Awakening the Heart

Chapter 1

“The human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand” ~ Robert Valett

He walked through the castle in the land that never was. His boots echoing on the floor as he made his way to his superior's room. He had to report in about what had happened. Blue hair swaying, his coat rustling as he went the Luna Diviner took the time to think as he walked. Saix could have teleported of course, walking afforded him the time to think however. His golden eyes narrowed as he puzzled over what had happened with Axel, the traitor. Saix had of course ended up with the important part, Kairi, the one who would lure Sora to collect more hearts and complete Kingdom Hearts. Then, then he thought with a slight welling of what he imagined to be the memory of hope, they could regain hearts and properly feel again. They, the nobodies, could become somebodies again. Able to feel, laugh, exist again without the empty shadow that loomed over them in the form of a lack of a heart. He shook his head, and cleared his rambling thoughts as he reached Xemnas' quarters. Knocking once he received the 'enter' command and did so.

"Ah, Saix," Xemnas said, turning from where he was looking out the window at Kingdom Hearts.

"Superior, sir," Saix said with a small head bob in deferrence to his leader, "I have come to report on the traitor Axel and our latest acquisition."

"Indeed," Xemnas began, crossing his arms across his chest and nodding for Saix to continue.

"Axel has escaped unfortunately sir," Saix said his eyes downcast knowing this would not please his superior, "However he was wounded so I do not surmise he will make it far, especially with Sora in the area who will most likely finish him off. Given his.... disdain for us and our existence."

At that statement Saix's lips had curled into an unconscious sneer. The little keyblade wielder had not hidden his hatred of nobodies at all. Infact he made it quite apparent blathering on about their lack of a existence and how they had no right to exist. Clearly he was ignorant to the whole motivation behind the organization. Xemas nodded, the news did not please him however he surmised that Axel would meet his demise, it was an eventual guarantee. At his nod Saix continued.

"The princess of the heart, Kairi, is below. I put her in one of our protected cells. There was a dog with her that would not leave her side. It is still accompanying her," Saix explained, now looking to his superior. Xemnas closed his gold eyes and tilted his head back, silver hair hair falling back away from his face.

"Excellent," Xemnas said as he opened his eyes again, looking once again at Saix, "This will draw Sora to come here and collect more hearts for us. Then... We can become complete. I shall go meet with Kairi then."

Xemnas stood and Saix nodded as both he and his superior walked through their own gates of darkness to the dungeons below where a nineteen year old red head sat in thought.

Kairi had her back against the back wall of her cage, Pluto curled up nearby as if to offer some form of comfort. Her knees were to her chest, arms wrapped around them as her head leaned back against the wall. How had she ended up in this mess. Just as she was starting to understand WHY Axel was doing what he was doing she got taken by this blue haired guy with an X across his forehead that Axel called Saix. She gave a groan as she leaned her head forward to rest against her knees. Could this get any worse, really? Of course as things are wont to go, when one thinks something cannot get worse it inevitably does. It was at this moment she heard the sound of two others entering the room via gates of darkness. With a determined thought to remain strong, despite haveing a forboding feeling about this, Kairi raised her head to gaze at her visitors.

There were two as she had heard. The one in the front was new, she hadn't seen him before. He wore the same cloak as Saix, her captor, and had golden eyes with silver hair and tanned skin. He looked disturbingly like Ansem in those regards save the hair style. She watched as his eyes looked over her with scrutiny. Clearly he was sizing her up, for what she did not know but she wasn't sure she liked it. Saix, standing slightly behind the 'newcomer,' observed her as she met eyes with his superior.

"So you are the princess of the heart, Kairi," Xemnas stated, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine as it broke the silence. He took a step closer, disappearing into a door of darkness again only to reappear three feet infront of her seated form. His eyes looked her over again taking in her appearance. Bright bold blue eyes stared up at him defiantly, her pink dress zipped up the middle with a white tank top underneath. Purple 'sneakers' adorned her feet and her hair was a red shade that he'd only seen matched by Axel's. Axel, that brought his memory back to the traitorous nobody.

"It comes to my attention that Saix retrieved you from a... deserter of ours," Xemnas explained coming a bit closer. He noticed she tried to shrink into the wall despite the brave facade she was putting up.

"What do you want with me?" She demanded, trying to hide the quiver of lip as this silver haired man intimidated her, the closer he came.

"Simple," Xemnas said looking at her with a rare honesty in his eyes as he halted his approach, "We wish for you to assist us in luring Sora here to slay heartless to feed Kingdom Hearts."

He stated it with such sincerity Kairi was taken aback. After a moment she spluttered out at him, "What? Why? Sora won't be a pawn for you just to save me."

"Ah," Xemnas started as he crossed his arms across his chest, "We require Kingdom Hearts and Sora is already on his way. Once he finishes feeding Kingdom Hearts we can cease this half existence. We can regain our hearts... And become somebodies again."

She stared at him, confusion setting in. What did he mean 'half existence' and 'becoming somebodies again.' Axel had vaguely explained what he was but not with details. Is this what the organization was really after? They just wanted to have hearts again of their own? No, she mentally shook her head, that can't be it. They're the bad guys. Right? She opened her mouth to inquire about what he said when he cut her off.

"For now, rest. I'm sure your day has been...trying," he stated as he uncrossed his arms again, "I shall have Saix bring you food and such later should you require it. While your stay here may not be...voluntary, there is no reason to treat you as less of the person than you are."

This left poor Kairi open mouth gaping at him, eyes wide in confusion. With a final nod Xemnas and Saix portalled out of the room leaving her alone with Pluto and her thoughts.

'But...but these are the bad guys,' her brain reiterated again and again, 'Why are they being nice, what is this about them wanting hearts of their own? Is that really wrong? I'm so confused.'

Her thoughts swirling around her head she noticed Pluto move closer and curled up next to the dog for warmth as she tried to clear her mind enough to rest. Eventually it worked and Kairi fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of black coats, heartless and nobodies.