Awakening the Heart

Chapter 2

“One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter.” ~ James Earl Jones

A few days passed in a steady routine of Kairi pondering things in her head while having short interactions with the two organization members. She was treated decently, by prisoner standards, and brought food, a blanket and other necessities. It confused her to no end. Surely the bad guys would... act bad? There was no reason for them to treat her nice. Granted she wasn't telling them to treat her like a prisoner but treating her nicely was confusing her. Since the first day three days ago she hadn't really spoken with either of them. Kairi also hadn't left her cell. She didn't want to ask how the 'facilities' worked but they did and she was granted privacy regarding them. Extremely thankful for this she had said as much when Saix informed her of them the first night. His eyes betrayed nothing as he merely nodded and portaled out, in his own quiet way of replying. Infact Saix had hardly talked to her and as of the last day or so he had made even less eye contact with her. Xemnas she hadn't even seen since the first day.

Just as she was finishing up her morning, by her guess, meal Pluto wandered over to her. She gave him a pat to the head and a piece of the sausage left from her meal. The dog happilly munched it down and wagged his tail eagerly. She smiled and giggled a little as she fed him the last bite of her toast which he also eagerly ate. After a few moments her mind mulled over things again. None of this made sense. If only she could talk to one of them and get some answers. Though she wondered if she could trust any anwers she was given. It was as these thoughts crossed her mind that the sound from outside her cell grabbed her attention. The sound of two simultaneous portals met her ears and she looked up and out to see both Saix and Xemnas standing there. Cloaks immaculate as always the two walked to the cell door and instead of portaling in, opened it by hand.

"Good morning," Xemnas said as he walked through, Saix following behind and closing the door without relocking it behind them. She set the tray on the bed and stood to stare at the two of them.

"I trust you are finding your accomodations...passable?" Xemnas inquired as he gestured around the space. Not trusting her voice Kairi merely nodded. Xemnas nodded and merely replied, "If I could feel things I would be glad."

She opened her mouth and before he could continue further she interjected, "What... what exactly do you mean?"

"Axel did not... inform you?" Saix asked, stepping forward to be just to the left and a bit behind his Superior.

Kairi shook her head at this, her hands unclenching at her sides. Truthfully she hadn't even realized she'd clenched them into fists in the first place.

"We are nobodies," Saix explained, looking to his superior for confirmation to continue. At Xemnas' nod he did so. "We have no hearts and feel nothing. We can emulate feelings that we remember from when we were somebodies, when we had hearts. Nothing more."

Kairi looked shocked at this, her eyes betraying her heart's feelings for this. It saddened her and she wasn't sure exactly why. These men had kidnapped her from, well her previous captor, were keeping her in a cage and planning to use her to bait Sora here to do their bidding. Yet, she couldn't help but feel sorry for their plight. As she had mulled over it the last few days she found she couldn't just hate them. Something in her heart cried out every time she tried. Telling her that there was more to this and that was what led her to ask.

"You mean..." She said, her hand going to her chest as her voice wavered, "You can't feel anything?"

"That is the unfortunate truth," Xemnas said, taking over in the explanation, "Because of past events we have no hearts. We seek to regain them. Once Kingdom Hearts is completed we will be able to use it to regain our hearts. Then we can make a world where we can live peacefully."

"Why did you attack Sora and the others though?" She asked, looking up to meet the taller man's eyes.

"It was a necessity. We had no other choice but to do the things we did to move along in our goal to regain hearts," Xemnas explained carefully.

"I just.. I don't understand," Kairi confessed, shaking her head as she looked to the floor, "How can you live without hearts... How can you go on without any feeling."

The fissure in her own heart that had led to the original confusion over this was spreading. She saw now how things really had been laid down. While she could not agree with all of their methods she did agree with their goal. They merely wanted to have their hearts back and live peacefully. If only there was a way to do such a thing without all the negative after effects.

"Now, that is enough of that talk for now," Xemnas said as he took a step towards her with his hand outstretched, "We came to see if you would like to go for a walk outside of your quarters."

"Huh?" She inquired as she looked back up to him. After thinking it over for a moment she reached her hand toward his, "I would like that. This cell is.. well not the best view."

