Chapter 27 Deception
Day 352
"Roxas. I am sending you on an exterminating mission." Saix said
"What kind of Heartless are we dealing with this time?" Roxas asked
"We are unsure. The Dusks weren't clear with the detail. Proceed with caution." Saix warned. Roxas nodded and left.
At the alter:
"I sent Roxas on the mission." Saix said as he approached Xemnas.
"Excellent. With how things are now, keeping both has proven to be a failure. This mission will determine which one is more worthy. Will Roxas take back what he lost, or will Xion take the rest from Roxas?" Xemnas asked
Unknown to them, Axel was listening in.
'They set Roxas and Xion up? Crap! I got to stop them!' Axel thought as he summoned a corridor. Saix walked down in time to spot him running through.
"That idiot." He growled
In Halloween Town, an eerie fog rolled across the cemetery as Roxas came face to face with his target. It was like an Invisible Heartless, but had some orange design on its head.
"Alright. Let's go!" Roxas declared as the two began to fight.
Roxas charged at the Heartless with his blade, but the Heartless swung its blade that sent Roxas flying back. The Heartless then vanished and appeared above Roxas ready to strike, though Roxas managed to roll out of the way. The Heartless charged at Roxas with a barrage of attacks with its sword. Roxas tried to block them, but his blade wasn't fast enough to block all of them as Roxas took more and more hits.
'This thing is wearing me down fast. If I don't do something soon, I'm finished.' Roxas thought. The Heartless backed up for another attack. 'I have to end this in the next strike or I am finished.'
Both Roxas and the Heartless charged at each other with their swords ready to clash…
Only for Axel to intercept both swords with his Chakrams.
"STOP! That's enough, both of you!" Axel shouted
"Axel? What are you doing here? And what do you mean 'both of you?'" Roxas asked as the fog vanished and the Heartless turned into…
"XION?!" Roxas shouted confused
"Roxas? That was you I was fighting?" Xion asked just as shocked
"This mission was a set up. They rigged the fog to cast an illusion and make you fight each other." Axel explained
"What?" Both asked shocked
"Saix! He set us up!" Roxas growled
"Roxas. Keep quiet about this. It's best not to make waves." Axel advised
"How can I keep quiet about this?" Roxas demanded
"Roxas…Please do it for me." Xion asked
"Xion…fine." Roxas relented as he rubbed his soar arm. "Man Xion. You are really tough." He laughed
Xion however wasn't laughing with him. She was examining the damage she did to Roxas. 'If we were fighting even a second longer, I would have…' She couldn't even finish that thought.
"Hey Axel, thanks for stopping us and…I'm sorry for how I acted." Roxas said
"I-It's fine. Let's get back." Axel said a bit red in the face.
At the Clock Tower:
The three finished their usual Sea-Salt Ice Cream.
"Hey! We all got winners!" Xion said surprised
"All at once? Talk about some serious luck." Roxas laughed. "But what do you win though?"
"You can trade them in for some prizes when you collect enough of them. My goal is the big prize, a tissue dispenser." Axel said
"Okay?" Roxas and Xion muttered
"Don't judge me." Axel said
"Well, I have a few winners back home. I wonder if we add them up, how much do we have?" Roxas wondered
"Wow. That sunset is beautiful." Xion commented on
"Looks like any other one to me." Roxas said
"It feels special to me." Xion said sadly. Roxas was silent for a moment, but then an thought came to his mind.
"Hey, next day off, we are totally going to hit the beach, right?" Roxas asked excited
"Huh?" Xion asked
"What? Do you already have plans?" Roxas asked
"No…That sounds nice." Xion said with a bit of a forced smile
"Great! What about you Axel?" Roxas asked
"…Sure." Axel said with a small smile
"Then it's settled!" Roxas declared with a smile, though Axel and Xion didn't share his joy at the moment.
Later that evening:
Axel was walking back to the room as he saw Saix walking towards him.
