Kh3 Chapter 4

They arrive at Radiant Garden. Ixion is against Sora plans and runs away, where she finds suprises around every corner. Shorter than the last chapter, but still pretty long.

 

Chapter Four: Radiant Garden

We got to the gummi ship and Sora drove it to Radiant Garden. We were dropped off in town and I feared to see my old friends in my new state. I didn't want them to see me as the monster I was and I didn't want them to feel responsible for what I have become.

I looked at Sora with worry in my eyes and said, "We need to go. I can't stay here, Sora."

Sora looked at my confused and said, "Come on! You have to meet our friends. Maybe you'll remember one of them or one of them will remember you."

"That's not my problem Sora, it's the least of my problems right now, Sora. I know the people here. I know this city better than the back of my hand. I know every crack, every dent, every face, and every stray animal in this place. The problem is if i stay here I'll be putting people in danger. I will end up hurting someone."

Riku looked over at me and said, "What makes you so sure that you will end up hurting someone.

"I know I will because I can't control my actions when I think of my past. Why do you think the organization loved me so much, why I was Xemnas's little puppet? Just a slip up of mentioning Radiant Garden and they had a weapon, a monster that couldn't see anything but the darkness in her heart."

In unison Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all said the same thing. They shouted, "Organization!?"

Riku closed his eyes and nodded to them and then explained. He said, "Yes, she was a member of the organization, but that's in the past now. How else do you think she would have known Xion, Roxas, and Axel? Also that was when we met, isn't that right, Xiran. You saved my life many times, I remember now."

Hearing someone say my old name brought back terrible memories. Memories of all the destruction I caused, and all the horrible deeds I did for the organization. I wish I could've gone back in time and told myself that Xemnas was playing me like a violin.

Sora looked at me and said the one question I knew everyone was thinking. He asked, "So you are a Nobody?"

I nodded my head. I explained, "That's why right now we don't look like twins. I look really different as a nobody, so did you. Just follow me to the castle, I have the ability to manipulate the crystals there"

Kairi looked at me confused and asked, "What can you make these crystals do, exactly?"

"I can play my memories through them. I can replay my memories in them for all of you to see and trust me, it will answer all your questions."

"I thought you just told us not to trust you," Sora said.

I got angry at what Sora said. Then I shouted on the top of my lungs, "Well if you were Roxas you would trust me!"

What I said shocked everyone, including myself. I covered my mouth with my hands and gasped. I looked at Sora appologetically and whispered, "I'm so sorry." Then I fled.

I ran as fast as my legs could allow me to run. I ran straight towards the castle and left them behind me. I could sense the darkness in Riku's heart and knew that he was following me. Behind him was Sora, Donald, Goofy, then in the back of all of the was Kairi, trying her hardest not to lose track of them.

I ran around the corner and ended up running straight into Yuffie. We both got knocked onto the floor, and Yuffie landed ontop of me. I looked at her really quickly and paniced. I gently pushed her off of me not wanting to hurt her, then I continued to run away.

Yuffie looked at me as I grew ever smaller, running away from her. "Could that be? Was that... Rain," she thought a loud. As she was thinking about that Riku ran around the corner. Riku just barely missed running into Yuffie, then he was followed by Donald, Goofy, and then lastly Sora.

When Sora ran by he noticed Yuffie out of the corner of his eyes and turned around. He back pedalled while saying, "Hey Yuffie! Sorry, we're trying to catch up to one of our friends. Tell Leon we said hi."

After Sora was completely out of sight Kairi came running around the corner panting. She sped up then ran after them shouting, "No fair guys! Slow down!"

Yuffie scratched the back of her head and sighed dejectedly. Then she turned around the corner and headed to the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee headquaters.

I continued to run know that they were right on my tail, or atleast Riku was. They followed me trail the whole time, then I eventually reached the Rising Falls. I slid down the side of the falls, knowing that there was ice ontop of it.

I everntually slid all the way down the falls, and sat on the floor to collect myself. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I let go of my breath in a deep sigh, then I heard someone call my name, atleast my old name. I opened my eyes to see Demyx.

