Chapter 15: Memories Not Her Own
Xion found herself in a small body, staring anxiously at a blue-haired woman laying unconscious on a bed in an infirmary of sorts. It was Aqua. Why was she hurt? Why was she unconscious?!
The woman started breathing rapidly, her hands trembling. Xion found herself walking forward and gripping the woman's hand's, trying to comfort her.
Aqua gave a startled cry and bolted upright, gasping and breathing heavily.
Xion's eyes went wide and she squeaked out in a very happy and young voice, "Ah! Miss blue lady! You're awake!"
The woman blinked a few times and looked around before settling down on Xion.
"I heard your voice in the darkness," whispered Aqua.
Xion leaned forward and buried her head into Aqua's arm and started sniffling. "I was so scared when all the tears started ripping open. I don't know how I did it, but I made the tears and the cracks better. I didn't want you to go away, you're my hero, I want to be your friend."
"I'm so glad you're okay miss blue lady," she sniffled out, raising her eyes to stare at her.
Aqua smiled softly. "My name's Aqua."
"A-Q-U-A," sounded out Xion before giggling, "I like that name. My name's Kairi!"
Wait... that... wasn't... her name...? What... was... going on... what... was... this?
"Kairi," whispered Aqua, starting to tear up a bit, "Thank you."
Xion giggled. "Silly, I'm supposed to be thanking you."
"I dunno about that," said Aqua, before a mischievous smile crossed her face.
Before she could react, the woman reached forward and started tickling her, Xion started squealing and laughing, her arms flailing around. "H-hey! S-stop! Hehehehe!"
Aqua released the girl a moment later, smiling happily as the little girl scrambled out of tickle range. Xion stuck her tongue out at Aqua, and Aqua stuck hers right back out at her. They both started giggling for a few moments.
Xion clasped her hands together and started swinging them back and forth, growing a little sheepish. "Thank you miss Aqua for saving me from the monsters. I'm sorry you got hurt..."
Aqua shook her head. "It's fine, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"I wish I was big and strong and a hero like you," murmured Xion sheepishly.
Xion grew a little anxious when the woman stared at her, a serious look on her face. Had... she said something wrong?
She waited a bit before squeaking out, "Miss Aqua?"
Aqua masked her serious look and glanced at her, "Kairi..."
"Y-yes?" Xion answered.
"Do you really want to be a hero?" asked Aqua softly.
Xion smiled at her. "Ahuh, I wanna grow up to be just like you and protect all the other little girls like me!"
Aqua chuckled softly, before getting off the bed and slowly kneeling down in front of her. "Are you sure? Being a hero is a big responsibility Kairi, once you're chosen, there's no going back."
Xion gave her a curious look before shaking her head. "So? If I can help people by beating up mean monsters and making tears and cracks go away then I wanna! I don't do takesies-backsies!"
Aqua closed her eyes tightly before opening them and summoning her keyblade and holding the handle out towards her. "In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, it's wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."
Xion blinked a few times, speechless at the pretty poem, before slowly reaching her hand out and grasping the Keyblade's handle. She felt... a little strange... in her heart.
"One day Kairi, when you're older, I'll come back for you. I'll be your master, and you'll be my apprentice, I'll teach you all about being a Keyblade Wielder. About the worlds, about yourself, about the light and the darkness," Aqua said softly.
Xion's eyes went wide and beady. "Y-you promise?"
Aqua nodded and ruffled the girl's hair. "I promise."
Xion sat up in her bed, gasping for air and clutching her head. She took a ragged breath and raised a hand to her heart. There was no pain, unlike every weird memory flashback before now. Instead... she felt a warmth spreading out of her chest and into her body. She sat in bed, confused. This was the first time she had ever had one in her dreams before, and especially in such length.
"What... was that...?" she whispered.
That memory... had felt so powerful to her, had jerked at her emotions heavily each passing second, but why had it come to her all of the sudden? The memories had stopped awhile back, why start up again?
She frowned, contemplating it, before shaking her head and moving to get up out of bed...
The moment she did, she grew dizzy. For a second, the room changed into a different one. Her coat disappeared, and instead, she had red and white armor on. She caught sight of pure red hair dangling down in front of her eyes...
Then it was gone, and she was back in her own room. She staggered and collapsed, barely catching herself and placing her hands out to stop herself from hitting her head.
"What's... going on...?" she whispered.
