"Good tidings, my friends. Today we were given an odd request; someone new wants to join the Organization."
"What's so strange about that?"
"She has requested to battle one of you to the death—the winner takes that rank for themselves."
A burst of angry cries met this, and Xemnas had to bang his fist against the armrest of his throne several times for silence. "The one she has requested to challenge…is Number XVI."
"What?" Marluxia demanded, though was silenced at his Superior's glower. Xandera smirked, flying down to the ground of the Round Room, "I'm not one to decline a fight, Superior. Show the Nobody in."
Taking my cue I strode foreword as the doors opened, leaving my hood down to reveal the smirk on my face. Xandera bristled, "You!"
"Yes, Scaly, me. Whomever were you expecting? The muffin man?" Several snickers met this, but I merely shoved past the dragon girl and gave a respectful bow to Xemnas, "Thank you, Superior, for excepting my request."
"It was I whom excepted, bitch, and don't forget that."
"Oh, boo-hoo, the ickle dwagon girl feels left out." With a flick of my wrist the left whip lashed out, catching her around the neck in a surprise hold. My grin grew as I noticed several Organization members jump at the move, and I kept the hold tight as she struggled. "Here, this should…shock you back to life!" With a wordless demand, the whip sparked with lightning, the other catching her wrist before she could call her weapon forth. "Let me go, damnit!"
"What, and have you summon that Dark Matter Scythe? I think not!" But I did throw her across the room, slamming her into the wall between Xemnas and Xcaiyet. Multiple members cheered, making my grin widen more. I released her wrist, morphing the whip into a skull-tipped dagger, and pulled Xandera towards me. She spun right into the blade, Darkness spreading from the wound as blood bubbled from her lips and spurt over my shoulder. "That's for my parents, you heartless sonnova bitch." I murmured in her ear, pulling the dagger from her chest. Just like that she was gone, and I dismissed my weapons to kneel before Xemnas' throne. Silence echoed all around as he waved me to my throne, "Welcome Aanyx, Number XVI. The Twilight Morph."
That was a memory I hadn't thought of in a long time—my initiation, so to speak, into the Organization. When I killed a being for the first time, a sadistic smile on my face at the sheer fact that I could exact my revenge.
She led my parents to their deaths. Kidnapped my mother, helped Ursula impersonate her, and stole the Jade Trident for Ikxe. The kingdom perished, the castle's safety gone without the power of the trident, and my family along with it.
By the time I stole it back…they were gone. All of them—heartless fodder. It's how Edmy turned into Demyx—how I first discovered who Anya was…before Ikxe got to her…
What could have possibly happened, to take someone so…princess-ey…and turn them into a ten-year-old slut? It's just not right…
Sighing, I sat up in bed, only to freeze as I realized where I was. Granted, my eyes were burning like crazy because I'd fallen asleep with my contacts in, but there was no mistaking the all-white room.
"Don't worry—you're not in trouble." Yeah, right. You try waking up in what used to be your old bedroom, only to realize that your old boss was there the whole time.
"Your brother brought you back." Xemnas explained, standing from the desk and removing a rectangular pair of reading glasses. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I said, "Nice glasses." He merely gave me one of those patient smiles and slipped them into his cloak's inner pocket, zipping it up as he spoke, "He also tells me that you were successful in fully accepting your powers."
"Well…almost fully. I'll still never have any more magic, but…" Realizing I was beginning to ramble, I cleared my throat and fiddled with the blanket. "Listen, Superior—"
"I have a special mission for you, XVI." I looked up to see his no-nonsense look, so I nodded and sat up straighter. "You won't like it, but you're the only one I know who can pull this off." Xemnas paused to cross the room, looking out at Kingdom Hearts as he gripped the windowsill, "It has come to our attention that Ansem has returned, and is attempting to bring Sora back."
"What sources?"
"Why, XV, naturally."
"XV…Naminé?"
"You don't expect me to do everything that Fae says, do you?" Xemnas smirked at me before returning his attention to the heart-shaped moon, "XVI, I need to know you are still willing to be a member of this Organization."
