The next few days went by. The day before we were to leave for Twilight Town, Rienna visited me through the mirror again.
"Hello Axel." She smiled.
"Hey babe."
"Who's this Kairi girl?"
"How do you know about Kairi?"
"You've been thinking of her, worrying about her from what I can tell."
"She's my best friend. I've known her for years. She's with this guy named Sora and I'm so worried he'll hurt her. Sora's a good kid, don't get me wrong, but I know how most guys think."
"She's there with you, in your home."
She didn't say like a question but I answered anyway, "Yeah, she came to visit because she was worried about me."
"I want to meet her."
"Are you sure?"
"Ax, I want to meet her."
I stood up. I walked to the living room to find Kairi and Sora sitting on the couch.
"Kairi, there's someone I want you to meet."
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Kairi
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
I was a little more than confused when Axel led me into his room. He knelt down in front of the mirror. I stood in the doorway and watched him.
"Babe, she's here." He muttered before turning to me, "Kairi, come over here. I want you to meet Rienna, my dream girl."
I walked over to the mirror and gasped when I saw someone looking back at me that wasn't me. She smiled and waved. I waved back. Axel didn't exaggerate when he said she was absolutely gorgeous. But last he described her to me, he said her hair was cut extremely short. It was now down to her shoulders, maybe a little longer, but it was the same chocolate brown he always said it was. Her eyes were a beautiful golden brown. Her skin was scarred and had little spots that looked like fading bruises. She looked happy though.
"Axel, she's gorgeous."
"I told you."
I stared into the face of Axel's true love and I couldn't have been happier for him. Although she wasn't here with him, the way he looked at her showed me that seeing her was good enough. I sat next to Axel and Rienna stared into his face as if she was marveling this moment, as if she would never see him again. Something told me that, if she got caught using this magic mirror or whatever it was to see him, she would never see him again. They would be ripped apart and Axel would die of heartbreak.
"Locked away in a prison but free in her own mind." She mumbled. I looked at her and she smiled. "Axel used to say that to me in the early days of my going to him."
"What's it like where you are?"
Axel eyes flickered to me and then back to his dream girl. His eyes seemed darker, almost like he was afraid to hear what she had to say. She looked over at him.
"Axel, I will speak to her alone if that is what you wish. I know you don't want to hear this again."
He nodded and stood. He patted my head and left the room.
"He's seen me where I am, or was would be the proper way to say it. In the beginning, it was one of the worst places I could imagine. It was a constant struggle to stay alive. I was locked in a cell, three walls of which were glass. The last one was made on reinforced steel, sound proof and virtually in destructible." She paused, fighting back tears. "My day to day life was never easy to endure. Experiment after experiment, they altered my body turning me into something inhuman."
"So what are you?"
"I'm what you would call a Nobody, but I am not like any normal one. Nobodies are heartless creatures, the closest thing to pure evil this world has. I have feelings, obviously. Xemnas and I are the only ones like this. It is why he can care for me the way he does and why I care for Axel."
"Who is Xemnas?"
"Axel told me about you seeing me in town the other day. Xemnas was the man I was with. He is the person taking care of me now. He is the reason I am still alive." She reached up and touched the glass, her palm flat to it, "Would you like to see?"
"What?"
"He showed me how to share my mind with someone through this mirror. Put your hand over mine and relinquish any and all control."
I lifted my hand but hesitated. She smiled and I knew she wouldn't let anything happen to me. I put my hand over hers and it was like I was being pulled through an alternate world. Then I was standing alone in what looked like a cell, the one she had described. I reached up and touched my hair, it was chopped short. I looked at my clothes. I had nothing more than a short white dress with cuts and holes in it.
"Is this what it was like for you?"
Her voice was a faint whisper in my mind, "It's not to the worst part yet."
Then the door opened and a man stood there.
Is this Xemnas? I thought.
"No, this is my tormentor."
Then I was on the floor. The man spoke the words nothing more than a quiet mumbling.
"I will not hear those words again." Rienna's voice sounded angry now.
Then my face was pressed against the glass. As something cold moved across my skin, I was ripped away from the memory.
Now I was a different room. The man next to me now looked kinder, gentler. He held me against his bare chest, his breathing even. His silver hair fell to one side. His eyes were closed, sleeping.
"This, my dearest Kairi, is Xemnas."
He seems… kind.
"He is. He wants to protect me."
Who is he to the people here?
"He is their leader. They all work under him."
So he let that man do that to you?
"No, he didn't know it was happening."
Then I was ripped from that memory too.
Now I was sitting in a chair in a large room. People were lined up against the walls. The man she knew as Xemnas stood in the middle of the room. Two other men stood in front of him. It took me a while to register that they were holding someone else down. There was the exchanged of words and then the spatter of blood ensued.
"That is what Xemnas did to that man. That is what he did to protect me, killed one of his own."
