Text Bokutachi No Hibi (Our Days) A Roxas And Xion Story

[KHLegendIII 709]

Awesome Chapter.

[Keyblade101 526]

Great chapter. I love everyone's advice for Roxas.  :smile:

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey everyone, good evening!  I hope that you’re all doing okay!  So then, here’s the latest chapter of the story, so as always, I hope that you all enjoy!  And wow everyone, all that mess with Bill Farmer saying Kingdom Hearts III would come out this year was pretty confusing, wasn’t it?  Well, I’m sure the game will come out in 2017, and all this is just a mistake.  Anyways, back on topic, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it’ll be from Roxas’ perspective!

 

Chapter Twenty Five: Spoken Words

 

  The next morning, I woke up feeling rather heavy, as if someone had put a box of bricks on top of me, and for a few seconds, I couldn’t move.  I then decided to stop fighting my urge to get up and I simply waited for my feeling of heaviness to go away.  After a few minutes, my body felt light again, and so I stood up and stretched my arms, yawning and shaking my head.  Apparently, I slept like a log, because I didn’t wake up once last night.  And just as I start to get comfortable, I look at the clock and notice that it’s 9:50am!  I was way late for school!  Why hadn’t any of my brothers wakened me?  Now in a hectic panic, I quickly took off my pajamas, not even bothering to go to take a shower, and I simply put my uniform on and then darted downstairs and made myself a quick sandwich, putting it in a Ziploc bag and storming outside.  Due to my rush, I had to go back and lock the door, since I hadn’t locked it, and then I went running like mad, hoping to get to school quickly.  About halfway there, I was already feeling worn out.  I had never ran this much distance before!  It wasn’t long before I had finally arrived to school, but at that point, I was exhausted.

 

  “Um, excuse me, but you shouldn’t be outside of your classroom.” a nearby student said in a soft voice.  I looked towards the source of the voice and noticed it was a girl, the words “hall monitor” on an ID tag clinging to her chest.

 

  “Oh…I’m sorry…I just…came right now…” I said, panting and leaning next to a wall to catch my breath.  The girl approached me and tried to act menacing.

 

  “W-well, that’s no excuse, you shouldn’t be such a sleepyhead!” the girl said, gently patting my shoulder with her notepad.  I caught my breath for a few more seconds and then looked at her.

 

  “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again!” I said, bowing apologetically to her.  The girl then gave off a huff.

 

  “C-consider this a warning shot.  I’ll let you slide, for now.” the girl said, then giving off a smile.  I then smiled back.

 

  “Right.  Thanks!” I replied, and I quickly ran off to my classroom.

 

  When I finally arrived at my classroom, I tried to be very quiet.  The door was already open, so there was a very slim chance I could get in unseen.  Holding my breath, I slowly tiptoed into the classroom.  Luckily, the lights were out since the professor was giving a Power Point presentation on the theory of evolution, so since it was dark enough, I still had a chance to get to my seat without getting caught.  The students looked bored out of their minds.  I couldn’t blame them.  I mean, who would believe that we come from monkeys?  I’ve always thought of that theory as bogus.  Anyways, I kept slipping through the desks until I silently slid into my seat.  Lea was the only one who noticed me, and he welcome me with a mischievous smirk.  I rolled my eyes and gave off a very soft chuckle, and then I got myself comfortable in my seat.

 

  “So, you made it without getting caught.  I have to say, I’m impressed, Roxas.” Lea whispered to me.  I sighed of relief and bowed my head down.

 

  “Has the professor called out names yet?” I asked.

 

  “Nope, you’re in the clear.  He should do so after the presentation ends.” Lea explained, and I nodded.

 

  “Well, that’s good news.  So, how’s Xion?” I asked.

 

  “Tidus said she hasn’t budged, although he said that he could have sworn that he saw her eyes try to twitch open.  But anyways, she’s still sleeping.” Lea said.

 

  “Oh…” I uttered.  Still, Tidus mentioning that Xion might have been trying to wake up was a hopeful comment.

 

  And so, for the rest of the presentation, Lea and I kept talking to each other, and at one point the professor scolded us for talking and then split us a bit apart, and then Lea and I resorted to talking by paper.  That way we wouldn’t interrupt the professor’s presentation.  I asked him if anything had happened here while I was gone, and he said that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.  We then kept talking about other things, and after a few more minutes, the presentation ended, and then the professor gave us a pop quiz to make sure we had paid attention.  After completing the quiz, we handed them over to the professor, and then he gave us an assignment to work on, and soon after, the bell rung for the next class.  I stood up with Lea and we both started walking out of the classroom.  At least I hadn’t been caught coming late.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Not so fast!” the professor called out, and at that, I flinched.  I then turned around slowly and gave off a fake smile.

 

  “Yes, Mr. Konishi?” I asked, slightly nervous.

 

  “The next time I give a presentation, avoid talking.  I do not like it when my students talk while I give the class.  Is that clear?  And that goes for you too.” he said, looking at both me and Lea.

 

  “Yes, professor.” we both said in unison, and then we once again headed towards the classroom’s exit.

 

  “And don’t be tardy next time, you hear Mr. Harada?” the professor asked as he sat down on his desk.

 

  “Yes Mr. Konishi, it won’t happen again!” I said as I bowed apologetically and then walked out of the classroom with Lea.

 

  “Well, it looks like next time you’ll have to be sneakier than today.” Lea said as he burst out in laughter, and I rolled my eyes and punched his shoulder.

 

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever.  Come on, let’s go to class.” I said, and so we both headed to our next class together.

(End Song Here)

 

  For the rest of the morning, I took my classes, and during all that time, I thought of Xion and sighed.  Then I wondered who was going to stay at the hospital tonight with Xion.  I think tonight was Lea’s turn.  After the bell rung, I snapped out of my train of thought, and before I knew it, it was already lunchtime.  I went with Lea to the lunchroom, and we noticed that Ven and Vanitas weren’t around, but Tidus was there, and so we ate together, and then we hung out for a while and walked around school, keeping ourselves distracted.  Tidus excitedly talked to us about his Blitzball idea all over again, and apparently coach Terra was working with him on the details and on recommending the sport to the school board.  Lea and I smiled as we continued to listen to Tidus.  It was obvious that he was really happy, and that was good.  After a few more minutes, we headed towards the school’s entrance and we sat down on the steps outside for a while, looking at the sky, the breeze gently blowing through.  Then, as the bell finished ringing, it was time to go back to class.  On our way to our classrooms, we overheard a bunch of students huddled up in a corner, clearly excited about something.

 

  “The festival’s drawing nearer!” one of the students said, squealing in excitement.

 

  “I know, right?  It’s going to be awesome!” another student said.

 

  “It’ll be a festival to remember, that’s for sure!” said the other.  I looked at Tidus and Lea, remembering about the festival.

 

  “That’s right, the festival’s coming up soon!  I don’t even remember if we finished up on the preparations!” I said to them.

 

  “Don’t worry, preparations are already practically done, so there’s no need to worry!” Tidus said confidently.

 

  “What makes you so sure?” Lea asked.

 

  “Simple.  It’s because things have already rolled in smoothly.  I’ve been helping around while you guys have been looking after Xion, so no worries, everything on our end of the festival is ready!” Tidus proclaimed.

 

  “Well, that’s good.”  I said, and with that, we headed to our respective classrooms.

 

  For the rest of the day, I was kind of spaced out.  I really didn’t feel like paying attention to class, so I just dazed in and out of reality constantly.  At one point, I think I was about to fall asleep right in the middle of class, but, remembering my past experience with professor Watanabe, I quickly shook my head and fought off my drowsiness.  I then looked out the window, and the sky was as clear as could be.  There were almost no clouds in sight, just the clear, blue sky.  It was almost mesmerizing.  I then turned my attention back to class before I had the chance to get scolded.  Afterwards, I went to Mr. Sugoi’s class, where he was teaching us the finer aspects of acting, and well, he was very into his lesson, keeping everyone silent and focused on his words.  He had a way with words, you know.  It was like you could just stay there and listen to him for hours and hours and hours.  After Sugoi’s class, I was heading for my final class, but since the professor of said class was absent today, I had a free hour, so I just lazily wandered the hallways.  I constantly paced back and forth, waiting to hear the sound of the bell ring, and then I thought of Xion again.

 

  “If only you were here now, Xion…” I said to myself silently as I sighed and stopped walking.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Hello, Roxas.” a familiar voice said.  I then looked across the hallway and noticed it was Namine.

 

  “Oh, hey there Namine.  Do you have a free hour too?” I asked, and at that, she nodded at me and smiled.

 

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.  I was just wandering around, waiting for the bell to ring.” she replied, and I chuckled softly.

 

  “That’s the same thing I was doing.” I said, and with that, we both laughed, and then we walked together along the hallway.

 

  “So, how’s Xion doing?” Namine asked in a sincere tone, and I remained silent for a moment.

 

  “She still hasn’t opened her eyes.  But my brothers, my friends and I planned on taking turns to stay one night each.  I think today Lea stays for the night.” I explained, and she nodded.

 

  “Well, I hope that she wakes up soon.” she replied.

 

  “I hope so too.” I said, and with that, we reached a spot overlooking the courtyard.

 

  So then, we sat down and started talking to each other.  We talked about random things, and after a while, she started showing me her drawings, and I had to say that she had an impressive talent.  She had drawn beautiful landscapes, unique sketches of anime-looking characters, and even realistic looking drawings of animals and people.  Just by looking at her work, I could tell she was the kind of person that liked to try out new things and always had inspiration behind her drawings.  After showing me her drawings, we kept talking to each other, and I tried making some jokes and failed miserably, but it seems that Namine found them funny.  Whether she was really laughing or just faking the laugh out for my sake, I appreciated it nonetheless.  Then, all of a sudden, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

 

  “Wow, time sure did fly fast!” I said to Namine, and she giggled.

 

  “Yes, it looks that way.  Well, it’s best that I be on my way then.” Namine said, and with that, she stood up and started walking away.

 

  “Oh, hey!” I said, calling out to Namine.

 

  “Yes?  What is it?” she asked.

 

  “I had a great time!  You should come join our group.  I’m sure the guys would love you.” I suggested, and with that, she smiled.

 

  “Maybe someday.  Well, goodbye Roxas, have a nice afternoon!” she said as she waved goodbye.

 

  “Bye!” I said as I waved back.

 

  After Namine left, I left as well, heading towards the bus stop.  Lea and the others were there, and after a few short minutes, the bus came and we got on board.  All of us were tired, so we didn’t talk much, and the trip home was rather silent.  After arriving home, Vanitas jumped on the couch to get some shut eye, and Ven started cooking up some dinner for us.  I, on the other hand, simply sat on the couch.  I considered turning on the TV, but then I changed my mind.  I wasn’t really in the mood for TV.  All I could think of was Xion’s recovery.  Tonight, Lea was going to stay the night at the hospital, and I decided that I’d go to visit Xion for a while and then come back home.  After eating dinner and spending time with my brothers, I called Lea and told him that I’d go with him to the hospital, and he told me that he’d pick me up.  I then stood outside and looked at the stars.

 

  “It’s a beautiful night tonight, isn’t it?” Ven asked as he came outside and stood beside me.

 

  “Yeah…it sure is.” I answered, my eyes taking in the sight of the stars.  Then I felt a hand roughly hit my shoulder.  As I looked back, I noticed it was Vanitas.

 

  “All those stars are like countless worlds shining down on us.  It’s pretty amazing, when you think about it.” Vanitas remarked, and at that, Ven gave off a chuckle.

 

  “What’s so funny!?” Vanitas asked, irritated.

 

  “Since when do you think at all?” Ven asked, then bursting into laughter, and at that, Vanitas glared at him.

 

  “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Vanitas barked out, and at that, we all bursted in laughter, and we then silently continued to gaze at the stars.  Shortly after, Lea came on his motorcycle.

 

  “Well guys, I’m off.  I’ll see you later!” I said to Ven and Vanitas, and with that, I left with Lea to the hospital.

(End Song Here)

 

  When we arrived to the hospital, it took us a while to get in.  A sudden flood of emergency cases was flooding into the hospital, and we had to wait until all the commotion died down before we could go in.  When we got in, Lea signed the papers for staying the night, and then we went to Xion’s room.  There she was, asleep and motionless.  My heart stung a little.  I still wasn’t used to seeing her like this, but I had to stay strong.  Lea and I sat down and we talked for a while, and every ten minutes I’d go near Xion to look at her face, hoping she’d open her eyes, but every time I checked, nothing happened.  Lea and I continued talking to each other, and as the minutes rolled by, nothing seemed to change.  Not even the doctors had come around to update us on Xion’s condition.  I was starting to feel restless, but I kept my cool and simply continued talking to Lea.  After a few more minutes, I felt like going to the doctors to ask them about Xion’s condition, but, there was no such need, because just as I was walking out, Aerith came in, holding a notepad with various documents and other paperwork.  No doubt the paperwork was on Xion’s condition.

 

  “Oh, hello you two.” Aerith greeted us in her always sweet tone.

 

  “Hey Aerith.  How are you doing?” I asked.

 

  “Oh, it’s been a tiring day, but I’ve been doing okay.  I just came to check in on Xion.” she said, as she went towards Xion and checked on her.

  “Have there been any improvements on her condition?” Lea asked, and Aerith nodded in confirmation, which gave me hope.

 

  “As a matter of fact, her condition has improved!  It seems that she’s been struggling to wake up for the past few hours, and her body actually moved slightly at one point.” Aerith explained, making my heart race.

 

  “So…there’s a chance that she may be waking up soon!?” I asked, trying to hold back my excitement.  Aerith nodded happily.

 

  “Yes, her chances are becoming more likely!” she answered enthusiastically.

 

  At that, my heart just couldn’t stop pounding.  There was a possibility that Xion might wake up after all!  That possibility alone made my heart soar.  I felt renewed resolve, and now I had hope again.  I looked at Lea, who was equally excited, and I closed my eyes, thanking God for this fighting chance.  But, Aerith explained that there still wasn’t any concrete guarantee that Xion would wake up, but still, just the fact that she may be waking up soon was enough to make me happy.  Aerith then said that the doctors were going to run some more diagnostics to check and see if there was anything that could help Xion wake up.  Then, after explaining everything to us, Aerith left, and we were left alone once again.  Now all my mind could think of was seeing Xion open her eyes.  At one point, I thought of calling out to Xion, but I then decided it was better if she woke up on her own.  Lea noticed my anxiety and urged me to calm down, and so I did, and to take my mind off of my anxiety, I just sat near the window and looked at the stars. I then felt more relaxed, as looking at the stars soothed my mind, and I felt my heart relax as well.

 

  “Lea…Lea, there’s a chance Xion will wake up!” I said to him, feeling such a warmth emanating from my heart.

 

  “Yeah…that’s great news indeed.” Lea said with a sincere smile.  He was just as hopeful as I was.

 

  “I just can’t wait.  I can’t wait to see her open her eyes!  Oh God, I hope it doesn’t take much longer for her to wake up.” I said in a hopeful tone.

 

  “Until then, all of us will keep watching over Xion every night.” Lea said with confidence, and I nodded in agreement.

 

  “That’s right.  We’ll be right here.” I said.

 

  After a while, Lea and I went outside to shake off the cold from the hospital room.  We gazed at the stars for a while, and I even spotted the Little Dipper and the Big Dipper.  Lea then got himself lost in thought, and I decided I’d let him be.  As for myself, I kept searching the stars for constellations, but I couldn’t find any.  I then noticed how bright the moon was tonight.  It was a beautiful full moon, a mesmerizing white.  It was a beautiful night for a walk.  Then, a soothing breeze blew past, and I closed my eyes and enjoyed every moment of the breeze.  Afterwards, Lea and I headed back into the hospital and into Xion’s room.  We then sat down and remained silent for a while.  After a few minutes, I looked at the clock and noticed it was time for me to go home.  I told Lea I was ready to leave, and so we made our way out of the room, and before leaving, I placed another seashell by her bedside.

 

  “Good night, Xion.” I whispered to her gently, and then I slowly walked away.

 

  “Roxas…?” I heard her call out to me.  At that, my heart froze.  Was this really happening?  Did I really just hear Xion talk to me?

 

  “What’s this?” Lea asked, also surprised.

 

  “Roxas…” Xion called out again, this time, my eyes watching her lips move.

 

  “S-she spoke!  She called out my name, Lea!  G-get Aerith up here, quickly!” I said in frenzied excitement.

 

  “Okay, on my way!” Lea said, and he darted out of the room faster than I could blink!

 

  After just two minutes, Aerith quickly came, and she checked on Xion, and then brought in the doctors to run some diagnostics, and then we were ordered to get out of the room while the diagnostics were taking place.  My heart pounded like crazy, my mind reeling and thinking of Xion calling out my name.  Her voice was all I could hear, over and over and over again in my head.  Now I just couldn’t contain my excitement!  Lea and I had to remain outside for a good, long while.  The wait was starting to get me anxious, but Lea calmed me down.  I knew that I had to keep myself calm, but I just couldn’t!  Still, I took a deep breath and relaxed, calming myself down.  I then looked at Lea with hopeful eyes, and he looked at me the same.  Then, a few seconds later, Aerith opened the door and had a big smile on her face.

 

  “Well?  Is she waking up!?” I asked, not being able to contain my excitement.

 

  “No, but she is recovering faster than expected!  Her condition remains stable, and now it seems that she can move her body!” Aerith explained, and at that, Lea and I opened our eyes wide.

 

  “It won’t be much longer.” I said to myself.  That’s the hope I had in my heart.

 

  Xion would awaken soon.

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

“How long have I been out?”

“All of this…for me?”

“Xion, we all missed you, especially me…”

“It’s good to be back!”

 

Keep a look out for Chapter Twenty Six: “A Long Awaited Awakening.”

 

Okay everyone, that was the chapter!  I hope you all enjoyed it!  Wow, two days ago marked five months since I started this story!  Pretty unbelieavable, huh?  Time sure does fly fast!  I’ll try to post chapters more often to see if I can be able to write two more stories this year!  Wish me luck everyone!  And well, as always, thank you so much for your patience and understanding, and well, as always, let me know what you thought of tonight’s chapter, and until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was a great Chapter.

[Keyblade101 526]

Great chapter. Yes, Xion's finally gonna wake up soon!!

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey everyone, good evening, I hope that you’re all doing okay!  Now then, here is the next chapter of the story!  I hope that you all enjoy it!  This time, this chapter will be from Xion’s perspective!  I hope you all find it to your enjoyment!  Also, I hope you’ve all been enjoying 2015 so far!  Anyways, without further ado, here’s the chapter!

 

Chapter Twenty Six: A Long Awaited Awakening

 

  Darkness.  Everything was darkness.  How long have I been out?  I don’t know how long I had been like this, but all I knew was that I was away from the world for a long time.  All of a sudden, I start feeling rays of light enter my subconscious.  Slowly, I feel warmth, and then, drowsily, I start to open my eyes.  I then take a few moments before opening my eyes again, and when I do, a bright light pierces through my eyes, blinding me momentarily.  I hear voices, excited voices.  I then shake my head and open my eyes anew, this time, opening them completely.  When I finally open my eyes, I notice that I’m in the hospital, on a bed, and the first thing I notice as I look around are seashells near my pillow.  I counted each and every one of them.  Twenty three.  Those were the total of seashells that were placed here.  I wondered who put them there.  My mind immediately went to Roxas.  I smiled and blushed, holding one of the seashells in my hand, feeling its smooth texture, and then I look around and notice Aerith, the nurse who I had seen when Roxas was hospitalized.  She smiled at me brightly, and I smiled back, but then I remembered that I didn’t know why I was here in the hospital to begin with.

