No author's note. Keep reading.
Things hadn't changed one bit for another three weeks. It was the same routine, and Kirux was getting bored of it.
No, he never hated going up to the clock tower. It was his favorite time of the day ever since Axel first brought him up there. He'd made his only real friends, apart from Namine, up on that tower.
It pained him, however, that he was going to have to be the one that would tear the group apart.
Xion and Roxas would have to return Sora's memories back to him, and Axel would have to stay out of the way.
Kirux feared that he would have to fight his own friends, just so they could save somebody he doesn't even know.
'He is the one that will open the door, they say.' He thought to himself whenever he thought about it.
'But I don't know what that means. What door? What makes Sora so special?'
He wanted to bring his concerns up to DiZ and Riku, but he knew they would only get upset if they knew he wasn't one-hundred percent focused on getting the memories back.
But, Kirux could only wonder if things could be a different way.
"Namine." He said, walking up behind her.
She turned, and smiled at him, "Hello, Kirux. Something I can help you with?"
"I was wondering, you've been in the room where Sora is sleeping plenty of times."
"Yes, of course."
"Well, can you show it to me?"
Namine was a little surprised, "Why?"
"I'm the one in charge of getting his lost memories back. I only feel like, if I'm responsible for such a big part of waking him up, I should at least know where he is in the mansion."
Namine thought it over, "Well, I guess that makes sense. Just follow me."
She walked out of the white room, Kirux following behind her. They walked past the computer that DiZ was normally found at, and entered a hallway. Kirux saw two more pods in the room, where two other figures were sleeping.
"Who are they? They're both sleeping, too."
Namine walked up beside him, "Those are Donald and Goofy. They accompanied Sora on his first journey, and his time in Castle Oblivion. I'm repairing their memories as well."
"They're not missing memories like Sora, right?"
She shook he head, "No. Their memories are just not the way they're supposed to be. Sora, however."
She turned towards a door, "Well, it's best you see for yourself."
...
...
...
She opened the door, leading to another completely white room. The pod in the center of the room was clearly visible, as it took up a large part of the room.
"This is Sora's pod."
Kirux was in awe of the sight. A few feet away from him was Sora, the one they were working on saving.
The one that the Organization was trying to prevent from ever waking.
He walked towards the pod, which surprised Namine, but she didn't try to stop him.
He put his hand out, lightly touching the pod. He stood there in a daze.
"Sora," he said.
He felt a surge go through him, and he was sent back a few steps by the impact.
"Are you okay?" Namine asked him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It wasn't anything bad, but..."
Kirux looked back at the pod.
'What was that? It was like if something was trying to get me away from Sora.'
'Is it my darkness? I really don't know.'
"He's been in there for a while. Are we anywhere closer than we were when he first fell asleep?"
"Yes. But not by much. You see, he's missing a very important part of his memory. And without them, he may never wake up."
"What memories are they? They can't be that important."
"They are. They're the memories of the one person that Sora cares for the most. The one person who is most important to him."
"His memories of her, Kairi."
'His memories of Kairi?'
"Well, what happened to them?"
"The Organization has control of them. During his time in Castle Oblivion, I had to take the memories of Kairi away from him. They then took those memories and turned them into a puppet, one that took it's own identity, with a look almost identical to Kairi."
...
...
...
'No.'
'Don't tell me it's her.'
"That puppet is your friend."
"It's Xion, I believe is her name."
...
...
...
Kirux didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe what Namine had just said.
He knew that Xion had to have some of Sora's memories, but this? This didn't make any sense. Well, it did, but Kirux didn't want to believe it.
"No," Kirux said, "It can't be. Xion is a Nobody, just like you and I! She's not a puppet."
Namine shook her head slightly, "What I'm telling you is the truth, and I know that you don't want to believe that."
"But...how do you know?"
"Think about it, Kirux. You know what Kairi looks like, right?"
"Yeah. I do," He said, "In fact, it was the first time I saw Xion in person, I looked at her face, but it wasn't Xion I saw."
"Right. Now do you understand?"
...
Kirux went through it over and over in his head.
Sora's memories of Kairi are inside Xion. No, they are Xion.
That means that if she does return to Sora...
...she'd disappear entirely.
No. I'm not going to let that happen.
...
"I understand now, yes."
He turned to leave, "Thank you, Namine. I'll be sure to get those memories back for you."
He walked out of the room.
