Chapter 3 - Product Placement
A wave of heat accosted Roxas as he exited the cool dark corridor and emerged into the sandy marketplace of Agrabah. It felt as though the sun was targeting his black leather coat, trapping him in a wearable oven. Coming here with Xion somehow made Agrabah's weather tolerable, but being here with Xigbar now made it ten times worse. And the "best" part? It was six in the morning; it was only going to get hotter from here.
Xigbar seemed unphased by the drastic change in temperature as he wheeled a dolly stacked high with crates of his precious product into the center of the marketplace. At some point - Roxas hadn't noticed when - Xigbar had rolled up his coat sleeves and procured a clear visor for his head. "C'mon kid, this place is about to be bustling with Somebodies. An 'anonymous seller' promised the good paying merchants of Agrabah two dozen Xigbars each. We gotta drop these babies off and get out of sight!"
Hot and miserable, Roxas couldn't refrain from speaking his mind, "Is this really our mission?"
Xigbar didn't bother to feign injury; he was in full-on business mode. "Hey, what Xemnas doesn't know, can't hurt him. Besides, when extra munny finds its way into the Org's treasury, he won't be complaining. This just means a little less time for us to meet our Heartless quota for the day, but that won't be a problem for you - right, Champ?"
Great. I'm aiding and abetting a criminal and slacking on the job. This will definitely convince Saix to trust me with Xion… Roxas shook his head woefully. At least, he assumed this classified as aiding and abetting. Axel had taught him the term while complaining about the time Luxord had gotten him involved with a pirate gambling ring in Neverland under the guise of reconnaissance. Once his mind had finished wandering, Roxas found himself carrying an armful of Xigbars to the nearest food stall.
"Be sure you put those next to the most popular item- In fact, shove that item aside," Xigbar called from the banana stand across the street. "It'll really throw the customers off. Helps them find what they didn't realize they were looking for: an energizing, on-the-go snack!"
Roxas obeyed mechanically, dropping the protein bars in front of a plate piled high with pita bread.
Xigbar was over his shoulder in a flash. "No, no, no - you lack style, Kid!"
Roxas eyed Xigbar's visor, confused. "What does what I'm wearing have to do with anything?"
"As if. It's not you; it's your methods! Move aside and I'll show you how it's done." Xigbar stepped up to the stall and cracked his knuckles in preparation. "Advertising is an art form," he began. He closed his uncovered eye and took in a deep, calming breath before opening it. "Observe," he instructed.
Roxas crouched eye level to the table and watched Xigbar's hands rearrange the Xigbars in a flurry of movement. Seconds later, the finished product revealed itself: a stack of Xigbars perfectly mimicking a pyramid of gold munny bars. Momentarily forgetting his discomfort, Roxas let out a genuinely impressed, "Whoa." Somehow the man had managed to make his bland, chewy snack look appealing.
Xigbar crossed his arms, clearly pleased with Roxas' response. "I know, right? If this 'complete Kingdom Hearts' gig goes south, think I'll take up marketing. Speaking of," he glanced at the sun's position in the sky, "We have 5 more cases to unpack before we gotta get back to the main mission."
Roxas's shoulders slumped forward in defeat. He dragged his feet to the nearest open crate and began stuffing his pockets with Xigbars. Beads of sweat accumulated on his face as the sun rose higher into the sky. A shadow passed over, providing momentary relief.
Roxas paused to look upward at a lone cloud drifting in the sky, shaped like a seashell. "I wonder how Xion is doing," he whispered to himself. "I hope somehow she's having a better mission than me. But, with Saix..." He fisted his hands, accidentally crushing a Xigbar™ in the process. He realized his mistake, but it was too late - Xigbar noticed.
"Hey, careful with the merchandise!"