We stepped out of the dark corridor into what seemed to be a town that was overshadowed by a gigantic strange looking castle. Sunlight bathed every corner of the world, but it still felt dark, as if the sun didn't bring enough warmth to chase away all the Shadows. 

"This place gives me the creeps!" I gasped, hugging myself to try and ward away the chill running down my spine. 

"You have no idea...." Zexion whispered, as if talking to himself, not intending for me to hear him. His silver hair covered his face more than usual like he's trying to block out the world. 

"Well, we have a mission to do." He said suddenly, startling me slightly as his head snapped up from his gaze at the ground. 

"Oh, right!" I responded quickly, wanting to get out of here fast. 

We began to walk through the streets of this strange town. I saw quite a few shops, but not many people. Heartless were rampant though, yet they were mostly Shadows so Zexion took care of them easily. I looked at the large castle that seemed to loom over the whole town, as if causing a giant shadow for Heartless to hide in. 

"Maybe we should go to that castle, whenever we get closer to it, that awful feeling gets stronger. Maybe the castle is what's causing it." I mentioned to Zexion, he simply rolled his eyes. 

"We can't, there's a barrier on the only path to that castle. Not the mention, if you look through the barrier you can see nothing but a pit." Zexion stated. 

"True......Well, let's just keep looking around." I say with a sigh. We continued to walk for a while finding nothing but Heartless and natives. It was starting to get late when Zexion said, "I think we have everything we need here, let's get ready to return to the castle." 

I was about to respond when I saw an oddly familiar fountain. My feet moved on their own accord as I ran towards it. Never did I look back or pause even when I heard Zexion yelling behind me. Going past the fountain, my feet carried me to a nearby alleyway. The whole scene seemed too familiar as I finally paused my haste. 

"What are you doing!?" Zexion yelled once he caught up, clearly tired from chasing me. 

"I.....don't know. I just saw the fountain and couldn't help myself. There's something here, I just know it." I gasped, out of breath myself. 

We both looked around as shadows set in around us with the setting sun. My chest began feeling heavy as the darkness fell as a curtain around us. It quickly became hard to breathe and my vision began blurred. I could barely see the outline of a tall humanoid Heartless. A single yellow eye stared at me as I was struggling for breath. I couldn't see Zexion anymore, nor could I heard his voice calling to me as he fought back a hoard of Shadows. The one-eyed Heartless bent down, gently lifting my head and staring at me. It looked as if it only had a left eye had it been a human. Next thing I know, pain shoots through my body, starting at my heart and searing the back of my eyes. I began to scream from the complete agony. The Heartless began to disappear as Zexion fought them back. 

"Xakis!" I faintly heard him yell to me. I held both hands over my burning eyes as water ran down my cheeks. It hurt so much. What did that Heartless do to me?! I finally felt Zexion's hand on my shoulder as he shook me slightly and gently. 

"Xakis? Are you ok?" he asked softly and calmly. I slowly raised my head from my hands, the pain slowly subsiding. 

"Y-ya, I think so. I don't know what happened." I said, staring at him. His expression of concern dropped for a moment before her fixed my hair that had gotten pushed out from it's usual style, my long bangs covering my left eye. 

Zexion cleared his throat before saying, "Well it's good that you aren't hurt, but it seems as if our Heartless have all disappeared." 

I slowly stood up, my eye still slightly hurting as I said, "Weird, but I guess it's better than fighting all of them." 

"I agree, but we should head back to the castle. I believe we've gathered enough information about this place." Zexion said, as if trying to hurry their departure. He quickly started walking away. I stayed where I was, feeling as if this place held some importance. 

After looking around the alleyway, I spoke softly, "I recognize this place." Zexion froze. 

"What?" 

"I said I recognize this place. I've been here before." 

"That's not possible." 

"Are you saying that I'm lying?!" 

"There is no logical way you could possibly recognize this place! No one does! No one knows what happened here!" 

I stepped back slightly. Zexion has never yelled, in fact, most of the other members say he's the quietest member of all. He seemed enraged, yet with the smallest bit of remorse. 

