Another morning would pass for the residents of the Castle That Never Was. At least, what was believed to be morning. And in her bed, Xaik slept in a peaceful slumber. But this slumber would not be kept for long, as soon a knocking struck against her door. Knock knock. Xaik's eyes twinged at the sound, but after the moment passed, they relaxed once again as she continued her rest.

KNOCK KNOCK. This time, Xaik's eyes opened as she was laying sideways in her bed. Her eyes, still somewhat crusty and blurred from her groggy state, looked to the door as the knocking seemed to persist. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Xaik realized that she may have overslept again, and quickly shot up. She rushed over to the door, stumbling as she reached for the door knob.

She opened the door to find that Xeros was there, looking down at her. Xaik grew uncomfortable at the sight, unsure of what to say. But more so than that, her brain was doing a strange thing to her. As she looked to Xeros's face, she realized that she had dreamt of him last night. Something strange was happening to her; she dreamt of a place she'd never been, with a person she barely knew. She pondered to herself why that was, before being interrupted.

"Good morning." Xeros spoke in his usual tone and demeanor.

That's… what it's supposed to look like, Xaik thought about her dream and how Xeros behaved in it. She knew it wasn't right, so why did he act that way in her dream? Her thoughts were interrupted again.

"Were you not awake?" Xeros asked.

"Um… s-sorry. I was just… getting ready."

"Good. I was checking on you to make sure you wouldn't oversleep again." Xeros noticed that Xaik was not in full uniform, instead merely wearing the black underclothes. "Get your coat and boots, meet me in Nightmare's Reflection."

That doesn't sound pleasant, Xaik noted as she realized almost everywhere in the castle sounded somewhat dreadful.

"Where… is that, exactly?" Xaik asked.

"Just go into the doorway across from here and follow the path until you find Evident Desolation, another circular hallway, then go to the first portal on the left." Xeros instructed, somewhat hastily. "It will be marked with an XVI at the top. I'll meet you there."

Xeros turned and walked away, as Xaik peeked out of her room to watch him go.

"Um, where are you g-going?"

Xeros turned back for a quick second to respond.

"I have to make sure that nothing needs to be done aside from your training. So I'll meet with Saïx, then find you. It'll only take a moment."

Xeros continued to walk away, as Xaik couldn't help but look at him, getting lost in thought. As she retreated back into her room and shut the door, she rubbed her forehead and thought about what was going on while she prepared to get dressed.

She grabbed her boots by the side of her bed frame. I think dreams often don't make sense… She then put them on; first the right, then the left. I don't really remember very well. She then stood up, grabbing her coat that was folded and resting on the shelf. But why did I dream of Xeros? And… what was that place? She held the coat up, unbundling it with gravity as she then slipped into it. Why was it… familiar…? She finished with the addition of the gloves and headed out the door.

She ventured forth through the halls after exiting, going through the doorway by her room. She noted that this path was different from where she would go to head to the rest of the castle. She considered going to the lounge area to just find Xeros, as she was not super confident in her ability to navigate the castle. Xaik wondered whether she should wait for him or not, but he did tell her to go and wait for him. So, she figured following instructions would be her best bet. Xeros seemed rather detail oriented and goal focused. He'd probably do what he told her to do, best to follow his example.

Making her way through the doorway, going up some stairs and eventually finding herself in the hallway Xeros told her about. He had neglected to describe it, as the walls were a bit darker than the rest of the castle. They had many patterns, lights and circuitry as well as panels that were blue with the Nobody insignia on them. Which one was it he said again…? Xaik found in her musings and being distracted by the architecture of the castle, she had forgotten Xeros's instructions. He said a room to the left… and an XV…

Xaik walked and found the portal, looking up at the top of the panel, marked with an "XV". She walked into the portal, as she entered and appeared in an entirely new area. The room was quite large, but not as large as some of the other areas she had been in. The room was mostly round, with a few square extensions at each cardinal direction with large windows in the shape of the Nobody insignia. But most frighteningly, the room's floor and walls were lined with swords, impaled randomly all over.

But not just any swords, they were replicas of one particular sword. And then, as the realization hit, Xaik heard footsteps echoing in the chamber. And from one of the extensions, Varijex appeared. He walked to the center of the room with his sword in hand before turning to face the window opposite to Xaik. She quickly ran behind the portal, as she watched Varijex stand in the middle of the room, eerily calm.

Then, with a snap of his fingers, Varijex called several Dusks as they surrounded him. Varijex took a stance, his legs poised low and wide, his left arm extended out and his right wielding his sword with a backwards grip. Xaik didn't like the fact that Varijex was here, but she was somewhat curious to see what would happen.

Varijex stood, looking at all the Dusks as they wiggled and danced around him. He then held up his left hand, making a beckoning motion.

"Come on!"

With that, the Dusks lunged at him to strike. Xaik watched as the several Dusks looked to overwhelm him. But with a single slash of his sword, he took out half of his assailants and moved out of the way of the others. Five remained, all closing in on him as he turned his attention to them. He held out his blade, waving it in a taunting manner.

"I hope you all have said your PRAYERS."

Each of the Dusks attacked, one after the other in a line. And one after another, they would all fall. Varijex would switch his sword from back grip to forward grip to slash, using both hands. Each strike was ferocious and powerful, easily dispatching the Dusks. He first slashed down, then up, taking the first two. He spun around, stabbing backwards at the third, before turning forward to slash up and down once more to finish the last two. He placed the sword down on its point, holding it by the pommel.