 

  “Oh goodness, I’m so relieved to see that you’ve woken up!” Aerith said happily, and I nodded.

 

  “Yes, it feels good to be awake.  But, why was I asleep in the first place, and why am I here in the hospital?” I asked, and at that, Aerith tilted her head slightly.

 

  “Oh, that’s right, you probably don’t remember.  You see, you were brought here in critical condition.  You had been hit by a car, and you fell into a comatose state.  Ever since then, we’ve been taking care of you, and your friends haven’t stopped visiting you.” Aerith explained.

 

  “Accident…” I said, and then that’s when I remembered.  The last thing I had seen before all this was a car heading straight towards me, and I had heard Roxas calling out to me.

 

  “That’s right.  The accident.  Excuse me Aerith, where’s Roxas?” I asked.

 

  “Oh, he’s not here right now, but he was here this morning, and he had stayed the night here.” she answered.

 

  That’s when I blushed again.  Roxas had stayed the night here, watching over me.  I had been thinking about him all this time.  I had been struggling to open my eyes just to see him, and I was desperate when my repeated attempts to wake up ended in failure.  But now I was finally awake, and I was relieved because of it.  All I wanted to do was get out of bed and go to Roxas, but I knew I couldn’t do such a thing.  For the next couple of minutes, the doctors came and performed some diagnostics, and after that, I was given a small portion of food to eat.  Since I had gone twenty three whole days without eating anything, I had to start out small so that my body wouldn’t reject the food.  I ate all the food that was given to me, and then, I drank a large cup of water, and I felt instantly refreshed.  Aerith came in now and then to check up on me.

 

  “Are you feeling better, Xion?” Aerith asked.

 

  “Yes, I’m feeling much better.  My body feels more articulate now, and I feel warmer, and I don’t feel so drowsy.” I answered.

 

  “That’s good.  The doctors will come again later to run a few more diagnostics, and depending on the results, you may end up going home today!” Aerith said.  That was some very good news.

 

  “Thank you very much for the good news.” I said with a smile.

 

  “You’re more than welcome!” Aerith said, and with that, she left the room and I was left alone.  I then looked towards the window.

 

  “Roxas…I hope you come soon.” I said to myself, and then I stood up and headed towards the bathroom.

 

  I carefully took off my clothes and went inside the shower, making sure not to get tangled up with the cables that were connected to the machine that had kept me sustained during my twenty three days of slumber.  I turned on the water and I slowly washed myself.  I slightly flinched as the water touched my skin.  It had been a while since I had taken a shower, so the feeling of water running down my body was a strange sensation at the moment.  After getting used to the water, I washed myself more thoroughly and then rubbed my body with soap and rubbed shampoo all over my hair.  After taking a refreshing shower, I got out and dried myself and put on a set of clothes that had been left in the bathroom by Aerith.  I then got out and sat down on the bed and looked at the seashells again.  I then turned on the TV and watched Gravity Falls for a while.  Two hours then passed by.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “She’s awake!?” I heard a familiar muffled noise outside my room.  Before too long, Roxas burst through the door and the minute he saw me awake, his jaw dropped.

 

  “Xion…y-you’re really awake!” he stuttered, and I smiled and nodded.

 

  “Yes, I’m awake.  I’m sorry for worrying you.” I said as I blushed.

 

  “What are you apologizing for!?  Oh God, Xion, you’re awake!” he exclaimed as he ran towards me and hugged me tight and then kissed me passionately.  I happily hugged and kissed him back.

 

  “Oh God, Xion, I missed you like crazy!” he said happily.

 

  “I missed you too.” I replied, and then, the door opened, and Lea, Tidus, Ven and Vanitas came inside, all with smiles on their faces.

 

  A swelling feeling of happiness surged inside me.  The fact that Roxas and all of my friends were here, the fact that they had all been worrying so much for me brought me to tears.  I just couldn’t suppress my emotions.  Never in my life had I been cared about so much.  I never imagined I’d mean so much to anyone, and here I was, surrounded by the people I loved.  Everyone hugged me, and I happily giggled, and so we all talked for a while, catching up on everything.  So much had happened during the time I was asleep.  Tidus said the school festival was just five days away, and Lea and the others talked about how everything in school was okay.  Then they talked about how they all visited me while I was sleeping, and it really touched my heart to know that everyone had been watching over me.  It made me feel extra special.  I had an amazing time with everyone, and I was happy beyond compare.  After a good, long while, Aerith came to tell Roxas and the others that the doctors were going to come and run some diagnostics, so they had to wait for me outside for now.  After about an hour, the diagnostics were done, and later during the day, the doctors said I could leave the hospital.  And with that, I left the hospital and stepped into the outside world for the first time in twenty three days.

 

  “I bet you must be happy, seeing the outside world again!” Tidus happily said, and I nodded and smiled.

 

  “Yes.  I’m very happy indeed.  Ah, the breeze feels refreshing.” I replied, and I closed my eyes and felt the breeze gently touch my face.

 

  “Well then Xion, before you go to your house, we have to stop by Roxas’ house first.  Is that okay with you?” Lea asked, and I smiled.

 

  “Yeah, sure, let’s go!” I said, and with that, we all started walking towards Roxas’ home.  I then walked closely to Roxas and held his hand.

 

  “Hey Roxas.  Thank you so much for the seashells.” I whispered to him, and he smiled and looked at me.

 

  “How did you know it was me?” he asked.

 

  “I just had a feeling.” I answered him, and so we kept walking toward his home.  I felt so happy to be beside him again.

 

  As I walked with Roxas and my friends, I took in the scenery and breathed in the air.  Good lord, even though it had been just twenty three days, I still felt like I had been asleep for much, much longer.  I closed my eyes and felt the cold breeze tickle my skin, and when I opened my eyes and looked at the sky, it was overcast.  The sky looked so eerie but so soothing at the same time that way.  I then looked toward the trees as they swayed with the flow of the wind.  Cars would pass here and there, and people could be seen walking the streets.  This all felt so strange to me.  Having been asleep so long, this all felt overwhelming to me.  I smiled and then looked forward, and as I walked, I felt Roxas’ warmth course through my arm.  I missed his warmth.  At one moment, he held my hand tightly, and I held his, and we both looked at each other and smiled.  It’s good to be back, that much I can say.  After a while, we were now arriving to Roxas’ home.  That’s when everybody started smiling, and somehow, it felt weird seeing them all smile in unison, including Roxas.  I then stopped walking and looked at everyone questionably.  I then stepped back a few steps.

 

  “Um…guys?  Why are you all smiling like this all of a sudden?” I asked, and at that, Vanitas laughed.

 

  “Ha, I knew she’d notice us all smile!” he said, and at that, Ven shook his head and smiled even more.  He then put his hand on my shoulder.

 

  “Just walk through the door and see.” was all he said, and then I looked at Roxas, and he nodded, urging me to walk towards the door.  I looked back before proceeding.

 

  “I swear guys, if this is some prank, I’m going to get back at you all for it!” I said, and they all just laughed and then fell silent.

 

  “Just go in already!” Tidus yelled, and at that, I nodded and slowly opened the door, and when I did, confetti popped and fell all over me, and I stood there shocked.

 

  “Surprise!!!” everyone said.  Namine was here!  And her redheaded friend, and Riku and his friend too!  I covered my mouth and tears immediately rolled down my face.

 

  “Welcome back, Xion!” everyone said in unison.  I still couldn’t utter a word.

 

  This was all so surreal and emotional.  I just didn’t even know what to say.  Never in my wildest dreams did I expect Roxas and the others to bring Namine and the others as well!  My heart pounded in happiness, and I felt my body go numb momentarily.  Roxas hugged me from behind and smiled and kissed my cheek, and everyone cheered for me, chanting my name.  I cried tears of joy, thanking God for having friends as wonderful as these.  This is something that I’d always cherish for the rest of my life.  If only my father treated me like this, or at least tried to communicate with me.  I wish he would care just as much as my friends do.  Aerith didn’t mention anything about an adult coming to see me, so that could only mean that my father didn’t even bother to show up in the hospital while I was sleeping.  That made me feel sad, but I quickly shook off those thoughts and looked at everyone.

(End Song Here)

 

  “We all missed you Xion…especially me.” Roxas said as he blushed.

 

  “Oh yeah, lover boy wouldn’t stop thinking about you!  He’s a trooper for sure!” Lea said, and Roxas punched his arm.

 

  “Hey, cut it out!” Roxas said while blushing, making me giggle. 

 

  “We’re just lucky we were able to come up with this at the last minute!  While you were being diagnosed, we made arrangements with everyone, and Claire planned everything out, and voila, here we have your welcome home party!” Vanitas explained, then pointing to Claire, who stood in the corner of the living room, smiling.

 

  “Welcome back.” she said, and I nodded in appreciation.

 

  “A-all of this, for me?” I asked, blushing despite my attempts to hide my shyness.

 

  “Of course!  You’re more than worth it!” Roxas answered happily.

 

  And so, for the rest of the day, I stayed at Roxas’ home with everyone else, enjoying the party that they were throwing for me.  We talked and ate and watched TV and then danced to some music, and there was even a karaoke session, where Vanitas and Lea were totally dominating.  It was an enjoyable afternoon, and I just felt so special at the moment.  Seeing everyone smile just made me smile even more, and I had so much fun that I almost forgot that I had been in a comatose in the first place.  Overall, the day was a wonderful day, and I didn’t want it to end.  All I wanted to do was stay with everyone, I really didn’t feel like going back home.  I thought to myself that it wouldn’t really matter if I went back home, seeing as how my father was unaware of what happened.  Wanting to stop thinking about my father, I focused on the party instead.

 

  “So Xion, are you going to go back to school right away?” Riku asked, and I shrugged in response.

 

  “Well, the doctors said that I’m healthy enough, so going back to school tomorrow wouldn’t hurt.” I answered, and then, the redheaded girl walked towards me.

 

  “Hello Xion, I’m Kairi Okayasu.  I’m very happy that you were able to recover from this situation.” she said as she introduced herself, and I appreciatively bowed my head.

 

  “Thank you Kairi, very much!” I replied.  Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and when I looked back, it was Roxas.

 

  “Hey Xion, can I talk to you for a moment?” he asked.  I nodded.

 

  “Of course.” I answered, and then Roxas held my hand and we went outside, and then he held me close to him, and I blushed uncontrollably.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Xion…you don’t know how happy I am to be holding you like this again.  I missed you so incredibly much.  Every day felt strange without you, and seeing you sleep day after day made me worry so much.  At one point, I thought you wouldn’t wake up, but thanks to the advice I got from our friends and even a man named Ansem, I was able to keep myself sane, pulling through for you and waiting for the day that you’d wake up.  Everyone was worried too.  We were all praying for your recovery, and well, we were hoping you’d wake up soon, and thank God you woke up now.  I’m telling you, you don’t know how happy I am to have you here by my side again Xion.  And you know, each and every day that I’d leave a seashell by your bedside, I’d smile and look at your beautiful face, with the hope that you’d wake up the next day.  Xion, I love you so much, and I’m so overwhelmingly happy that you’re back!  Welcome back Xion!” he said as he pulled me in for a passionate, loving kiss.  I smiled and kissed him back and cried of joy while kissing him.  Roxas…he truly knew how to speak amazing words.  He left me speechless.

 

  “Aw, look at the two lovebirds!  Isn’t that sweet!?” Vanitas shouted out suddenly, and then, Roxas and I pulled away from the kiss, blushing excessively, and everyone laughed.

 

  “It’s good to see that you’re both as loving as ever.” Riku said.  Roxas and I looked at each other smiled.

 

  “Come on guys, get inside, Ven just put another movie for us to watch!” Lea said, peeking his head through the door.

 

  “On my way!” Roxas and I said in unison, and with that, we headed inside with everyone.

 

  And so, we watched the movie that Ven put for us.  It was one of the Disney Animated Classics.  Treasure Planet.  That was an awesome Disney film, and one of my favorites, and I comfortably snuggled by Roxas as he put his arm around my shoulder.  The others enjoyed the movie was well, and after a little while, Kairi, Namine, Riku, and the brown, spiky haired boy, who introduced himself as Sora, left to their homes, and Lea, Ven, Vanitas, Roxas and I remained.  After the movie was done, Lea and Tidus left as well, and Vanitas had gone upstairs to sleep, while Ven was in the kitchen.  Roxas and I remained alone in the living room, and the TV was still on, so the light of the TV dimly lit up the living room.  We both continued watching TV together, and we kissed each other gently, then holding each other tight, and after Ven went upstairs to go sleep, Roxas turned off the TV and we went outside again.  Now it was nighttime, and the stars were glittering beautifully in the sky.  We talked for a while and then looked at the stars, pointing out constellations and enjoying the calm silence that nighttime brang.  Then Roxas looked at me and he went towards the door.

 

  “I’ll be back Xion, I’m going inside for a moment.” he said.

 

  “Okay.” I replied, and he closed the door behind me.  I continued gazing up at the stars, admiring their glow.  After about two minutes, Roxas came out, holding something behind his back.

 

  “What do you have behind you?” I asked him, feeling curious.

 

  “Close your eyes Xion.  Can you do that for me?” he asked, and I blushed and nodded.  I then closed my eyes.

 

  “Okay, what now?” I asked, and then I felt Roxas’ hands run through my hair and to my neck, and I felt a sudden cold sensation.

 

  “Now, open your eyes.” he said, and when I opened them, I saw a necklace had been placed on me.  It was a beautiful, star shaped necklace with a silver chain.

 

  “This is beautiful Roxas!  What is it?” I asked.

 

  “It’s called a Wayfinder.  Professor Watanabe had explained the concept, an idea she had from when she was younger.  She had always loved making things like these, so she one day decided to make a star shaped charm, and then dubbed it a Wayfinder.  She then encouraged us to make our own Wayfinders and give them to a special person, to symbolize an unbreakable connection.  And so, I slowly worked on making my Wayfinder, and when I was done, I brought it home and waited for the day that you’d wake up so that I could give it to you.  You can also put it in your pocket.  Think of that Wayfinder as the special link that connects our hearts together.  I hope that you liked it, Xion.” Roxas said as he finished explaining about the Wayfinder.  I smiled and pulled him in for a passionate kiss and hugged him tight, and I blushed and slowly pulled away.

 

  “I loved it, Roxas.  Thank you so much.” I said, and then we both looked at each other and smiled.  

 

  “Well Roxas, it’s getting a little late, so I should be going home now.” I said, and at that, Roxas held my hand and stood by my side.

 

  “I’ll walk you home, if that’s okay with you.” he suggested, and I nodded.

 

  “Of course.” I replied, and so, Roxas and I began walking under the starlit sky, taking our time as we enjoyed each other’s company.

 

  “It’s a beautiful night, don’t you think?” Roxas asked, looking up at the stars.  I smiled and held his hand tightly in mine.

 

  “Yes, it sure is.” I answered.  After a few minutes, we arrived at my home.

 

  Roxas walked with me right up to the front door, and then we kissed and hugged each other and then he left.  I stood in front of my door for a while, and I looked back momentarily at the front of my home, where the accident had happened.  Only a brief glimpse of what happened flashed in my head.  Shaking off my thoughts, I went inside, and it was dark, as usual.  My father was in his lab, as always, so I didn’t bother to check up on him.  The smell of food was still in the air, which meant he had eaten just a few minutes ago.  I went upstairs and took a long, refreshing shower, and then I went to bed and looked at the ceiling.  I felt so comfortable and happy in my own bed, but then my thoughts shifted to my father.  He didn’t visit me even once…not that I cared, anyway.  It’s not like he would have shown up anyway.  Snuggling in my bed, I slowly felt my eyes close.

 

  Tomorrow would be a new day.

(End Song Here)

----------------------------------

 

“You’re coming with me!”

“You don’t have the right!”

“What the hell is going on!?”

“Father…”

 

Stay tuned for Chapter Twenty Seven: “Complications.”

 

Okay everyone, that was the chapter!  I hope you all enjoyed Xion’s return to the story!  As always, please make sure to comment on what you thought of tonight’s chapter!  And well, I have to say that I’ve been enjoying writing this story very much, and I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading it!  I hope that you keep on reading my story until the end!  Well then, until next time, stay tuned for the next chapter!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was interesting,

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey there everyone, good evening!  I hope you’re all doing okay!  Now then, here’s another chapter of the story!  It’ll be from Xion’s perspective!  I hope that you all enjoy!  Oh, and on a side note, for those who own Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMix, I hope you’re all enjoying it!  Now then, without further delay, here’s the chapter!

 

Chapter Twenty Seven: Complications

 

  Something didn’t feel right.

 

  That’s what I kept thinking to myself ever since I woke up today.  I don’t know why I’ve been thinking this way, all I know is that my heart tells me today won’t be a good day.  I try to make sense of why I’m feeling this way, but when I find no answer, I simply ignore my thoughts and put on my school uniform and eat my breakfast.  Father’s in his lab as usual.  I sigh and then open the door, and the light of the sun beams all over my body.  I then close the door and head towards the bus stop, and once the bus comes, I get on board and sit near Roxas, who’s sleeping.  Ven has his head in a book, and Vanitas is in the back of the bus, trying to hit on a girl who seems to be flirting with him.  I noticed that Lea wasn’t in theh bus, which meant that either he wasn’t coming to school today, or he’d be coming late.  Either way, since everyone was busy, I decided to let them be, and I just sat beside Roxas and I smiled and stroked his hair as he slept.  Then the thought came to me again.  The thought that today was going to be a really bad day.  Irritated, I tried to distract myself, but nothing seemed to work.  After a few more minutes, we arrived to school.  I then gently shook Roxas.

 

  “Roxas, wake up.” I whispered to him, and after a few shakes, he slowly opened his eyes and yawned.

 

  “Hi Xion, good morning.” he said as he stretched his arms and then leaned in close to kiss me.  I kissed him back and smiled at him.

 

  “Good morning.  Had a rough night?” I asked.  Roxas shook his head.

 

  “Vanitas kept me awake all night, talking to me about all the girls he was going to hit on.  I don’t know why he chose to talk to me instead of Ven.” he explained.

 

  “That’s because I know how to evade him.” Ven said with a chuckle, and with that, Roxas rolled his eyes.

 

  “Haha, come on guys, let’s go.” I suggested, as we all got off the bus and went into school.

 

  The morning breeze kicked in, and it was far more cold than usual, and all the students had sweaters or long sleeved shirts on them.  I didn’t feel the cold much at first, but after a few minutes, it started to get to me.  Roxas smiled and took off his scarf and wrapped it around my neck, and I felt instantly warmer.  I smiled and held his hand as we walked together in the school.  There was still about ten minutes left for classes to begin, so we decided to walk around school, and when we reached the library, Ven said he’d see us later and then went in, and as for Vanitas, he was off who knows where with the flirty girl.  After about three minutes, I stopped walking, and Roxas took a few seconds to stop.  He then glanced over his shoulder at me and looked at me curiously.  I just had to get this off of my chest.  I just had to.

