Chapter 6: Seeking Kairi
Xion didn't go for the Gray Area when she woke up. She laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling silently. Axel had distracted her from her thoughts and worries yesterday, and while it certainly hadn't been unwelcomed, she NEEDED to figure out what was happening to her. She raised a hand into the air and summoned Oathkeeper, staring at the Keyblade contemplatively.
"How can someone go from not being able to really fight at all, to being able to land hits against Marluxia?" she muttered, "It makes no sense and..."
She slowly lowered her hand and rested Oathkeeper on her stomach as she whispered, "It... scares me."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "And those memories..."
She sat up. "Miss Voice, are you there? Do you have any ideas?"
Silence.
Whether the Voice was choosing not to answer, or she was asleep, Xion didn't know. She sighed quietly to herself before swinging herself to the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle off. She kicked out a few times, pondering what to do.
"Kairi...," she whispered, "That name people keep calling me, or say I look like... I... I have to find out who she is."
She nodded to herself. "After missions today, I'm going to figure it out."
She deflated. "Hopefully..."
She rose to her feet, banished Oathkeeper, and walked out the door, making for the Gray Area. She got in line behind a number of the other members getting missions from Saix. When it came to be her turn, he scowled at her.
"You're late," he said.
She frowned. "No one ever told me there was a time I was supposed to be here."
Saix didn't respond to that, instead he motioned to the door, "Xaldin just took the last available mission. Go find something to do elsewhere."
Xion blinked a few times. "Oh, umm..."
Wait, that was good! "Okay!"
She was out the door in a flash. It was even better this way, now she'd have the entire day to try to figure things out instead of having to wait till a mission was done. She contemplated how to go about this as she descended the Castle That Never Was. It hit her a moment later. Xifta. She had been the first one to call her Kairi. Might as well go straight to the source.
She descended the castle and started out into the city, passing a multitude of other Nobodies as she went. She reached Nobodies Heaven and walked in, re-doing her initial passover of the place she had done before she had passed out to that pain attack.
Wooden tables and chairs everywhere, a large bar at the back, with bottles of various liquids behind it. The floor was wooden as well, with hanging lights and fans on the ceiling. The place was packed full of Nobodies, and lesser Nobodies carrying drinks to the humanoid ones sitting at the tables. But there was more she hadn't had a chance to notice. Ceiling fans, giving of a soft, flickering light as they spun. A duet of Nobodies with instruments playing music at the front, a blonde man with a sitar, and a little girl with short purple hair and a horn of all things growing out of her forehead that was playing a flute. There were people playing cards at a table. Those sitting at the bar were talking and jeering at one another, clinking drinks together. Xifta stood behind the bar, mixing a drink, a soft smile on her face that almost looked whole and not empty or forced.
Xion shared that soft smile. Something about this place, this setting, felt so familiar, and set her at ease.
She cringed as a spike of pain ripped through her chest and the scene warped before her...
Xion found herself, like in some of the other memories, looking down from a smaller body out of the eyes of another. She was walking next to Nexol, only coming up to his tights in height, holding his hand as she was led into a bar that looked similar to Nothing's Heaven, instead, there was a sign that said 7th Heaven.
He led her up to the bar and hoisted her up to sit on one of the stools. "Something hard for me, apple juice for the kid."
Xion found herself speaking in a young voice that sounded different than her own. "Nuh uh, I want what your having dad!"
Nexol glanced down at her, eyebrow raised. "Maybe when you're thirty."
Xifta snorted with laughter. "Thirty? Didn't know you were a helicopter dad."
Nexol shot her a look.
"But I want it now!" whined Xion.
"No buts," said Nexol.
"Besides, you don't want beer, it tastes nasty," said Xifta.
"Why does dad drink it then?" asked Xion.
"Well, you'd have to ask him Kairi," said Xifta, shooting Nexol a teasing look...
