A Family Torn Again

[xiv-obsession.livejournal.com]

Who: Kid, Xion
What: Revelations
Where: 7th Heaven, Edge
When: Night
Rating: PG

Nighttime around the bar of 7th Heaven had been quiet, but what did she expect? Denzel was fast asleep, the bar was closed, and Naminé…She hissed, nearly breaking the glass in her hands. How could she have let someone slip by her defenses? The thought forced her to smash her fist against the bar, and hiss again, flames forming on her fingertips. Whoever that woman was, she would make sure she paid dearly. No one got in between her and her family—

She cut herself off at that thought, her eyes widening and her face flushing pink. No, Serge and Glenn were her family, her only family in this world. Schala as well, even if she wasn’t the same Schala. But Naminé? Denzel? Hell, even Cloud? No, those were strangers to her, strangers she had no feelings for. At least that’s what she tried to tell herself in between her drinking. Ten bottles sat by her side, all non-alcoholic so drink herself to a stupor was impossible.

“Family, huh?” She sighed, slamming her head against the counter. “Yeah, and like last time, I can’t even keep this one together…”

The door to the bar clicked as a key undid the lock it held. A familiar young lady in a black cloak came inside, and looked up in a bit of surprise as she saw Kid there. She hadn't thought anyone would be awake at that hour, and that she could sneak in without notice. Inwardly she felt her stomach churn. What if she was yelled at for coming in late? The nervous feelings dissipated almost immediately, though. This girl was Mother's daughter as well...no need to worry. She held herself better, standing a bit taller so as not to appear weak.

"Ahh...good evening Kid." Xion said with a smile. She locked the door behind her so nobody would chance in, thinking the bar to be open. "I'm sorry for coming in late."

Kid’s eyes widened, sensing an all too familiar presence. Her face paled. “No…” Fire formed in her hands, and she shot her head up, preparing to roast the vile evil before her. But at the sight of Xion, she tilted her head, and then growled, the flames dispersing. Bowing her head, she couldn’t look at Xion, not after what she failed to do. She had wanted to tell her everything, but what could she say? ‘I lost your sis and here’s some booze?’ Not exactly appropriate.

She bent down and picked up a pair of sodas, one for her and Xion. “Bout time you showed? The bloody hell do you do anyway?” Part of her had grown curious of Xion ever since she first stopped on by, but something about her…something was too familiar.

"Oh, just some minimum wage stuff." she laughed. "Some deliveries here and there too."

She took a seat at the counter and held the soda can in both hands. She tilted her head slightly, noticing Kid seemed...well, more agitated than usual. Perhaps she was still worried about Naminé? Yes, that had to be it! The dark-haired girl smiled sympathetically toward her. The poor girl didn't deserve to worry.

"If you're worried about Naminé, I've found her. She's...with a friend of ours at the moment, but I found the person who took her." she smirked. "Gave her a good punch or two for your sake!"

The Radical Dreamer’s jaw dropped, and not just from the news Naminé was taken. Something was different about Xion. She seemed more…confident. She had similar emotions at times, but with Xion…something was off. Shaking her head, she let it slide. It was late at night, and driving off anyone else right now, especially her, wasn’t right. “So where is she then?”

"She's in..." she paused, trying to think of an answer. She couldn't just say Naminé was in Castle Oblivion. For one thing, it sounded way too ominous and suspicious, and for another, Kid would probably run off to find that place. Getting there was all but impossible without a Dark Corridor. "She's waiting in the Calm Lands. I can bring her back in a little while if you want."

The way her face expressed emotion, Kid could read her like a book. The Radical Dreamer crossed her arms over her chest. “Any particular reason you didn’t bring her where we have you 'n me protectin’ her?”

Of course. Why did she think the blonde wouldn't ask that? Xion suppressed the urge to sigh, as that would most likely only give more away. Mother's other daughter was such a strong-willed and imposing girl. Xion gave a little shrug and opened the can of soda. Larxene's rough treatment of Naminé still made her angry, and she wanted to punch the lightning Nobody through a wall...or two.

"She was a bit shaken up after it all so...I didn't really want to put her on my bike and drive her here. Would you want to add to her stress by making her travel halfway across the world after being kidnapped?" she asked, "She's been through enough...and I can protect her on my own. I'm strong enough now..."