Then I was looking at her in the mirror again. Her eyes seemed to darken at least three shades.
"That is the life I lived. Now Xemnas is doing what he can to make me happy and to keep me safe. He loves me and the truth is I love him too, but he will never be to me what Axel is. Axel is literally everything to me. He's all I've ever had. I wish there were a way for me to be with him for real. I've discussed it with Xemnas over and over again but it isn't possible. He's told me he would let me go if he could. No one anywhere has the resources to care me the way I need to be cared for. My species is so rare. I can't be taken to a normal hospital. I have a pulse but it is anywhere from 50 to 500 percent faster than a normal human heart rate."
"Is there not a way for him to come to you?"
"I don't know. Every time I ask, Xemnas avoids the subject. I don't push it anymore if he doesn't answer. I mean, I may not like the answer."
She turned to look behind and then turned back to me.
"Go find Axel for me."
I nodded and went to the living room.
"He's in the kitchen." Demyx mumbled, his eyes not leaving the TV screen,
I went into the kitchen.
"Axel, she wants you."
He nodded and led the way back to his room. He knelt down in front of the mirror. I stood in the doorway and watched them.
"Will you come back?" he said, his voice breaking.
"I will. I always do. I love you, Axel."
"As I love you."
Then I could tell by the way his head dropped, she was gone. He put his hand to his face and I saw a single tear fall from his face, gleaming in the light streaming in from the door.
"She said she'd be back."
"I know. I just hate seeing her go."
"She's doing what she can, Ax. Soon enough you'll have her."
I left him there, knelt in front of the mirror.
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Rienna
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
"Luxord, when is he coming back?" I complained over dinner.
"He will return when he finds what he's looking for. Now stop complaining and eat."
I had pushed my plate away three times already. It wasn't the same eating without Xemnas.
"He will be after me if you do not eat. Please, spare my head."
I had a brief flashback to my first day of freedom, watching Xemnas decapitate Saïx. I shuddered at the memory of the blood on the floor, the unusual color. It was very dark, closer to black than red. I shivered at the thought. What did my blood look like? Whenever I shed it, I was always too lightheaded to really see.
"Luxord, if I cut myself, how quickly would I heal?" I asked picking up the steak knife from the table.
"Um, relatively quickly I suppose. You won't bleed for long."
I nodded and put the knife to my wrist. I pressed down and dragged it across my skin. My blood pooled around the cut. It was a dark red, almost black. The cut began to seal itself almost as quickly as it had opened.
"Why would you do that?"
I looked up to see Luxord eyeing my wrist, "What?"
"That's going to scar."
"I will tell him I was experimenting. Don't worry."
He sipped at his glass of wine, "You are trying to get me killed."
"He won't kill you."
"And how do you know this?"
"Because I won't let him."
He nodded and stood, "Finish your dinner."
He walked to my side of the table, pushing my plate back at me. I made a face and then picked up my fork. I had been eating normal human food for what seem like a very little amount of time. Before, I was on a regiment of vitamins and nutrients that kept me strong and full without actually feeding me more than necessary. Now I had a plate of real food in front of me and I didn't really want it. I stabbed at the vegetables (ugh! Broccoli, Luxord called it and it smelled horrific.) I sniffed it for the fourth time and then put my tongue to it.
"If you do not eat, Xemnas will come home."
"So?"
"He won't be happy."
I laughed, "Aren't you supposed to be taking care of me? He'll be mad at you not me."
"I tried. He cannot deny that."
It was then that I realized Xemnas had called sometime during dinner. Luxord set the phone on the table. I pointed at it and I picked it up. I put it to my ear and waited.
"Baby, you need to eat."
"But_"
"No, no buts. Eat your food or I will return home."
"I eat when you're here."
"Yes because if you don't, I don't allow you to sleep in my room. Now please, eat your food."
"It's gross."
"Just eat the meat on the plate at least. You need your protein."
I looked at the plate and stared at the medium rare steak that waited for me. It was cut into strips that I hadn't touched once. I inhaled deeply then exhaled.
"Alright fine."
"Thank you. Now I must go. I will see you in two days time. I love you."
"Love you too."
I hung up the phone and threw it at Luxord. He had a very smug grin on his face until the small piece of plastic and metal hit in his mouth. The phone fell to the floor, the battery coming out on impact. He mumbled something unintelligible as he picked it up and walked out of the room.
I sat alone, staring at my plate. I removed the disgusting, green vegetable from my fork before stabbing the fork into a piece of meat. I lifted the steak from the plate and held my breath as I ate it. The smell was absolutely repulsive, but it hadn't been two weeks ago. I didn't think anything of it smelling off, just thought it was my imagination.
I unwillingly finished off the meat and left the table. I went into Xemnas' room and took a shower. Then I put on one of his button up shirts and climbed into bed. I watched TV for a few hours before drifting off.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
"Axel, are you okay?"