 

  “What’s wrong Xion?  Is something the matter?” Roxas asked with a concerned face.  I hesitated for a moment, but since I had stopped walking, there was no other choice left than to talk.  I then sighed.

 

  “It’s just…I feel like today’s going to be a really bad day.” I said, and Roxas looked at me curiously again.

 

  “What do you mean by that?” he asked.

 

  “I don’t know…I just, I feel like something’s going to happen today, something bad.  I don’t know why I’m having this feeling, but I just do.” I explained, and at that, Roxas smiled and hugged me.

 

  “Don’t worry Xion, I’m sure it’s nothing.  And if something does happen, you know that I’m here to back you up, okay?” he said reassuringly, and at that, I smiled and took a deep breath.

 

  “You know what?  You’re right.  Thanks, Roxas.” I replied, and with that, the bell rung.

 

  And so, Roxas and I headed to our respective classrooms, and class was now in session.  During my first class, the principal came to address some issues regarding the school grounds and then made some announcements.  After his leave, classes continued, and we were reminded again about the school festival, which was almost upon us.  I then wrote down my notes and occasionally looked out the window to see the sky.  It was a bright blue, and the sun pierced through the clouds.  It was a beautiful day.  After my first class, I went on to take the rest of my morning classes, and before I knew it, it was already lunchtime.  At least the morning hadn’t gone by slow.  When I got out of the classroom, I searched for Roxas and the others and found them in the lunchroom.  They all looked immersed in conversation.  I then served myself lunch and sat down with them.

 

  “Hey guys, what’re you all talking about?” I asked, and then Lea looked at me and clasped his hands together.

 

  “Oh, we’re just discussing about video game characters that look like us!  We found some images earlier of some characters from an RPG, and they look a whole bunch like us!” Lea explained, and then he took out a large envelope and took out photocopies of the images and showed them to me.

 

  “Wow, these do look a lot like us!” I said.  Really, the resemblance was uncanny.

 

  “I know, right?  It’s so surreal!  Look at how badass I look!  I look like some warrior of darkness!” Vanitas said excitedly.  I giggled and rolled my eyes.

 

  “From what video game is this?” I asked.

 

  “It’s called Kingdom Hearts.  I read online that it’s a great video game series.” Roxas answered.

 

  “Hmm, we should try it out sometime.” I suggested, and everyone else agreed.

 

(Start Song Here)

  After we ate, we all went to the courtyard and picked the best spot to get some shade, and that’s where we decided we’d hang out for our lunch break.  The others kept going on their engaging conversation, and I was listening to what they were saying, but then, at some point, their voices started to become distant, as if I was walking further and further away from them.  I found this odd, and the more I tried to listen to them, the more distant their voices became.  My heart then started to pound rapidly, and I felt a drop of sweat roll down my brow.  What was happening?  Why was I suddenly feeling so nervous?  I tried to shake off the feeling, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t seem to shake off this unpleasant feeling.  Something bad was about to happen very soon, I could feel it in the air.  All of a sudden, the strange feeling left, and I was able to listen to everyone again.  For a moment, I remained puzzled as to what had happened, but since no one noticed, I decided to remain quiet about it.  Roxas then looked at me and held my hand and smiled, and I smiled back, and we relaxed for the rest of our lunch break, and then the bell rang, and it was time to go back to class.

 

  “Attention students.  Tomorrow there will be a test, so be sure to review all the source material!” the professor announced, and all the students groaned.

 

  “Settle down, settle down.  Now then, turn your books to page four hundred…” the professor said, and I opened the book on my desk at said page, but I didn’t really pay attention to what the professor was saying.

 

  “What could this all mean?” I whispered to myself, and then I got lost in thought.

 

  “Xion?  Xion?” Namine whispered to me, and I snapped out of it.  I then looked at her and she handed me a paper, and I read it.

 

  She asked if I was doing okay.  Apparently she noticed my anxious behavior.  I didn’t know what to answer, so I thought of just ignoring the question, but seeing as how she was expecting me to answer, I had no other choice than to start writing down what was happening to me.  After about a few minutes, I was done writing everything that I was going to write, and I was going to hand the paper over to Namine, but since the professor was coming our way, I put the paper under my book and waited until the professor went back to the blackboard, and as soon as he went back, I handed the paper over to her.  I observed her as she eyed out the paper carefully, and then she started writing down on the paper.  I then looked at the blackboard and wrote down what the professor had written.  Now I felt a little more anxious, and I found myself twirling my fingers rather frequently, and I looked towards the door of the classroom, as if someone were to burst through the doors at any moment.  Then Namine handed me the paper again, and she told me that everything would be okay.  I smiled and looked at her appreciatively, and I nodded.

 

  “Now then class, on the next page, you’ll find some illustrations detailing what I just wrote on the blackboard.” I heard the professor say, and then the bell rang.

 

  “Alright class, remember to study for the test!” he reminded us all, and the other students groaned.  Namine walked with me as we headed towards our next class.

 

  “So, are you feeling better Xion?” she asked, and I shrugged.

 

  “Yeah, I guess.  Maybe I’m just feeling a little too jumpy today, that’s all.” I answered, and Namine giggled.

 

  “Well, this is your first day back to school since you were hospitalized, so it’s understandable.” she said.

  She did have a good point.  This was my first day back to school since I was hospitalized, so maybe all this nervousness was nothing but excitement I had for being back here.  We then headed for the next class, and things seemed to feel normal to me during the class, so my worried mind began to relax a little.  Then, when the bell rang for the next class, Namine and I walked down the hallway, and then we noticed a commotion coming from further down.  It seemed as if someone was pushing through the group of students that were all gathered up there.  Namine and I decided to head towards the source of the commotion to check out what was going on.  Then, an expression of terror formed in my face, for when I saw the source of the commotion, I instantly recognized who it was.  It was my father…and he was angry.

 

  “You, girl!  You aren’t supposed to be here!” my father growled at me, and I backed away as fast as I could.

 

  “What are you doing here!?” I asked, feeling irritated.

 

  “There will be no questions, young lady.  You’re coming with me!” he said as he grabbed me by the arm and started dragging me out of school.

 

  “No, you don’t have the right!” I yelled out, and I yanked my arm away from him, and at that, he turned around and glared at me.

 

  “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not, so stop your complaining and let’s go home!” he said in a strict tone, but I remained defiant.  Father was about to yell at me when the professor came onto the scene.

 

  “Is there any trouble here?” the principal asked, glaring at my father, and my father, in turn, simply composed himself and cleared his throat.

 

  “No, it’s nothing.  No trouble at all.  I shall be seeing you back at home, girl…” my father said, and then he left.

(End Song Here)

 

  That’s when everything felt awkward for me.  Everyone’s eyes were on me, and Namine looked at me with a concerned face, and everyone else looked at me with startled eyes, and the principal stared at me.  I felt so embarrassed…oh God, I couldn’t take this embarrassment!  I quickly made a run for it and got out of school, heading into town and looking back to make sure no one was following me.  When I saw no one following me, I stopped running and then I leaned my back to a fence and I started to cry.  What the hell was going on!?  Father never got out of his lab, and now he decides to show up and embarrass me in front of everyone in school?  I just couldn’t make any sense of it!  I cried and pounded the fence in anger.  After a few minutes, I calmed down and sighed.  I wasn’t going to go back to school, so I decided instead to go home.  I’d have to face my father sooner or later.  Then, I started to remember…

 

  “Can’t you see that I’m busy, girl?  Why must you pester me all the time!?”

 

  “I am currently in the middle of a breakthrough, so I must not be disturbed, now go along and play, and leave me alone!”

 

  “Do not ever come to my lab and distract me from my work!  All of my experiments have to be kept with care, so do not come down here!”

 

  “Leave me be, girl!”

 

  That’s what irritated me the most.  Father never cared for me, and ever since I was a little girl, he’d always treat me like that.  He didn’t acknowledge my existence, and he doesn’t have a care in the world for me.  That’s why I never depended on him for anything.  I never told him about my grades, my personal problems, or anything concerning my life.  I never shared a detail of my life with him, because I knew how he’d treat me.  So if he treated me that way, why did he go to the trouble of coming to school to look for me?  I doubt he had been worried about me, I bet he didn’t even know that I had been hospitalized!  Of all the things that could happen, why did this have to happen?  I knew that today something bad was going to happen, but I never expected this.  I looked at the sky, and I sighed and closed my eyes.  I wish I could just soar in the sky without having to worry about all this mess.  Feeling troubled, I kept walking home slowly.  I didn’t even want to go home, but I wasn’t about to let my father embarrass me again, so I had to face him.  After a few minutes, I arrived home, and for the first time in a rather long time, my father was sitting in the couch.

 

  “What the hell’s the matter with you…?” I asked him, feeling the anger swell up inside me.

 

  “I was looking for you, and you were nowhere to be found!” my father lashed out at me.

 

  “You idiot, I was at school, as you could clearly see when you came looking for me!  I am a high school student after all, and it’s a weekday, so where else would I be?” I asked, spreading my arms wide.

 

  “Don’t you raise your voice to me!” my father growled, and then I clenched my fists and bowed my head down.  I couldn’t take this anymore.

 

  “Father…I hate you…” I whispered.  A sudden silence swept over the room.  Then my father burst out in laughter.

 

  “What the hell are you laughing about!?” I asked angrily, and at that, my father smirked and shook his head.

 

  “Ah, you’ve made excellent progress my dear.  You’ve turned out to be quite the unique puppet.” he said, and at that, my heart stopped.

 

  “W-what did you say?” I asked.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “That’s right.  You heard me.  A puppet.  You are nothing more than an insignificant puppet, an experiment which I designed.  You see, many years ago, I decided to undertake the task of creating humanoid bodies so that I could grant them life.  There was lots of work to be done, and since I knew that my research would probably be banned, I dedicated myself to making this experiment work in my own home, so I secluded myself here in order to create you.  It took a lot of work, but I was able to successfully replicate the organs and body parts of a human being an implement them into you, giving you a heart and a soul.  Of course, being merely a puppet, I never expected you to actually act like a human being, so the moment you were born and started to act as a human, I knew that I had made a massive breakthrough. And so, I have dedicated myself this entire time to discovering as to how it is that you have been able to have feelings like a human.  Overall, this has probably been my most successful experiment in my lifetime.” my father explained.  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  I felt my whole body shake as I processed everything he just said.

 

  “You’re saying…I’m not human…at all?” I asked, my voice shaking.

 

  “That’s right, you’re nothing more than a puppet, but an overwhelmingly interesting puppet at that.” Father answered.

 

  “But you said that my mother died when I was very little…are you saying that everything about my life has been nothing but a lie?” I asked, now feeling shocked.

 

  “That’s right.  You have no mother or father.  You are simply a puppet, and I am your creator.” he said bluntly.

 

  I couldn’t believe a word I was hearing.  If this was some kind of sick joke, I wasn’t laughing!  An eerie silence loomed over the living room, and my father, no…my creator stood there smirking at me, and I felt speechless.  Everything in my life was a lie?  I was nothing more than an experiment of a demented madman?  Was that all I was?  My heart started to pound, and I felt an incredible surge of anger course through my body, and then tears started to roll down my face, and I couldn’t suppress my feelings.  I started to cry, and I punched the wall, and all my creator did was laugh mockingly at me, and then I looked at him, disbelief all over my face, so many questions swirling in my head.  How could he just laugh at me like that?  Did he not have a heart at all?  I felt ridiculed, hurt, and deeply scarred, and that’s when I struggled to stop my tears.

 

  “How could you…?” I asked him.

 

  “I owe nothing to you, girl. You do not have the right to ask me questions!” he said angrily, and I knelt on the floor, feeling helpless.

 

  “You’re nothing but a monster…” I whispered, and that’s when I felt a slap so hard that I fell on the floor.

 

  “Treat me with some more respect, girl.  I am your creator, and as such, you owe your life to me, so you shall not dare disrespect me!” he said, kicking me in the stomach.

 

  “Stop that!” I yelled out, crying again.  He just kept kicking me, and he seemed to be enjoying it completely.

 

  “Silence, I don’t want to hear another word!” he yelled at me as he kicked me once again, and then I coughed out blood, and he went towards his lab and slammed the door shut.

 

  I remained there on the floor, motionless, shocked, my heart broken and my soul torn apart.  My whole world had shattered before me.  Everything I thought I knew about myself was nothing but an imitation of life, something that was never meant to exist.  The blood I coughed up dried up on the floor, and I looked at the red substance, wondering if it was even real blood.  My eyes were blurry and swollen from having cried so much.  Never in my life had I felt such despair as I’m feeling now.  I would’ve preferred to stay asleep.  Anything would have been better than discovering this horrifying truth.  I then stood up and weakly made my way upstairs and then took a shower, and as I washed my body, I could notice the bruises in my stomach from all the kicks I had received.  After taking a shower, I went to my room and locked the door and sat in a corner, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened.

 

  “I’m nothing but a puppet…”

(End Song Here)

--------------------------------

“Hey Roxas, have you noticed something about Xion?”

“Xion, are you okay?”

“Roxas…I’m not who you think I am…”

“I’m lost…”

 

Be prepared for Chapter Twenty Eight: “A Broken, Conflicted Heart.”

 

Okay everyone, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!  I bet none of you expected this coming at all, now did you!?  I really liked how this turned out, so I knew this was something that could potentially shock you all.  What do you think will happen to Xion?  Will things change between her and Roxas?  If you want to know more, be sure to stay tuned for the next chapter!  Haha, as always, thank you for your patience and support, and please let me know what you all thought of tonight’s chapter, and well, until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

Oh wow, just as I expected, Vexen/Even is a little annoying bug.

Edited January 21, 2015 by KHLegendIII

[Keyblade101 526]

I was so happy to see that Xion woke up and now I feel so bad for her and it's all because of Vexen. VEXEN IS INSANE!!!!

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey there everyone, how’s it going?  Good evening to you all!  Now then, here’s the next chapter of the story, I hope that you all enjoy, it’ll be from Roxas’ perspective!  Read on, my faithful followers!

 

Chapter Twenty Eight: A Broken, Conflicted Heart

 

            Xion hadn’t come on the bus today.  Sure, maybe she woke up late or maybe she was just coming to school late, but something told me that what I was thinking wasn’t the case.  Somehow, I just felt like something had happened.  Call it a sixth sense if you will.  I mean, I don’t even know if guys are supposed to even have a sixth sense, but either way, that’s what it felt like to me.  I felt like I had a sixth sense, and it was telling me that things were not well.  I worried for Xion, and I hoped that nothing bad happened to her. I reassured myself that everything would be okay, and that I was just worrying over nothing.  A few minutes later, I arrived to school, and my brothers and Lea went on ahead without me, and I headed to my classroom, but I suddenly stopped.  I felt compelled to turn around and walk towards the back of the school.  It was like a magnetic force was pulling me towards the back of the school.  Why did I feel the need to come here?  Deciding to just follow my instinct, I stopped asking myself questions and I headed towards the back of the school.  That’s when I found Xion, crying.

 

(Start Song Here)

            “Xion!” I cried out as I ran towards her.  She didn’t respond.  When I got close enough to her, I looked at her, and she slowly raised her head, her eyes red from crying so much.

 

            “Roxas…” she muttered under her breath, and I sat down beside her and hugged her tight and kissed her forehead.

 

            “Xion, are you okay?” I asked, touching her face.  She made only the faintest smile and then she removed my hand from her face and she looked away.

 

            “I’m fine…there’s nothing to worry about.” she answered, and then I remained silent for a bit, and then I tried approaching her again.

 

            “Then why are you crying so much?” I asked, making her look into my eyes.  She sighed and put her hands to her face.

 

            “I…I just don’t know what to think anymore.  I’m lost, and I don’t know what to do.  Everything just keeps crashing down on me, as if there’s a great darkness that wants to suck me in and wipe me from existence…I feel anxious and confused, and I just can’t focus on anything!  Roxas…everything I thought I knew about myself has all been a lie.  Everything I’ve ever lived through has only been an imitation, a copy, nothing more than a mocked life!  I don’t know what to do with myself, I don’t know what to think…everything is now a blur to me…like a fog that can’t be lifted.  I’m such a screwed up mess!” Xion said as she clung on tightly to me and continued to cry.  I didn’t even know what to say.  Had something happened at her home that’s affecting her now?

 

            “Xion…did something happen at your home?” I asked her, and at that, she fell deadly silent. She remained that way for a while, and then she looked into my eyes.

 

            “It’s…complicated.” she answered bluntly, and then I put my arm around her shoulder and I held her close to me.

 

  “You know you can talk about it with me.  You can tell me anything, and I promise you that I won’t tell anyone.  You have my word.” I said to her with a smile, but she looked away.

 

  “I’m sorry Roxas…but I can’t talk about it…not until I sort things out.” she said, and that’s when I started to worry.

 

  “But Xion, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on!” I exclaimed, and at that, she stood up and glared at me.

 

  “You wouldn’t understand…” she muttered, and at that, she walked away and left me alone.  I was going to shout out her name, but I felt that I’d make things worse if I did.

(End Song Here)

 

  And so, I went to class, and during all that time, I was worried sick.  Was it something I said?  Did Xion get annoyed because I asked her so many questions? Did she really just want to keep crying alone?  I kept thinking about her the whole time I was in class, and I was so worried to the point that I didn’t even write any notes down in class!  Luckily, the professor didn’t notice me, so I didn’t get in trouble.  When I shifted my eyes towards the other students, I noticed that Lea was looking at me with a concerned look on his face.  There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to ask me what was up.  I should’ve tried to hide my anxiousness, but it was already too late to do anything about it now. Then, the bell rung and I went out of the classroom, and Lea followed closely behind.

 

  “Hey, hey, where’s the fire?” Lea asked as he put his hand on my shoulder, and I flinched slightly.

 

  “Oh…sorry about that Lea…my mind’s been somewhere else.” I answered.

 

  “You’re telling me!  You were really spaced out in class, so I began to worry!  Is something up?” he asked me, and then I sighed.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Well…it’s about Xion.” I answered.

 

  “What about her?” Lea asked, and then I explained how everything went down, and then I took a deep breath and sighed.

 

  “Why are girls so complicated?” I asked, and then Lea laughed and patted my shoulder and shook his head.

 

  “Roxas, let me tell you, when it comes to girls, they can be a jigsaw puzzle.  At times you see them in one mood, other times you see them in another mood.  When it comes down to it, you just have to know how you handle things with Xion.  I imagine this is your first relationship, so it’s understandable that you aren’t going to comprehend some of the aspects, you get what I’m saying?  Anyways, you say that she’s going through some kind of situation, and well, you tried to ask her what was wrong, but if she doesn’t want to talk to you about it, then it’s best that you leave her be.  There are just times when it’s best that you don’t try to ask her too much about things.  You have to be patient and take your time when these kinds of situations come, because you have to have a level head to deal with this sort of thing.  I know you love her man, and I know you care for her like crazy, but there are times when you just have to let her sort things out for herself.  Let’s just say that if you push the wrong buttons, things can get screwy, so yeah, just give her time.” Lea advised me, and I scratched my head in confusion.

 

  “But that’s just the thing, I don’t even know what buttons I pushed!” I exclaimed, and at that, Lea smiled and put his hand on my shoulder.

