"Hey now, don't be like that! You're the one who told me to scout out Twilight Town and you're the one who told me to report to you personally if I saw anything worth reporting. Quite rude of you to treat me like a pest just for following orders." Xantek replied brusquely as he followed Raixon down the hall. There was never any pretense of respect when Xantek spoke, not to Raixon, not to anyone really. Having been relieved of his heart, he was also relieved of his ability to care about what others thought of him, so long as he did what he was told, he felt no need to choose his words as carefully as the others did when speaking to their leader. It hadn't come to bite him in the butt so far, and few believed it ever would; like him or not, Xantek got results, and to the Organization, that's all that mattered.
"Anyway, your intuition was right as always, it took a couple of days of sitting through subpar Struggle matches, but there was definitely a massive Heartless Incursion. I tried to get things to stabilize before I reported back, when out of nowhere, and I really do mean nowhere, this GIANT Heartless appears in the Sandlot and starts stomping around!" Xantek told his story with vigorous and exaggerated movements, regardless if Raixon even bothered to pay attention to anything besides his voice. "I was going to take care of you, you know swoop in Keyblade in hand and all that, but... somebody else beat me to the punch." He paused to hear his leader's reaction.
"Anyway, your intuition was right as always, it took a couple of days of sitting through subpar Struggle matches, but there was definitely a massive Heartless Incursion. I tried to get things to stabilize before I reported back, when out of nowhere, and I really do mean nowhere, this GIANT Heartless appears in the Sandlot and starts stomping around!" Xantek told his story with vigorous and exaggerated movements, regardless if Raixon even bothered to pay attention to anything besides his voice. "I was going to take care of you, you know swoop in Keyblade in hand and all that, but... somebody else beat me to the punch." He paused to hear his leader's reaction.
Raixon was quite sure that if there was anyone he would remove from the Organization for the disrespect alone, it would be Xantek. But fortunately for the latter, aside from Yuxara, he was definitely the most productive and useful member, often being the first to come to Raixon with such important news. Like this. Someone else had dispatched a large heartless? Of course, he knew that Xantek often exaggerated to some degree, there was usually a veritable note in most of his reports. In his eyes, this would be no exception. The very idea of another powerful entity defeating the heartless would pique his interest. Why? Because only Keyblade wielders could be rid of those creatures of darkness.
"Is that so?" Raixon drawled, giving enough acknowledgement that he actually paused to turn to Xantek. "Tell me, then. Who was this 'someone else'? And I implore you to be as thorough as possible. Another major player in restoring the balance has quite the implications."
"Is that so?" Raixon drawled, giving enough acknowledgement that he actually paused to turn to Xantek. "Tell me, then. Who was this 'someone else'? And I implore you to be as thorough as possible. Another major player in restoring the balance has quite the implications."
"Well, there were three people total in that Sandlot, two kids and a Moogle of all things." Xantek began once he was sure he had Raixon's attention. "The girl and the Moogle gave some spell support from the sidelines, while the boy went toe to toe with the Heartless, and he did so wielding himself quite the impressive Keyblade." He revealed, though he had no doubt in his mind that Raixon had already guess as much.
"He was pretty good with it to, a little rough around the edges, but he could certainly give most of us a run for our money. Of course, you could squash him like a bug no problem, but I digress. Anyway, the kid manages to take down the Heartless, the rest of the town stabilizes as a result, and woopty-doo the day saved. But, and this is the important part, that heart that was freed from the Heartless was seriously messed up. Now, I've seen some messed up hearts pop out of those little suckers before, but this one just took the cake, so much so that I just had to collected it so I could show it to you, but wouldn't you know it, it was nowhere to be found afterwards. I looked everywhere for it in the Realm of Darkness, but no luck, it's just gone. What do you make of that, boss?" He inquired, eyeing Raixon mischievously under his hood.
"He was pretty good with it to, a little rough around the edges, but he could certainly give most of us a run for our money. Of course, you could squash him like a bug no problem, but I digress. Anyway, the kid manages to take down the Heartless, the rest of the town stabilizes as a result, and woopty-doo the day saved. But, and this is the important part, that heart that was freed from the Heartless was seriously messed up. Now, I've seen some messed up hearts pop out of those little suckers before, but this one just took the cake, so much so that I just had to collected it so I could show it to you, but wouldn't you know it, it was nowhere to be found afterwards. I looked everywhere for it in the Realm of Darkness, but no luck, it's just gone. What do you make of that, boss?" He inquired, eyeing Raixon mischievously under his hood.
Raixon only took time time to pause in his step to give Xantek his full attention. His large stature and overbearing presence only seemed to lend to the intensity of his intimidating aura. It seemed strange that he appeared to be looking in Xantek's particular direction even with the black blindfold over his eyes. "Intriguing," the Superior mused as he listened to the description, thoroughly ignoring the brown-nosing that the lower number tended to do on a regular basis, as if it would allow him to balance the disrespect on a daily basis.
"I've felt the shadows of darkness lurking across the worlds upon continuing the search for wielders to uphold our cause," he acknowledged with a solemn nod. "It would be unsurprising if such raging hearts we being collected by another." he paused to consider as he turned back to the fore and continued walking. "It is a manner of thorough concern, and it will be addressed at our next gathering in the Round Room. We will convene on the matter, and assignments will be adjusted, perhaps restructured, depending on the severity of the issue after further investigation." He paused, wondering how he would be able to win over the said youth. "The boy you speak of is a wilder regardless. Perhaps, in time, once we show our strength in assistance and reveal our vision, he would be inclined to join us."
"I've felt the shadows of darkness lurking across the worlds upon continuing the search for wielders to uphold our cause," he acknowledged with a solemn nod. "It would be unsurprising if such raging hearts we being collected by another." he paused to consider as he turned back to the fore and continued walking. "It is a manner of thorough concern, and it will be addressed at our next gathering in the Round Room. We will convene on the matter, and assignments will be adjusted, perhaps restructured, depending on the severity of the issue after further investigation." He paused, wondering how he would be able to win over the said youth. "The boy you speak of is a wilder regardless. Perhaps, in time, once we show our strength in assistance and reveal our vision, he would be inclined to join us."