Play: Lazy Afternoons - KH ReCOM
Quick note: I swapped the version in Chapter 2 to the Re:Chain of Memories version as well.
Kirux was walking towards the clock tower, his mind still focused on Xion and what Namine had told her. He was interrupted by voices calling to him from behind. When he turned he saw three people standing there, all of whom he recognized.
Hayner, Pence, and Olette. The ones he had met on the day of his "birth."
"I don't have time for this," he said to himself, so he put his hood on and continued walking. But the trio behind caught up and stopped him in his tracks.
"What? You're just going to ignore us like that?" Hayner said.
"Where have you been this whole time? We haven't seen you in forever." Pence asked.
Kirux stared at the three, speaking softly, "I can't tell you."
"Why not?" Olette spoke up this time.
"It's none of your business. What happened with me is not any concern of yours."
"Well, Seifer says he's got some beef to settle with the guy that came through a while back. He's been waiting for you ever since."
That made Kirux stop, for some reason.
'Seriously. You're letting this stop you? What is wrong with you?'
He turned around, "What do you mean?"
Pence spoke up this time, "Well. He says you trash talked him when you first came through, and he's been waiting to settle things with you ever since. Think you'd be up for it."
Kirux did consider this. Once again, his mind was telling him that it was a dumb idea.
'Eh. I got some time to kill anyway.'
"Tell me," he said, "Where can I find him?"
"In the sandlot, where he's usually at."
"Right. Thanks." He went to walk away, but Olette called out.
"Hey! Did you ever figure out what your name was?"
Kirux looked down for a second, but then he looked back up at them, "Kirux."
...
He walked towards the sandlot, finding Seifer in the same location he had when they'd first met. He walked towards them.
"I heard you were looking for me."
Seifer turned around towards him, "Who's asking?"
Kirux removed his hood slowly, revealing his face to him. Seifer's face went from threatening to angry.
"You? About time!"
Kirux smiled, "They told me you had something you wanted to settle," he put his arms out, "Well, I'm here. Let's settle it."
Seifer smiled then, tossing him a blue baton. Kirux looked down at it.
"Pick it up and fight." He said, pointing his own baton at Kirux.
Kirux smiled, picking up the baton. He heard footsteps, and he could only assume it was Hayner, Pence, and Olette.
"I'm gonna knock you flat after what you did!"
Kirux laughed lightly, lifting his baton, "Go ahead and try."
...
Seifer rushed at Kirux, swinging his baton towards the ground. Kirux simply jumped back, then rushed at Seifer the same way.
Only this time, his attack connected.
Seifer flew backward, landing on the ground with a hard thud. His baton landed to his side.
The fight was over just as fast as it had started.
Kirux smiled, "Word of advice: Don't pick fights you know you aren't going to win."
Stop: Lazy Afternoons - KH ReCOM
Play: Sinister Sundown - KH ReCOM
Seifer started getting up, but Kirux noticed a Shadow rising from the ground behind him.
"Now would be a good time to start." He said, summoning his sword, 'Everyone get out of here. It's not safe!"
Seifer and his gang turned and ran immediately, but the other trio didn't.
"What about you?" Pence said, as Shadows started to surround Kirux.
"Don't worry about me! Now go!" He yelled to them, and they ran back towards Tram Common.
Kirux then turned his attention to the Shadows, "Alright. Let's get started, shall we?"
He ran towards them, taking them out one by one. Unfortunately for him, the Shadows continued coming. He'd defeat one, another would just reappear behind him.
He kept up the fighting however, going for as long as he needed to.
...
Eventually, he was out of energy, and the Shadows' numbers hadn't gone down one bit.
"Come on," he said, his breathing having gone heavy, "That...all you've...got?"
He didn't feel his sword fall from his hand, or the Shadows that jumped onto his back and pinned him to the ground.
...
'Good job, Kirux. You've pushed yourself too far this time.'
...
Suddenly, there was a burst of light, and the weight on Kirux's back was gone. When he lifted his head, a person in a black coat was standing there, Keyblade in hand.
Xion had saved the day.
Stop: Sinister Sundown - KH ReCOM
Play: Lazy Afternoons - KH ReCOM
She turned around, reaching a hand out, "You okay?"
Kirux sighed, taking her hand, "I'll manage."
Xion lifted him up to the ground, letting her Keyblade fade away, "Completed your mission a little early today, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Saix made me go back to Hollow Bastion again. Told me to track down this one weird Heartless."