She slowly stood up, struggling to. "These... things I see, these memories. Is... miss Voice wrong? Am I... Kairi?"
No... no your not, your... Xion...
Xion froze at the pain in the Voice's voice. "Miss Voice? Are you okay?"
Y...yeah, I'm... fine.
Xion narrowed her eyes. "You don't sound fine."
There was no response.
Xion sighed. "I wish you would trust me enough to let me help you..."
Silence.
Xion shook her head and left her room, making for the Gray Area. It was jam packed with most of the Core Organization. She caught wind of most of them discussing Marluxia's betrayal and execution. She did her best to not react to it, and instead walked up to Saix.
"Is there any missions today?" asked Xion.
Saix shook his head. "No. The Superior is going over yesterday's reports to determine the best course of action to deal with these... 'ascended' creatures. A number were spotted in several worlds, and while it was against orders, a number of our members fought and destroyed them."
Xion's eyes worriedly flickered to the room, searching to see if anyone was missing.
"No one perished if that is your thought," said Saix, "We are the Core Organization, we are not weaklings."
Did... that mean she was weak for being beaten? For having miss Voice come out from wherever she was and save her?
No Xion... your not weak. The care... in your heart for others... proves it... and soon... you'll be powerful enough too... fight anyone who tries to... hurt you.
Xion felt anxious, not liking the constant pained tone miss Voice was in. She gave a brief nod to Saix before leaving the gray area and heading down the castle. She wanted to go down to Xifta's bar and relax for a bit, maybe listen to some music and...
Xion staggered, the castle warping before it. She found herself again dressed in red and white armor, walking down a beautiful castle hallway and into a large room with beautiful windows, and three thrones...
Xion blinked and shook her head. "What's with these? They've never been this constant or intense before..."
She resumed walking, a heavy frown on her face. When she started walking down the streets of the City That Never Was, it happened again. This time, instead of armor, she was dressed in some kind of uniform. She was walking down the streets of Traverse Town, eyes sharp and wandering, looking for any potential, like she were out on a patrol...
Xion moved to place a hand against a nearby building wall for support. "What... is this...?"
"Hey, you okay?" came a voice from a random humanoid Nobody.
Xion briefly waved them away. "I'm fine..."
Xion waited a few minutes before she resumed heading for Xifta's bar. She braced herself before entering, already expecting to be hit by another. She wasn't let down in that regard as much as she wished she was. The bar warped, Nobodies changing to Somebodies, the laughter and jeering becoming more whole, a different music playing, Xifta washing down her bar, a smile on her face as she looked up at Kairi... at her... at Xion... who was... she...?
Xion closed her eyes as she stood in the doorway, struggling with the sensations washing over her. She took a deep breath and walked up to the bar and sat down.
"Hey Xion," said Xifta, walking over to her, "What can I get you?"
Xion stared at her for a moment, the dizziness overcoming her again, her voice sounding oddly unlike her own, and like the voice of the girl in her dreams, "Tifa... hows... Marlene... and Cloud...?"
Xifta froze for a moment before calling out, "Hey Xelemnra, take over for a bit."
Xion watched hazily as a the bar warped, and a little girl in a pink dress with a yellow ribbon moved to take Xifta's... take Tifa's... spot behind the counter.
Tifa walked over and tugged on her arm. "Come on Xion, let's umm... talk in the back."
Her eyes furrowed, focusing in and out. "X... Xion...?"
She followed behind Tifa and into a backroom before the woman sat her down on a keg. "You okay?"
"Tifa...," said Xion, her vision blurry, "How's business... been? I know... it's hard to keep up... with things being rough... in Traverse Town... I can... take over your guardian's... duty for you... if you want..."
Tifa bit her lip a little anxiously. "Xion...?"
Xion looked at her blankly.
"Kairi?" Tifa questioned quietly.
Xion blinked once. "Kairi... that's... is... she... who I..."
Xion's head tilted forward and she clutched her head. "Gna..."
Tifa slapped her cheeks. "Hey! Xion, snap out of it!"
Xion jolted, her blurry vision clearing. "What?! Where?!"
She blinked a few times, refocusing on Xifta who was standing in front of her, worried. "Xion? Are you okay? You're really out of it right now."
Xion rubbed her eyes, feeling strange. Her entire body felt warm, continually warm in a way it hadn't been before...
"I don't know," she whispered.
"Just... stay here for a moment, I'm going to go get the others," said Xifta before leaving.