I swung my legs over and slipped my boots on, summoning my cloak as I drew myself to my full height. "One year ago, you asked me to kill Ikxe's spy in your Organization. By doing that, you gave me the opportunity to avenge my parent's deaths. I've been loyal to you—this—" I gestured around the room, "since that day. I have been a proud wearer of this cloak, and I wear it now. You know my answer, Superior."
Xemnas smiled, "Then here is what you must do."
"Okay, I know I'm late, but—OOF!" My explanation was suddenly cut off as Olette nearly tackled me to the ground. "Thank GOD you're alive!"
"Um…yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Your mom said you didn't come home last night." Pence explained, "We've been looking for you EVERYWHERE!"
"Including Jason's, I see." I nodded towards the bag sporting a plump, spectacled face shoved in the middle of the logo, Jason's Noodle House. "Where were you, anyway?" Heyner demanded. I shrugged, "Had some stuff on my mind, needed to think."
"Think where?"
"Around…"
"We were so worried about you!" Olette cried, hugging me tighter. "Oof…okay, okay, Olette. Lemme breathe, will ya?"
"Well, she's not in…" Roxas trailed off, coming in behind me. He froze, and for just a second I was worried he remembered everything. "You're back…" Olette gave him a look I couldn't quite decipher and backed off, allowing me to change from roller skates to an old pair of tennis shoes I kept in the corner of the room. "What, did you think I'd up and leave forever? Dork." I shoved his shoulder playfully. "I couldn't forget you lot even if I wanted to."
"Hey!" Roxas shoved me back with a chuckle, and I once more attempted to give him a noogie. As always, he easily avoided, instead heading to sit on a box. "Now that the gang's back together, why don't we do that Summer Homework piece?" Olette suggested. I readily joined in with the boys' chorus of groans. "We agreed we'd get it done today." She reminded. Heyner leaned over, "Finding you was supposed to be our ticket outta it, damn it!"
"Oh, thanks. Like I'd be missing all day or something!" I hissed back at him. "So—what do we do it on?"
"Hey, here's an idea—why not the Seven Wonders?"
Seven Wonders—The answer lies in the seventh! I stood, pointing dramatically at him, "Pence, that might be the smartest thing you've said all summer!"
"It was?"
"Duh! We make a contest out of it—split up into teams, and find out the stuff we need that way. Whoever discovers the most about them wins…and the loser…has to write the others' papers!"
"Yeah, except there's one problem with that—there's an odd number in our group." Heyner pointed out. "I'll be ref." I shrugged. "Only if you write your own paper."
"Say what?"
"Oh, come on, you fell right into that one."
"Fine…" I grumbled, folding my arms over my chest.
"Seventh wonder, seventh wonder…" I mumbled, skimming the map Pence had drawn over, "Yeah, except you forgot to number them, you block-head!"
"He did that on purpose." I spun around, finding Riku there once more. I groaned, "Lemme guess—its part of his programming, right?"
"Well, essentially. It's so that the others don't go the same direction."
"Are you sure it's not just to make my life that much more difficult?" Noticing he was gone, I groaned louder, "Damnit, stop doing that to me!"
"He's a bit busy, sis." Demyx chuckled, appearing in a portal tossing an orange in one hand. "Revenge?"
"A bit. Let's just say Kat got bored." I winced in sympathy, "Those words should never be said in that order. Bored of Kat? Yes. Kat is bored? Now that there's fighting words."
"Yeah, well, let's just say she wasn't exactly thrilled to find out that 'Mr. Albino' stole 'Step Daddy' Roxas away."
"And either she's been planning this or you got P. that Ansem let me fall."
Demyx faltered, making me smile sadly, "Yeah, I know who he is. Let's just say Twilight Morph is back in action."
"You're not seriously doing that mission!"
"Yeah, I am. Look, I screwed up, Dem. I fell right into that trap, because I didn't trust our family. If I can do this right…"
"Hey, hey…" Demyx placed his hands on my shoulders, "I know this means a lot to you. That doesn't mean I'm not gonna worry, okay? It's what big brothers do."
