Chapter 16: A True Friend
Xion stood on a platform, in a daze, across from her, the blurry form of a red-haired girl in armor smiled sadly at her and spoke in a pained town. "It'll be alright Xion... I'll try and... take it slower from now on... so you don't get overwhelmed."
"Slow...er...?" Xion questioned sleepily.
Xion glanced around, confused at what she was seeing. There were black tendrils both wrapped around the platform and stabbing into it. It looked like... they were sucking energy out of it, taking from it... why were they doing that...?
"T... this... isn't right...," she whispered, extreme unease filling her chest, "It... it has to stop..."
The blurry image walked over and slowly reached a hand up to brush her cheek. "How could I... have ever hated you... Xion?"
The blurry image wrapped her in a hug. "It'll... it'll be okay... Xion. Don't worry... sleep... dream... and become who I... never could be..."
Here... in this place... in this girl's arms, felt like where she belonged, where she was supposed to be, where she was supposed to return to. Yet... it didn't feel... quite right... but... she couldn't...
She collapsed against the figure, and closed her eyes...
She slept, she dreamed for what felt like an eternity. Small images, bits of conversations, and people's faces flashed across her vision. She saw herself, in armor, fighting across and number of worlds against legion's of Heartless. She saw an awful and evil looking version of Aqua floating down from the sky in front of a cracked door. All of that and more bombarded and confused her...
Snore
The barrage was interrupted at the sound. She coughed and gasped, opening her eyes and finding herself in her room. She blinked a few times before glancing to her side, spotting Axel snoozing in a chair next to her bed.
"A...ax...Axel...," she whispered.
The man stirred and yawned, stretched briefly before freezing, sighting her awake. "Xion!"
He was up in an instant, kneeling down in front of her bed. "Boy oh boy, you had me worried."
"You, Xion, need to stop doing this," he scolded, "You're going to give me a heart attack before I even get my heart back."
Xion giggled a little at the bad joke. "Axel..."
His face grew serious. "Xion, what's wrong? What's going on with you?"
She stared at him, at his serious, yet kind face, his eyes holding deep concern for her.
To him, she would never lie.
"I've been seeing things, and memories, not my own," she confessed, "Ever since I first woke up. It wasn't this bad at first, and even stopped for awhile, then... it just... hit me, overwhelmed me."
Axel's eyebrows furrowed. "Memories? Whose memories?"
"Kairi's," whispered Xion.
Axel blinked a few times. "Wait, that's why you've been trying to find out who she was?"
Xion nodded. "Yeah."
Axel stood up and began pacing back and forth a few times, taking a glance at her ever now and then. "Hrm... I mean, you DO look a lot like her, but, Nobodies don't change hair color when they're born to my knowledge, though, your hair's starting to look like hers. You're name doesn't match with the whole X rule either, nor do you really act like her, well, maybe you act like she used to be when she was a kid but, well, that might go with the lack of memories, hrm..."
He frowned and faced her. "Xion, as much as I want to think you are who you are, if you're experiencing her memories... are you... sure you're not Kairi's Nobody? Things are kind of stacking up to that."
"I... I don't know," she said, starting to tear up, "I'm... I'm scared Axel. I'm scared I'm going to wake up one day and be someone else."
She couldn't help but curl up and start crying. "I'm scared..."
Axel walked over and sat down next to her, pulling her into a hug, running a hand comfortingly through her hair. "Shh, it's okay, you'll always be Xion, especially to me."
For a moment, she felt like she was melting. She didn't understand it. All of her concerns washed away, comforted by the sensation. She pulled herself up and embraced him in a hug, resting her head on his shoulder, slowly relaxing under his touch and in his arms as he hugged her. She stayed there unmoving, not willing or wanting to move. She felt... safe, secure, like nothing could touch her. For a time, she felt a sensation of belonging that almost equaled the one she felt for finding that girl... she didn't... understand what she was feeling.
Axel sighed. "Xion. I promise I'll figure out what's going on with you. I'll get to the bottom of this, you... mean to much to me to let you suffer like this. I'm sorry I haven't already done more. I've let missions, other obligations, and my own laziness get in the way. I've... enjoyed the sunsets to much, I haven't wanted to do anything else. I suppose, I was afraid of losing what we had."
Xion turned her head to smile at him. "I've enjoyed the sunsets and ice creams to. Especially when your there with me. If... I had to name a friend I liked the most, I think... you'd be it."
"So, I'm your best friend huh?" he said in a teasing tone.
"Yeah," she answered.
"Well, you're my best friend to," he admitted before growing sheepish, "If... I had a heart, and you were a bit older, I think I'd feel like I wanted you to be more."