Xion violently shook her head and blinked rapidly to clear her head at the name Kairi. She raised a shaking hand to massage the side of her head. Again with these memory flashes...
She took a deep breath and slowly let it out before moving to the bar and sitting down. Xifta's eyes flickered to her briefly, dipping her head in a greeting, before returning to her current customer. She knew it would be rude to butt in before Xifta finished with those who came before her, so, she waited patiently until the woman finally got around to her.
"Good morning Xion, haven't seen you for a few days," said Xifta.
Xion scratched the back of her head. "Sorry, been on missions and trying to get to know my comrades a bit better."
Xifta rolled her eyes. "Hope that womanizer isn't giving you to much trouble."
It took her a moment to remember that was what she called Axel. "Oh, no, Axel's really nice and has been helping me out."
Xifta crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, not seeming to believe her. "That so?"
"Ahuh, yesterday's mission kind of sucked, Marluxia is... not my favorite comrade at the moment," Xion said a bit icily, "So Axel got me some ice cream."
Xifta blinked a few times. "Huh, maybe he has a soft spot for kids."
Xion shrugged. "He's a nice friend."
Xifta gave her a small empty smile before asking, "So, what brings you down here?"
"Well... there's no missions for me to take right now," she mumbled, feeling a bit nervous to ask the question she wanted to ask.
"Ah, looking to relax I see," said Xifta before wagging a finger at her, "The only thing I serve minors here is juice or water though."
"I didn't want a drink," she mumbled, "I um... w-wanted to ask you something."
Xifta cocked her head. "What?"
Xion cleared her throat and worked up the nerve to ask. "Xifta... who is Kairi?"
The woman paused at that, staring at her silently.
"People keep calling me that," explained Xion.
"She's... a girl who looks a lot like you," said Xifta softly.
Xion rolled her eyes. "So I've heard."
Xifta cracked a smile at that.
Xion frowned and seriously contemplated it. "Are we... related or something? I don't remember from before I was born as a Nobody, was she my sister?"
Xifta hesitated. "N-no..."
Well, there went her first idea.
She sighed. "It's just... I don't understand whats going on. I'm... seeing things, memories... in them, people keep calling me by that name..."
She paused at that, working it over. People kept calling her Kairi... maybe she was looking at this the wrong way...
The man waved a hand out before her, and letters formed in the air, she read them off, "X-I-O-N."
"Xion," she said softly, "Is that... my name?"
"Until you claim your original name for your own, it will be," answered the Superior, that cruel smile showing under his hood once again.
Until she claimed her original name... was... she Kairi? Was that her original self's name?
No, it's not!
Xion blinked a few times. "Oh, there you are, good morning miss Voice."
It's not YOUR name!
Xion was a bit off-put by the viciousness of the Voice's words. "Okay, but... how do you know? Do you know Kairi?"
...
"Well?" asked Xion.
Yeah, I do, and your not m... not her.
Oh...
Xion felt a bit disappointed at that, she so desperately wanted to have an answer as to what was going on. Recalling memories of her true self would have explained everything...
"I just don't understand," muttered Xion, reaching a two fingers up to rub her temple.
Xifta gave her a pitying look. "It'll sort itself out Xion, don't worry."
Also, what is that screeching going on?
Xion blinked and tilted her head towards the two people playing instruments. "Them...?"
Light, that's awful sounding.
"Like Demyx and Xokie's music?" asked Xifta, noting where Xion was looking.
"Umm... it's something?" she offered in response, not sure how exactly to judge it or not.
Xifta cracked a grin. "They try their hardest, but it's a bit hard to put their 'heart' into it."
Xion tilted her head for a moment, considering her words. "Was... that a Nobody joke?"
Xifta chuckled. "Maybe."
She glanced back over at the two people playing music.
D-E-M-Y-X
D-E-M-Y
D-M-E-Y
D-Y-E-M
D-Y-M-E
Y-...
Are you really going to try to sound out all combinations for their names?