 

  “Don’t worry, it’ll all be okay.  Now come on, let’s head to the next class.” he said, and so we went towards our next class, and as we got in, professor Watanabe had the blackboard full from top to bottom.

 

  “Alright then, now that all of you are here, take out your notebooks and start writing down the material I wrote on the blackboard!” she said, and all the students quietly took out their notebooks and started writing.

 

  “Xion…I hope that you feel better.” I whispered to myself, and then I took out my notebook and started writing.

 

  I thought a lot about what Lea said, and for the rest of the morning, I remained thinking about Xion, wondering what had happened that had caused her to be so sad.  But, I decided I’d do what Lea told me.  I’d try my best to let Xion sort things out for herself, and hopefully, when she felt ready to talk about whatever had happened, I’d be there to listen to her.  And so, as the day passed on by slowly, I took my mind off of Xion and focused on my classes, and then, at lunchtime, I searched for her, but she was nowhere to be found.  I went to the lunchroom and saw my brothers and Lea and Tidus, so I went towards them and ate with them.  All the time, I kept my eyes out for Xion, hoping she’d appear and join us for lunch.  But she didn’t.  After lunch break, we headed to our afternoon classes, and everything was fine and quiet.  I looked out the window towards the courtyard in the hopes of seeing Xion, but she wasn’t there either.  Did she leave school early?  I wondered to myself where she was, and when the bell rung, I went out of the classroom and walked down the hallway, when I stumbled upon Tidus.

(End Song Here)

 

  “Oh, hey Tidus!” I called out to him, and he came towards me.

 

  “Hello again, Roxas!  So, how’re the classes going?” he asked me, and I shrugged.

 

  “Not too bad, and yourself?” I asked, and he gave me a thumbs up and a triumphant smile.

 

  “I’m doing just great!  But hey Roxas, have you noticed something about Xion?” he asked me.  That’s when I remembered that I hadn’t told anyone else besides Lea about Xion.  I nodded and sighed.

 

  “Yeah, she’s very depressed, but when I asked her what was wrong, she wouldn’t tell me what was up.  But she did say she felt lost and confused.” I explained, and Tidus closed his eyes and crossed his arms.

 

  “Well, it seems to me that she’s going through a very rough time right now.  I mean, didn’t you hear?  Yesterday her father came to school looking for her, and he was furious!  A lot of the students were startled, and if it hadn’t been for the principal showing up, Xion would have had to endure a much bigger embarrassment.  A few students told me that she left afterward.  My guess is that she probably went back to her home to confront her father, and I can only imagine that it’s because of whatever confrontation she had with him that probably caused her to get all emotional.  So yeah, if I had to guess, that’s why Xion has been like that.  Just give her some time to sort things out.” Tidus explained, and I thought about his words, and then I looked at him.

 

  “Xion’s father was in school yesterday?” I asked, closing my eyes and stroking my chin.

 

  “Yeah, I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it.  I just hope she’s okay.” Tidus said, and I nodded in agreement with him.

 

  “I hope so too.” I replied, and then we walked together for a bit on our way to class.  That’s when Tidus and I saw Xion across the hallway.  Tidus then gently punched my shoulder.

 

  “Go to her, man!  She’s looking right at you!” he said, and I took a deep breath and looked at him and then readied myself.

 

  “Okay, here I go.  Wish me luck.” I said to Tidus, and with that, I walked towards Xion.

 

  Something about her was definitely a bit off though.  She seemed really spaced out, as if her mind had drifted completely to another place, and her body was just a lifeless shell.  For a moment, I froze, but I quickly pressed onward.  I wanted to help Xion, so I had to be there for her, no matter what!  As I got closer to her, she seemed to regain some more life in her, as she snapped out of her trance and then looked at me with her calm, serene eyes. I slightly blushed and I gulped.  God, even though I had a girlfriend, I was still kind of shy when it came to moments like these!  I shook my head and approached her, and she remained there, staring at me, and then she gave me a sad smile.  I couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.  She looked so sad, it just gave me goosebumps!  I then breathed in and sighed.

 

  “Look, Xion…about earlier today…” I started to say.

 

  “Roxas…you don’t need to apologize.” she cut me off, and then I crossed my arms and looked at her seriously.

 

  “But I was asking you too many questions, and I made you feel uncomfortable, so for that, I’m truly sorry.” I said, but Xion shook her head.

 

  “No, Roxas.  I’m the one who’s sorry.  You only wanted to help, and I was pushing you away.  I felt horrible about it, but I decided that I wanted to tell you what’s been happening…” she explained, and then I nodded.

 

  “Okay, then what is it?” I asked.

 

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…” she said, trailing off.

 

  “Try me.” I reassured her, and with that, she looked at me in the eye and then she took a calm, deep breath.

 

  “Okay…so the thing is, I had a fight with my father yesterday after I got home.  I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but my father came to school yesterday looking for me, and well, he was furious at me, but luckily, the principal was there, and he kept my father at bay.  I was embarrassed and I felt nervous and anxious, and then I went home to face my father.  All I wanted to do was tell him how much I hated him, how much I despised him, but when I was about to do just that, he told me a horrifying truth.  He told me that I was his creation…a puppet he made as an experiment to see if he could grant life to an artificial human body.  Believe me, when he told me that, I was shocked and in disbelief.  For a moment, I thought my father had gone mad…but it turns out that he was telling the truth.  There was no lie in his eyes.  I didn’t know what to do.  I felt horrified and hurt.  Everything I’ve lived up to now has been all a lie, a fabrication and a pretend existence.  Roxas…I’m not who you think I am…” Xion said as she finished explaining everything to me.  I was shocked and speechless.

 

(Start Song Here)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mToddeYW7Ko

  “And so, according to my fath--,no, my creator…I’m nothing but a fabricated human.” Xion said in a sad tone.  I looked at her and then held her by the waist.

 

  “Xion…you are you, and everything you’ve lived up to now has been real!  You can’t seriously believe that everything you’ve lived is a lie!?” I exclaimed, and she slightly flinched.

 

  “But…I’m a fake, a sham!” she burst out, a tear escaping her eye.

 

  “You stop that right now!” I said to her as I pinned her to the wall and looked deeply into her eyes.

 

  “Xion…you are your own person.  No matter what anyone says, no matter what anyone may think, you are a person, and that’s a fact!  No one can take that away from you!  You have a heart, a soul, you have emotions!  You are meant to be here!  You aren’t a sham, and you aren’t a fake!  Everything that you’ve lived up to now has had a purpose!  And even though you may think that your life has been a lie, it’s not!  The feelings we’ve shared, the moments we’ve spent together and with our friends has been real, all of it!  I don’t care what your father says!  He’s nothing but a heartless bastard!  He doesn’t care for you, but I do, and so do our friends!  You can’t let your father get to you!  I believe in you, and I know that you can fight through this situation!  I may not understand why things happen the way they do, but I can damn well assure you that I’ll always be here!  Don’t you dare forget that!  Xion, never think less of yourself, do you hear me!?  Promise me!” I said, pouring my heart out into every word I said.  Xion looked at me with her eyes wide open.

 

  “Did you really mean every word you said just now?” Xion asked shyly, and I nodded.

 

  “You better believe it!  Every.  Single.  Word!” I answered her as I got closer to her, and she blushed.

 

  “Roxas…this is more complicated than you might think.” she said to me, trying to push me away, but I refused to let her go.

 

  “Xion…please…just promise me that you won’t think less of yourself because of what you discovered.  Please…” I implored to her, and I leaned closer to her, but she then gently pushed me away and started to cry.

 

  “I’m sorry Roxas…but…I just don’t know what to do!” she said, and with that, she ran away.

 

  I then began to chase after her.  My heart told me that I had to.  Xion was hurt, and she was obviously confused.  I needed to help her.  And so, I chased after her, and passerby students looked worried as they saw us running.  Xion glanced back a moment and she cried and kept running.  Xion…please…don’t run away from me!  I want to help ease your suffering! That’s what I kept saying in my mind.  That’s what I wanted to tell her, but she kept running away, impeding me from saying anything.  Suddenly, Xion took a sharp left turn and I quickly mimicked her movements, and then she was almost at the entrance, and that’s when I was able to grab her by the arm and stop her.  She struggled to let go, but I wouldn’t let her go, and that’s when I pulled her in for a passionate kiss.  She resisted a bit at first, but then she gave in to the kiss.  Then I slowly pulled away.

 

  “Xion…please don’t face your situation alone.  You have me here to help you!” I exclaimed to her, and at that, she bowed her head down.

 

  “But Roxas…I’m a puppet…I’m not real…” she whispered, and that’s when I lifted her face and made her look into my eyes.

 

  “You aren’t a puppet in my eyes, and I’ll never see you that way!  You have to believe me!” I replied, and she looked at me silently, and then she calmed down.

 

  “Roxas…thank you, but I have to go.” she said, and with that, she walked away.

 

  “Xi—“I started to call out to her, but then I stopped myself.  She clearly wanted to be alone.  This was the time where I couldn’t afford to push the wrong buttons.  I just had to let her go for now.  Reluctantly, I went to my next class.

 

  And so, for the rest of the day, my thoughts remained fixed on Xion.  All I could do was think about her.  I was worried sick about her…and after everything she had told me, I became even more worried for her!  I spaced out quite a few times, and when the bell rung, I silently went out of the classroom and headed towards the bus stop, and Lea followed after me.  He understood what I was going through, so he didn’t say a word to me.  I sighed and wondered if Xion was okay.  After a few minutes, the bus came and we got on board, and for the rest of the trip, everything felt strange to me.  I felt alienated from everyone and everything, as if I was warped out of existence.  I felt depressed and anxious, and then that’s when I suddenly felt someone looking at me.  It was Lea.

 

  “Hey buddy…you doing okay?” he asked, and I sighed and shook my head.

 

  “No, I’m really not.  I’m too worried about Xion…” I answered, and he gave me a sad smile and he sighed.

 

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure things will work out okay.  You just think positive and give her some time.  She’ll come around.” he said reassuringly, and I put on a fake smile.

 

  “You know what Lea?  You’re right.  Things will get better, I’m sure of it!” I said, and with that, it was time for me to get off the bus.

 

  “Well, I’ll see you on Monday, Lea.” I said as I waved goodbye.

 

  “See ya buddy.  Have a good weekend!” he replied as he waved back, and then the bus continued on its way.

 

  Ven and Vanitas hadn’t come on the bus, so I was home alone for now.  I went inside and prepared myself a sandwich, and after that, I took a shower and then I headed for my bedroom and I sat on the floor, looking at the ground.  Xion was suffering, and it was all because of her bastard father…he was the source of her suffering!  I got to boiling mad when I thought of him!  I haven’t even seen him, but knowing that he made Xion feel so emotional was enough to make me angry!  I then remained in my room, and it seemed like hours when it was only mere minutes.  I kept thinking about Xion, and the more I thought of her, the more concern I had for her.  That’s when I made up my mind.  I had to get to the root of this problem, and I had to do it as soon as possible.  If things remained the way they were now, Xion would only get worse, and I didn’t want her to fall into depression!  I clenched my fists and I felt boiling mad again.  I had to do something about this, and I had to do it right now!

 

  Tomorrow I’d pay Xion’s father a visit…

(End Song Here)

----------------------------

 

“Who do you think you are, hurting her!?”

“You insolent child!”

“Don’t hurt him!”

“Begone, girl!”

 

Stay tuned for Chapter Twenty Nine: “A Dangerous Confrontation.”

 

Okay everyone, that was the chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it!  We’re almost at thirty chapters, and it’s been one heck of a ride, hasn’t it?  Now then, as always, please be sure to comment on what you thought of tonight’s chapter, and until next time, stay tuned for the next one everybody!

[KHLegendIII 709]

Oh wow, looks like Vexen/Even's about to get a visit.

[Keyblade101 526]

Roxas vs Vexen. I'm so psyched!!

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Evening everybody, I hope that you’ve all had a wonderful day!  So then, here’s the next chapter of the story, I hope you all enjoy!  It’ll be from Roxas’ perspective!  Only one more chapter to go, and we’ll have reached thirty whole chapters!  Can you believe it!?  Haha, so then, here is the chapter for your enjoyment!  Read on, everyone!

 

Chapter Twenty Nine: A Dangerous Confrontation

(Start Song Here)

  The next day, I woke up feeling furious.  Anger was boiling through my whole body, and all I wanted to do was break through the wall!  But, since my brothers would probably try to interfere with what I had in mind, I had to mask my anger and pretend that I’m just fine.  I took a deep breath and I clenched my fists, and then I relaxed and headed downstairs, where Ven was eating his breakfast alone.  Vanitas was nowhere to be seen, which meant one of two things.  Either he had gone for a walk, or he was down in the supermarket, flirting with girls.  I felt somewhat relieved, since I had one less brother to worry about suspecting me of strange behavior.  But, Ven was very smart, so he’d probably see through my disguise soon enough, so I tried not to make too much eye contact with him.  I sat down quietly and began eating myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a glass of Orange Juice.  Apparently, Ven was thinking about something, because he didn’t notice me sit down.  I took advantage of his distraction to eat as fast as I could, and about halfway through my bowl of cereal, that’s when Ven snapped out of it and then noticed me.

 

  “Oh, hey, good morning Roxas.  How long have you been eating here?” he asked me, looking a bit confused.

 

  “Not too long.  I came along and you seemed to be lost in your thoughts, so I decided to let you be.  I figured you’d snap out of it sooner or later.” I explained, and he laughed.

 

  “Sorry about that.  I was just remembering something that I have to keep in my mind for an upcoming geometry test.” he said, and at that I nodded, taking my final spoonfuls of cereal.

 

  “It’s okay, no worries.  Anyways though, I’m going out for a bit, so I’ll be seeing you later!” I said as I put my bowl in the dishwasher and went towards the door.

 

  “Okay.  Where are you going, by the way?” Ven asked.  That’s when I froze.  I then improvised and put on a fake smile.

 

  “Oh…just a walk around town.  Don’t worry, I won’t go too far.” I answered.  Ven nodded and waved at me.

 

  “Right.  Well, be careful then!” Ven said, and I felt relieved and waved back at him and then went outside.

(End Song Here)

 

  I quickly walked away from my house and then I looked around, just to make sure that Vanitas wasn’t anywhere nearby, and when the coast was clear, that’s when I started to walk faster.  I had to get to Xion’s house and have a talk with her stupid father.  He was the one causing her suffering, so he was the one who was going to have to answer for his mistake!  I felt instantly agitated and I felt my anger get the best of me, as my body boiled once more.  I quickly calmed down again.  No matter what, I had to keep calm and have a clear head.  If even one of my friends saw me in this agitated state, they’d most definitely try to find out what I’m up to.  As I headed towards the park, I shifted my eyes back and forth, making sure once again that no one was following me.  Then, after taking a few more steps, I bumped into someone.  When I looked at who it was, it was Claire, and I froze.

 

  “Roxas?  Why do you look so agitated?” she asked.  Damn it!  She saw through me that easily?  I tried to improvise and come up with an excuse.

 

  “Oh, it’s because of the stupid mosquitoes.  They’ve been following me around and biting me!  Seriously, they’re stupid pests!” I complained, but Claire crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

 

  “Roxas, I’m not stupid.  I know that something’s up.  You’ve got it written all over your face.” she said bluntly, and I slightly blushed and sighed.

 

  “Is it that obvious?” I asked, giving up.  She smiled and stroked my hair.

 

  “Well, if someone looks directly at you, then yes, it’s obvious.  So tell me, what’s wrong?” she asked, and that’s when I decided I’d explain to her what was up.  After giving said explanation, she rubbed her head and closed her eyes.

 

  “Wow, it looks like your situation’s rougher than I thought.  Well, if you want my advice, then here’s what I’ll give to you.  You have to make sure that you’re committed one hundred percent to what you’re going to do, and try to do it in a way that doesn’t end up with Xion’s father calling the police.  You have to keep calm and find the right words to say, and you also have to take Xion’s feelings into consideration.  Even though she and her father don’t get along, things might go sour if you try to fight her battle for her.  If you’re dead set on doing this, then do it, but please be careful with what you say.  Oh, and you don’t have to worry about your brothers finding out, this’ll be a secret kept between you and me.” she said, and at that, I smiled and felt much more relaxed.  I then hugged her and took a deep breath.

 

  “Thanks Claire.  You always know just what to say.” I said to her in gratitude, and she laughed softly, stroking my hair once more.

 

  “Don’t mention it.  Just be careful, you hear?” she asked me, and I nodded to reassure her that I’d be okay.

 

  “Will do!” I answered, and with that, I continued on my way.  Now I felt much more relaxed and with a clearer head.

 

  “Xion…” I muttered to myself as I thought of her.  I felt ever more determined to get to her house, so I walked faster.

 

  Then, after a few minutes, I arrived to her house.  Everything was quite…almost a little too quiet.  I even felt nervous for a bit.  But, I shook away my nervousness, because I had already committed myself to coming here, so I was going to see this through to the end, no matter what!  And so, I took a deep breath and then walked towards the door.  I hesitated a bit as I approached the door, but I again shook off my nervousness and knocked on the door two times.  Silence.  Nothing happened.  I then knocked on the door three times and waited again.  Silence.  Still nothing.  I then knocked on the door three more times, and that’s when I heard footsteps coming from inside.  I stood firm and took a deep breath and composed myself, as to look calm and collected.  The footsteps sounded ever closer, and then the door opened slowly, and that’s when I saw Xion’s father.  He was a tall man with long, blonde hair and green, evil looking eyes.  He had a lab coat on and he frowned at me.  We both looked at each other for what seemed to be minutes, and then, before I could say anything, he was the first one to speak.

 

  “Who are you, boy?” he asked in a rather intimidating tone.  That’s when I remembered.  Xion had said that he never bothered to ask her anything about her personal life, so odds were she didn’t tell him about me.

 

  “My name is Roxas Harada.  I study in Fukuoka Daichii High School with your daughter, Xion Fuyibayashi.  She’s my girlfriend.” I said, introducing myself, and then he gave me a sharp gaze.

 

  “Girlfriend, you say?  Hmph.  I am Even Fuyibayashi.  If you’re looking for Xion, she’s up in her room, I assume.” he explained, and then I frowned slightly and looked at him.

 

  “Actually, I came here to see you.” I said, and at that, Even laughed and then opened the door wide and welcomed me inside.

 

  “Well then, come in, esteemed guest of honor!” he proclaimed sarcastically, and then I cautiously walked inside.

 

  “Have a seat.  I’ll be right with you.” he said as he went towards the kitchen.

 

(Start Song Here)

  As he said, I took myself a seat in the living room, and I noticed that the house was very dark, and all the curtains were closed.  Even seemed to like the dark a bit too much.  As my eyes wandered about the living room, I noticed a TV, two couches, some vases with fake plants in them, and some kind of statue that resembled a unicorn.  There was a gray rug on the floor and a small table.  I then looked towards the rest of the house, and it looked all gray and lifeless.  This house sure was gloomy.  I wondered how Xion could stand living here.  I then picked up the faint scent of coffee.  Apparently, Even was preparing some for us.  I then saw him dart about in the kitchen, looking for something.  I then immediately turned my sight away from him and looked at the ceiling.  I then thought of Xion.  Had she noticed that I had come inside?  Or was she still sleeping?  Either way, I had to keep my mind focused on what I had come here to do.  I steadily thought about what I was going to say to Even the minute he would sit down.  Then, a few seconds later, Even came and handed me a cup of coffee and a plate that had a ham sandwich.  Then he sat down, sipping his cup of coffee.