"BORING. Again."

With a snap of his fingers, a dozen Dusks appeared around him. Xaik, having just witnessed Varijex's fierce combat skill, grew more uncomfortable by the moment. She didn't know what else to do, so remained quiet and watched from behind the portal. Unlike watching him fight with Xeros from above in the Hall of Empty Melodies, this time she could see him on ground level. And being closer, she could really see his level of focus in fighting.

But not only that, she saw how pleased he seemed. She knew it couldn't be, as he is a Nobody like herself and can't feel joy, but he genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself. This made her uneasy, as unlike Scyrux, Varijex's nature was that of aggression and animosity. Something you didn't want to associate with, something you didn't want to be on the other end of. With the exception of one person, who seemed to tolerate Varijex's terrible demeanor. Xeros.

Once again, getting rather lost in thought about him, Xaik found herself leaning away from the cover of the portal. She went off into space about it, not realizing that she was in view of Varijex. Having just dispatched more of the Dusks, Varijex was about ready to deal the finishing blow on a Dusk when he noticed the magenta hair that stood out so well. His eyes widened for a moment as he looked to Xaik, who was not paying attention.

This caused Varijex to lose his focus and, with him not paying attention, one of the Dusks jumped up and struck him in the back with its arm. He let out a yell that echoed in the chamber, and Xaik was now brought back from her musings. Varijex reached for his back, rubbing the spot in which the Dusk had struck him. He turned to Xaik, his eyes filled with contempt and fury. Xaik naturally shook in her coat, a strange sensation to be had when she didn't quite understand fear.

Varijex growled as he turned back to the Dusks, letting out a furious yell and destroying all but one of the Dusks with his blade. The last Dusk, the offender who struck him while he was distracted, jumped up once again to strike from above. Varijex quickly reached out, grabbing the Dusk by the arm. He then made his sword disappear as he pulled the Dusk in and grabbed it by the face with his right hand. It struggled in his grasp, wrapping its arms around his wrist.

The Dusk tried to fight or grab Varijex with its legs, but he blocked and swatted the attempts with his free hand as he turned to Xaik. He then stormed his way over as Xaik contemplated running through the portal. But it was too late, Varijex was already in her face.

"And WHAT do YOU THINK you're DOING here?!" He barked, still grasping the Dusk in his hand.

"I, u-uh… was j-just…"

"Distracting me, letting this PITIFUL thing get a chance to HIT me!" Varijex yelled as he put the Dusk in Xaik's face, waving it as he spoke.

"I-I'm rr-eally so-"

Before Xaik could finish her sentence, Varijex removed the Dusk from Xaik's face, leaning in.

"Do you understand how much that would've cost you had that been on the FIELD?"

"N-no…" Xaik shook her head, shuffling nervously.

"You need to understand something, SQUIRT," Varijex emphasized. "When dealing with me, there are TWO rules. ONE, don't come into MY arena, and TWO, DON'T get in MY WAY."

Varijex leaned down, making sure to get into Xaik's face. She turned to look away, but he leaned in further, as she gave him a side glance before turning away.

"You GOT that?!"

Xaik nodded as she backed away. Varijex looked at her, still gripping the Dusk. He then turned to the Dusk, still wriggling around on his arm.

"I am NOT afraid to dispose of the WEAK. I don't HAVE a heart. And even if I did, I still probably wouldn't CARE."

With those words, Varijex thrust his hand out, slamming the Dusk into the wall with immense force. The Dusk disappeared in the white cloud, as Xaik jumped and squealed a bit. There was a dent in the wall where Varijex had hit the Dusk against the wall. Varijex moved forward, looking down at Xaik with his intense brown eyes; it was the first time Xaik had ever really noticed them.

"Just keep that in MIND."

Varijex then pointed at the portal aggressively, as Xaik rushed out of the portal and exited the room. He made sure as she passed him to bump her shoulder, nearly knocking her down. Xaik left Varijex's chamber gripping her shoulder, her breath stuttering for a moment before she sat down on her knees away from the portal panel. It took Xaik a while before she was able to regain her composure, waiting for Xeros to arrive.

Her interaction with Varijex definitely soured the air around her. She hoped that whatever she would do today would better prepare her for the inevitability that she would have to train with Varijex at some point. She sat in silence for a moment, before hearing a sound coming from around the corner.

Xeros had arrived in the hallway, as he saw Xaik was sitting down against a wall. As he approached her, he noticed that her expression was rather strange.

"We should begin. Is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah, um…" Xaik stuttered. "I just… got a little lost…"

"You wouldn't have happened to enter Calamity's Cell by mistake, would you?" Xeros inquired. "Perhaps ran into Varijex?"

Xaik looked away, not wanting to answer or think about what she experienced.

"I assumed as much. You have a look that many have after crossing paths with him."

Xaik looked back to Xeros, who had a slightly concerned expression on his face. It was quickly removed and he went back to his usual hood-eyed gaze.

"I'm sure I'll have to deal with that later. But that's not-"

"Um, Xeros…?" Xaik let out, stopping Xeros.

"Yes?"

"Varijex… h-he…" Xaik struggled to get the words out. "He's so… cruel. The things he says… the way h-he acts…"

Xeros gave Xaik a curious look, tilting his head a bit.

"Most think so," Xeros replied. "But he is our senior. He's proven himself a very powerful ally, and one can learn from him."

"How…?" Xaik was desperately confused. "How does it… not bother you?"

Xeros pondered for a moment, before deciding that this train of thought was not very productive.