Xion paused at the interruption. "Well, why not? It's kind of fun to try to figure it out."
Fun? You find that fun? Really?
"Yeah, why don't you try with the girl?" said Xion.
No.
"C'mon, pleaaaaase?" whined Xion.
No.
"Your always so grouchy, have some fun for once," said Xion.
If I could throttle you, I would.
"I'm not going to stop pestering until you do," teased Xion.
Ugh... fine.
Xion couldn't help but smile triumphantly as the Voice started sounding out combinations.
X-O-K-I-E
O-K-I-E
O-K-E-I
O-I-K-E
O-I-E-K
O-E-I-K
O-E-K-I
E-O-K-I
E-O-I-K
E-I-O-K
E-I-K-O
...
Wait what?
Xion tilted her head. "What is it?"
Eiko... isn't that the name of one of Garnet's friends who lost her... oh... oh gosh... no way... she's just a little girl... she fought those clowns? She fought that monster? That... that beast murdered a little girl!
Xion had gone still, feeling her chest tighten and constrict. The Voice sounded so distraught that it upset her too. But what did she mean by... by... clowns...
One of Xion's hands shot to the bar for support, and the other went to her chest as she felt another spike of pain and an oncoming memory...
Xion found herself on a flat kind of roof, on what looked like a castle. The sky far above her was dark and clouded, darkness coating the air like a mist.
Before her were two clowns that were creeping her out, majorly. One clown was dressed in red and white, the other blue and white. Both had face paint on. They had pointed hats with three ends that had yellow bells on the end of them. They wore collared jackets with long sleeves that hid there arms. They had long, pointy shoes. On their chests were the emblem Heartless symbol.
The clowns laughed and spoke at the same time, "Be warned, the twins are not easy prey to battle. Though, I suppose I should be honest and tell you they're not really twins at all. They're not even human, even before I turned them into Heartless."
The clowns began to reverberate and shimmer, their body parts beginning to turn and twist unnaturally. Xion took a horrified step back when the clowns began to merge together, sickening sounds of flesh tearing and warping filling the air. Xion couldn't help but let loose a sickened and terrified scream as their form began to warp, twist, and enlarge into a disturbing monster of the likes she had never seen before, one that she had to bring a hand up to block her mouth to stop her from throwing up at the sight of.
The two clowns had turned into a demonic looking large, twin headed, inside out person. Organs and muscle that should have been hidden behind skin were on display, their rib cage cracked open and revealing flesh, and the Emblem Heartless symbol where a heart should have been. It had two fleshy and sharp wings instead of arms to it's slide, in addition to two mandible like appendixes shoot out of it's chest. Instead of legs, their lower half had merged together, looking like a disgusting fleshy cape that wrapped around it, save for a brown fleshy spine like appendix that ran down it's center length. The presence it gave off was horrifying, sickening, terrifying, and more... it was... pure evil, of the likes Xion had never felt before...
"By the light," she whispered in a voice not her own, trying not to puke her guts out, "What IS this thing?!"
The Heartless Monster gave a mocking, disturbing twin laugh as a they spoke in an unholy ca-joined voice, "I believe they call it, Meltigemini. I hope you enjoy it, Princess. It will be a test to see how much you have grown since becoming a Wielder."
Xion brought her arm up to retch into, feeling her stomach twist. "Oh... oh gosh..."
Xifta reached over and grabbed her arm to help steady her, empty concern on her face. "Xion? You okay?"
"That... that clown monster... was that what turned her into a Nobody?" whispered Xion, mortified.
Xifta's eyes went wide. "What? She told me about that... but... how do you know?"
A few of the nearby Nobodies were looking at them with empty curiosity.
"Hey Xelemnra, take over for a bit," said Xifta, calling out to someone.
Xion turned her head to see a young brown haired girl walking to step behind the counter as Xifta moved to walk out of it.
Marlene too...?
