I waited behind thin foliage until the crowd of diners dispersed. Ela remained at the bonfire, slowly shrinking the blaze until it was nothing but smoldering embers. I thought it was rather cliché that a person with such unusual hair was in charge of shaping fires, of all things.

Xemnas had never specified when he wanted the human's Nobody. I assumed that this gave me free reign over the length of my mission and fully intended to take advantage of that in every way possible. Smirking and turning on my heel, I began to make my way back through the tree line. Unfortunately, without the bustle of a throng of hungry villagers, my movements were less than silent. Ela turned abruptly, wielding a small stone dagger. I muttered curses under my breath, started to run, and…

"Asi?"

…froze. The name seemed to have a paralyzing quality; I even found it difficult to breathe. Ela dropped his dagger and made a dash for me, scrambling through the dirt and leaves. He looked me up and down several times, inspecting the metal accoutrements on my coat and the heavy boots on my feet. He unzipped and re-zipped the coat several times, fascinated by the device. I stood petrified through all of this, feeling awkward yet strangely familiar in the motions. His green eyes shone with exuberance and curiosity…again, I tried to think of what Xemnas would want with such an innocent.

When he had inspected his way up to my head, he stopped, all traces of glee vanished from his eyes. With his index finger, he traced the X-shaped scar that marred my visage, a look of sincerest sorrow on his face.

"It is you, Asi…" He said quietly, cupping my cheeks in his hands. I didn't know how I could understand his uncouth language, but I did. "Where have you been?"

I blinked. "You call me by this name, Asi, but I'm afraid I don't know it. I am Saix."

Ela frowned and took a step back. "If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny-"

"You have me confused with someone else." I said coldly, crossing my arms.

The boy ran a hand through his red locks, staring at me in utter defiance. "If you're not Asi, then who are you and why are you here?"

"Like I said, my name is Saix. I feel no need to tell you my motives." I remained rooted to my spot, staring down the human as he was doing to me.

Ela made a low guttural sound in his throat-between a growl and a cry-and gnashed his teeth before approaching me and throwing his arms around my neck. "I'm sorry about what happened! I promise you, if I could have stopped them, I would have!" he went limp against my frame, breaking down into spasms of wracking sobs.

I coughed and awkwardly wrapped my arms around him. Humans were so…emotional. "Don't cry, Ela…I'm sure it's…not your fault…" at a loss for words, I decided that it would be better to keep my mouth closed.

He raised his head and looked into my eyes. His odd tear-shaped face markings were smeared and running from his weeping. He looked…defeated.

It was then that I noticed…this Asi person had a very interesting power. He had the ability to make Ela sad. Terribly, horribly sad. Worthless, maybe even…nobody.

I smiled.

"That's it, Ela. See? There's nothing to cry about, I'm here." I cooed, marveling over how pathetically easy it was to imitate human feelings.

He swallowed hard, studying my face. "So, you really are Asi? You're back?"

I nodded, smoothing his hair. "Yes, and…" I paused, trying to recall the romance novels I'd read in the Superior's library, "…I'll never leave you again."

The redhead beamed, but it was gone as soon as I saw it. "Then, who is Saix?"

"He's nobody." I smirked at my own pun. "He is an alias I use in other worlds."

"Why did you try to make me believe you were him?" Ela wiped his eyes, innocence flowing back into his face.

I grimaced inwardly, making a solemn promise to myself to read every romance book in the Castle as soon as I returned. "I was afraid of facing you again…after what happened."

His gaze turned downward. "I'm sorry the Elders did that to you." His voice was barely audible. I guessed that, whatever happened to Asi to make him disappear, it had been hostile.

"They had no choice." I said, inserting the most fake sincerity into my voice as possible. "And after it all, I survived."

Ela nodded slowly. "I don't think anyone has the right to leave their own for dead…even if they're different."

I opened my mouth to reply, but the human cut me off.

"But none of that matters now. You're back." He hugged me tighter, then grabbed my hand and started toward the village. "Everyone's sleeping, we can sneak you in; you can live in my hut for now."

I didn't protest, only followed.

"He is playing along." Xaldin commented scornfully, crossing his arms.

