Woooo boy ok so this chapter has a LOT that happens in it, and is kind of all over the place as a result? What can I say, there was a lot of ground I needed to cover here, but I still think I did a pretty good job at covering all those bases all the same. Hopefully you'll be able to follow the direction it goes. Enjoy!
Chapter 44: Vector to the Heavens
Oh, let me face, let me face, let me face my fears
The first thing Xion feels is something she can't say she'd ever been used to before. The steady beating of her very own heart.
What she feels next is the bright sun pouring down upon her from somewhere high above, as well as the solid, stony ground she's lying on. Her breathing is slow, her senses dull, her thoughts hazy to the point that it takes her quite some time to realize that her consciousness is solely her own. That her body is solely her own.
That her heart is out of the one that she's gotten so used to being a part of.
"Sora!" she gasps, bolting upright as a flood of memories strikes her. Namely the memories of those frightening final moments before she'd been set free, before he'd stabbed the Key to Return Hearts clean through his chest. The fleeting, decisive seconds in which she and Roxas had tried and failed to stop Sora from ending his own existence in exchange for renewing theirs.
"R-Roxas?" Xion calls, rising to her feet. She stumbles forward, unsteady and unused to the feeling of her own body after so much time spent having none at all. Ultimately, she ends up falling to one knee as she calls upon her Keyblade to support herself. She draws in another small gasp when she catches sight of the reflection looking back at her in its silver surface. At the bright blue eyes, at the short black hair, at the fact that when she looks at her reflection now, the only person she sees is finally herself.
And yet, that amazing revelation is made far more bittersweet when she thinks about just how high of a price someone else had to pay to make that happen.
"Oh, Sora…" she mutters, skimming her own heart as she wonders what's become of the one that it used to reside within. "What have you done…?"
She receives no answer, because, by all accounts, Sora isn't here. And strangely, neither is Roxas. Instead, Xion finds herself entirely alone as she takes in her peculiar surroundings, finding a place that she doesn't recognize in the slightest.
She carefully stands once more, taking in the wide, grassy courtyard she awakened in. It's surrounded by crisp blue skies, the air warm and filled with light birdsong. And yet what surprises her even more is what stands towering behind her: a massive, beautiful castle, with pristine white walls and glistening golden spires. Despite its nearly perfect radiance though, it stands in a solemn state of silence, one that Xion can't be captivated by as she begins to approach it. She's certain she's never seen this place before, at least not as herself. And yet she also can't deny there's a strange familiarity to this castle, almost as if it reminds her of the one she first came from, the very place she'd been created.
Unsure of where else to go or what to do, Xion walks up to the castle's lofty doors, easily pushing them open to get some sense of what awaits her inside. She remains on guard as she ventures into the building's equally gilded halls, finding not a single soul inside, at least not first. At the very least, she hopes to come across someone who can explain to her where she is and what's going on. At the very most, she can't help but wonder if that someone might be Roxas, or even more miraculously, Sora, both somehow safe and sound somewhere within these very same halls.
And yet, who she does find here is just about the last person she could have ever expected to see.
It isn't long before Xion finds herself scaling a staircase leading to the castle's largest room, a grand, open hall with several windows and a set of three thrones resting atop a platform on its far end. While initially empty upon a first glance, she's quick to realize she isn't alone here. Standing within the warm sunlight drifting in through the hall's elegant stained glass window is a single figure, clad only in white. Someone that Xion recognizes as soon as she sees her.
"Naminé…?" Xion balks, stopping dead in her tracks halfway through the hall. "Is… is that really you?"
Naminé gasps, her eyes wide as she spins around to face the other girl. "Xion?!" she exclaims, shocked. "Y-you're really here…"
"Wait," Xion shakes her head, taking a step closer. "You… remember who I am?"
Despite her awe, Naminé manages a small, knowing smile at this. "Of course I do."
"But… how? I thought you said everyone would forget I even existed once I-"
"They did," Naminé confirms, glancing down remorsefully. "But now that you're back," her smile returns somewhat as she meets Xion's curious gaze once more. "I have a feeling they're bound to remember you. Sora really did it…" her tone turns hopeful as she looks to the light coming in from the window once more. "He really set us all free…"
"Yeah… he did…" Xion mutters guiltily, knowing all too well what Sora had to do to himself to make that happen. "Naminé, do you know if he's alright? Sora, I mean, a-and Roxas too. I don't think they're here."
"No, they're not," Naminé frowns, perplexed. "I'm not sure about Sora-I can't really feel any sort of connection to him at all right now. But I can feel Roxas," she quickly reassures before Xion can worry too much about her first bout of distressing news. "When our hearts were restored, we all returned to the places we first appeared. For Roxas, that's Twilight Town. For you and me, that's here: the Land of Departure. Or, as you knew it, Castle Oblivion."
"This is Castle Oblivion?" Xion asks, absolutely baffled.
Naminé nods, though before she can explain further, an entirely new voice, one that neither of the girls had been expecting, suddenly chimes into their conversation. "See, Marluxia? I told you that if we hung around this old place, we'd find something interesting eventually."
"Yes, it appears as though you were right, Larxene. Not only have we happened across one fascinating discovery here; we've found two."
An all too familiar spark of terror bursts through Naminé's entire body at the simple sound of their voices alone. But that terror becomes a full on blaze of unbridled dread when both her and Xion turn to see the pair stepping out of a dark corridor only a few feet away from them. The pair that had cruelly held her captive, who had blatantly abused her both in words and in actions, who had forced her to tear apart the memories of someone who hadn't deserved such a fate in the slightest. A pair that she had hoped she'd never be forced to see again after they met their demise.
But Naminé knows she's never been that lucky before, and she's certainly anything but lucky right now.
They both set their matched now-golden gazes solely on her, barely even regarding Xion with a passing glance. Marluxia fixes her with that same icy, unfeeling smirk she still has so many unpleasant memories of, a sharp grin Larxene shares as she offers the younger girl a playful wave of greeting.
"Naminé," Marluxia begins, his tone falsely cordial and charming. "What a pleasant surprise it is to see that you've returned. It seems as though so many of us former Nobodies are making a comeback these days."
"It looks like Sora had to come rushing to your rescue again, huh, Naminé?" Larxene taunts, feigning sympathy. "It's such a shame that no one can save him from what's happening to that fragile little heart of his. Not even you this time."
Naminé winces at this, sees Xion tense up out of the corner of her eye. Through her lasting connection to his memories, Naminé knows just how much danger Sora's been in lately, a message she'd tried sending to Kairi countless times from the depths of her heart. A message that she'd never been strong enough to successfully deliver.
"Y-you… you don't know what you're talking about," Naminé calls the duo's bluff, even though she knows it's a worthless effort. Not when just about every member in the Organization is likely well aware of exactly who their thirteenth member might eventually be.
"We do," Marluxia counters coolly. "But if you don't believe us, then perhaps you'd like a firsthand look at just how far he's truly fallen…"
He takes a step forward at this, though he doesn't get far before Xion suddenly pushes herself in front of Naminé, brandishing her Keyblade protectively as she glares harshly at both Organization members. "Leave her alone!" she demands firmly. She may not have the faintest clue about what sort of history Naminé might have with either Marulxia or Larxene, but she can tell by just how frightened the other girl behind her is that whatever that history is, it can't be anything good.
"Uh, who are you supposed to be?" Larxene sneers, sizing Xion up.
"I believe," Marulxia interjects just as condescendingly. "That's the puppet. Our former fourteenth member: Xion."
"Really?" Larxene asks, incredulous. "You mean that thing actually had a face under its hood this whole time? Who could have guessed?"
"Enough!" Xion shouts, still gripping her Keyblade securely. "Whatever you two are here for, you're not going to get it. Especially if you came to hurt Naminé; I won't allow it!"
"X-Xion…" Naminé mutters softly, surprised that she'd even bother standing up for her. That she'd so brazenly rush in to protect someone who had failed to save even so much as a scrap of memory about her before.
"Oh, great, looks like it knows how to run its yap now too," Larxene rolls her eyes, ignoring the question outright. "I wonder where it picked that up from. Probably Roxas. Or Sora. It's not like either one of them knows how to shut up either."
"We wouldn't dream of bringing any harm to Naminé," Marluxia says calmly. "Not when she can still be such a valuable asset to the Organization's cause."
"Ooo, sounds like you were thinking the exact same thing I was," Larxene grins over at her longtime partner-in-crime. "The old man's getting super close to dragging Sora onto the winning team anyway. What better way is there to push him over the edge than by tearing every last one of his memories to shreds so he can have a 'fresh start' with all of us?"
"A novel idea, one that could very well lead to a measurable reward," Marluxia agrees, not regarding the rising alarm in either of the girls standing before him over such an unspeakable scheme. "Presenting the master with a way to completely submit Sora into his unquestionable control could certainly go a long way in winning his favor…"
"And," Larxene adds in a devious whisper. "It'd make the crazy geezer take back everything he said when he chewed you out for trying to haul the stupid kid back to him before. Who knows? We might even wind up with a nice promotion as a bonus. I know I'd do just about anything to see the looks on Xigbar and Saïx's faces when we bump them both right out of the upper ranks!"
"Not to mention…." Marluxia muses, lighting skimming the lingering scar on his face Sora had left him with during their last encounter. "It's a chance to put that bothersome boy in his place… But of course-" he sets his sights on Naminé once more. "The only way we can accomplish any of that is with your help, Naminé…"
"No," Naminé hisses immediately, her formerly fearful manner sharpening into rage at the very suggestion. At the very thought of harming Sora's heart, or anyone else's heart for that matter, as badly as she once had before. "I already told you last time; I don't care what you try to do to me, I am never letting you force me into hurting Sora, not now or ever again!"
"Oh, wow, big, bad Naminé finally grew a backbone after all this time sitting scared on the sidelines," Larxene teases viciously. Her already malicious grin widens as her knives flash into the spaces between her fingers, practically glistening in the light streaming in from the window. "But ya see, the thing about that is, I can think of plenty of things we can do to convince you to change your mind…"
"As can I…" Marluxia agrees, summoning his scythe. Without warning, he lunges forward, swinging his elegant weapon out wide and fast. Naminé gasps, shielding herself from the inevitably agonizing strike as best she can. And yet, it never lands, and all she feels from it is the rush of air that stops the second Marluxia's weapon collides with another. Xion holds her Keyblade steady, keeping her stance firm even as the much larger, much sharper scythe bears into it. She doesn't let the intense amount of force Marluxia is putting behind his weapon deter her, instead forcing herself to stand strong until she finally manages to successfully shove him away.
"I said leave her alone!" she snaps, the fury in her voice ringing through the vast hall.
