Chapter Five!

Still not tiring of this, yet. I actually almost scrapped this chapter and went right on with the next one, but I think it shows a defining point in Saix's change.

Angry Xemnas is angry. X3

Note: I'm not sure about the state of Kingdom Hearts at this time. I just went with that it's there, but not overly shiny and bright with bijillions of hearts in it, yet.

Feedback? 3

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Square-Enix and Disney.


Faint, pale moonlight beamed through the windows and spilled across the white floor, illuminating the otherwise dark room with a soft silver glow. The air hung still, and everything was motionless. Such peace was one of the few pleasures that the Superior could enjoy. He stood at the glass of the large window, staring up at the magnificent heart-shaped object in the sky. As what seemed customary for him, the dark-skinned man was deep in his own ponderings. This strangely shaped moon, still so long from reaching its full potential, was the only think he could feel passionate about.

"Kingdom Hearts is coming along nicely." A familiar voice at the opposite end of the room was enough to derail his train of thought, and the Superior turned around to spot Xigbar fully emerging from a portal.

"I barely heard you enter, II" he commented, knowing that the scarred Nobody was one of the more light-footed and stealthy of the Organization. In his musings, he had almost forgotten that he had sent out for him. "How is the new recruit doing?"

Stopping in the middle of the room and crossing his arms, Xigbar shook his head. "Determined and strong. He's a fast learner, but I don't know about him, Xemnas." He watched the silhouetted form of the Superior in front of the window. "He's a sketchy dude."

The informality of II's speech was forgiven without comment, as the sincerity in his voice reassured that he was serious. Very few could get away with calling the Superior by his name. Xemnas tilted his head the slightest bit. "What makes you think that?" he had seen little of Saix in the past month since his pledge to join the Organization, since the young Nobody was kept busy as Xigbar and the others tested and trained him.

"He's harnessed and controlled his fabricated emotions well, but the kid's a savage when he wants to be." When given a gesture welcoming him to elaborate, Xigbar continued. "He goes from calm to animal-like in half a second. Xaldin disarmed him of his training weapon while sparring, and the bugger lunged at him as if he was going to rip his throat out!" It was clear that Xigbar was rather unnerved by Saix's behaviour. The Superior remained silent for a moment longer, assessing the information presented to him.

"If his Somebody was what you and Number III believe, then I don't find this surprising. Saix may have carried some feral tendencies with him when he became a Nobody."

"He's dangerous." Xigbar intercepted, his voice taking a note that assured that this was not being taken lightly.

"But if such rage can be channelled, we would have a very powerful warrior fighting for us." Xemnas countered, apparently opting for a more optimistic approach to the problem at hand. The smaller man shook his head again, unconvinced.

"Maybe you should see the guy. You'll get what I mean."

Lifting his hand and forming a new dark portal in the air, Xemnas smiled the slightest bit. "Perhaps I will."


Never, not even in the furthest reach of his memories, had Saix felt so frustrated. But what memories could he use to compare? He grasped desperately onto his last pieces of Isa, but the man he had once been now felt like a stranger, a fictional person. Only through his rash actions could he even remember the half-animal that he was before. As he knelt there on the floor, supporting his upper body with his hands, the desperate Nobody made yet another attempt at shifting.

He yearned to grow fur, a snout, and all that he thought would be familiar. For hours now he had stayed in one place, focusing all his concentration, strength, and memories to make his body change. Over this time phases of doubt would sneak into his mind, as if he was forgetting what he used to be. The half man, half canine was now only half of a man. Even his sharp fingernails had been left dull and useless.

The room given to him when initiated into the Organization was quite large, with a grand window that gave a fantastic view of the moon. It seemed that you could not go five feet in the castle without a glimpse of the misshapen mockery. But Saix, in a rage, had thrown the large red curtains shut to block it out of his view. It sickened him, and every time he felt the subtle rays of light from that abomination, he had trouble controlling his thoughts and actions. He would black out, only to come to his senses in front of a destroyed chair, or with another Nobody holding him to the ground. It held more power than the moon in his memories, even if not half as bright. He despised it for replacing the one thing he used to hold so dear to him.