 

  “So then, tell me, why is it that you came to see me?” he asked, and then I took a bite out of the sandwich and a sip of coffee, and then I took a deep breath and looked at him.

 

  “Well sir…Xion has been very depressed lately…and it’s because you told her that she’s nothing but a puppet…and that is cruel.” I said calmly, trying to control my anger.  Even simply laughed.

 

  “That girl will recover quickly.  After all, she is my creation.  She’ll get over her depression and continue about as she always does.” he said almost gleefully.  I sat there, shocked at his words.

 

  “Are you kidding me?” I asked, and at that, Even clasped his hands together.

 

  “What?  Are you really concerned about her?  She’s nothing but a toy!” he said with a smirk on his face, and that’s when I snapped.

 

  “Who do you think you are, hurting her!?  You’re nothing but a heartless bastard that enjoys her suffering!  What did she ever do to make you treat her the way you do!?  Why do you have to be so cruel to her!? She’s been through so much, and she’s never been able to tell you about her problems because you are never there for her!  You just sit there and laugh like if this doesn’t have anything to do with you, but meanwhile, Xion’s suffering!  I can’t believe what a bastard you are!  You don’t deserve to have her in this house!  You don’t deserve anything!  You’re a worthless piece of crap!  As long as Xion and I are together, I’m going to protect her from you!  You’re not going to hurt her ever again!” I blurted out in anger and frustration, but at that, Even simply started to laugh, apparently enjoying my moment of anger.

 

  “You are such a naïve boy, it’s almost pitiful!  Didn’t you hear what I said?  She’s my creation!  As such, what happens to her is of no consequence to me!” he said with a smirk.  I then clenched my fists.

 

  “It doesn’t matter what she is!  The fact is that she is her own person!  She has her own heart, and she deserves to have happiness, just like a real human!” I said, glaring at him, and then his face turned grim.

 

  “You insolent child.  I believe you’ve intruded in my house long enough!” he enunciated, but I stood my ground and continued glaring at him.  That’s when I heard footsteps.

 

  “Roxas?” I heard someone call out to me.  When I turned around to look, it was Xion, looking at me with surprise.

 

  “W-what are you doing, Roxas?” she asked, her face now pale.  That’s when Even stood in front of Xion and looked at her.

 

  “Well, let me explain it to you.  This ‘boyfriend’ of yours has come here on your behalf to defend you.  Now he knows that you’re a puppet, but that doesn’t seem to faze him.  He blindly defends you, and his anger towards me is apparent in his eyes.  A very powerful anger indeed!  To think that such a naïve boy could ever have feelings for you is beyond me!  Truly something amazing!  This has provided wonderful results to research in my lab!  But now this boy is turning out to be a pest, and I was just about to escort him out of the house.  Now then, girl, go back upstairs to your room and pretend that this boy isn’t here, and I do not want to hear any protests against my demands!  Now go!” Even said after he explained everything to Xion, but I defiantly stood in between him and Xion and spread my arms wide.

 

  “She’s not going anywhere!” I protested, and Even’s glare intensified.

 

  “Roxas…please…just go…” Xion whispered to me.  Hearing her sadness tore me apart.  I couldn’t leave her.  Not now!

 

  “Leave now, boy, before I am resorted to use drastic measures!” Even said with an intimidating tone, but I didn’t budge.

 

  “No!  You aren’t going to mistreat Xion anymore!  She’s going to come with me!” I said as I glanced over my shoulder at her.  She looked at me with shock in her eyes.

(End Song Here)

 

  “That is enough!  Get out of my house!” Even yelled as he threw his fist at me, punching me right in the jaw, making me fall down.

 

  My head was in a daze.  I could faintly hear Xion’s voice calling out to me.  I shook my head and felt everything spin around me.  I felt disoriented and weakened, but then I started to recover.  Now I could hear Xion crying, and I could see Even’s feet right behind me.  I clenched my fists and breathed in.  That’s when I snapped.  I couldn’t take this anymore.  All this anger, boiling inside me, I just couldn’t control it anymore!  I slowly stood up, and then I immediately turned around and delivered a jab to Even’s face, making him stumble and fall on his back, to which Xion gasped in shock.  Even was surprised as well, while I stood there, defiant and ready to fight for Xion.  I knew I’d probably get in loads of trouble for this, but I had to go through with it, to the very end!  And so, I pounced on top of Even and started punching him relentlessly, and then Even blocked my punches and punched me in the gut, and then he held my head and yanked on my hair, throwing me across the living room.  I squirmed in pain and before I knew it, I felt a sharp pain in my back.  Even had kicked me, and now he was kicking me again, this time, even harder!  Then I saw Xion run to Even and cling onto his arm.

 

  “No, please don’t hurt him!” Xion begged, but Even slapped her and threw her to the side.

 

  “Begone, girl!  I am sick of this!  Now it looks like I’ll have to take matters into my own hands!” Even said as he started to strangle me.  I started to run out of breath, and Xion was crying, battered on the floor, unable to stand.

 

  “Die, boy!  I am sick of you!” he shouted, and I squirmed and struggled to get out of his grip, and then, luckily, I was able to hit his stomach with my knee, and I was able to catch my breath.

 

  “Xion!” I shouted out to her as I went towards her to see if she was okay.  She looked at me with watery eyes and flinched in pain.

 

  “R-Roxas…” she muttered, and I kissed her lips.

 

  “Don’t worry, I’m going to get you out of here!” I said, and then I got hit in the back, and Even stood above me.

 

  “Not so fast, boy!” he shouted, and at this point, it was inevitable.  I had to knock out this psychopath.

 

(Start Song Here)

  But, being a psychopath, I was fully aware that he’d attempt to do anything, so I thought to myself that it’d be best to drag out the fight slowly, so that I could lure him away from Xion, that way, she’d have time to go upstairs and lock herself up in her bedroom, where she’d be safe from this bastard.  I punched him a few times and kicked him, and then I dodged his punches, and then I rolled over towards the hallway, and then he followed me and kicked me, making me fall back.  I then quickly ran towards the nearest mirror, and then I grabbed it and hit him in the head with said mirror, making him flinch in pain.  The glass had scratched a bit of his face, but it wasn’t enough to make him stop.  He grabbed me by the neck and then slammed me to the floor, and my head hit against the floor, making me shout out in pain.  I could feel the pain coursing through my body.  He then tried strangling me again, but I was able to escape his grasp, and then I hit him right in the stomach, and then he fell down.  Now I had to improvise.  I had to check on Xion, but the, I suddenly felt that I couldn’t move, and when I looked back, Even yanked my leg and made me fall face first towards the floor.

 

  “Roxas!!!” I heard Xion call out to me.  Her voice sounded so distant, and my vision was blurry.  I struggled to stand, but stumbled and fell back down.

 

  “Roxas!!!” I heard her call again.  I had to shake off my weakened state!  I couldn’t abandon Xion!  I couldn’t!

 

  “Xion…where are you?” I asked, trying to open my eyes, but to no avail.  Then, I heard some footsteps, and I felt a kick to the head, and I tumbled over.

 

  “Get up, you insolent brat!” Even said, sounding as irritated as ever. 

 

  “Didn’t you hear a word I said?  Get up, unless you want me to kick you again!” Even shouted, and that’s when I was finally able to stand up, and I managed to open my right eye.  I touched my left eye and it was swollen, so I couldn’t open it completely.  Then, a horrifying sight caught my attention.

 

  “Now, you stop right there, boy!  I’ve had just about enough of you, so I will tell you one more time.  Leave my house at once, or face the consequences!  You’ve already intruded for far too long, and I will not tolerate your presence any longer!  You’re such a repulsive little bug, coming to my house and claiming for things that are not for claiming!  I will say, that you have guts, boy, I’ll give you at least that much!  But now, your time here is up!  Now begone…unless you want to have the death of your beloved girlfriend on your conscience!” Even said as he pointed a knife to Xion’s neck, her face full of horror and despair.  I froze and felt so much fear course through me!  Was this madman really capabe of killing her?  Would he really be that heartless and just get away with it?  I was afraid to find out, so I just backed away slowly.

 

  “Even, please, you’re taking this too far!” I said, trying to reason with him, but Even’s eyes twitched psychotically, and he then pressed his knife on Xion’s neck slightly, making her bleed.

 

  “I don’t take orders from you, boy!  Now leave!” Even shouted, and now I became desperate.  I didn’t know what to do!  Even if I left, he’d probably kill her!  I didn’t know what I could do!

 

  “Please, don’t hurt her!” I shouted, and that’s when Even slightly cut Xion’s neck a bit more, and she moaned in pain and cried, looking at me with desperate eyes.

 

  “You bastard!” I yelled out in anger towards him, but Even simply laughed and shook his head.

 

  “To think that you’d risk your life for a puppet.  It goes to show just how naïve humans can be.  I’ll kill her right in front of you!  I’ll do—“ his sentence was cut shurt.  Before I noticed what had happened, I saw a bullet that had pierced through his heart.  When I slowly looked back, Claire was behind me, wielding the gun that had killed Even!

(End Song Here)

 

  “Are you okay?” she asked with a grim face.  I nodded in disbelief.

 

  “Y-yeah, b-but how…you have a gun!  What?” I asked, feeling flabbergasted.  Then she reached out for a small communication device that was in her pocket.

 

  “Target has been shot down, I repeat, target has been shot down.  Recover the body.” she said, and in just instants, the police came bursting through the door, checking the entire perimeter and then taking Even’s body away.  Xion was shocked and speechless.  I went towards her and held her close and kissed her forehead multiple times, and then I looke at Claire.

 

  “I-I don’t understand.” I stuttered, and that’s when Claire knelt in front of us.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “I’m sorry that it had to be this way Roxas.  I didn’t want to have to bring this man down like this.  As you’re probably aware, the police are here, and well, I am a police as well.  An undercover agent, if you will.  I had been tasked with monitoring Even Fuyibayashi to see if he was up to something strange, but since he was always bottled up in his lab, it was difficult for me to check on what he was up to.  When you told me you were heading here, I made sure to follow you, just in case things took a turn for the worse.  The thing is, Even was a crazy scientist who was avoiding the law, and he had to be taken in.  But, as you can see, taking him in wasn’t an option.  But anyways, I’m just relieved I came here before things got even worse.  I’ll tell my friends to check up on Xion, so sit tight.” she said after explaining everything.  I just couldn’t believe it.  Claire had been an undercover cop all this time?  I then shook my head and looked at Xion, who was laying her head on my chest.

 

  “Roxas…he’s gone…” she whispered, gently crying.

 

  “Xion…I’m so sorry.” I said.  I knew that even though Even had been a bastard, he was still the only father Xion had ever known.  This obviously wasn’t easy for her.

 

  “Roxas…I told you that bad things would happen if you got involved with me…” she said softly, and that’s when I stopped her right in her tracks.

 

  “Don’t say that Xion…please.” I said to her, and then I kissed her forehead.

 

  After a few more minutes, Xion was checked on and then she had some patches put on her small cuts so that the blood wouldn’t keep dripping out.  Then, the police talked with Claire outside, and soon after, a few more policemen came, and then Claire took us home.  When we got home, Ven and Vanitas were shocked and paralyzed by what had happened.  I explained everything to them, and they listened to every word that I said, and then we decided that Xion would be living with us until things settled down.  Xion sat quietly on the couch in the living room while I talked with Ven and Vanitas, and soon after, Claire came to check up on us, and she stayed for a while and asked that we leave her alone with Xion.  Ven, Vanitas and I were worried about Xion.  We contacted Lea and Tidus, who came over as soon as they could, and they stayed at home for a while, and then, after that, they left, and Claire left was well, and Ven and Vanitas had gone to sleep.  Xion had fallen asleep on the couch, and I sat beside her, and I touched her hand.  I still couldn’t believe how fast everything had happened.  It was all so bizarre.

 

  It was something that could only have been described as a nightmare.

(End Song Here)

-----------------------------------------------------

 

“What happens now?”

“Things happen in life for a reason.”

“Roxas…I’m just nothing but trouble…”

“I’m a puppet…tangled in my own strings.”

 

Be prepared for Chapter Thirty: “An Unsettling Aftermath.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter, I hope that you all enjoyed it to the max!  I bet none of you expected for all of this crazy intensity to go down!  I especially loved how I fleshed out Claire’s character a bit more in this chapter, and well, everything came out smoothly.  Well then, as always, please comment on what you all thought of tonight’s chapter, and until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

Oh yes! Even is dead! I knew this would happen!

[Keyblade101 526]

YES!!! BYE BYE EVEN!!! And Claire sh;owing up outta nowhere and turning out to be a cop! I did NOT see that coming at all! Absolutely awesome chapter!

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Thank you for the comments!  Hey there everyone, and good evening!  Wow, we’ve already finished the first month of the year, and now we’re in February! I hope all of you guys and gals enjoy this month, seeing as it’s the month of l’amour!  Haha, anyways, here’s chapter thirty, everyone!  Only twenty more chapters and this story will reach its conclusion!  So then, this chapter will be from Xion’s perspective!  Enjoy! 

 

Chapter Thirty: An Unsettling Aftermath

 

  My mind was a mess.  I didn’t know what to think.  Everything had happened so fast and so suddenly, that I still couldn’t believe it.  Everything happened before my eyes, vividly, a living nightmare!  My heart was demolished.  I didn’t know what to say or what to do.  I didn’t even know why I was behaving like this at all.  My father…no, my creator, had always been heartless towards me and he had never really bothered to care for me.  He even tried to kill me!  If it hadn’t been for Roxas, I would be dead right now.  And even so, even though I shouldn’t have been caring about his death, it just strangely impacted me.  Why was I crying for his death?  Shouldn’t I be happy that he’s gone?  God, I was so confused.  Even in my sleep, I couldn’t even have a moment of peace.  All I had were these constant thoughts in my head. Then, slowly, I started to open my eyes, and when I opened them completely, I noticed Roxas sleeping by my side.  I then noticed that we were in the living room.  I smiled and stroked his hair gently.  He had stayed here all night with me, which was something I deeply appreciated.  I gently kissed his lips and then I went outside and looked at the morning sky.

 

  “Oh God…why did this have to happen?” I asked to myself.

 

  “Xion?  Are you okay?”  a voice called out to me.  When I turned back, it was Claire, who waved at me, and I waved back at her.

 

  “No..I’m not okay.” I said to her bluntly, and we stood there in silence for a while, and then I felt Claire put her hand on my shoulder.

 

  “Listen, about what happened, I’m truly sorry.  But I had no other choice than to do what I did.” she said apologetically, and I kept looking at the sky.

 

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about.  You were doing your job, and besides…he was a madman…you don’t have to have his death on your conscience.” I said to her, and then I glanced over my shoulder at her.  She then stood beside me.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Xion…remember what I told you last night?  My job is never an easy thing to do.  Oftentimes, I feel terrified, and I don’t know what to expect.  I act on instinct, based on all the training I accumulated over the years.  And so, when I saw that your life and Roxas’ life were in danger, I acted on instinct, putting my top priority into protecting you two.  I could’ve just shot his leg and we could have taken him to jail…I didn’t think that moment.  All I did was aim straight towards his heart.  While I won’t ask you what your personal life with him was like, I know that this must be eating away at your heart.  And for what it’s worth, Xion, believe me when I say that I’m truly sorry.  I just…want you to know that, okay?” she asked after pouring out her heart to me.  I could tell the sincerity in her words, and I felt touched by them.  I smiled a bit and held her hand.

 

  “Like I said, Claire, there’s nothing for you to apologize for.” I reassured her, and then I looked at her hand, trying to hold off my tears.

 

  “I won’t deny that this has been hard…my feelings are such a confounded mess.  I don’t know what to feel…” I said, my voice cutting in between sobs.  Claire knelt in front of me and touched my face.

 

  “That’s okay.  It’s okay to feel like that.  Oftentimes, when we face these situations in life, we normally don’t know how to react.  Things happen in life for a reason, although most times we don’t know why.” Claire said, and I looked at her and sighed.

 

  “Yeah…it’s true.  But Claire…I didn’t want to drag Roxas into this…he’s only met trouble since he met me…” I said, looking away, and then Claire held me by the shoulders.

 

  “Xion, Roxas has been here for you every single step of the way.  You have to know that his heart’s in the right place.  He’ll do anything for you.  I know that he’d disagree with what you’re saying right now.” she replied, and then, all of a sudden, her cell phone began to ring.  She then picked it up.

 

  “Yeah?  Uh-huh?  Okay, got it, be right there.” I heard her say, and then she hung up and looked at me.

 

  “Well, duty calls.  I’ll be back to check up on you later.  Hang in there, okay?” she asked as she hugged me, and I hugged her back.

 

  “Okay.  Be careful out there.” I said to her, and then I saw her leave.

(End Song Here)

 

  I looked up at the sky and sighed.  At least now I felt a little better, but even with Claire’s words, I just couldn’t snap out of myself.  I found myself crying, and then I wiped off my tears quickly.  I didn’t want to worry Roxas more than he already was.  I knew that he’d wake up soon, so I had to do my best to hold my tears back.  I remained outside, looking at the sky and the clouds going here and there, in their own, blissful pattern.  At that moment, I wished that I could be a cloud, blissful and free to wander the sky aimlessly.  I then snapped myself out of it, and then I went inside, and I noticed that Roxas was still sleeping, but I think I could hear a noise coming from the kitchen.  Ven and Vanitas were probably awake right now.  I went towards the kitchen and saw only Ven, who was preparing breakfast, and he noticed me and gave me a sad smile.

 

  “Hey Xion?  You feeling any better?” he asked as he walked towards me.  I smiled a bit and nodded.

 

  “Yeah, a little better.  It’s still been hard to go through, though.” I answered, looking at the table, and then Ven sat down and clasped his hands together.

 

  “Don’t worry Xion, we’re all here for you, so keep your chin up.” he said reassuringly, and I looked at him.

 

  “I’ll try my best…anywyas, when do you think Roxas will wake up?” I asked him, and then he stood up to continue making breakfast.

 

  “Oh, him?  Don’t worry, he’ll be up in a few minutes.  The smell of bacon will bring him over here.” he answered with a chuckle. 

 

  As I looked at Ven prepare breakfast, I could tell that he was sad.  Surely it was because of this whole mess of a situation, and yet, I couldn’t help but feel that there was something more to his sadness than what appeared on the surface.  But, I didn’t want to bother him about it, so I remained silent.  As I kept observing him, I noticed how delicate he is when cooking.  You could tell that he had a love for it.  Then, the smell of bacon started to creep into my nose, and my mouth started to water.  Soon after, my stomach growled, and now I felt instantly hungry.  I blushed in embarrassment and Ven simply laughed and said that breakfast was almost ready.  I smiled and then hid my face to hide my embarrassment.  Then, about a few seconds later, I saw Roxas come into the kitchen, looking drowsy, his hair all messed up.  He looked so funny, I couldn’t hold myself from giggling.  At that, Roxas looked at me with a questioning gaze, wondering why I was giggling.  He then shook his head and yawned and stretched his arms, and then he shook himself to snap out of his drowsiness.  He then looked at me and he laughed, his hand passing through his hair.