"Ugh, another meeting! Well, guess that's what I get for being so good at my job." Xantek replied in his trademark, over exaggerated whine.
"Oh, fair warning though, I just so happened to notice that the kid and his Moogle buddy both had the Emblem of the Masters emblazoned on their clothes, so I think it's safe to assume they're under the tutelage of a legit Keyblade Master." He added to the report. "That being said, he'll probably be a bit uh... "bias" on the subject of the balance. You know how tough those nuts can be to crack; you step out of a corridor of darkness and automatically you're the bad guy! Though I guess the black hood and coat don't really help." He quipped in the middle of his warning, though he fully realized that it would go ignored. "Anyway, here's hoping it doesn't go south like the last one... I'd hate for you to have to dirty your hands." He said knowingly, fully aware of what befell those who did not accept the gracious offer to join the Organization.
"Oh, fair warning though, I just so happened to notice that the kid and his Moogle buddy both had the Emblem of the Masters emblazoned on their clothes, so I think it's safe to assume they're under the tutelage of a legit Keyblade Master." He added to the report. "That being said, he'll probably be a bit uh... "bias" on the subject of the balance. You know how tough those nuts can be to crack; you step out of a corridor of darkness and automatically you're the bad guy! Though I guess the black hood and coat don't really help." He quipped in the middle of his warning, though he fully realized that it would go ignored. "Anyway, here's hoping it doesn't go south like the last one... I'd hate for you to have to dirty your hands." He said knowingly, fully aware of what befell those who did not accept the gracious offer to join the Organization.
Raixon nodded solemnly. "I will consider our approach. Winning over a heart is not always an easy feat. The heart is a fickle thing. It may bend one moment or remain unyielding the next. Fortunately we are not ones who suffer from such ties to mere whim." Creating a force to be reckoned with with the Keyblades so scattered amongst the worlds had been a tedious and careful duty, and he had unfailingly continued. The purpose of the blades, and those who wielded them. Kingdom Hearts would be in good hands under their protection. The unnecessary battles would yet cease, and the Keyblade would no longer be needed in the World. Everything would return to how it should've been. In time.
"Meetings are necessary, Xantek," he mused with something not quite an absent sigh, but close enough. "Each of you is effective on your own, yet coordination is our ally. It maximizes the impact of our few numbers while I continue to add to them." For several moments he paused, turning away from the hooded Xantek. Had he not been wearing a blindfold, it would've been said that Raixon's eyes had been cast out into he distance. "Some will not understand the twilight, blinded by the light. Others flee from the dusk and into the dark, believing that such is the coming onslaught of an impending light. The twilight is a narrow path to tread, and that is where the power is greatest. Where neither light nor darkness can shroud us from the truth."
After another few moments, he began walking once again. "Keep an eye out for this boy. If he follows the Heartless, as any of light are drawn to the darkness, we may be able to guide those movements with the dark talisman of our own." Xantek would know whom he was talking about. "Do not engage him. If he too continued to search for these greater Heartless, then he will lead us right to them."
"Meetings are necessary, Xantek," he mused with something not quite an absent sigh, but close enough. "Each of you is effective on your own, yet coordination is our ally. It maximizes the impact of our few numbers while I continue to add to them." For several moments he paused, turning away from the hooded Xantek. Had he not been wearing a blindfold, it would've been said that Raixon's eyes had been cast out into he distance. "Some will not understand the twilight, blinded by the light. Others flee from the dusk and into the dark, believing that such is the coming onslaught of an impending light. The twilight is a narrow path to tread, and that is where the power is greatest. Where neither light nor darkness can shroud us from the truth."
After another few moments, he began walking once again. "Keep an eye out for this boy. If he follows the Heartless, as any of light are drawn to the darkness, we may be able to guide those movements with the dark talisman of our own." Xantek would know whom he was talking about. "Do not engage him. If he too continued to search for these greater Heartless, then he will lead us right to them."
"Aye, aye, boss man." Xantek cheekily replied before disappearing into a Corridor of Darkness to carry out his orders.
Finding the boy wasn't very hard, if he really was following the darkness, then all Xantek had to do to find him was to do the same. The closest world with an overabundance of Heartless to Twilight Town at the moment was La Cite des Cloches, so that was as good of a place to start as any. Xantek appeared in an alleyway just outside of the Square, and just as expected, he was greeted with the sight of the boy in question, Keyblade in hand, fighting off a hoard of Heartless.
"Bingo." Xantek said to himself as he hung back and observed. He scanned the area for a moment and eventually located Ritsuka's traveling companions, the little Moogle that was somehow also an apprentice, and more surprisingly, the nameless girl that they picked up in Twilight Town. He watched them as the two unlikely allies led a couple of locals into the large cathedral while the boy covered them. "Hmm, the Moogle is one thing, but having the girl around when Raixon pops the question may cause some problems." He mused to himself, knowing full well that having a wild card in play, one that the boy would certainly feel attached to, could make convincing him much more difficult.
"Halt!" Xantek heard a voice from behind him. He turned to see a man garbed in the attire of the palace guard approach him with what was honestly a sorry excuse for a dagger drawn at him. "What are you doing here, creeping around during a crisis all suspicious like!" If Xantek had a heart, would probably find the way the guard spoke to him funny, the way he honestly thought that he could be intimidated by a simple mook like him. Still, Xantek was pleased to see him, in fact he was just what he needed at the moment. With a smirk under his hood, Xantek summoned his Keyblade and with inhuman speed dashed at the guard, knocking him out with a single strike.
"Sorry pal, but I can't be uniform for this." He said as he began to strip the unconscious guard of his uniform.
Meanwhile, Moguri managed to lead the two natives and Cynthiera into the cathedral, just narrowly escaping the Heartless.
"Is your friend going to be ok?" The native woman inquired with concern.
"Oh yeah, he'll be fine, Ritsuka's as strong as they come, kupo." Moguri assured, confident in his fellow apprentice's abilities. However, just as things seemed to settle down, a Corridor of Darkness silently opened behind them and out came Xantek, sans his Organization coat and instead dressed in the uniform of the palace guard. He then grabbed Cynthiera from behind, placing a hand over her mouth so that her only reactions was a muffled cry. However, that was more than enough to alert the rest.