'Let's see how he's going to punish me for my misconduct this time.' Axel thought.
To his surprise, Saix said nothing to him and just kept walking.
"So that's how you're going to play it." Axel said
In the Old Mansion:
"Sora…" Namine said sadly
"This has gone on long enough." DIZ said annoyed as he turning to Riku. "Riku, you know what to do."
Riku just nodded slowly. "Right." He said a bit sad
Day 353
Roxas entered the break room to see Saix talking to Axel, Xigbar, and Xion.
"Are you guys going on a mission?" Roxas asked
"Yep. A three-man mission." Xigbar said
"Any chance I can trade with Xigbar?" Roxas asked hopeful
"How childish. You need Axel to hold your hand everywhere you go now?" Saix scoffed
"No, I didn't…never mind." Roxas sighed as the three left.
"They can handle their mission. Now get to yours." Saix ordered and Roxas did.
In Wonderland:
It didn't take long before things got crazy on this mission. Only a few moments from entering wonderland, Xion suddenly attacked Xigbar.
"Well, this is a blast from the past." Xigbar said as he dodged Xion's Keyblade from a surprise attack.
"Xion stop!" Axel called out as he watched from the side
Xigbar summoned his arrow guns as he scoffs. "Of all the faces why is it that I look at hers and see yours?"
In Xion's place was a boy that looked like Roxas, but his clothing was different. It looked like what Roxas had on outside of his cloak, but there was armor on his shoulder and he wore armor boots instead of shoes. "Why is it that you always have to glare at me like that?"
"Shut up!" Xion shouted as she charged at Xigbar. Xigbar was about to shoot her but she vanished from his sight to his surprise and showed up next to him where she gave a powerful slash that knocked him out.
Dismissing her Keyblade, she turned to Axel. "I'm sorry Axel."
"What are you doing?" Axel asked
"I need to go…Look at me Axel." Xion said lifting her hood. Axel was shocked at what he saw.
"I have to do this, or else…Please Axel. Take care of Roxas." Xion said
"But you'll be…" Axel began
"Please Axel." Xion repeated.
Axel was silent for a moment, but then nodded.
"Thank you." Xion said as she ran off.
Later:
"Explain yourself Axel!" Saix demanded.
Roxas had just returned from his mission of collecting Hearts which thankfully went without issue this time, and came back to see Saix yelling at Axel with Xigbar watching.
"The old man needs to get his eye checked." Axel shrugged. "She just got away."
"I'll give him that. Can't really go and toss around the blame." Xigbar admitted
"Did something happen?" Roxas asked
"And now we are stuck with the one we can't use." Saix grunted as he left.
"What happened?" Roxas asked again.
"Xion flew the coop." Xigbar said
"What?" Roxas asked shocked
"After she gave me a good beat down, she ran off while Flamesilocks her just sat by and sucked his thumb." Xigbar said as he walked off saying he was going to his room.
"Why did you let her go Axel? We all just promised we'd go to the beach together! WHY?!" Roxas demanded but Axel said nothing.
"Axel! Why did you just let her leave?" Roxas asked getting in front of him. Axel knew he couldn't keep this a secret any longer.
"Roxas…Xion is like a mirror that reflects you." Axel said
"What?" Roxas asked
"Xion is a puppet that the Organization made to duplicate your power. She's a puppet." Axel said
"What are you talking about? Xion is a person, not a puppet!" Roxas retorted
"She's a mirror that reflects you. And when I looked into the mirror, it wasn't you that I saw." Axel said
"Xion is Xion. You can't expect her to be me!" Roxas argued
"That isn't what I mean. It was only a matter of time before someone broke the mirror." Axel said
"You mean they have to destroy her?" Roxas asked but Axel didn't respond. "ANSWER ME!"
"Roxas…If someone doesn't, then you won't be you anymore." Axel said
"What does that mean?" Roxas asked
Emergency meeting! All members emergency meeting! The speakers spoke out across the castle.
