I was alone. I'd requested that Xigbar had left the portal to the sanctuary open just a little longer. He'd not seen the harm, so here I was. I was standing in the closet area, looking at my shelf, and simply taking the clothes of them, and the accessories, and shoving it into a black bin bag – I'd put them in my own wardrobe, but there was more to it than 'clothes'. I was wearing Organization robes, but on my feet were the pair of glinting brogues given to me by you know who… They were the last things of him I could keep on me at all times as part of the Organization again, without giving myself away.
All had readmitted me to the Organization with awaiting arms since Mr Slater's 'death', with the exception of the newest member, a striking blond I'd seen once before, by the name of Larxene. I'd explained the situation to Luxord, and without much persuasion, he got us both posts at The Castle That Never Was, and Marluxia and Larxene had swapped positions with us, lest any unpleasantness occur between the latest arrival and me.
This was another thing: Luxord and I had grown rather close, almost as we were before. He was the one who'd persuaded Xigbar, he was the one who got my new job in the Organization, and relocated it away from the Savage Nymph for me. He was the one who'd permitted me to wear my brogues rather than the boots, accepting the feeble excuse of 'they are more comfortable'. He was the one behind me, right now, without me knowing, not making a sound.
I spun into him, as I turned to return to the portal, and gasped. He pointed at the bag, his eyebrows rising, inquisitively.
"What's with the clothes?" he asked, quietly.
"Mr Slater gave them to me," I said, truthfully. I tried to at least half-lie, rather than just splurge great flabby falsities up his nose. "Shame to waste them, do you not think?"
"Indeed." He concurred, and I breathed an internal sigh of relief. "Come, we have another large heartless to find together: the Phantom."
I was alone, adrift, sitting on the turbulent sea, manipulating the waves to be buoyant. I'd explain properly if I understood properly. I was on Organization orders, in this weird oceanic world, where there was just a small port, a mythical island and a whole lot of water. That's why I'd been assigned to it to find the Grim Reaper, another massive heartless, and, surprise, surprise: Luxord was my partner. We were still good friends, but no more.
I wasn't truly on Organization business. I was taking a detour, not unlike when I met Mr Slater for the very first time, almost a year and a half ago. I had the briefcase with me. I hadn't opened it since last I closed it, the same day I returned to the order of – back then – twelve. Another guy had joined since then, Roxas. He was nice, but violent, and more Axel's friend than mine.
I was drifting, very slowly, toward a small spit of land off the coast of nowhere. This was deliberate. I needed to get rid of the briefcase: I hadn't been able to draw my eyes from it, and was worried I would get tempted to take the heart for my own. I had not started this test so I could cheat with Luxord's old answers. It was for me to do.
I climbed onto the tiny beach, carrying the case, a pair of chains, and my shoes: they were no dirtier than the moment I'd been first given them, even if slightly more used. They weren't going to get manked up now.
There was a small rock formation in the centre of the beech, and, using the chains, I attached the case to a loop in the rock, eroded by the waters: the loop remaining was a different, firmer rock. I tested it, by shaking it, and locked the chains with the padlock, wrapping around the case and through the handle. Pulling, to make sure it would last, I decided to take five, and returned to my floating sanctuary in the sea.
I wasn't alone for long. Luxord appeared from a portal next to me, and stood on the water held steady by me.
"Hey." I greeted, and he nodded curtly to me.
"Have you seen Mr Slater?"