 

  “Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m very lazy when I wake up.” Roxas replied, and I rolled my eyes and gave him a kiss.

 

  “You’re adorably lazy.  That’s one of the things I like about you.” I said to him, and then he chuckled to himself.

 

  “Well gee, thanks for calling me adorable.” he said sarcastically, and then we heard the clang of plates on the table, and then Ven looked at us and rolled his eyes.

 

  “Okay, okay, enough, you two lovebirds, now start eating!” he said, and then Roxas and I looked at each other and laughed.  He then looked at me serious.

 

  “Hey Xion, are you feeling any better?” he asked, and at that, I fell silent for a few moments.  I took a piece of bacon on my fork and I observed it as I remained silent, and then I looked at him.

 

  “I’m doing a bit better…” I answered him.

 

  Noticing the tone in my answer, Roxas immediately turned his attention to his breakfast.  I could tell that he was concerned about me, and I appreciated it so much, but right now, I needed to keep my mind off of everything.  I didn’t want to keep thinking about what had happened…all I wanted to do was try to get through this.  I hoped that Roxas would understand my feelings.  I don’t want to make him feel like he’s making me feel uncomfortable.  I sighed, looking at the ceiling momentarily and then taking a bite out of the bacon.  Oh my God, that bacon was so delicious!  There’s just something about the way that Ven made it that really made it taste scrumptious!  I had never tasted better bacon in my life!  I couldn’t help but smile, the flavor making its way through my taste buds.  I then looked at Roxas, who had already devoured three whole pieces of bacon, and I giggled and rolled my eyes.  He was like a child!  Soon after finishing breakfast, we told Ven we’d wash the dishes, and then after that, I decided that I wanted to go outside to the park.  But…I wanted to go alone.  And so I went towards the door, opening it and heading outside.

 

  “Hey Xion, where are you going?” Roxas asked from behind, and I froze for a moment, but then quickly regained my composure.

 

  “Oh…just for a little walk around the neighborhood…” I answered him, and I noticed he was about to ask something more, but he seemed to hold back, and he just gave me a smile.

 

  “Well, okay then, but be careful out there, you hear?” Roxas asked.  I nodded and smiled.

 

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.  I love you Roxas.” I answered to him as I walked over to him and gave him a kiss.

 

  “I love you too, Xion.” Roxas replied, kissing me back and hugging me tight.  With that, he went inside, and I started walking towards the park.

 

  I don’t know why I felt like I had to go to the park, but all I knew is that there was something in my heart that was telling me to do so.  But then I remembered that my heart wasn’t real…I then remembered my creator’s words.  “Nothing but a puppet.” I cringed as those words made their way into my mind, and I slightly trembled.  Now I was a puppet without a creator…a lonely puppet. Even though Roxas accepted who I was, I still felt a sadness overwhelming me.  What then, was to be my fate?  Since I’m not a real human, does that mean that I’ll live on through eternity, seeing how my friends die with time?  How would I be able to live for eternity?  That concept had been something I had never thought to grasp before.  But now, there I was, lost in my thoughts.  Suddenly, I bumped into someone, and when I was about to apologize, I noticed I had bumped into Riku.  He smiled at me.

 

  “Well, look who we have here.  A girl lost in her thoughts.  You should keep your eyes in front of you.” Riku said with a smile, and I blushed slightly.

 

  “Yeah…sorry about that.  I’ve just been thinking a lot.” I said to him, and he seemed to notice my depressed state, for he walked closer to me and looked into my eyes.

 

  “Hey, how are you doing?  Your still thinking about what happened?” he asked.  I then sighed and nodded.

 

  “Yes…but it’s not just that.  It’s just the truth that I’ve discovered about myself has been eating away at my mind.” I said softly, and then Riku offered me a seat on the bench nearby us.

 

  “Truth?  The truth about what?” he asked me as we both sat down.

 

  “The truth about me not being human…that’s the way it is.  According to my creator, I’m just a puppet, a puppet used for an experiment.  The reason he created me was in order to see if my humanoid body could be granted life.  It’s an experiment he said he’d undergone many years ago…and well, I’m the product of all that research.  Riku…everything in my life has been a lie.  All the experiences I’ve been through have been through the eyes of a puppet, and not a real human.  I am just a mockery of life, an imitation, nothing but a fake…that’s all I am…and that’s all I ever will be.  I’m a puppet…tangled in my own strings.  And now, with everything that’s happened, I keep asking myself…what happens now?” I asked as I finished telling Riku about who I really was.  He only looked at me silently and then he stood up.

 

  “Fake or not, your life is yours.  That’s something no person can take away from you.” he said as he walked towards a nearby lamppost.

 

  “B-but…how can I live with this truth that I’ve been told?” I asked him, and then Riku looked at me and crossed his arms.

 

  “No one said it’d be easy to accept things just like that.  The truth about who you are doesn’t have to change who you are right now.  All you have to do is accept yourself for who you are, and live with the truth you’ve been told.” he answered, and then I remained silent for a bit.

 

  “Maybe you’re right…” I told him silently.

 

  “You know…when I look at you, you remind me a lot of myself.” he said as he walked towards a nearby water fountain that was a little bit to the side of the bench.

 

  “How so?” I asked him, feeling curious.  He then looked up at the sky and the wind blew his hair softly.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Back then, I had troubles accepting who I was too.  There was a time when I betrayed my dearest friends, all for being a selfish person, thinking that the easy path was the best path to choose.  I abandoned my friends and didn’t see them for a very long time.  When I saw them again, Sora knocked some sense into me, advising me not to take the easy path and to be whom I truly was.  But, the truth of the matter is, I wanted to be someone else.  I had come from a rough home.  My parents were affectionate and loving at first, but then there came a time when they would no longer see eye to eye.  Fights were constant, there’d never be a night when I wouldn’t hear them arguing, and well, you could imagine what a nightmare that was.  Then, one night, I heard something that changed my life forever.  In an argument my parents had, I overheard my father say that he never wanted me.  He had wanted my mother to abort me when I was still in her womb.  It was a terrifying discovery, and well, I felt out of place.  If I wasn’t even wanted, then what purpose did I serve in this life?  I felt like I was nothing.” he explained, and I looked at him with shock.

 

  “That’s horrible!  Riku…I never would have imagined such a thing!” I said to him, and he nodded and then looked at the fountain.

 

  “Yeah, I know right?  Who would’ve ever thought?” he asked.

 

  “So…how did you overcome the truth?” I asked him.  He then sat down beside me, and he crossed his arms.

 

  “Well, you see, that’s where the next part of my story comes in.” he answered.

 

  “I see.  Then please, continue.” I said to him, and then he closed his eyes, searching in memory, and then he continued his story.

 

  “Well, after I had discovered that I had been unwanted, I told my friends about it, including Sora, and they were all there for me, to help ease my pain.  But, even with their support, I still felt depressed and I would get even more depressed day by day.  Then, a few students one day saw me, and they told me to come to them.  They said that there was a way in which I could forget about the suffering.  That’s when they offered me drugs.  I didn’t want to at first, but I had been so desperate, that I would do anything to forget about this pain.  And so, I started doing drugs with them, and I did forget the pain for a little while…but as time went on, I realized that I had turned my back on my best friends.  I had left them in the dirt when they had been there for me.  That’s when I felt remorse kick in.  I wanted to stop using drugs, but my body wanted more.  That’s when Sora came to me one day, and he said that choosing the right path is never easy, but it’s a path worth taking.  Even though I had been unwanted, he told me that all I had to do was face the truth and accept myself for who I was.  That being unwanted didn’t have to change who I was…” he said, smiling to himself.

(End Song Here)

 

  “Then what happened?” I asked him.

 

  “Well, to put it this way, Sora gave me the push I needed to recover from my drug addiction, and he pointed me back in the right path.” he answered.

 

  “And the fact that you were unwanted…it doesn’t bother you anymore?” I asked him, and he nodded.

 

  “No, because I learned to live with that truth.  Sure, I was unwanted, but I decided that I wouldn’t let that truth influence who I could become.” he answered.

 

  “I see.” I replied, admiring how Riku had so much resolve.

 

  “So, let that be a lesson to you.  No one can tell you what you are or what you aren’t, because you are who you choose to be.” he said, and I blushed and clenched my fists in determination.

 

  “I am who I choose to be…thank you so much Riku…you’ve really helped me.” I said to him as I stood up and bowed my head appreciatively to him.  He simply smiled and then looked at the sky.

 

  “No problem, Xion.” he replied.

 

  And so, after parting ways with Riku, I kept walking around the park, and I felt much better now.  I breathed in the fresh air and observed the trees as they swayed their branches back and forth with the flow of the wind.  Little birds could be seen flying here and there, and some of them were on the ground, looking for little twigs for their nests or pieces of food that people had thrown to the ground.  The children were running around, enjoying their blissful moments of peace.  I smiled and looked at them, and I sat near a sandbox to watch them play.  They all seemed to happy, and I couldn’t help but smile too.  And Riku’s words had given me even more determination, so now, I was as determined as ever to keep pushing through in life.  As I watched the children play, a little girl walked towards me, and I wondered why she did.  I smiled and greeted the girl.

 

  “Why hello there, you adorable thing!” I said to the girl, and she giggled childlishly.

 

  “Hello!  I think you’re very pretty!  When I grow up, I want to have hair just like yours!” the girl proclaimed, and at that, I blushed.

 

  “Why thank you, you’re so sweet!” I said as I stroked the girl’s hair.  Suddenly, my head started to ache, and everything around me seemed to be distorted.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “W-what’s happening to me?” I asked myself, as everything around me became nothing more than a blur.

 

  “Ha ha ha, you wretched girl!  You’ll never be able to escape the fate of eternity!  You shall roam this earth in loneliness!” I heard an all too familiar voice say.  When I turned around, it was my creator!

 

  “W-what?  But, how can this be!?” I asked in shock, and my creator laughed gleefully and then he crossed his arms.

 

  “All you’ll ever be is a puppet!” he replied.

 

  Suddenly, everything around me began to change, as if the entire landscape was shifting in form.  It was all so confusing and disorienting!  Why was this happening!?  Suddenly, my head started to ache even more, and then I could see all of my memories play before my eyes.  The time I met Roxas…the time when I became friends with everyone…the time Roxas and I kissed…all these memories were playing out like a movie, and then I yelled from the top of my lungs!  I wouldn’t let these thoughts control me!  I wouldn’t be brought down by these illusions!  I wasn’t going to let my creator get the best of me!  I am who I choose to be!  That’s what I kept repeating to myself constantly, muttering the words with each breath I took.  I am who I choose to be!  I AM WHO I CHOOSE TO BE!  When I said it that last time, everything returned back to normal, and when I opened my eyes, I noticed I was on the floor.

(End Song Here)

 

  “Huh?  Why am I on the ground?” I asked to myself, and then I saw the same little girl by my side, looking at me.

 

  “Hey!  You fell to the ground all of a sudden!  Were you sleeping?” the little girl asked.  I smiled and giggled and stroked her hair.

 

  “No, I wasn’t sleeping, not at all.” I answered, and the girl looked at me curiously.

 

  “Hmm, you’re a weird girl!  Well, goodbye!” she said as she waved goodbye, and I waved back at her and smiled.  It’s a good thing that not many people were around, otherwise, there would have been a scene.

 

  “Everything’s okay now.” I said to myself, and with that, I started walking back to Roxas’ place.

 

  Along the way, I thought about Riku’s words and about what had happened to me just a few moments ago.  I’m glad I was able to overcome that momentary drift in thought.  I felt empowered, and I felt like nothing could stop me!  I wasn’t going to let myself be fraught with worry over who I am, because there was no point in doing that.  As long as I would stay true to myself, I’d be able to do anything, and I’d be able to live my life the way I want.  My heart filled with happiness, and now I was determined to face what the new days would bring.  When I got back to Roxas, he was outside with Ven and Vanitas, and they greeted me and I smiled at them.  They were glad to see me feeling better.  I was happy too, because no matter what would happen, everything would be okay.

 

  Because I am who I choose to be.

------------------------------------------

 

“The school festival is over?”

“Gosh, we didn’t even notice it!”

“Roxas!”

“An old friend…”

 

Stay tuned for Chapter Thirty One: “An Old Friend Comes To Visit.”

 

Well everyone, that was it!  I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!  The part I enjoyed the most of writing this chapter was fleshing out Riku’s backstory.  I knew it would serve as a lesson for Xion to learn, so that’s how Riku’s backstory came into being!  I hope you all liked it!  As always, thank you very much for your patience, and please be sure to comment on what you thought of tonight’s chapter!  Until next time, stay tuned for the next one, folks!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was interesting.

[Keyblade101 526]

Whoa, I never would've imagined Riku living like that, that's so sad.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey there everyone, good evening!  I hope you’ve all had a wonderful day!  So then, here is another chapter of the story!  I hope you’re all surprised by who’s going to appear in this chapter, although some of you may have expected for this person to appear at some point.  Still, I’m sure you’ll all be pleased whether  you expected it or not.  Anyways, this chapter will be from Xion’s perspective!  Enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty One: An Old Friend Comes To Visit

 

  The next morning, I woke up to the smell of scrambled eggs.  The scent was so delicious!  As I opened my eyes and sat up and stretched my legs, I realized that I was in Roxas’ room!  I then immediately blushed.  Had he carried me up here after I fell asleep on the couch?  I blushed and then looked to the side of the bed, and noticed Roxas wasn’t there.  He was probably already downstairs eating breakfast.  I blushed again as I pictured me and Roxas in his bedroom.  I mean, sure, he had fallen asleep with me on the couch, but this is his bedroom, a completely different matter!  Gah, what am I even saying!?  Anyways, I got up and then I walked out of Roxas’ bedroom and then headed downstairs, where Ven, Vanitas and Roxas were, eating in the dining room.  Then I had totally forgotten that today was a school day, so I quickly went upstairs and changed into my uniform and then came back downstairs and joined them for breakfast.  I looked at my plate, and there were scrambled eggs, some crackers, an apple, and a glass of milk.  My stomach growled and I blushed and started to eat.  Then, Vanitas looked at me and laughed.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Well, it looks like your tummy’s got quite the appetite!” he remarked, and at that, I blushed even more, and then Roxas punched his arm.

 

  “Hey, knock it off!” Roxas said defensively, which just made Vanitas crack up even more.

 

  “Oh God, Roxas, you’re priceless!” Vanitas said, and then Ven slammed his hand on the table and glared at both of them.

 

  “Please, you two.  Can’t we have breakfast in peace and quiet?” he asked, annoyed, and Vanitas smirked.

 

  “Where’s the fun in that!?” Vanitas asked comically, and soon after, we heard the horn of the bus honk, and we all reacted in surprise.

 

  “The bus!?  What!?  Everyone, hurry up and let’s go!” Ven shouted, and we had no choice but to leave without finishing our breakfast, and then we quickly made our way to the bus, just barely making it on time.

(End Song Here)

 

  When we got on, we all sat down.  We had almost missed the bus today!  After a few seconds, we all settled down, but then Roxas started to rub his stomach in pain.  He had run too fast, and so he now had a stomachache.  Ven was digging through his backpack, searching for a notebook.  Apparently, he had a test coming up that he had forgotten about.  As for Vanitas, well, he had already fallen asleep, a piece of apple still stuck to his mouth.  I giggled and rolled my eyes.  Vanitas was such a lazy bum!  And then, as my eyes wandered from side to side, I noticed something.  Lea wasn’t on the bus today.  That seemed strange to me, since he was always on the bus.  Well, he probably woke up late, or maybe he had something else to do.  Shaking off my thoughts, I then realized we were already in school, and so I got off the bus, and Roxas followed afterward, while Ven and Vanitas took off on their own.

 

  “Hey Roxas, did you notice something?” I asked him.  He looked at me for a moment and then he shrugged.

 

  “Nope, I got nothing.  What is it?” he asked.  I then pointed towards the bus, which was now leaving.

 

  “It’s Lea.  He wasn’t in the bus today.  Doesn’t that seem a little strange to you?” I asked him, and then Roxas thought about what I said.

 

  “You know what?  You’re right.  That is odd!  I hope nothing bad happened to him!” he replied, and then he looked at me and stopped walking for a moment, then I stopped as well.

 

  “Hey, Xion…are you okay?  How are you holding up?” he asked me, and I stood there silent for a moment, and then I put on a smile and cleared my throat a bit.

 

  “I’m okay Roxas…really.” I answered him.  But the truth is, I was still shaken up by everything that had happened.  It was going to take a while for me to get over the situation.

 

  Roxas and I continued to keep walking, and as we made our way through the hallway, we saw the students were packing up the things for the school festival.  I remained a bit puzzled.  Wasn’t the school festival in a few days?  If so, why was everyone packing things up?  Roxas was just as confused as I was, and he shrugged, and just when I was about to ask a student about the school festival, I saw Lea walking on the far side of the hallway.  He seemed to be out of it.  Like really, really out of it.  Roxas and I then looked at each other with unease.  Had something happened to him?  We decided to head towards him, to see if he was okay.  A few students blocked our way, and we even had to help a few students move a big, heavy set of boxes, but after that, we headed straight towards Lea, and then he saw us and gave a very brief hint of a smile.

 

  “Hey guys…” he greeted halfheartedly.

 

  “Hey Lea, what’s wrong?  You look like you’ve been given bad news!” Roxas said, and Lea remained silent.

 

  “Did something happen?” I asked him, and then he sighed and waved his hand dismissively.

 

  “No, no, it’s nothing.  So yeah, the school festival’s over.  Time flies.” he said, and then Roxas and I looked at each other, confused.

 

  “The school festival is over!?  But, wait, isn’t the school festival in just a few days?” Roxas asked, and then Lea laughed a bit and he put his hand on Roxas’ shoulder.

 

  “Buddy, with all the crazy things that happened to us recently, we missed the school festival.  Everything seemed to happen so fast that we didn’t keep track of time!  Heck, I found out about this just a few minutes ago!” Lea explained, and Roxas and I remained a bit jarred by this.

 

  “Gosh, we didn’t even notice it.” I said, and then Roxas crossed his arms and glared at Lea.

 

  “Okay mister, don’t change the subject!  Tell us what’s wrong with you!” Roxas demanded, and Lea sighed.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you.  There’s no point in hiding this from you guys, so I’ll tell you what’s up.  You see…when I got to school today, I saw someone in the principal’s office.  When I took a closer look, I noticed it was an old…friend of mine.  I just kept walking through the hallway, and well, I’ve been trying to avoid him ever since I got here…so yeah, I have to lay down low.  I don’t expect you guys to understand everything, but let’s just say that things between him and me aren’t exactly smiles and rainbows.  Ugh, I really didn’t want to tell you guys about this, but anyways, I’m going to need your help if I’m going to avoid him all day!  Luckily, he’ll just be here for today, and he probably won’t come back tomorrow.  Please guys, don’t ask questions, I’m just simply asking you guys a favor.  Will you please help me?  Please!” Lea pleaded us as he finished telling us what was wrong.  Roxas and I looked at him quizzically.  Why was Lea avoiding an old friend?  Had they had some kind of fight, thus Lea saying things between them weren’t smiles and rainbows?  I didn’t know what to make of this, but Lea was our friend, and he was in need.

 

  “Okay, sure, we’ll help you out.” Roxas and I both said in unison, and at that, Lea smiled of relief and nodded.

