AN: If this chapter feels a little lacking in some areas, then sorry about that. Due to being jobless for a while now and unable to pay my bills, I am having to move into my brothers place for the next month or two as I work to get my life back on track. If there are any improvements that need to be made (that any of you notice and alert me to), I shall do so upon my return.
And this is likely the last chapter I'll release for a while do to the above problem. But fear not for I shall return with all new chapters as soon as I possibly can. Maybe I'll even have multiple chapters to give you as I do have plenty of time to write them.
Also, Xion's personallity in most of this chapter is meant to be like Rei's from Evangelion for reasons that will become clear in the secret report...well, clearer at least.
Realm Hearts
chpt.8: Xion, Key of Fate
"Now, allow me to introduce another of the Keyblade's chosen ones" says Xemnas as a figure walks into the room, already dressed in the black coat of the Organization. The person was small in form, likely a few inch's smaller in size than Roxas. "Behold, our 14th member..."
"Wait, where did you find him?" asked Vexen suddenly, finding the idea that they had stumbled upon another so soon after finding Roxas hard to believe.
"You may be a scientist, but you're also an idiot" shouts Larxene, making a vein pop out on Vexen's forehead for being called an idiot. "Anyone with half a brain should be able to tell that this guy is a GIRL!"
Vexen looks at the newly arrived member and studies the shape the black coat had on the body and realizes that it was indeed a girls body. "Fine, I stand corrected. But if you dare to call me an idiot again, I'll..."
"ENOUGH" shouts Lexaeus much to everyone's surprise, his voice making both Vexen and Larxene shrink back.
Xemnas looks at him and nods to show his thanks. "After the rest of you left on your own respected missions, I decided to go on one myself as I don't often get a chance to leave Never Was. While searching a darkened city street, I detected Heartless activity and went to investigate. I then found this one, sitting in a darkened alley way with Shadow approaching her. He prepared to intervene, but I was shocked to see a Keyblade appear in her hand which slew the Shadow's. I took it upon myself to bring her back here as it seemed she had no where else to go."
Everyone then looks to the hooded girl again, waiting to see if she said anything. But she remained silent as they stared are her. Xigbar turns to Xemnas and ask "So, what's her deal anyways?"
"I believe she is an orphan, living in the alley way based on her malnourished appearance, shabby clothing, and her basic overall state. In truth, she hasn't even spoken a single word to me since I encountered her" says Xemnas.
"So, you kidnapped her from her world then?" asked Roxas.
"If you saw what and where she was living when I found her, would you not have taken her as well?" asked Xemnas. "Besides, she didn't offer up any resistance as I brought her here. There for I assume she was fine with it."
"So, does she have a name at least?" asked Axel.
"As she refuses to talk with me, I have decided to call her Xion until such time as she feels ready and willing to to tell us her true name" says Xemnas.
Zexion studies her a bit more, wandering what she might look like beneath the hood. "Would you mind showing us your face, miss...Xion?"
Xion doesn't respond; doesn't even bother to look up at Zexion. She just remains still, standing there like a statue. "Can you at least show us your Keyblade you have?" asked Zexion.
Again, Xion does nothing but staring into the empty air.
"Looks like you found yourself a good friend their, Larxene" laughs Xigbar which gets her into another rage rant about her not wasting her time with some mute street rat.
"I think that is enough for today" says Xemnas as he stands and floats down to the ground. He then walks over to Xion and places his hand on her shoulder. "Go, prepare for today's missions. You shall all be leaving within the hour." And with that, he leads Xion out of the room.
But as they leave the room, Xion turns back long enough to look at Roxas. Though he wasn't sure, giving the space between them, but he thought he had seen a smile form on her lips as she was looking at him.
After getting some breakfast and making sure he was ready, Roxas heads to the gate room and finds Saix there waiting for him. "Sorry for being late" says Roxas as he comes running up. "I got a little turned around on my way here."
"Don't worry about it. You'll learn the lay of the land in time" says Saix.
"So, who am I going on a mission with today?" asked Roxas, looking around and seeing no one except himself and Saix in the room.
"At the request of lord Xemnas, you'll be taking Xion along with you today" says Saix.
"Xion?" says Roxas, looking around again and finally taking notice of her off in a darkened corner, staring out a large window. "Oh, I didn't see her over there."