"Xiran! Where have you been, kiddo. Xemnas sent me to find you."

"Xemnas!? Wait, what's going on? Demyx what are you doing alive," the words came out of my mouth in a confused slur. I was completely confused and had no clue what was going on.

"What do you mean," Demyx said. Then his confused look turned into a playful smile. Then he put his hand to his face in realization. "Oh, right, Xemnas warned me you might not know what had happened."

"What are you talking about Demyx?"

"When you killed your Heartless, your heart went to Kingdom Hearts. It illuminated a light that revived us all. Your heart is as pure as Sora's, don't you remember? You saved us, Xiran."

"Wait so all of you are alive? Every last organization member?"

"All but Roxas and Xion."

I became ecstatic at Demyx's new. I almost shouted, "So Axel's alive!?"

Demyx put his hands in fromt of himself and took a step back. My sudden outburst must have scared him, or atleast he pretended it did. Then he said, "Yes, he's back at the castle," He reached his hand out to me and smiled, "Come with me. I'm sure Axel will be glad to see you."

I frowned and looked at the ground. Demyx's smile left his face and he dropped his hand to his side. I looked at him and said, "I'm sorry, Demyx. I can't, not now. I found Sora and I have to finish my promise."

Demyx looked at me shocked, then his sad face turned into one of anger. He looked at me and said, "You found Sora and didn't kill him. He killed all of us, Xiran. Don't you remember, or are you not one of us anymore?"

"Demyx, you know I would never turn my back on you and Axel. I tried my hardest to save you guys, I just wasn't fast enough. I'm sorry, but family is before friends, Demyx. I can't avoid the fact, I can't run away from the fact that Roxas and Sora are my brothers, my twins."

Demyx seemed to get furious over what I said, "Family!? We're your family, Xiran. When you were abandoned from the light and thrown into the dark, Xemnas saved you, not Sora. Where was your precious twin when you needed him? You gave him everything and he let go to the darkness. So Xiran, who really is your family?"

I got angry at Demyx for what he said. I swung my hand and shouted, "Sora never used my like Xemnas did. He doesn't think of me as the keyblade wielder, he thinks of me as his sister."

"Not yet, Xiran, but he will use you to save his precious world from the darkness.'

"It's my world, too. Demyx, don't you see what I'm doing? There's a way for us to be whole again. That I'm putting my life on the line to try it out first. Just so that you and Axel can be whole. I need Sora to do this."

Demyx looked shocked at what I said. He leaned on Arpeggio and thought to himself peacefully. He was minutely strumming the strings to Arpeggio. I leaned back and lyed down on the cold hard floor. I patiently awaited Demyx's reply, knowing it would take Riku a little while to find out where I was.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I let to let the breath out I slowly opened my eyes and looked towards the clouds in the sky. I was listening to the broken thumping of my darkened heart stumbling. Bump, bu-dump, bump bu-dump, bump bu-dump.

Meanwhile Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Kairi were still running towards the castle, unaware of the return of the organization. Kairi was in the back of the group, barely keeping up to them. Riku was far ahead of them all trying his hardest to keep up to me.

Riku finally reached the gorge that the rising falls surrounded. Riku tryed to stop before he ran off the edge, though due to how fast he was running he slid a few feet before finally stopping. Sora, who was not to far behind Riku, kept on running until he almost ran of the edge of the gorge. Riku grabbed the back of Sora's shirt and pulled him back to land.

Donald and Goofy were next to arrive. They were running slow enough where they were able to stop with ease. Goofy, Donald and Riku were looking around trying to find me. Then Sora sat down on the floor and looked down, collecting himself.

Kairi was the last to reach the gorge. She ran slowly around the corner, panting. She finally caught up with them and stood behind Riku, still panting heavily. She leaned over and held onto her knees. She looked up at Riku and asked, "What are you guys looking for?"

Riku turned around to see both Kairi and Sora still collecting themselves. He replied, "I lost track of Ixion, or Shin, or Xiran, or I guess whatever you want to call her."

Sora looked up at Riku and said, "I saw her when I almost fell down the gorge. She's in the one place you didnt look. She's in the gorge. She's talking to... Demyx."

