I know I already apologized for not updating quickly but this time it was because I've been so freaking busy! Sometimes I hate being a Senior and I'm starting to wonder what it'll be like when I go to college. I'm also worrying for my wanna-be novel which is sitting in my room, gathering dust, and making me feel guilty whenever I so much as breath in its general direction.
All whining aside, I had really hoped to be posting two chapters for you wonderful, wonderful peoples but, as you can see, that was not possible. I hope you can make do with this. Thanks for sticking around and I hope to see you in the end! Enjoy!
24: This Is the Stuff Legends Are Made Of
"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom." –Bob Dylan
Xilvin and Xhostam, against their better judgment, followed Axel through the Passage of Darkness into the anteroom outside the Wormhole Generator. The sounds of battle could be heard from beyond the heavy door on the other side.
"Should we help them? I don't think the hole's getting closed." Xilvin flicked his stringy bangs from his hazel eyes.
"But Saix will kill us if he sees us outside the Cafeteria!" Xhostam said in something similar to a whine, "And b-besides what if they show up!?" He shivered at the thought of his and Xilvin's Heartless' and hunched his shoulders like he was warding off a cold wind.
"It doesn't matter." Xilvin stated before Axel could reply, "We're part of the Organization. It's our duty to help them fix this."
"But it's part of our existence to stay around long enough to get our hearts back!" Xhostam shouted, sounding distraught. He grabbed the front of the Howling Storm's cloak and shook him, pale eyes swimming with held-back tears, "You were the one who yelled at me for giving up! And now you're saying we should just throw our lives away!"
"They're our only chance!" Xilvin retorted hotly, smacking the Winged Slayer's hands away, "If we don't do something we're no better than those human's rotting away in the Cafeteria!"
Xhostam's tears spilled over, his fists clenched, and he punched Xilvin in the face. Xilvin stumbled backwards and slipped, crashing to the floor, "Stupid!" Xhostam cried, "You're so stupid! You're a selfish…a selfish…" He searched around for a word, "A selfish DORK! Can you at least pretend to care!?"
"Hey, hey, hey! That's enough already!" Axel stepped between the two, putting a hand on Xhostam's chest. He glared at the two of them; Xilvin had pushed himself to his feet and was rubbing his sore cheek with a blank, mask of an expression, "You don't fight each other! You fight Heartless! Got it memorized!? Heartless!" Xhostam wiped his eyes and swallowed, "Okay now, we can kiss and make up later! Right now we've got to save your freaking gosh-darn world!" And he led them through the door and into the Generator Room.
As they bounded down the stairs into the chaotic fight that awaited them below, Xhostam whispered to Xilvin, "I don't really have to kiss you, do I?"
Xilvin cuffed him on the back of the head and sent him tumbling down the rest of the stairs.
"Nameless! Nameless!" Odium howled with glee, bouncing into the room with an elated grin on his face, "Nameless! They're out! They're all out! Ahahahahahaaaaaaa!" He spun around in a circle, arms flying into the air as he did so, "Can we get them!? Can we tear them apart!?"
"No." Nameless' voice rumbled with suppressed rage and power. Odium stopped spinning and flopped onto the floor with his arms and legs crossed and a pout expression on his face.
"Why nooooottttt?"
Lord Nameless ground his teeth together, trying as best he could not to rip the armrests off the chair he was occupying, "Because they called in reinforcements."
"But they're attacking my hoooooolllleeee!"
"I don't give a rip about the hole. You didn't even make it."
"But my hole is speeeeecciiiaaaallllllll!"
"Quit going on about the hole, Odium," Crimson flashed behind those violet glasses, "Or I'll rip your dark-stained heart out and eat it myself!"
Odium actually flinched.
Nameless was in a foul way to be sending threats to his own comrade. No doubt he was stewing on the fact that they had lost their Nobodies to the Organization. Despite the added fear that they had given those worthless empty shells, Kaz's Heartless seemed determined to work himself into the most unpleasant temper he could muster.
And it seemed to be working.
Lord Nameless got fluidly to his feet in one liquid motion and started pacing the room. Furniture and other loose objects shook in his wake, wiggling across the floor as his telekinetic power flexed with his abhorrence. Odium watched him, passive for once, his one visible eye half-lidded as he watched his partner's progress around and around the room.
