AN: Uh, warning for mild body horror trauma, I got no mouth and must scream shit? Yeah. Cause KH is fucked up.
"XION!" Kairi and Sora shouted together.
Both rushed to Xion's side.
Kairi took her sister in her arms, staring down into her face. She was still out, she was still- "Xion, come on, wake up, Xion...!"
"What'd you DO TO HER?!" Sora was yelling, lunging at Vexen with his sword in his hand. "WHAT DID YOU DO!"
Vexen let out a scoff, followed by a high laugh. He stepped away, raising his hands. "I resent the accusations, boy! I did nothing to her. My Replica merely spontaneously ceased functioning! Which, I admit, is cause for concern, however-"
"Your WHAT?" Sora glared hatefully at the man. "Xion's a person - she's Kairi's sister!"
Vexen stared at him a moment. Then he burst into renewed peals of laughter. He doubled over, clutching his sides. "Oho - oh, is that truly what you children have believed all this time?! How precious! Truly!"
"Don't LIE! We're not gonna fall for your tricks!" Sora yelled at him, even more furious.
"Oh, but these are no lies! I speak only the truth - factual and scientific!" Vexen said mirthfully. "And unlike you, I have the proof to back my assertions as to Xion's true disposition!"
"Yeah, right-" Sora shouted at him.
"Sora..." Kairi said quietly. "Stop."
"Huh?" Sora turned to her, confused.
Kairi gently lay Xion down, and rose to her feet. She stepped past Sora, right up to Vexen. Gazing up at him. "Xikira...Kairi. Xemnas...Ansem. Xion...No. i," she spoke still, so quietly. Her voice trembled. "She never knew anything, from the day we met. Not her life, not how to read, or anything else basic about the worlds. She never sleeps, and it took me a while to get her to start eating consistently. But I doubt she was eating all on her own before then - was she? And the only thing she could even tell me back then, was that she was sent after me to destroy me. To fight me. And that she would be...destroyed if she failed. A single reason - a purpose. And she even had on the same coat as you Organization members, when we first met."
"So you have some basic level of perception," Vexen replied to her, simple and quiet, himself. An interested look in his eyes.
"The only things she remembered...Radiant Garden, and now Aeleus...she remembered only after I had. Did she really remember on her own, or..." Kairi blew a breath, brushing back her hair. "And from the moment we saw the outside of this castle, she was terrified. She said something bad happened to her here. She never wanted to be here. And how she reacted to this lab of yours, to your words, to that name...why would she react so terribly to it? Why just...why?"
"I think the answer is already in your grasp," Vexen stated idly.
Kairi nodded. She blinked, and tears fell from shimmering eyes. Her hands trembled at her sides, turning into fists. "Because everything...makes so much more sense about her...if it's true. And I guess...I always sort of knew something was- off- about the entire situation. But no matter what anyone told me...I didn't want to think about it. But now I am, and I...I can see it all. What was...off."
"Indeed." Vexen nodded back. "So you are not entirely unintelligent, are you, princess?"
"But I want proof," Kairi went on, her voice shaking. "Show me...proof about her. Now."
"But of course." Vexen turned away, striding over to his work table. He began to sift through folders and stacks of papers. He flipped them all over, tossed aside others, and quickly accumulated a new stack of its own. He carefully arranged these pages, then beckoned Kairi forward. "Come and see your proof with your own eyes, girl."
Kairi moved swiftly, fearlessly stepping up beside the man. After a long moment, Sora hurried to join her.
Aeleus remained precisely where he was, watching them, a strange tightness in his chest that should not have been possible. Then, he strode for Xion, kneeling beside the girl. He reached a hand for her, then withdrew it sharply.
"So what's all this?" Kairi was saying, lifting up a sheet and staring at it.
"That would be the very data fed into...Xion's body that gave her the appearance she has," said Vexen absently. "And what you have-" He added, ripping a large shining page of images from Sora's grasp. "-are the theoretical blueprints for her design. An older design, mind you..."
