Nuxula opened the door to her room and walked in. She was shocked at what she walked into. It was like a miniature forest! It was full of full grown trees, (How this was possible, she never learned) Plants of every size and shape, and there was even a small river running through the center of the room. She had to search for quite some time before she actually found her bed. It was nestled within a bunch of flowers.
She removed her robe and snuggled deep within the covers and closed her eyes. And soon the noises of forest creatures lulled her to sleep. (Another thing she never figured out, she never saw any animals.
When she awoke the next morning the forest seemed brighter than it had the night before. She let out a loud yawn then stood and put her robe back on. She bent down by the stream and quickly gave her face a scrub, then she left the room.
In the hall she saw Marluxia leaving his room as well. "Morning." He said throwing a smile her way.
Nuxula blushed slightly and continued the stairs, closely following Marluxia. When they reached the bottom Marluxia gave her another smile and headed off to the bathroom. Nuxula smiled as well and headed to the kitchen.
Roxas, Demyx, Axel, and Zexion were all seated at one table, and at the other, larger table sat Xigbar, Lexaeus, Xaldin, Luxord, Larxene, Saix, and Vexen. Larxene sat with her am draped around Luxord's shoulder.
Nuxula took a seat with Roxas and the others and sat next to Demyx, who was glaring at Axel. Axel was paying him no mind and was discussing a book with Zexion. Roxas, who was sitting across from Nuxula handed her half a grapefruit. He smiled. "Morning." He said with a smile.
Nuxula smiled and took the grapefruit and took a bite. It was sour but sweet, it was very good. "Thanks. Morning." She said.
Demyx turned to her. "cereal?" He asked, holding a box of corn flakes, and a bowl her way.
She nodded and took this as well. "Thanks Demyx. She poured the cereal and took a bite using a spoon Demyx handed her.
The kitchen door opened and Marluxia walked in being followed by Xemnas. When Xemnas entered the rest of the members pushed their meals aside and stood. Nuxula caught on quick and stood.
"Sit." He ordered. The rest of the members, as well as Marluxia, sat down, Marluxia took a seat with the older members. Last night, with the help of Marluxia and Xaldin, I have manufactured a new type of Nobody." He waved a hand and a creature skulked into the room. It was thin with long wiry arms and legs. Its head was shaped like a crown of thorns. "It is called a garden, and the majority of them will be under the control of Nuxula, the rest can be at your disposal."
Nuxula was shocked that she was being given a group of Nobodies to control on her second day. "Thank you sir." She rose to her feet again.
"Come with me, Nuxula." Xemnas calmly told her. She nodded and followed him. They went won the main hall to the very end and opened the door at the end of the hall. Behind the door was a stair case. Xemnas strode up it, followed by Nuxula. It was a tall spiral stair case and went up for about five floors but never opened up until it reached the top.
AT the top was a large black door, perhaps the only part of the castle that wasn't gray. Xemnas shoved the door opened. The room was empty, spare a large throne, even grander than the one in the audience chamber.
Xemnas leapt up and settled into the chair. He wove a hand and another chair appeared, and Nuxula took a seat.
"Welcome to my private chambers Nuxula." His voice was soothing, yet, disarming. "So, how was your first day?"
"Good, sir, thank you." She said. "Exciting."
Xemnas chuckled. "It will only get better." You have been given a league of Nobodies, a great honor, not all of the members have them. I offered them to Marluxia but he declined, said something better would come along. Strange. Nuxula, stand, and summon one of your servants.
Nuxula swallowed nervously and stood. Although Xemnas had not told her what to do, she knew. She threw her arms out wide then swiftly brought them together. At the moment her hands touched one of the Garden Nobodies appeared. She stared blankly, had she just done that? Cool.
Xemnas smiled. "You are a special one Nuxula." He waved his arm and the Nobody disappeared. "You are no ordinary Nobody. You don't remember your past, do you?"
Nuxula shook her head. "Should I?"
Xemnas shook his head. "Some do, most do not. Several members, like myself, do. We do because we willingly made ourselves Nobodies, we wanted it. Most do not. Most consider the powers we have a curse, not a blessing. But I digress." He scratched his chin and leaned back in his seat. "I know who you were, and who you are, and what it means."
Nuxula looked at him strangely. "Sir, you know who I was?"
"I do. But it is of little importance." He leapt off of the chair and headed towards her. "I have a new mission for you; this one will last a bit longer than the last one. Come." He swept her back through the door and down the stairs. They reentered the kitchen, there were less people there but most were still seated.
"Roxas." He commanded, "With us." He and Nuxula left with Roxas now in tow. Axel and Demyx eyed them strangely as they left.
He led them into the audience and, as always seated himself in his chair. "Roxas, Nuxula. You are both relatively new members but there is a special aura about you two, you will work well together. This mission will not be easy, not a bit. Do you accept?"
Roxas and Nuxula both nodded, nobody ever said no.
"Good, let me give you some detail. You will have to travel to a place called Hollow Bastion."
The name rang familiar in both of their ears but neither had any idea why. They remembered it but they couldn't remember what it meant.
Xemnas noticed the look they gave, this was good. But he acted as if he noticed nothing. "It is a large city overlooked by a humongous castle. The castle is said to be empty, spare many heartless surrounding it. A small group of people living in the city, called the restoration committee are trying to 'restore' Hollow bastion to its formal glory. This, we cannot allow, the more heartless alive the better our cause.
"You want us to kill this restoration committee." Roxas surmised.
"Yes," Xemnas said. "Eventually I want to to infiltrate it, I want you two to join as new members. Then, when you have gained their trust, they will, undoubtably, show you into the castle. That is the true purpose. The main entrance of the castle has been sealed off; you cannot get in that way. But there is a secret entrance. I know not where it is but this committee, however, does."
Roxas and Nuxula continued to allow this information to sink in.
"Once you have found this entrance, they are to die. You are then to get farther inside until you find a laboratory, this is your goal. Once you have found it activate the computer, the password is sea salt ice-cream. After that the screen will show you a series of names, get the names and bring them back to me. Understood?"
"yes sir." They said in unison. "Sir?" Roxas began. "This committee, they seem strong, do you want us to take their hearts or just kill them?"
"You bring up a point. Change of plans." Xemnas said. "Get the names first then kill them, if any of the names match the members of this committee then take their hearts, but is their name is not there then I want them to die."
"Understood." Roxas and Nuxula agreed.
"Good, you leave today. Let me remind you, you will be gone for some time, you will have to live in the city and truly get their trust. Go to the portal building and find the right one, it is near the far end of the room, dismissed."
They both left the room.