I found him a few feet from the usual spot where we met. He was sitting on the ground, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. He opened them after a few minutes of silence, looked up at me, and smiled.
"Hello love."
"Are you okay?" I asked again, sitting on the floor the same way he was.
"Yes, love, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"You just seem very… calm, maybe a little too calm."
"I'm on a plane."
"Why?"
"I'm heading to the city you're in."
"Axel, you don't know what you're doing."
"Yes, I do. I got on the plane a few hours ago. We should be landing in a few."
"Ax, you should have talked to me before you did this."
"Don't worry. I plan to give you time for you to speak to Xemnas. I will be staying with Kairi for the next few days. Speak with him as soon as you can."
"I don't think he'll be happy about this."
"Even still."
"I will speak with him but you cannot get angry if he denies what it is you want."
"Alright, well I'm being shaken awake now. I'll see you in a few hours."
Then he faded, leaving me alone with my dreams.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
I woke up in virtually the same place I had fallen asleep, meaning I was still on the bed. The cover was falling off the bed and the pillows were on the floor. My head was now at the foot of the bed. What had awakened me was not the massive shift in position but the sharp pain in my side.
"Ow! Luxord!" I screamed.
The door opened and Luxord stood in the doorway, his eyes wide.
"What is it?"
"My side, it hurts."
He sat on the bed next to me and moved my hands from the pained spot. He pressed down and I sucked in a breath through my teeth.
"I need you to cooperate with me. Where is your cell phone?"
"On… the… nightstand." I forced each word out between breaths.
He picked it up and dialed someone.
"Xemnas, something's wrong with her."
Luxord was silent.
"I don't know. She called for me and when I came in she said that her side was hurting."
He nodded and moved the phone from his ear. He pressed a button, speakerphone?
"Baby, are you okay?"
"Xemnas, I was sleeping. And then my side just started hurting."
"How bad is it, scale from one to ten?"
"I don't know about a nine." Then it felt like I was pinched on the inside, "Ten!" I screamed, hunching over, putting my hand over the pained spot.
"Luxord, do not let her move!" Xemnas commanded. "I will be home soon. Rienna listen to me. You will have to endure the pain until I get there. I will be home in half an hour I promise."
The line went dead. Luxord picked up my phone and pressed the end button. I ripped it from his hand and threw it at the wall. Time seemed to pass so slowly. It wasn't long until Luxord, Xigbar, Roxas, and Vexen were holding me down to the bed. The intensity of the pain had increased. I wasn't supposed to move so I fought not to, then Luxord called the other three in. Roxas seemed incredibly attentive. He could tell when I was in pain, not from my side but on their grip on my arms and legs. Xemnas finally burst through the door.
His bags hit the floor and then his jacket fell next.
"Move!" he ordered.
The other four moved out of his way quickly. He pulled me into his arms and stroked my hair for a second. Then he held me at arm's length. Tears streamed down my face.
"Can you walk?"
I shook my head. He pulled me up into his arms and I groaned with the movement. He carried me from the room and somewhere during his running me to another room I blacked out. My mind faded in and out. I could hear them then I couldn't.
"Luxord, do something!" Xemnas demanded.
Something cold on my stomach…
Something metal or something moving whatever the cold stuff was…
"Xemnas, she's_" my mind faded.
Then it came back, "But that's not possible. I thought_"
Out then I was hearing them again.
"Xemnas, you_" fade out and fade in, "father."
Then everything they had been saying registered. I kept focused long enough to scream at him.
"What the fuck?"
"Calm down. Luxord, how long?"
"About one month now."
"And how long until she has it?"
"These things are very sensitive. There's not a time frame. With only two of your kind in the world, a baby has never been factored in. If I had to estimate, I would say about four maybe five months."
My eyes widened and focused on Xemnas. His jaw had dropped and he was staring straight ahead. I reached for his hand, which was resting on the bed (or table?) I was on. His fingers intertwined with mine almost immediately. His eyes met mine.
"I will have to sedate her for now." Luxord muttered.
Xemnas' head snapped up, his eyes glaring in Luxord's direction.
"Just until we know more about this." Luxord amended.
"If I may, "Xigbar interjected, "why is she in pain now if the child is not due for another few months?"
"From what I can see, the child has grown exceptionally quick. It is about the size of a four month old fetus now. It is moving and it kicked her in a rather bad spot, her pancreas I believe. Its growth rate has slowed which is why I have estimated the due date to be such a long time away."
"But why has her body not changed?" Xemnas demanded.
"Perhaps it has, just not physically. Haven't you noticed? She used to love vegetables. Now, she can barely stand the smell of them. And it's not just that but anything with a strong smell she cannot stand. Her emotions run wild. One minute she's smiling and the next she's crying. She sleeps most of her days away."
