Chapter 21: Vector to the Sea

Xion staggered out of the Dark Corridor, hand going to her chest, struggling to try and stop what was happening. She searched deep inside of herself, something she had never done before, and found what she was looking for. She found the heart, being eaten by her own, and threw a barrier up around Kairi's heart.

She took a ragged breath. "I have to find him... he knows where she is..."

Xion stop... what are... you doing... You have... to stop... Xehanort!

She shook her head, refusing the Voice... refusing... Kairi's voice. "I can't... I can't do it. I won't do it, not at that cost."

Xion... please... you have... to set... Kingdom Hearts free... I don't care.. if you... have to... consume me... to do so...

"I REFUSE!" cried out Xion, clutching her chest tightly.

"Refuse what?" came a voice.

She looked up, shocked to see him there already. "Sora..."

It looked like following one's heart worked wonders...

She glanced around, finding herself at the summit of a mountain with Sora walking towards her slowly, a confused look on his face. "Xion...? No... Kairi?"

If he of all people truly had a hard time trying to figure out who she was, then Xion knew she was running out of time.

"Riku asked me once... if I could feel Kairi, well, I can, in more ways than one, " whispered Xion, pain starting to wrack through her chest.

It hurt, it was starting to hurt so badly to fight against her body. It felt like every part of her was shivering, screaming, and struggling to try and get to Kairi's heart. She realized then and there how awful her existence was. She had been made for one reason, to consume, to eat Kairi's heart, to kill her and become her own complete being. To refuse to do so, to fight against herself like this, it felt like she was deteriorating, like her body was trying to tear itself apart to get through the barrier she was using to protect Kairi's heart from herself...

"Please Sora... take me to Kairi... there's not much time left before... the choice is taken from me," she gasped out.

Xion... Why do... you... want yo find... me that... badly?

Sora's eyebrows furrowed. "Choice?"

"If I don't return... what isn't mine... she won't exist anymore...," Xion gasped out, "I was made... to consume her heart... but I refuse... I refuse to be the Superior's... to be Xehanort's puppet!"

Return... what isn't... wait... Xion no!

Xion smiled weakly at Sora's shocked face before falling to a knee. "Please... hurry..."

Sora recovered from his shock, a determined look crossing his face, nodded, and walked over to the weakening Xion, picking her up and starting to walk down the mountain. "Let's go."

SORA STOP! Her heart's... partially merged... with mine... she's not... strong enough to... survive on... her own... if mines... taken out... it will kill her!

Sora paused, a surprised look on his face. "K-kairi?!"

"Don't stop," whispered Xion, "This isn't... her choice to make... it's mine."

Sora looked conflicted. "Xion... is she right?"

"It doesn't matter," whispered Xion tiredly, "I wasn't... supposed to exist to... begin with."

That's not... fair Xion... everyone deserves... the right to live!

"That includes... you too silly," scolded Xion.

...

"Got you... there...," giggled Xion.

Xion... please...

Xion closed her eyes, resting her head against Sora's chest as he made his way down the mountain. "Riku! Eraqus! Get the door open now!"

She briefly opened her eyes, sighting the two staring at her and Sora with confusion before they rushed up a set of stairs into the keep. The moment Sora brought her inside, she shivered and moaned in pain. Kairi's heart was being pulled by something... something getting closer by the second...

Sora carried her up the sets, into a large room with thrones from her... from Kairi's memories. Sitting on the thrones, talking quietly to a woman standing in front of them, were...

"Terra... Ven... Mickey... Aurora...," she whispered.

The four of them stopped talking and looked towards her and Sora, surprise on their faces. Sora paid them no heed, starting to head towards a hallway deeper into the castle.

"Sora, wait," commanded a stern voice.

Sora shook his head. "I can't wait! Kairi doesn't have much time left."

Before he could go far, a strong hand grabbed his should. "Sora."

Sora turned and glared at the elder man, at Terra. "What?"

"What is going on?" demanded Terra, pointing at Xion, "Kairi rests in the Chamber of Waking, so who is this?"

"I'm... Xion...," she whispered weakly.

"Wait, she's the Nobody?" demanded Terra, his eyes narrowing, "Riku, correct me if I'm wrong, but she didn't look like this before, did she?"

Riku walked up behind them. "No. She didn't look so... much like Kairi."

"I'm... not a Nobody," whispered Xion, "I'm... a replica, created from... a copy of her memories..."

"A replica?" questioned Terra.

"I never had... a choice," she whispered, "Xehanort... made me to consume... Kairi's heart..."

"What?!" came Ven's voice, growing furious.

"Please... you have to... take me to her... before it's to late," whispered Xion.

"Why? So you can finish the rest of her off?" said Ven angrily.

"No... that's not...," began Xion weakly.

Aurora pushed through the two Keybearers, ignoring their 'wait' squawks, and walked up to Xion, staring down in to her eyes. Slowly, the woman put a hand on Xion's chest, over her heart, and closed her eyes. A horrified and sickened look crossed the woman's face as she opened her eyes and took a step back, bringing a hand up to her own heart.