"Hm, it seems as though Naminé isn't the only one here with a bit more bite behind her this time," Marluxia sneers coldly. "Unfortunately, we have no use for a lowly defective puppet. Larxene, would you care to do the honor?"
"Of taking out the trash?" Larxene chuckles as her other set of knives appears in her free hand. "With pleasure."
With this, she charges ahead, just as Marluxia had done before her. This time, Xion meets her halfway, swinging her Keyblade hard and fast. Larxene gracefully dodges the attack with a well-timed leap over the younger girl's head, landing a fast elbow jab to the small of her back as soon as she lands. Xion stumbles forward, but maintains her balance, spinning around to face her foe with another swift swing, one that Larxene effectively dodges yet again. She retaliates by tossing a handful of her knives out, though Xion manages to roll out of their path just in time before any of them can strike her.
From the sidelines of this aggressive brawl, the most Naminé can do is stand by and watch, always the observer, never part of the action, even when someone she cares about is in harm's way. Yet even if she could do anything to help, Xion largely doesn't need it. With a kind of skill that reminds Naminé so much of Sora's, she holds her own just fine against Larxene's fast, intense fighting style, even succeeds in landing a few powerful blows against her at that. It's only when the Organization member begins playing dirty, both in her moves and in her words, that Naminé begins to truly worry.
"You know, Shayon-or whatever your name is-it's a shame we never had a chance to 'bond' before," Larxene begins as she brushes off Xion's latest strike with ease. "When I first joined the Organization, I was disappointed to find out I was the only girl in the gang. Having to deal with a bunch of boys all the time can be so exhausting. But then, just as soon as we finally got another girl to join up, what do they do? They ship me off here to this dump. It wasn't a total bust though; I got to spend plenty of 'quality time' with Sora while I was here. And now that the truth is out that you're nothing more than some broken replica of him, I can definitely see the resemblance. You both get that same stupid look on your face when you're angry."
"Shut up!" Xion shouts, livid under such cutting remarks. She wastes no time casting as powerful of a fire spell as she can at her foe, only for Larxene to disappear out of its path in a bright burst of lightning.
"Ooo, and you've got his short temper too," Larxene snarks as she shows up a few feet behind Xion. "But in the end, it turns out you couldn't look or play the part, and neither could Roxas. It's like they always say, nothing beats the original; at least that's what the old man seems to think, otherwise he wouldn't be going through all the trouble of turning Sora into one of us…"
Xion lets out a startled cry as one of Larxene's knives finally grazes her arm, tearing the sleeve of her coat in the process. She clutches the bleeding wound with her free hand, glaring her opponent down relentlessly as she prepares to gear up for more. "Y-you're wrong," she protests sternly, yet shakily. "Sora will never be one of you."
"Whether he is, or he isn't, it doesn't really matter," Larxene rebuffs, briefly checking over her knives. "It's not like you'll be around to find out!"
Xion doesn't have time, not even a second to lift her Keyblade to react to what Larxene throws at her next. Because instead of knives, blinding bolts of sheer, vibrant electricity bound toward her, latching onto her body and jolting through her veins in waves of sheer, white hot agony. Xion can barely even let out a scream as that lightning tears its way through her, her body spasming violently as her Keyblade falls out of existence. And as Naminé watches this brutal, unbearable scene begin to unfold before her, she refuses to stand by and let it continue any longer.
"Xion!" she screams, trying to run forward to stop this senseless violence somehow. Only for the deadly edge of Marluxia's scythe to stop her dead in her tracks.
"You should be more sensible, Naminé," he chastises her from his newfound spot behind her, grabbing her tightly by the arm to hold her back. "There's no point in putting your life on the line for something that was never supposed to exist in the first place."
Naminé nearly sends back a brazen retort at such a cruel claim, yet just before she can, Larxene abruptly pulls her hand back, finally freeing Xion from her electrifying hold. She collapses to the ground, groaning in anguish as smaller aftershocks ripple across her body, her limbs burning, her thoughts slow and her breathing unsteady as she tries to pull herself out of the paralyzing pain pounding through her. Ultimately though, she's unable to do much as Larxene approaches her again, kneeling down to her level and placing a hand under her chin to force her half-lidded gaze up to meet her smug, triumphant smirk.
"Whoops," she mirthfully slices the tip of one of her knives across Xion's cheek, leaving a long, lightly bleeding cut. "How sad; you finally get your own face and you can't even keep it looking pretty for five minutes. Then again, it's not like anybody would be impressed by it, not even someone like Roxas."
Even despite how weak she's feeling, Xion manages to fix Larxene with a hateful scowl, her words broken, yet bold when she forces herself to speak. "R-Roxas will stop you…" she says, her voice barely above a waning whisper. "So will Sora… T-they won't… let you get away with this…"
"Ha! Fat chance; Sora won't be stopping anyone, not even himself, once he's taking orders from us," Larxene scoffs, raising a handful of knives high into the air, lightning bursting over them once more. "As for Roxas… well, you won't have to wait too long to see him again. 'Cause if he tries to stop us, then he's gonna wind up the same way you're about to!"
Xion shuts her eyes, bracing herself for the no-doubt fatal strike Larxene has in mind. She only vaguely hears Naminé's terrified cry, though a stark gasp from Larxene herself is what startles Xion enough to open her eyes again. The Organization member still stands over her, her eyes wide and her knives vanishing into thin air as another gloved hand tightly grips her raised wrist. And then, in an instant, that hand abruptly, violently throws Larxene back away from Xion entirely.
She screams as she hits the ground near Marluxia's feet, his own scythe gone as he immediately bends down to check on her. Despite her newfound relative freedom, Naminé doesn't dare move an inch, not when she sees who's come to Xion's "rescue". Someone who, by all accounts, even Marluxia and Larxene are downright appalled to see.
"Xemnas…" Marluxia hisses as he begins to help Larxene back up. "What are you doing here?"
"I am here as an envoy for the master," Xemnas remarks, sparing a brief, disapproving glance back at his fellow members. "To ensure that the two of you do not waste resources that are of value to his Organization."
"That dumb puppet?" Larxene shoots back, leaning against Marluxia as she nurses her now-injured wrist. "Get real. It's not useful to anyone."
"Perhaps she's not of use to someone as short-sighted as you," Xemnas counters condescendingly. He smiles, however, when he turns attention back on Xion, still sitting weakened, vulnerable before him. "But our master does his best to make the most of every opportunity that presents itself to him. And our newly-returned fourteenth member here is no exception."
Xion's breathing hitches at this, her position shifting so she's sitting on her knees, though it's the best she can really do for now. She briefly exchanges a terrified glance past their foes to lock eyes with Naminé, who mirrors her own palpable fear perfectly. For as much trouble as they'd been against Marluxia and Larxene before, Xemnas' absolutely unexpected arrival has just thrown another dangerous wrench into things entirely. And with that wrench comes an uncertain, yet undeniable threat that neither girl really knows how to face.
"Welcome back, Xion," he addresses her cordially "Your revival could not have come at a better time. The new Organization XIII is one of second chances, even to former traitors such as Marluxia and Larxene here." Upon hearing this, the aforementioned pair sharpens the hateful glares they're both sending Xemnas' way, though ultimately, he ignores them in favor of extending a hand to help Xion up. A hand that she refuses to take for the trap it so obviously is. "I would like to personally offer you that same invitation to reclaim your proper place within our ranks, Xion. A chance for you to help us pick up right where we left off…"
"Never," Xion shoots back without a second thought. She summons her Keyblade again, using it to prop her up as she struggles to get back onto her feet. The entire time, she makes sure to fix Xemnas with a fierce scowl, one meant to send him a simple message. That she'll never serve under him or see him as her superior again. "When I left the Organization, I left it for good. I don't want any parts of anything you're planning."
"You haven't changed much at all, it seems," Xemnas retracts his hand, but his sinister smile remains. "Always so impetuous, a trait you and Roxas alike have in common. One you both got from Sora, without a doubt. He's sure to be awfully lonely once he's finally come into the fold as our thirteenth. Wouldn't you like to be there to keep him company? It's only fair after all of the pain he put himself through to bring you back."
"You must not listen very well," Xion counters crossly, finally finding the strength to stand on her own again. "My answer is no. I'm not about to fall back in line to be what you wanted to use me for before. And when it comes to Sora…" She pauses, only briefly, as she lets her lingering guilt over his unknown fate slowly start to ebb away. As she lets a familiar brightly burning sense of resolve take its place. "I fought with everything I had to protect his heart from you while I was inside of it. And not a thing about that has changed now that I'm out." She points the tip of her Keyblade straight at her former superior, her courage, her drive to once again set as much as she can right, pushing her onward. "Make sure Xehanort gets the message too; I'll risk whatever I have to for even just a chance at saving Sora, just like he risked everything for us!"
Xemnas' steady smile finally falls as he looks between Xion and the Keyblade she's still aiming at him. "How easily you forget that the one that "saved" you was also the one to first condemn you out of existence in the first place," he remarks icily. "But if I can't convince you to come back to where you belong, then perhaps someone else can. Marluxia," he glances behind him, his expression still severe and sour. "Bring Naminé here to me. Now."
Both Naminé and Xion tense up upon hearing such an order, and even Marluxia and Larxene similarly flinch. And yet, given the command the much higher-ranking member holds over them both, Marluxia is hard-pressed to try and disobey it. He grips Naminé tightly by the arm, essentially dragging her over amidst Xion's immediate protests.
"Let her go!" she shouts hotly. She takes her first swing Xemnas' way, hoping to go after Marluxia next, though her attack hits neither of them. Instead, her former superior teleports to the space immediately behind her, landing a brutal kick to her back that sends her stumbling forward in Larxene's direction.
"Disarm the puppet," Xemnas instructs, eyeing Larxene with a firm air of authority. "And restrain it well."
Larxene scoffs in annoyance, but she does as she's told anyway. Though Xion tries to defend herself, she's unable to do little as another intense jolt of electricity sparks through her body, one that sends her Keyblade falling out of her grip against her will. The moment she so much as loses her weapon, Larxene is upon her, painfully pulling both of her hands to pin them in place securely behind her back.
"Xion!" Naminé cries, spinning around to face the struggling girl. She has no chance to help her, however, as Marluxia finishes pulling her over to Xemnas, carelessly shoving her to the ground at the superior's feet.
"Hello, Naminé," Xemnas greets her, cupping a gentle hand under her chin to guide her gaze up toward him. "It is truly an honor to finally meet you face-to-face. I've heard much about your unique abilities. It wasn't that long ago that Ansem traveled all the way to the Realm of Darkness to find an old 'colleague' of yours-now what did you call him again? DiZ?-to see if he had any notes to spare about how your peculiar powers work. But when his research failed to yield any useful information to our cause, he was… disposed of."