Oh wow... he totally just confessed to you... that's adorable.
Xion felt utterly confused. "I don't get it. What's more than being a friend?"
Axel laughed and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "You're to innocent for your own good Xion."
They both jumped a little when the door burst open and Larxene walked in. "Alright, enough's enough, she's waking up whether she likes it or... not...?"
The woman paused, took one look at them, and started laughing her head off. "I was going to wake that lazy girl up, but never mind, I wont interrupt your boyfriend girlfriend time."
Xion felt confused. Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Well, they were a boy and a girl and friends? Or... hadn't Xurrath said something like that before... and why was Axel's face turning a bit red.
Axel coughed and separated from Xion. "No that's fine, have some girl time, I'm going to go do a bit of digging and see if I can't get some information for her."
He stood up and turned to give Xion a warning look before walking to the door. "Xion, I want you to relax and take it easy for a bit. Got it memorized?"
"Umm, okay?" she said, a bit confused by his abrupt departure.
She felt... sad... that he had just left, she hugged her arms around herself and pouted a little. "I... liked being held like that..."
Larxene grinned full force and walked to stand in front of her, leaning down, speaking in an odd tone, almost like a purr. "Oh? You liked being held by, a man?"
"No, just Axel," she said, "Though, I haven't really gone and had anyone else hold me like that."
Larxene pulled back and laughed. "Oh man, I think I have a new favorite hobby."
"Huh?" said Xion.
Larxene grinned again. "Teasing you and going over your clueless dumb head."
"Hey!" said Xion, scowling at her.
She's... kind of right... if I had the strength... I might join in...
"Not you too!" said Xion before pausing and registering the words and tone, "Miss Voice? I thought you were better, why are you sounding tired again?"
It's... nothing...
Larxene crossed her arms. "I ought to be jealous, I did lay eyes on him first, but you two are kind of adorable together. Not to mention, I suppose you have a heart to actually give."
Xion grew confused. "Huh?"
Larxene shook her head. "Nothing."
She frowned briefly. "You know... I almost think he was actually worried, actually cared. He didn't leave your side the moment he carried you in her yesterday."
"Yesterday?!" said Xion, a little upset.
Larxene shrugged. "You were out for roughly a day or so. I checked in every now and then."
Xion pouted a little before she registered what Larxene had said. "He... didn't leave? Even once?"
"Nope," she said in a teasing tone.
Xion felt her cheeks heat up a little, not really sure why. "O-oh... that was... nice of him."
Larxene grinned. "The knight in shinning armor hand carried his sleeping princess here and plopped her down on the bed, watching over her until miss sleeping beauty woke up."
Xion stared at her blankly.
Larxene just laughed again. "Oh this is to much fun."
She sat down next to Xion, a mischievous look on her face, her voice taking an odd almost purr like tone. "So... tell me, Xion, what did it feel like to be held like that?"
Xion hesitated. "Umm..."
She's... enjoying this... way to much... it's almost sadistic... in a funny way...
"If you had to pick one word, what would it be?" teased Larxene.
Xion mulled over the question for a minute, trying to search for the right word. "S-sanctuary."
Larxene blinked, opening and closing her mouth several times before she let out a soft, "Huh..."
"I just... felt so comfortable, there wasn't a worry or concern in the world that could touch me," Xion admitted, "I don't really understand it..."
She noticed Larxene had gone kind of passive. "Larxene?"
The woman slowly shook her head and stood up, almost looking sad. "Xion... I envy you I suppose. Don't ever lose sight of who made you feel like that. That feeling is something a girl can look for her entire life and never find, settling for someone else just to try and grab at it."
"Larxene...," said Xion quietly.
Larxene walked out the door without a further word. Xion stared at the door, confused and bewildered. Had she said something wrong to upset her?
She's not... upset... just... a little wistful if I... had to guess... she did tell you about... her fiancee after all...
"Right, umm, what's a fiancee?" she asked.
There was an audible sigh of amusement, but no other answer.
Xion moved to lay down on her bed and began trying to sort and make sense of what she had seen and heard in her dreams. She laid there for a few hours until Larxene suddenly barged back into her room, nervousness splashed across her face.
"Uh... Xion, you might want to get to the infirmary," said Larxene.
Xion sat up. "Huh? Why?"
"Axel was just carried there," said Larxene.
Xion's eyes went wide. "WHAT?!"
She bolted passed the woman, feeling a heavy pressure in her chest and swearing she heard a loud thumping. She bum rushed there and burst in, sighting Axel laying down on a bed, breathing raggedly, a heavy black and gray burn on his coat above where his heart should be.