"GAH!! Hey, let her go, kupo!" Moguri demanded as he summoned his casting sword and brandished it at Xantek. The Nobody just let out an amused chuckle, casting Sleepga on Cynthiera so that she ceased her struggling and went limp in his grasp. And then, without a word, Xantek disappeared into a Corridor of Darkness, taking Cynthiera with him. "NOOOO!" Moguri cried as he attempted to follow, only to fall flat on his face when he failed to jump into the Corridor after her. "Cynthiera!"
Finding the boy wasn't very hard, if he really was following the darkness, then all Xantek had to do to find him was to do the same. The closest world with an overabundance of Heartless to Twilight Town at the moment was La Cite des Cloches, so that was as good of a place to start as any. Xantek appeared in an alleyway just outside of the Square, and just as expected, he was greeted with the sight of the boy in question, Keyblade in hand, fighting off a hoard of Heartless.
"Bingo." Xantek said to himself as he hung back and observed. He scanned the area for a moment and eventually located Ritsuka's traveling companions, the little Moogle that was somehow also an apprentice, and more surprisingly, the nameless girl that they picked up in Twilight Town. He watched them as the two unlikely allies led a couple of locals into the large cathedral while the boy covered them. "Hmm, the Moogle is one thing, but having the girl around when Raixon pops the question may cause some problems." He mused to himself, knowing full well that having a wild card in play, one that the boy would certainly feel attached to, could make convincing him much more difficult.
"Halt!" Xantek heard a voice from behind him. He turned to see a man garbed in the attire of the palace guard approach him with what was honestly a sorry excuse for a dagger drawn at him. "What are you doing here, creeping around during a crisis all suspicious like!" If Xantek had a heart, would probably find the way the guard spoke to him funny, the way he honestly thought that he could be intimidated by a simple mook like him. Still, Xantek was pleased to see him, in fact he was just what he needed at the moment. With a smirk under his hood, Xantek summoned his Keyblade and with inhuman speed dashed at the guard, knocking him out with a single strike.
"Sorry pal, but I can't be uniform for this." He said as he began to strip the unconscious guard of his uniform.
Meanwhile, Moguri managed to lead the two natives and Cynthiera into the cathedral, just narrowly escaping the Heartless.
"Is your friend going to be ok?" The native woman inquired with concern.
"Oh yeah, he'll be fine, Ritsuka's as strong as they come, kupo." Moguri assured, confident in his fellow apprentice's abilities. However, just as things seemed to settle down, a Corridor of Darkness silently opened behind them and out came Xantek, sans his Organization coat and instead dressed in the uniform of the palace guard. He then grabbed Cynthiera from behind, placing a hand over her mouth so that her only reactions was a muffled cry. However, that was more than enough to alert the rest.
"GAH!! Hey, let her go, kupo!" Moguri demanded as he summoned his casting sword and brandished it at Xantek. The Nobody just let out an amused chuckle, casting Sleepga on Cynthiera so that she ceased her struggling and went limp in his grasp. And then, without a word, Xantek disappeared into a Corridor of Darkness, taking Cynthiera with him. "NOOOO!" Moguri cried as he attempted to follow, only to fall flat on his face when he failed to jump into the Corridor after her. "Cynthiera!"
When Aiko said nothing after several moments, Yuxara turned away. "Please do not waste my time. There are many other things that need to be done. The lesser Nobodies will assist you for what you need, but I hope that when we see each other next, you will have made the decision to join us wholly and cease wallowing in self-condoned pity." And with that she walked out of the room and sealed it. Outside, she closed her eyes briefly. It was a shame. Aiko had a gift, but until the decision was made, she was useless to them.
Such were the troubles of those who had a heart. It was the reason why the Organization abandoned them. Too easily swayed, yet once set on a position there would be no other convincing until they allowed their own reform. Hearts were powerful, yes, but at the cost of efficacy and taint? Until some sort of solution would be found, the only thing that was important was the duty that they had to carry out as Keyblade wielders. Everything else was to be left behind.
Such were the troubles of those who had a heart. It was the reason why the Organization abandoned them. Too easily swayed, yet once set on a position there would be no other convincing until they allowed their own reform. Hearts were powerful, yes, but at the cost of efficacy and taint? Until some sort of solution would be found, the only thing that was important was the duty that they had to carry out as Keyblade wielders. Everything else was to be left behind.
"Thunder!" Ritsuka cried as he summoned a few bolts of lighting to strike the surrounding Heartless. This finished off two of them but only left another two paralyzed, allowing Ritsuka to dash forward and finish the job with a Sliding Dash. With the last Heartless dealt with and the citizens being evacuated from the Square, Ritsuka spared one last glance in Frollo's direction, the man meeting his gaze with a sneer, before he dismissed his Keyblade and dashed into the cathedral. "Is everyone ok?" Ritsuka asked as he met back up with Moguri and the natives of the world. The only response he got was silence, with the natives looking back and forth between the two apprentices sympathetically as Moguri himself was on his hands an knees on the ground. "Uh... What's wrong?" Ritsuka inquired, just before he noticed that one other of their merry gang was missing. "Where's Cynthiera?"
"...She... She was..." Moguri struggled to answer, much to Ritsuka's dismay.
"I'm afraid she was taken." The woman they had rescued answered instead. "A member of the palace guard whisked her away into a black portal, no doubt on the orders of Judge Frollo." She elaborated, obvious venom in the last bit of accusation towards the cruel man.
"What!" Ritsuka exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock and concern.
"I'm sorry." The hunchback said. "It all happened so fast, there wasn't anything we could do to stop it." He stated with obvious regret, playing with this oversized fingers and unable to meet Ritsuka's gaze.
"...No way..." Ritsuka said, still unable to believe it.
"It's my fault... I should've done something, kupo..." Moguri said, his shaky voice betraying his guilt and how close he was to tears.