As her hand was placed in his both froze for a moment. Kairi's heart stopped beating for a moment and all time seemed to halt. Her body felt a wave of heat surge through her arm and all over upon touching his hand, even gloved as it was. Her eyes widened and a gasp tore from her lips as she looked to meet his eyes. He too had been affected she saw. His body was stiff, rigid and his eyes betrayed that he was unnerved at whatever sensation she had felt. For him it had been different. The warmth he had felt yes, but it had instead centered in his chest, not burning, nor hurting him merely warming him.

'This will require thought,' he pondered as he gazed at her before reclaiming his facilities and leading her with Saix following from the cell. As they walked through the castle Kairi took in all the sights around them from her position between Xemnas and Saix. They passed a door that unlike the others neither man would explain.

"What's through there?" She asked, her voice light and innocent as she looked at the door curiously.

After a moment's hesitation Xemnas spoke, "That is the proof of existence. It has portals to all of the members personal quarters in it. Though as of late very few are still in use."

"How come?" She asked, truely not knowing the answer. Xemnas and Saix both looked at her before Saix spoke up for his Superior.

"Because Kairi. They are dead. Most of them killed by Sora."

Her eyes widened and a gasp left her mouth as she looked between the two men and the door again. The fissure in her heart weeping more for the others who, like these two, had just wanted to be somebody again.

"But... Sora wouldn't.. No! He couldn't do that," she sputtered, trying to make herself believe it was a lie. The two men exchanged a look and Xemnas gestured her toward the door, opening it for her. They entered the room and Kairi's eyes seemed to gravitate towards the strange 'doorways' that had symbols on the floor glowing beneath them. Each symbol was a weapon of some type it looked like. Some were glowing red, the portals behind them darkened and others were blue still, the portals behind those vibrant and glowing. She perused the rows, looking over them. There were twelve portals between the three levels of the room. She started at the bottom and moved from right to left, reading the titles on each. The first she found was marked Key of Destiny and had what appeared to be two crossed keyblades lit in blue, however the portal was darkened. Moving on she found one in red marked The Savage Nymph, beside it another in red marked The Graceful Assassin. Across the middle walkway she found one in blue labeled as the gambler of fate, beside it one in blue with a large instrument on it. This one was labelled The Melodious Nocturne. Her breath caught for a moment as she took in the sight of the last one on that row. One of Axel's chakrams was emblazoned on and it bore the title Flurry of Dancing Flames. The background was blue. She had started to surmise that the blue meant they were active, or hoped at least. Moving up to the next level Kairi went from left to right, finding the first one here labeled as The Chilly Academic and a shield lit by red. Beside it was another in red labeled The Silent Hero. Both portals were darkened and still. Moving across she found one destroyed beyond even recognition, her heart seemingly clenching at yet another 'deceased' who had sought only for a heart. Barely able to make it out Kairi tried to read the plaque for that one. Behind her Saix's voice rang out quietly from his place beside Xemnas.

"The Cloaked Schemer," He stated quietly, at her confused look he pointed to the destroyed portal and plate, "Zexion."

He said no more and seemed to have withdrawn into himself after his short outburst. She merely nodded, her heart seemingly crying from the utter sadness this room represented. Beside it was one in blue with the look of a large sword on it. The Luna Diviner was labeled on it and she took another look to Saix who was lost in thoughts. She turned her gaze to Xemnas and he nodded to confirm that it was indeed Saix's quarters. Moving to the top row she found two in blue, the one above Saix's was marked The Whirlwind Lancer and had a spear emblazioned on it. Across the walkway was one with a gun on it marked The Freeshooter. As she turned to make her way to Xemnas and Saix something caught her eye. From across the walkway the lance emblazoned on the floor lit in blue flickered once and then faded, only to be replaced by red. The portal darkened and stilled completely. Her hand went to her mouth, what did this mean? Surely it couldn't be what she thought. She looked down to Xemnas and Saix as another man portalled into the room. His white and black hair was in a pony tail, an eye patch covering one eye on his scarred face.

"Superior, sir," he started as he fought to keep his voice in check, "Xaldin has..." He hesitated, not wanting the rest of his statement to be true despite what he knew. With a sigh he continued, "Xaldin has fallen sir."