The Sapphire Sorceress
Disclaimer: The rights to Kingdom Hearts belong to Disney and Square Enix.
Act 52: Roxas
"No! Xion! Who else will I have ice cream with?"
Twilight Town: Old Mansion ( Kairi's POV )
- Day 322 - The Program
"Why are you hesitating, Kairi? This opponent will not show any restraint in defeating you in battle, so why are you not defending yourself!?"
"I can't do this. No way can these hands of mine - I-I can't harm the person standing in front of me!" My hands were struggling to keep my weapon in hand, the eyes refused to accept my opponent in this training was like this, and I didn't want to even be in this position right at this moment.
"You will fail to evolve by acting like a spoiled child, so put her out of this hopeless delusion already..." I had to defend myself against the bat-shaped weapon coming from the left. I knew to defend myself, but my arm didn't want to hold out my keyblade so I moved out of the way before Riku's weapon could hit my face. DiZ barked at me and Riku to take this more seriously, which meant actually fighting each other despite the fact I wanted to progress with my on-going training process. That didn't mean I was trying to fail here, but how was I supposed to hurt Riku especially in his current condition with that blindfold that "covered" the darkness that was plaguing him lately.
"Attack!" I saw Riku obey that order, which forced me to block the strike with my weapon since I didn't want to hurt him still even after being told to do so more than twice. As our "battle" continued Namine was in the old room observing us from a table near by us looking frighten about this, the poor girl.
"Aren't you a warrior of the light! This is what you were meant to do, and that enemy you're looking at is a being of the darkness."
"SHUT UP! I'm looking at my friend, Riku!" Despite his attempts to make me fight him something inside didn't want to go along with DiZ's pushing of this exercise until I saw DiZ take hold of Namine by the arm.
"What are you trying to do with her?!" I deflect Riku's next attack while trying to run over to her planning to force him away from her body, but I noticed Riku was charging a blast that would hit me if I didn't block it somehow. Casting the same kind of spell used by those nobodies I fired off a ray of light to stop Riku, which also began to hurt him as he clutched his body.
"Fascinating...it would seem when others are being threatened you don't hold back." Is he seriously? There is no way I could accept this man simply taking advantage of an innocent girl just to improve my skills. I knew this was crossing a line that shouldn't be done, but why is Riku willing to go along with this man?
"Don't you think we can handle this ourselves, DiZ?"
"You're sticking up for such a creature as this? Because of this heartless abomination, Sora lost his memories in the first place, so I'm sure you are more than willing to remove her out of such a useless existence as being a nobody really is..."
"Like you could possibly understand what they're going through will abusing them like that!" I refused to stand for this kind of behavior. I would certainly not be coming back if DiZ would go this far in order to "get me to act serious" about this.
"No! I will talk to her about this, but you do need to leave Namine alone. She has nothing to do with her training..."
"You are honestly going to lie about that, and you know for certain Namine's existence has everything to do with Kairi." Namine's eyes directed at mine for a second, the girl suddenly walked out of the room without any explanation for what that meant.
"Very well. If you feel like wasting your time just know that I will double up for the wasted minutes on this talk of "friendship" and kindness..." I certainly was grateful to watch that rude man leave us in peace, but sadly Namine left the room with him. Looking at Riku he was still feeling pain from that last attack, which I didn't think about hurt him this much.
"You didn't do anything wrong by saying that stuff and don't worry about me. I'm just not used to feeling that kind of light in a while..." That is what concerns me, Riku. You might be a user of darkness, but that kind of power shouldn't hurt you that much.
"You've still being consumed by the darkness left by Ansem?" I knew that while under the control of that heartless the darkness of his heart grew stronger and stronger even when that monster was destroyed by Sora. He spent a while drifting in the darkness by himself; his time in the light around others was hurting him.
"Do you think you will be able to control your powers with DiZ's help?" That had to be the only reason he put up with this guy. Now, I got a taste of what he must have gone through along with poor Namine.
"I have to tame this inner darkness so that I can face Sora when he wakes up from slumber. I don't want him to see his best friend...as his enemy once again," He clutched his shoulders while remembering that kind of fall that I wasn't able to see thankfully. "I was so easily willing to throw away everything between all of us just to finally beat Sora. Our childish rivalry nearly leads to the fall of the universe, so that is why I have to make up for my mistakes starting with Organization XIII." Hence why DiZ ordered that he would be taking over for my current training.
"They're out to do something terrible with the other worlds, the hearts of innocent people, and it is because of them Sora is still unable to wake up."