"By the light... I've never felt something like this before," said Aurora, mortified, "It's like her heart is swallowing Kairi's whole. Kairi's heart has been mostly... mostly absorbed. There's so little of it left that isn't interwoven into Xion's."

"What does that mean?" asked Eraqus, "Can Kairi be saved at this point?"

Aurora bit her lip and glanced down at Xion. "Yes, but... Xion. You do understand what that would mean, don't you?"

Xion closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes..."

"You'd have to give everything you've taken back, everything that's been integrated and absorbed into your heart would have to be ripped away," said Aurora.

Xion opened her eyes and stared at Aurora silently.

The woman spoke quietly, "It's so interwoven Xion. Your heart won't survive the process. You'll die."

"I know," whispered Xion bleakly.

Xion... please no... don't... don't do it...

Xion smiled sadly at Aurora, at the pity and sadness in the woman's eyes. "I... don't look at it... that way though..."

"What do you mean?" asked Aurora softly.

"I understand, at long last... what the feeling... and desire I've had for... Kairi was...," she whispered, "It's not... to consume her. It's... to go back to her... to where I belong."

Xion... you're not me... your you! Please...

The hardness in the Keybearer's eyes had long since faded, most of them looking at her with a bit of remorse and sadness, or rage.

"I don't think there's a pit of hell deep enough for Xehanort," snarled out Terra.

Ven closed his eyes, pinched his nose, and sighed heavily. "..."

"If your mind is made up, then I suppose there's nothing more to be done," said Aurora sadly, "I'm sorry Xion."

Xion shook her head. "Don't be..."

She glanced up at a teary eyed Sora. "Go... take me to her... please..."

Sora took her further into the keep, the other Keyblade Masters following in tow along with Aurora and Riku. Sora clutched Xion to his chest with one arm as he freed a hand to summon his Keyblade. Xion's eyes followed the key as he pointed it up and towards a chained white door. A light fired out of it and hit the door. The chains broke, and the door swung open...

"AHHH!" screamed Xion, cringing and clutching her chest as a horrific pain tore through her at the door's opening.

It felt like Kairi's heart had just tried to rip out of hers and burst out of her chest. Was this... the pain... Kairi felt? As her heart... was eaten alive?

"Kairi... I'm so sorry," she whispered.

XION STOP... please don't... do this!

"Xion? We... we can stop for a moment," said Sora, "Let you catch your breath."

Even when she stood between him and getting Kairi back, he was still so kind. Xion wanted to say no, wanted to get it over with, but she couldn't it, hurt so much. She clutch him tightly and cried into his chest. It hurt so much... she... wanted Axel... to be here holding her... no... she couldn't... it would hurt him so much to see this...

Oh Axel, this was going to destroy him...

"Axel... I'm sorry...," she whispered.

"Axel?" questioned Sora.

"A... dear friend...," she whispered.

"Kairi... please... look after him and the others," she whispered faintly.

Xion... no... I...

She took a few, deep ragged breaths, hoping the pain would ease, but it wouldn't. The heart in her chest, Kairi's heart, was instinctually trying to pull free to her body, even if Kairi herself was probably trying to fight against it.

"Sora... I... I'm ready," she lied.

Sora stared at her sadly and knowingly before he walked inside of a circular white room, she caught sight of a throne through her tear stained eyes. Time seemed to slow for her as Sora slowly rounded the throne...

There...

Sitting on the throne...

Was a body that looked so much like her own...

A young teenage girl, with red hair. A hardened, yet pure face, closed eyes, but ones she instinctively knew to be blue. The girl bore white and red armor all along her body, one of the few differences between them considering Xion had the cloak. It was her... this... this was...

"Kairi," whispered Xion.

Xion... don't...

Finally... at long last, she had found her, found Kairi. Even more, after what Xehanort had revealed to her, she had found where she had come from. Who she had been born from. Her other side, her true self, and the body the Voice belonged to. She... felt a longing, a powerful desire... she had found where she belonged... where she had to return to...

"P-put me down... Sora," whispered Xion.

Sora hesitated before doing as she asked. Black smoke started to rise off of Xion as she struggled to stand on her own. Being this close to Kairi, to her body, it hurt so badly... but she wanted... to get closer... she felt compelled...

Xion stared at Kairi sadly. "I'm... glad we got to meet at least once... face to face... I would have liked to be your friend... and have you eat ice cream with... me and the others..."

Xion...

She took a step forward...

Xion STOP!

She shook her head. "Kairi... are you honestly... telling me that were you... in my shoes, you'd consume... someone to fight Xehanort?"

Her only reply was a sob.

"I wish... I could have been me... but... I am your replica... I am you... and you would never do something like... that...," whispered Xion, her shaking hand reaching for Kairi's hand...

XION!