Goofy and Donald gasped in shock. Riku folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. Kairi had no reaction, but was still collecting herself. Sora stood up and said, "I wonder what they were talking about."

Riku took a step closer to the gorge and looked down over the edge. He looked back over at Sora and said, "Only one way to find out."

He smiled and Sora and then jumped over the edge of the gorge. Sora ran over to the edge of the gorge and looked down to see Riku sliding along the side of the Rising falls. He jumped down as well, followed by Goofy. Donald was about to jump then he turned around and grabbed Kairi's hand, pulling her along with him.

Down at the bottom I was still lying on the floor, now with my eyes closed and Demyx was still resting his head on Arpeggion, thinking. I hear Riku call out to me, "Look out."

I opened my eyes slowly to see Riku sliding down the Rising falls, just a few feet above me. I sat upright, where I was lying down and Riku fell hands first right in front of me. I laughed at the sight of Riku's descent.

The bang of Riku hitting the ground, as hard as he did, startled Demyx and he opened his eyes. He looked at Riku as if he had seen a ghost. I looked at Demyx with a confused look.

I looked back down at Riku who was still lying face down on the floor. I put my head into my right hand and with my left I made a finger person walking on Riku's head.

"I'm getting the slight impression that is not how you are supposed to land, Riku," I said sarcastically still having my finger person walk on Riku's head. The I pinched a lock of his hair then played with it for a bit.

Riku tried to say something to me, but it come out as a long inaudible mumble. I just used my index finger and pushed his head so he was looking at me. "What was that you were trying to say, dear. I couldn't hear it over the concrete in your mouth," I said cockily.

"I said 'You might want to look out for Sora.'"

I looked up and sure enough Sora was speeding down the slope as well. I stood up and took a step back as Sora landed right next to Riku, in the same spot i was sitting in. Goofy fell righ ontop of Rikue and Donald fell on Sora. Finally I looked up and saw Kairi falling. I caught her as she was a bout to fall and then placed her on her feet. I turned around to face the pile of of people lying on the floor, and noticed Sora looking up at me smiling.

I folded my arms acrossed my chest and sighed, while shaking my head. I helped them up one at a time, starting with the pile of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, then ending with helping Riku up.

I turned to face Demyx and he was laughing. Then he looked at me and said, "You know what that actually put me in a good mood." I shook my head knowing that Demyx couldn't really be in a good mood. "You know what? Since you're one of my good friends, I'll stick my neck out for you and buy you some time. I'll just go hang out in some other world and play Arpeggio. Then after I've had my fill, which may take a while, I'll come back and tell Xemnas I didn't find you."

I smiled at Demyx and said, "Thank you, Demyx."

I walked past him leading the group to the crystals. Though, right before he left Demyx called out to me. He said, "Oh yeah, and kiddo, don't go dying on me and Axel, you hear me? Without you the organization isn't fun."

I laughed to myself and turned to face him. I said, "Demyx, I'm the last person you have to worry about dying. If anything, you an Axel better not go dying on me... again."

"Okay, touche, but keep your end of the end of the deal. Promise?"

I nodded my head to him solemnly and said, "Promise."

Demyx then disappeared into the dark teleportation he had just made. Then I looked ahead of me at the castle. This is going to be alot harder now that Xemnas is back. Including the fact that Xemnas was looking for me. I was sure Xemnas didn't want to find me to treat me as a hero. He needed me for something.

Sora looked at me with a confused look and said, "What was he talking about 'keep your end of the deal.'"

"Right now I think we just have to worry about where I need to bring you guys. We have no time for questions, and we sure don't have time for big explainations. I already told you I'll answer everything when we get there," I said to Sora.

"Alright, let;s hurry and get a move on. Or am I the only one concerned with the fact that Xemnas is back," Riku said.

I turned to look at the castle and I thought to myself, Xemnas I'm not your puppet, a tool to carve your new world with. I have a mind of my own and I intend to use it. I'm on Sora's side until the end, whether its the end of me or the end of you only time can tell.