"Xion, over here please" says Saix, getting the hooded girl to turn and walk to them. Once she had joined them, Saix looks to Roxas and says "Lord Xemnas has only told me of this, but Xion seems to have trouble summoning forth her Keyblade at will."
"She can't...but I thought lord Xemnas had seen her summon one before? Isn't that the reason why he brought her here to begin with?" asked Roxas.
"It's not that she can't, she just doesn't know how to do it of her own free will. Instead, the Keyblade appearing in her hand before was a self defensive instinct on her part, or so Xemnas assumes. This is why we want you to work with her till she can summon it forth simply by willing it" says Saix.
Roxas looks at Xion, then back to Saix and says "I don't know how I can help her but I'll do what I can."
Saix nods, then turns his attention to the portal. "The world you'll be going to is one we have visited before. There have been Heartless sightings in this world in the past, though they are still minor in their numbers. For today's mission, just focus on releasing as many hearts as you can while aiding Xion."
"Understood" says Roxas. He then looks at Xion and says "Ready to go?"
She doesn't respond verbally to his question; but instead just steps forward into the portal. "Friendly, isn't she?" says Roxas before letting out a sigh. Why did he have a feeling today was going to be a long day for him?
"See if you can help her open up too while you're there, if you can, Roxas" says Saix, patting him on the shoulder. "When you arrive, you'll be outside a coliseum like structure. Simply pass through the massive double doors along the wall to enter the city and explore around there. Return once the sun starts to set."
"Right" says Roxas before following Xion into the portal.
After passing through the corridor of twilight, Roxas emerges and quickly finds himself someplace that definitely didn't look like a coliseum or a city that held it. He was in a dank, dark cave. "Um...this isn't what I was expecting. Hey, Saix..."
Roxas turns around and finds the portal had already closed on him which makes him sigh again. He then reach's into his pocket and pulls out the communicator and tries to contact Saix, but finds the device unresponsive. "I'm beginning to think I was given the defective model? What do you think...Xion?"
Roxas just now noticed it. There was no sign of Xion anywhere nor had he seen her when he had emerged from the portal beforehand. Had she been sent to the right spot while he had ended up elsewhere? Was this some kind of joke he was being played?
"Xion, hey XION? If you can hear me, say...oh wait, I doubt she would given the silent treatment she's been giving everyone up till now" groans Roxas before taking a moment to study his surroundings.
At least from what he could see, it wasn't all bad as he had emerged from the portal in what appeared to be a dead end with a path leading...somewhere in this place. With no other choice available to him, Roxas proceeds down the sole path and around a corner. He then sees Xion's form at the end of the tunnel. "Hey, Xion..." he yells as he runs forward.
The hooded girl looks back at him as he reach's her, then back to where she had been looking before. Coming to a stop next to her, Roxas says "Man, I thought I had lost you there for a second. Please don't go wandering off again like that, OK?"
Xion remains silent, though she does extend her arm out, pointing to a spot Roxas assumed she was wanting him to look. "What is it?" he asked as he looked to the direction she was pointing.
Immediately, his eyes go wide at what he was seeing. Before them, beyond the edge, was a deep abyss with an ethereal green colored energy pulsing from the deep and spectral forms the looked somewhat human seemed to be swirling into this abyss, the spectral beings coming from a hole above.
"Man, this is really freaky" says Roxas, finally noticing how cold it was in this place. He then looks around and sees another path that sloped upwards. "I really hope that will lead us out of this place. Let's go, Xion."
Roxas starts to walk forward, but looks back after several steps and sees that Xion hadn't moved. He walks back to her and gets her to turn towards him while saying "Come on, Xion. Something tells me we shouldn't be in a place like this." He then takes her by the hand and leads her up the path, unaware that his hand touching hers had causes a slight shift in her dull, vacant eyes.
After three hours of walking and only finding more and more paths to walk through in this cave, Roxas decides they should stop and take a break. "Xion, go ahead and rest a little, OK?" He then takes a seat on the ground and, after several moments of looking at him, Xion also finally sits as well.
The next few minutes seemed to last forever for Roxas as his gaze shifted from Xion to various parts of the cave and back to her again. Feeling that he needed to liven things up, he decides to try to strike up a conversation with her.
"So, Xion, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" asked Roxas.