"Axel!" she cried out, rushing over to him, "What happened?"
Axel frowned, not looking happy to see her there. "What did I tell you Xion... you should be resting and..."
"What. Happened." she demanded in a heavy tone.
Axel withered a little. "Uh..."
"Ho boy, she's miffed," came Larxene's voice, laughing a little.
Xion turned her head to see Larxene walk over and glance down at Axel, a frown on her face. "Well?"
Axel sighed. "I asked the wrong questions to the Superior. Or maybe, I asked the right ones."
"What did you ask?" Xion demanded.
Axel went silent.
"Axel, tell me!" she demanded again.
Axel averted his eyes. "Sorry Xion, I can't. It's for your own safety."
Xion glared at him, but he wouldn't budge.
She felt a burning hot anger in her chest that refused to be ignored. Axel had been hurt, had been hurt trying to help her out!
"I'm going to go teach the Superior a lesson!" she snarled out.
Axel reached out and grabbed one arm. "Xion! No you are not!"
Larxene blocked her off and grabbed her other arm. "The Superior might sit on his ass all day, but he's still powerful, more powerful than anyone else in the Organization, you can't fight him. He's to strong."
Maybe for now... but... when the process is complete... and your at your full power... I don't think... with the Cornerstones power... that'll be true anymore...
Xion's eyebrows furrowed. "Process? Cornerstone?"
The Voice didn't respond.
There was a chuckle from the door. "Well well well Flamsilocks, look like you got licked pretty good."
The two of them let go of Xion, and all three turned their heads to glance at the door, sighting Xigbar walking in.
The man walked over to them and stared at Xion, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "You know kiddo, if your looking for answers, your not going to find it being Xehanort's obedient lapdog, and make no mistake, to him, you're just a puppet, we all are."
Xion stared at him, feeling confused and troubled.
"You want to figure out the truth, you want to understand everything that's happening to you?" asked Xigbar.
"Hey, just how much are you aware of?" demanded Axel, sitting up.
"Yes," answered Xion firmly, ignoring Axel's interrupted.
Xigbar leaned forward. "Then figure out the answer to this one question, the one you've been seeking for so long, and everything else will be start making sense: Who is Kairi?"
He knows...
Axel narrowed his eyes. "What's your angle Xigbar? Are you trying to get Xion killed?"
"As if," said Xigbar, "I'm pretty sure if I got either Xion or Kairi hurt then my benefactor, when she's whole, would have my head."
"Benefactor?" demanded Axel.
Xigbar grinned. "Let's just say I made a deal a long time ago with a certain blue haired Keyblade Master and I'm angling to get what was promised to me. Helping you all out is a show of good faith on my part that I don't hold what happened against her."
He's... talking about Master Aqua... but what deal... is he talking about?
Xigbar chuckled, almost darkly. "I think it's time kiddo. I've been watching everyone you've gone to ask, and there's one person you haven't asked. I think you should go to the library and go ask Mesaxn that question."
Xion blinked a few times. "Mesaxn?"
Axel frowned. "The heck does he have to do with this?"
"It's not what he has to do with it. He's a smart cookie, and knows a lot of things. He's also completely unbiased and oblivious to what's going on under his nose," said Xigbar before turning to Xion, "So, what does that mean kiddo?"
"Umm, I don't know?" she admitted sheepishly.
"It means you can get an honest answer out of him, no lies, no secrecy, nothing held back," said Xigbar, 'Now get going kiddo."
Xion nodded and turned, making for the door.
"X-xion! wait!" said Axel, shifting to try and stand.
WARP
Xion paused and turned her head, sighting Xigbar's guns appear in his hand, one pointed at Larexene, the other he waved back and forth in front of his head, "Ah ah ah, nope. I've waited to long for this flamsilocks, you are sitting right there."
"Xigbar, if you harm a hair on his head...," growled out Xion.
Xigbar turned and grinned. "Didn't I say get going kiddo?"
Xion frowned briefly, not liking the man's guns being pointed at her friends, but slowly turned and left. She was so damn sick of this crap. Of the lies and secrecy around her and this 'Kairi' girl. What's more, the Superior had crossed a line. He had hurt her Axel! She was about ready to wash her hands of this whole thing and walk away from the Organization.
Whatever Mesaxn had to say better be good. She was starting to think she wasn't going to be able to find her answers in the Organization, he was honestly her last honest bet, everyone else just kept keeping things from her. Aside from maybe taking the Superior down, she was having less and less of a reason to stay...
Author's Notes:
Shit is about to hit the fan...