"Why should it? That isn't relevant, regardless. We should begin your training for today."

Xaik was a bit disappointed at the lack of answer, but understood that Xeros's relationship with Varijex was not vital information that would help her with the Organization. And so, she stood up, as Xeros led her to the next portal that was marked with a "XVI". XVI… like sixteen…Xaik cursed herself for making that mistake. I need to pay better attention.

The two entered the new area through the portal, as they appeared in what Xaik assumed was "Nightmare's Reflection". Opposite to "Calamity's Cell", this room was larger, more square and vastly empty. The only thing that Xaik noted about the room was a large Nobody symbol on the ground and a giant window that probably rivaled the lounge area window.

Xeros made his way to the center of the room, as he then turned to look at Xaik. She stopped staring out the window, looking to see that Xeros was waiting. She made her way over to him, as he then began to speak to her.

"Yesterday, you were taken on a mission to perform and learn the skill of reconnaissance." He then turned back to her, continuing his speech. "Now, it's time we teach you the basics of combat."

Xaik didn't like hearing those words.

"I… don't know if I'm much of a fighter…"

"Did you think you'd get by doing recon all the time?" Xeros snarked.

"No, I just…"

"Even on a mission as simple as that, you may encounter danger. It's my job to make sure you can defend yourself."

As much as I may not like it, he's right. Xaik thought to herself. I might have to defend myself, so I don't need to be saved like yesterday or with Xigbar… Xaik took a deep breath, looking up to Xeros with as much determination as she could muster.

"Okay." Xaik let out.

"Good."

Xeros snapped his fingers, causing a Dusk to appear behind Xaik. Xaik was startled, taking a defensive stance. But the Dusk remained still. Xaik expected it to attack her, but nothing. She then turned to Xeros, who was looking at her expectantly.

"What are you waiting for?"

"I…" Xaik puzzled. "Am I… supposed to attack it?"

"You're supposed to summon your weapon."

My… weapon? It hadn't occurred to Xaik before, but she knew that Xeros, Varijex, even Scyrux had a weapon of sorts. She didn't know it was a requirement for combat in the Organization, but now she realized that she was once again behind the others.

"I… don't have one…"

Xeros looked at her, confused by the statement.

"You don't have a weapon?" He inquired.

Xaik shook her head, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Have you not used a weapon before?"

Xaik couldn't remember ever using a weapon in her life. She didn't have one when she was born as a Nobody, and her memory was inaccessible to her. But Xaik remembered that Xeros had one, even though he didn't have memories like her.

"Your weapon…" Xaik pointed to Xeros. "How did you get yours?"

Xeros held out his hand as he summoned his weapon to him. It appeared in his hand as he inspected it, and Xaik was able to get a better look at it. As he rotated it in his hand, she looked at the deep red staff, long and sturdy. At each end was a green bit where the blades were attached. The bottom blade was small, somewhat spear-like with two curved points outward. The top blade was longer and thinner, forked with a notch in between. She noticed this earlier was used for catching and disarming an opponent's weapons. And it sprouted to more blades at the base of the forked blade.

"This, my Verechelen," Xeros said as he caressed the staff with his hand. "I'm not sure how she came to be, honestly. It's been a long time, but she's a part of me."

Xeros then held his weapon out, making it disappear in a glow of red. He then looked to Xaik, as she stared in awe.

"Think of what you would use. Think of what would defend you. Make it real, in your hands."

Make it real… Xaik thought to herself as she looked at her own hands. She then closed her eyes, flexing her fingers as she held out her hands as if to grip her weapon. Come on… think, Xaik… a weapon. She tried to focus, her eyes tensing as she thought hard about what her weapon was. She thought, before she noticed there was an image that she began to see in her head. It was fuzzy, but she began to sense it coming to her. She willed it into existence as suddenly, her arms grew heavy.

Her arms dropped down and she yelped as in her hands, she noticed she was holding something. She opened her eyes, seeing what had formed. In her hands was a large hammer, though it was not just any hammer. It was bigger than her head, maybe even her torso. A huge, rectangular hunk of metal attached to a medium-sized handle with a three-pronged, spiked pommel. It was various shades of purple and pink, and both ends of the hammer were ridged, like it was made for tenderizing. And it was adorned with the Nobody insignia on its sides.

"Good work." Xeros commented. "You've summoned your weapon."

Xaik noticed a slight smile on her face. This would probably be where she would feel pride. She then tried to lift it, but found herself having a bit of trouble. The hammer was rather heavy, heavier than she expected. She struggled to lift it, as Xeros watched.

"Come on, lift it so we can begin."

"I…" Xaik strained. "...I c-can't." She tried once more, groaning as she struggled. "It's too heavy."

Xeros gave a disapproving look as Xaik kept having difficulty.

"It's your weapon. You made it."

"B-but…" Xaik whimpered.

"Lift the hammer."

Xaik looked up to see Xeros's face. She then looked down to the hammer. This… is my weapon. Xaik thought to herself, knowing that this hammer was to be her defense. Her offense. This weapon was the thing that would keep her safe and was the tool that would pave her way to achieving the goals of the Organization. She took one deep breath, followed by several short breaths in quick succession. She lifted it with all her might, managing to get it off the ground. She lugged it over her shoulder, nearly falling backwards from the weight of it. Xeros gave a small clap, as Xaik held the hammer over her shoulder.

"Good. Now we can begin."

Xeros moved around Xaik, going behind the Dusk that he had summoned. He turned around, looking back to Xaik.