She keeps her silence which makes him sigh. "Well, how about this. I'll tell you about me and where I'm from, then you can tell me about you...if you want to that is." Roxas then tells her about Twilight Town, his friends, how he became aware of his skills of a Keybearer, and how he came to be with the Organization. "And that's everything I guess. So, what about you Xion?"
Again, she doesn't break her silence. "Come on, Xion. Can't you at least say something?"
"Silence please."
Roxas blinks several times, not sure if he had actually heard that? Had she just talked to him, even if it had been in a dull, emotionless tone, and had asked him to be silent? "Xion? So you can..."
"Please be quiet. I can't hear them?" she says again.
"Hear them? Hear who..." asked Roxas before other his ears finally heard it too. Apart from his voice, there were two other sets of voices speaking out, echoing through the caves they were in. "What is that?" he wonders while Xion gets up and heads in the direction of the new voices.
"I heard them before. When I first came through the portal" she says, passing by him, indicating she hadn't wandered off before but had gone to investigate the sounds she had heard.
Jumping back to his feet, Roxas says "Hey, wait for me" and follows after her.
Further down the path and around several twist and turns, stood two imp like creatures. One of them, the fatter of the two, was using his pointy tail to clean some wax out of its ears while the other, thin and gangly, was fidgeting with his tail while running around nervously.
"What are we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do" says the thin imp. "Lord Hades gave us very specific instructions and if we don't get them done soon, he's gonna deep fry us."
"But how are we suppose to get past those shadow creatures that have blocked off the entrance?" asked the fatter one. "We tried everything we have in our arsenal and all it did was make more of them appear."
"I know that" says the thin one. "Oh man, we're dead meet."
"Hey, you two?" comes Roxas as he arrives first as Xion had slowed up upon seeing them. Immediately, the two imps shriek out as they cling to each other in fear.
"Oh no, the dead have risen to take us below" cries the thin one.
"Well, I guess we were gonna have to kiss our a..."
"Wait, wait, wait" says Roxas in a rush, breaking into the fat one speech. "What do you mean about the dead having risen? Me and my partner here aren't dead..." He then looks back at Xion, asking "Are we?" She doesn't respond.
"You're not?" says the thin one as the two imps break from their fearful hug and approach Roxas. "Hey, I think he's right."
The fat one nods, saying "You're right. I can't see through them nor do that have those twitchy tails for legs. But just what are they then?"
"I'm Roxas. And she's Xion. We..." Roxas hesitates for a moment as he thinks about what to say.
"Oh, OK" says the fat one. "I'm Pain."
"And I'm Panic" adds the thin one before they both say in unison "ground keepers of the Underworld."
"Underworld?" says Roxas, looking over the cave like structure. "So that's what this place is called?"
"Now, tell us why you two are down here? Only the dead or demons like us should be down here?" asked Panic.
"Well..." says Roxas, scratching the back of his head. "We...were heading to a coliseum for...an important event but I guess we took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up down here."
"Boy, that's some wrong turn you took there. You ever thought about getting a GPS?" asked Pain.
"Um...GPS?" asked Roxas.
"Yeah, GPS. You know, the God's Pathway Seeker" says Pain.
"I...never heard of that before" admits Roxas.
"Not surprising seeing as have to be either a VIP or a true hero in order to qualify for one of those" says Panic.
"Well, putting that aside for now, is there any chance you two could show us the way out of here by any chance? Like you noticed before, we really shouldn't be here" asked Roxas.
"Sorry, no can do" says Pain.
"Actually, it's more like no can't do" adds Panic.
"What do you mean?" asked Roxas.
"Well, we're heading up to the surface ourselves. The boss has us running a little errand for him. But there's these weird black, shadow creature standing between us and the entrance and nothing we do seem to hurt them. As long as they remain, we won't be going anywhere fast" says Panic.
'Black, shadow...wait, do they mean the Heartless?' wonders Roxas. "How about this, me and Xion come with you and we'll take care of these shadow creatures and in return, you'll help us find the exit?"
"I don't know, what do you think, Pain?" asked Panic.
"Oh, might as well. It'll be a nice change of pace to see someone else getting their butts kicked for a change" says Pain.
Roxas holds out his hand, making his Keyblade appear which makes the two imps jump in surprise. "My butt won't be so easily kicked, I can promise you that."
Pain and Panic look at him, seeing the confidence he has , then at his Keyblade, then at each other and nod. "You're funeral then. It's this way" says Panic as he and Pain lead them down the path towards the entrance.