"Yeah, you're right…But I'm gonna do it anyway. It's what little sisters do."
I was suddenly enveloped in a big hug, which I readily returned. "Head for the train station, and spend as much time as you can with him, okay?"
"Thank you…"
"Wait up!" I called, rushing into the train just before the doors closed. "Where were you?"
"Trying to find you lot, duh!" I rolled my eyes, flopping into the seat beside Roxas. The ride was boringly silent, so I pulled out my orb—I'd morphed it into a keychain—and began to look through it. The others followed suit-except Roxas. Figuring he had probably lost his, I offered mine.
"But that one's yours!"
"So? I want you to have it."
"But—"
"Roxas, just take it. Please?"
I knew the pout would work. It always does. He gave me a soft smile, accepting the translucent stone. "…Thanks, Aanyx…"
We arrived at Sunset Terrace, both teams going separate ways. I tried tailing Roxas, but then Heyner began to think I was cheating, so I grudgingly waited for each report back at the station. I figured I should probably check in at 'home', but considering the only 'authorities' to call for missing persons was the Airhead Committee, I figured there was no rush. Besides, it's not like she was ever even close to being a parent…She's just a bunch of codes…
"Ya know…that last wonder…wasn't exactly wonderful." Roxas complained, rubbing a kink out of his neck. "Aw, man! You mean I missed out on ANOTHER adventure?" I groaned as Heyner and Olette ran up, "We got another lead!"
"Wonder number Six!"
"Which one is that? My freaking map isn't numbered!"
"That's why Olette and I've been going around finding the numbers to 'em, obviously." Heyner said with a roll of his eyes. "Wait a sec…we're at six already? Okay, what do we have so far?"
"Stairs—obvious bogus, considering Rai counted."
"Friend from Behind the Wall—a prank by some little girl."
"The Mysterious Voice—Just Vivi practicing for next year's Struggle."
"The Doppleganger—lamest yet, considering it's your reflection."
"And the Possessed Trash Bag—some poor mutt stuffed in a bag."
"And this is supposed to be the fancy side of town…?" I mumbled, crossing them off the map as listed. "That just leaves the Ghost Train in this area…"
"Wonder number Six! Though they say it comes and goes, no one is on board. No driver. No passengers. No return." Pence said in an eerie tone. I rolled my eyes, "Yeeahh, sure, whatever. Let's just see this glitch and get outta here, shall we?"
"Glitch?"
"Mess up, fault, problem, supposed wonder…shall I keep going, or did I use small enough words yet?" I called over my shoulder, heading for Sunset Hill.
"We've gotta make it to the beach next year." Olette suddenly said. We'd been sitting on the edge of the hill for a few hours now, watching the empty tracks for this supposed 'ghost train'. "Yeah; we'd better get jobs the second vacation starts."
"Heyner, is that even possible?"
"Sure, if we apply early."
"Good afternoon, slackers." Seifer suddenly said, causing Roxas and Heyner to jump to their feet. Me? I was more surprised to hear the boy's impersonation of our old teacher than anything…
"What're you doin' up here?"
"What d'you care?"
"I don't—tell me anyway."
Realizing this was to be another boy fight, I turned my attention back to the tracks with a silent sigh, closing my eyes against the light breeze. The clouds were rolling in—it smelt like rain, which ment it would probably rain within the next few hours.
And then it hit me—I was alone atop the hill, Roxas leading the way back to the station. "Damn…" Morphing my shoes into skates I quickly caught up to them, grabbing Roxas' elbow as he took the stairs two at a time, "Wait! None of the others were what they seemed, right? What if this isn't either?"
"Aanyx, I saw it! There's really no one on board!"
I bit my lip and looked away, unable to stand the desperation in his eyes, "If you say so…" But my eyes landed on the not-so-opaque yellow-and-purple train as Roxas stepped up to it, about to fall off into the oncoming train's path. "Roxas, wait!" Huffing, I tackled him in a go, diving off the tracks onto the small edge on the other side as the actual train pulled up. Roxas looked at me, shaking, his ocean blue eyes wide in fear. "…What's wrong with me?"