"What happened here?" I asked softly while walking to Zexion and putting a hand on his shoulder. 

Zexion shoved me off and said solemnly, "I couldn't save her..." 

"Save her? Who's 'her'?" I asked, already fearing that I knew the answer. 

'Not here' are the only words that came form Zexion's mouth as he walked off. I quickly followed behind in silence. Despite my lack of words, thoughts clouded my mind. That alleyway looked identical to my recurring dream. The more I think of it, the more I feel as if there's a connection between myself and Zexion, but he can't be the young boy I saw in my dream right? That boy was younger, shorter, and seemed a lot nicer, but then again, I looked younger and shorter too. Perhaps.....

"Come on fifteen." Zexion said, interrupting my thoughts. We stood right in front of the open portal. 

"Oh, right, sorry Zexion. I'm coming." I quickly said, walking towards him quickly. 

We both stepped into the Dark Corridor into the seemingly endless pathways between worlds. I knew my way back to the castle so I started to walk ahead of Zexion. 

"Xakis, this way." he said behind me. I turned to see him start off a different direction. I followed him closely. 

"Where are we going? The castles the other way." I said confused. 

"We're not going to the castle just yet." he responded while continuing to lead me through the vast pathways. 

After a decent amount of time spent walking, Zexion stopped and opened an exit from the link between the worlds. He stepped out, and I quickly followed. We were at some sort of beach. The sun beat down on us mercilessly as Zexion started to lead me through the sand. My eyes wondered from the crystal blue ocean to the exotic trees and plants. All of it was so amazing. I looked back at Zexion who seemed to be leading me to some sort of well hidden cave next to a small waterfall and pond. We entered the cave before Zexion sat on the ground. 

"What is this place?" I asked Zexion. 

"It's a world that hardly ever gets bothered by the Organization. We should be safe to talk here." he responded. I sat down across from him. 

"So....are you going to answer my question from earlier?" I asked a little impatiently. 

"Xakis, whatever I tell you, you can't mention to anyone. I mean no one." Zexion said urgently while gently grabbing my shoulders. 

I was shocked by his sudden outburst, but I nodded in response to his demand. He sighed. 

"What I'm about to tell you, I've never told anyone before." he started as his eyes pointed towards the floor, "Before I was a Nobody, I was an extremely young apprentice to Ansem the Wise, a brilliant man who was seeking to unlock the mysteries of the heart. Though, I was only really there due to my parents' deaths. Ansem the Wise, as well as his other apprentices, decided to take me in and raise me. Well, time passed and I soon wasn't the only young child there. A little girl was taken in just as I had been. That girl and I became friends quickly since we were relatively close in age. We would play together often in the streets of Radiant Garden, but that soon changed. The last day I can remember of my childhood is the day that Radiant Garden fell into darkness. That little girl and I were playing a game of tag together. We were running amok in some of the alleyways near where we lived. We had been playing for hours and didn't even noticed the setting sun until it was too late to find our way back. We'd wondered into the farthest alleyway we were allowed to go, and that's were it all ended. I saw a Heartless, and not just one simple small Shadow, but hoard of Neoshadows. Each one was at least twice my height. I was terrified, paralyzed with fear is a more accurate description, but then I saw one move. It was headed straight for my friend. I knew I couldn't let her get hurt, so I somehow had found a way to move my legs and ran. I ran till I was right in front of my friend. It wasn't a moment later that I was on the ground in seething pain. I could barely see the Neoshadows fight over my heart before I faded away. I never knew what happened to my friend. I still hope to this day that she managed to run away and find the others, but I know now that even if she had, she would've met the same fate that I did." 

I sat in shock. What he had just described....It was exactly from my dream. Could he be that little boy that saved me? That can't be true, yet it's staring me right in the face. I did the only thing I could think of and gently lifted his face with my fingers. 

"Zexion...." I start, but I'm unable to finish my sentence since I was interrupted by Zexion hugging me tightly. 

