"Saïx! Good morning! Did you wake up on the right side of the bed today?"

Saïx did not turn to see who had called out to him as he casually strolled down the hall toward the Grey Area. The voice was so recognizable he'd have to be deaf to mistake it. Xigbar quickly caught up and walked alongside him with an energetic grin on his face. Saïx barely concealed his annoyance at his bothersome comrade, keeping his eyes straight ahead as he politely greeted him.

"Good morning, Xigbar. I woke up on the same side I do every day."

"But, it looks like this time you actually got your beauty sleep."

Saïx glanced at him with his usual expressionless face, questioning him with feigned offense. "Are you suggesting I wasn't beautiful yesterday?"

Xigbar laughed out loud at the witty remark, pleasantly surprised to be hearing it out of the most uptight member of the Organization. "Ha! Saïx, it's been a long time since I've seen you look this chill in the morning. Whatever epic knockout pills you found, I hope you brought enough to share with the class!"

"I counted sheep."

Xigbar, seeing right through Saïx's deliberately innocent tone, leaned in and whispered mischievously. "All by yourself?"

Coming to a dead stop, Saïx only gave him his signature blank stare in response. Xigbar got the message pretty quickly, confirming his suspicions. He flashed his comrade a knowing smile before taking off to greet Luxord. Saïx rolled his eyes, internally preparing himself to be the subject of childish gossip for the rest of the day.

As usual, Saïx did not sleep, despite his witty counter to Xigbar's joke. After Axel left, he spent a good thirty minutes just standing motionless in his shower, unflinchingly letting the water pour over him until it turned cold. Without even bothering to dry off, he sprawled himself out on his mattress and stared out the window for hours, begging for sleep, only for his pleading to go unanswered yet again. All he could do was gaze listlessly at the moon and meditate, but his mind kept wandering to the conversation with Axel. He should have expected the man to become sentimental and try to dig up old ghosts. The way Axel clung to the false hope that the course of their lives could be reversed was nauseating, and Saïx chided himself for failing to anticipate the risks before soliciting him.

Saïx took his usual place at the far end of the room, prompting his comrades to instinctively flock to him, just as they did every morning. Reading from his clipboard, he barked out the day's mission schedule in his usual lifeless drone, seeking to finish the briefings as quickly as possible so that all of these men would get out of his hair.

"Roxas, I am told that your recovery has been exemplary. For this week, I will be assigning you very light work until you have regained your strength. Today you will go to Wonderland with Luxord. Clear out the Heartless there and keep an eye out for Emerald Serenades. If at any point you feel you need to return, you are authorized to do so."

"Understood."

"Luxord, I want him back here looking as good as he does now. Watch him."

"Leave it to me, Saïx."

"Axel, Xigbar, go to Agrabah and determine the kind of manpower we will need to take out that Heartless. And for god's sake don't engage it."

"You got it, boss."

"Vexen, I want you to visit the new world and continue mapping it out. Stay in the northern region today."

"Off I go, then."

"Demyx, you're going to Beast's Castle with Xaldin. If you can't bench press a Morning Star by the time you come back, you'll be joining him and Lexaeus for their exercise regimen every morning for the rest of the week."

"Tomorrow is leg day, little boy. And we don't use safe words. Hope you're ready."

"Aw come on, Saïx. Can you bench press a Morning Star?"

"Yes. Bring me one and I'll happily demonstrate. Now get out of here."

As his comrades disappeared into their dark corridors one by one, taking off for another day of the same old grind, Saïx found himself alone once again. He had nothing to complain about - this was his role as Xemnas' right hand, and the job was a cushy one. Any one of the other members would consider it a perk to spend their days in a quiet, empty castle, undisturbed by noisy comrades and strenuous grunt work. However, even Saïx could grow bored of the silence.