"Let's go home and work on the paper."
"The rumors were bogus—the end."
"We can still make it sound good if we write about all our hard work!"
I ignored the others' trailing discussion, glancing worriedly at Roxas. He'd been downright zombie-ish the whole ride back to Station Heights—sure, Roxas was known to brood, but it was never so…oh, I dunno…withdrawn?
"Wait, what about the seventh wonder?" I asked suddenly, recalling Ansem's words. That seemed to perk his interest, at least, "What is the Seventh?"
"According to this, it's the mansion…Of course, that just figures…" Of course it would be the one place that creeps me out in this whole town. Of course the bastard would know that, and set up his base there. Oh, you are going down, Ansem!
"What figures?"
"Ghosts. Apparently there's a girl in white that stands at the window…"
With that we took off for the mansion together, and I was soon staring down the large lock in the fence. I whistled low, "That would take a pretty damn big key, eh Roxas?" Of course, he probably wouldn't get the humor in it, but he would when his memories come back…
"…Roxas…?" Looking around, I realized he was no longer in the yard—instead, he was staring through the window as he said something to none other than Naminé herself before turning back away from the window. 'Fine, if that's the way it has to be…'
Rubbing my hands together I slowly worked up a greenish glow, placing my hands over the brick to the right of the gate. So I didn't have a big-ass key—I'd make my own entrance in.
Except…nothing happened. The glow stopped the moment my hand came in contact with the brick. Letting loose a string of my more colorful curses I threw a rock at it and turned away, not even surprised when Riku showed up right in front of me. "It's a wonder you're considered female at all, the way you swear."
"Yeah, apparently you lost your eye sight in the Darkness too, pal." I growled, shoving my chest foreword and flipping him off. "Give me back my keybearer."
"Your keybearer? Nothing about him belongs to you, idiot."
"Oh, but he does you? Hate ta break it to ya, Albino, but Roxie's the straightest and cleanest boy of the Organization."
"Including your brother?"
"For crying out loud, he talks fashion, that boy has gay tendencies. Now give me my keybearer back and give me some answers."
"Such a greedy little bitch."
"Okay, how about we negotiate—you give me what I want and I don't turn you into a eunuch."
"All right."
And then my mind went blank as something foreign touched my lips. By the time I realized he was kissing me the sensation was gone, a smirk on his face. "Now tell me you didn't enjoy that." He taunted. I said nothing, instead morphing my shoes into steel-toed boots and kicking him straight in the crotch. He let out a strangled cry of pain as my Thundaga spell jolted through his sensitive nerves, and I couldn't help but let out the sadistic grin. I knelt beside his fallen form, "Better than Ikxe…but that's not saying much, because he kisses like a camel. Now get in there and tell Ansem that I'll be in to either kill him or get my answers."
With a snap of my fingers he was portaled away, and I was alone again on the outskirts of the forest. It wasn't long, however, before Roxas was suddenly there once more, a look on his face I couldn't quite understand…anger?
"So. What did you two talk about?" I tried not to sound too hard on him. It wasn't his fault he was roped into this. "Stuff…"
"She said something, didn't she?"
Roxas was silent a moment before answering bitterly, "Apparently I was never ment to exist." With that he took off at a brisk pace towards the Usual Spot. I stood there, rooted like the thousand-year-old trees that surrounded me. By the time I'd choked out my answer of "…And neither was I…" Roxas was completely swallowed by the forest.
I didn't follow him, instead turning angrily towards the mansion. The clouds rolled in, lightning cracking somewhere behind me. I didn't flinch, instead calling through the thunder. "For my will is as strong as yours…and my kingdom is as great…" I quoted, not even bothering to charge up my metamorphosis as I blasted the wall away with more lightning, "If you're as wise as they claim, you will set things right…" With a silent Aeroga spell the front door opened before me, and I let the sadistic grin leak out for good measure, "…To the pain, then."