Xion closed her eyes, breathing in and out in heavy breaths, her hearing going in and out in high pitched whines.
"Xion?" came a voice.
She sleepily opened her eyes and smiled at the face that greeted her. "Hi... mom..."
Yuffie looked surprised, and then grinned. "Aha! So you finally remember now do you?"
"Remember...?" she murmured, "No, I... didn't forget to... take Arthur out on... patrol with me... earlier..."
Yuffie blanked for a moment. "Huh?"
"It's like I said," came Tifa's voice, "She's completely out of it. It's like she's reliving some of her old memories when she was a whole person, when she was Kairi."
Xion slowly turned her head. "Whole... person...?"
"Xion," came a stern voice.
When she didn't react, the stern voice sighed. "Kairi."
Xion turned her head, sighting Leon. "Yeah... dad...?"
The man moved over to her a knelt down in front of her. "I need you to focus, okay?"
"Focus... always pay attention... to your surroundings," she murmured, "Otherwise... a heartless or a mugger... can sneak up on you..."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "True, but not what I'm talking about."
He leaned forward and barked an order. "Focus!"
Xion jolted and took a ragged breath, staggering up and off the keg. "I... what...?"
An arm grabbed her to steady her. "Kid, are you alright?"
She turned her head. "Nexol...?"
The man frowned. "Xion, I think you need to get back to your room and sleep. I don't think you being out and about right now is a good idea."
He grew quiet for a moment. "I don't like seeing you like this."
"Should we get Xithera?" asked Xifta.
Nexol shook his head. "She'll probably lapse again if she sees anyone else from her past."
Xion's eyes furrowed. "Lapse...? Do you know what's going on with me? I... I feel so strange. I'm... I'm seeing things... memories that aren't my own..."
Xuffiey bit her lip. "Shouldn't we just, you know, get it over with and tell her? It'd be easier than watching her struggle like this."
Nexol shook his head up and began to walk Xion to the door. "No. It's something she'll have to do on her own."
Xion grew confused. "I don't understand... why... why are you all keeping something from me?"
"It's for your own good kid, let's go," said Nexol.
You're lucky Xion... to have them care for you like this...
"Is keeping things from me supposed to be caring?" bit back Xion.
As much as... I dislike it... it kind of is...
Xion grew silent at that and let Nexol escort her to the bar door. "Go get some rest kid."
Xion sighed before walking out and heading back to the Castle. As she walked, the world around her kept distorting, kept changing to resemble Traverse Town before shifting back to The City That Never Was. She kept her head bowed and walked in a daze. She felt... scared, terrified... what was... going on...?
It's alright Xion... I've accepted my fate... I won't resist the process... anymore... it'll be over soon... a few days at most... and then you... will have everything...
Xion couldn't focus enough to register and question the Voice's words. She wobbled into the castle and took a few steps before collapsing to her knees, clutching a hand to her chest. The warm sensation was overwhelming...
"Woah, easy Xion," came a voice and the rush of footsteps...
Xion looked up, and the world around her warped. She found herself laying in a bed, in a room in Traverse Town, saw a spiky brown haired boy approaching her, concern on her face.
"I-I'm f-fine...," she gasped out.
"You don't look fine to me," said the boy, kneeling down to put two hands on her shoulder.
But... how was he doing that... when she was laying down? The world warped and twisted around her, changing back and forth, making her squirm and moan fitfully.
"Woah, Xion? Uh... you better just sit for a bit," said the brown haired boy.
Xion began to struggle. "I'm not weak! We can't wait, we have to find Kingdom Hearts, we..."
"Xion? The heck are you talking about? Kingdom Heart's is floating up in the sky right up there," said the brown haired voice.
Xion's vision grew hazy. "So...ra... what do you... mean? We have to... find it... and stop Aqua's Heartless..."
The boy, Sora, blinked and frowned. "Uh... what? First off, do I look like a super spiky brown haired goofball to you? I might be a little spiky, but I'm a redhead, got it memorized?"
Xion blinked a few times, Sora slowly melted away, revealing Axel staring at her with deep worry. "Xion, what the heck is going on with you?"
Xion began to shake uncontrollably, tears sliding down her face. "I... who..."
She grabbed his coat and began to shake him, screaming, "WHO AM I?!"
"Xion?!" said Axel, alarmed.
I'm so sorry Xion... that this is... so hard on you...
She couldn't take it, she collapsed against him, her vision going black...
Author's Notes:
The timer is ticking...