He let his mind wander again as he perched on the arm of the sofa with his tired eyes fixed on the glowing moon. His wrist was bothering him again. He indulged in the memory of watching Axel's fingers glide over his skin with an almost salacious quality to their trek. The peculiar sensation of pain mixed with relief as his aching muscles capitulated to Axel's masterful touch should have driven him mad with lust. And, in a way, it did, but it wasn't the same. It wasn't like before. It was more the feeling of lust that Saïx was lusting after. His ensuing arousal was simply an automatic physical response, lacking any real desire behind the performance.

Saïx closed his eyes, fully lost in the memory of the encounter. The images began to blur together; the sight of flying papers as he flung Axel's skinny frame onto the desk, the light dancing on his glistening skin as he squirmed desperately beneath his dominating lover, the agonized grimace he wore as Saïx relentlessly drove into him. All so raw and erotic, quite effectively granting Saïx the release he'd needed, yet only resulting in all the satisfaction of scratching a particularly stubborn itch. It was pleasurable, but ultimately it was empty.

Saïx was honest when he revealed to Axel how he preferred to pass the time during the lonely hours of the night. If only to alleviate the boredom of insomnia, Saïx yielded to the only pleasure he could experience alone, disappointing as it always turned out to be. He performed the task like a chore, going through the motions as he lay in bed and stared vacantly at the ceiling. Every climax was as underwhelming as the last, only ever achieving a mark of 'barely passable.' It wasn't enough. In desperation, he turned to Axel, reducing himself to playing a pitifully submissive role in the hopes that the humiliation would ignite a fiery rage at his dominator, or an insatiable hunger for more punishment. It didn't matter. He just wanted to feel something. Anything. And he was so close, he could almost taste it.

The image of Axel's face just before he left, downcast and forlorn, sprang into Saïx's mind. At the time, he had failed to read it, and devoted much of the night to interpreting every detail of the expression. If Saïx didn't know any better, he would say that Axel appeared to be hurt himself. But of course that was preposterous — Axel had no heart, leaving heartache quite obviously out of his grasp. It was a wonder that Axel ever concerned himself with all the frivolous strings and baggage which so often came with romantic partnership, as he clearly had no qualms about walking away from the only one he'd ever had. It was far too late for him to start regretting things now.

His quiet contemplation was soon interrupted by the sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps approaching from behind. Saïx slid off the sofa and stood at attention for his Superior. It was unlike him to come to the Grey Area, preferring to summon his subordinates to him, rather than seek them out. Saïx suppressed his curious trepidation as he awaited Xemnas' orders.

"Something troubles you." His greeting was warm, but icy. Under the naive illusion of privacy, Saïx had allowed himself to sink a little too deep into his memories, and Xemnas seemed to know exactly where his mind had wandered. Saïx began to feel very exposed, as if Xemnas could peer right through him.

"No, sir. I was observing the moon."

"I see…"

Xemnas casually strolled to the tall window, gazing proudly at the bright, heart-shaped moon that was his Kingdom Hearts. Saïx had spent countless hours standing in that very spot, watching that very moon, and listening to the voices of the Hearts it contained. For those who were sensitive to its energy, it was an invigorating experience.

"Kingdom Hearts continues to flourish. We have our dedicated Keyblade Wielder to thank." Xemnas spoke with delight in his voice, smiling openly at his masterpiece. Though his joy was so practiced as to appear genuine, every second of pleasant small talk made Saïx more and more uneasy. Surely the Superior hadn't come all this way just to admire the moon.

"Yes, sir. He has remarkable work ethic, considering the circumstances."

"How is he? Is he in good health?"

"As far as I can tell. I've watched him closely. There have been no further incidents."

Xemnas nodded approvingly, returning his gaze to the moon. The two stared out the window in silence for a while. Xemnas never ceased to impress his comrades with his command over nothingness, ever an expert at comfortably doing nothing. Saïx often found him in the Room where Nothing Gathers, sitting idle on his throne for hours at a time. Other times, he could be found on the roof, reaching into the empty void of the pitch black sky with his eyes closed. No matter where he went, he was always alone. It was that propensity for isolation that he and Saïx seemed to share.