No sooner had I stepped inside than the rain began to pour down like a maelstrom, the grin growing a hair. How appropriate… "Now to find the bastard that started this…"
I kept my head high, taking my surroundings in with one sweep before heading in a beeline for the closest blocked-off door. Casting the junk away with another Aeroga spell, I found myself in what was once a child's bedroom. Old, faded porcelain dolls sat in layers of dust upon equally dusty shelves. A wooden rocking horse sat near a corner, just to the left of the four-poster that stuck out from the center of the far wall. The walls themselves were some kind of pastel color, cracking away and stained from water damage.
I walked to the small desk, where a quill, ink, and paper sat waiting. On it was a picture drawn much how a fifth grader draws, showing the heartless symbol with a heart over it. Beside it was a picture frame, which I picked up. Smoothing a hand over the glass to better see the image, I smiled slightly.
A girl of five or so—not much shorter than Kat—sat on her father's knee, showing off her missing tooth. It was hard to tell through the old black-and-white photo, but she appeared to have thick, curly dark hair—assumedly a rich black cherry—and porcelain skin. She wore a dark-colored prairie dress under a plain white frock, a bow in her hair and black boots on her feet. She clutched a ragdoll to her chest fondly, her father's hand on her other shoulder.
Just who was this girl? I gently opened the frame and took out the photo, looking on the back of it. In a scrawling print I could just make out what it said. "…'Jessica Anne Smiths, 5th birthday.' Huh…" I read aloud, staring at the elegant sprawling ink. I then set the picture down on the desk, "You can come out, Naminé. I know you're in here."
"…She was an oracle. She could see things that would happen. She knew she'd die from a heartless attack on that day." Naminé said quietly, opening the door the rest of the way and walking up towards me. I stared at the heart over the heartless symbol. So that's how she knew what it was.
"…Why? Why did she have to be cursed? She was just a child!" I sighed frustratedly, turning away from the desk in disgust. Bile rose up in my mouth, making me scowl against its taste. Naminé sighed sadly, "It always happens to the best of us. Like you, Aanyx." I snorted, "Yeah, cause I'm really the best." I closed my eyes a moment, "…Let's get out of here. This room is making me want to punch something."
And so we continued on through a brothers' room, walls covered in long-since-dried blood. Past the parents room, geese feathers carpeting every last surface. We had just left a room with pearly-white bones of what looked like the family pet when Naminé jumped at a creak on the stairs behind us. I sighed, "I know you're there, guys. Honestly, what is it with people and trying to stalk me today?"
Kat and Xcaiyet sheepishly made themselves seen, and immediately flung into accusations.
"I'm only here cause Nee-chan said—"
"Kat made me come! You know how she is, and—"
"—only worried about you! What if you got kidnapped, or—"
"—which is why you should blame her, since I'm just the—"
"Okay, ENOUGH!" I shouted over their increasing volume, "Holy Darkness Herself, it's a wonder you guys don't wake the dead! Jeez…" Seeing them both open their mouths to protest once more, I quickly added, "Look, I don't care whose fault it was. You're both here now, and neither of you plan on leaving, so let's go."
With that I turned on my heel, heading for the next closest door. Within the room waited Riku and Ansem, both seated by the caved-in dining table. "Alright, bastard, give me my answers."
"A Nobody doesn't deserve to know."
"Really? Then why, pray tell, did you create that barrier?" I jerked a thumb over my shoulder, knowing full well that the doorway sealed the moment I stepped through. "Simply a precaution."
"Bull shit!" I spat, "You're petrified, because any one of us can kill you flat. That's also why you aren't really here—right? You've been a hologram every time I've seen you."
"Even if he is a hologram—I'm not. You know that—given the circumstances." Riku smirked, folding his hands over his chest in a cocky manner. I snarled, pointing threateningly at him, "Don't even get me started on you, Albino."
"Regardless, there is no need for you to meddle. You have done your part—just as Naminé has. And just like her, you too will be erased." With a nod in Riku's direction the hologram disappeared, and Soul Eater was suddenly at my neck. "You can't act rashly forever, girl. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to face the law." Riku warned. I merely let out a short exhaled grunt, springing away as my muscles tensed in expectancy.