When it became quite evident that another one of his attempts had failed, Saix hissed a curse. If he had possessed the ability to, he might have collapsed in a miserable heap of sorrow by this time. Could a Nobody go mad? When remembering the several incidents where he recovered his mind only to find that he had acted completely feral, he had little reason to doubt that it was possible. Sitting on the floor of a dark room and clutching for questionable facts and memories was a good start in becoming a lunatic.

His empty wallowing was interrupted by the ghostly sound of a portal opening up, followed by heavy boots on the floor. Saix lifted his head and looked ahead, his keen vision only catching sight of a shadow in the darkness moving towards him.

"VII." The voice was immediately recognisable. The sternness made the young Nobody tense. "Get up." It was not a request, but an order. Saix only pushed his hands off the ground so he was still kneeling, but his back was straight. Anger was diluting reason at the moment. His eyes narrowed at the shadow ahead of him.

"What is happening to me?" he demanded, his voice loud enough to bounce off the distant walls around them.

"That has already been explained to you. Now quit acting like a child and stand up." An arm was raised, and the curtains over the window to the left were blown open without any further warning. Silver light flooded the room and brought the two Nobodies into adequate view of each other. Xemnas towered over Saix, and his orange eyes seemed to dance with barely-contained anger. But the inferior of the two only flinched because of the moon's light.

"Get that abomination out of my sight!" he shouted. It was the roar of a man filled with animalistic rage and desperation. "That is not the moon. It is a lie."

Before he knew what was happening, Saix was hauled up from the ground by means of Xemnas having an iron grip on the collar of his black coat. The motion was a harsh one, enough to jerk him into remembering who he was talking to. Inhuman strength was displayed as VII was held too high for his feet to touch the ground. The fabric of the coat's collar was wrapped tightly around his neck, making breathing difficult. Already the room felt as if it was spinning. He coughed and clawed at the Superior's unmoving wrist.

"That 'abomination' is the reason why we Nobodies still have a chance to become whole." The tone was calm, yet at the same time dripping with venom. "Our moon is Kingdom Hearts. The moon you believe to have known is not a concern any longer." Saix could only gasp and make a vain effort to loosen the grip on his coat. Before long he was thrust to the ground with enough force to make it impossible to land on his feet. His side hit the floor, and he lay stunned for only a second. As soon as he collected himself, the Nobody quickly rolled over and lifted himself to his feet a safe enough distance from the Superior. Xemnas seemed satisfied with the fear that Saix was showing through his otherwise hateful stare.

"I have destroyed Nobodies like you for less than the shameful behaviour you have shown. Your potential keeps you alive, but unless you can learn to control yourself, your entire being will come to an end." The threat was in no way empty. Xemnas had already shown how little room he had for sympathy. "Am I understood?"

Those last words made Saix feel more frightened than anything else Xemnas had previously said. The Superior could use intimidation expertly, but now it was no mystery whether there was any real power behind it. The younger Nobody tensed his shoulders and erased all emotion from his face. "Yes, Superior." Even his voice had become void of feeling; like words crafted from cold steel. Still, the moonlight made his skin crawl. Not unlike Xemnas, Kingdom Hearts radiated power, and Saix could feel it.

"Good. Return to your training once you have rested." The Superior turned his back to Saix and formed a portal in the air. "After that, you will be issued a weapon and sent on your first mission." With that, he was gone, leaving VII to himself.

Saix watched the other Nobody exit, and watched the now-empty space for a moment. His left arm and hip now ached, along with his neck. After much reluctance he looked to the moon, tentatively stepping over to the window. For the past month he was almost convinced that he harboured hate toward the giant shape in the sky, but now found himself staring upwards for an extended amount of time. Savagery was controlled for the moment, but Saix knew that the moon was a very dangerous trigger.

His old life, past self, and comforting moon were gone for good, it seemed, unless he did what was instructed. What unnerved him about it was the fact that over time he was feeling less and less, as if the moon was pulling all such illusions away from him. Soon there was not even a ghost of an emotion over the fact that he had been sentenced to servitude to a dangerous man and a misshapen moon, all to earn back something that he could barely remember being a part of.