"Weird. You keep saying that you don't ever want to go back there, yet it seems like every other day you do."
"I know. It's dreadful," he put his hand over his chest, "And the darkness isn't helping."
Xion frowned, "Is it-,"
"I'll be fine. Don't worry. I've still got it under control."
Xion didn't look too convinced, "If it's bothering you, you can tell me."
...
Kirux sighed.
The truth was, it was bothering him. Majorly.
He wasn't sleeping at night anymore because of nightmares. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw him. The one that was trying to take over his body.
Kirux could hardly keep control over himself some days. Ansem just wouldn't give up.
He thought about bringing it up to Riku, but he knew that the time when Ansem possessed him was a time Riku didn't want to think about. So he never did.
Kirux didn't know if he'd ever find an answer to the darkness inside him.
...
He sighed, putting his hand on Xion's shoulder, "Trust me, Xion. I can handle it."
Xion was silent, letting out a quiet "Okay," before the two of them left for the clock tower.
Stop: Lazy Afternoons - KH ReCOM
Play: At Dusk, I Will Think of You - KH 358/2 Days
"I guess Roxas and Axel are late today." Kirux spoke out, breaking the silence between the two of them.
"Yeah," Xion said quietly.
The two hadn't spoke much after what happened in the Sandlot. The silence between them was concerning Kirux the longer it drew on.
He looked over at her. She was still looking out towards the sunset, as they all normally were. But something was different about the way Xion looked today.
She looked kind of...sad.
"Are you okay?" Kirux said, bringing Xion out of her gaze.
"I'm fine."
"You sure? You're never this quiet."
Xion looked down for a second, not responding.
"Is it something I said?"
Xion was hesitant, but spoke up, "I just...wish you would trust us more when it comes to the darkness inside you."
"I trust you."
"Then why won't you let us help you? You don't have to fight Ansem alone, you know. If you'd let us help, you can be free of him."
Kirux shook his head slightly, "It doesn't work like that."
"Huh?"
"You see, even if we defeated Ansem, the darkness inside me would only bring him back. His presence would be very faint, but he'd still be there."
"And unless I can lock him away, he'll only get a bigger grip on me."
Xion placed her hand on his shoulder, "But that doesn't mean you have to keep it from us."
"I don't want to. But," He hesitated, "I don't want Ansem to hurt any of you. That's why I normally try to keep what happens to myself."
"Besides, you said to me, the day we met, that my darkness belonged to me and me alone. Therefore, my fight against Ansem is mine only."
He looked over at her, "I can't let any of you get involved, or else you'll end up getting hurt in the process."
Xion didn't respond, letting her hand fall back to her side. The two lapsed into silence once more.
...
Kirux's mind went back to what Namine had told him earlier.
Xion is a puppet, made up of Sora's memories of Kairi.
'I don't want to believe that she is. I can't. If she's a puppet of Sora's memories, and if she's destroyed, she'll,-'
He stopped there, then spoke out.
"Xion," he said, looking over at her, "Do you ever have dreams? Dreams of before you were a Nobody?"
"You mean...when I was human."
"Yes. Do you ever have those dreams?"
She thought for a little, "Sometimes, I wouldn't say they were from when I was human, I do have dreams like that."
"What are they like?"
"Well, I don't remember them a lot. But, they mostly take place on this beach. It has a beautiful sunset, just like here. And there are, three people."
She looked at Kirux, "It's odd, because, one looks almost exactly like you."
Kirux gasped slightly.
'She really is a puppet.
"That's strange." He said.
"What about you? You ever have those dreams?"
Kirux nodded slightly, "Yeah. All the time."
"What are yours like?"
He looked down, "They're...not pleasant. I'd really rather not talk about it."
It was true. Most of his dreams are of when Riku was possessed by Ansem, and when he was trapped in the realm of darkness. It wasn't something he liked to think about.
"Oh. Sorry."
"Don't be."
The two left the clock tower before Roxas and Axel ever arrived.
Stop: At Dusk, I Will Think of You... - KH 358/2 Days
Play: Sacred Moon - KH 358/2 Days
The Next Day
Kirux approached Saix slowly, rubbing his eye slightly.
"What's up for today?"
"Yesterday, you reported that there is a larger population of Darkball Heartless in Hollow Bastion. Correct?"
"Yeah. They're everywhere. You can't go into one area without running into them."
"Well, today you are to eliminate as many as those Heartless as you can. Whatever means necessary."