Naminé gasps at this news, alarmed to hear that the Organization would go that far. True, DiZ had been unabashedly awful to her during the time she'd been forced to work with him. But knowing that the Organization would outright eliminate someone just because they couldn't get what they wanted out of them certainly doesn't bode well for either her or Xion now.
"Still, his intel was ultimately unnecessary anyway," Xemnas continues smoothly. "Why seek secondhand recollections of how to manipulate our thirteenth vessel's memories, when we can go right to the source?"
"What?" Larxene snaps above Naminé's shock at such a heavy implication.
"Are you suggesting that Naminé be used to wipe away Sora's memories to make him more malleable for the master?" Marluxia questions, his tone every bit as sharp as his expression.
"That was our idea first!" Larxene protests, ignoring Xion's continued attempts at escaping her. "You can't just hijack it from us!"
"I believe, as your superior, I can do as I please," Xemnas responds calmly. "Despite the treasonous intentions behind your scheme, it does still carry quite a bit of merit all the same. And for that, consider yourselves immensely lucky that the master has no plans of punishing either of you for your proposed disloyalty. Unless… you wish to take the matter up with him personally…"
Both Marluxia and Larxene quickly fall into a bitter silence at this, neither of them capable of going against Xehanort's direct orders, not with the secure hold he has over both of their hearts. And yet, even though their protests are put to an end, Naminé's have only just begun. "How many times do I have to tell all of you?" she speaks up, scowling at Xemnas as she stands. "I am not going to let the Organization use me or my powers ever again!"
"No, you're not," Xemnas surprisingly agrees, catching Naminé off guard completely. "At least… not without a test run to see if your powers are every bit as potent as they were before…" He nods over to Larxene, silently beckoning her to bring Xion forward. Naminé's heart sinks as she remembers the precarious position they're both still very much in; at the mercy of people who've never had much of that to offer them to begin with.
Larxene forcefully pushes Xion over to Xemnas, who doesn't even give her a chance to call upon her Keyblade before he grips by the front of her coat. As soon as he has a tight hold on her, a bright red beam of raw energy forms from his outstretched palm, creating a deadly glowing blade that he doesn't hesitate to hold dangerously close to Xion's neck.
"W-what-" Naminé chokes out, but she doesn't have a chance to say anything more before Xemnas interrupts her.
"Allow me to make a bargain with you, Naminé," he says, focusing on her as he essentially forces Xion to stay still, lest he bring his bright blade down. "For whatever reason, you care about this feeble puppet's wellbeing, don't you? If that's the case, then my terms are simple. You will erase every last one of Xion's memories or… she dies where she stands."
Both girls freeze stiff upon hearing such horrific terms, their eyes wide as they look to each other, distraught. "Y-you can't," Naminé attempts to call his bluff. "You wouldn't. You just said you wanted her back in the Organization, why would you-"
"What the master wants," Xemnas interrupts. "Is evidence that your abilities can aid in bringing Sora to our side. Nothing more, nothing less. This puppet is replaceable, just as it's always been from the moment it was born. If you can't prove that your powers still work on her, then there are plenty of other suitable candidates that can be used in this experiment instead, such as Roxas or perhaps… even your own other."
Despite her best attempts at stopping it, another frightened gasp escapes Naminé at the very thought of being forced into wiping away either Roxas or Kairi's memories, both options that are every bit as unbearable to her as doing the same to Xion's or Sora's. "N-no," she shakes her head, her hands clenched in tight, trembling fists at her sides. Of all of the moments she's wished she could wield a Keyblade, this is certainly the most dire. But what she lacks in a tangible weapon, she hopes she can still make up for in her sheer, stalwart resilience all the same. "I won't do it! Not to Xion, or Roxas, or Kairi, or Sora, or anyone else!"
"It seems as though you don't understand the terms of our deal," Xemnas rebuffs demeaningly. Without another word, he pulls his energy blade closer to Xion, to the point that its red-hot edge skims the side of her neck. She lets out a tight, pained cry as it scorches her skin on contact, and tears begin to swell in her eyes when Xemnas keeps it held there, refusing to give her any sort of relief. "One flick of the wrist is all it would take to put this pathetic puppet out of its misery," he locks eyes with Naminé, his voice dangerously low and threatening. "But such senseless violence is far from necessary. All you have to do is decide which is more important: her memories… or her life. Choose wisely, Naminé…."
"I-I…" Naminé stammers, unsure of what to do, what to say, how to stop any of this. She's completely powerless here, she knows she is; powerless to help anyone, possessing only the power to hurt others instead. The only power she's ever really had, she supposes. "I-I don't-I can't-"
"Naminé," Xion suddenly interjects, her voice small, breaking as she strains against the burning edge at her throat. "Do it."
For a moment, the most Naminé can do is gape at the other girl in disbelief before she manages to let out a small, incredulous "W-what?"
"G-go ahead and erase my memories," Xion insists, tears still shining in her eyes. "It's better if it happens to me instead of someone else like Roxas… Everybody already forgot about me before; m-maybe… maybe it's for the best if they forget about me once and for all… If I forget about myself…"
"Xion…" Naminé whispers. Her own eyes turn wet as she wishes she knew how to comfort her, how to assure her that what she just said isn't true, that she is important, that she does matter, that she is worth remembering after all. "No… y-you're… you don't-"
"Well, you heard it," Larxene pipes up, her usual snide smile returning. "Get to work, Naminé." Likewise, Marluxia finds a sense of sadistic amusement as Xemnas shoves Xion to the ground in front of Naminé, keeping his burning blade trained on the back of her back, just in case. Naminé shoots their trio of torturers a hateful scowl, but it does little to deter any of them from their shared sadistic scheme.
"It'd be in your best interest and hers not to keep us waiting," Xemnas notes, inching his scorching weapon just a bit closer to Xion. Likewise, Larxene and Marluxia also arm themselves, if only to show the girls just how outnumbered and overpowered they both truly are. Just how inescapable this situation is in every sense of the word.
"Naminé," Xion draws her attention back down to her. She's smiling, despite the tears streaming down her cheeks, tears that begin to follow the same kind of course down Naminé's too. "It's ok… If you do this then… t-then maybe they won't hurt you."
"But this will hurt you, Xion…" Naminé counters, shame tinging her tone as she kneels down to the other girl's level.
"After all the trouble I caused before, maybe it's just what I deserve…" Xion says with a small, bitter laugh. "But I'm fine with that, as long as my friends are still safe. And Naminé, that includes you…"
Naminé stills at this, her emerging sobs falling into silence as she tries to make sense of the soft, sweet smile Xion is sending her way. As she tries to understand how someone who she couldn't save before is willing to give up every part of who she is to save her now. As she summons every ounce of courage she still has to pull together a plan to be the one to save her instead. A plan to help someone instead of hurting them for a change. "I'm not going to give them what they want," she mutters, more to Xion than to herself. "Not this time…"
"Naminé?" Xion frowns, confused. She's even more surprised when Naminé suddenly leans forward, placing both of her hands firmly on her shoulders as she addresses her in a barely audible, yet intensely serious whisper.
"Xion, listen to me," she begins, her blue eyes blazing with fear and bravery at the same time. "I have an idea, but it's a risky one. I can't say much about it now," she briefly, subtly glances up at the three sets of golden eyes all trained carefully on them, hoping that none of them can hear her. "But I can tell you that everything will turn out alright. All I need you to do is trust me."
"I do," Xion immediately agrees. Naminé struggles to smile when she thinks about how she really shouldn't, how nobody should really, not after just how many messes she's managed to make. But maybe if she's lucky even just this once, then the mess she's about to make now might just end up making up for all the others.
"Thank you," she sighs, wishing that she didn't have to do this to begin with. Wishing that they hadn't been thrust headfirst into the hands of their enemies mere moments after they'd both been brought back. Wishing that they actually had the freedom Sora had sacrificed so much to give them. "Before we go through with this, there's one more thing you need to know. Sora and Roxas are the keys to unlocking what I have to seal away inside of your heart. You were made from both of them, and when they find you, they'll bring you back to who you are. Believe in them… and believe in yourself most of all…"
Xion only has time to nod before Xemnas boredly interjects behind her. "My patience is running thin, Naminé," he says, the tip of his blade nearly skimming Xion's back to the point that she can feel its heat hovering over her. "Whatever pathetic apologies you might be whispering to each other are obsolete. She won't remember any of them anyway."
Naminé sighs, hoping that claim won't be right for long. "I'm so sorry I even have to do this to you, Xion…" she says as she prepares to tap into her long-dormant powers. "I'll try to make this as quick and painless as possible. But I promise, we'll see each other again soon."
"Yeah," Xion agrees, submitting herself to whatever Naminé has to do. All while harboring complete, unshakable faith that her plan, whatever it might be, will prove to somehow save them both in the end. "I know we will."
With one last smile, she peacefully closes her eyes as Naminé gently pulls her hood up to hide her face. True to her word, it doesn't hurt much at all, just a small burst of pain ringing like the sharp peal of a bell through her heart and mind alike. And, as it fades into silence, so too does every last memory, every single second of recollection, every scrap and shred that makes her who she is…
Until only the only thing that's left is an empty shell, a vacant puppet… and another obedient vessel for the Organization's cause.
The moment Roxas so much as sees Xemnas' face, one of his Keyblades is already in his hand. His other weapon soon follows once he helps Sora lean against the mansion's doors for support, and with both Oathkeeper and Oblivion securely in his grip, he steps forward, already prepared to confront his former superior.
"Go away," he starts rigidly, offering Xemnas a vicious, downright hateful glare.
"Roxas," Xemnas acknowledges him dryly. "I wish I could say your return has been highly-anticipated. But your usefulness to the Organization ended the moment you decided to turn against us in favor of your own ultimately futile ambitions."
"Shut up," Roxas hisses, his hold on both of his Keyblades tightening. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say. Get out of here, now, or I'll make you."
Xemnas largely ignores this threat in favor of shifting his gaze over to someone else instead. "Hello, Sora," he greets, putting on a broad, falsely kind smile. "It's good to see that you're finally starting to fully look the part of the role you're meant to play."
At that very instance, an intense burst of intrusive pain pounds its way across Sora's heart, eliciting an anguished cry out of him as he collapses even further against the door he's already propped up against. Roxas glances back at him, his eyes wide as he quickly realizes what's happening. That with as far under as his heart's already fallen, Xehanort certainly isn't the only one to hold some sort of sway over Sora's heart anymore. Someone such as Xemnas can now do the very same sort of damage to it too, and with that frightening thought in mind, Roxas doesn't hesitate to rush forward to put a stop to it as quickly as he can.