Strength…Now Kid knew something was up. The new confidence, the fact she supposedly defeated an opponent that escaped off her radar, she was up to something. Glaring at the person she called friend, she asked. “Fine, but where did you get this so-called strength? And the Calm Lands are miles away in the middle of nowhere. Pretty stupid place to hide out someone when all she’s gonna do is be found again.”

Her grip tightened on her drink as she just let the accusations dig in. Normally she would have just cowered under the pressure, whimpered, then drew up her hood and ran away. That was how she usually got away from such things before. Not now, though. She couldn't afford to show weakness. Her own blue eyes matched the glare Kid sent her way. The Lavoid inside her chest fueled the fire even more.

"A kind person gave me this strength...gave me a heart...I don't have to take anything from anyone ever again." she said, her voice low. "If Sephiroth or his Remnants...if they came after me again, I could kill them. I'm not like those weak little boys wandering around looking for their mother...I've found my mother, and she loves me...and with her help I can destroy anyone that hurts my sister or I...or uses us like tools."

Kid’s jaw dropped. For a second, she thought she might have been too harsh, but the cold stare of Xion told her it wasn’t even enough. Her fist slammed against the bar, fire erupting from her palm, seething in anger. The presence only grew stronger the longer Xion stood near her, and it even began to hurt her now. “The bloody hell!”

She suddenly gripped Xion’s arm…and backed away, clutching her own head as knives sharpened against her skull. Searing pain flashed constantly, not giving her rest. Only one thing had caused her mind to suffer so much, and this was far from Lynx’s work: Lavos. “What the hell happened to you!?” she shouted, praying she did not wake Denzel, though apparently he had been using earplugs for the past few months. Finally the pain ceased, for now, and grabbed Xion by the collar, ignoring the pressure her mind went through. “Alright you little ‘un. I’ve been nice to ya up until now, and that’s only ‘cause I thought you were a good kid, but now I know you’re up to something. Now tell me right now!”

Her own shock went through the roof as Kid recoiled from touching her. Why was she in pain? She hadn't even done anything yet! Wait....yet? Xion's eyes widened at the thought. Why was she thinking she might hurt Kid? Kid had given her a place to stay, a place to call home. Would Miss Aeris act the same way if she knew? And Zexion...She knew she should have just played dumb. Revealing things led to too much pain.

Xion wrenched herself away from Kid's grip, feeling her anger welling up again. She wasn't the bad one, Mother told her so! Everyone else, those who judged, they were the ones who needed punishing, not her!

"I don't have to explain anything! I finally...I finally don't have to worry about anyone hurting me! I'm the one people fear!" she said. Even as she spoke, her eyes began to glow red. "I'm finally strong!"

No matter how strong the pain, Kid’s anger rose above it all. But the pain had spread elsewhere: her own heart. She clutched it, feeling the invisible dagger twist and turn as she stared at the distraught Nobody. The young woman she had seen a little of herself was now…trying to frighten her. No, this wasn’t Xion. It was impossible. She had to resist every urge in her system to avoid slapping her possible former friend. Whoever this Mother was…she would make sure she burned in thousand hells that were her
flames.

“You say you’re strong, but look at yourself!” Kid held up her dagger, allowing Xion to see her reflection. “You can’t get everything through power and fear! Serge taught me that! If you go down that path, what’s stopping you from becoming like Sephiroth or Loz!? Explain!” Kid bowed her head, the dagger falling on top of the bar with a thud. She had had enough, and sighed tiredly.

Xion froze as she managed to catch a glimpse of herself in the dagger's reflection, or rather, a glimpse of her own eyes. No more were they blue, but had instead shifted into the Chaos-tainted red. She couldn't even reply to Kid at all, couldn't even speak. How could she defend herself from that logic? Not even the Lavoid parasite inside could amplify her anger enough to make her reply.

She held her hands on her head as if doing so would make her thoughts run clear. "No...no I...I'm not...like them. I'm better. I actually have...what I want." she bit her lip hard to keep from sobbing. "Why...why am I only supposed to be weak...? Why can't I be strong...?"