Xion turned her head when Xifta walked to her and motioned for her to rise. "We need to talk."
Xion rose from the stool, feeling a little sickly and woozy, sorely wishing that noxious image would get out of her head. She followed Xifta as the woman moved through the bar, pausing briefly to beckon Xokie to join them. The little purple haired girl in a black cloak stopped playing, pocketed her flute, and followed behind Xion into a back storage room, the same one Xion had woken up in after she had passed out her first time in the bar.
"Whats up?" asked Xokie.
Xifta hesitated and looked at Xion.
"You're... Eiko?" Xion asked the young Nobody quietly.
Xokie blinked a few times. "Uhh... well I was."
The girl frowned and pulled out her flute, twirling it between her fingers, almost like a nervous habit. "You know who I was, but, I don't think... have we met?"
"N...no...," said Xion, feeling dizzy.
"G-garnet m-misses you," whispered Xion in a dual voice, one sounding like her, one sounding like a voice she heard in the memory flashes.
Xokie's eyes went wide. "What?"
Xifta stiffened and questioned very quietly, "Kairi?"
Oh man... doing that doesn't feel good...
Xion clutched her head and fell to a knee. "Gna... what's... going on...?"
"Hey hey hey, don't force it Kai... Xion," said Xifta, moving over to kneel down and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Umm... are one of you going to get around to telling me what's going on?" demanded Xokie, looking slightly peeved, putting her hands on her hip.
"The clowns... Kairi and Garnet killed the Meltigemini monster," said Xion, still feeling a little dizzy.
Xokie went still, she went very still for a moment before she frowned and gripped her flute tightly. "So, that thing finally kicked the bucket?"
She crossed her arms and scowled. "Hmph, about time they got their butts around to beating it! Took them long enough, I would been out there every day trying to get it, not waiting years to do it!"
"You... fought that thing alone when you were a person?" she asked, recalling miss Voice's initial disbelief.
Xokie shook her head. "Nope! I wasn't alone, I had Mog."
She frowned. "Well... I did before he..."
She trailed off, her lips going tight.
"I got separated from the others and captured," said Xokie quietly, "When the clowns first tried to take my heart, Mog saved me and we beat them. Then... that old man showed up and turned them into Heartless. We tried to fight them, but... we were on our own. We tried... but... that monster was so powerful, and the old man was there, and there were so many lesser Heartless..."
Xokie trailed off for a moment, looking a little uncomfortable. "I... well... I lost my heart, and Mog disappeared afterwords as my heart was consumed by darkness. I can still remember, when Dagger and the Keybearers arrived as I was fading away. Dagger... just looked so stricken..."
"Dagger?" questioned Xion.
"Oh, uh, a nickname Princess Garnet had to try and hide who she was way back when it all began," said Xokie.
Xehanort... I hate that man SO much... how many lives have to be ruined before that bastard is satisfied?!
Xion gave Xokie a sad look. "I'm sorry..."
Xokie shrugged. "It's whatever, can't really care about it, being a Nobody and all."
Ask her... tell her... to go see Garnet, she misses her...
"Have you thought about, ya know, going to see Dagger?" asked Xion.
Xokie shook her head and pocketed her flute. "Nope, don't wanna."
"Why not? Isn't she your friend?" asked Xion.
Xokie frowned at her. "She was Eiko's friend, not mine. She wouldn't want to see me."
"Are you sure?" asked Xion.
Suddenly, Xokie laughed an empty laugh for a few moments before she grew quiet. "I can laugh, I can tease, I can yell, I can scream, I can try to seem happy or sad, but it's all fake. I won't hurt her like that, to see me like this."
Before Xion could see anything, Xokie turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Existence as a Nobody... is truly an awful thing...
Xion started to go after her before Xifta grabbed her shoulder. "Don't."
Xion turned to give her a questioning look.
Xifta merely shook her head. "It's her choice."
Xion sighed. "I guess..."