"W-What?!"
"That is what I've learned from that man. They somehow managed to steal away Sora's memories while he is stuck within stasis. That nobody you met that is called Xion has been sucking up those memories that keep Sora trapped within that pod."
Why would Xion do that to him? She doesn't seem malevolent even without a heart, and unlike those nobodies outside of the mansion, I could at least reason with her. There had to be more to this, the missing key that I didn't know just yet linking this all together.
"Xion...isn't like the other nobodies in that group. She's not even a real nobody, she is merely a Replica like that fake me in Castle Oblivion. She is meant to be like a fake version of Sora from what I've learned while undercover."
"A Replica?" Why would a group of empty beings need with something like a replica beside doing what Riku said about taking away Sora's memories?
"I don't have all the details, but whatever their real agenda is with her it can't be good," Still, getting as much information about why Xion is like that could be helpful instead of going on a vague idea. "Even your school along with the students there could be put in serious jeopardy." Riku gritted his teeth; his expression mixed with both resentment and guilt likely over his seduction into the darkness. His words, however, were much too late for Zidane and Zell, the victims of the never-ending wave of darkness that could blanket the universe if left unchecked.
"I'm just glad that we're going to get a break once the final S.E.E.D exams are done with since everyone is exhausted with having to pass at least 80% for all of these testing periods."
"That can't be easy living the life of a keyblade wielder and student from an educational academy." That is true but I wouldn't be who I am if I couldn't juggle both of those responsibilities in my young life. At least while dealing with the problems of other worlds I didn't need to worry about grades, teachers, and somewhat mean classmates or the ones that are obsessed with me.
"You're fortunate to be able to enjoy a "normal" life while being a warrior of light. I...wish that I didn't throw away the honor of being a chosen user of the keyblade just to defeat Sora." That doesn't mean you're too late in being in the light, Riku. It is never too late to get a second chance to make things right as I've learned from you...
"Do you think Sora will be able to have a normal life once he awakens..." The answer Riku said was something I expected to hear, so I wanted to believe that it was possible all three of us could have a day when there were no heartless, nobodies, and other problems to worry about facing. It was a dream right now however that didn't mean I wasn't going to stop in making that a possible future.
"Alright, we should continue with your training, since I know DiZ will be wanting to make you suffer for taking some time out for this talk." I knew that this wasn't going to be fun, but Squall did say this man knew a lot about keyblade wielders, so he would be the best candidate for continuing on with nurturing my skills. It didn't mean I had to like DiZ or his attitude towards everyone, however...
"Don't hold back simply because we are friends, Kairi. There may come a time when this darkness could take hold of my body once again. Should that day comes - you have to strike me down no matter what." That isn't gonna happen, buddy. No matter what comes in the future there is no way I'm going to hurt you and Sora like that. You will overcome this power, and I will become strong enough to help save everyone that I care about including Sora. Blocking his attacks and blasts I didn't have much hesitation as before, for Riku was counting on me to take all of this more seriously.
Jumping back I fired off some more rays of light that he also counted by relying on his speed and powers that began to cover his body. I wanted to stop, but he ordered me to continue with this battle refusing to have it any other way right now. As I charged forward I felt his strikes get much heavier that also made them stronger in their impact, the trade-off being he was moving much slower than before something that I took advantage of allowing me to get behind him to hold my keyblade to the back of his head.
"Why did you stop yourself? Do you believe because are friends than you can afford to hold back on me?" Riku? This is only meant to be simple training, not a true fight...
"Don't let up, Kairi!" I saw him turn around to send his weapon next to my keyblade making it fall out of my hands. His weapon came across my chest sending me onto the floor in some amount of pain that I didn't expect to feel.
"You have to fight even if it's against someone you care about, so stand up and continue to fight back!" That is DiZ's way of thinking and I didn't want Riku to act like him after what I saw Namine had to endure.
"Hold on just a second! T-Tell me what do you think about nobodies?" I refused to budge on this so that I could tell if Riku's been thinking on simply wiping them out all at once...or perhaps finding a way to save them from their current existence.
"We can't get back their hearts...and even if you did free Aqua's heart why isn't she back to normal. Last I checked she was still working with those nobodies so that method can't possibly be the answer..."
What? If that was really her soul stuck in their heartless, then it should have returned to its owner with no issues. Something wasn't right about that because if that method would have worked there could be a way to save nobodies from being without their souls after all. We didn't have to escalate things, but on the other hand, Sora needed to be freed from slumber.