It didn't take the twin imps long to lead Roxas and Xion to where they had encountered the Shadow's. Pain, then Panic, and finally Roxas peek their heads around the corner; taking a quick glimpse of the situation. "There they are" says Pain.
Roxas does a quick count and says "OK, ten of them isn't bad. I should be able to take them all out easy. And since we have the advantage of a sneak attack...hey, Xion. What are you doing?"
As Roxas had been talking, Xion had just kept walking around the corner and was now approaching the Heartless; the sound of her foot steps getting the Shadow's attentions real quick. They then charge at her while Roxas groans before running out to join her while his Keyblade appears in hand.
Starting with a Strike Raid attack, Roxas defeats two of the ten, then calls his Keyblade back into his hand while doing a quick spin, slicing through another pair. One jumps into the air while another sinks into the ground and moves like a Shadow at him, forcing Roxas to jump in the air and strike at the airborne Heartless before coming down and slashing the grounded one as it was rising up. He then sees two more trying to gang up on Xion who makes no move to defend herself and he jumps back, taking out one before launching another Strike Raid to take out the other.
"OK, where's the last two?" he says, then he spots Pain and Panic; seeing them actually take out the last two Shadow's themselves. He then looks at Xion and ask "What were you doing back there? Walking out like that and not even trying to attack or defend yourself? Are you wanting to be hurt or something?"
She doesn't respond again which makes him growl in frustration then walk over to the two imps. He was beginning to wonder if Xemnas wasn't just playing some sort of joke on them all? "Say, did you two really need my help? You guys handled those Shadow's pretty well just now."
"Oh, you mean those little guys?" asked Panic. "Oh no, those were the easy ones."
"Yeah, it was those other guys we couldn't seem to harm" adds Pain.
"Other guys?" says Roxas before feeling something happening behind him. Turning quickly, he barely has enough time to bring his Keyblade up in defense as a new Heartless, one who's head was protected by a helmet and red claws in it hands attacked him.
"OK, this is new" he says, pushing the Heartless off him; watching it somersault back through the air to land on its feet. "Stay back, you two " he says before going on the attack.
These new Heartless, the Soldier's, battled differently than any Heartless he had faced before. They were faster and stronger than those he had battled previously and they showed more skill and cunning than what he had experienced before too. It took a bit more effort, but he was still able to defeat them all the same. But when it was finally down to just one, the sole survivor breaks away from Roxas, moving fast to strike down Xion.
"No" yells Roxas, jumping in between Xion and the Soldier, taking a powerful hit that sends him flying. But before he can hit the ground, he manages to get off one final Strike Raid, taking out the last of the Soldier's, saving them all from being heartlessed to.
"Hey, you OK?" asked Pain as he and Panic come running up.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Though that Heartless can hit pretty hard though" says Roxas as he picks himself up.
Xion, meanwhile, walks over to the Keyblade, which was now laying on the ground, and picks it up with her left hand before walking over to Roxas. "Why did you do that?" she asked.
"Why did I...what do you mean?" he asked before realizing she was referring to his taking the hit meant for her. "Because you and I are teammates, partners, after all. We take care of each other. That's what...what friends do."
"Friends?" she says. "I don't know what that word means. I've never heard anyone use that word before."
"You don't know what a friend is, huh? Well..." Roxas then scratch's the back of his head, trying to think of the best explanation he could give her. "...well, I guess a friend is someone you care about. You laugh together, have fun together, and enjoy being around. They're someone you know you can trust."
Xion tilts her head to the side inside her hood as she thinks about what Roxas had just told her. "I still don't understand." She then hands his Keyblade back to him.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you will in time" he says encouragingly. He then looks at Pain and Panic, asking "So, any more of those Heartless around here or are we good to go towards the entrance."
"I think that was all of them" says Panic.
"We'll know once we get outside. Come on, its this way" says Pain, leading the way.
After another ten minutes of walking through the seemingly never ending caverns, they finally pass into a massive chamber with a sloping path on the far end, leading up to a crack in the wall with sun light filtering through from the outside.
"We're finally here" shouts Pain excitedly. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I never thought I'd be so happy to see the rays of the sun passing into the Underworld."
"Wait, something's missing though" says Panic, feeling a bit nervous. "Where's Cerberus at?"
"Cerberus?" asked Roxas.