"Don't talk to him!" he shouts, swinging both of his Keyblades out at his former superior. "Don't even look at him! Leave him alone!"
Oathkeeper and Oblivion only slice through clean air as Xemnas vanishes, reappearing several feet away on the other side of the yard. "You're awfully quick to change your mind, aren't you, Roxas?" he asks, raising a critical eyebrow. "If I recall correctly, it wasn't all that long ago that your other was the one on the receiving end of your Keyblades. And yet you still strive to defend him, even after he caged your heart within his and stole the life that should have been yours."
"N-no!" Sora protests, fighting back against the ache still ringing vibrantly through his chest. "Roxas, that's not-I-I didn't ever want-"
"You really think I'd buy a word he says?" Roxas scoffs, briefly glancing back at him before returning to fixing Xemnas with a fierce glare. "Whatever happened before isn't important anymore. All that matters to me now is keeping Sora safe. It's the least I can do after what he just went through to set me free."
Sora settles into a small smile upon hearing this, deeply touched by the lengths Roxas is willing to go for him. Including bravely standing up against someone he'd once been manipulated into serving, someone as severely dangerous as the former leader of Organization XIII himself.
"It seems as though all that time you spent away from the worlds has done little to curb that defiant attitude of yours," Xemnas sneers, his golden gaze as cold as ice. "Hopefully your replacement will be far more loyal than you ever were by the time his conversion is at last complete…"
Another sharp cry escapes Sora at this, his heart seizing in even more inescapable agony. It's enough to nearly knock him off his feet, his legs still too weak to properly support him. Despite Roxas's apt horror at having to helplessly watch his other's obvious suffering, Xemnas simply smiles in satisfaction as he lets it continue. "You've come quite far in such a short amount of time, Sora. You should be proud of your progress. It won't be much longer now before you finally reach the end of the road that's leading you to what you were always meant to be…"
Sora jolts in genuine fear upon hearing such an ominous reminder of what he knows all too well to be true by now. Yet even if he's largely started to accept his dark fate, Roxas refuses to. "He's not going down any road you're trying to put him on!" he shoots back viciously. "Not as long as I'm around!"
"I see…" Xemnas notes, his smile fading once more. "In that case, Roxas, then you, much like every other meager obstacle that stands in our way, are fated to be eliminated."
Even against such a fatal threat, Roxas doesn't back down. Instead, he charges forward, both of his Keyblades poised to attack his former superior as he swiftly begins to bridge the distance between them. And yet, instead of either of his weapons landing against Xemnas himself, they starkly hit the solid surface of another Keyblade entirely.
A Keyblade that's almost exactly the same as Sora's.
Both boys gasp at the unexpected arrival of a new figure into this fray. Only now does it become apparent that Xemnas didn't come here alone. Saïx steps forward to join him from beyond the mansion's outer gates, regarding Sora and Roxas with a silent, largely unreadable gaze. As for the mysterious Keyblade wielder, they're clearly in league with the dark duo; their telltale black coat is proof enough of that. Yet their hood covers their head, shrouding their face in concealing shadows, and their slight, almost feminine frame still leaves little to go off of when it comes to their identity.
"W-what?" Roxas starts, pulling his weapons back as he looks over the hooded stranger in confusion. "Who are-"
"Allow me to introduce," Xemnas interrupts with a cool, calculating grin. "The Organization's fourteenth member."
"...Fourteenth?" Roxas starts, not hearing Sora's shocked gasp behind him. "But… how-"
"Roxas!" Sora shouts in apt alarm. He tries pushing himself to steadily stand on his own, only to end up falling back into the mansion doors. But even so, he does his best to issue his Nobody a timely warning, to reveal what he's already figured out, between the copy of his Kingdom Key, the familiar battle stance they've taken on, the fact that they're the fourteenth member, just as she'd been before. Scattered memories that he's seen, memories that don't belong to him, come flooding back through his mind, memories that he needs to make known to Roxas, before he makes a terrible mistake. "I-I think that's Xi-"
"Shh…" Xemnas calmly quiets, a finger lightly pressed to his lips. The moment he does, Sora forcibly falls into silence, his voice completely stripped from him to the point that he can't so much as utter a single sound. No doubt another horrifying sign of just how much of a hold the Organization has over his heart, his body, his very voice if they can just banish it whenever they please. "You'd be wise to learn early on, Sora, that a good vessel should be seen and not heard."
"Sora?" Roxas looks back at him in apt alarm. And yet, despite his best attempts at speaking, Sora finds it to be a suddenly impossible feat, even as he tries shouting, tries screaming, tries saying anything at all to get a warning out about what's happening. About exactly who the Organization's apparent fourteenth member really is.
It doesn't take long for Roxas to piece everything together when he sees Sora desperately try but ultimately fail to communicate with him. He turns his attention back to Xemnas, raw fury etched across every single inch of his face. "What did you do to him?!" he snaps between gritted teeth.
"I'm simply teaching him a thing or two about being more tactful," Xemnas smirks haughtily. "Besides, it's not as if anything he has to say is worth listening to to begin with."
Roxas says nothing in response to such a cutting remark. Instead, he tries launching himself at Xemnas once more, if only for an aggressive attempt at somehow reclaiming Sora's suddenly stolen voice from him. Yet before he can even come close to touching his former superior, the unknown member cuts him off once more, their Keyblade swiftly striking both of his away.
"Back off!" Roxas shouts at them, lashing out to knock them out of his way. The member stands firm, however, blocking his strike with ease before deflecting it with one of their own. The edge of their Keyblade rams right into Roxas's exposed side, leaving a large, heavy bruise behind. Sora panics upon seeing this, unable to even let out a frightened gasp as he watches Roxas stumble backward. He tries to force himself into action, to put a stop to the brawl that's about to break out before it can even begin. But his body is still far too weak from his earlier brush with death itself, to the point that when he makes another attempt at standing on his own, he ultimately ends up collapsing to his knees on the mansion steps. He reaches a trembling hand out to Roxas as he begins exchanging rapid blows with the fourteenth member, wishing he could tell him who they really are and wondering why he doesn't seem to know them already. Sora could tell basically by looking at them who's hiding under that hood; so if he can, then why can't Roxas? Unless…
Unless Roxas still doesn't remember her. Unless nobody does… not even herself, it seems.
Roxas lets out a pained yell as the fourteenth member's Keyblade slams into his back. He doesn't have much time to recover from the blow before they come in for more, their attacks fast and unforgiving. The way they fight seems oddly familiar to him in a way he can't quite place, yet they still carry a complete air of mystery about them as they swing unflinchingly, wordlessly, ceaselessly. "E-enough!" Roxas manages to shove them back, refusing to let them get anywhere close to Sora. "Who are you anyway?"
Of course, the fourteenth member doesn't answer, instead remaining as ominously silent as ever. Xemnas offers a smug response in their place. "It is a being of whom you have no memories. A true Nobody, hailing from the edge of oblivion. And as such, it is a far more obedient pawn than you could have ever hoped to be," he says to Roxas before firmly addressing the fourteenth member. "Number Fourteen, bring this bothersome traitor's existence to an end. A permanent end this time."
The fourteenth member dutifully follows the bloodthirsty orders they've been issued, thrusting their Keyblade directly at Roxas without a single beat of hesitation. He manages to dodge out of its path, but isn't able to avoid their next strike as the teeth of their Keyblade catches him in the shoulder. He forces himself to ignore the pain that pounds through his arm at such a heavy blow, knowing that he's really the only thing standing between Sora and whatever atrocities the Organization has in mind for him. To fall now, so soon and so easily, would be the same as being the one to him right over to Xehanort himself.
As for Sora, he remains in his spot near the mansion doors, still largely unable to move much at all. His voice is still non-existent, his breathing sharp and his eyes wide as he watches the intense skirmish continue to unfold before him. And as he does, an awful thought soon strikes him as he sets his sights on the fourteenth member, as he watches her try to kill someone he knows she cares so much about. As he wonders why any of this is happening, how she could have been turned so easily against them, how she had been dragged back into the Organization she'd been so brave to leave before.
But then, as he takes a glance down at his own shadow-streaked hands, he quickly realizes exactly who's responsible for her fall back into their clutches. "What happens when you can't save them in time?" his phantom's hateful words echo through his pain-addled mind once more. "Are their hearts just doomed to be corrupted and controlled by Xehanort like yours will be? Or will they even be lucky enough to survive that long trapped in the prison your heart's turned into?" It's an unthinkable outcome, one that Sora has spent weeks dreading ever since it had first been suggested to him. Yet by all accounts, Ventus and Roxas had both somehow managed to mostly evade such a terrible fate, small specks of darkness willingly accepted into one of their hearts aside. They had both emerged from his shadowy pit that's now his own heart miraculously unscathed, and yet… it seems as though the third heart that had been trapped there hasn't been so lucky. Because here she is, back under the Organization's sway, forced to play the part of their perfect puppet once more. As their fourteenth member, she's not even a person in their eyes, but an object meant to follow their every sadistic whim, just as he's bound to become sooner or later too. And Sora knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that the only reason she's in such an awful spot, the only way her heart had been corrupted into their control, is because of the time she spent languishing, suffering inside of his.
True, he had saved her from that prison… but in doing so, he's landed her in an even worse one altogether. A prison that he has no idea how to help her escape any more than he knows how to free himself from it.
Roxas continues exchanging swift, succinct blows with the fourteenth member, though for as many hits as he lands against them, they barely seem to falter in the slightest. As a result, he largely finds himself on the defensive, doing his best to block their attacks as he lets both of his Keyblades take the brunt of them. The fourteenth member fights like they're not even human, like any damage sustained to them doesn't matter so long as they follow their orders to a T. As if every single shred of individuality, of personhood itself has been stripped away from whoever might be underneath that hood. Between the chaos of the brawl, Roxas tries to catch a glimpse of a face in those concealing shadows, but only ends up finding the briefest glint of gold, likely from their eyes. Proof that they're another vessel for Xehanort's wicked heart, just like all the rest of the Organization's members, just like they're trying to force Sora to be too. And if stopping this unknown vessel can even just postpone that from happening, then Roxas is more than ready to do whatever it takes to bring them down.
Ideally though, he'd prefer to get the jump on Xemnas and Saïx even more than his current opponent. The pair continues to stand on the sidelines, watching this fight from a safe distance, merely observing as they let the fourteenth member do their dirty work for them. Though Saïx's face remains set in a mostly stoic mask, Xemnas maintains a smug, cunning grin that widens each time Roxas so much as glances over in his direction. A grin that he wants nothing more than to wipe clean off his former superior's face.