 

  “Thanks guys…I really appreciate it.” he said, and then the bell rung, signaling the beginning of class.

 

  “Well guys, I’ll see you at lunchtime!” Lea said, and then he quickly darted towards his classroom, and Roxas and I looked at each other.

 

  “I wonder what Lea’s deal is with that old friend of his?” Roxas asked, feeling puzzled.  I shrugged and shook my head.

 

  “I really don’t know.  But, whatever the case, we did agree to help him, so help him we will.” I proclaimed, and Roxas nodded.

(End Song Here)

 

  “Yeah, I know.  Well, see you later Xion.  I love you.” he said as he kissed me.

 

  “I love you too.” I replied as I kissed him back, and then we went to our respective classrooms.

 

  During class, I saw Namine, and we talked to each other via paper, and she asked me if I was doing okay.  She wrote that Ven had told her about what happened, and well, I just basically wrote that I was trying my best to overcome my situation, and I left it at that.  I really didn’t feel like talking about it, and Namine seemed to understand, because she quickly changed the subject.  And so, we talked for the rest of the time in class, and then we headed to our other classes.  I wrote down the notes written in the blackboard on my notebook, and I would occasionally doodle on the corners of the pages, to pass the time.  The morning was quite peaceful, and everything in school was okay.  I was still surprised that we had gone through the school festival, and we didn’t even get to see how it all looked in the end!  Remembering the school festival, I asked Namine how everything had been, and she had said that it was all a good experience.  I felt happy that at least she had enjoyed it.  Then, the bell rang, meaning that lunchtime had come.  I quickly went to the lunchroom to find Roxas and Lea, and I came just in time, for they were just sitting down to start eating.

 

  “Hey guys, where are Ven and Vanitas?” I asked,noticing they weren’t around.  Roxas and Lea shrugged, and then I saw Tidus wasn’t here either.

 

  “What about Tidus?” I asked.  They shrugged anew.  Well, it seemed that lunch today would be with just Roxas and Lea.  We started to eat, and all the while, Lea kept his eyes wide open.

 

  “Okay guys…we have to finish up as fast as we can, just in case he shows up…” Lea said almost in a whisper, and Roxas and I nodded and kept eating without saying a word.

 

  “You know, I’ve been wondering something—“ Roxas began to say, but was cut off by Lea.

 

  “Not now, we can talk later, just eat your lunch!” Lea said, already finishing his own lunch.  I was quite impressed at how fast he finished.  He really wanted to avoid that old friend of his!  Soon after, Roxas and I finished eating, and then Lea stood up.

 

  “Now then, let’s go!” Lea said, quickly leaving his food tray with the lunch lady.  We did the same and then followed him.

 

  And so, for the next few minutes, we walked around the entire school, or rather, we sort of seemed to be running.  Lea was really desperate to remain unseen, but all this running around would make him an easy sight for his old friend, so I didn’t understand why he kept running.  It was all bewildering to me.  A few minutes later, we slowed down, and then we eventually started walking normally, for it seemed that the coast was clear.  Lea went to the restroom and we waited for him outside.  Shortly after, Lea came out and then we kept walking around school in circles.  At one point, it seemed as though Lea had forgotten we were with him, because his attention was focused elsewhere.  Then, he glanced over his shoulder at us as he took a turn to the right, entering a hallway, and that’s when he fell back.  We rushed to him and helped him up.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Hey, would you watch where you’re going!?” Lea shout out, irritated, but then, when he saw who he had bumped into, his face turned grim.

 

  “Well, if it isn’t my old friend Lea?” the man asked sarcastically, with a rather stoic face.  Roxas and I exchanged a glance and then we looked at Lea, who remained silent.

 

  “What’s the matter?  Aren’t you going to greet your old friend?” the man asked again.  Lea brushed off his shoulders and he turned around and started walking away.

 

  “I have nothing to say to you…” Lea muttered under his breath.  The man simply chuckled.

 

  “I see then.  Anyways, aren’t you going to introduce me to your classmates?” he asked, causing Lea to turn around and face him.

 

  “Isa…stay out of my life…” Lea said as he glared at the man.

 

  Isa.  So that was his name.  I swear, he looked like he had come straight from a video game!  He had long, sapphire hair that was neatly combed, and he had yellow eyes.  I wondered if those eyes were really his or if they were contacts, but either way, I couldn’t stop looking at them.  I then noticed he had a scar in the form of an x right in between his eyes.  It made him look intimidating.  Now I was really curious as to what had happened between him and Lea.  From the look of Lea’s reaction, he wasn’t all too pleased to be talking to Isa again.  Heck, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that he hates him fiercely.  Roxas and I remained silent as Lea and Isa continued to stare each other down, and well, it was kind of a strange moment.  An awkward silence loomed for a few seconds, and then Isa looked at us and walked towards us, brushing himself past Lea.

 

  “So, I take it that you two are his newest friends?” he asked, looking at us with his eerie eyes, and then I stood forward.

 

  “Yes, that’s right.  What of it?” I asked.  Isa simply glanced over his shoulder at Lea and then he turned his attention back to us.

 

  “Oh, nothing.  I just wanted to see for myself how Lea is doing over here.  It looks like he’s in good hands.” he said with a tone of sarcasm.

 

  “Hey…whatever it is you have against Lea, just leave him alone, okay?” Roxas asked.  Isa simply smirked and then he turned to face Lea.

 

  “Oh, I don’t have anything against him.  For some reason, he seems to be acting quite sour towards me.  Not that it matters, anyway.  Now then, good day.” he said as he bowed in farewell to us, and then he walked away.  Lea was staring at the floor, looking discouraged.

 

  “Lea…please, tell us what happened between you two.” Roxas pleaded, and then Lea sighed and sat down.

(End Song Here)

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Okay…I’ll tell you.  You see, back in the day, me and Isa were very close.  You could say that we were practically brothers.  We always shared each others problems and we always helped each other out.  We stuck through good times in bad.  Actually, I think Isa was the first true friend I had ever made in my life.  I had been through a lot in my childhood, and well, let’s just say that I didn’t have many friends, and the ones I did have weren’t that good either.  Anyway, one day, when I was in fifth grade, I was in the playgroud, by myself, just minding my own business, when some kids came to pick on me.  I felt worthless and weak, and I tried to stand my ground, but all the kids surrounded me…and some of them even started to kick me and hit me with rocks.  They’d make fun of me for my red hair, and they’d call me a freak…and, well, that’s when Isa came.  He came running towards the kids that were picking on me, and he fended them off, and after they had run away, he helped me up and took me to the school nurse.  Ever since that day…well, we had become friends.” Lea explained.  Roxas and I looked at each other sadly.  Poor Lea had gone through so much suffering!

 

  “Wow, you had a pretty rough childhood then…” Roxas said, and I nodded in agreement.

 

  “Yeah, Roxas is right.  But wait, if Isa had saved you from the kids, and you two had become friends, what caused you to grow apart?” I asked him.

 

  “That’s…where things get complicated…” he muttered.  Roxas and I glared at him and crossed our arms.

 

  “Come on Lea, tell us the full story!” Roxas demanded, and then Lea sighed and looked at us, and then he chuckled.

 

  “Okay, okay.  I guess there’s no use telling you half the story.” Lea replied.

 

  “That’s right, now tell us what happened.” I said to him, and then he took a deep breath before resuming.

 

  “Well, over the years, Isa and I became very close, and we formed a strong bond of friendship.  We’d always stick together, and whenever he’d be in trouble, I’d come to help him, and whenever I was in trouble, he’d come help me.  We’d get into a lot of fights in school because of the color of our hair, but we’d always send the bullies running.  As we grew older, people stopped picking on us, and well, that felt good.  One day, when we were on eighth grade, Isa had gotten a notification from the principal’s office, and he hadn’t appeared to any of his classes for the rest of the day.  When school was over, Isa had come out of the principal’s office, and he had seen me waiting for him, but he simply walked away.  I then began to worry.  Had he gotten in some sort of trouble that he hadn’t told me about?  I tried contacting him, but he wouldn’t answer me.  As the days passed, I noticed that he stopped coming to school.  He didn’t even make the effort to contact me to let me know that he was okay.  I guess that’s when we started drifting apart…” Lea explained, and then he sighed and clasped his hands together.

 

  “Wow, Lea…I’m so sorry about what happened between you two.” Roxas said.

 

  “That’s so sad…didn’t you ever find out why Isa had left like that?” I asked, and then Lea nodded and looked at his hands.

 

  “Yes.  Before coming to high school, I found out why Isa had left.” he answered, and Roxas and I glanced at each other momentarily, and then we turned our attention back to Lea.

 

  “Well then, tell us!  What happened?” Roxas asked, and then Lea looked up at the ceiling and remained silent for a bit.

 

  “Lea…are you okay?” I asked him, and then he snapped out of himself and then he looked at us and cleared his throat.

 

  “Well, I overheard from some people back then that Isa had been accepted into a highly prestigious college overseas, due to his grades and his natural enthusiasm, and well, he had gone into that college, at such a young age.  I didn’t understand why he had kept this to himself.  Did he think that I’d feel bad for his success?  Did he think that maybe he just wanted to leave unnoticed?  I really couldn’t answer myself, but if he had told me about what happened, I would have congratulated him.  But…well, things didn’t turn out that way.  I lost contact with him for all this time, and now he decides to show up, for who knows what.  And I can see that he’s changed…he’s let his success go to his head, and well, I don’t want anything to do with him now…” Lea said as he finished telling us his story.  Roxas and I remained silent for a while.

 

  “I’m so sorry to hear that.” I said to him, putting my hand on his shoulder, and he sighed and waved his hand dismissively.

 

  “Nah, it’s okay…I’m fine, really.  I’m just pissed off, is all…” Lea said as he stood, and then we stood up and walked with him.

 

  “So…what happens now?” Roxas asked, looking curious.

 

  “Nothing…hopefully Isa will leave just as fast as he came.” Lea answered bluntly, refusing to look at us.  I could tell he was sad.  Then the bell rang, and it was time to go to class.

 

  “Well guys, I’ll see you after school.” I said as I waved at them and gave a kiss to Roxas, and then I went towards the classroom.

 

  And so, for the rest of the day, everything was calm and peaceful.  I wrote down whatever was on the blackboard during my classes, and I talked to Namine in the meantime, and all the while, I kept thinking about Lea.  He must be going through a lot of mixed emotions.  The fact that he saw his old friend after such a long time had to cheer him up somehow…but the fact that he hadn’t told him anything and had changed so drastically really gnawed at Lea.  I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.  I bet he felt lonely right now.  And so, after school, I walked towards the bus stop, where Roxas, Ven, Vanitas and Lea were waiting.  When the bus arrived, we got on, and during the trip home, Lea stared blankly out the window.  I wanted to talk to him, but then I thought it was best that I let him be with his thoughts.  He was very silent and didn’t even speak to us during the whole trip.  His face was tinted by sadness.

 

  He must have been feeling lonesome on the inside…

(End Song Here)

----------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Huh, what?”

“Come with us, Xion!”

“Well this is unexpected!”

“This is nice.”

 

Be prepared for Chapter Thirty Two: “A Girls Day Out.”

 

Okay then, that was the chapter, everyone!  I hope that you all enjoyed it!  So yeah, I decided it was time to shed a little more light on Lea’s past, and to me, this was the best way to do it!  I hope you all liked reading through his backstory!  As always, thank you for your patience and support, and please be sure to comment on your thoughts of tonight’s chapter!  Until next time, stay tuned for the next chapter everyone!

[KHLegendIII 709]

Good job on this Chapter.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey there everyone, how’s it going?  Good evening to you all!  I hope you’ve all had a great day!  So then, here’s another chapter of the story.  It’ll be from Xion’s perspective!  I hope that you all enjoy!  Read on, my loyal followers!

 

Chapter Thirty Two: A Girls Day Out

 

  And so, the following day, I went to school as normal, and Roxas and I checked on Lea to see if he was doing okay, and well, he seemed to look a little bit better, but no doubt that seeing Isa had to have been emotional for him.  But, we decided to leave him be.  He had to sort out his thoughts, and only he alone could decide what to do next concerning Isa.  I felt bad for him, but this was the only way that we could help him for now.  And so, as the morning classes passed by, the minutes seemed to tick away slowly.  When I looked out the window, the sky was overcast, and it made the tone of the day mellow. Namine was writing down the notes from the blackboard, and soon I snapped out of myself and I did the same.  She hadn’t sent me a paper during the whole time we were in class, which struck me as odd, since we almost always talked to each other via paper.  Then, the bell rang, and it was finally lunchtime!  My stomach was growling like crazy!  I quickly went to the lunchroom and saw Roxas and the others, and I sat down with them and ate with them, and not even twenty minutes had passed when suddenly, Namine and Kairi came towards our table.

 

  “Good afternoon gentlemen.  I see that you’re enjoying your meal.” Kairi remarked as she greeted the boys.  They nodded and smiled.

 

  “Yeah, we’re  enjoying the meal, that’s for sure.” Vanitas replied, with food still in his mouth, and then Ven punched his shoulder.

 

  “Hey, don’t talk with your mouth full!” Ven said as he glared at Vanitas, to which Vanitas simply laughed.  He then swallowed his food and looked at Kairi and Namine with flirty eyes.

 

  “So then, how can we be of assistance, ladies?” he asked in a gentlemanly tone.

 

  “Well, we’re here because we’re going to take Xion away from you all for a day.  And we’re not going to take no for an answer!” Kairi explained, and I remained mute while the boys looked at each other.

 

  “You mean, like, a girls day out?” Roxas asked, and Namine added.

 

  “Correct.  So then, we’ll be taking her now!” Namine said, and with that, she and Kairi both pulled me out of my seat and out of the lunchroom before I could even object!

 

  This felt very awkward.  I mean, sure, I was used to talking to Namine and all, but I wasn’t used to hanging around other girls.  It didn’t help that they didn’t say anything to me for a while, which unsettled me.  A girls day out?  A girls day out in just one lunchtime hour?  I wonder what these two were thinking of doing?  But, since I was already with them, there was no use in objecting, so I decided to just go with the flow.  As we continued walking, I noticed that we went out of school and towards town.  Now I could notice that Kairi and Namine were getting excited.  Whatever it was they were planning, it seemed that it was almost time to see what it was.  A few seconds later, we arrived at a nice little restaurant that had an outdoor porch with many tables and umbrellas to give shade to whoever wanted to eat outside.  Namine and Kairi sat down, and I sat down shortly afterwords.

 

  “Haha, well Xion, aren’t you going to talk?  You do know you don’t have to remain silent, right?” Kairi asked while giggling.  I blushed slightly and put a strand of my hair behind my ear.

 

  “Um, well, the thing is…why have you two…brought me here?” I asked shyly.  Namine then put her hands on the table and smiled.

 

  “Well, to have a girls day out, silly!  We wanted to give you a change of scenery.  You’re always hanging out with those boys, so it shouldn’t hurt for you to hang out with us for just one day, right?” Namine asked, and I giggled and shrugged.

 

  “I guess you’re right.” I replied, and then a waiter came towards us to ask for our order.  Kairi took out a small money pouch from her purse and she gave the waiter money.

 

  “Please bring three strawberry sundaes and three Sea Salt ice cream bars.” Kairi said, and the waiter nodded.

 

  “Will do, miss.” he said as he walked away.  Kairi then looked at me and her face turned sad all of a sudden, and then she glanced at Namine, then looked at me.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Actually, Xion, there’s another reason why we wanted to bring you here.  You see, after everything that happened to you concerning your father…well, I know that it’s not an easy thing to go through, and even though you look okay, I know that you must be tearing up on the inside.  It’s never easy when situations like these happen, because they’re unpredictable, and when they hit, they hit hard.  They leave behind a hurt that is often very hard to get rid of.  And, well, it’s just a hard situation to go through in general.  Namine and I planned this day out, and well, here we are.  We wanted to bring you here to check on you, because we care about you.  We want to make sure that you’re absolutely okay.” Kairi explained with a sincere and caring tone.  I felt touched by her words.  I was touched at how much they cared about me.  My eyes watered up but I held my tears.

 

  “T-thank you so much…” I whispered, almost sobbing, and Namine put her hand on my shoulder and smiled.

 

  “It’s okay.  It’s alright to let your feelings out.  It’s good to do so.” Namine said, and at that, I just couldn’t contain myself any longer, and so I began to cry.

 

  “That’s right.  Let it all out.” Kairi said as she sat by my side and hugged me.  I looked at both of them and I wiped off my tears, and I looked at my hands.  I could still feel the hurt inside me.

 

  “It hasn’t been easy…it hasn’t been easy at all.” I said to them, and they held my hands tightly.

 

  “We’re here for you, Xion.” they both said in unison, and I smiled and appreciated their support.  I continued to cry, and I sighed.

 

  “I will admit, this hasn’t been easy at all.  It’s been a very difficult situation to adjust to.  Everything I thought I had known about myself was all a lie.  I learned to accept that though, but the pain of having gone through all this still lurks in my heart.  It’s a hurt that doesn’t want to go away.  It’s a hurt that always gnaws away at my heart.  I just thank God that I’ve had the support of all my friends all this time.  Without them, I would have been completely lost.  I wouldn’t have known what to do.  Knowing that they were there to help me and support me helped me keep my sanity.  It helped me more than I could have possibly imagined.  And Roxas…he’s been with me through thick and thin…he’s helped me, and he’s always been there for me.  He loves me, and I love him.  I have the love and support of so many people…and yet, the hurt still remains.  Namine…Kairi, thank you both so much for bringing me here today.  I really needed to let this out of my system. It’s comforting to know that I can also count on the two of you to help me through hard times.” I said to them as I smiled, and they smiled back at me.  Soon after, the waiter came and brought us our treats.

(End Song Here)

 

  “Enjoy, ladies.” he said as he excused himself and left.  We then all took our strawberry sundaes and dug in.

 

  “Just know that we’ll always be here to help you, understand?” Kairi asked, and I nodded and smiled.

 

  “Yes, I do understand.  Thank you both so much.  I really appreciate it.” I replied, and then we continued eating our strawberry sundaes.

 

  “Well that’s good.” Namine said cheerfully, and I smiled at her.

 

(Start Song Here)

  And so, after we finished our strawberry sundaes, we ate our Sea Salt ice cream bars, and after that, we walked around town and did a little window shopping.  Kairi had her eye out on a new purse, while Namine was trying to look for an Arts and Crafts store.  When she found it, she immediately placed her eyes on a beautiful set of paintbrushes, and she saw a sketchbook that was to her liking.  As for me, I simply followed them and smiled whenever I saw them get excited over something.  Then, we went to a clothing store, and then Namine and Kairi looked for different dresses to try out. Kairi tried on a cute pink dress that had lots of stylized zippers, and it had a hoodie too, which made her look even more cute!  Then, Namine tried out a beautiful white dress that reached just a little above her knees.  She blushed slightly, for she was kind of shy, like me.  Kairi giggled and complimented Namine on how she looked with the dress, which made Namine blush a whole lot more.  I giggled as she blushed.  Then, all of a sudden, they both looked at me and stared at me, and then they glanced at each other before looking at me again, and then they smirked.  I suddenly felt a little frightened.

 

  “Um…what’s going on?” I asked, taking a few steps back, and then Kairi and Namine each held me by an arm and then dragged me towards the fitting rooms.