"...No, it's my fault." Ritsuka rebuked, his gaze falling to the floor and his hands balling into fists. "You told me it would be dangerous to bring her along and I didn't listen, if I had just listened to you than this wouldn't have... I gotta go find her!" Ritsuka declared before dashing back towards the door of the cathedral.
"W-Wait...!" The hunchback called, but was silenced by the woman placing a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head knowingly. Once Ritsuka got to the door, he was only able to open it slightly before he was met with the sight of a couple of palace guards stationed right outside. He waited a moment, but when they didn't leave it was clear that they were there for them.
'That's right, that Judge Frollo guy is after that girl, but they can't just barge in because of the Law of Sanctuary. ' He recalled from one of the books he had read in Yen Sid's library. 'But, they already came in here once, so if we leave and they decide to try their luck again... they'd be defenseless.' He realized looking back at the dirty and beaten hunchback and the woman who was kind enough to rescue him. He knew he couldn't just abandon them, but he also couldn't abandon Cynthiera, she was his responsibility, and more importantly, she was his friend. But...
"I'll go, kupo." Moguri said, gaining Ritsuka's attention. The little Moogle wiped away his tears and flew over to him. "Ritsuka, you stay here and make sure those guards don't try anymore funny business, kupo. I'll go out and find where they're keeping Cynthiera, and maybe even find out more about the Heartless along the way, kupo." He stated, a clear determination in his voice that Ritsuka couldn't argue with, not that ever would.
"...Alright, I'm counting you buddy." Ritsuka said, offering his fist to the floating apprentice.
"You got it, kupo!" Moguri replied with a tap of his fist to Ritsuka's before he flew out of the cathedral, the two guards contemplating whether to go after him or not before deciding against it. With that, Ritsuka took a deep breath to calm himself before turning back to the duo they had rescued.
"Well, I guess we'll be stuck here for a while." Ritsuka quipped to try and lighten the tension.
"Thank you so much, I understand that you must be worried about your friend." The woman said with obvious sympathy.
"Yeah well... we can't just abandon you either, and we need to fight off the Heartless here anyway, so everything kind of works out." Ritsuka insisted.
"Heartless?" The Hunchback said quizzically.
"Those monsters from before, the two of us... well, three of us, actually came here to get rid of them, it's kind of our job. I'm Ritsuka by the way." He introduced.
"My name is... Quasimodo." The hunchback replied, obviously not used to human interaction.
"And I am Esmerelda. Again, thank you for rescuing us." The woman said with a slight, gracious curtsy.
"No problem, just doing what we can to help." Ritsuka insisted.
"...She... She was..." Moguri struggled to answer, much to Ritsuka's dismay.
"I'm afraid she was taken." The woman they had rescued answered instead. "A member of the palace guard whisked her away into a black portal, no doubt on the orders of Judge Frollo." She elaborated, obvious venom in the last bit of accusation towards the cruel man.
"What!" Ritsuka exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock and concern.
"I'm sorry." The hunchback said. "It all happened so fast, there wasn't anything we could do to stop it." He stated with obvious regret, playing with this oversized fingers and unable to meet Ritsuka's gaze.
"...No way..." Ritsuka said, still unable to believe it.
"It's my fault... I should've done something, kupo..." Moguri said, his shaky voice betraying his guilt and how close he was to tears.
"...No, it's my fault." Ritsuka rebuked, his gaze falling to the floor and his hands balling into fists. "You told me it would be dangerous to bring her along and I didn't listen, if I had just listened to you than this wouldn't have... I gotta go find her!" Ritsuka declared before dashing back towards the door of the cathedral.
"W-Wait...!" The hunchback called, but was silenced by the woman placing a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head knowingly. Once Ritsuka got to the door, he was only able to open it slightly before he was met with the sight of a couple of palace guards stationed right outside. He waited a moment, but when they didn't leave it was clear that they were there for them.
'That's right, that Judge Frollo guy is after that girl, but they can't just barge in because of the Law of Sanctuary. ' He recalled from one of the books he had read in Yen Sid's library. 'But, they already came in here once, so if we leave and they decide to try their luck again... they'd be defenseless.' He realized looking back at the dirty and beaten hunchback and the woman who was kind enough to rescue him. He knew he couldn't just abandon them, but he also couldn't abandon Cynthiera, she was his responsibility, and more importantly, she was his friend. But...
"I'll go, kupo." Moguri said, gaining Ritsuka's attention. The little Moogle wiped away his tears and flew over to him. "Ritsuka, you stay here and make sure those guards don't try anymore funny business, kupo. I'll go out and find where they're keeping Cynthiera, and maybe even find out more about the Heartless along the way, kupo." He stated, a clear determination in his voice that Ritsuka couldn't argue with, not that ever would.
"...Alright, I'm counting you buddy." Ritsuka said, offering his fist to the floating apprentice.
"You got it, kupo!" Moguri replied with a tap of his fist to Ritsuka's before he flew out of the cathedral, the two guards contemplating whether to go after him or not before deciding against it. With that, Ritsuka took a deep breath to calm himself before turning back to the duo they had rescued.
"Well, I guess we'll be stuck here for a while." Ritsuka quipped to try and lighten the tension.
"Thank you so much, I understand that you must be worried about your friend." The woman said with obvious sympathy.
"Yeah well... we can't just abandon you either, and we need to fight off the Heartless here anyway, so everything kind of works out." Ritsuka insisted.
"Heartless?" The Hunchback said quizzically.
"Those monsters from before, the two of us... well, three of us, actually came here to get rid of them, it's kind of our job. I'm Ritsuka by the way." He introduced.
"My name is... Quasimodo." The hunchback replied, obviously not used to human interaction.
"And I am Esmerelda. Again, thank you for rescuing us." The woman said with a slight, gracious curtsy.
"No problem, just doing what we can to help." Ritsuka insisted.
Crushing darkness. The kind that they say could suck the heart out of you. The young man felt himself floating in the vast expanse of nothingness, seeing and hearing nothing. Suddenly, a point of light materialized out of the void, growing ever larger. After an indeterminate length of time (he felt that it was about 10 seconds but he couldn't be certain; for all he knew, it could have been anywhere from 10 seconds to 10 years) it practically exploded, consuming everything around it and whiting out the void completely. Again, there was darkness, but a softer one this time. He felt a soft breeze on his face and in the distance he could hear a few birds chirping. He opened his eyes to see the vast expanse of a twilit sky, an amalgamation of golds, pinks, reds, and maybe a hint of blue. Where am I…? he thought as he sat up and surveyed his surroundings, brushing golden bangs out of his face.