He makes an effort at doing exactly that, breaking the tension between his Keyblades and the fourteenth member's to cast a powerful light spell at Xemnas in the brief opening that follows. Of course, he sees this strike coming, and easily deflects it by outstretching his darkness-coated hand, still smirking calmly all the while. As frustrated as Roxas is by this failed ambush, he fails to see the fourteenth member's Keyblade until its dull side suddenly slams into his chest. He lets out a heavy shout as he's abruptly thrown backward into one of the several withered pillars decorating the mansion's yard, a bit of blood launching out of his mouth from such an incredible blow. But before he can even think about trying to recover, the fourteenth member is already upon him again, intent on beating him down even further before they can finally finish the job.
"It appears that our experiment is proving to be a success," Xemnas notes to Saïx as they both watch the fourteenth member begin to break Roxas's defenses apart. "The master will be pleased with the potential Naminé's power possesses to turn the tide in his favor." He pauses, shifting his focus away from the fight and over to Sora, who's still largely too weak to intervene in it, as much as he desperately wants to. "Retrieve our thirteenth," Xemnas tells Saïx a beat or two later. "His time to stand as a shadow among the radiance of the guardians of light has reached its end. And besides… a long-forgotten friend of his is certainly longing to see him again. We mustn't keep her waiting…"
Saïx nods silently, vanishing into thin air only to immediately reappear right in front of Sora. His startled gasp is muted as the Organization member swiftly reaches down and grabs him by the arm, forcibly pulling him to his feet. He tries to protest, but his words still refuse to be rendered audible. So instead, he decides to make the most of his newfound claws, trying to scratch and swipe at Saïx with his free hand when he begins to drag him back over to Xemnas, desperate not to become a prisoner to the Organization in any more ways than he already is. Saïx takes Sora's claws digging deep into his forearm surprisingly calmly, instead only sparing a frigid glance back at his panicking captive. "I suggest you put a stop to that temper tantrum of yours," he orders sternly. And yet, right after he does, he drops his voice down to a whisper, one that no one but Sora himself will be able to hear against the din of the ongoing battle. "Unless you wish to lose the opportunity I'm about to give you."
Sora flinches, his eyes wide as he tries to make sense of what he's just heard. Still, he slowly slips his claws away as Saïx continues pulling him along, looking ahead again before discreetly turning to whisper another brief message back at him before Xemnas can notice. "Her memories have been locked away inside of her heart," he says, nodding over to the fourteenth member. "You hold the key to releasing them. You already know what it is you have to do, so when the time comes, do it. And don't let him stop you."
With that, Saïx faces forward again without another word. Sora's left reeling as he stares at the Organization member's turned back, his mind filled with a million questions his mouth won't let him ask. The biggest among them is why someone so apparently loyal to the Organization's cause would seemingly want to help him foil their schemes. For a moment, he suspects it might be a trap, that this is all part of Xemnas' cruel plan from the start. And once Saïx finishes bringing him over to the superior, he thinks that's all but confirmed to be exactly the case.
"Now, now, Sora, you needn't be so afraid," Xemnas slides a finger under his chin, forcing him to meet his piercing golden gaze. "You're about to be exactly where you finally belong. But first, you deserve the privilege of watching your nuisance of a Nobody meet his demise. You can take solace in the fact that you won't have to bear the memory of his blood being shed, or your memories of anything else at all, for too much longer..."
Xemnas nods for Saïx to pull Sora back, restraining both of his arms behind him as he's forced to watch the moment the fourteenth member brings their Keyblade down hard enough to knock both of Roxas' right out of his hands. He all but collapses against the pillar behind him, clutching his injured abdomen as he coughs up another bout of blood. His body is bruised, breaten, possibly even broken in a few places, his energy waning as he struggles to survive against a foe that, by all accounts, refuses to be beaten. Despite all of his strength and stamina, he knows he can't keep this going forever, knows that he's skirting the edges of defeat, possibly even death. But as the fourteenth member raises their Keyblade high for a devastating final strike, he looks away from them, instead locking eyes with Sora. Sora, who's been already apprehended, already handed over to their enemies, unable to escape from his unwanted spot by Xemnas' side. Unable to fight for himself when Roxas can't.
Which is why Roxas forces himself to fight anyway.
He yells past the pain splitting his veins as he commands his body to stand, though he only has enough strength to summon Oblivion alone. He uses it to meet the fourteenth member's next blow squarely, though they maintain pressure against his weapon well. Both Keyblades grind aggressively into each other, sparks flying up in a decisive struggle for dominance, a struggle that Sora can only watch with rising horror. And as he does, it truly sets in for him that one of these two once-inseparable friends is very well about to unknowingly kill the other and that there isn't a single thing he can do to stop it.
At least, until Saïx leans forward to whisper to him once more. "Strike me with your Keyblade," he hisses, his voice soft, sharp, and swift all at once. "Strike me and go to them. Now, Number Thirteen!"
Sora's body reacts far before his mind has a chance to. Largely because it doesn't have a choice to do anything else. His own Kingdom Key flashes into his hand and he does exactly as the higher-ranking member told him to. The dull end of his weapon hits Saïx in the side as soon as his hold almost intentionally loosens on his arms. He stumbles back, and the second Sora realizes he's free, he finds that he finally has the strength to stand on his own two feet again. He realizes he has the power to stop this potential tragedy after all.
He lunges forward with speed he doesn't know he has, to the point that he's already past Xemnas by the time he realizes Saïx has been subdued. At that same second, the fourteenth member manages to overwhelm Roxas once more, with another unforgiving swing that sends Oblivion clean out of his hands. As defenseless and nearly-defeated as he already is, Roxas only has time to brace himself for the inevitable when the unknown member raises their Keyblade ones more. And in one final, brutal swing, they bring it down-
Only for it to collide with another Kingdom Key instead.
Sora keeps himself and his Keyblade steady, though he is shaken upon seeing hers. While his own weapon still bears countless cracks (with more seeming to splinter its surface each day), hers is pristine, undamaged by the darkness that already appears to have torn away at her heart. She backs off a bit, her own voice finally making itself heard as she lets out a soft, startled gasp at the mere sight of him. And when he hears her, he finally begins to find his own stolen voice again as well.
"S-stop," he croaks quietly, struggling to make himself heard at all. "Don't do this… please…"
She falters, her breathing becoming tense as she turns her hooded gaze away from him. Instead, she points the tip of her Keyblade at him, its teeth just inches away from his face, and yet it goes no further. Sora stares at the weapon, nearly identical to his own, noticing as it trembles ever so slightly in her hold. As she hesitates to hit him, as if she somehow still knows who he is.
"Sora…?" Roxas speaks up behind him, his voice weak and weary. Sora glances back at him with a small, reassuring smile, but before he can say a word to his Nobody, Xemnas starkly intervenes.
"Number Thirteen," he snaps, fixing Sora with a severe, disapproving glower as he takes a step forward. "Stand down."
Another vicious burst of pain blooms throughout Sora's entire body at this, the scream that it prompts getting caught in his throat as a sudden gasp instead. It's unbearable, to the point that he nearly falls to his knees as it burns the inside of his chest like a chaotic wildfire. Yet he still refuses to let it get the better of him. Not now, not when the two lives he gave nearly everything to save are still on the line.
"I-I'm sorry," he says to her and her alone. His eyes brim with tears as he focuses on her face, trying to look beyond the darkness of her hood to truly see it. "I did this to you… i-it's my fault that you're-" He cuts himself off as Xemnas forces another horrible wave of agony through him. He glances over at the superior, violent, vicious fury blazing through his amber eyes. Yet his sights linger even longer on Saïx, still nursing his injured side as he meets Sora's sudden glance squarely, offering him only a simple, silent nod and nothing more. An unspoken reminder of what he'd told him before, for whatever bewildering reason he might have said it, for whatever unknowable motives he might harbor for wanting to help them all instead of hurting them for a change:
"You already know what it is you have to do, so when the time comes, do it. And don't let him stop you."
So, that's exactly what Sora does.
He stands a bit firmer, forcing himself to ignore his own anguish, as well as the repeated order Xemnas issues him in its wake. "You dare defy your superior?" he asks hotly, raising his hand as darkness swirls around it. "Stand down and step away this instant, Number Thirteen, or you will suffer the consequences of this foolish transgression!"
"No!" Sora shouts back, summoning every ounce of defiance he still has left in him. It takes an incredible amount of effort, and against both the pain and the stifling control the Organization already has over his heart, he's not sure how much longer he can keep it up. But it'll be more than worth it if even through his own suffering, he can somehow still save them both.
"If you refuse to obey the orders you're given then we have more than enough methods to correct your wretched disobedience," Xemnas hisses, his already intense glare deepening as he clenches his shadowy fist. "Number Fourteen, do whatever you must to subdue our wayward thirteenth. All I ask is that you keep him alive. Barely."
She wavers at such a command, her body turning tense as her Keyblade shakes even more than before. She raises it again, stopping for just a moment as she turns her head back toward Sora. Her voice erupts into a strained shriek as her weapon comes down in a rather weak swing that Sora easily guards against. Still, she continues pushing her Kingdom Key against his, even as he tries once more to get through to her somehow.
"It's all right!" he persists, finally managing to spot the false flecks of gold that have been forced into her eyes, just as they've been forced into his. "You can stop now! Y-you don't have to be what they want you to be. You aren't one of them, not anymore."
"What…?" Roxas wonders in a whisper, trying to pull himself to his feet. Trying to understand how Sora seems to know who this mysterious member is when he has no clue.
"Number Fourteen, strike them down, now-" Xemnas begins to demand. Yet Sora's voice, however small and scared as it is at the moment, is the one she hears instead.
"It's all right…" he whispers, a weak smile filling his features as he does as Saïx instructed him to. As he unlocks the memories that have been hidden away within the depths of her heart. "You're free now, Xion."
Every inch of the digital Twilight Town falls into total silence the moment her name is said. And somewhere worlds away… Naminé smiles, knowing her spell, one that had been cast by necessity to save her and Xion both, has been broken.
Her Kingdom Key falls out of her hand, disappearing the moment it hits the grass at her feet. A choked sob slips out as she grips the sides of her still-hooded head, an incredible torrent of formerly-sealed memories flooding it all at once. As Sora grips her arm to hold her steady, the most Roxas can do is stare at her, his eyes filling with tears, as the final missing piece of his own heart returns to him.
As he finally remembers one of the people most precious to him. Perhaps the most precious of all.
"X-Xion?" he dares to say her name, his heart aching with desire and disbelief as he does.
Her already unsteady breathing hitches when she hears him, her focus slowly drifting back and forth at the pair of boys before her. "R-Roxas…?" she ventures as she figures out how to form words of her own accord again. "Sora…?"
"Hi, Xion," Sora greets her with a smile as warm and bright as the sun itself. "I'm so glad to finally meet you."