"The guard dog to the Underworld. Cerberus is charged with making sure no deceased spirits escape after death" says Pain.
"Maybe he decided to take a nap or is chewing up poor Charon" says Panic.
Roxas looks around as well before feeling something wet and gooey hit his shoulder, making him look to see a giant glob of slobber coming down from above. Looking up, he sees a massive, three head beast which roars before swiping at him with its massive clawed paw.
"Holy...that things a dog?" he yells.
"Easy there, Cerberus" says Panic in a soothing tone. "This one isn't dead."
"Yeah, his coat kind a smells all funky from being down here though" jokes Pain before the two imps get blasted back with a roar.
"Not very friendly is he?" asked Roxas, jumping up and catching them.
"Something's wrong here. Cerberus usually doesn't act like this unless you are an escaping spirit" says Pain. "Though he does like trying to use us a chew toys every now and then."
Panic looks at Cerberus carefully, then notices a weird purple mist was rising from its body and what appeared to be some sort of pimple like growth present on its forehead. "Something must be controlling him. That's the only explanation."
"It has to be the Heartless" says Roxas, putting them down then charging at Cerberus.
The massive dog attacks again, though Roxas jumps over its swipe and takes the opportunity to land on the outstretched limb, running up it to attack the growth. But one of the heads turns to him, blasting him off with a roar that nearly sends him into the dark, murky river present in the cave.
"Don't fall in there" warns Panic. "You'll die if you do."
Roxas quickly picks himself up, saying "Thanks for the heads up", then turns his attention back to Cerberus. As the three headed dog approach's him, one of its heads turns to look around and spot Xion standing still watching everything.
And then, with one quick swipe of its tail, Xion is knocked off her feet, falling hard onto the ground. "Xion" yells Roxas, being distracted long enough for Cerberus to make contact with his paw and send him flying. But Cerberus doesn't go after him, but instead chooses to target Xion as she picks herself back up.
Just as she gets to her feet, she realizes a shadow had come over her and looks to see Cerberus as it raises a paw up, preparing to crush her with it. What happens next happens quicker than she could act. Roxas had some how recovered from being hit and had also managed to run in, pushing her clear while taking the hit himself and was now pinned down onto the ground, unmoving.
Recovering quickly, Xion sees him lying helpless as one of the Cerberus heads looks at him. It was preparing to eat him. "Roxas..." she says as her mind recalls his words to her before about them being friends an partners and the fact he had saved her twice now at the expense of him being injured by doing so. She then sees the Kingdom Key lying close to her on the ground.
And inside her, something is triggered...
Suddenly filled with a desire to fight, to protect Roxas, Xion rush's forward, taking hold of the Keyblade in mid run while crying out; her voice catching the attention of Cerberus who turns all three of its heads towards her and unleashes a powerful triple roar.
Though pushed back a bit by this, Xion fights on as she emulates Roxas and throws the Kingdom Key, nailing the central head right between the eyes which makes it jerk and cause Cerberus to howl in pain. Then running forward and catching the Keyblade as he falls, she does a jump, landing on one of the other heads as it tries to bite her, smacking the growth with the Keyblade, then leaping onto the other as it tries to attack and attacking the growth on it as well. The second head jerks upwards at her action, allowing her to get some air and land on the beast back. It tries to shake her off, but she holds firm while making her way to the central head and slashing at the growth on it.
A loud shrieking sound fills the cavern as a ball of dark mist comes flying out of Cerberus, attempting to escape, but Xion sees it and reacts in time, jump at it and striking it with the Keyblade, destroying it. She lands back on the ground and runs over to Roxas who was now freed from Cerberus's crushing paw.
"Hey, Roxas? Roxas? Are you OK?" she asked in a worried tone.
Roxas groans before his eyes finally open, making Xion sigh out in relief. "My name...that's the first time you ever said it" he says, making her look away as she felt her cheeks warming a little.
"Well, yeah. It is your name. What, do you not want me to call you Roxas?" asked Xion.
Roxas chuckles, then shakes his head. Something had changed in her, he could feel it and hear it. Maybe she would be alright with them after all. "No, Roxas is fine. In fact, I have a feeling everything will be fine."
Once he was back on his feet, Roxas look at Pain and Panic, who were attending do Cerberus, and ask "He's he going to be OK?"
"Oh yeah" says Pain.