He was in the middle of a forest clearing in front of the gates of an old mansion. The mansion was a large, brown stone structure complete with a clock tower. The outer wall was made of large blocks of the same material as the house with a gate in the center with ivy growing in a few places. The gate was a wrought iron construction, a massive lock complete with heavy chains coming out of it in the center of the gate barring entry. It looked as if no one had lived there for a long time. Tall pine trees surrounded the clearing, casting long shadows over the ground. He looked down at himself and saw that he was clothed in a short-sleeved waist-length black jacket that went to about halfway down his torso, a dark green sleeveless t-shirt with a design of a strange-looking “X” shape stenciled in white on the front of it, tan cargo shorts that went to just below his knees, black fingerless gloves, and black sneakers with white laces. Running the length of his right arm was an elaborate tattoo of what seemed to be intertwining black chains. In one spot, some of the links in one of the chains were replaced by the word "UNBREAKABLE"; the letters were connected as if they were links in the chain. He stood up and stretched a bit, rolling his right shoulder for it was feeling oddly stiff. If anyone were to see him at that instant, they would see a tall, muscular young man - maybe about 6 feet, 6'1" - who looked to be in his early 20s with short, jet-black hair with gold bangs and eyes that were a soft yet surprisingly vivid shade of bright gold.
He racked his brains, seeing if he could remember how he’d gotten there. After a few seconds, he sighed disappointedly. Nothing. He was, however, getting random flashes of memory, one right after the other. They were fleeting and distant, as if these memories belonged to another person...but he somehow knew instinctively that they were his. He also remembered a name, "Noah..." he said softly to himself. The young man knew that that must be his name, but it didn't feel...right...to him, as if upon waking up something about him had so fundamentally changed that "Noah" didn't quite fit anymore. The letters rearranged themselves in his head, as if they knew this. After a few seconds, they came to a stop. H-A-N-O...X? "Hanox..." the young man said to himself, his voice still soft. He gave a slight nod, his right hand contemplatively placed on his chin. Yes, that felt better. Much better...though he wasn't sure where the "X" had come from.
Anyway, the newly-christened Hanox looked around, trying to find a way out of the clearing. After several seconds of searching, he spotted one, an opening in the trees opposite the Mansion’s gate. He set off towards it, thinking that he'd take stock of the situation once he had located some semblance of civilization.
He was in the middle of a forest clearing in front of the gates of an old mansion. The mansion was a large, brown stone structure complete with a clock tower. The outer wall was made of large blocks of the same material as the house with a gate in the center with ivy growing in a few places. The gate was a wrought iron construction, a massive lock complete with heavy chains coming out of it in the center of the gate barring entry. It looked as if no one had lived there for a long time. Tall pine trees surrounded the clearing, casting long shadows over the ground. He looked down at himself and saw that he was clothed in a short-sleeved waist-length black jacket that went to about halfway down his torso, a dark green sleeveless t-shirt with a design of a strange-looking “X” shape stenciled in white on the front of it, tan cargo shorts that went to just below his knees, black fingerless gloves, and black sneakers with white laces. Running the length of his right arm was an elaborate tattoo of what seemed to be intertwining black chains. In one spot, some of the links in one of the chains were replaced by the word "UNBREAKABLE"; the letters were connected as if they were links in the chain. He stood up and stretched a bit, rolling his right shoulder for it was feeling oddly stiff. If anyone were to see him at that instant, they would see a tall, muscular young man - maybe about 6 feet, 6'1" - who looked to be in his early 20s with short, jet-black hair with gold bangs and eyes that were a soft yet surprisingly vivid shade of bright gold.
He racked his brains, seeing if he could remember how he’d gotten there. After a few seconds, he sighed disappointedly. Nothing. He was, however, getting random flashes of memory, one right after the other. They were fleeting and distant, as if these memories belonged to another person...but he somehow knew instinctively that they were his. He also remembered a name, "Noah..." he said softly to himself. The young man knew that that must be his name, but it didn't feel...right...to him, as if upon waking up something about him had so fundamentally changed that "Noah" didn't quite fit anymore. The letters rearranged themselves in his head, as if they knew this. After a few seconds, they came to a stop. H-A-N-O...X? "Hanox..." the young man said to himself, his voice still soft. He gave a slight nod, his right hand contemplatively placed on his chin. Yes, that felt better. Much better...though he wasn't sure where the "X" had come from.
Anyway, the newly-christened Hanox looked around, trying to find a way out of the clearing. After several seconds of searching, he spotted one, an opening in the trees opposite the Mansion’s gate. He set off towards it, thinking that he'd take stock of the situation once he had located some semblance of civilization.
"There's nothing there for you that way." An unfamiliar voice called out to Hanox. Should the newly formed Nobody turn around, he would see a strange figure leaning against the wall that bordered the mansion, arms crossed nonchalantly over his chest. the figure wore a black, form fitting, organic looking body suit that had purple flame designs on the gloves and boots. His torso had a large Heartless Emblem covering most of the chest and over his head was a tattered dark grey hood that hid his face.
"In fact, there's nothing for you anywhere in this World, not for a Nobody like you." He added almost tauntingly, his hood obscuring the amused look on his face.
"In fact, there's nothing for you anywhere in this World, not for a Nobody like you." He added almost tauntingly, his hood obscuring the amused look on his face.
The blindfolded Raixon stood quietly in the room after Xantek had left. This new development was an interesting predicament. Perhaps, if his own hunch was correct, he would at last find out how those hearts had manifested...and with the research in the duality of the heart and the body continuing to progress, it would lead to the possibility of an ever-greater weapon that they could all become. That was the mission of he Organization. To be the sentinels of the balance, for the protection of Kingdom Hearts.
