ChapterOne:
The New Nobody

This story begins with the destruction of Roxas. Not Roxas the idea, but Roxas the entity. Naminé had completed her task, and Sora was once again whole. The problem with this was that it further hampered the already minimized Organization, so Xemnas immediately began to scour the worlds for another Nobody to join their ranks. Of course, it couldn't be just any Nobody—it had to be a powerful Nobody, someone who would boost Organization XIII's power.

The Nobody he found was Raxet. This story is about her, and how her part unfolded in the cosmic scheming of the Nobodies who sought Kingdom Hearts.

Raxet was a Nobody of middling height, reaching about five-five when she wore heels. Usually she didn't, though. She normally wore soft, supple leather boots with almost no heel and that made no sound when she walked, and so was normally closer to five-four. She had pale, almost translucent skin, and eyes that were a blue so pale and icy that you could almost feel the wind shift when she met your gaze. Her hair was the green of ancient glaciers and she kept it long, reaching almost to her waist. She bound it back in pigtails behind her head to keep it out of her way, except for two shorter strands in the front, which ran down only to her collar bone, bypassing her cheeks.

The black uniform of Organization XIII fit her well, the murkiness of it accenting the pastel tones of her body. This was what she thought as she examined herself in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door. Her new bedroom. Actually, the only bedroom she ever remembered having. Her bedroom in Castle Oblivion.

When she had arrived that morning she had brought with her three things—the only three things she owned: her weapons. At the moment, they were propped carefully against the wall next to her bed. Besides the bed, there was a lamp and a small closet. That was all the room contained, and all of the colors were mono-chrome grays and blacks. It was almost depressing. She threw herself onto the bed, staring at the white ceiling. She expected that any moment—yeah.

"Raxet!" Xemnas's voice echoed around inside her room, loud and bossy.

"Yeah?" She muttered, not the least thrilled.

"Report!"

"Alright." She muttered. "Yes, sir," She stood, reaching for her weapons. There was a long whip, black and tasseled at the end. She wrapped it into a loop at her right, binding it on her waist where she could easily grab it. Then she took her scimitars and slid them into sheaths across her back. They seemed to disappear, but she could still feel their familiar weight, comfortable between her shoulder blades.

"Raxet!" Xemnas insisted again.

"I'm coming!" She yelled back.

"I was only going to tell you, I sent Naminé to guide you to the commons area for the meeting." She ignored him, opening the door. Naminé was, indeed, waiting for her outside.

"Hello, Raxet. I'm Naminé," Naminé said. Raxet looked her up and down.

"Nice uniform."

"Xemnas likes it, too," Naminé shrugged.

"I'm sure he does," Raxet straightened her robes self-consciously.

They walked in silence, Naminé in the lead and Raxet trailing close behind, memorizing the route so as not to lose her way later. Naminé pushed her way through a door, and Raxet followed, stopping just inside the doorway. The entirety of Organization XIII stood there, waiting for her.

"Thank you, Naminé. You're excused. Please go to your room." Naminé nodded and turned to walk back up the stairs. Raxet watched her go with a measure of curiosity. "Gentlemen, this is Raxet. She's the new Nobody XIII." Xemnas introduced her casually, gesturing at her.

Raxet crossed her arms. "You didn't tell me you were going to showcase me," she challenged him.

"I'm not showcasing you, darling. I'm introducing you to your team mates," And he did—one by one, he named the members of Organization XIII.

"Xigbar, Xaldin, Saix, Axel, Demyx, and Luxord."

"I thought you needed me because we don't have thirteen members." She looked around. Counted. "I see…six, then you, me, and Naminé."

"Naminé is a Nobody, but she is not part of our organization."

"I see. So. Organization XIII has eight members. Brilliant."

"Several of our members have Faded. One is a traitor. Be sure that this does not happen to you—as you can tell, it is difficult to replace Nobodies as powerful as yourself."

"Powerful, Xemnas?" Axel, a tall red-head who was lounging against a wall scoffed openly, "She looks like she might be able to kill a level one heartless. Might. If someone was there to help her."

Xemnas started to say something, but Raxet held up her hand to let him know that she would totally handle this. "You have a problem, Axel?" Of course she had remembered his name. She knew all their names. Her entire mind was blank as a fresh memory card—capable of holding a ridiculous amount of information. Xemnas had explained to her that the Nobody she was now was the result of a Somebody somewhere being turned into a Heartless, but because they had spent little time as such, she had no memory of either transformation, and her Somebody was running around without the piece of it that was Raxet.

"Yeah, Razer, I do."

"Rah-zay." She corrected, calmly. "And kindly state your problem."

"I think it's crap that you're in the Organization. I'm worried you might break a nail."

"One of yours?"

"You bitch!" He jumped off the wall. "What makes you think you're—"

He was cut off as Xigbar laid a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. "Down boy. Leave her alone."