She manages a ghost of a laugh between her tears, an emerging grin peeking out from below her hood. It doesn't linger long, however, before a tall, looming shadow suddenly appears to stand over her. "Changing sides again?" Xemnas glares down at her, disgusted and disappointed. "Just as you did before, of course. Clearly I shouldn't have expected so much from a chronically broken puppet such as you. Fortunately for us, we have no real need for a fourteenth vessel. Acquiring our thirteenth is all that matters to us now; anyone else is entirely expendable…"
With this, Xemnas summons one of his ethereal blades, raising its bright crimson edge high to strike all three members of the trio gathered before him. Saïx takes a small step forward, his hand already twitching to call upon his claymore even though he knows he can't do much against his superior, at least not safely. But in the end, he doesn't have to lift a finger. Because Xion herself is the one to ultimately stop Xemnas herself.
"Light!" she shouts, her Keyblade forming in her hand as a shower of radiant gold explodes from it. She holds the tip of her weapon aloft, pulling all of her power into a mighty attack that's more than enough to toss both Xemnas and Saïx back. While Roxas can withstand its blinding rays, Sora strangely finds himself cowering against them, something almost akin to a hiss involuntarily slipping out of his mouth as he shields himself with his arms. Still, the strike doesn't cause him anywhere the amount of harm it does to the Organization duo. Its purity burns them both to the point that they're left breathless and weak, even as the light slowly starts to fade. When it dims, Xion lowers her Keyblade as well as her hood, finally revealing her true face that had been obscured underneath it. Her eyes burn bright and blue as she sternly stares her former superior down, refusing to let him get the best of her now, or ever again.
"I-impossible!" Xemnas exclaims, appalled as he glares at Xion hotly. "Your memories should be-"
"My memories," she interrupts him, aiming her Keyblade at him in case he tries anything else. "Are of my friends and the time I spent with them. They made me who I am, they're the reason why I'm more than the replica you wanted me to be. They might have been forced to forget about me, but I've always remembered how much I care about them. And that's something you can never take away from me, no matter how hard you try."
"It seems as though you're not as good as winning people over as you think," Roxas adds as he steps forward to stand alongside Xion. Both of them form a steady line of defense in front of Sora, determined to do the same thing they'd both done inside of his heart. To protect him from the Organization's treacherous intent, in any way they can. "You once told us that the only purpose any of us had was to reclaim the hearts we all thought we'd lost. And what a great lie that was. Kingdom Hearts was never going to give us hearts of our own; it was only going to give you what you wanted."
"But what you didn't expect was for them to form hearts of their own," Sora speaks up. He makes sure to keep his voice as steady as it can be against someone who could still use his own heart against him. "Even if they both started from me, they made memories and built friendships that belong only to them. That's what their hearts are made of, and that's what makes them so much stronger than you think they are!"
Xemnas' cold scowl lifts into an amused smirk upon hearing this as he properly picks himself up to stand once more. "Then it's such a shame that your own heart doesn't bear that same kind of strength, Sora," he says, forcing more palpable pain upon Sora from afar. He shudders when it hits him, but otherwise shakes it off, resolved to resist it, to resist any further attempts Xemnas, or anyone else from the Organization, even Xehanort himself, might make at subjugating him. "Now that you've willingly hallowed it out from each of the hearts that had once inhabited it, more room remains for the master's power to take root without any irksome interference interrupting it. There's no point in delaying your inevitable destiny any longer; it's time for you to finally take your place among your true family, Number Thirteen…"
His sinister smile widens as he extends a hand out toward Sora, only for Roxas and Xion to rush in to block his approach immediately. "Go ahead, take another step closer to him and see what happens," Roxas threatens, his voice low and his Keyblades ready.
"You both still believe you can save him? Then be my guest to try," Xemnas scoffs condescendingly. Even so, a dark corridor appears behind him, a relieving sight to Sora, Roxas, and Xion as Saïx steps through it first. "But in the end, you'll see; there's no changing a heart that already belonged to darkness long before the life that's tied to it even began… Sooner or later, Sora, you'll find your way to your true purpose. And when you do, there we'll be, waiting in the wings to welcome you home..."
With this final unsettling message relayed, Xemnas disappears through his darkened portal, finally leaving the trio he'd tried to destroy safe and alone. In the silent seconds that follow, they all allow themselves a set of allayed sighs, but something else soon follows. Roxas turns, an incredulous smile filling his features as he slowly begins to reach a hand out to Xion. She returns his soft grin, even as he hesitates, almost as if he's scared that if he touches her, she might disappear again, just as she did before. But his worries fade away when his hand skims hers, as she grips it gently in return, as their eyes meet and they both realize they've finally, finally found each other again, even despite everything that had tried to tear them apart.
"Xion…" Roxas whispers, fighting back tears. "It's… it's you… You're really-"
He doesn't get a chance to finish before Xion suddenly throws her arms over his shoulders, letting out an elated sob as she pulls him into a fond embrace. It's one they maintain for quite some time, both of them softly crying all the while. There's so much they both want to say, so much they want to do, and yet it all falls short in favor of simply being here, together again. And after all the time they'd spent apart, so close within the same place, yet so far from seeing each other as clearly as they can right now, that's more than enough to make up for whatever words they might have said.
For a while, Sora simply stands on the sidelines of this beautiful reunion, warmly watching as he lets them have this precious moment to themselves. It isn't long, however, before Roxas catches him off guard, reaching a hand out to grip the front of his shirt before he abruptly pulls him forward into the hug himself. Sora can't help but laugh as he readily receives and returns it, so incredibly overjoyed and excited to have finally freed them both from his heart. To finally have actually saved them both before it's too late after all.
In time, they slowly pull apart, though Roxas lingers close to Xion, taking in every last thing about the mere sight of her. "What happened?" he asks her intently, his hands moving to lightly rest on her shoulders. "Where were you? How did they find you?" He pauses, his eyes widening as he gingerly skims her cheek, tracing a finger near the lingering scar that had been torn across it. "W-who did this to you?" he finishes, the slightest hint of anger in his otherwise gentle tone.
"Larxene…" she answers, her smile fading as she slowly guides his hand away from her now-damaged face. "Her and Marluxia were the ones who found us, and then Xemnas showed up and-"
"Us?" Sora interjects, confused. "Was someone else with you?"
Xion gasps in sudden alarm, a frightening thought striking her. "Naminé!"
"Naminé?" both Sora and Roxas echo in surprised unison.
"S-she was in the same place I was," Xion explains somewhat frantically. "Some sort of castle-she said it was Castle Oblivion, but it didn't look anything anything like it-"
"Castle… Oblivion?" Sora raises an eyebrow, not following. "Where's that?"
"It's a place that the Organization used to run," Roxas recalls, though he doesn't really have any other details beyond that. "But… none of the members who went there ever came back, except for Axel. What were Marluxia and Larxene doing there? How'd they even come back in the first place?"
"I don't know," Xion shakes her head. "I tried fighting them, Xemnas too, I really did, but… they overpowered me. A-and then they tried to force Naminé to use her powers to erase my memories, but I think she only sealed them away instead. That's how Xemnas was able to control me, at least until you unlocked my memories, Sora, just like Naminé said you would."
She offers him a thankful smile, one that he isn't able to properly return as perplexed as he currently is. He can't claim to know Naminé that well, outside of knowing that she's Kairi's Nobody, and as such, one of the lost hearts they've all been trying to save. Which is why, even though he doesn't really know much about her, Sora can't help but want to save her too, to liberate her from the same sort of unfair fate Roxas and Xion both met alongside her before.
Even so, Roxas is the one to pose the question weighing on his mind first. "Xion, do you know what happened to Naminé after that?"
Xion sighs sadly, shaking her head again. "No…" she admits, glancing down. "But I'm really worried about her. What if the Organization is still keeping her trapped?"
"Then we'll save her!" Sora volunteers without a second thought.
"Uh, that's a bit risky coming from someone who needs saving from the Organization too, Sora," Roxas counters pointedly, crossing his arms.
"I'll be fine," Sora quickly rebuffs, not wanting to think too much on his current condition. "But if Naminé really is in trouble, then we should do what we can to help her."
"Yeah," Xion solidly agrees. "If she still is with the Organization, there's no telling what they could be doing to her. She took a huge risk to save me, even when she could have just as easily saved herself instead. It's only fair that we do the same for her."
Roxas hesitates for a moment, looking between the pleading looks Sora and Xion are both sending his way. Of course, he wants nothing more than to help Naminé too, but blindly going after the Organization isn't something he's so keen on seeing either of them do, especially not Sora. And yet, he's hard pressed to tell either of them no, not when he meets their practically desperate pouts meant to convince him otherwise. "Alright, fine…" he sighs tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But we're not doing this on our own. For now, let's head back to the real Twilight Town so we can start coming up with an actual plan, ok?"
Though Xion nods her agreement, Sora says nothing. Instead, he lightly rubs his arm, flinching as his own claws lightly skim his skin. The thought of going back to a place where he could so easily run into any of the many people he'd come here to escape is a heavy one, to the point that the anxiety it brings him can scarcely be described. True, he has both Roxas and Xion by his side now to help him get through it, but the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes he's not quite sure if it's something he's really prepared to do at all.
And yet, he still follows the pair as they head into the mansion, as they make the trek down to the basement's transporter. And, he still steps through the gateway, back into reality, back to where all of his countless problems are still ready and waiting to haunt him once more. He feels a strange sort of numbness as he trails after Roxas and Xion to the mansion's first floor, his mind buzzing with far too many thoughts and fears for comfort. He has no idea what he'll say, what he'll do when he sees any of the other guardians of light again. And as they approach the mansion's front doors, he quickly realizes he has no time to figure any of that out either.
"Wait," Sora stops short halfway through the foyer. "Do you guys hear that?"
Roxas and Xion also take pause, and it doesn't take them long to catch onto what Sora's already heard. "Sounds like someone's outside…" Xion notes, heading for the doors. Roxas and Sora join her, all three of them pressing close to listen to whoever might be conversing on the other side of them.
"Well, this is the place," one of the voices outside says and as soon as they hear it, Roxas and Xion are unable to hold back a shared, stunned gasp.
"Axel!" they whisper, excited smiles filling both of their faces.
Another voice soon follows his, however, one that sends a sharp burst of panic surging through Sora. "Do you really think Sora could be here?"
"Kairi," he draws in a tight, tense breath as he backs away from the doors. Briefly, he steals another glance down at his hands, at his claws, as he remembers the white overtaking his hair, the gold staining his eyes. And as he does, he finds himself fearing, far more than he ever has before, what she might think if she sees just how far he's fallen since the last time they were together. "She's here-I-I can't go out there. I'm not ready, I don't know how to-"
"Sora," Roxas places a hand on his shoulder in an effort at calming him down. "Remember what I told you; I'm for you, no matter what happens."