The old Xion had finally managed to break through, and Kid smiled sadly, hating to have to become so cruel to one of the few people she actually cared about. She tucked the dagger back in her sheathe and walked around the bar. She sat on the stool next to Xion, and brought her closer to her. No longer the pain bothered her, and she held her head close to her chest. She had done this only for those extremely close to her, and that one person was Serge. “Becoming strong doesn’t mean happiness. That’s what you should be seeking…And that ain’t easy for a clone like me to say…”

She was nothing but a clone, but Serge had accepted her anyway. Sure, she was pissy, rude, and a complete pain in the ass. Yet the blue haired boy showed her everything she had yearned for ever since Lucca had died. And Lucca was the only other person there for her, her true sister, and even a mother.

She gently patted Xion’s back. “Sorry about earlier, mate. I just…you weren’t yourself and--” Her eyes widened, and she felt metal underneath the cloak. “Since when did you get battle armor, unless…” She pulled away, trying to peek into Xion’s eyes. “Just please tell me what happened, Xion. Me, Serge, Denzel…we’re all your friends! Please…”

The dark-haired girl felt into the embrace like a scared child would, clutching tightly to the back of the blonde's shirt and trying not to just cry all over her. Her embrace was like Schala's, she thought, firm yet gentle and caring. Given who Kid was and who she came from, she didn't know why she was so surprised they gave her the same feeling. That was why she believed what the transformed Schala had said: her presence was so much like Kid's it was baffling.

A chill went down her spine as she realized she left some of her armor on underneath her coat. Inwardly she beat herself up for it. Now that would just bring up all sorts of questions she didn't want to answer. Despite the torturous ordeal she'd gone through thanks to Schala, she couldn't just betray her. The woman had given her what she'd always wanted.

"The...the Organization...they've returned. Larxene, the lady who took Naminé, is part of them. I...I didn't bring Nami because...Zexion said he'd make sure she was alright. He's...he's the only one of them I trust. He's not bad..."

“Organization!?” She tilted her head. Not quite the answer she had wanted at the moment, but it was the start. She scratched the side of her head in confusion. “Never heard of them, but I’m gonna take a wild guess that they’re bad based on what you’re sayin’. But why are you with blokes like them?”

"Because...they're Nobodies like Naminé and my brother. They're...they're better now. Marluxia is the leader, and he wants to make sure we all get our hearts. They...the members in it now...they're not like Xemnas and the ones who sided with him. All they want are their own hearts..." she said softly. Her mind went to Zexion then, and her cheeks reddened slightly. "They don't even mind that I'm just...a Replica. Zexion said so...he...he said I'm special..."

She clearly liked this Zexion, that much was certain. Kid had a similar reaction to Serge, granted she was more forceful and aggressive than her mate. She wished she had more information to give her own opinion, but all she knew of were Nobodies, and they were apparently monsters, or so she thought. Xion was far different from the rumors she had once heard. “Fine, but that doesn’t explain why you guys took Namine. You told me to take care of her, only for one of your so-called pals to just take her away.”

"I don't know why Larxene took her!" she insisted. "And...and I told her so myself. I...that woman is not my friend."

She bit her lip and looked away. She felt like such a child right then, and she didn't know why. It was bothering her so terribly. Xion had wanted to feel strong and sure of herself, not weak and pitiable.

“This organization doesn’t sound too organized. Pardon the shitty pun.” The thief grabbed her own bottle of coke, twisting off the cap and chugged down the sweet liquid sugar, but only a little. The way Xion acted told her the truth of the matter. But if she found any of them near her abducting friends from her, she’d make them pay the same price Sephiroth would. “Boss needs a tighter leash, sounds like.”

She had wanted to hear a tad more on this Organization, and deep down prayed they also didn’t have some other lame name, like Organization 13. God, that sounded like something she found in Denzel’s comics. But she recalled what Xion had said before about…mother. Hearing the name alone sent a chill down her spin, she shivered. Even the recalling it caused her body to shake slightly.

“Xion…” The thief took a deep breath, resting her hand on Xion’s shoulder. “Listen mate, I need you to tell me who this mother is. Somethin’  bad’s comin’, and I think I know what it is, but I need to know her name.”