Kirux groaned internally. Hollow Bastion again? That's the fourth time in the last six days.
"That's not all. No. XIV will be accompanying you for this mission. The two of you will depart whenever you are ready."
Well, that made things a little better. Kirux didn't go on paired missions often (his last one with Demyx was a disaster that he doesn't want to talk about), but going on a mission with Xion would be best for him at the moment, especially after yesterday.
"Got it."
He went and leaned against the wall, waiting for Xion to come to the Grey Area. His mind drifted off, and he was soon reminded about Xion.
'In order for Sora to wake up, she'll have to be destroyed.'
'I can't do that. Not to her. Roxas or Axel either.'
"Kirux?" He heard someone say, breaking him out of his daze. Xion was standing before him.
"Oh. Hey, Xion. Good morning."
Xion smiled, "Good morning to you too. You seem like you didn't sleep last night."
Kirux shrugged, "I did...somewhat. I'll be fine."
"Whatever you say. Did you report in to Saix?"
"Yeah, I did. Today he's got us going to Hollow Bastion." He stood up, "Whenever you're ready, we can head out."
"You and I on a mission together? That's a first."
Kirux laughed, "Yeah. Tell me about it."
He summoned a portal, and the two left for Hollow Bastion.
Stop: Sacred Moon - KH 358/2 Days
Play: Hollow Bastion - KH1
The two exited the portal, right inside the main entrance hall of the castle. Xion looked around a bit, her jaw dropping in awe slightly.
"Wow."
"Looks simple, doesn't it?"
"Well, yeah. It's just a castle."
Kirux chuckled, "You're going to regret saying that. Come on, let's go."
The two left the entrance hall, entering a large lift area. All the lifts that went around the castle started in this section.
Xion's awe grew, "You weren't kidding when you said I'd regret this."
Kirux smiled, "Lucky for you, I have all the lifts set to take us where we're supposed to go. It was a pain to set them the first time."
"How long did it take you to fix everything?"
"A few hours, thanks to the Heartless."
The two walked on, finding their way to the largest lift in the castle. The ride started of slowly, but soon Heartless appeared around them, the same ones that Saix had mentioned they take out.
Stop: Hollow Bastion - KH1
Play: Scherzo di Notte - KH1
Kirux and Xion stood back to back, weapons in hand.
"These are the ones Saix mentioned we're after."
Xion looked around at them, "What makes them so special?"
"It's not about the specialty, it's the quantity. There's too many, and all the Emblem Heartless won't appear anymore because of it. And no Emblem Heartless means..."
"...we don't gather any hearts." Xion finished for him.
"Exactly. Now, let's take these guys out."
The two ran forward, attacking the Heartless. Kirux was taking them out one-by-one, he'd faced plenty in his time in Hollow Bastion, but Xion was struggling. A lot of the times she tried to attack one, they'd either teleport away for simply move. She had to resort to using mostly magic to take them out.
Stop: Scherzo di Notte - KH1
Play: Hollow Bastion - KH1
Eventually, the lift stopped, and Kirux struck down the last Heartless in sight. Xion was panting from all the fighting, but Kirux looked like he hadn't broken a sweat.
"How...do you...deal with those guys?" She said, only speaking between breaths.
"Well, I've come here plenty of times. I've learned how to deal with them quickly enough. The best way to take them out is to be quicker than they are."
The two were sent off of the lift, where Xion responded, "I'll take note of that when we run into them again."
"Good."
The two continued on, passing through the castle chapel and finding their way to the Grand Hall. The glowing heart was still there. Their mission was far from completed, but Xion wanted to explore more of the castle, so Kirux complied and they went on.
Xion and Kirux looked up at the heart, taking in the scenery. This castle was in bad shape, and it showed the most here.
...
...
...
However, they were both interrupted when Xion started wincing in pain.
"Xion?" Kirux said, turning towards her. She was grabbing her head.
"I'm-," She said, obviously in a lot of pain, "I can't...handle it. My head..."
Kirux went over to her side, "What's the matter?"
"The memories...I can't handle them."
'Memories? What does she mean?'
Kirux didn't have time to do anything else, because Xion had fallen unconscious. She fell to the ground, but Kirux caught her before she could land.
"Not you too." He said. He was referring to his first visit, when Ansem first tried to take him over.
He put her arm around his neck, holding her up with his own arm.
"I've got to get you out of here." He said, summoning a portal in front of him.
He walked slowly through, leaving the castle behind for what he could hope would be the last time.