His chin lifted slightly as he heard footsteps, and as they approached he listened to the pattern and gait. Those with bodily sight would hardly understand this, but he could identify the Organization members by the weight, duration, and speed of their casual stride. There were other ways that he could see without eyes, and that was simply one of them. "Yuxara," he acknowledged without turning around, and the footsteps slowed to a stop. "How is the castaway?"
Yuxara touched her hands together gently in front of her. "No such luck, it seems," she mused quietly. "There is an inborn ability, though so long as her heart is in the way of the potential, we won't be getting anywhere."
"Perhaps we should simply rob her heart," Raixon mused the absent suggestion, only now turning around to glance in Yuxara's direction. "The skill is what we need most. If the heart is removed in certain manners it will leave one with no memory at all." Although it was simply a statement of fact, the point would be driven home by the fact that Yuxara herself remembered little if not nothing about her own Somebody.
"It is an option," she acknowledged. "However there are other avenues with which we can continue to increase our numbers. The Heartless are bound to consume a few of the worlds, and that can be used to our advantage in terms of recruitment. The involuntary removal of a heart is a last-resort that simply isn't necessary. The heart is powerful. Should we keep hold upon hearts, we will have the most powerful forces...on the proper side and purpose."
Raixon allowed the statement to sink in, and he nodded. "As we speak of hearts and Heartless, the light follows the darkness, as it always does. Xantek has found another wielder who also seeks to eliminate them."
Yuxara's eyes widened slightly, and she walked a few paces closer to him "This means that we may be led to ourselves." Her voice was just barely over a hushed whisper.
"Correct." Raixon turned away once more. "Even if we are not availed the use of such power when the time comes, we have the opportunity to eliminate them from the picture. And perhaps for another ally, if destiny allows..." he trailed off for several moments. "The pull of the darkness still grows," he remarked in a murmur. "Remain vigilant. We must be ready when the inevitable time comes." He lifted his arm, and darkness emerged, swirling and coalescing into the familiar dark corridor. "I will again scour another world or two, and I hope to return with someone with similar potential as that girl."
Yuxara nodded. "I will check on Kostexu regarding the progress of the research. I am sure that he will be interested to hear of this." With another nod of acknowledgement, the Superior stepped through the corridor, which swallowed his intimidating form before vanishing into complete nothingness, leaving Yuxara alone in the hall. After another moment, she took a detour, taking a lesser used halland descending down the numerous amount of steps towards Kostexu's study laboratory beneath the Castle that Never Was.
His chin lifted slightly as he heard footsteps, and as they approached he listened to the pattern and gait. Those with bodily sight would hardly understand this, but he could identify the Organization members by the weight, duration, and speed of their casual stride. There were other ways that he could see without eyes, and that was simply one of them. "Yuxara," he acknowledged without turning around, and the footsteps slowed to a stop. "How is the castaway?"
Yuxara touched her hands together gently in front of her. "No such luck, it seems," she mused quietly. "There is an inborn ability, though so long as her heart is in the way of the potential, we won't be getting anywhere."
"Perhaps we should simply rob her heart," Raixon mused the absent suggestion, only now turning around to glance in Yuxara's direction. "The skill is what we need most. If the heart is removed in certain manners it will leave one with no memory at all." Although it was simply a statement of fact, the point would be driven home by the fact that Yuxara herself remembered little if not nothing about her own Somebody.
"It is an option," she acknowledged. "However there are other avenues with which we can continue to increase our numbers. The Heartless are bound to consume a few of the worlds, and that can be used to our advantage in terms of recruitment. The involuntary removal of a heart is a last-resort that simply isn't necessary. The heart is powerful. Should we keep hold upon hearts, we will have the most powerful forces...on the proper side and purpose."
Raixon allowed the statement to sink in, and he nodded. "As we speak of hearts and Heartless, the light follows the darkness, as it always does. Xantek has found another wielder who also seeks to eliminate them."
Yuxara's eyes widened slightly, and she walked a few paces closer to him "This means that we may be led to ourselves." Her voice was just barely over a hushed whisper.
"Correct." Raixon turned away once more. "Even if we are not availed the use of such power when the time comes, we have the opportunity to eliminate them from the picture. And perhaps for another ally, if destiny allows..." he trailed off for several moments. "The pull of the darkness still grows," he remarked in a murmur. "Remain vigilant. We must be ready when the inevitable time comes." He lifted his arm, and darkness emerged, swirling and coalescing into the familiar dark corridor. "I will again scour another world or two, and I hope to return with someone with similar potential as that girl."
Yuxara nodded. "I will check on Kostexu regarding the progress of the research. I am sure that he will be interested to hear of this." With another nod of acknowledgement, the Superior stepped through the corridor, which swallowed his intimidating form before vanishing into complete nothingness, leaving Yuxara alone in the hall. After another moment, she took a detour, taking a lesser used halland descending down the numerous amount of steps towards Kostexu's study laboratory beneath the Castle that Never Was.
Hanox froze at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Something about it made him feel very uneasy. Or at least, it should have. In fact, even as his mind told him that he should feel that way, the Nobody didn't. Indeed, he wasn't feeling much of anything at the moment. However, he still whipped around and saw the strange figure leaning against the outer wall of the mansion's grounds, his body language almost condescending in its nonchalantness.
Hanox made note of the odd, organic-looking bodysuit, but even more of the massive insignia on the figure's chest. Heartless..., a voice in the back of his mind said. On some unknown instinct, Hanox's right hand moved rapidly to the small of his back, as if he were reaching for something. Feeling nothing (which he knew should worry him but it, strangely, didn't), the Nobody lowered his hand to his side and regarded his new acquaintance with a feigned hostility. As mentioned, he wasn't feeling much of anything, but something told him he should at least try and put on that air. "Who the hell are you?!" Hanox demanded of his new acquaintance, his voice filled with the same faked emotion. "And what the hell do you mean by 'Nobody'?!"