"And she...before she looked like me, then...she looked like this?" Kairi turned, gesturing to the glass pods. The faceless, featureless white mannequins within them.
"Naturally," Vexen said airily.
"Why...?"
"Why what?"
"Why couldn't she have just been made to look like me from the start or something?"
Vexen paused, glancing at Kairi. "Well now, that is an interesting question...one I'd not have expected out of... But, at any rate, it is a subject you could not hope to understand. Suffice it to say, it had to be done the way it was done - else it would not have succeeded at all."
Kairi simply nodded, gazing down at the pages spread before her. She reached for another, taking it up. "And this, then?"
"Those are the early results from the many tests I had to conduct on- on Xion prior to her deployment. Motor function, eye tracking, that sort of thing. But most importantly of all was that she successfully copy your Keyblade."
"So that's...not real?" Kairi said slowly.
"Certainly not," Vexen responded, laughing. "Although, I'm quite proud to say it is nearly indistinguishable from a real Keyblade - and it performs all the same functions to full effectiveness! It's something like my finest achievement, really. Thus far, at least."
"So Xion is your finest achievement?"
"Hm? What was that?"
"Xion. She's the best thing you've ever made?"
Vexen looked perplexed. "Well...she is quite an achievement, yes, but...I always strive for better-"
"There's nothing wrong with her! She's perfect the way she is, she's-!" Kairi exclaimed.
"If she's so perfect, then why doesn't she sleep or eat?" Vexen posed to her, snorting. "Honestly, even the lowest idiot should have realized that that girl wasn't an ordinary human being."
"SHUT UP!" Kairi shouted.
"Watch your tongue, Vexen," Aeleus growled.
"My apologies," Vexen said, in fake sincerity.
Kairi stood rocking on her heels, hands rising to her chest in a remarkably similar way to Xion. She looked back to Xion, herself. Then, she looked Vexen in the eye. "Can you help her?"
"Pardon?" said Vexen.
"Can you make it so she can sleep and eat? If she's- if you- can you do that for her?" Kairi pressed.
Vexen looked surprised. And pained. "With this...model, this...particular Replica? No. She was from the earliest lot. Once she was finished, there was to be no...improving or tweaking of her design. Rather unfortunate, honestly...the glaring proof of her flaws lie in her very appearance. She was meant to look like an exact, precise duplicate of you...but, apparently, the imperfections in her design caused that to not entirely...take."
"So that's- why she has black hair?"
Vexen gazed at her like she was an idiot. "Yes, that is why she has black hair - very good, girl," he said flatly.
"So," Kairi went on, glaring at him again. "What can you do for her?"
"As I said, I can do very little for her. She is finalized, blemishes and all. Much as it pains me to say such a thing...but shoddy craftsmanship is expected on the road to perfection..." Vexen murmured out. "Although, my latest set of Replicas do possess capabilities more akin to a normal human's. Or at least, as near as I could get them in the time I've had to continue working on them..."
"No! Xion is your best," Kairi said fiercely. "She went from- from that- to a person! She's grown and learned, she's gone to school, she thinks and she feels and she has a Heart! Fine, maybe you did make her here - but that doesn't mean a goddamn thing otherwise! That's just- where she started. But her life since coming into existence? She's made it her own, just like the rest of us! How she was born doesn't matter; how she's lived does. And she's lived wonderfully - as my sister!'
"I do see the point you are making, yes, and I shall not dispute it," Vexen said, nodding. "She's grown far beyond even my greatest expectations for her. To become a her at all...it's quite remarkable. Incredible, even. And from all I've observed of her here in person, why, if I didn't know I made her, I would have mistaken her for an ordinary girl as well - if a bit of a slow one."
"Then you can be proud of her," Kairi said. "She grew into an amazing girl - not an evil shit like you people who made her are. And not just some- disposable tool like you wanted her to be! Just some test for me! Fuck that, and fuck you! She's better than you'll ever be!"