Xemnas smirked. "So he is." He turned to Zexion. "Do you still think that I should have sent Four?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The inside of Ela's "house" was much more welcoming than the outside appearance suggested. Shadows thrown on the leaf-and-bark hut had given it an intimidating façade as we hurried through the sleeping village.

I pulled aside the cloth flap that served as a door. Immediately, I was faced with a mound of feathers and animal skins that I assumed was the bed.

"Sorry, I haven't been very neat lately." Ela pushed the mound into a corner. "Hardly anyone comes to visit."

I noticed only two other items in the hut; a cooking pit in the center of the room and a crudely carved wood box that contained the boy's possessions in the opposite corner from the "bed". All signs pointed to the idea that he lived alone.

"Why don't you get visitors?" I asked quietly, taking a seat next to the bed.

The redhead sighed. "Since the incident, I am recognized as widowed. No one wishes to have a relationship of any kind."

I said nothing. Asi's banishment was shaping into a very strange occurrence.

"You care for the fires?" I commented after several minutes of awkward silence. A change of subject would give me time to formulate a proper reply to Ela's widowing.

He smiled. "I am still the only one who can feed it right. The villagers fear the fire, for it has hurt many, but," he paused, "it is the only thing keeping me from being exiled as you were."

"Why would they exile you for being a widow?" I asked, treading lightly. I didn't want to have to play the amnesia card.

Ela blinked and looked to me, frowning. "You have been gone too long. Have you truly forgotten all of our laws?"

I swallowed hard and dug for words in my head. "I…tried to block out as much as I could. Living so long in other worlds has given me a sense of…" I smirked, "another life, separate from this one."

The boy's expression softened and he sat beside me. "I understand. I apologize for doubting you." His gaze wandered upward, avoiding mine. "I don't know why I expected everything to immediately return to normal."

I focused on his face, the monument to attentiveness. As much as I needed him to trust me, I wanted to hear the rest of Asi's story. His emotional detours were beginning to annoy me. Nevertheless…I was also beginning to wonder why he was suffering so many emotional detours.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Ela focused his green eyes on me, unmoving. Finally, I turned my attention to the boy, if only to cease the boring of emerald holes in my skull.

"Asi, you don't remember anything…do you?" He climbed nimbly into my lap and clung to the fabric of my black undershirt, burying his head in my shoulder. His body shook spasmodically and his shoulders slumped pathetically against my form; the undisputed warning signs of tears. I stiffened for an instant but forced myself to relax, inwardly cursing my stupidity. I should have avoided the human until I could learn more about Asi, not jumped in and thrown all of my cards on the table. It was of the utmost importance, then, that I proceed with caution.

"I'm sorry, Ela…I don't." My gaze lingered on him for a moment before flicking to the ceiling. "Almost everything is gone."

The boy's crying ceased and he peered up at me through tousled red locks. He looked as if he was about to speak, but shut his mouth and once more rested his head on my shoulder.

My moving confession apparently blocked him from comparing my current story from the one I had told in the forest. Such an affectionate reunion would not have been possible if I had truly forgotten most of the aspects of my life. Asi's pathos-driven power of persuasion over Ela was becoming more and more apparent.

By this time, the six Nobodies were quite uncomfortable on their cold marble. My actions disturbed many of them, as I later learned, but there was one who was satisfied. Xemnas grinned devilishly, peering into the circular seeing pool in the center of the ring of thrones.

"I believe that this mission will be a success." He commented sardonically, staring calmly at Xaldin. Three snorted, shaking his head.

"Seven is not ready; he has not been empty for very long. If he catches on, he is lost." The lancer glared at Xemnas. "I do not know why you are so intent on breaking his will. He is very obedient."

The Superior tapped gloved fingers on his white arm rest. "Obedience is a virtue that some have yet to attain." He smiled idly and then fixed his gaze pointedly on Three. "If Seven is aware of his past life, it will only push him to further our cause. It can do no harm. Besides," He glanced back into the seeing pool. By this time, Ela had fallen asleep and I was laying him gently onto his bed. Xemnas gave a slight smile, "who else could make a Nobody out of such a disaster?"