"I don't mind." Raxet shrugged. "If he wants, I can duel him. I'll prove I'm worthy of the Organization. Unless you really are worried about your nails."

"It's on, whore,"

"Alright, fine." Xemnas stepped back, motioning the others to do the same. A glowing white circle appeared on the floor. "Kindly keep your battle within the borders of that circle, if you please,"

But Raxet and Axel had already begun, Raxet having unbound her whip from her side, and Axel summoning his chakram in a whirl of flame.

"So you're a pyro." Raxet noted, coolly. "Interesting. This'll be fun." She stood at her ease, as if unconcerned that Axel had in both hands flaming wheels of sharp, spiky, spinning, scorching doom.

"Are you just gonna stand there all day? I thought you weren't scared!" Axel yelled at her over the roaring of his weapons.

"I'm not." She smiled, and suddenly it was as if someone had opened a freezer. Icy mist surrounded both combatants, hiding them from the view of the observers, and from each other.

"Razer! That's not very fair!" Axel called out with a small laugh, aiming his left chakran at where he thought he saw her move. She wasn't there, though, and he sliced uselessly through the mist. Suddenly he felt her whip pulled taught across his throat, not cutting off the air to breathe, but tight enough to let him know she was in control. She had managed to get up to his level by allowing platforms of ice to form under the bottom of her leather boots.

"I'm sorry," She laughed softly in his ear, feeling him tense up. "Did you want me to play fair?" She slid her whip across his throat, the snap of the tassel slapping his cheek as it went past. The ice on her shoes disappeared as she zipped around—impossibly fast—in front of him. "You should have made some rules before we began if you were going to be a baby."

Axel laughed, his cheek stinging. "I can beat you without rules." He spun his chakran at her, hoping to catch her with both of them, because she seemed to have no way of blocking—her only weapon was that silly whip and a little bit of frosty air. He didn't even need to use his pyrotechnics to beat her.

She lashed out with her whip, snapping it around the chakran in his left hand. She jerked hard, pulling him off his balance. He steadied himself, but had lost the use of his left chakran because she was holding the whip taught, rendering his weapon immobile. But this didn't bother him. It forced them into close quarters, giving him the advantage. Her weapon was tied up with his, and he still had one chakran free. He raised his arm to bring his right chakran down on her head, swinging with full might, ready to crush her skull in his flames. She met his gaze calmly, holding up a hand—as if that would stop his spinning blades!

His arm jolted painfully as the chakran connected with something solid. He glanced out of the corner of his eye—somehow, a scimitar had materialized in her fist, and the blade was entangled in his chakran. "Dammit." He said, eyes widening. She could have materialized that and stuck him before he'd known what had hit him. Stupid, thinking she'd go into battle with only a whip.

"We seem to have reached a stalemate," Raxet said, looking up at him. They were pressed together, their arms extended out, locked with each other's weapons. Axel felt her breath, cold on his face.

"You didn't strike me as this kind of girl, Razzy," Axel laughed down at her, pulling his right chakran free and bringing the point to gently jab her in the side. "You seemed so much more mature." He pulled back, preparing to actually hit her.

"Hold." She said, her sword dissipating. She unraveled her whip from his left chakran and placed it at her side as she stepped back, calm.

"Your point. I lose." She bowed to him respectfully.

"No shit." He had never seen a duel where the loser went away unbloodied. What sort of game was she playing? Whatever. He put his chakran away and crossed his arms warily.

"Even for Thirteenth, you're pathetic." He spat.

"Silence, Axel." Xemnas stepped forward again. "She is more than a worthy replacement for Roxas—her skills exceed his and you know it."

"No one's better than Roxas!" Axel insisted. "He just used to play stupid so you guys would lay off!"
"Be careful, friend." Xemnas glared Axel down. "Do not make his treachery your own."

"As if. He was…he was a fool." Axel sighed. "Whatever. Let the chick stay."

"I'm so glad I have your approval." Raxet said dryly. "Since it seems your opinion holds so much weight."

"Shut up, Razer." Axel glowered at her.

"Raxet—familiarize yourself with the castle. Axel, since you're so thrilled to have her on our team, you will assist her."

"Xemnas!" Demyx spoke up hesitantly. "That…er…that might be a bad idea…." He finished, lamely.

"You think they need a supervisor? Probably." Xemnas pointed to Xigbar. "Accompany them and make sure they don't destroy Castle Oblivion."

"Sure," Xigbar shrugged.

"This is shit," Axel muttered, glancing at Raxet, who seemed to have absolutely no interest in seeing the castle.

"Kind of him to volunteer, wasn't it Xigbar?" she stage-whispered to Xigbar as Axel stalked off, Xigbar and Raxet tailing him.

"His own fault," Xigbar shrugged. "For making a scene."

"Hurry up!" Axel yelled back at them, "I ain't got all day and this damn place is huge!"