"Let's go Roxas." Axel said and Roxas reluctantly followed
With Xion:
Xion arrived at Destiny Island where Riku was waiting for her.
"Did you find your answer?" Riku asked
"I did. Tell me what I need to do." Xion said
"Go to Twilight Town. At the edge of Town there is a forest where you will find an old mansion. There you will find a girl named Namine." Riku said
"Namine? What is she like?" Xion asked
"You'll know when you see her." Riku said
"Okay…Thank you Riku and Good bye." Xion said as she left through a Corridor of Darkness.
"Bye…" Riku muttered as he left the Islands again.
In the round room, the remaining members of Organization XIII all sat in their seats as Xemnas spoke up.
"Xion has disappeared yet again." Xemnas said.
"Do we know where she is?" Xaldin asked
"Not a 'she,' but an 'it.'" Xemnas said
"She's a replica." Xigbar said
"A what?" Demyx asked
"Guess it's time to explain the replica project, huh?" Xigbar asked
"Explain this pet project of yours Xemnas." Xaldin demanded
"Xion was a replica with the purpose to duplicate the Keyblade's power. It was one of several experiments that we've been undertaking at Castle Oblivion that were overseen by Vexen. However, our efforts were derailed severely by Vexen's untimely demise. That was not part of the plan. Nether was it that Xion would form an identity." Xemnas said
"No one at Castle Oblivion ever reported any instance of a replica forming its own identity. Do you concur Axel?" Saix asked and Axel silently nodded with some hesitance.
"Whatever the puppet may decide to do, we can be certain that it will no longer have an impact on our plans. However, it knows our secrets. We need to shorten the leash. Perhaps even tighten it." Xemnas said
"What exactly do you…" Roxas began but was ignored
"Axel. You are in charge of the hunt since she left on your watch. I will overlook any nicks or scratches, but I want her functional upon arrival." Xemnas ordered
"Why would you allow a deserter back? Shouldn't she just be eradicated?" Xaldin asked much to Roxas's anger
"If this were a deserter then yes. But this is just a flawed experiment that has wondered off." Saix clarified.
"Are we clear Axel?" Xemnas asked and Axel nodded. "Dismissed. And Xigbar, I wish to speak with you in private." Xigbar nodded and the two left.
"Bring her back? What sheer madness." Xaldin grunted as he left.
"To think, I've been talking to a puppet all this time. Crazy." Demyx said suprised as he left.
"If only the whispers at the top carried out to the bottom." Luxord chuckled as he left.
"Axel. Those orders are absolute." Saix reminded and Axel nodded as he left. "Roxas. You are dismissed."
"Xion is not a puppet!" Roxas spat
"A puppet could never be a part of the Organization. Look around and count the seats. We have and always will be Thirteen." Saix said as he left.
Axel was about to leave for his search but Roxas stopped him.
"Axel. Do you really have to do what Xemnas says? Maybe it would be best if Xion doesn't come back." Roxas said
"You know that if I don't, they will eradicate me next." Axel said
Roxas was silent. Deep down, he knew that Axel was right. "Can you at least promise me not to harm her?"
"That's up to her." Axel said as he turned to Roxas. "Xion is dangerous."
"Dangerous?" Roxas asked
"Tell me. Have you got all of your strength back?" Axel asked
"Not yet." Roxas admitted. "Axel, did you know about Xion from the beginning and never told me?"
Axel said nothing and just left much to Roxas's concern.
In the Forest of Twilight Town.
King Mickey was walking down the Forest, having just arrived in Twilight Town when he saw a man in a black coat appear before him.
"Remove your hood right now." Mickey demanded.
The figure did…revealing Ansem.
Mickey immediately summoned his Keyblade in response but Ansem didn't attack. He just grabbed a blind fold and put it on. A dark aura surrounded him as he turned into Riku.
"Riku?" Mickey gasped dismissing his Keyblade.