"Face your opponent."

Xaik then stood, looking at the Dusk as it stood across from her.

"Attack the Dusk."

With Xeros's word, Xaik looked to the Dusk. She gripped her hammer tight, looking directly at the Dusk's face - or what should be its face. She then ran forward, holding the hammer on her shoulder. As she reached the Dusk, she took a swing, but the Dusk merely avoided the attack. Xaik's momentum continued, nearly causing her to fall over again after spinning around. It took her a moment to regain her composure and reorient herself. She shook her head, turning to see the Dusk unscathed.

She then turned behind her, as Xeros gave a pensive look.

"Again."

Xaik turned back to the Dusk, taking a deep breath. She then ran at it again, this time swinging down to smash the Dusk. But it moved out of the way of the strike as she then stumbled forward and fell down. The Dusk warped its body, wiggling around her hammer and standing on top of it. Xaik was dumbfounded as the Dusk stared down at her. As she went to grab her hammer again, the Dusk leaped up and over her head, stretching down to land. Xaik lifted her hammer up, turning to see the Dusk doing a dance. It was demoralizing, to say the least.

Xeros continued to look at Xaik, as she stood up but kept her hammer down, letting its weight keep her arms down to her sides.

"You're unbalanced. Try again."

Xaik turned back to Xeros, sighing before she then took a sharp breath in, but didn't release. She held her breath as she ran at the Dusk once more, repeating her process of swinging and missing, leading to her falling over and the Dusk remaining untouched. Xaik thought of how hopeless this was, as she had not yet managed to hit the Dusk even once. The Dusk seemed all but untouchable while she continually ended up on the ground. If she couldn't manage to hit this Dusk, how was she expected to do anything for the Organization?

Xaik looked back to Xeros to see he was still staring, seemingly puzzled. But as she got back up, he seemed to make up his mind.

"You're still unbalanced."

"What does that mean…?" Xaik questioned with a slight tone of frustration.

Xeros then walked up to Xaik, standing in front of her as he looked down to her.

"Hit me."

Xaik was confused as she looked up to Xeros, wondering if perhaps she heard wrong.

"...I'm sorry?"

"Hit me," Xeros said as he held his arms in front of him, his palms raised. "I want you to hit me."

Xaik didn't understand how anyone could ask this of another person. She just stood, flabbergasted at his demand.

"I… I c-can't just-"

"I am supposed to train you," He cut her off. "It is my responsibility to ensure that you are properly prepared for the threats the Organization may face. To ensure that you are of use to the Organization."

Of use…? Xaik got stuck on those words for a bit before looking back to Xeros.

"What do you mean… of use...?" Xaik pondered as she asked Xeros.

Xeros was taken aback by the question, as if Xaik had questioned his very non-existence.

"This is why you're here, isn't it?" Xeros questioned back. "To serve the Organization?"

"N-no… I'm here to get my heart back."

Xeros looked at Xaik, completely lost. She seemed to think what she was saying was not the very same thing he had just said. It didn't make sense to him at all. He stopped for a moment, looking at her with those eyes of his. Xaik watched his eyes, noticing the confusion behind them. Almost genuine, even. She wondered what was going on in his head, as this is what he had been doing since she met him. She didn't get to look for long, however, as he then turned away to go towards the window.

He did not walk over to the window, however, as she watched the red and black aura envelop him; the one that appeared in his fight with Varijex the first time she saw them. He floated over to the window, slowly falling toward it from where he was. He looked out and up through the glass, as Xaik walked over to see why Xeros had gone.

When Xaik looked to see why he was staring out the window, she noticed that he wasn't just looking up at the sky. From this view, they could see Kingdom Hearts. Xeros had a habit of staring at it that Xaik had noticed, and she wondered why. Her curiosity would be sated as Xeros spoke again.

"To serve the Organization is to get our hearts back. Working for them furthers the goal of completing Kingdom Hearts. And Kingdom Hearts will make us complete."

Xaik watched as Xeros spoke, blanketed by the moonlight. She looked at his profile, completely in awe at him. Her brain flickered once again, noticing a strange sensation as an image from somewhere else appeared for a moment before returning to where she was again. As she reconciled her reality, she saw Xeros was still staring at the moon.

"If you're here to get your heart back," He said as he looked down from the moon. "If you want to be whole again," He then turned to face her once more. "Then this is what you must do."

Xeros came down, the red-black aura leaving him as he descended slowly back onto the ground. His landing was soft, graceful even, Xaik noted. He then walked up to her, standing ready for her to attack.

Xaik sighed. This is what I must do… She lugged the hammer over her shoulder. If I want to be whole again… She prepared to swing ...I need to do what I am asked. She was hesitant at first, but then she swung the hammer right at him. Before it could hit, Xeros backed away slightly and placed a hand behind the hammer. He pushed it forward, causing Xaik to lose her balance once more and fall to the ground. She fell down, dropping her hammer and landing on her hands and knees.

Xaik shook her pained hands, inhaling sharply as she heard the footsteps behind her.

"See?" Xeros said as he walked in front of her. "You're not compensating for the weight of the hammer. You swing with all your strength, and it leaves you unstable."

Xeros then held his hand out, as Xaik looked to it. She looked at his hand, up his arm, all the way to his face. She was getting lost in his eyes for a moment, before shaking herself and taking his hand. He lifted her up off the ground, almost effortlessly. Xaik noticed a weightlessness that surrounded her for a bit, but soon returned to normal as she stood on the ground.