Hanox made note of the odd, organic-looking bodysuit, but even more of the massive insignia on the figure's chest. Heartless..., a voice in the back of his mind said. On some unknown instinct, Hanox's right hand moved rapidly to the small of his back, as if he were reaching for something. Feeling nothing (which he knew should worry him but it, strangely, didn't), the Nobody lowered his hand to his side and regarded his new acquaintance with a feigned hostility. As mentioned, he wasn't feeling much of anything, but something told him he should at least try and put on that air. "Who the hell are you?!" Hanox demanded of his new acquaintance, his voice filled with the same faked emotion. "And what the hell do you mean by 'Nobody'?!"
"Heh, playing the tough guy, huh? Not surprising, after all putting on airs is what you Nobodies are best at." He taunted further as he pushed himself off the wall and took a few steps forward. "Oh, that's right, you don't know what that is do you, my bad, I better start from there." He mused condescendingly, stopping a comfortable distance away to address Hanox.
"Nobodies are what's left of a person whose heart was taken by the darkness. Their just empty vessels, moving around on nothing but the memory of the person they once were. But that's just it, because they can remember what they were like before, when they had a heart, they know that something is seriously wrong with them, no matter how much they try to pretend and act like nothing has changed. It's why the sound of your own name, the thing that you've been called ever since you were born, just doesn't feel right anymore. You're not the person you used to be, but you can't possibly be anyone else, you're just... nobody."
"Any of this seem familiar?" He inquired after his long, dramatic speech. He knew that the Nobody before him wouldn't feel anything at his prodding, but he just couldn't help himself from trying to search for even the slightest hint of darkness, of negative emotion, of pain, fear, insecurity that just might be echoing in the chasm where his heart once was.
"Nobodies are what's left of a person whose heart was taken by the darkness. Their just empty vessels, moving around on nothing but the memory of the person they once were. But that's just it, because they can remember what they were like before, when they had a heart, they know that something is seriously wrong with them, no matter how much they try to pretend and act like nothing has changed. It's why the sound of your own name, the thing that you've been called ever since you were born, just doesn't feel right anymore. You're not the person you used to be, but you can't possibly be anyone else, you're just... nobody."
"Any of this seem familiar?" He inquired after his long, dramatic speech. He knew that the Nobody before him wouldn't feel anything at his prodding, but he just couldn't help himself from trying to search for even the slightest hint of darkness, of negative emotion, of pain, fear, insecurity that just might be echoing in the chasm where his heart once was.
There seemed to be a vat of pure darkness resting upon the frozen floor. It held a mess of minor shadows, thrashing about in a rather unintelligent manner. The way they seemed to only live with instinct in mind, it was similar to Kostexu in his first days as a nobody. There was no knowledge in regards to his sense of self or what steps he needed to take in order to achieve his goal. He had an instinctual desire, however: to find the key to perfect transformation. He had a goal immediately from his second birth. He knew this was his purpose.
And so, as Kostexu gazed into the abyss, he pondered: how does one return to their true self in a manner that was not only effective, but at command? To be able to become a human once more without relying on chance, it was the center of all of his research. Why he had such a goal, he wasn't aware, for he couldn't ask his old, completed self. Did it matter? He was tossed into the world with a purpose. Why not devote time and his most developed skill towards reaching such an end?
He reached out and prodded at one of the heartless. It seemed mostly indifferent to him, as though he carried no heart. Such a concept was foreign to him, but he had no qualms with it. Afterall, wasn't that simply part of the study? He was no longer a human. He had to become a human in his own way, log his methods, and utilize it in future transformations. Even the method with which he abandoned his heart was unclear.
Everything was as murky as the blending mess of the shadows before him. Perhaps he was spending too much time with idle thought and not enough with his actual task. He hummed to himself as he walked to his desk, sitting and scribbling onto a blank sheet.
And so, as Kostexu gazed into the abyss, he pondered: how does one return to their true self in a manner that was not only effective, but at command? To be able to become a human once more without relying on chance, it was the center of all of his research. Why he had such a goal, he wasn't aware, for he couldn't ask his old, completed self. Did it matter? He was tossed into the world with a purpose. Why not devote time and his most developed skill towards reaching such an end?
He reached out and prodded at one of the heartless. It seemed mostly indifferent to him, as though he carried no heart. Such a concept was foreign to him, but he had no qualms with it. Afterall, wasn't that simply part of the study? He was no longer a human. He had to become a human in his own way, log his methods, and utilize it in future transformations. Even the method with which he abandoned his heart was unclear.
Everything was as murky as the blending mess of the shadows before him. Perhaps he was spending too much time with idle thought and not enough with his actual task. He hummed to himself as he walked to his desk, sitting and scribbling onto a blank sheet.
The nature of Kostexu's mysterious work had always been something of a relative interest to Yuxara. Having no memory of her own with which to fall back upon, and only her Keyblade and skill as the only remnant of her time won a heart, she had relied on fleeting scraps, compared with that of Raixon's. His presence and companionship had done a reasonable amount of shaping to the little sense of self and personality she did have currently.
Consequently, the idea of eventually finding her heart and reuniting with it to increase her own prowess was one with considerable merit. And it worked perfectly in light of the overall mission of the Organization. With mastery over their own hearts with the disciplinary splitting and merging, there would be little reason not to tap into the immense strength that a heart could so lend to them. Power that could further be channeled in keeping the balance of twilight, and returning order to the World as it should be.
She quietly opened to door, her footsteps echoing lightly as she entered Kostexu's lab. As usual, she found herself drawn to the vat of shadows. Something about the darkness had always drawn her and comforted her, and after she had found out the truth she was wary of the affinity and attraction. Her violet eyes flicked towards the shadows as well as the heartless in the room, who ignored her. Mostly, anyway. There were a few that had a stronger sense for the darkness than the others and huddled somewhat closer to her. Naturally, she ignored them. "Kostexu," she murmured. "How is your progress?" She walked over towards his desk, though giving him plenty of space by standing a few paces behind his chair. "There has been...an interesting development on our end, should you be inclined to hear."
Consequently, the idea of eventually finding her heart and reuniting with it to increase her own prowess was one with considerable merit. And it worked perfectly in light of the overall mission of the Organization. With mastery over their own hearts with the disciplinary splitting and merging, there would be little reason not to tap into the immense strength that a heart could so lend to them. Power that could further be channeled in keeping the balance of twilight, and returning order to the World as it should be.