"Xion... you said you had been seeing memories?" asked Xifta.
She hesitated. "Umm... what's a helicopter dad?"
Xifta stared at her blankly for a moment before chuckling. "I remember that."
"A... helicopter dad is someone who cares about you so much, that they kind of hang over your shoulder so much that they kind of interfere with everything you do trying to keep you safe," said Xifta.
He was that, wasn't he? If not through himself, then through others...
"He... cared about Kairi a lot?" Xion asked.
"More than you can imagine," said Xifta in an almost sad tone, "Leon, Nexol's somebody, wasn't very good at showing it, but, he did care."
Xion cocked her head at an odd sound. It almost sounded like someone was trying to hold back a sob.
I... I miss the real Leon... so much...
Was... miss Voice crying?
I... I am not!
This... was the first time she had really heard the Voice be anything but angry... it made her stomach twist to hear the Voice be sad...
"It's okay," said Xion, "I think I'd cry over someone I miss too."
There was nothing offered in response, only a faint sniffling.
"What about you?" Xion asked Xifta, "Did you care about Kairi too?"
There was a startled hiccup from miss Voice at her question.
Xifta gave Xion a soft smile and walked up to her, ruffling her hair. "Yeah, she meant a lot to me. She..."
A sad look crossed her face. "Kairi was... a... special child, to us all. I... we all wished we could have given her a better life. She tried so hard to help out and get stronger rather than just being a normal child. It hurt sometimes, to see so young a child forcing herself into that kind of lifestyle."
Xifta moved away and leaned against a wall, crossing her arms and sighing. "But, she was stubborn and driven. We all would have given anything to let her live a normal, happy life, but... she resisted it every chance she got..."
Xifta grew quiet, her eyes tightening. "I... remember when she stopped playing with the other children. She didn't say why, she just... stopped, focused all her efforts on her training and helping out the Guardians of Traverse Town. Sometimes... she looked really alone. We could never get it out of her why."
She closed her eyes. "She was an innocent, hopeful child at first... but... as the years dragged on she just..."
There was a soft, choking sound from the voice.
"She lost that innocence, especially when the riots first started and we had to fight those we were supposed to be protecting. She tried to act strong, and she certainly was. But, we could see it, as she grew hardened and bitter. Don't get me wrong, she could still laugh and joke around with the best of them, but... at times, she'd seem hollow and sad, especially if she heard anything about the Keybearers, she was so hopeful to learn anything about her 'Master Aqua', but each time, there was no news, and it ate away at her," said Xifta, slowly opening her eyes, "That hurt us more than anything, to see her die a little inside each time it happened, and be able to do nothing to truly comfort her. She'd just clam up and pass it off as nothing. It's why Leon tried to steer her clear of anyone who had any information on them."
That's not... I just... I... I'm sorry Tifa... I'm so sorry...
"Sometimes, when we were on patrol, I'd catch her just staring into the night's sky silently, a longing look in her eyes," said Xifta, slowly shaking her head, "She still had hope, but, if Traverse Town hadn't fallen, I'm not sure how much longer she would have held onto it. We all knew our days were numbered, whether the Heartless would claim us, or our supplies would dwindle to the point where we couldn't sustain our ever growing population, or anarchy took us, but, she at least had that spark to try and keep on going day by day, ignoring the inevitable."
She gave her a sad smile. "Most of us just put on a happy face for her sake."
Xion didn't know what to say. "I... why were things... like that? So bleak?"
Xifta looked at her, surprised. "You..."
"Oh, that's right, you don't remember," said Xifta, "You have no memories of the Heartless Apocalypse, of the refugee world of Traverse Town..."
Xifta looked away. "You don't remember that final stand..."
Her gaze hit the floor. "As I passed on, as I faded away and became a Nobody, I heard it. I heard her scream, I heard that pain and anguish from Kairi. We died, we left her all alone, and we hurt her so much by doing so..."