"Now, this time, think about the weight of the hammer," Xeros continued.

Xaik raised the hammer up, looking at it and weighing it out in her hands. She looked back to the Dusk, waiting patiently for Xaik's next attempt. Xaik put the hammer back up on her shoulder, this time breathing slowly and calmly. After taking her breath, she ran at the Dusk for another attempt. As she reached the Dusk, she swung at it. She missed as the Dusk narrowly dodged the attack, but this time Xaik did not fall over. With her feet planted, Xaik swung in the opposite direction. The Dusk turned at the last second to see the hammer as it collided with its face. The Dusk was sent flying, as it impacted with the wall and disappeared in a cloud of white sparkles.

Xaik was as pleased as a Nobody could be at her victory over the Dusk. She turned to Xeros, who this time gave a slightly longer clap.

"Good. You've managed to beat one Dusk." He said as he raised his fingers, snapping them and making another appear. "Now, do it again."

Xaik's demeanor flattened immediately at the thought of having to do it again. I guess it was too much to think that I would be done after one win…

And so, they spent a while training, practicing. Xaik found herself picking up some sort of rhythm when facing the Dusks. They were wily enough that they made for versatile teachers. Xeros watched carefully, giving his quick but poignant instruction. But this would not last very long. As another round of Dusks was finished, footsteps echoed in the hall.

When the two looked, they saw Saïx approaching them. Xeros stood up, looking formal as Xaik noticed and tried to do the same. However, her attempt at attention was severely lacking. Saïx looked to Xaik with a sneer, then to Xeros.

"How far along are you in training the new one?" He spoke to Xeros, no longer acknowledging Xaik's presence.

"She is a quick learner," Xeros responded. "So far she has excelled with reconnaissance, and currently is handling the basics of combat well enough."

"Define 'well enough'."

"We have been practicing for a while now. She needs to refine her technique, but overall seems to be able to defend herself." Saïx didn't seem pleased at Xeros's words.

"Unfortunate, as you're needed in Twilight Town to deal with a swarm of Heartless that threatens the area."

Xaik looked shocked to hear that Xeros was to be sent to deal with what sounded like a dangerous mission. And so casually, as if it were nothing to scoff at.

"When we spoke earlier, I was assured that I would not be sent on a mission today so I could focus on training."

"Things change." Saïx uttered. "You're needed elsewhere."

"With all due respect, you tasked us with handling Xaik's training quickly and efficiently. For me to stop now, it would be a hindrance to-"

"Need I remind you, Number Sixteen, that the needs of this…" Saïx glared in Xaik's direction, causing her discomfort. "...recruit do not outweigh the important duties that you took upon yourself when you were brought into the Organization?"

Xeros gave a pensive stare, before nodding.

"No, it isn't necessary."

"Then go," Saïx waved his hand at Xeros. "Deal with the Heartless and report back as soon as you return."

With that, Saïx turned and walked away, leaving the hall with Xaik and Xeros alone. Xaik looked up to Xeros, who seemed to be puzzling to himself.

"Y-you… have to go?" Xaik inquired.

Xeros gave a breathy "hm" as he placed a hand over his chin. He stayed thinking for a bit, as Xaik wondered herself as to what would happen now. As well as why Saïx insisted on being difficult.

"I don't understand…" Xaik murmured. "I'm supposed to be trained as soon as possible… but he can just demand that we stop at his whims?"

Xeros seemed to give a slight nod, but it was unclear what he was thinking to Xaik. Once again, she found Xeros in this place of dealing with a member of higher status that deemed it necessary to push the others around. However, with this instance, it became clear that Xeros wasn't as fond of Saïx as he was of Varijex. Xaik could tell this with the way Xeros looked and spoke to Saïx.

"This is indeed a needlessly complicated situation," He began to speak, though it was not directed at Xaik. It seemed he was merely thinking aloud. "Though I shouldn't disobey a direct order, this is extremely inefficient for reaching our desired outcome of making sure you are trained."

Xeros went back to puzzling, not looking at Xaik or speaking a word for some time. Xaik didn't know what to do, as Xeros merely stood there for a bit, still pondering. It made her a bit anxious, being in the presence of someone but it seeming as if she were all alone.

This would not last too long, as Xeros soon broke out of his thoughts and turned to Xaik with an expression that implied he'd come to a conclusion.

"I think the only solution is for you to come with me."

Come with you?! Xaik yelled in her head. She stuttered as she tried to reason her way from being taken on such a big leap.

"B-but I don't think I'm ready for a mission like this!"

"Perhaps not, but we don't necessarily have the luxury, do we?" Xeros remarked as Xaik continued to stammer.

"I've only just started learning combat. To go out and fight the… th-the Heartless seems too dangerous!"

Xeros tilted his head at Xaik, thinking a bit more.

"I suppose that this is true. It would be irresponsible to have you go and be hurt."

Xaik sighed with relief both internally and externally as it seemed Xeros came to his senses. An assumption that would quickly be broken with his next words.

"Then I'll deal with the Heartless and you observe."

This time, Xaik's sighing was of defeat, as she nodded her head hesitantly.

"I guess… it can't be helped."

"Then it's decided then," Xeros spoke as he held out his hand to open a portal. "Let's go."

As Xeros headed into the darkness of the portal, Xaik followed shortly after. They passed through the corridor, as they soon were breaching the darkness into the light. But this light was different for some reason. Not as bright, much more red than usual. As they got to the other end of the tunnel, Xaik realized why that was.