Saïx's thoughts raced with the possible reasons Xemnas had come. His face was unreadable, and his voice was neutral. If he had orders, why was he taking so long to deliver them? After some time, Saïx began to sense that he was being observed. He could feel Xemnas' eyes on him, but he maintained his expressionless stare, unflinching, waiting for his leader to speak his mind at last.

"You are still unable to sleep."

His comment took Saïx by surprise, and he turned his face to Xemnas, barely concealing his broken composure. "Sir?"

"How long has it been?"

Caught entirely off-guard, Saïx took several seconds to collect himself and adjust to the unexpected turn in the conversation. "Weeks, sir. I've lost count."

Xemnas's face fell with a sigh, displaying a convincing facsimile of regret and sorrow. "Pitiable," With near-perfect remorse in his voice, he offered sympathy to his comrade. "It was an unintended side effect. To have such an intimate connection to the moon that you can draw power from it… only for it to draw power from you as well."

Saïx preferred not to discuss his insomnia with the man who had indirectly caused it. He spoke flatly and with no outward reaction to his Superior's uncharacteristic prying. "It was a steep price. The moon demands my attention. Sleeping would deprive me of its power."

Xemnas responded with a silent, understanding nod. He was quite good at fooling his comrades into believing he held any real concern for their well-being, but Saïx knew better. Every word and every inflection was nothing more than a well-rehearsed charade, performed by a highly skilled actor.

"Sir, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"About Roxas?"

"Why is it that we are trying to rid ourselves of him?"

Xemnas' cold response reflected his indifference to the boy's fate. "Roxas has defected once already. He is a liability."

"Then why not just turn him into a Dusk and be done with him?"

Xemnas began to pace along the length of the windowed edge of the room, pausing as he constructed his explanation. His answer was matter-of-fact, spoken with disinterest in his voice. "He is still a Keyblade Wielder. We still need his power. But we don't need his identity. His personality, his desires, his memories… they all get in the way. I am seeking to create a new Roxas without all the risks."

"A Keyblade-wielding machine, essentially."

"Precisely."

"But… there's no guarantee it will work, especially at this stage. And a failure could mean losing Roxas altogether. Then we would be without our Keyblade Wielder and our backup plan."

Xemnas turned to face his comrade with a reassuring smile. "You're quite right. But do not fear. I have alternative plans. All will be revealed when the time comes."

He should have known Xemnas wouldn't tell him everything. He wasn't even sure he could rely on the answers he got today. For all he knew, Xemnas had fabricated his entire presentation to conceal his true motives. "Yes, sir."

Saïx hoped that would be the end of the conversation and the Superior would leave, but Xemnas clearly had more to discuss, and it was a topic that Saïx dreaded having to address.

"What can you tell me about Axel?"

"Axel, sir?"

"Axel has been on our watch list for some time. He and Roxas are practically attached at the hip. With Roxas being put at risk, there is a possibility he will go rogue, should any unfortunate fate befall the boy."

Saïx could feel goosebumps rise on his skin beneath his heavy black coat. He knew exactly where Xemnas was going with this and he shuddered with the sense of foreboding such thoughts elicited. "We don't really talk much. I can't get much out of him. But, so far, he hasn't said anything alarming."

Images from the previous night bombarded his mind, rapidly flashing by like a film playing behind his eyes. Axel's infuriating sentimentality, the way he ran from the truth and sought to ruin all that was left of their relationship, the boiling heat of resentment rising Saïx's his chest as he watched him walk away again, all culminating in an overwhelming sensation of pressure building inside his head, throbbing painfully against his skull.

"Is that… bitterness I see?"

"No, sir. I… have a headache. It is merely a symptom of exhaustion."

Xemnas, in a surprisingly unconcerned and friendly gesture, took a seat in a nearby chair, beckoning Saïx to join him on the adjacent sofa. Saïx hesitated for several seconds before accepting the invitation. "So you and Axel are on shaky ground. I suppose it is for the best. It may become necessary to take action against him if his dedication wavers. You would of course be the one to eliminate him, should the need arise."