Xion was definitely sure miss Voice was full on crying quietly to herself, she just... wished she knew where the Voice was... she sounded like she needed the biggest hug right now...
S-s-shut up...
"Xion...," said Xifta quietly.
"Yeah?" Xion replied.
"Hold onto your innocence as long as you can," murmured Xifta, "Maybe you can live the life Kairi never got to live, and be the happy girl she never got to be."
Miss Voice cried even harder at that.
Xion stared at Xifta, confused at that statement. "I don't... understand..."
But Xifta didn't answer, she turned to the door, opened it, and walked out. Xion stood there in the room silently, her head bowed, thinking over everything Xifta had told her. Her words left... a heavy ache in Xion's chest, a painful throb that wouldn't go turned away from her own ache though, and focused on someone else...
"Are you okay miss Voice?" asked Xion, "You seemed upset."
There was a heavy silence.
She sighed and slowly shook her head, left the room, left the bar, and walked out into the City That Never Was.
Xion glanced up as something wet hit her forehead, sighting storm-clouds overhead. She slowly reached up and drew her hood up over head as the rain started to fall.
"Kairi...," she whispered the name aloud.
She had learned a bit about the girl, but... there was still so much she had yet to figure out. It suddenly hit her, that Xifta had never let on why she looked like Kairi, or what her relation was to the girl. She felt a bit of temper at that, but let it bleed away, it couldn't hold against the words the woman had spoken. Maybe she could figure more out from one of the others of Nothing's Watch. She nodded to herself and started making for the Alleyway to Between. She reached the entrance to their branch of the Organization and walked in.
Sitting at the reception desk, fiddling with a screwdriver and a sparking little robot, was Xiroh. "Hello."
The boy paused to glance up at her. "Hello."
He returned to fiddling with his robot.
"Umm... can I ask you a question?" she asked.
Xiroh shrugged. "Go ahead."
"Do you know who Kairi is?" she asked.
Xiroh set down his screwdriver and gave her a hard look.
"What?" she asked, a little taken aback.
"I'm not allowed to say," was all he said before resuming his work on his robot, "And I'm not getting Xithera on my case for having loose lips."
"Is... she in? I'll ask her then," said Xion.
Xiroh motioned to the back. "Yeah, it's not like she leaves here. She practically lives on her throne brooding if she's not out on a mission."
That... doesn't sound like the Aerith I know... Xifta's at least similar to Tifa, but...
Xion moved passed him and further into the building. She paused as she entered their lounge, sighting Dxic and Xajck sitting down on separate couches, Dxic still had that unlit cigarette in his mouth, and Xajack was drinking something out of a brown see-through bottle.
"Hello," she said.
Dxic turned his head to her and chewed on his cigarette a bit. "Hey kid, what brings you around here?"
"Probably the rum," said Xajck.
Dxic snorted. "Offer her a drink and I'll sick Xifta on you."
Xajck merely chuckled and took a sip of his rum.
"Umm... can I ask you two a question?" asked Xion.
"Sure kid, what is it?" said Dxic.
"Who is Kairi?" she asked.
Dxic frowned. "Hrm..."
"Our favorite, lovable killjoy," said Xacjk.
Dxic snorted, reached behind his couch, brought out his spear, and smacked Xacjk with the flat end of it, causing him to spill his rum. "Not the rum!"
Dxic put the spear away and turned to Xion. "Sorry kid, can't say, gotta take that question up with Xithera."
Xion frowned. "But... Xifta told me a little, why isn't anyone else?"
Dxic scowled. "Xifta is asking for trouble. Nexol said that Xithera would be the judge of what and when we can tell you things, crossing them on that is a bad idea."
Xion's eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"
"They ain't like they used to be, heck, none of us are," said Dxic, "But some of us took losing our hearts and homes worse than others. Nexol's been a bit better since... uh... you showed up here, but... Xithera ain't budged. She and Xurrath seem even worse to be honest, colder than ice. Makes you wonder, if we crossed her, would she scold us like she used to, or would she punish us? Heard her threaten to turn Doluxc of all people into a dusk once."