"You won't kill me—or Naminé, for that matter." I taunted, morphing my whip mid-summon into a brass keyblade just in time to block his blow. A look of shock flashed over his face, replaced a split-second later by a wry grin, "That's a new trick. Are you that determined to match your jewelry?"
"You'll find I'm always full of surprises." I growled, swinging one keyblade and kicking him in the chest as he left himself open. Riku flew across the room, landing in a skid between the fireplace and the chair. He began to shoot fireballs at me, straight out of the hearth, and I caught all three in between my hands as one large fireball. The magic burned, but I kept a determined façade, forcing it larger before throwing it back at him. It dissipated before contact, "Damnit!" and Riku tsked, wagging his finger at me. "Trying to control other magic? Come now, that's not fair."
"Shut up and fight me, Albino. Or are you too scared that I might kill you?" I let out the sadistic grin once more, crouching low as I prepared to spring, "You know there's nothing stopping me from doing it. I've killed before, and I probably will again."
"So you are a heartless bitch."
"Wrong." With a quick portal to stand behind him I pressed the teeth into his neck, "Now tell me how I can save Roxas."
The bastard actually had the nerve to laugh at me, "He can't be saved, you sadistic bitch. Sora wakes tomorrow at noon, and there's nothing you can do to stop that." My grip slackened, and he slipped out of the way, making me stumble sideways into the chair. 'I'm too late…' I gripped my bangs, morphing Riku's feet to the floor so he wouldn't try anything. "Doth the shrew truly feel?" Riku mocked. I growled, standing angrily, "You have no idea what I've been through, you fucking bastard! You have no idea what it's like, to find out that your best friend is going to disappear tomorrow, and there's nothing you can do!" I grabbed the front of his cloak, "And you have the nerve to say something like that? Give me one good reason not to simply kill you, Ansem, and Sora right now? If Sora's dead, then Roxas is safe from the likes of you."
"Wrong again, princess. Sora has already begun to awaken, meaning that if you kill him then the Nobody will fade into Darkness just like the rest of that wimpy Organizat—"
I didn't let him finish, instead striking his pressure point. Morphing the barrier away I let the boy crumble awkwardly to the floor, "Naminé, I need you to get me to the other Twilight Town."
"You're not seriously going to—"
"No, I'm not." I growled at Xcaiyet, knowing full well she was merely reacting to my emotions. "Look, I have a job to do, and like it or not I'm going to have to go away for a while."
"We can still visit you, though…right Mommy?" Kat asked. I shrugged, "I don't see why not. But there are some guidelines. I'm going to have to pretend I'm not a Nobody, which means no letting on that I'm part of the Organization."
As I spoke, Naminé led the way to the library, where she opened the secret entrance to the lab and jumped in. I followed suit, continuing my instructions, "This mission is very important, and it can't be messed up. There are some members who don't even know about it. The problem with that is that I don't know who does and who doesn't." I paused, grabbing several pens off a countertop and morphing them into small communicators, complete with a 'texting mode', 'video mode', and a wrist strap for convenient carrying. I kept one for myself, handing the rest to Xcaiyet, "We need to stay connected, so use these. If anyone else decides to back us up, give them one."
"I will." Xcaiyet promised. I smiled, smoothing her hair behind her wolf-like ear, "Take care of yourselves."
"May Her Darkness watch over you." The wolf-girl grinned in return. I gave Kat a quick hug before turning to Naminé, "Try not to let anyone else hurt you, yeah?"
"Promise." Naminé smiled, giving me a tight hug. I readily returned it, nodding as she whispered in my ear. "I believe in you. You can do this, Aanyx."
"Looks like this is the end of Artificial Twilight Town, eh Mommy?"
"Not Artificial." I corrected, stepping up to the awaiting beam that would transport me back. I grinned at the three of them sadly, "Roxas' Twilight Town…" With that I stepped through, silently promising myself that I would return again with Roxas...