Saïx's stomach turned at this news. He knew why it had to be him — Xemnas was going to test his loyalty. Saïx exhausted the remainder of his mental discipline concealing his shock and outrage at the thought that Xemnas had any suspicions about him. For a moment, he was almost certain he felt the sharp talons of fear clamping onto his stomach, violently churning his insides, puncturing into his very flesh and draining the life out of him.

"Sir… Roxas defected before in a fit of rage. Axel didn't go with him, and in fact tried desperately to convince him to stay. I would say that is adequate proof of his loyalty. He wants a heart just as much as any one of us."

Xemnas softened his expression and flashed Saïx a warm smile. "Of course. Kingdom Hearts is his only hope. It would be foolhardy to abandon it. Besides, testing the loyalty of a comrade is something I have never felt the need to do. I find it deplorable, an emotional display from an insecure leader if there ever was one. However, the occasional pop quiz never hurts. With so little at stake, it's just enough for the teacher to assess whether or not the pupil understands the material, with no real consequences for either party."

It was as if Xemnas knew what Saïx was thinking and had drawn up his little monologue just to put him at ease. Saïx didn't buy a single word of it. Xemnas didn't test his subordinates out of insecurity, he did it so that he could rid himself of anyone who stood in the way of the Organization's goals. He didn't care about loyalty. He cared about completing Kingdom Hearts, and he would eliminate in cold blood anyone who interfered with his plans.

Rubbing his forehead with brows furrowed in discomfort, Saïx returned to his spot in front of the window, drawing power from the moon in the hopes that his mind would empty and his head would stop aching. Xemnas, taking notice of his plight, rose from his seat and followed his comrade with a look of mild, almost fatherly concern.

"If I may suggest… perhaps the moon would be more merciful if you indulged more often."

Saïx no longer had the energy to be surprised by the abrupt shifts in the conversation, now unfazed by Xemnas' astoundingly ill-advised suggestion. "It's dangerous, sir. I am responsible for more injuries and property damage than I care to contemplate."

Xemnas stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Could it be possible that the episodes will be less… intense… if they occurred with greater frequency? Relieve the pressure by letting out some of the air?"

"I really don't know. I've been unwilling to take the risk and test any theories."

Seeing the futility in his advice, Xemnas nodded and laid a hand on his shoulder in support as he turned to leave. "As I recall… you were quite an athlete before. Perhaps all you need is some exercise and fresh air. I recommend you spend the next full moon outdoors."

Saïx nodded, relieved that his Superior was finally on his way out. The pressure in his head was already beginning to release. "I'll take it into consideration, sir."

The moment Xemnas had left the room, Saïx heaved a sigh and sank into the sofa. For the first time today, he could look directly into the moon's glow and feel some semblance of peace. He closed his eyes, shocked to find that he was drifting away. He considered returning to his room for a nap, knowing full well he had nothing else to do, and that sleep had become such a precious commodity for him it would be foolish to pass it up. He decided against it, preferring to remain where he was, alone with the warm company of his thoughts, his memories, and the brightly shining moon. If sleep decided to take him here, he would not resist its advances. Then, Xigbar really would have reason to gossip.

Wonderland was always a guaranteed adventure for whomever the Organization assigned to visit. Roxas had discovered something new every time he arrived, each more fascinating than the last. In their search for the Emerald Serenade, Roxas and Luxord passed through a garden with flowers several times their size. The flowers were sentient, and when they weren't gossiping with each other, they were singing together as a chorus. It had been quite awhile since Roxas had heard music that didn't come from Demyx's sitar.

They left the garden, having encountered no Heartless inside, and made their way through a dark forest, following a winding path through the trees. Roxas scanned the woods for their target, mostly seeing native wildlife and not much else. He found a sign warning them of a creature called a 'mome rath' to be particularly amusing, secretly hoping that he might get a chance to see one.

Just when he was beginning to consider taking their search elsewhere, Roxas saw movement in the distance. He grabbed Luxord by the sleeve and dragged him behind a thick tree, taking cover while he squinted to identify the creature. He heaved a sigh of relief when he recognized it as their target.

