We're going to celebrate!"
"Huh?"
"Come on, I'll show you."
Callum led Xion up to the clock tower. Roxas glanced up from his seat and immediately stood up when he saw Xion.
"Xion? Wow, you look... um, well, it's nice to see your face." Roxas said.
Xion chuckled. "Thank you."
"Roxas, you'll never believe this: Xion can use the Keyblade!" Callum said, bouncing on his toes like an excited child. "Show him, show him!"
Xion glanced at Callum before she reached out her hand and summoned Kingdom Key.
"See?" Callum said. "Now the Organization has three Keyblade wielders!"
"That's awesome!" Roxas said. "And I know how to celebrate!"
"Ice cream!" Roxas and Callum cried. They burst into laughter and playfully shoved each other. Xion's blue eyes shifted between the two boys in confusion, but soon she began to smile.
"This is such a great spot... How'd you find it?" Xion said, turning to look at the sunset.
"Axel discovered it. It's a perk to being in the Organization for as long as he has." Roxas said. He passed out ice cream bars to the two other Keyblade wielders.
"Sea-Salt ice cream." Callum said to Xion. "C'mon, try it."
Xion nodded and brought the ice cream to her lips. She took a bite and spent a minute contemplating the taste.
"It's sweet... and salty." she said.
"It's good, huh?" Roxas said. He took a bite out of his ice cream. "Axel, Callum, and I, we meet here for ice cream after work. This flavor is Axel's favorite. Axel brought me here to eat ice cream on my first day with the Organization. I did the same thing with Callum on his first day."
"You guys must all be really close." Xion said.
"Well, we're all friends." Callum said.
"Friends..." Xion looked down at her ice cream. "Do you think that I could be a friend?"
"Of course!"
"When Axel gets back, we'll all have ice cream together!" Roxas said.
A smile curled on Xion's face. "Okay!"
I've only been in the Organization for a short time, and I've already made a bunch of new friends: Axel, Roxas, and now Xion has joined our group. I can't wait until Axel gets back from his mission and properly meets her. They make the exhausting missions worth it, because at the end of it, I get to see their smiling faces and eat ice cream. What more could a Nobody ask for?