"You have to decide what is more important? Do you want to protect beings who have chosen their side or to defend the people that matter to you? If those nobodies are hurting my friend, the choice is clear to me and that is to take all of those guys down!" This was different from the Riku back on those islands, so much more serious and determined, but I feared this might lead to his heart being swallowed by darkness once more.
"Will that truly lead to bring peace back to the universe?" Nothing more was said as I took my keyblade back into my hands, the next bout of training was beginning with my friend. Something inside of my mind wouldn't stop nagging at my subconscious, the fear about events to come in the future and what kind of man DiZ truly is once I learn more about him...
The World That Never Was: Bedrooms ( Aqua's POV )
- Day 352 - Sunset
"Roxas? Are you in there?" My hands knocked at his doorway expecting him to make himself known to me since I got done with my chores with the library section. Despite our castle being spotless in terms of appearance, the second-in-command Saix wanted me to keep the books organized. That wasn't easy to do with Demyx poking around the place looking for sheets to add more notes to his "musical" masterpieces. After that, I was thankfully given the rest of the morning off allowing me to spend some time with at least one of my friends, and with how busy things had gotten that time was very precious to make the most of these days.
"Roxas!" There wasn't any response meaning he could be somewhere in this castle or with Axel despite their issues with each other recently. Moving to Axel's room I began to call out for him as well, but like with Roxas, there wasn't any kind of response from this room as well. They couldn't have left for their mission already, so they had to be somewhere in this castle.
'Hmmm...Xion might know about their whereabouts actually!' She was the third part of their trio and they usually hung out with her when they go to Twilight Town to observe the endless sunset of that world. Sure enough, I saw Xion leaving her room however she didn't look happy about some matter; despite not having a heart I could feel that something isn't right with my student.
"Xion?" She looked away from me when I called out to her, so I walked up to this girl wondering what she must be thinking about today.
"Oh, I didn't expect you to come here today. I'm guessing that you're trying to find Axel and Roxas?" Well, that is the intention, but I also wanted to see how her training was coming along. I haven't been able to see her new-found strength and according to Xigbar she's gotten as good as Roxas, the words she spoke about "gaining" that strength made me concerned about her status.
"How are you well pretending to feel right now. I know that you've been busy with missions, training, and hanging out with your friends. I wanted to hear from you on your current thoughts..." She blinked when I gave a fake smile to lift her spirits to admit whatever she is holding in. Xion leaned against a wall with her hand, she looked like she was unsure if she wanted to tell me anything or not.
"I-I have been worried about Roxas lately. He has been having some difficulty with his assignments, the strength he once had seems to only be getting weaker," As I heard from you when I listened to your conversation with Axel. "He shouldn't be getting more vulnerable like this, and I'm not sure if there is a way to help him out." This sounds like something Xemnas and Vexen would know, but I doubted he would explain what is going on since he keeps information like that away from us. Whatever the case it seemed like it might involve this "choice" everyone keeps bringing up.
'Roxas and Xion. Why do I have to pick between them when I clearly care about the both of them, and regardless if Xion isn't like how I was made she was still a valued comrade of mine.'
"I'm sure everything will be back to normal in the coming days," At least that is what I hoped would be the case. "Besides you're been in the shoes Roxas is in before when you were asleep for a while."
"That was different than what I think is happening with him recently." Xion grasped hold of my hand while speaking about her concern on her friend's condition. Her blue eyes looked at my face with a look of fear and dread.
"Who do you care about me, Aqua? Do you want me or Roxas?"
"Why are you asking me this? You know that I can't choose between either of you!" Everyone continues to pester me about this choice, and I simply want all of this to stop! There was nothing that would convince me to pick one over the other...
"Do you believe that Roxas can be like Ventus?" Her voice was surprisingly cold when she made that remark, and she had a frown on her face as she waited for me to respond to such a question.
"No one can be like Ven. You must have heard me talk about him or read some entries from my journal pages. There is no one in the world like him..." I would do anything to get the power needed to bring him back, Xion. Watching her leave for a mission she looked back at me with a smile that hides some kind of sadness.
"I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, Aqua. Without you, Axel, and Roxas I have no doubt my life despite not being real wouldn't have been as enjoyable if you all haven't become involved with me..."
"The same goes for you, Xion." She had become an important person to all us, the days seemed to go faster thanks to her and how much she made me feel like my old self again. One day soon I will be able to fully become a keyblade wielder once more, and then we can truly train with each other...