"There's the Emerald Serenade!"

Luxord peered out from behind the tree to get a look at the Heartless. "Ah, you've found the bugger. How shall we proceed?"

Roxas thought for a moment. Emerald Serenades were generally harmless, but difficult to take down. Rather than attacking, they would run away at faster and faster speeds, and they took quite a beating before finally giving up the ghost. "Well… they're weak to magic. Magic is your thing, so you whittle it down and I'll take it out with my Keyblade."

"Excellent strategizing. The game begins!"

Roxas watched the creature for a few minutes, mapping out its trajectory in his head. Once he had memorized its path, he hid in a spot where he knew it would pass by, preparing for an ambush. Luxord tossed magic spells at the Heartless with his usual flourishes, performing lethal tricks with his cards until he'd reduced the creature's health enough for Roxas to finish it off.

"Now, Roxas!"

As soon as the Emerald Serenade was close enough, Roxas set the ambush in motion, leaping out from his hiding place and landing a critical hit on the Heartless with his Keyblade. It vanished in a puff of smoke, releasing a pink heart into the sky as it disappeared. As he sheathed his weapon, Luxord caught up with him, clapping his hands with a smile.

"Nice work! I think that takes care of this area. Let's head over to the other side."

They backtracked through the forest, heading back the way they came. The woods were eerily quiet, leading Roxas to wonder how such a large forest was inhabited by nothing other than one Emerald Serenade. They soon came to a fork in the path - one that they didn't encounter on their way in.

"Well, that's odd. I don't recall which way we came from."

"The path has changed. It didn't split before."

"Which way should we go, then?"

Before Roxas could answer, their brainstorming was interrupted by the sound of giggling. They searched all around for the source of the laughter, convinced they were alone when they saw nothing and no one around. The giggles continued, growing more sinister the longer it took for Roxas and Luxord to locate them. Finally, Luxord nudged Roxas on the shoulder, pointing at a nearby tree.

"Roxas, look. We've got company."

Sitting atop a low-hanging branch of the tree was a magenta striped cat with a haunting smile on its face. Roxas and Luxord had seen this particular cat before, and considered him more of a nuisance than an actual threat.

"You again?"

Upon being spotted, the cat's laughter stopped short, but it's frightening smile never wavered as it recited its riddles. "Are you the original, or the copy? Or perhaps you are both?"

"What?"

"In the mirror, which of you is the reflection?"

Roxas scratched his head, dumbfounded. The Cheshire Cat always spoke in riddles, but there was something different about its message this time. "Reflection…? What are you talking about?"

The cat vanished, only to reappear upside down in another tree. "Ahh, child of destiny, born of a child of destiny. One is two, and two are one. A pair which speaks with the same voice. In the unending struggle for a shared sense of self, who will win? Perhaps the gambler here will place a bet…"

Luxord backed away from the animal, refusing to address the cat and instead speaking to Roxas with a hushed whisper. "I feel stoned just talking to this guy."

The Cheshire Cat disappeared once again, rematerializing directly on the path in front of them. It addressed Roxas directly, entirely ignoring Luxord for the rest of the conversation. "All coins have two sides. But only one side can face upwards at a time. The other side must sleep until the coin is flipped. But who is it who flips the coin?"

"Do you speak in anything other than riddles?"

The cat flashed its numerous teeth and trotted down one side of the forked path, calling back behind him as he walked away from the pair. "He protects you, just as you protect him. Have you heard his call yet?"

"Whose call? What do you mean?"

The cat only grinned widely as it slowly faded out of sight. Roxas glanced all around to see if it had transported itself elsewhere as it had done before, but there was no sign of it anywhere. As he silently pondered the strange message the cheshire cat had delivered, Roxas felt a thrashing inside his abdomen, taking his breath away with a gasp of surprise. He froze in place, unsure of what had just happened. It soon struck again, as if something were twisting up his insides. He laid his hands over his belly, trying to see if he could feel the sensations from the outside.

"Roxas? Are you alright?" Luxord had rushed to his side with a worried look. Roxas took a moment before he had regained enough of his breath to answer him.