"We both are," Xion assures just as earnestly. "You're ready for this."
"No, I'm not!" Sora protests, pulling back from them both. "I still don't know how to tell her about any of this, I thought I wouldn't have to when I-" He cuts himself off, not wanting to say what both of them already know. That he thought he could escape this kind of dreadful confrontation, that he'd taken the most drastic way out he could have possibly found. A way out that ultimately hadn't even worked in the end.
"You have to tell her sooner or later," Roxas insists. "You know you have to, Sora. You need help. Kairi and the others will be able to get you that help; they might even be able to stop this. But they'll never be able to do anything about it if you won't tell them about it to begin with."
"But I-I just… I don't know how to tell them," Sora counters, an argument he's used so many times before, against Donald and Goofy, against Ventus, against even himself really. Because at this point, it's really the only excuse he has left in his arsenal. "I just need a little more time. Please, Roxas," he begs as he forces tears into his eyes. "Don't make me do this… Not now..."
Roxas falters when he sees those tears start to fall, his stern expression softening as he exchanges a glance with Xion. They both understand, likely more than anyone else really, just how much Sora has been struggling inside and out since all of this began. They've both felt his fear, have been struck by his sorrow, have drowned in his rage far too many times to count by now. And that's why they both come to the same realization at the same exact time. That they can't force Sora to reveal the truth and deal with whatever fallout that might come along with that truth on anyone else's terms other than his own.
Which means they have to join him in the endless chain of lies he's still so dead set on stringing along. At least for a little while longer.
"Ok…" Roxas relents, immediately regretting such a decision. "Just… hang out in here until we're done. I guess we'll just make them think you're not here."
"How are we going to do that?" Xion whispers to him, aside.
"...We'll think of something."
"Thank you…" Sora offers them both a genuine smile before slipping safely out of the view of the doors. Roxas and Xion briefly keep their worried sights set on him, before sharing a small, solemn nod. They reach for the doors together, without even realizing that on the other side of them, someone else is doing the exact same thing.
That is, until the doors swing open. And suddenly, Roxas, Xion, and Axel are all standing face-to-face for the first time since the fateful day they'd been torn apart.
Axel's hands fall limp at his side, his jaw similarly dropping as he stares at the pair standing before him in shock. He's dreaming, certainly he must be dreaming. Because there's no way this can really be happening so suddenly, so soon. He looks at Roxas first, tears already sparking in his eyes as the younger boy sends him that same bright, beaming smile he's so used to. But then, he sees her standing beside him, and as soon as he gets even the sparest glimpse at her face, everything finally clicks into place. The clouds that had been fogging up the memories of her inside of his mind instantly clear away and suddenly he remembers her, remembers how much she meant to him, how much she still means to him. And, he realizes just how much of a miracle that she's standing here in front of him now. How much of a miracle that they're both here, that at long last, despite all the time that's passed and against every last one of the odds stacked against them, he finally has both of his best friends back.
After what feels like ages of stunned, tremulous silence, Roxas is the one who somehow manages to speak up first. "H-hey, Axel…" he says, his voice quiet as he lifts his hand in a small greeting wave.
"Hey…" Axel returns just as softly. His breathing shudders as he runs a hand through his crimson hair, deciding it's not even worth the effort of trying to make sense of all this. How and why don't really matter anyway; the only thing that matters to him now is the pair standing only a few feet in front of him. "Guess I should've brought some ice cream, huh?"
Xion chokes out something between a laugh and a sob at this, and Roxas largely does the same. And it's at that moment that Axel finds himself falling to pieces entirely. He breaks down, throwing his arms around the pair and draws them toward him in a tight, tearful hug. They're both quick to return it, Xion still weeping into his shoulder as Roxas hangs his arms around her and Axel alike.
"I missed you," Xion whispers, her voice trembling as she leans against both of her boys for support. "I missed you both so much, I-I… I'm so sorry for-"
"No," Axel quickly cuts her off. "Don't be sorry. Neither of you have anything to be sorry for. The only one who should be sorry is me. I should have done more to keep us all together, I should have never just went along with what Xemnas told me to do, I should have found a way to-"
"It doesn't matter what any of us should have done," Roxas interrupts, knowing he's still harboring a whole host of regrets himself. Regrets that he's decided to finally let go of, to finally leave them all in the past where they belong. "What matters is that we're all here. And… we're all free."
"...Yeah," Axel grins as their hug breaks apart. "And if anyone ever tries to split the three of us up again, well…" His smirk widens as he lets his fiery Keyblade flash into his hand, holding it up to proudly show the pair. "I'll make sure to make 'em wish they'd never even looked our way."
"Whoa!" Roxas exclaims, impressed. "You can use a Keyblade now too, Axel?"
"Yep," Axel slings his weapon over his shoulder. "Turns out I picked up a few new tricks from all that time I spent with the two of you. Still, as fresh out of training as I am, I think it's safe to say you're the old hands."
"Don't worry, Axel," Xion chuckles warmly. "I'm sure you'll catch up to us… eventually."
"Hey now," Axel playfully warns, placing a hand on both of their heads to lightly ruffle their hair. "Just because you two are back doesn't mean you get to rule the roost. What I might lack in Keyblade experience, I still make up for in it memorized?"
"As if you'd let us forget," Roxas teases, elbowing him in the side.
"Axel…?"
"Kairi!" Axel spins around to face her as she curiously approaches, a huge grin spread across his face as he pulls Roxas and Xion along with him. "You'll never guess who just so happened to show up."
"I think I can make a pretty decent one," Kairi laughs as she exchanges a cordial nod with Roxas. "It's good to see you again, Roxas. And… um…" She frowns, genuinely caught off guard as she looks to the girl standing alongside him. A girl that, by all accounts, looks almost exactly like her in really everything but hair color alone.
"Oh, uh, I'm Xion," she introduces herself, smiling a bit awkwardly as she extends her hand out.
"Ok," Kairi gladly shakes it. "It's nice to meet you, Xion. I'm-"
"Kairi," Xion fills in, much to the other girl's surprise. "I know. I've heard a lot about you."
"You remember back when we were training and I kept trying to remember something I forgot?" Axel asks, just shy of throwing an arm over Xion's shoulder. "That was Xion! Don't ask me how I managed to forget one of my best friends even existed, but that's a mistake I'm not about to ever make again."
"You better not," Xion laughs, giving him a small, lighthearted shove.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold everything!" Another trio entirely steps forward, all three of them awash in equal amazement as they take in the sight of the newly-arrived duo.
"Roxas… and Xion…?"
"Is that really you?"
Though Xion is somewhat confused by this group and how they know her, Roxas gasps as he meets the wondering gazes of a trio he'd only ever befriended in a world of data and code. A trio that in reality itself, shouldn't even be aware that he really exists at all. "Hayner, Pence, Olette…" he looks between each of them incredulously. "You… know who I am?"
"Yeah, we do," Hayner nods, smiling. "Thanks to Sora."
"Ever since he told us about you, we've been trying to help him bring you here," Pence adds.
"And it looks like whatever he did to make that happen worked!" Olette says just as warmly. "Welcome home, Roxas. You too, Xion."
"It's great to finally meet you both," Hayner takes Roxas' hand, giving it a friendly shake. "For real this time."
As awestruck as he is by being surrounded by both sets of his most cherished friends, Roxas finds it hard to keep the once-contained tide of emotions welling up within him at bay any longer. He surprises Hayner with an unexpected hug, one that he's quick to bring Pence and Olette into before silently inviting Xion to join. She hesitates, unsure of if she has a place in this seemingly new part of Roxas' life, yet after a small, encouraging shove from Axel she ends up settling into the group embrace all the same.
Though Hayner, Pence, and Olette are more than happy to start getting to know their newfound friends better, Kairi can't help but interject as soon as their hug comes to an end. "Um… Roxas?" she decides to start with him first, hoping he might have the answers she's looking for. "Do you know where Sora is? I know he must have done something to bring you back, so if you've seen him or know how he is, I'd really like to know. I haven't seen or heard from him in a few days now and… I feel like something might be wrong. He's never left me in the dark like this before and I don't know why he is now. I'm really worried about him…"
On the other side of the thin mansion doors, Sora sighs when he overhears this, running a clawed hand through his hair as he lightly leans against the wall. If he'd already felt guilty before upon hearing Kairi's earlier call to Axel, his guilt is unspeakable now when he realizes just how much he's made her worry. He's never really lied to her before, he's never had any real reason to until now, just as he's never had any reason to run away from her without a trace. Part of him wants to burst through these doors, to race out toward her, to fall down at her feet and beg for forgiveness he knows she's not obligated to give, forgiveness he doesn't even deserve for what he's done. But in the end, his fear at facing that very rejection, at the hatred he knows she'll no doubt harbor toward him once she learns the truth of what he's turning into, is what keeps him standing on the other side of the doors. Because at least this way, she can remember him at his best instead of his worst, she can still hold onto the Sora he used to be. The Sora that, as far as he's concerned, has already long since ceased to exist.
Back outside, Roxas and Xion exchange an uncertain glance in response to Kairi's question, neither of them entirely sure of how to answer it. They manage to avoid glancing back at the mansion, just to be safe, and when Roxas replies, he does so as steadily and inconspicuously as he possibly can. "Y-yes, I… did see him," he begins carefully and when Sora hears that answer from the other side of the door, he briefly panics. He's quick to calm down, however, when he hears what Roxas tells Kairi next. "And he is alright. But… he's uh…"
"He's not here in Twilight Town anymore," Xion quickly fills in where Roxas trails off. "He left."
"...With Donald and Goofy?" Kairi inquires, frowning. The pair looks to each other again, deciding to nod in agreement even when they know they shouldn't. Yet even then, Kairi is far from satisfied. "But… why would he just take off and leave the two of you behind?"
"Um… b-because he was… uh… looking for something?" Roxas ventures apprehensively.
"The Keys?" Axel guesses.
"...Yeah, sure," Xion nods, forcing on a broad smile. "Either way, he's safe. You don't need to worry about him." She forces herself not to wince when she says this, knowing that Kairi has every reason to worry about Sora. That she has every reason to fear for his future just as she and Roxas already do.
"Ok, thank you," Kairi says to the pair, grateful and relieved. Well, mostly relieved. "But I still want to catch up with him just to make sure."
"Oh, you don't need to do that," Roxas rebuffs with a bit of an awkward laugh. "He told us that he'll be around to see you again soon. He's really busy right now, so I don't know if you should-"
"Sora? Too busy for Kairi?" Axel interjects with an amused scoff. "I don't buy that for a minute."