The World That Never Was: Grey Area
- Day 353 - Resolve
Just when I thought things with Roxas and my other friends were finally back to normal today happens. Roxas came to me suddenly while I was busy with Xaldin who needed a "sparring dummy" so thankfully my friend came to take me away from him.
"Xion and Axel...something isn't right with them."
"What do you mean by that? Did they not invite you to the usual spot on the clocktower or something?" He shook his head while explaining that he didn't get to go on today's mission, and Saix turned him down when he wanted to take Xigbar's place for that assignment. This was a bit out of their usual character, but perhaps they wanted a break from hanging out with Roxas, and it wasn't like Axel didn't part from Roxas when they had issues with each other a couple of weeks ago.
"Believe me I would like for this to simply me being envious about not going on this mission; the fact I've been feeling like this despite not having a heart is what's bothering me." I didn't know what to say or do in order to calm him down, so I merely offered to go with him to confront Axel, Saix, and Xigbar. They should be coming back from their assignment in a while anyway. Roxas was surprised that I was willing to do this, and he was grateful that he had someone like myself who was offering to help him.
Sure enough, Axel, Xigbar, and Saix were in the middle of a conversation when we both arrived in this room.
"And now we're left with the one we can't use..." Saix was glaring at Roxas as he brushed past us like we weren't even in the room.
"Did something happen?" Yes, what did happen to the other member who should be here right now?
"Where is Xion?" I looked at Xigbar and Axel for the solution to that question, the both of them didn't say anything for a couple of seconds.
"She flew the coop," She what? Why would Xion abandon us again, Xigbar! The one-eyed pest from my past grinned as he continued explaining himself. "Flamesilocks here couldn't trouble himself to clip her wings." Axel let her go then? While Xigbar put the blame on Axel Roxas just wanted to understand what went down on the mission only to find Axel looking away from his friend's face.
"Your friend sat there sucking his thumb while Xion walked right off." No! Axel couldn't have let her go off like this something was missing here. Xigbar merely waved at us while heading off back to his room.
"You had better start explaining what happened out there, friend!" My voice hissed out as Roxas was more frightened when I gave the pyro-manic a nasty stare.
"Nothing, really."
"Nothing? Xion's gone! How can that be nothing!" Nothing my eye, and I wouldn't let Axel leave this place without offering a bloody explanation damn him.
"It's just as Xigbar said. I just sat there sucking my thumb watching Xion run away." Before I could move in front of him Roxas ran up, his eyes looking directly in his face while yelling to admit the truth.
"Xion is like a mirror that reflects you. "
"You're not making any sense."
"Exactly! Why don't you start talking about what you really mean, Axel." I also moved in front of Axel as we both demanded the truth out of our friend. His resolve to hide whatever happen was getting under my skin very quickly.
"Xion is a puppet, created to duplicate your powers." W-What? I never read anything about replicating powers in Vexen's lab unless that information was being kept under wraps.
"Are you nuts? Xion is a person, not a puppet." I nodded with Roxas refusing to believe she was some kind of tool to be used to help create some new keyblade wielder.
"Aqua, Roxas...you don't get it. She's a mirror that reflects you. And when I looked in that mirror...it wasn't you I saw."
"Xion is Xion. You can't expect her to be me."
"Precisely. She is nothing like Roxas, so that can't be the case!" Axel's words didn't make much sense despite knowing Xion is made like the rest of us nobodies. Axel sighed as he looked at us with boredom.
"That's not what I mean. It was only a matter of time before someone broke the mirror."
"You mean...they have to destroy her?!" NO! That can't be the case Axel...there is no way I can allow Xion to be destroyed...
"Answer me...answer us!"
"Roxas, if somebody doesn't - then you won't be you anymore." Is that supposed to be an explanation?! Why does there have to be a choice between them? How could it come to this...
"I'll always be me! I'm still your best friend- just like Xion is my best friend!"
"That's not it. You're missing the whole point, Roxas. The both of you are..." What is that supposed to mea-
"Forget this!" Roxas?! Come back! Looking back at Axel my hands quickly grabbed him by the neck, holding him up in the air while I wanted to know the truth!
"I'd wish Roxas would understand..."
"What about me! You owe me a lot of answers about what the hell just happened!" Pushing him on a wall he didn't look at my face when I tried interrogating him further.
"Roxas...isn't Ventus. Why do you care so much about him or Xion when your real friend is stuck in Castle Oblivion."
"H-how dare you seriously accuse me of not caring about any of my friends!" He couldn't be doing this right now; this man wasn't the Axel I've met when I first lost my heart.