She quietly opened to door, her footsteps echoing lightly as she entered Kostexu's lab. As usual, she found herself drawn to the vat of shadows. Something about the darkness had always drawn her and comforted her, and after she had found out the truth she was wary of the affinity and attraction. Her violet eyes flicked towards the shadows as well as the heartless in the room, who ignored her. Mostly, anyway. There were a few that had a stronger sense for the darkness than the others and huddled somewhat closer to her. Naturally, she ignored them. "Kostexu," she murmured. "How is your progress?" She walked over towards his desk, though giving him plenty of space by standing a few paces behind his chair. "There has been...an interesting development on our end, should you be inclined to hear."
Kostexu heard the sound of soles slapping against the solid ground, his brow furrowing as it tore him from his prior thoughts. There was a certain mood he got himself into when he studied. He always let his work absorb him and the ideas just flowed to him, as though he were an idle bystander in a wave of information. With a soft sigh, he set down the pencil he held in his hand. It appeared that his ideas would elude him after this woman so disrespectfully interrupted. He would never complain directly to his superiors, but it did not please him.
In his best attempt at suppressing the annoyances he felt with this woman, Kostexu decided to play along. He would much rather discuss the intrinsic natures of being; the complexities of the heart and husk. There was one idea that never did sit quite right with him. Were hearts truly the center of emotion? Were nobodies lacking of such a concept? How was this to be determined? No research documents he had ever found had properly explained how this was so. Though, if a heartless was a corrupted heart, it must have been. Still, the fact that he was irritated was an emotion, was it not? He began to get side tracked again in the roller coaster that was his own thought.
"Mm, sure," he replied to the woman at last, standing and running a hand through his jet hair, turning his emerald eyes to face her. He yawned a bit and turned to face the shadows as he listened to whatever she would tell him. Likely, it was a silly matter that didn't pertain to him. These fools and their ridiculous dreams. His goal was simple, set in his birth. They wanted to balance the light and dark but he couldn't care less if either took the lead. Though, he sure would tag along with their ideas if it led to being supported in his endeavors.
In his best attempt at suppressing the annoyances he felt with this woman, Kostexu decided to play along. He would much rather discuss the intrinsic natures of being; the complexities of the heart and husk. There was one idea that never did sit quite right with him. Were hearts truly the center of emotion? Were nobodies lacking of such a concept? How was this to be determined? No research documents he had ever found had properly explained how this was so. Though, if a heartless was a corrupted heart, it must have been. Still, the fact that he was irritated was an emotion, was it not? He began to get side tracked again in the roller coaster that was his own thought.
"Mm, sure," he replied to the woman at last, standing and running a hand through his jet hair, turning his emerald eyes to face her. He yawned a bit and turned to face the shadows as he listened to whatever she would tell him. Likely, it was a silly matter that didn't pertain to him. These fools and their ridiculous dreams. His goal was simple, set in his birth. They wanted to balance the light and dark but he couldn't care less if either took the lead. Though, he sure would tag along with their ideas if it led to being supported in his endeavors.
Hanox crossed his arms, wondering how this unknown Heartless knew what he was experiencing. The sound of his old name had indeed not felt right anymore, hence his new one. Also, something felt very...well, there really wasn't any other way to put it...off, and he couldn't quite place it. He suspected that this was due to the lack of a heart that his mysterious conversation partner had described. Even so, Hanox kept the look of hostility firmly on his face, but he did tone down the hostility in his voice, if only a little bit. "So what if it does?" Hanox asked. "Even if it didn't, what the hell is it to you, Heartless?"
The Nobody had put a little added venom into the final word of his question. He wasn't sure what reaction that would get out of his mysterious conversation partner, but he remembered that he had had a large dislike of Heartless (the emblem on the figure's chest was a dead giveaway), and his mind told him that he should even be a little scared of the man in front of him. Hanox didn't know why it was telling him that, though.
The Nobody had put a little added venom into the final word of his question. He wasn't sure what reaction that would get out of his mysterious conversation partner, but he remembered that he had had a large dislike of Heartless (the emblem on the figure's chest was a dead giveaway), and his mind told him that he should even be a little scared of the man in front of him. Hanox didn't know why it was telling him that, though.
"Well, good to know that I won't have to explain everything." Ryuga replied almost playfully. "But you really should cut the tough guy act, it doesn't matter how stellar your acting is, it won't change the fact that you're empty inside, and honestly... I find it rather annoying." He paused as his fist clenched in anger and an aura of darkness radiated from it. His voice became much more sinister at the last part, losing all sarcastic pretenses and dripping with venom that Hanox couldn't hope to emulate. While most Heartless acted without emotion, Ryuga had managed to retain just a few key feelings that allowed him to command his own darkness; anger, hate, and in this case, annoyance. Despite retaining a sense of self, he still craved the darkness in others' hearts, and seeing an empty vessel attempt to emulate the emotions that cultivate darkness, well, it was like offering a rubber stake to a starving lion.
"But seriously, there's really no reason for the hostility, faked or otherwise." He quickly regained his composure and pressed on. "I'm just here to offer some advice, one incomplete person to another." He offered.
"But seriously, there's really no reason for the hostility, faked or otherwise." He quickly regained his composure and pressed on. "I'm just here to offer some advice, one incomplete person to another." He offered.
Hanox raised an eyebrow at Ryuga's small outburst. He wasn't surprised - again, he wasn't really feeling anything (he figured it would take a while to get used to that) - but he did find the Heartless' reaction to his feigned emotions interesting. He hadn't expected that. Anyway, arms still crossed, the Nobody shifted his weight to his right side, and dropped the hostility, replacing it with a slight hint of skepticism.
"Fine then, I'll bite," Hanox said, regarding Ryuga a little coolly. "What do you got for me?" Hanox didn't trust Ryuga as far as he could throw him, but if all he had was advice, he figured it wouldn't hurt to hear him out.
"Fine then, I'll bite," Hanox said, regarding Ryuga a little coolly. "What do you got for me?" Hanox didn't trust Ryuga as far as he could throw him, but if all he had was advice, he figured it wouldn't hurt to hear him out.
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