"Don't worry... Kairi... it's alright... I guess... I'm going back to... where I belong...," said Xion, a brief pained sob escaping her lips.

She smiled a sad smile one last time. "But... I guess... I don't mind... because..."

She grabbed Kairi's hand, a bright light flashing on contact. "I think you make a good other."

Kairi screamed in shock as her heart was forcefully ripped out of Xion's, tunneling down the girl's arm and back into her own body through their clasped hands. She had a brief moment of disorientation before she found herself staring out of her own eyes for the first time in a long time.

She looked out, at a smiling Xion, the red of her hair starting to fade back to her normal black, her hardened face returning to a soft and innocent look. She had returned to what she looked like before she had started absorbing Kairi's heart. For a moment, Kairi saw Xion for who she had truly been, a sweet, innocent, child-like teenage girl. A girl who tried to befriend and care for everyone she met, even those who might not have deserved the chance. Someone who gave her friendship and love, almost unconditionally...

Then...

She started disintegrating before Kairi's eyes. "XION!"

She clutched at the hand gripping hers, trying to pry it off. "NO! Please! Please don't go!"

The dust Xion began to disintegrate into flew at and into Kairi, and with it, her memories and power started to come back. Xion stared down at her as she struggled to try and pry her hand free, her smile growing sad. The girl gave a soft giggle before she leaned forward to kiss Kairi's forehead and then wrap her other hand around Kairi in a hug.

"I'll always be with you," Xion whispered.

BURST

Xion exploded in a burst of white dust and smoke, swirling around and being absorbed into Kairi, leaving nothing behind save for her Organization coat, boots, and gloves. Kairi sat there, in shock, as she was bombarded with all the memories and power she had lost at once, stunned by the sensation, and stunned by the loss...

She began to shake, tears streaming down her face. "X...Xion..."

She clutched Xion's coat and let out a blood curdling scream of anguish. She fell off the throne and to her knees, curling up over the clothing and sobbing into them uncontrollably.

Arms wrapped around her, and Sora's sad voice whispered, "Kairi... I'm sorry."

She wanted to hit him, to scream at him for not stopping Xion, for not saving her. But... all she could do was turn and cry into his chest, letting him pull her into a tight hug. She sobbed for what felt like hours, until her throat dried so much it hurt, her face felt like she had been standing outside in the rain, and she couldn't force herself to make anymore tears. She sat there, in Sora's arms, shivering uncontrollably.

All she could see... was Xion's face in her mind... as the girl disintegrated...

"Sora," came Terra, his voice unusually soft, "You should take her to her room to rest. I imagine this has been a trying experience for her. We will convene later to... discuss this."

"Come on Kairi," whispered Sora softly, "Let's go."

She said nothing, clutching Xion's clothing tightly to herself as Sora picked her up and took her to her room. She didn't need to see the other's faces to feel their pity radiating off of them as they passed. Sora gently set her on her bed and sat down in a chair next to it.

"Kairi... I'm so sorry, I... wish something else could have been done," he said softly.

She didn't look at him.

He sighed. "Just... get some rest Kairi. In the morning, you can tell us what happened, and then..."

Anger entered his voice as he stood up and went for the door. "We can stop Xehanort, stop this suffering he keeps inflicting on everyone, hopefully for good this time."

The closing of the door echoed in her mind, along with the name: Xehanort.

Kairi clenched Xion's clothes tightly. "Xe...ha...nort..."

Kairi... please... stop him... and Kingdom Hearts free...

Kairi gave a strangled gasp and sat up. "X-xion!?"

There was no reply.

Kairi stared down at Xion's clothes silently. She waved a hand and dismissed her armor. Slowly and tenderly, she donned Xion's coat. She took off her boots and gloves, putting Xion's black ones on instead. She stood and moved to her bathroom, looking over herself in the mirror.

For a moment, Xion's face appeared in the mirror. Whether it was real, or a trauma induced illusion, she didn't know. She didn't care though...

Kairi raised a hand and placed it on the mirror, as if to brush the girl's cheek. "Xion... I swear to you... I'll put an end to him."

Xion smiled at her, and for a moment, Kairi thought she heard the girl's innocent giggling, before the reflection returned to being Kairi's. She bowed her head, took a ragged breath, and turned on the faucet to take a quick drink of water to wet her throat.

She splashed a bit of water on her face, wiped it off, and stared at herself in the mirror one more time. She turned and reached into herself, searching. She had taken more into herself than just what had been... given... to Xion. She had taken the bits and scraps of the girl that had been left. She used them, felt the chill of darkness that she felt every time Xion opened a Corridor, something that no Princess of Heart was ever supposed to be able to feel and use like this, and she opened one.

Not to The World That Never Was.

No, she had something else to do first. Axel deserved to know what had happened. And what's more...

It was time.

It was time for her and her Master to finally set this right.

She wasn't leaving until Aqua's Nobody... until Aqua... agreed to come with her to end this, as they should have done together a long time ago...

Author's Notes:

RIP Xion.