"Well, they're not organized because we've switched leaders..." she said as Kid went to get a drink. She had to agree with Kid on many points about them. Some of the members were hardly friend material, and others just flat out ignored her unless it was time for a mission and they needed her to come along. But...it couldn't be all bad, right? Marluxia put their goal before everything else, and truly wanted his fellow Nobodies to possess their own hearts the very minute he received his.

She bit her lip as Kid again asked her about Schala. The unsettled feeling in her stomach returned, and this time it felt as though it might actually rip through her guts. What was she supposed to say? The truth? Knowing how volatile Kid was, she didn't know whether that would end well or not.

But still...

"She...said her name is...Schala."

Kid’s jaw dropped, and were she a cartoon, it would drilled a hole through the floor and out to the other side of the world. She shook her, her eyes widening in fear. “No way…” She put her free hand against her temples, rubbing them and trying to soothe away the growing headache. But the shock of it all still plagued her face. Schala was her clone, her mother, their friend, even if she were different from the Schala within her.

“But she was taken by Sephiroth! How can this be!?” She shook her head, and stared at Xion in fright. She recalled the other presence she had felt, but she needed to confirm it. “Was there a guy named Magus or Janus there too? Like a brother or something!?”

"I don't know how she got away...maybe...she was let go?" she shrugged. She hadn't any idea either. Xion had never seen Schala when she herself had been taken by Sephiroth. Of course, the woman might have been on a separate floor altogether. How odd, she thought, she might have met her "Mother" before all of this ever happened. At the mention of the Magus, she nodded. "Magus? Yeah...she kept calling him her brother. He had blue hair and these really...mean eyes."

The Radical Dreamer’s face paled. Her own mother and uncle, her family had been…No! She shut her eyes, the pain in her head becoming worse as she rejected the truth. Yet all of it seemed to make sense. She had sensed a part of Schala within Xion, especially from the way Xion had referred to her as mother, something she herself could not do. The description matched the Magus perfectly, and she even refused that.

Until she saw Xion’s eyes. She wasn’t lying, that much was certain. But the feeling remained, the presence of something dark and eerily reminiscent of her past. Bowing her head, she said, “Xion, I need to see a piece of that armor of yours.”

"My armor..." she bit her lip again and looked down at herself. She really didn't want to show it off so soon. Even though the bar was closed, a random passer-by might see and...well, that wouldn't be pleasant. Still, she figured she owed it to Kid. The blonde needed the truth.

With a nod, Xion unzipped her coat and let it fall. In order to move around easier, her dark purple crystal armor wasn't covering her much at all. The wings she typically had were gone, and her only minimal armor coverings were on her shoulders, limbs, chest and groin area. Obviously she'd controlled her armor to cover the last two out of sheer modesty.

"This is...it." she said, blushing faintly.

"The bloody hell!?” Kid gasped when Xion suddenly removed her cloak and revealed ONLY armor. Her face turned a bright crimson as well, and she moved towards the windows, blocking Xion from the outside world. She prayed Denzel did not come down now; the boy was a tad too young to see this kind of stuff, and she dreaded a future sitdown with Cloud because of it. “Sheesh, did you always wear nothing underne—“

But the armor made her stop in her tracks, and her jaw dropped again. The material was far too similar. She touched it, and a wave of pain struck her pain. She fell onto her knees, gritting her teeth from shouting in unbearable pain. The feeling had come back, only this time far greater than before.

“Lavos….” She breathed. Staring back up to Xion, she grabbed her by the shoulders, careful of not to touch the armor. “Do you remember where Schala is? It’s important we put a stop to all of this!”

Her heart began beating fast as she stepped at least a little bit away from her. She couldn't take her to Schala, not ever! Xion didn't know what Kid might have in mind, but it certainly wasn't good. Whatever this Lavos was, her heart told her it wasn't what her friend thought it was. Instead of answer, she just looked down at her feet. No, she couldn't reveal the location. When she first followed Vanitas to the area, she was so intent on keeping up with the Unversed Lord she only got a glimpse of "Lavelle" and its surroundings. She couldn't rightly tell the difference between it and any other forest. She didn't even know if she would know the way there if she wanted to return.