"Neither do I," Kairi agrees, biting back the small burst of fear that comes along with the thought that it could be true. That Sora really could have matters on his mind that are far more important to him than she could ever be. "If he's not here anymore, then we can always look for him somewhere else."
"That's… a good idea!" Xion grins, knowing it'll give Sora the extra time he so desperately desires. "In fact, why don't we all split up to find him?"
"Yeah," Hayner pipes up as Pence and Olette nod their agreement. "The three of us can stick around here and let you know Sora, Donald, and Goofy come back while the rest of you guys head out of town to see if you can find them out there."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Axel concludes, hands on his hips as he turns to Roxas and Xion. "So… which one of you is gonna be tagging along with me for this one?"
"Um… actually, Axel…" Roxas hesitates, hating that he and Xion both have to lie to him so soon after seeing him again. Hating that they can't spend the time they truly want to with him now that they can because they know it has to wait. Pretty much everything does as long as Sora still needs their help. "I was thinking… maybe Xion and I could go by ourselves for a bit?"
Axel frowns, raising an eyebrow at this request. "All this time split up and you two already wanna ditch me, huh? I would've thought you'd both wanna make up for all that lost time like I do, but I guess not..."
"Oh, Axel, that's not it," Xion shakes her head. "It's just that we-"
"Or…" Axel interjects, a sly smile sliding onto his face. "Could it be that you just want some special alone time with each other?"
"W-what?" Roxas sputters, his face turning inexplicably warm. Especially as Xion suddenly grips his arm to make this newfound excuse more believable.
"Y-yes!" she nods vigorously. "We'd, um, really appreciate some time to ourselves, if you don't mind-"
"Not at all," Axel smirks, offering the pair a coy wink. "Just make sure you don't get two carried away without any 'adult supervision' around, k?"
"Uh, what's that supposed to mean?" Roxas asks, exchanging a confused, flustered glance with Xion.
"...On second thought, I think you two will be just fine," Axel chuckles as he remembers just how innocent the pair really is. "Looks like you're stuck with me for a little longer, Kairi," he grins to his former fellow classmate. "The search for your mysteriously vanishing boyfriend continues."
"Stop calling him that," Kairi fixes him with an insincere glare. "Please, let us know if you find him, ok?" she asks Roxas and Xion, her tone turning solemn and sincere.
"Of course," Roxas complies with an unsteady smile. All the while knowing that they've already found Sora, that he's so close, that if Kairi only took a few steps forward and opened the mansion doors, she could see him again like she so clearly wants to. The only problem is that Sora doesn't want her to see him, that he doesn't want her to know something she really should. That he doesn't want to let anyone into the massive house of secrets he's built for himself, a house that's coming so close to toppling over on top of him.
Kairi offers the pair another thankful smile as everyone begins to part ways. Hayner, Pence, and Olette head back toward town first, making it clear that they're eager to see Roxas and Xion again whenever they can. As soon as they're gone, Kairi calls upon a light gate for her and Axel to go through, though not before the latter takes the opportunity to pull his newly-returned pair of friends forward into another sudden embrace.
"You know, I really hate to let you two go off on your own so soon," he sighs tiredly. "Take care of each other out there. And whatever you do, don't go disappearing on me again."
"Don't worry," Roxas assures. "We're not going anywhere."
"Not this time, or anytime soon," Xion adds just as earnestly.
"I'm holding you both to that," Axel grins as they separate. He offers the pair another fond wave as he follows Kairi into the portal, both of them setting out to search for someone they're, by all accounts, unwittingly leaving behind.
Sora heaves a sigh of relief when he hears that portal close, and that relief doubles when Roxas makes the call that it's all clear for him to come out. He opens the mansion doors slowly, remorse still swelling up in him as he gets a glance of the yard, only to find that sure enough, Axel and Kairi have left. And now that they have, what could have been a chance to see the girl he cares so much for, to be with the girl he already misses so much, has slipped through his fingers, completely on his own choosing.
But even if this painful separation isn't what's best for him, he knows it will be what's best for her in the long run. Even if she doesn't realize that yet.
"Thanks again, you guys," Sora offers Roxas and Xion a small smile as he approaches them. "I can't tell you how much this-"
"Sora," Roxas cuts him off, his voice and expression both surprisingly sharp. His hands are clenched fists at his sides, the stress and anger he'd been hiding in front of the others finally starting to rise back to the surface. "Just how much longer do you plan on keeping this up?"
"K-keeping what up?" Sora asks, even though he knows exactly what Roxas means.
"All of these… lies you keep telling everyone, the lies you just forced us to tell Axel and Kairi!" Roxas exclaims, frustrated. "Do you have any idea how hard that was for us to do?!"
"I don't think we've ever had to lie to Axel before…" Xion mutters, rubbing her arm. "If he finds out the truth-"
"Then I'll take the blame," Sora counters, wanting this uncomfortable conversation to come to an end as quickly as possible. "Look, I just need a little more time before I tell everyone, ok?"
"How much time?" Roxas asks once again, narrowing his eyes at his other.
Sora pauses, his mind racing to come up with a plan, an excuse, anything to keep him from having to face the other lights like everyone seems to want him to. Anything to keep him from having to undertake the grueling task of having to dig himself out of the dishonesty he's rooted himself so deeply into. "Um… until we find another Key," he suggests, hoping that will be enough to buy him some much-needed time to figure out what to do next. Or better yet, to somehow stop what's been dragging him down before anyone even has a chance to find out about it at all. "Or until we figure out some clues about how to help Naminé. After we do, then..."
"Then you'll go back and finally tell everyone the truth," Roxas says in such a way that it isn't a suggestion. It's an order.
Sora nods, but there's no sincerity or commitment behind it. But at the very least, it's enough to placate Roxas and Xion, at least for the time being. It's enough to convince them that he can keep going just a bit longer before he inevitably falls apart.
"So… I guess we're looking for not just Naminé now but some kind of Key too?" Xion asks, still a bit confused.
"One of the Keys to Kingdom Hearts, yeah," Sora nods. "There's only a few of them left, and we need to find them before the Organization does. But… there aren't any here, so we're gonna have to find a way to get to another world before we can start looking."
"Well, that shouldn't be too hard," Roxas says, holding his hand out in front of him. He focuses his energy into summoning a mode of transportation he'd used on the regular during his time in the Organization. Yet despite his best efforts, it strangely refuses to appear. "Ok… that's weird…"
"What's wrong?" Sora asks, unsure of what Roxas is trying to do.
"I don't think I can summon dark corridors anymore…" he mutters, glancing down at his gloved hands. "Xion?"
"Nope," Xion frowns upon making a similar failed attempt. "I can't either. I wonder why…"
"Maybe it's because we're not part of the Organization anymore," Roxas theorizes, though almost as soon as he does, Sora suddenly steps forward, catching the pair off guard. "Uh… Sora?" Roxas presses, curious. "What are you doing?"
Sora doesn't answer. Instead, he spares a brief look at his hands, at the sharp, pointed, crimson claws his fingers have become, at the blackened shadows staining his once-tanned skin. At the proof of the dangerous, darkened power he now has flowing through him, power that he can only hope he can try to use to his advantage, to use it to finally help people for a chance instead of harm them as he had before.
So he extends an arm out, just as Roxas had, closing his eyes and taking in a deep, steadying breath. He feels a familiar burst of icy heat whip its way through him as he taps into that forbidden magic, as he wills it to open a gateway between worlds, a passage through the in-between. Roxas and Xion both gasp when they see it appear, the very same kind of shadowy portal they're both very familiar with, forming directly in front of Sora, entirely on his own command. And when Sora opens his eyes a moment later, he's able to see it too: a dark corridor, one that he'd created, born from the same sort of darkness he'd come to dread, as a doorway to wherever fate intends to lead him next.
"How did you do that?" Roxas asks as he and Xion come to stand alongside him. "You've never been able to do that before, have you?"
"No," Sora replies truthfully. "I just figured that if anyone who's in the Organization could use dark corridors, then maybe I-" He cuts himself off, unable to even finish such a disconcerting thought. So instead, he smiles, hanging his hands behind his head as he steps closer to the portal he created. "Anyway, this is great!" he exclaims, his tone forcibly cheery. "Now we can go whenever we want, even without a Gummi Ship!"
Neither Roxas nor Xion share his excitement; instead, they share a worried glance, both of them largely thinking the same thing. They'd only vaguely been aware of Sora's newfound, mysterious powers before, but seeing them in action, realizing that they now run so deep that he can call upon even a dark corridor with such ease is more than enough cause for alarm. Because if nothing else, then it's even more undeniable evidence that his condition is getting worse, that he's slipping closer and closer to the other side. That whatever time he might have left to stand in the light, to stand as himself, is all too quickly ticking away.
"Um… yeah," Roxas says diffidently. "Maybe… you shouldn't make a habit out of making those…"
"What?" Sora asks, confused. "Why not?"
That's a question neither of them know how to give a concise answer to, so instead they opt to move out and onward to their next endeavor. After all, the sooner they claim another Key or come across a way to rescue Naminé, the sooner they can finally get Sora the help he so desperately, direly needs. Whether he's willing to accept that help or not. "N-never mind," Xion rebuffs, motioning toward the portal. "We should… probably start heading out anyway."
"Ok," Sora agrees as he leads the way into the dark corridor. Determined to find not just a Key, but a way to keep the truth from catching up to him, even as it's already nipping away at his heels. "Then let's go."
And with that, the trio departs Twilight Town entirely, setting off to another world, another Key, another day of whatever destiny decides to do for them. The dark corridor seals itself up as soon as they're gone, and as a result, they don't get to see a lone figure stepping out from the shadows of the forest surrounding the mansion. He walks through its gates in solemn silence, awash in several unspoken emotions in light of everything he'd just heard and seen. And yet, out of all of them, the two that ring most prominently through his conflicted heart are relief and remorse. Relief over what he narrowly helped recover… and remorse over what he knows he still can't claim for himself.
"I hope you're finally happy, Lea," Saïx mutters to the open, empty air around him, feeling that same emptiness echo through every fiber of his being. That longing that will never be satisfied, not as long as they stand on opposite sides of the war that's been waging ever since they were too young to even understand it. A war that he already knows won't see them both make it out alive. "I've returned to you what you've always wanted, far more than you ever wanted me…"
So yeah, a TON happened here! Honestly this chapter laid the groundwork of a lot of what's to come in the rest of the story; some big stuff is still around to bend, and honestly the best is still yet to come! And finally we're getting back on track with another Disney world next time around, is anyone up for another Arabian Night? ;) Anyway, if you liked what you see, please don't forget to REVIEW PLEASE! Every review I get gives me sheer serotonin, and I thrive off that shit. Until next time!