"And so the brief light of intelligence sputters and dies..." Vexen sighed, shaking his head at her. "Evil, honestly?"
"YES! What the fuck else would you call all of this?!" Kairi shouted.
"Scientific research and experimentation."
"EVIL science!" Kairi snapped. "Science is supposed to be used to help people! Research - medicine - it's supposed to- to enrich and benefit people! And- scientists, intelligent people like you...a person like you is supposed to be doing good in the World! I'm sure even you used to know that once, didn't you? You can't be a scientist without- taking Hippocratic Oaths and stuff! So why did you stop, why'd you throw it away and start doing evil bullshit? When did you lose sight of that?"
Vexen's eyes widened, and he glanced away for an instant. His lips pursed. "I don't need a teenage girl espousing to me the merits and purpose of science, thank you very much! Now, I've told you: there is nothing I can do for your- your sister, so, if you will kindly-"
"I still want proof." Kairi snapped. "Real proof! Anybody can- make up papers and put mannequins in tubes! So what?! Show me something real! For Xion!"
Vexen glared at her, then turned away, stalking back toward Xion and Aeleus. "Very well, then, girl! You want real proof? I shall give it to you, undeniably so!"
Aeleus stood, stepping forward to place himself between Vexen and Xion. "What is it you think you're going to do?"
Vexen stopped, fear crossing his face. "Ah - well - nothing harmful, of course. I'm merely going to see her temporarily returned to her base form. The proof these children so dearly require. After which, she will be returned as she is, to this appearance, no harm done. Would that suffice - girl?" He added, throwing a look back to Kairi.
"Kairi..." Sora said, touching her arm. "We don't have to let this- creep do a thing to her. We shouldn't. Xion's- Xion! She-"
"Do it." Kairi stepped forward, summoning her Keyblade into her hand. "But if you do a thing to hurt her, I'll fucking take your head off!"
Vexen swallowed. "Y-yes, well- understood. If you would allow me to move her to my operating table-"
"I'll move her!" Kairi snapped, stalking past him and going around Aeleus, bending to retrieve Xion in her arms. She carried the girl to the bed, laying her down on it. She gazed into her face, brushing at her dark hair.
Vexen watched with a strange look on his face. Then he snorted and shook his head. "Well then...simply let me get a few of my tools and we shall..."
Kairi stood motionless as Vexen moved swiftly around the lab, snatching up items from the various trays. He returned to the bed, standing over Xion. He gazed down at her. Gave a cautious look to Kairi. Then he turned Xion's head aside, and pressed a glowing blue rod to her skull. It began to vibrate, its end glowed, and then Xion's form rippled.
On that bed was no longer "Xion", but a smooth, faceless white figure identical to the ones in their glass pods - wearing Xion's clothing. Completely androgynous, neither identifiably male or female.
Kairi stood staring down at Xion for a long minute. Her hand moved at her side - colliding with and then grasping onto Sora's.
"There, you see now? Your proof," Vexen declared.
"Xion..." Kairi breathed, her expression inscrutable. She reached out her free hand, and she took Xion's. She squeezed it, caressing with her thumb.
Suddenly, Xion squeezed back, and then she sat up on the bed.
"Xion..." Kairi trembled out. "We-"
Xion turned her head sharply in Kairi's direction. Then, she suddenly bowed her head to..."stare" at her own hands, with the sunken pits on her face that could be approximated as "eye sockets." That smooth, faceless white head turned again, then whipped back to stare down at...at her own body again. A visible tremor went through her form as she lifted her jacket and patted at her chest-
Then Xion screamed with no mouth, her hands going to her head as she fell off the bed with a crash.
"SLEEP!" Kairi suddenly shouted, thrusting out a hand. Blue particles waft down on the other side of the table. She strode around it and dropped down beside Xion, pulling her into her arms, cradling her head. Staring down into that featureless face with no eyes or mouth. Only a vague notion of a nose. She carefully stood with her in her arms, and lay her back down on the operating table. She stroked her head, caressed her cheek, then leaned in to kiss her. She looked to Vexen, who was gazing at her with bafflement. "Put her back to normal - and then get lost," she said venomously.