"Your majesty." Riku greeted
"I've been looking all over for you this time. Where have you been, and where is Silas?" Mickey asked
"I've been looking for a way to concur the darkness inside of me, while we wait for Sora to awaken." Riku said
"The way you looked though…" Mickey began
"Don't worry. I've been getting better at keeping it under control." Riku assured
"And Sora is still asleep?" Mickey asked
Riku nodded. "Silas and I have been working with DIZ and Namine to fix that, though Silas was asked by DIZ to go back home, since the Organization has been rather fixated on his home world."
"I see. And how is Sora's memory restoration going? Were there problems?" Mickey asked
Riku nodded again. "There was a reason the Organization was quite since our fight at Castle Oblivion, and it wasn't because we cut their numbers down. Taking apart Sora's memories was only step one."
"We've both been looking into the Organization's plans, but from what I saw, it seems like the Organization is trying to buy time for something." Mickey said
"They wanted to buy time so they could get all of Sora's memories. The process to restore his memories has gone nowhere. They have his most precious memories. Those of Kairi." Riku said
"Maybe I can help get those memories back." Mickey offered
"I have that covered your maj-I mean Mickey." Riku corrected. "Instead, I have a favor to ask of you."
"A favor?" Mickey asked
"I have to fight one of the Organization Members soon. And it will be a battle that I may not survive. And if I do survive, it might be because I gave into the darkness. That means that you will be the only one there for Sora, Corrin, Donald, and Goofy since I have no idea when Silas will be back from whatever mission he was sent on." Riku said "You have to be there to guide them when they wake up. Promise me Mickey."
"Riku…" Mickey said sadly. "I promise."
At the Alter:
"You know, something's been bugging me. Wasn't the idea of taking Corrin to invoke Nohr even more? Kind of defeats the purpose since no one remembers him." Xigbar said
"I do admit that I acted hastily back then. I knew little of what the barrier of Hoshido could do. I saw potential in two individuals and thought they would be worthy vessels for my grand plan." Xemnas admitted
"Ryoma and Xander. Two people of extortionary strength and skill. They would make fine vessels sure, but what is your plan now?" Xigbar asked
"According to the Dusks, Corrin's sister Kamui has finally returned home, but King Garon has a plan set in motion to destroy Hoshido's barrier. When that happens, Hoshido and Nohr will go into a full-on war. And when that happens, the losing side will be easy picking to fall to darkness. Or more particularly, the one that Kamui doesn't pick." Xemnas said
"So, you want me to go and see what side the girl doesn't pick then?" Xigbar asked and Xemnas nodded.
"We need Thirteen vessels. At least one of them will be of big help. Heartless are slowly being drawn to that world. Once war breaks out, the Heartless will arise." Xemnas said
Xigbar nodded. "What of Kamui? You want her too?"
"Maybe…I do admit, her bother definitely had more to him than I thought…Still, the weight of war will be a tough one. Let us focus first on the losing side, then focus on gathering the winning side. If all works well, we can gain Ryoma, Xander, and Kamui." Xemnas said
"Three new members. Goodie. Let's at least hope that Kamui doesn't go crazy like Corrin did." Xigbar mocked as he left.
And that's a wrap!
So yeah. Xemnas took Corrin to invoke the war. Why? Negative emotions like guilt and anger can help one become a Heartless, which would create a Nobody.
And while it would be a bit farfetched for Xemnas to act rashly, do keep in mind that Xehanort did in BBS, to which he even admitted in DDD. Heck, half of the people Xemnas chose at first failed to be vessels. At that point, he was just trying to fill his roaster. But things weren't working like he wanted so he's been studying it for a back up just in case.
There is still more to the story and I will go over it more in details in the next arc.
But aside from that, we are nearing the end of this arc. Next two chapters will wrap up chapters 5 and 6 of Kamui's story and then we can wrap up Roxas's story.
Stay tuned.