"They snapped your Nobody out his nightmares." Nameless growled and a light fixture on the wall ripped itself off and smashed to pieces on the floor, "They're trying to seal up our main power source." The chair he'd been sitting in tipped over and skidded across the floor towards him only to stop and spin in circles before embedding itself into the bedroom wall, "And they've escaped from us numerous times."
"Twice." Odium muttered, the corners of his lips twitching.
Lord Nameless rounded on him, "I DON'T CARE HOW MANY TIMES IT WAS!" He roared, the entire room shaking with his rage, "I DON'T CARE, YOU FOLLISH BIT OF SCUM! I JUST WANT THEM FADED!"
Tom's Heartless stared at him with a blank expression for a long moment and then…he laughed.
Odium rolled about on the floor, snorting and howling with sickening delight. He pounded his fists into the carpet and black tears streamed down his face. When he'd finally gotten a hold of himself he turned towards the seething Lord Nameless, rubbing the black from his cheeks.
"Let's go destroy them." He sniggered breathlessly.
"Yes," Nameless breathed, air hissing from between his clenched teeth like an icy winter wind, "Let's…"
"Is it working?" Xhostam pressed his back against Xilvin's as they fought off waves of advancing Heartless, "Are they closing it?" Xilvin, Xhostam, Axel, Roxas, and Demyx were holding off the Heartless, protecting Xigbar, Xaldin, and Saix as they made an attempt to seal the rift between worlds.
Xilvin swiveled his gaze around and cast a quick, summarizing glance over the work being done, "Yeah, looks like it." He replied and then spun to smash his whip across the chest of a leaping Neo Shadow, catching it mid air and sending the crystalline heart spinning. It vanished before it reached the ceiling.
"How much longer?" Xhostam crouched and rocketed upwards, smashing his spiked fists into an Air Pirate as it swooped low for an attack.
"Heck if I know!"
A fireball exploded to Xhostam's left, making him cry out in pain as he was sent skidding across the floor and into the waiting arms of a group of Minute Bombs. Reflexively, he swung his fists outward and knocked them away. A shadow fell across him and he looked up to see the Crimson Jazz that had probably hit him in the first place. And it was charging up another attack. Xhostam didn't have time to get up and fend it off.
"You're slow, Xhostam!" Axel came out of nowhere, bringing his chakrams down in a full arc and cleaving the Heartless in two, "Not much of a fighter, are you!? You and Demyx should be dance partners!" ("I heard that!" Came Number IX's voice from amidst a mass of pitch black Neo Shadows.) Axel pointed his weapon towards where Xhostam had come from, "Now that's fighting!"
Xhostam watched as Xilvin spun on one foot, lashing the whip around his body in a wide circle, giving him a larger space to fight in. An Armored Knight launched itself at him and he dropped, sweeping his weapon up so that it knocked the Heartless back. But his attention was diverted for a second too long and a gang of Shadows swarmed up his back, making him fall to his stomach on the floor. Xhostam started forward but Axel's outstretched arm caught him in the chest and held him back.
"Watch and learn, Wing Boy." The Flurry of the Dancing Flames murmured, "Roxas works well with every member, even the stingy ones."
True enough, the Key of Destiny came through the swam of enemies and swept Oblivion through the Shadows, freeing Xilvin. A quick nod of thanks and Xilvin was off fighting the Heartless again, Roxas at his back. They were having a fairly easy time until a Living Bone that had somehow blunder through came roaring towards them. Roxas yanked Xilvin out of the way but both of them were caught in the chest by its swinging tail and knocked to the floor.
The Living Bone skidded around and charged at them again but this time they were ready. Roxas cupped his hands and Xilvin stepped into them; Number XIII launched the Howling Storm into the air and Xilvin landed perfectly on the Living Bone's back, knocking the Shaman sitting there off and at Roxas' quick mercy. Then, Number XIV lashed out with his whip and it curled around the Living Bone's upper jaw, snapping it back so that the Heartless bucked around blindly. Xilvin's free hand went into the air and he whooped a hoarse cry of challenge for all to hear.