Vexen's eyes flickered to Xion, a shift there, a strange look once more that Aeleus couldn't discern...and then he nodded, stepping forward carefully and cautiously. "Of course. I'll set her back to how she was and be...on my way. Yes... Things in this castle have become far too unstable for me to remain..."
That magical rod was pressed to Xion's head again, and her body rippled, becoming the black-haired copy of Kairi once more.
"There you are," Vexen breathed, stepping away. "Now, if you wouldn't mind...I should really be going..."
"Wait," Aeleus spoke harshly.
Vexen froze, gulping. "Yes - Lexaeus? Finally found a thought in that head of yours to express, have you? A single thought?"
"Where is the other Replica?" Aeleus demanded.
"Other- you made- another person?!" Kairi exclaimed, rounding on Vexen with fury.
"My latest Replica, ah yes," Vexen said with a smug grin. "I'm afraid that one has already been deployed - its mission expressly to see to your destruction, girl. So sorry. You missed it by mere minutes!"
"Okay, I take it back - you are fucking DEAD!" Kairi screamed, lunging at the man with her blade swinging. "YOU DISGUSTING, VILE PIECE OF SHIT-!"
Vexen raised an arm, conjuring his powerful blue shield, blocking her, and then exploding with icy power that hurled the girl across the room.
Aeleus gazed between Vexen and Kairi, torn - but in that time, Vexen escaped through a dark corridor.
Aeleus sighed to himself.
"Kairi...?" came a soft, trembling voice.
Xion was awake once more.
"Kairi...I'm n-not- I'm not-" Xion continued, in high tones.
Kairi climbed to her feet again, stumbling her way over to the operating table. She fell forward against it, and she pulled Xion into her arms.
"Don't you dare say it!" Kairi hissed, squeezing the girl tight.
Zexion sighed to himself as he tried not to pace inside the darkened room.
The situation within the castle left him uneasy.
Especially the longer it took for Lexaeus to return...
A dark portal swirled to his left. He turned, expecting to see the man return at last.
What greeted him, however, was an entirely unexpected sight.
"Xikira?" he spoke, frowning at the blonde haired girl. "What might you be doing here? Has Vexen's testing concluded, or is there news from-"
The girl's arm swung up, a light flashing in the darkness, and Zexion gasped as enchanted metal was rammed through his stomach.
"Wh-what- are you- d-doing?!" Zexion gasped, staring down at the Keyblade sinking deeper into his body, its surface swirling with energy...
Xikira gave a small smile, reaching her free hand up to brush long blonde locks out of her eyes. "I'm just making sure there's one less person to stop me from getting the normal life I want. It's not really personal - you're just way too loyal to the Organization. Really, I didn't hate you or anything; I actually think you were one of the better people to draw portraits of. I'm going to miss your hair and eyes. You always looked so...well, I don't know how to describe it." She shrugged, and then she tore her weapon free and stepped away.
Zexion collapsed, gasping as his body convulsed, and began to...fade...away...
"Y-you- you- traitor-"
"See?" Xikira frowned. "That's what I mean! Our boss would kill us for trying to live normal lives, for leaving, and all you can think about is that I'm betraying him? It's a flipping death cult, come on! Why should anyone have any loyalty to a group that won't let you leave it? It's just forced service...and it's dumb and not right. All I want is to be able to do what Kairi's done in her life: to go to school, or to the mall, or to have real friends to hang out on a beach with. I want ice cream and bikinis and first kisses and I want a house with a family. Why don't you people want me to have that?"
Zexion raised a shaking hand to her...and then it fell, and his body evaporated into nothing.
Xikira gazed at the spot where he once lay, then she sighed. "At least I'll still have all my old sketches of you to go off of. Thanks for letting me draw you so many times before..."
She turned away and strode back into her portal, disappearing again.