W-what? Aerith... she would never... no... she's not Aerith, she's just... an empty shell... they're all just... empty... shells...
Xion frowned as she felt her chest constrict and then relax. She figured the Voice had probably just stressed herself and passed out again. She glanced to the door. She moved and pressed a hand against it.
"Uh, kid, just mind yourself," said Dxic.
Xion didn't reply, instead, she pushed open the door and walked into their small throne room. Inside, there were three people sitting and talking quietly. Xithera, Nexol, and Xuffiey. The three stopped talking and glanced at her.
"Xion," said Nexol, nodding curtly to her.
"Heya kiddo!" said Xuffiey cheerfully.
Xithera said nothing, here eyes merely resting on Xion, waiting.
Xion licked her lips a little nervously and glanced at Xithera. "Umm... can I ask you all a question?"
"Sure kiddo," said Xuffiey.
"Xuffiey," said Nexol quietly, glancing between Xion and Xithera.
"What? Oh...," said Xuffiey, growing silent.
"You may," said Xithera, waving a hand.
"Who is Kairi?" asked Xion.
"Erm...," said Xuffiey, scratching the back of her head.
Xithera turned her head to the woman. "If you cannot still your tongue, leave the room."
Xuffiey pouted.
Xithera turned to stare at Xion. "Why do you ask about her?"
"People keep calling me that name, saying I look like her. I... I've been... seeing things, memories...," she said, "In them... people call me that name, and I don't know why."
"Yeesh Kiddo, never thought you were that dense," said Xuffiey.
Xithera waved a hand, and a strip of gray energy shot out and wrapped around Xuffiey's mouth. The woman glared at Xithera before crossing her arms and trying to mumble something crude sounding out. Nexol sighed, but made no effort to help Xuffiey or scold Xithera.
"Xion, why do you seek answers that slowly come to you?" asked Xithera, "If you are gaining these memories, does it not make you think that the answer will come in time without pushing for them?"
Xion frowned. "Well..."
"If you try to force things Xion, you may risk hurting yourself," said Xithera.
Xion bristled. "That's one of the reasons I'm trying to figure this out, the memories HURT!"
Xithera cocked her head and spoke with seeming indifference. "Do they?"
"Every time I see something new, it's usually a spike of pain right through my chest," she said, bringing her hand up to her chest, "Each time, it leaves me more and more confused and..."
She bowed her head. "It... frightens me."
"Huh...," murmured Nexol, "Never thought I'd see the day when you admit to something scaring you."
"Nexol," said Xithera a bit coldly, clearing her throat.
"Sorry," he murmured.
Xion glanced back and forth between them, growing frustrated. "What are you keeping from me? Just WHO is Kairi? Why do I look like her?"
She summoned Oathkeeper. "Why do I have the Keyblade?"
She bowed her head. "What... are these memories? Why do I have them?"
"Xion... be patient, you're questions will be answered, in time," said Xithera.
"I don't want to wait," said Xion, "I want to get the answers, I..."
She hesitated, feeling a longing in her chest. "I want to know who Kairi is, I want to find her, I want to meet her."
There was an odd look in all three of their eyes as they regarded her silently.
Xithera slowly shook her head. "You will not find the answers you seek with us."
Xion glared at her. "Tell me!"
The air suddenly turned cold as Xithera narrowed her eyes. "Xion, I have spoken. You have overstayed your welcome, begone."
Xion felt an odd horror and repulsion in her chest to hear Xithera talking to her like that. She took a hesitant step back, a bit frightened, and turned. She left the room, left the building, and then left the world. She formed a Dark Corridor, stressed, and went to Twilight Town. Right now... she really could use some ice cream...
"Oy, hey Xion," came a familiar voice.