 

  “Well, missy, you’ve come here with us, so you’re going to try out some clothes too!” Kairi said with a giggle, and I instantly blushed.

 

  “N-no, I don’t want to try out any clothes, I’m fine!” I whimpered out, and then Namine giggled softly and smiled.

 

  “Oh, don’t worry silly, it’s just a few clothes!  I’m sure you’ll look great!” she said, and then I sighed and gave up resisting.

 

  “Okay, okay, you win…I’ll try out some clothes.” I said, and they both smiled, and Namine clapped her hands together happily.

 

  When I went into the fitting room, I saw a few clothes there, waiting for me to try them out.  I looked at myself at the mirror, and I remained staring at myself for a bit.  If my reflection could speak to me, would it also tell me to try out these clothes?  That’s what I thought to myself, and then I smiled and looked at the pile of clothes.  Sure, why not try them out?  And with that, I decided to try on a pair of shorts and a tank top with a cute cat labeled onto it, and when I came out, Kairi and Namine agreed that the clothes were indeed cute, and then I went back into the fitting room and tried out a beautiful black dress, and when I came out, they thought I looked stunning, but honestly, I felt way overdressed.  I then tried out a few more clothes, and eventually, I ended up trying out all the clothes that had been on the pile, and when I came out, I smiled.

 

  “Well, that was fun!” I said to them, and they smiled.

 

  “Of course it was!  And you looked so beautiful with that black dress! It really brings out the color of your eyes!” Kairi complimented, and Namine nodded.

 

  “Oh yes, and the tank top with the kitty label looked adorable on you!  Hehe, you looked like you enjoyed trying out those clothes, didn’t you?” she asked.

 

  “You know what?  I did!  It was a pretty fun experience!” I answered, and Kairi crossed her arms and smirked triumphantly.

 

  “That’s what I wanted to hear!  It’s good to see that you enjoyed yourself!” she said, and I giggled and agreed.

 

  You know, I came to the realization that I had really been needing this for quite a while.  It felt so nice to hang out with Kairi and Namine, and they were both so understanding to me.  I really appreciated the fact that they took the time to give me a great time out on the town.  I had so much fun with them, and I definitely had fun trying out new clothes!  Seeing the smiles on their faces made me smile too, and I felt much more relaxed.  And the fact that they were also being very supportive to me really helped me feel much better! But now, only a few minutes remained for the bell to ring and for class to begin, and, well, I felt a little bit discouraged.  I wanted to spend time with the girls just a bit longer, but, since there was class, we couldn’t ditch.  Even though our time had been short, I still enjoyed the time I spent with them.

 

  “Well girls, it looks like we have to be heading back to school.” I said to them, and then Kairi shook her head and put her hand on my shoulder.

 

  “No, I think we’ll just ditch for today.  After all, since we’re out on the town, we should catch a movie!” she suggested.

 

  “But…we’re really going to ditch?” I asked, and then Namine nodded and smiled reassuringly at me.  She also seemed set on ditching.

 

  “Oh, don’t worry about it, one day of ditching won’t get us into any trouble, and if anything does happen, we’ll make up excuses.” Namine said, and I giggled and shrugged.

 

  “Well, what the heck, let’s go catch that movie!” I proclaimed, and with that, we headed towards the nearest movie theater.

 

  When we arrived at the movie theater, we noticed that there was quite a line of people.  Apparently, there was a big premiere today.  When we looked around for the posters, Kairi pointed out at Big Hero 6, Disney’s latest animated movie.  Namine immediately wanted to see that movie because of the big, cute, marshamallow looking robot that was on the poster, and so we decided that we’d be seeing Big Hero 6.  Since we were low on money, we all decided to pitch in our shares to get tickets, and then we went inside, where many different arcade machines could be seen.  There were seats here and there, and on the center, we saw where the popcorn was being made, and we also saw some posters for upcoming movies, and with about thirty minutes to spare for Big Hero 6 to begin, we decided to play on some of the arcade machines!  With the spare change we received from the tickets, we got some game tokens.  We played some Dance Dance Revolution, a bit of Fruit Ninja, and some kind of shooter game.  Before we knew it, it was already time for the movie to begin, and then we immediately bought popcorn with what we had left and then headed towards the room where we’d be seeing the movie.

 

  “Yesss, the movie’s going to start soon, I’m so excited!” Namine said gleefully, and Kairi and I laughed.

 

  “Yeah, I figure this movie’s going to be good.  Come on, let’s take these seats!” Kairi said as she pointed out to where we’d be sitting.

 

  “Okay, now we’re all set.” I said, and a few more people came in, and within minutes, the room was packed!

 

  “Wow, a lot of people have come to see this movie!” Namine said, and I nodded.

 

  “Hehe, yeah.  Well, let’s enjoy this as much as we can!” I said, and with that, the commercials began rolling.

 

  After about at least twenty commercials, the movie finally began, and the lights dimmed out as the movie pulled us in.  The movie started out funny, and then it took a very sad twist, and for the rest of the movie, the protagonist, Hiro Hamada, banded together with Baymax the marshmallow looking robot, Wasabi, Go Go Tomago, Honey Lemon and Fredzilla to take on this sinister looking villain named Yokai, who in the end turned out to be a desperate father who had been searching for a way to rescue her daughter, who had been transported into space in a dangerous experiment.  He had used Hiro’s nanobot invention to carry out the goal.  The movie had lots of action and very heartwarming moments, and pretty funny ones too.  When the movie finished, everyone came out of it excited.  And well, I couldn’t blame them, because the movie was amazing!  I really enjoyed it, and I could tell that Kairi and Namine enjoyed it too!  We walked out of the movie theater, and by that time, Kairi checked her cell phone for the time, and it was now 3:00pm.  The school day was over, so we just headed into town and then eventually made our way to the park.

(End Song Here)

 

  “So then Xion, tell us, how are things going with Roxas?” Kairi asked, and at that, I slightly froze and blushed.

 

  “Yeah, tell us, how’s your relationship with him?” Namine asked while smiling.

 

  “Everything’s been going great so far.  He’s always been there for me, and I’m so grateful to him for being there for me in rough times.” I answered.

 

  “Aw, that’s so sweet!  Oh, I remember the time you were hospitalized because you had been in a coma.  Roxas had stuck by your side every step of the way.  He’s a real sweetheart.” Kairi replied, and I smiled and nodded.

 

  I felt comfort in knowing that Roxas had been with me during the time I had been asleep.  Thinking about this now really made me appreciate Roxas, and it made me all the more hopeful that I’d always be with him.  No matter what would come our way, we’d always be ready to face whatever would come at us.  I was confident that we’d always find solutions to our problems, because that’s how strongly I believe in the relationship that I shared with Roxas.  But, at the same time, I was also scared.  Even if our love was strong, there could be the possibility that it could one day die…and well, I have to be prepared if something like that did happen.  But even if something like that did happen, I’m sure that I’d be able to rely on the support that Kairi and Namine give me.  As I looked to the sky, I noticed that it was getting dark.

 

  “Well girls, I have to be heading back. Thank you so much for today!” I said to them as I walked towards them and hugged them.

 

  “Of course, we’re happy that we were able to show you a good time!” Kairi replied cheerfully as she clasped her hands together.

 

  “We should hang out like this more often!” Namine suggested, and I gladly nodded in agreement.

 

  “That sounds like a good idea to me.” I said, and with that, we parted ways, and I watched them walk away for a bit, and then I headed towards Roxas’ house.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “Today was a good day.” I said to myself as I walked happily.  As the minutes passed, I was almost near Roxas’ house, but then…something seemed to get my attention.

 

  It was as if my whole body was reacting on impulse of its own, and unwillingly, I had no choice but to do what my body was telling me to do.  My heart soon started to pound fast, and I wondered why this was happening?  I began to feel nervous, and I just wanted to head over to Roxas, but my body wouldn’t let me.  As I hesitantly kept walking, I soon realized where I was heading to…my old house.  I felt disbelief.  Why was my own body dragging me here?  What purpose was this serving?  All of a sudden, my body stopped acting weird when I reached the front door.  Now that I was here, I felt the strange urge to go inside.  Slowly, I opened the door, noticing that it had been unlocked, and I went inside.  The house was emptied, no doubt from when Claire and the police had come.  Then, my attention turned towards my creator’s lab.

 

  Something told me to go inside…and I’m sure I’d regret doing so…

(End Song Here)

-----------------------------

 

“Data recovery….20%.”

 

Stay tuned for Chapter Thirty Three: “A Life Changing Discovery.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter, I hope that you all found it to your enjoyment!  I hope you’re all excited for what’s coming next in the story!  I bet you’ll all be surprised!  As always, thank you very much for your patience and support, it gives me great joy that you all enjoy reading my stories!  Now then, as always, please be sure to post your comments on what you thought of tonight’s chapter!  Oh, and on a side note, after I finish this story, I’ll be posting a new story, so I hope you’ll all look forward to that!  Well then, until next time, stay tuned for the next chapter, everyone!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This is just interesting. I also sent you a PM.

[Keyblade101 526]

I love both of these chapters. I wonder if they're gonna run into Isa again soon. Can't wait for the next chapter.

 

P.S. When Kairi and Namine were telling Xion that it was okay to let her feelings out, I swear I heard "Let It Out" from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood playing instead of the Clannad song.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Hey there everyone, good evening!  I hope you’ve all been doing okay! Now then, here’s another chapter of the story!  Sorry that I took so long to post it!  Thank you all for your comments and for being so patient!  Now then, this chapter will be from Xion’s perspective!  Enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty Three: A Life Changing Discovery

 

  Hesitantly, I went inside my creator’s lab, and, as expected, it was shut down.  The whole room was covered in an eerie pitch blackness.  I stumbled a bit before proceeding further inside, and as my hand gently traveled across the wall, I happened on the light switch, which I turned on.  Immediately, the lab came to life, and I was overwhelmed by it all.  The lab was very big, possibly big enough for an entire team of scientists to work.  Many different vials containing chemicals were on different tables, and there was a periodic table of the elements, and there were also many small wooden boxes that were labeled fragile.  As I kept walking around the lab, I noticed an entire wall covered in paper, with things written such as math equations, diagrams and early sketches of experiments, and results on said experiments.  There was also something that looked sort of like a giant, white pod.  It looked strange, and totally out of place, and it was empty…it seemed like this could have been used for sleeping.  I then turned my attention to a computer that was on a desk at the far side of the lab.  It wasn’t an old computer, but it wasn’t a modern one either.  As if on instinct, I went straight towards the computer.

 

  “What is this…?” I asked myself, feeling confused.  Then, I turned on the computer, and the screen blazed to life, and then the computer asked me for a password.

 

  “Great…”I groaned.  I couldn’t even begin to imagine what the password to my creator’s computer could be. 

 

  “How will I go about this now…?” I asked myself, as I stood there, the light of the computer monitor shining on my face.  I then looked around the desk where the computer rested.

 

  “The password should be around here somewhere…” I whispered to myself as I explored the lab, finding anything that could remotely be used as a password.

 

  I searched the lab for a while, but I hadn’t found anything.  All I found were old documents, some thesises here and there, and old books on experiments and other aspects of science.  I found everything except the password.  Now I was feeling irritated, and then I decided to make a very thoroughly detailed search of the lab.  Whatever my instinct wants me to see, it has to be in that computer.  And so, with that in mind, I kept searching, hoping I’d find the password just laying around.  But, unfortunately, life is never that easy.  I then stopped for a moment and lost myself in thought. This entire lab was my creator’s life work.  Even though he was a vile man, I had to admit that his devotion to his work was ironclad.  Then, just when I was about to start looking for the password in the bookshelf, I noticed a slip of paper fall down from the top of the shelf.

 

  “What’s this?” I asked to myself as I picked up the slip of paper.  It was filled with dust, so I blew on it gently until the dust cleared, and then I noticed that it was the password!

 

  “Sea Salt Ice Cream?” I asked while enunciating the password.  My creator liked Sea Salt Ice Cream?  I found it odd, but, it is what it said, and just to double check, I turned the paper slip around and it said that it was the computer password.

 

  “Okay then, here we go.” I said to myself as I walked over to the computer and typed in the password.  The computer confirmed it and then started up.

 

(Start Song Here)

  “What secrets do you hold?” I asked to myself as the computer finished starting up.  I immediately noticed a folder named ‘VIDEO LOG.’  I then clicked on it, and then a video file opened and went full screen.  I sat down and crossed my arms, waiting for the video to begin.  When the video started, I saw my creator, much younger looking.  These videos were probably recorded a while back.

 

  “This is video log one, and here I shall be recording my day to day procedures on the experiments I’m about to conduct!  Here, I shall attempt to replicated human life in a humanoid body of my design!  This will be a breakthrough beyond compare, something that no other scientist will be able to figure out!  This will probably take an invigorating amount of time and research, but it will all be worth it!  I’ll prove them wrong…I’ll prove them all wrong!  To you, who sees these video logs, I inform you that you are about to witness a massive undertaking in the history of mankind!  I shall forever live on in my life’s work!  Oh ho, this will definitely be something to remember!” my creator spoke through the video log.  I couldn’t believe that I was witnessing the beginning of his experiments!  I was afraid to see more, but something in me wanted to see everything.  I couldn’t resist it.

 

  “Why is this happening to me?  Why can’t I look away!?” I asked to myself, almost on the verge of tears.  I didn’t want to be here!  But then I took a deep breath and relaxed.

 

  “No, I can’t back down now.  If I discovered this, it’s because there’s purpose in me having done so.  I need to keep seeing this.” I said to myself, and then I kept watching the video logs.

 

  And so, as I kept watching the video logs, the more I understood my creator’s obsession.  He had ambition, but he let that ambition drive his life, and slowly, he became mad…a really sad process, to be sure.  With each video log that I watched, I could see him decaying, his obsession with replicating life apparent in his experiments.  Oh God, and the experiments he did were horrible!  He would take the bodies of dead children and extract their organs and examine them!  He’d then create the humanoid bodies with a strange material I hadn’t seen before that somehow resembled metal.  He’d then put the organs inside and put them in the pod I had seen when I came in, and he’d leave them there for a total of three days, and the bodies would grow from child to teenager in that short amount of time!  His first seven attempts at replicating life in these humanoid bodies failed, because they either malfunctioned or died out quickly.  It was just sick!  His next thirteen attempts were almost successes, but fell short as well.  I just couldn’t believe what he’d resort to in order to achieve his goals!  It was deplorable!  And then, when the next video log came, I had to pause it.

 

  “This is…horrible…” I whispered to myself, still not believing everything I had just watched.  My creator was truly a monster…

 

  “Pull yourself together, Xion.” I said as I took a deep breath.  I had seen everything up till now, so I was going to finish seeing everything.

 

  “Okay…here we go.” I whispered as I pressed play.  And so, the video log started.  Then, something strange happened.

 

  “Data Recovery…20%.” the monitor read before continuing the video log.  I payed no attention to it and instead kept my focus on the video log.

  “This is my twenty first attempt at replicating human life in a humanoid body…after all the other failures, I am hoping that this one is a success.  Now, as I place the organs in the body and patch it up, I shall place it in the pod and await for it to awaken.  All of my life’s work has been towards this goal.  This has to work this time, it just has to!  I will be praised and adored by millions!  This will change the way people see life forever.  I shall be the one to ignite this change, and it will lead to a glorious future!  Never in my life have I been so sure as I am now.  This will be my legacy, my mark in this world, my proof of existence!  This will be my glorious triumph, and no one will be able to take this triumph from me!  Ah yes…let’s see how this twenty first sample turns out.  With each humanoid I’ve built, I’ve learned from their failures in order to be able to craft this current one into perfection!  This will definitely work!  It has to!” he said.  I truly felt pity for him.  Blinded by his own ambition, he became so absorbed with himself that he ended up going insane.  It was stunning how low a person would fall.  I felt speechless and in disbelief.

 

  “Data Recovery…65%.” the monitor read again.  I then gave out a sigh and continued watching the video logs.

 

  “Now, it is finally complete!  My twenty first attempt at replicating life in a humanoid body!” my creator said as he turned off the pod, and then I saw that the twenty first attempt was none other than…myself!

 

  “And so, I shall name this twenty first subject, Xion, which means remembrance!  Hopefully, she shall truly be something to remember!” he said.  I sat there, in disbelief.  I had seen firsthand how he had created me!  Then I went to yet another video log.

 

  “It has been almost two months since Xion was created, and I have to say that she has shown some outstanding progress.  She has displayed marvelous health and a very sturdy immune system, and she learns at a very quick pace.  She is strong and intelligent, and she hasn’t shown any signs of weakness.  Could it be that she is finally my one success after all my failures?  Could she really be the one?  I shall have to take further notes and keep a close eye on her and see how she develops.  I must analyze everything and make sure that I have not made one miscalculation!  Heh, ah yes, let us see how this turns out.  She has great promise!  I look forward to writing down my discoveries on my notes!” my creator said.  So…he had been analyzing me all along.  He was a very sick man, driven mad by his own dementia!

 

  “Data Recovery…90%.” the monitor read yet again.  I was starting to get a bit scared.  What would happen when the data was recovered completely?  I then clicked to see if there were any more videos logs, but it seems that the rest of them were corrupted files.

 

  “Damn it…” I said to myself as I punched the desk, and then I looked down at the floor and sighed.

 

  “Remembrance…” I muttered to myself as I remembered what my creator had said about my name.  Remembrance…

 

  “Data Recovery…100%. Loading file.” the monitor read once more, and at that, the computer automatically dug through its files and then opened up a hidden file, which turned out to be another video log.

 

  “What is this?” I asked to myself, and then I pressed play, and my creator was looking at the camera.  It was so scary…it felt like he was actually in the room.

 

  “Well, if someone has accessed this hidden video file, then that means that I am most probably dead.  To whoever finds this video log, I leave here my final reports on my analysis on Xion.  She has proven to be an extraordinary subject, and she even managed to make some friends in school…something about her interaction with those friends of hers caused a change within her…a very interesting change indeed.  Over the course of this time, I have analyzed her internal organs, and it seems that there is a flaw…apparently, she wasn’t the one specimen I had hoped for.  It seems that her internal body is starting to decay, and once that happens, Xion will no longer live.  She’ll be nothing but an empty shell.  Ah, well, at least I tried my best with my experiments.  If this failure shall be the end of me, then so be it.” my creator said, and my eyes widened, and I couldn’t believe what I had just seen.  After the video log ended, the computer automatically shut down.  I sat there in shock and disbelief.

 

  “I’m going to die soon…”

(End Song Here)

------------------------------------------------

 

“Xion, why are you being so distant?”

“Guys, something is seriously wrong with her!”

“Things are complicated…”

“Roxas…we can’t be together anymore…”

 

Be prepared for Chapter Thirty Four: “Hurt.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter, I hope that you all enjoyed it!  As you all may have noticed, this chapter is probably the shortest one I’ve written, but there is reason behind it.  I wanted to write this chapter focusing on Xion’s backstory, and the history of Even’s experiments.  And so, with this discovery she made, now things take a turn for the worse.  I didn’t write more paragraphs because I felt these were enough for this chapter.  As always, thank you for your support and patience, and please let me know what you thought of tonight’s chapter!  Until next time, stay tuned for the next chapter!

Edited February 17, 2015 by Shigehiko