"Yeah, I'm fine…"

"What's the matter?"

Roxas let his hands slide all around his abdomen, waiting for it to happen again. Slowly, he began to understand what he was feeling. The entity was awake, and it was turning itself about inside of him. The force of it was nauseating, leaving him feeling winded after every jolt. "It's… it's moving…"

"Ah! How exciting! Is that not a good thing?"

"I don't really know…" Roxas winced as the entity jumped inside him again. The violent writhing made his stomach lurch, and he was certain he would be sick any moment.

Luxord steadied Roxas with a hand on his shoulder and a worried look. "You don't look well. Perhaps we should go back."

"Really, I'm fine. I can finish the mission."

"Saïx will have my head if I let anything happen to you. I can handle the rest here. Let's get you home."

Deciding this was not a battle he cared to fight, Roxas allowed Luxord to open a corridor of darkness, entering it without argument and soon arriving back in the Grey Area. Saïx took notice of his return as he lowered himself onto the sofa to catch his breath.

"Roxas. You've returned. Has something happened?"

"No, I'm fine. I just need to sit down."

Saïx stared at Roxas with a skeptical look, clearly unconvinced by his explanation. It didn't help that the entity flailed once more, and Roxas failed to suppress the hiss of his surprised gasp, biting back the ensuing nausea. Saïx approached him, getting far too close for Roxas' comfort. "Are you ill or in pain?"

"No, I'm just tired."

To his surprise, Saïx sat on the chair beside him, maintaining his doubtful expression and appealing to Roxas with exasperation. "Roxas, whatever is going on, it isn't worth the risk to ignore it. Go and see Zexion. Should you feel up to it, I will permit you to rejoin Luxord after you've been cleared."

"Saïx, I—"

His protest was cut off when the entity squirmed inside him again, knocking the wind out of him and bringing him dangerously close to vomiting. Dropping his head, he clenched his jaw and willed himself not to be sick, wheezing as he tried to replenish his lost air.

"Stay here, Roxas. I'll get Zexion."

"No need, I'm right here. What's wrong?"

Zexion surprised them both with his unexpected arrival, carrying a styrofoam coffee cup and a book. He rushed to the sofa, kneeling beside Roxas and peering apprehensively at his face. "Are you sick, Roxas?"

"No, I'm not sick. It's moving. It just started moving a few minutes ago and it won't stop."

"Really? Let me see, Roxas."

Sighing in defeat, Roxas leaned back and allowed Zexion to touch him. The apprentice laid his hands all over his abdomen, not missing a single inch of it. The entity continued to wriggle around inside him, to the point where he felt dizzy from his inability to draw breath. He covered his face, embarrassed to have this examination happening here, in full view of Saïx. He didn't want to give the man yet another reason to pull him off of mission work.

"Oh my… It's certainly a spirited little thing. Does it hurt, Roxas?"

"No, but I can barely breathe and I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

Zexion pressed his fingers into several places, most of the time eliciting more movement from the entity inside. With a pained grimace, Roxas clamped down onto his knuckles with his teeth and prayed for the examination to end. Just when he was ready to throw Zexion off of him, he felt the apprentice's hands finally lift away.

"Goodness, we've got quite a jumper here. I recommend getting some rest. It could be influenced by your activity, so there's a chance that if you relax, it will relax."

As if I didn't already get enough rest… "Thanks, Zexion."

"And make sure you're eating enough, and stay away from anything too acidic. Let's just cover all our bases while we're at it."

"I got it, Zexion. Thanks. I'll be in my room." With no choice but to do as he was told, Roxas slowly rose from the sofa and trudged out of the room with his shoulders slumped.

As soon as Roxas was gone, Saïx approached Zexion and questioned him in a hushed whisper. "Zexion… does this mean the entity now possesses consciousness?"

"I'm not certain. We'll have to observe and see if it responds to any other stimuli."