Xion glanced over. "Axel..."
The redheaded Nobody was walking out of the ice cream store Xion was heading for. "Just got done my mission and... uh... you okay?"
She looked down. "Can... you get me some ice cream again?"
"Another rough mission eh?" he said, turning for the store.
"Sure...," she muttered.
Trying to figure out who Kairi is was technically a mission she had set for herself...
"Hah, morning missions sure are something aren't they?" he said before walking into the store.
They were up on the clock tower five minutes later, slowly eating ice cream.
"So, what happened?" he asked.
Xion stared at her half-eaten ice cream for a moment before saying. "I don't like people hiding things from me, lying to me."
Axel gave her a curious look. "About what?"
"Kairi," said Xion, "Why do people keep calling me that? Who is she..."
Axel scratched his head. "The redhead? Are those guys at Nothing's Watch still hassling you about that?"
"Everyone is, kind of," said Xion, "Marluxia called me that yesterday too."
Axel paused at that, a hint of a deep frown on his face. "That so?"
He took another bite out of his ice cream. "Hmm."
"Axel, do you know anything about Kairi?" asked Xion.
Axel shrugged. "Watched her once or twice in Traverse Town as a mission, but that's about it. I think the Superior had a meeting about her or something awhile ago, but I didn't really pay much attention."
Xion scowled. "Why not?"
He rolled his eyes. "When the Superior speaks, I kind of tune him out."
"Why?" she asked, "I've noticed you didn't really treat him with respect on my first day."
He scoffed. "How can I respect that old coot? If he was a bit younger, more imposing, and actually carried his weight maybe I could. But that old coot just sits up in that castle or down in the labs doing nothing from what I can see. Heck, even Vexen does more field work than he does, VEXEN of all people."
He crossed his arms. "Not to mention he comes off as an old creeper most of the time, and those scheming eyes of his... I'd rather he be cold and indifferent that creepy and calculating. You ever seen him smile? He sets off all my alarm bells whenever he does, always makes me think he has something bad up his sleeve."
Xion contemplated it. Just like the Voice, Axel didn't think well of the Superior. That was two people in favor of that opinion now...
"Still, if you want I guess I could keep an ear open about Kairi," offered Axel.
Xion brightened and smiled at him. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
He shrugged. "Sure, why not? It's what friends are for and-hey!"
She had him in a hug before he could react. "Thanks Axel!"
"U-uh... sure," he said, seeming a bit bashful.
He scratched the back of his head after she separated from him. "Ah... can't promise I can actually figure anything out for you."
"At least you'll try, and won't lie to me about it," said Xion.
He tilted his head. "Trust me that much?"
She nodded and smiled at him. "You've given me no reason not to."
An odd look crossed his face and he looked away. "Ah... jeez... uh... you ought to eat your ice cream before it melts ya know."
She gave him a confused look. "Melts?"
Axel snapped his fingers, a soft ball of fire appearing near her ice cream. She watched, horrified, as it started to fall apart.
"Waaah! No! My ice cream!" she whined, quickly shoving the stick and what was left of the treat in her mouth.
Axel laughed a bit at that. "Xion, you sure are something else."
She sucked on her ice cream and turned to glare at him.
She didn't hold it against him, too much. When they finished their ice cream, they sat there, staring out over the town for a time.
"Anyway...," said Axel, standing up, "Better get back to the castle and see if there's any missions to take on. Catch ya later Xion."
She waved as he formed a Dark Corridor and left. "See you later Axel."
She hummed softly to herself before glancing down at her newest ice cream stick. She pouted a little when it wasn't a winner. Ah well. She pocketed it anyway and stood up, raising her hand to form a Dark Corridor...
She paused. "He said... there was a meeting about Kairi, that the Superior was speaking about her..."
She nodded to herself and opened a corridor. "Maybe I should go ask the Superior himself..."
With that, she made up her mind and walked through...