Leaving the portal as it closed behind them, Xaik stood behind Xeros as she looked over the horizon. A town was glazed in red by a setting sun. The light's hue was oddly familiar. Sunsets were not something unusual, but this one in particular was sticking in her mind. She wasn't sure why, but it definitely gave her a strange sensation as Xeros turned back to her, noticing her expression change.

He stared at her as Xaik looked up to his pale skin reflecting the sun. It gave his skin a saturation that definitely rubbed Xaik in a way she was unsure of. Xeros took note of this, but brushed it off as they had a mission at hand.

"I'll scout ahead for the Heartless. Make your way downtown and we'll regroup there."

"W-wait… you're going to leave me a-alone?" Xaik pleaded as Xeros looked off into the distance.

"I can cover ground more quickly from above. I won't be long."

Xeros then began to glow that red-black aura, charging his power. Before leaving, he turned back to say one more thing.

"Try to remain inconspicuous, the Organization doesn't need us drawing attention to ourselves."

With those words, Xeros shot up into the air, like he was falling upwards. After a certain height, he began to go away from where Xaik stood.

Now left all alone, Xaik was uncomfortable, to say the least. She took a deep breath, as she looked to her surroundings. She was uphill, looking down on the town from a view. Behind her was a large building, tall like the skyscraper where Xaik was found. Atop the building was a huge clock, and she swore that she saw some people sitting up there. If her eyes didn't deceive her, she probably would think those people were out of their minds.

She then turned back to see that there was a street that led downhill from where she was. Xeros said to head downtown. She remembered as she then took it upon herself to venture forth. No use standing around when Xeros was expecting her to meet him halfway. As bad of an idea it seemed, that was the only option she had. So she pressed forward and began to walk down the hill.

There was something quaint and cozy about this town that Xaik seemed to appreciate. Not as much as she wanted to, obviously, but there was a thing in the back of her mind that thought so. But as she came closer to town, she noticed that people were roaming the streets. As she came closer, she pulled her hood up, Xeros's words in mind. As she passed them all, she couldn't help but wonder what it must be like.

All these people, going about their days. Hearts inside every one of them. Xaik used to have one, and yet, she did not remember. She didn't remember what it was like. As she observed the people, she pondered what it was like to exist truly. It was haunting to not even know what it was like, yet there was a comfort in all of this. She did not remember who she was or where she came from, so even without a heart to make her truly worry, she didn't have the looming thought of what she was missing.

Lost in her thoughts, she ended up running into a group of young people. She hadn't realized her path was going through them, so she acted fast. She scrunched up her arms as she turned her torso and slipped through them.

"Excuse me…" She murmured as she continued on her way.

Her attempt to sneak by would fail as she heard a voice call out behind her.

"Hey!"

Shoot! Xaik cursed to herself as she tried not to acknowledge the fact that the kids noticed her. Maybe if I just keep walking-

"Hey, I'm talking to you, coat!"

It was certain that they were not going to stop until Xaik would face them. And so, slowly, Xaik turned around to see the group as they approached her.

There were four of them. Xaik was confident all of them were fairly younger than her, except for one who was bigger. He was bulky and tan, with black hair and wearing an orange tank top. There was a girl, who had silver-gray hair, wearing a blue-sleeveless shirt and shorts. An odd small one, who wore a blue coat and a large hat which seemed to shroud his face, leaving only his beady yellow eyes visible. And the last one, the one who was speaking and took point in the group, was a blond boy wearing a dark hat and a long silver coat.

The blond boy came closer to Xaik, as Xaik hid deeper in her hood.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before."

Xaik stayed quiet as the boy seemed to grow suspicious. He squinted his eyes at her, as Xaik noticed that he had a scar on his face, which made him more intimidating.

"Who are you?" The boy demanded.

Xaik continued to remain silent, only shifting around here and there, which irritated the boy. The muscle boy stepped forward, pointing at Xaik.

"Hey, when Seifer asks a question, you answer it, y'know?"

"Talk," The girl added sharply.

Xaik merely stood, turning her head away from the group as the blond boy called Seifer began to step forward. But before he could get too close, another voice came from behind Xaik.

"Leave them alone!"

Xaik turned to see that three more kids were approaching, as they ran in front of Xaik. The first one was a boy with spiky pale-blond hair, wearing green and camo. The next, another boy who was slightly bigger, wearing a shirt and a tank top over it with a headband wrapped around his black hair. And the last was a girl with brown hair that came out at the sides, wearing an orange top and some capris.

"What's it to you, Hayner?" Seifer spoke.

"You think you're so tough, why don't pick on someone your own size!" The boy, who Seifer called Hayner, replied.

"Yeah, teasing someone like that is messed up!" The black haired boy added.

"Whatever," Seifer scoffed as he turned to walk away. He gave a quick glance back toward Xaik as she looked at his sneer. "I've got my eye on you."

Seifer then left, taking his posse with him. Xaik was relieved that she was saved, as she then noticed the three would-be saviors turned to her. She looked to them as the girl came closer. Xaik took a slight step back.

"Hey, it's okay," The girl spoke with a reassuring tone. "We're not here to hurt you. Sorry about Seifer and his crew."

Sorry? Xaik wondered about that as Hayner stepped forward.

"What, no thank you?"

The girl turned to Hayner, upset at his words.

"Hayner, don't be a jerk!"

Oh… Xaik realized. I guess that is a thing a person with a heart would do. Her inaction was giving too much away about her nature, so she needed to act.