"You aren't Roxas' real friend. You're simply another nobody who fools yourself into thinking you're special, and you don't even have a keyblade like your sleeping buddy. You should go back there because this organization doesn't want someone who is useless-" Smack! I delivered a loud smack to his left cheek shutting him up for good. This man...why is he saying such horrible things?
"You still haven't chosen who matters to you more like Xigbar said. Like Xemnas said who matters to you more Roxas or Xion?"
"I'm...not going to fall for your games! They are both valued friends and members of this organization. Stop trying to play with my mind damn it!" I dropped Axel while forming a portal of darkness to leave this room in since the void felt comforting around me at this moment. I needed a break to clear my head...and digest what's happening in Organization XIII. Everyone keeps pushing this choice in front of me, and no matter what they say I will not be forced into choosing a side when I care about them both.
The World That Never Was: Where Nothing Gathers
- Day 354 - Truth
The seats were filled with the remaining nobodies, and our meeting today would be about Xion and her absence from this group. Xemnas called us together so that, the truth as he puts it would finally come into light.
"Xion has disappeared yet again."
"Do we know where she has headed?"
""It"-not "she"- is a replica, merely a puppet." It was hard to sit here and allow that phrase to be said however it wasn't a lie.
"A puppet? What does that mean exactly?" Luxord was one of the few who didn't know what Xion really is...
"A puppet is a puppet."
"Talking about the Replica Program, isn't it obvious?"
"The what-ca?" Oh, Demyx I would laugh at that but then I couldn't do much laughing these days even if I had the heart to do such a thing.
"Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us about this pet project of yours."
Xemnas closed his eyes while I leaned in to hear every word very closely. At least the truth would finally come into light instead of being kept from us.
"The purpose was to take a piece of the Keyblade wielder's memory and copy it, thus making his powers our own. This is one of the several projects of ours being undertaken at Castle Oblivion as our dear Auxaq can attest to."
"Yes...I myself took on such a task there, and in the basement area found the laboratory in which such projects were being developed by Vexen."
"You were aware of such matters, but didn't bother in sharing the details?"
"I wanted to wait for more information, Luxord. Without the entire picture, I couldn't be sure what I found there..."
"However, our efforts were severely derailed by Vexen's untimely demise. Needless to say, losing Vexen was not part of our plans. We were also caught off guard when this particular replica we called Xion formed an identity of its own." They didn't expect Xion to create her or its own persona?
"No one at Castle Oblivion never reported any instance where a replica formed its own identity. Do you concur, Axel?" Then, that fake Riku was a failure then?
"Whatever the puppet may decide to do, we can be certain it will no longer have an impact on our plans. Still, it knows our secrets. We need to shorten the leash. Perhaps even tighten it."
"What exactly do you-" Roxas. I know this is hard but we have to learn more from Xemnas first. Believe me, I don't like what he is saying however he is admitting the truth so why not learn more before judging things...
"Axel. The onus is on you to capture and bring back Xion. The escape was on your watch. I will overlook any nicks or scratches. Just ensures she still functions on arrival."
"Why would you allow a deserter back? We should simply eradicate her!" Not on my watch you stupid, ungrateful, son of a-
"It is not a "deserter". It is just a flawed specimen that has wandered out."
"Are we clear, Axel?" Good, it is his fault Xion is lost out there with no one who understands what "she" is going through now.
"Dismissed."
"Bring her back alive? It's sheer madness."
"All this time, I've been talking to a puppet..."
"So now, we just sweep it up, huh? As if!"
"If only the whispers at the top carried to the bottom...Heh."
"Axel. Those orders were absolute." The looks given were from someone who didn't wish to fulfill such orders...
"Still here, Roxas? Auxaq? Proceed with your missions."
"Xion is...she is not a puppet."
"A puppet couldn't be part of the Organization. Just count the seats here. We have and always will be thirteen." This isn't much of an organization these days. As Saix and Roxas left I was the lone nobody in this huge room, the many thoughts running through my head about what I can do about this situation. Did I really have to make a choice...
"Roxas...or Xion?"
[ Sorry, we've spent so much time with the organization in this part, but Kairi will get more involvement next time. I needed to show the beginning of the end of the trio's friendship in this chapter along with poor Aqua getting pushed around feeling unable to stop this deterioration process. This arc will be done within the next chapter or two, and finally, we will get to the Kingdom Hearts 2 side of things. Thankfully it won't be as long as this arc since the story as I recall goes roughly for at least a month or two of actual days instead of nearly a year like 358/2 Days.]