"Once he gets a little rest, he'll be back to his usual grumpy guard dog self" adds Panic. "But for now, let's lead you guys outside like we promised."
(a few minutes later, outside the Underworld)
"Well, here we are" says Panic. "The world outside the Underworld."
Roxas and Xion stare out onto the massive expanse of land, seeing the outline of a city in the distance. "That over there is Thebes, a city filled with all manor of rabble rousers" notes Pain.
"Speaking of which, we better hurry up and get to work or else the boss will get pretty mad at us" says Panic before looking at Roxas and Xion, bowing. "Thanks for your help back there."
"Hope we get to see you again" adds Pain as the two imps go running off.
"Thanks for helping us get outside" yells Roxas out to them. He then looks over the landscape again and adds "Such a peaceful place. You'd never think there would be some place like the Underworld connected to it."
"Yeah..." says Xion as she steps forward, pulling her hood off for the first time to reveal her short cut, black hair and blue colored eyes. "It's so warm and nice out here that I can't help be feel...alive."
Roxas stares at her, not expecting her to be so...was cute the word he was looking for? He wasn't sure, but he then realizes something. It was an odd feeling that he didn't know where it was coming from within him, but he couldn't help but feel he had seen her somewhere before...
"So, what do we do now?" asked Xion, looking at him. "The sun hasn't started to set yet and we were told to stay here until then."
Roxas leaves his thoughts for now as he thinks on her question. "Well, the city is a little ways out and it may not be worth going there this trip." He then pulls out the communicator and sees it appeared to be working perfectly again for the moment. "Say, do you have the ability to wield the Keyblade, Xion?"
"I don't know, to be honest. I recall one appearing in my hand when I first met...our leader and I know I felt something familiar when I was holding yours before." She then holds her hand out, but nothing happens from her doing this. "But I can't seem to call it out now."
"Then that's what we'll do till sun set then" says Roxas as he summons forth his Keyblade, then hands it over to Xion to hold. "Saix said I should help you learn the basic's and while I still don't know everything there is to know, I'll teach you as much as I can. OK?"
Xion looks at him, then smiles happily at him and says "OK, master Roxas."
Roxas chuckles, then says "Lets leave the master bit out, alright. I don't think I qualify for that title yet." They both then laugh as the training session begins.
Meanwhile, back down in the Underworld, within a dark chamber, stood a being with gray skin and hair of blue fire, looking into a cauldron as he watched what had happened within his realm.
"What is this? A couple of non stiffs and some freaky shadow creatures running around my Underworld? Those things even took control of my guard dog. I don't know if I should be furious or intrigued by them?"
A laugh suddenly rings out, making Hades look around as a woman's voice is heard. "I sparked an interested in you I see. Well then, my friend, how about we make a deal..." Hades then sees a portal of black and green fire appear next to his throne and something feminine like steps through.
To be continued...
Secret Report 7:
Xemnas sat back in his chair, watching the monitor in his private chambers and seeing Roxas and Xion had made it safely back from their first mission together. Xion's face was still being hidden behind the hood of her coat and she seemed to still be giving people the silent treatment.
But he could tell something had changed with her.
How did he know? Because he was noticing what no one else would. She was standing closer to Roxas than she had been before they had left and this wasn't because of it being because they had just returned or because of it being were they both had stopped. No, he had left it in her mind to stand a certain distance from him unless something had changed within her mind that made her accept him.
It had all been part of his plan.
Before she had awakened, he he placed certain mental conditions upon her. First, she would be distant with everyone, including Roxas; not only being quiet but to keep her face hidden as well. Also, she wouldn't be able to call the fake Keyblade forth in the beginning either.
It had been his hope that during this first mission, which he had arranged for them to be sent off course and into a dangerous area, that Xion would be put in danger as she wouldn't respond to any threat at first so Roxas would save her. That, along with her touching his Keyblade at least once, would trigger something within her mind to make her start to open up to him.
Her ability to wield a Keyblade would also come from "training" with him and his Keyblade. She would retain her shy, distant persona while here so as to keep up appearances for now. Plus, there were some within his Organization who would ask unneeded questions if they saw her face.
And now, seeing as everything had gone the way he had hoped, it was all up to them. They would continue to go on mission together, though not every mission, and become closer and closer which would lead to her heart finally truly awakening. And then...
Roxas would no longer be needed and the fragment he held would be his once again...