As they thudded past Roxas, the Key of Destiny snapped out a Keyblade and caught the Living Bone in the side. Using this as leverage, he flipped himself up beside Xilvin on the Heartless' back and started batting away the Surveillance Robots that were gathering around to blast the Howling Storm away. Roxas leaned over, somehow able to keep his balance upon the romping Living Bone, and said something to Xilvin who blinked a couple of times and then nodded, light sparkling in his eyes. Xilvin yanked sideways on the whip, forcing the Living Bone to change direction…and head straight for an oncoming group of Luna Bandits, Neo Shadows, and Armored Knights.
The Heartless were too full of instinct to bother to get out of the way. The Living Bone plowed over its own allies, crushing them beneath its giant feet. Glittering hearts faded into the air, sending a shower of sparkles down upon Roxas and Xilvin as they clung to the Heartless' back.
"Uh-oh." Axel muttered.
"What?" Xhostam was still stunned by the display of battle skills.
"Demyx." Axel replied.
A sharp yelp of surprise and a wave of water sloshed around their ankles. Demyx came barreling past the Living Bone and battering Heartless out of the way with the end of his sitar. Water sprayed into the air as he slid to a halt beside Axel and Xhostam, panting.
"What the heck is wrong with those two!?" The Melodious Nocturne ruffled his hair so that it stood in its regular Mohawk/mullet-like style, "Are they nuts!?"
"No," Axel chuckled, unable to stop grinning, "They're smart."
Xilvin suddenly pulled back as hard as he could on his whip. The Living Bone made a noise like fingernails on a chalkboard and keeled over, slamming into the floor. Roxas and Xilvin leapt from its back before it could crush them and the Howling Storm withdrew his whip with a flick of his wrist. Number XIII raised both Oblivion and Oathkeeper and brought them both crashing into the Living Bone.
"Ya' see?" Axel clapped Xhostam on the back, "That's how you fight Heartless." And he jogged back into the fray. Demyx gave the Winged Slayer a quick glance and then vanished as well.
"But…" Xhostam raised his fists, even as he remained standing where the other two had left him, "But…Kaz would…Kaz would never…fight like that…"
"Xhostam! Watch out!" Xilvin's whip shot through the air inches in front of Xhostam's nose and destroyed a Silver Rock that was coming at him, "What's with you!? Come on! We've gotta keep the Heartless off of the others." He said this all with a perfectly blank expression before vanishing into the attacking Heartless.
Xhostam's mind withdrew in on itself as his body continued to reflexively fight off the Heartless. It didn't make sense to him. How could Xilvin fighting skills that Kaz had never—would never—display? Even when he was fighting as a Creature in a Chaotic Drome match, Kaz used the Creature's natural instincts in order to do battle.
Because they're opposites. A little logical voice in his mind said, Just as you are an opposite of Tom. Photo negative of your Other, that's you. As is your Heartless. Xhostam couldn't stop the shudder that rippled through him at the thought of Odium.
Opposites. Photo negatives. Nobodies. Xhostam's pale-eyed gaze flickered over to where he could just see Xigbar, Xaldin, and Saix through the black mass of Heartless, Our existence is a lie. We live for nothing, if we even live at all. He shook himself, What the heck am I thinking! When did I get so cryptic!? Xilvin must be rubbing off on me! I know why I'm doing this! Because Tom needs to get his heart back! A memory washed into his gaze but not painfully and not blocking out everything else. It was like a picture lingering on his retinas…
…"Want to grab some shakes in the Port Court?" He asks, matching Sarah's strides as they walk away from the Drome.
"Sure." She replies cheerfully, "Loser buys."
"Are you calling me a loser?" He raises an eyebrow with an intrigued smile on his lips.
"What if I am?" She replies, matching his grin with a small smile of her own.
"Then I'd have to demand a rematch." He flicks the air dramatically with his fingers to emphasize his point, still grinning.
"A friendly rematch." Sarah points out and they both laugh…
"That's why I'm doing this!" Xhostam roared, a sudden energy surging through him with the adrenaline of battle, "So get out of my way you stupid, stupid, STUPID HEARTLESS!"
The metal guards on his gauntlets rippled and suddenly duplicated, unfolding all the way up his shoulders. Curves of ivory metal arched under his arms like straps on a pack, more metal criss-crossed across his chest, just under the edges of his hood, and more of the same white-stained steel coiled between his shoulder blades, forming what looked like where the flames from a rocket would come out. And sure enough, blazing white-blue energy erupted out of them, shooting into the air and then reeling back to form into two great, beating wings of nothing but energy.