Zexion lowered himself onto the sofa and began flipping through the pages in his book, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I must say, for such a mysterious creature, it certainly does act like a regular old human fetus. I'll be shocked if it ends up being anything other than just a baby."

Saïx, who had returned his gaze to the window, whipped around to face Zexion with alarm on his face. "If that's the case… then we have only four months left to prepare."

"I'd say that's about right, assuming it follows the typical schedule. Xemnas insists on seeing this through to the end."

"And just what happens at the end?"

Zexion shrugged, "I haven't the foggiest idea. At this rate, I'd bet all my munny that it's going to look awfully familiar."

Saïx felt his stomach turn at this response. Although he was aware that they were referring to Roxas' condition as a "pregnancy," he would never have guessed it would conclude the way most human pregnancies do. It didn't seem possible. Roxas wasn't properly equipped. Perhaps he didn't need to be. Perhaps this entity would be cruel and violent enough to… Saïx put the sickening thought out of his mind.

"Zexion, I'll be including your observations in my report to Xemnas. With any luck, perhaps we can convince him to put a stop to this before it reaches its… natural conclusion."

"Don't forget, Saïx… Whether or not we intervene, removing it could drain Roxas of his very essence. Nothing is certain, but maybe that natural conclusion is the only way to keep Roxas intact."

"Do you have any suggestions?"

Zexion paused for several moments, glancing at the ceiling, deep in thought. "I'm afraid not. I just don't have enough information to determine which is the more humane course of action at this time. But there is one thing we should consider…"

"What is it?"

"No one has asked Roxas what he wants to do."

Saïx, rendered speechless by the uncomfortable truth in Zexion's words, lowered his eyes and stared at the floor. He had a hell of a point. All this time was spent discussing what to do with Roxas, yet not a second of it was spared for Roxas' opinion. It was as if his body were declared property of the Organization and Roxas had no autonomy of his own. He was nothing more than a vessel to be occupied at Xemnas' command. It sounded quite familiar — too familiar. The thought brought a bitter taste to Saïx's mouth, and a shooting pain flashed across his forehead. Wincing, he pressed his fingers over the burning X between his eyes, disturbed by the cloudy memories racing into his mind. Just a vessel. An empty husk. Forced to house the essence of another. Deplorable.

"Are you alright, Saïx?"

"Yes. I have a report to write. Enjoy your break."

Saïx hurried out of the room and made his way toward the Hall of Empty Melodies. Xemnas' words rang in his ears. Fresh air and exercise? Fresh air was out of the question, but exercise was no problem. To his relief, the room was unoccupied. Once he arrived, Saïx wasted no time taking his frustrations out on the hordes of Dusks he summoned. One by one he swung his weapon at stronger and stronger Nobodies, desperately trying to forget the conversation with Xemnas, the encounter with Axel, and the frightening truth of Roxas' fate. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so overwhelmed.

Despite his efforts, the sound of his claymore crashing into his opponents wasn't loud enough to drown out the menacing sound of his Superior's subtle threats. The blinding flash of sparks as metal clashed with metal couldn't outshine the haunting image of the hurt in Axel's eyes. The cooling sensation of sweat pouring down his skin and the exhilaration of the pounding in his chest weren't enough to quell the nauseating thought of having to share one's own body with another, watching their own will be swallowed by a hostile parasite.

With every swing, he got more worked up. The call of the berserk tempted him but he refused to succumb. That was what Xemnas wanted, and Saïx wasn't about to let him have his way. After nearly an hour of high-intensity combat, the voices still hadn't ceased, and Saïx collapsed to his knees on the floor, frantically covering his ears to block out the terrifying sound of his own thoughts. The more he tried to ignore them, the louder they shouted. He was trapped. Imprisoned inside the clutches of hopelessness and regret. How long had it been since he'd felt emotions like these? They clasped tightly around his throat, threatening to choke the life out of him. He willfully submitted to their brutality, welcoming the end to his suffering. But, in yet another act of cruelty, they released their hold, forcing him to live another torturous day with the agony of yearning for freedom. Trapped. He was hopelessly trapped. Nobody was coming to save him this time.