"N-no… it's fine," Xaik spoke up as the three turned to her. They looked to her, which made her wish she didn't talk. "Thank you…"

"So, what's with the hood?" The black haired boy questioned.

Xaik didn't know what to do. They insisted on continuing this interaction, even though she said her thanks. What is with these kids? It struck her as odd that they would continue, even though they didn't know her. All Xaik's interactions thus far had been mostly of necessity. She never talked to anyone outside of her induction and her training. And she wasn't supposed to be involving herself with the people around.

And yet, her curiosity seemed to get the better of her.

"Pence, don't bother them, they're probably just shy." The girl turned her attention to the black haired boy.

If they keep asking questions, this might get bad. Xaik wondered what to do in this situation. There was no training for this. But Xaik had learned a few things, and though they were for different purposes, the tools might still be of use. Xaik then took a determined breath as she reached for her hood. She pulled it off as the three turned to her and looked in surprise to see the girl with the bright blue eyes and shoulder-length magenta hair, with the single curl that brushed her left cheek.

"You're a girl!" The black haired boy seemed stunned.

Okay, Xaik reassured herself, This situation is like my hammer. I can't lose control of it. Control the weight.

"Hello," Xaik introduced herself as she placed her hands, folded in front of her. "My name is Xaik."

"That's a weird name." Is my name weird? Xaik pondered for a second before the girl spoke up.

"Don't mind Hayner, he gets a bit grumpy after dealing with Seifer. My name is Olette."

"Hello, Olette." Xaik replied.

"I'm Pence." The black haired boy added.

"Hello, Pence. And you're Hayner, right?" Xaik looked to Hayner as he nodded his head.

"Yeah, that's me."

I think I've got it. Xaik encouraged herself. Now, finish exchanging pleasantries. Deal the final blow.

"It's… a pleasure to meet you all," Now, time to go. "I'm on my way to… meet someone, so I need to go."

"Oh, okay," Olette said with slight concern. "Do you know where you're going? Do you need help?"

"That's… not necessary. Thank you, though… And thank you for your help, again."

"Of course, see you around!" Pence exclaimed as Xaik nodded and turned to walk away.

See you around? Xaik thought about how strange it was to assume that they would see one another again. They didn't know that Xaik was only here on a mission and would most likely never see her again. And it hit her that these people whom she had never met, and probably would never meet again, had gone through all the trouble of talking to her. They didn't know who she was. They didn't know what she was. But they saw her in trouble and decided to help.

The idea behind that was somewhat beyond Xaik's comprehension. As she thought about how it didn't seem to make much sense given her social interactions over the past few days. Scyrux, though friendly in nature, was probably behaving so based on the fact that he chose to. Varijex was more than likely the same case. Xaik came to the conclusion that if her not having memories was strange, that the rest of the Organization did have memories to base their actions and interactions on.

And it was unusual, to say the least. Most of her interactions with the other Nobodies, though based on those memories, were usually negative. A majority of their actions were callous, cold, and unfeeling. Which made sense, the Nobodies could not feel, therefore behaved like one would assume of a person devoid of emotion. And yet, Xaik was not like this. To others, her behavior was that of a meek girl, unsure of herself and always looking for guidance. She was unaware of most things like social cues for the most part, but there was something in her that made her the way she was. There was only one other person she could compare herself to in regards to behaving while lacking memories.

It always seemed to come back to Xeros, in one way or another. But he was a Nobody devoid of memory just like her. And his behavior did not seem to reflect any sort of nature aside from being exactly what Xaik thought she should be: a blank slate. Xeros, though not lacking in personality, was very fixated on little things. The way he looked at everything for extended periods, being quiet unless spoken to, it was all marks of someone who did not know what to do when it came to interacting with others, even on an instinctual level.

But one thing was certain about Xeros, even without his memories, he was determined. In thinking of Xeros, her calmed mind triggered something in her, allowing her to hear something in the distance. Once again, her hearing seemed greater than before as she could hear the sounds of Xeros's breaths as metal flew through the air. The sounds were accompanied by skittering and grunts of struggle. Xaik hurried toward the noise she heard, passing through a market-like area lined with tracks.

As she eventually found herself in the back alley of the area, she could now hear the sounds louder, more clearly. She then noticed that Xeros was surrounded by creatures, much like the ones she encountered the first time she arrived in the city. But these ones were smaller, more feeble looking. Xeros was dealing with the swarm of Heartless, as Xaik thought to summon her hammer to help.

As the battle raged, it started to seem less necessary, however. Xeros managed to dispatch several of these Heartless with ease. They didn't seem so powerful, so Xaik just observed for the moment. She watched him, his elegance combined with his precision made him a force to be reckoned with. His movements were so fluid - the way he would jump around, leap between the walls, from ground to air. His weapon used as an extension of his power and lethality. It wasn't long before he managed to defeat the whole swarm without seeming to break a sweat.

With the Heartless vanquished, he turned to see Xaik was standing there. He tilted his head, before walking up to her.

"Good, you're here," He held out his arm and made his weapon disappear. "Did you get to watch as I destroyed those Heartless? You need to learn more if you're to be able to defend yourself."

"Y-yes… I did see… sorry I didn't… help." Xaik shuffled uncomfortably as Xeros placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump a bit.

"That was the arrangement," Xeros then pulled away from Xaik. "You were to watch as I dealt with the fighting, so as to ensure your safety but that you still gain something from this."

Xeros noticed a strange expression on Xaik's face as he spoke. Her posture was unusual, and she seemed distracted.

"You seem preoccupied with something."