Sparks of raw and untainted power dripped like liquid fire upon the Heartless, causing them to sizzle and scuttle away. Xhostam blinked at this complete extension of his power and then his eyes narrowed and he rounded on the retreating Heartless. Number XV opened his mouth, tilted his head back, and screamed a wordless cry of passion and determination to the ceiling. Then he launched himself into the air, wings pumping and shedding more sparks, and swooped low of the scattering enemies.
Axel let out a low whistle that showed he was impressed, "Guess that's why they call him the Winged Slayer." He smirked, "Heh, guess it's time to show off why I'm called the Flurry of the Dancing Flames." Axel dropped into a fighting stance and raised his hands level with his shoulders. His chakrams spun, licking flames, floating at the edges of his fingertips. Then he jerked upright and spun, vanishing in an eruption of boiling fire.
Xhostam's eyebrows hitched up on his forehead and he looked around for his fellow Organization members but there was no one in sight. Then he turned his gaze to the whip in his hand. After a brief moment of contemplation, he tightened his grip on its handle and dove back into the fray.
He didn't need fancy looking weapons to be a good fighter.
It seemed days later that the Heartless finally withdrew. In truth, it had only been a couple of hours but it was enough for the Organization members to be completely exhausted. Even Saix was too worn out to be angry with Axel for leading his charges out of safety. Xhostam, after expending so much energy, had fallen asleep on his feet and was now being carried fireman-style by Xaldin.
The hole had been closed, though, and that's what mattered.
When the Passage of Darkness deposited them in the UnderWorld Cafeteria, the sun had already dropped behind the peaks of the Hoarfrost Crests and from beyond the Danian Cafeteria, they could hear the faint noises of the Khaos brothers, staff, and teenagers getting ready for a good night's rest.
With a loud and unashamed yawn, Xilvin wriggled out of his Organization cloak, unrolled his sleeping bag, and snuggled himself deep within it, burying his face in the pillow with a contented sigh of relief.
The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness, but it wasn't the scary sort of darkness the Howling Storm had described to Tom what seemed like an eternity ago. It was welcoming, comforting, and shielding because he knew there were others around him who care about his well-being. Xilvin closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He could hear the gentle breathing of the other members; Axel's obnoxious habit of taking deep, quiet breaths through his mouth and then letting them out loudly through his nose, Demyx's air drawn between slightly parted lips almost making a pleasant whistling noise, Xhostam's normal, soothing breaths. A snore of sorts made Xilvin jolt but when he focused, he figured it was probably Xaldin.
Kaz's Nobody let himself go and swirled around the station of semi-sleep for a while.
Then he sank into the dark recesses of sleep and dreamed of things he would not remember come morning.
(yawns) I'm sleepy. But I'm so glad I finished this. And on night before final exams, no less! W00t, w00t! Okay, I'm done. (yawns again)
Anyway, I tried to push this chapter a little longer because my updates haven't been what they used to be. Hopefully this made up for it at least a little bit. And the story's still taking on a life of its own. Then again, I was talking to myself this morning about why Xhostam's name is "the Winged Slayer" so I suppose the story gave me a legitimate answer.
In other news, when I was trying to think of Chaotic episodes for the memory I drew a blank. This has greatly upset me (Kaz: Liar. You're just whining.). I can only clearly remember the episode that accompanied my favorite one. So, two episodes stand out clearly in the empty space in my head: A Flux Too Far and Chaotic Crisis. (gigglesnort) He plays the hero and dies in his own dream. He's delusional and that's what makes him so darn funny. My fave! (tackles Kaz)
All I'm really going to ask for you awesome people to send me some scenes (written please, no vids. my computer's too old for that) of your favorite episodes while I scour a sight a friend of mine pointed out, hoping and praying that they have Chaotic on it. I don't know if I'll do any more memories (I'm planning on it but maybe the story has other ideas) but I always say "better safe, than sorry."
Thanks for reading, you guys! Please stay tuned, please keep review, and have a great day! Byes!
Kaz: Will you get off of me now?