I watched Xemnas' body sag as he realized the truth in everything Luxord described.
"I left her here alone for almost a week. I should have taken precautions from the beginning." He looked at Luxord, his eyes weary, "Is the baby healthy?"
"Very, from what I can tell. Rienna should be able to deliver it without more than the usual amount of pain."
The pain finally subsided enough for me to speak, "Oh joy."
"Rienna you don't have to do this."
I tried to sit up and groaned as I tried. Xemnas helped me quickly.
"Can we have some alone time please?"
Luxord and the others nodded and left the room. I looked at Xemnas, my eyes narrowed.
"What makes you think I don't want this child?"
"I just think it's too soon. I mean, you are so young."
His head dropped. I held his hand tighter and pulled him over to me. He sat on the table next to me. I forced his eyes to meet mine. He was tearing up.
"Xemnas, I do love you. You know that right?"
He nodded.
"I want to have this baby. I want to have our baby."
His free hand moved to my face and then to my stomach, "Our baby…" he said in a whisper.
Then he smiled. His eyes lit up and he smiled. The idea of us having a child seemed to fascinate him now. He was happy. I was happy. Axel, he wouldn't be. I had to figure out how to tell him. I knew he would assume that somehow I had conceived his child during one of our little dream encounters. That possibility was never ruled out. I would have to do it quick, like ripping off a band-aid. I would visit him one more time using the mirror. I would tell him to wait for me in his dreams tonight. I would tell him about the child and then let him do what he will. I knew I would lose him.
I stared at Xemnas' face. His eyes were on my stomach. He was marveling. The child moved beneath his fingers and his smile grew. His eyes met mine again and he leaned forward and kissed me.
"I love you." he muttered.
"I love you too."
A tear escaped my eye as I thought of what I would have to do.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Axel
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Our plane had landed about an hour ago. We went back to Kairi's house. Her parents were glad see me. Demyx and Zexion were going to stay in a hotel. I stayed in the guest room at Kairi's house.
"Axel!" Demyx called from Kairi's room.
I ran into the room. He pointed to the vanity mirror. I walked over and saw Rienna staring back at me. I looked into her face. She was crying.
"What's wrong babe?"
"Ax…"
"What is it?"
"I have to tell you something."
She spoke in whispers.
"You can tell me anything. What's wrong?"
She opened her mouth to speak but shut it again. She was hesitating. I was scared of whatever it was she had to tell me.
"Rienna, please, tell me."
"I can't, not this way. I'll come back, later, when you're asleep."
She disappeared then. I stared into the glass hoping this was some type of joke. After a while, it finally registered that she wasn't coming back, at least not yet. I stood and went back out to the living room. I ran over the possibilities in my head. I couldn't think of anything that would make her react that way. It worried me to say the least. When has she ever looked at me with such remorse?
Time seemed to pass slowly. As dusk approached, I felt the need to be waiting for her, to start daydreaming. She was there waiting for me of course. She has been sleeping a lot more often.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
"Axel." She cried, "Don't get mad."
"Why would I be mad?"
"Don't hate me."
"I could never hate you. What is going on?"
"I don't know how to tell you."
"Just tell me, please."
"It's not easy to say. Come over here."
I walked closer to her. I stopped just inches away.
"Give me your hand."
She held her hand out and I put mine into it. She put it to her stomach, just above her pants.
"Baby, it's your mama. Can you move for me?"
Beneath my hand I felt the gentle movement. I looked to my hand and then back at her. I felt the stinging of tears in my eyes.
"Oh my god!"
"Axel, I didn't know."
"You're pregnant!"
She started crying. My tears fell over one by one.
"We didn't know it was possible."
"And you're okay with this!"
"It's my child. No matter what its life it tied to mine. I'm not going to kill it because you think it's wrong."
Her tears fell profusely now.
"I'm not asking you to kill it. You think I would want to hurt you that way? But why him? why would you even touch him?"
"Because I love him Axel. Not as I much as I love you but I can only interact with you in our dreams. Every kiss, every touch may feel real when I wake up but in the end, it's never been anything more than a dream."
I grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her to look at me.
"I love you. I don't want to lose but I don't want to be the father of some other man's baby."
"Then you won't have to be. I'm leaving. If you ever want me to come back, just call for me when you're asleep."
I watched her begin to fade away and by the time I decided to stop her, she was gone. If I called for her now, she wouldn't come back. She's too upset. I'm too upset to call for her. The idea of him inside of her just made me sick to my stomach. That thing growing inside her, that baby, would only make her want him more. She was going to leave, unless her leaving me just now was her saying it's over.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Okay, this made me upset. I didn't like the idea of them splitting but it was the only thing that really set the tone for what's going to happen next. If this upset you, let me know. I won't change it but it's nice to know I'm getting a reaction. Reviews are appreciated.