"Huh?" Xaik looked at Xeros, unsure of what he meant.

"I said you seem preoccupied with something," Xeros reiterated. "What are you thinking about?"

Xaik puzzled for a bit, thinking about what had happened earlier and everything that she had been thinking about.

"I am… confused…" Xaik let out after a bit.

"Oh?"

"I don't… understand… interaction." Xaik's words were unclear for Xeros.

"Interaction? Be more specific."

Xaik grew uncomfortable at recollecting the events of earlier, as well as Xeros's inquiries.

"On the way here… some people talked to me."

Xeros's face turned to a slightly curious expression.

"And?"

"Well…" Xaik shuffled, playing with the chains on her coat. "A group of kids harassed me, and another group of kids defended me and then tried to talk to me."

Xeros let out a "hm" as he thought a bit about it.

"What happened afterwards?"

"I learned their names… I told them mine and that I needed to go." Xaik watched Xeros puzzle about this some more.

"I see." He placed a hand on his chin.

"I just… don't understand…" Xaik started talking, mostly to Xeros, but there was some element of her own thoughts coming out. "Why did they… do that for me? They didn't know me…"

Xeros looked down to Xaik as she processed her thoughts. To some degree, he understood what Xaik was going through. He then had another thought as he turned and walked toward the alley exit. Xaik noticed as he turned back to her.

"Come, let me show you something." He gestured for her to follow as he moved.

Xaik continued right behind him as they walked toward a rather large wall. A gaping hole pierced the wall, allowing entry to an entirely different area of the town. As they walked through the hole, the two found themselves in a forest that lay outside the town. The trees were tall, covering most of the light from the sun.

They walked until they reached a clearing in the forest. Xaik followed Xeros into the clearing as she saw a rather large mansion that was behind a large wall with a locked gate. Xaik took in the details of the structure, but something unusual happened.

For a moment, she looked around and something had come over her. It was as if she had been there before. But that didn't make sense, as this was her first time here. Xeros noticed this, as he approached her.

"Do you remember this place?"

"I…" Xaik stuttered. "I-I don't know…"

"Isn't this where you were born?"

Xaik turned to Xeros, surprised that he would ask such a thing.

"N-no…" She looked at Xeros, dumbfounded as to why he would assume that.

"Interesting," He then walked over to the wall, placing a hand on the stones. "I was born here."

Xaik was left perplexed at Xeros's claim. You were… born here…? She thought to herself. It didn't take long for her to understand that what Xeros meant was that he was born as a Nobody here. Xaik's face went from confusion to realization, but then quickly returned to confusion.

"You were… born here?"

"Yes," Xeros then let his hand drag against the wall, before he retracted it and rubbed the tips of his fingers together. "As far as I'm aware, Nobodies are often born in this place."

"Right here…?"

"This world is between what is known as the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness. Nobodies can be born in any of these worlds." Xeros then turned to Xaik, continuing his lesson. "It was here that Varijex found me."

Varijex… he was the one that found you… Xaik realized that Xeros's relationship with Varijex must have stemmed from that encounter. It gave at least some idea as to why Xeros tolerated Varijex, as Varijex was responsible for him being found and brought to the Organization.

"I was just laying here. Completely lost. No memory of who I was." The idea was familiar to Xaik. She knew what it was like, so she understood as Xeros continued. "Both of us, anomalies. Neither of us with memories of who we were."

He… Xaik thought before speaking aloud.

"He has no memories, either?"

"Curious, isn't it?" Xeros said as he turned back to Xaik, with a rather strange grin on his face. "You wouldn't think it, with the way he acts. But that's because he is so driven. He was the one who taught me what our purpose was."

"Our… purpose…" Xaik repeated as she took in the words.

Xeros then walked up to Xaik, placing a hand on her shoulder. Xaik was shocked for a moment, before looking into Xeros's eyes.

"Nobodies like us… we don't understand the things people do. Without our memories, without our hearts, we can't hope to understand." Xeros paused for a moment, taking a second to think before continuing. "But if we help the Organization, we can regain what we've lost. We can become whole again. Then, and only then, will we understand."

Xaik saw a glimmer of determination in Xeros's eyes. As she looked at them, she knew that what he was saying was true. It was a comfort to learn that Xeros was just like her; both of them were lost and confused without their hearts and memories. But Xeros knew that they could fix the problem. If they worked hard, they would be able to meet the Organization's goal and the two of them could become whole again.

Xaik admired Xeros and his will. She supposed it made sense as that was what Nobodies were: beings of strong will. Xaik noticed a flush in her face as she couldn't help but smile. A strange sensation, but it was nothing more than a remnant of the idea behind what happiness would be. She looked at Xeros, nodding her head at him as he nodded back. For an instant, Xaik could see beyond the normally empty eyes on an expressionless face. Xeros shared this moment with Xaik, but it was interrupted quickly when they heard a strange noise.

The two turned to see that more Heartless had appeared, taking positions around the both of them. Xeros stepped forward, between Xaik and the Heartless as he summoned his weapon to him. He held it out, as Xaik looked at him. His ponytail blew in the wind and he took his stance.

"Remember," He said right before running in to attack. "Watch closely."

He rushed in, beginning his Assault on the Heartless that had come. Xaik watched, taking mental notes as Xeros took them all down, one by one. Xaik would watch, noticing the strange sensation come over her once more, remaining as long as she watched him. And it persisted, even after they finished the mission, following her until the inevitable moment where she fell asleep.

"I'll be fine, I got this."