"I know it's you. I'd recognize those eyes anywhere. So bright and innocent even though you saw such horrible things that day. Earlier today, you woke up screaming a person's name. It was mine. The name I had before I was a Nobody. The name you knew me by." he whispered in my ear while holding me closely. I was in complete shock. He....remembered me? So he was that boy. I have him back. I returned the hug with equal tightness. The same moisture that happened this morning returned. My cheeks soon became soaked as tears fell from my eyes and I held Zexion tighter. He slowly pulled away from me and looked me in the eye. 

"Tears?" he asked looking confused. "That can't be possible, you're a Nobody. Nobodies can't cry." 

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, looking equally confused as I wiped my eyes clean of tears. 

"Nobodies lack hearts, thus lack emotion. You shouldn't be able to cry. Not even if you have a memory of crying. It's just not possible." he continued. 

"Who told you that?" I asked, being even more confused. 

He seemed to freeze up for a moment before standing and saying, "....Come on, we should return. Make sure to clear your eyes. Don't act like you started crying, ok?" 

"Um..ok?" I respond questionably before standing. 

Zexion's arms wrapped around me once more, and he let go as quickly as he had hugged me. He started walking back towards where he had opened the Dark Corridor, and I quickly followed. 

Once we returned to the castle, Zexion told me to go ahead to my room while he gave the final report to Siax. I nodded and started to my room. Upon entering, I saw a small black book sitting on my bed. I picked it up and looked at it closely. It said 'Number XV, Xakis' on the front in silver letters. I opened to the first page to see a short paragraph written. 

It read, 'This is a personal journal that is given to each member of the Organization. You may write whatever you wish in this. It will not be checked. That is all.' 

A personal journal? Like a diary? I guess I could write in it. On the bed was a simple black pen, which I quickly picked up. Both of the objects have my name and number engraved in them. I sat on my bed and looked out the window, pen and book in hand. 

I thought about everything the happened today, and without realizing it, I began to write. 

Day 4

My Second Mission

Today, me and Zexion explored this new world called Hallow Bastion. It was a really big, creepy place. But while we were there, I found the alleyway that was in my reoccurring nightmare. It was exactly how it was in my dream, dark and eerie. It seemed like Zexion didn't want to be in there, but when I asked about it, he took me to this beautiful world with a beach and an ocean. He lead me to this secret cave and told me that he had been to that place before. Then he hugged me. It was....pleasant, and he said that he knew me before we were both Nobodies. He was the boy in my returning dream! I apparently had called out his true name this morning when I woke up. I don't exactly remember what I said, Ian or something like that? I can ask him tomorrow. Though I remember beginning to cry while he was hugging me, but when I did he pulled away. I didn't want him to let go of me.... He starting saying how Nobodies can't cry. What's wrong with crying? I remember doing that all the time when I had my heart. Zexion said that you need a heart to cry, but then how did I start crying? I bet Zexion will have an explanation tomorrow. I hope we have a mission together again. 

I closed the journal and put it down on the small white table by my bed. Why is everything so white here? I laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't long until I started feeling tired and dozed off. My dreams took me to the beach that Zexion had taken me. 

"Asleep again?" a familiar feminine voice echoed in my mind. 

"Huh? Who said that?" I say frightened looking around the beach for a source of the voice. 

After a small chuckle, the voice responded, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you." 

"Oh ya, that puts my mind at ease." I say sarcastically, "Where are you?" 

A hazy form appears standing on the shoreline, not looking entirely there, but solid enough for me to tell it was a tall woman with long bright blonde, almost white, hair. 

"I have many names, but you may call me Saden." the woman said while turning to face me, revealing her distinctly purple eyes. 

"Um...alright. Why exaclty are you in my head, Saden?"

"That is a long story."

"Well I have all night." 

"Ha, I guess so, but now is not the time." 

"When will you tell me?" 

"Soon Kisa, soon."

Merry Christmas guys! Consider this your Christmas present from me! Sorry I haven't been updating much, but I'll be trying to update my stories for you guys again! This is my longest chapter yet so hopefully it makes up for the lack of updates. ^_^ till next time!