"I...I don't know..." she admitted, keeping her eyes downward. While they weren't looking at kid, the many tiny eyes that dotted her purplish-black armor saw the blonde with perfect clarity.

Her hesitance showed much of Kid’s fears, if the eyes gazing at her hadn’t…Lavos was getting to her, literally becoming her heart. Kid refused to let that happen to her dear friend, or anyone else for that matter. She had to find some way of removing it, but how? The only was the Chrono Cross, and that was lost forever. There had to be another way…

For now, all she could do was urge Xion to fight it. “You don’t understand, Xion. Lavos nearly destroyed my world, and my sister’s friends nearly died to make sure he doesn’t exist. Me and my own mates did the exact same thin’ in our world, and I’ll be damned if the rotten bloke gets away with all the chaos he did! We have to destroy this thing before it spreads more!”

Lavos was a destroyer? While that might have been true, she couldn't believe that what was inside her was evil. She could finally feel things with much more clarity, she finally knew what love was, and she was stronger to boot! The changes happening to her...they couldn't be evil. Schala wasn't evil! Her mother was a little odd, yes, but not evil. She just couldn't be.

"That's...that can't be right. Mother is...gentle. She said she loves me...and I don't know why I can't believe her..." she looked up at Kid. For all the world, she looked like any child would when told their parent was basically a murderer: confused to all hell and doubtful. "That...can't be right. She looked so honest..."

Kid shook her head. Xion understood so little about the creature possessing her. It was sad, and Kid felt sorry for her. “Listen to yourself!” countered the Radical Dreamer, anger present in her tone, mixed with genuine concern. “You sounded like you volunteered for this! You say Lavos ain’t evil, but you’d honestly think I’d make this shit up!?” She stepped closer to her, staring her straight in the eye. It was time she found out all the suffering she and Schala had to suffer all these years.

“It was Zeal’s damn fault to begin with for fucking with the goddamn thing. In my world, all it did was sleep, and if it did that, I wouldn’t be havin’ this problem of mine, but guess what? He woke up and nearly destroyed the entire world, killing millions. He’s gonna devour this entire planet slowly, and apparently he’s got blokes like Schala and Janus now under his fuckin’ control! The Frozen Flame was a part of his chaotic nature, and that damn thing ruined my life!”

Tears stung her eyes and formed on the rims, recalling the painful memories of when she was just a little girl. “My sis died because of that damn flame and Lynx, Serge’s father died because of it…” She held Xion by her shoulders, the tears suddenly escaping their prison and falling to the floor. “I…I can’t live through that again! I finally have Serge with me again…I have a family and friends…and I…I…”

Xion didn't know what to say to that. She honestly and truly didn't. What could one say to such a story? The idea that Kid had suffered so much, that Serge had suffered so much, and that it was all caused by what was inside her very body. Never before had she seen Kid cry so much, and it tore a hole into her heart. As much as the Lavoid inside her hated it, she felt responsible for all of this. Because it was inside her...she was the one at fault.

Her own head began to spin, and she held her hands on her head as a sharp pain began to rip through it. She hadn't chosen this path. She hadn't chosen to be kidnapped by Sephiroth and his Remnants, to have Chaos implanted in her body, to be captured again by Schala and Magus, and have this...this thing living inside her! All she had wanted was to live peacefully away with Roxas and Naminé! All she wanted was a life of her own, apart from the Organization and the worries it came with.

"No...I didn't...it's not my fault!" she broke back away from Kid and stumbled, hitting the wall. Pictures hanging up fell to the floor, the glass shattering. Her eyes began to take their red tint once more as the claws on her hands dug into her face. "I didn't do it! I didn't want any of this!"

The thief gasped at Xion’s sudden transformation. No, there was something else within the woman as well, but this time, she didn’t know what. If anything, it seemed more powerful than Lavos. Either shift into this new creature, or become a slave of Lavos? Neither option was pleasant, and she’d be damned if she lost another friend. She ran forward and grabbed Xion by her changing arms. She had to reassure her. “Xion! It’s not your fault! You can still overcome this! All you have to do is fight damn it!”

Fight it? It sounded so easy...too easy. How could she fight something that had already merged together with her mind? Xion didn't know, and she doubted anyone else knew either. She whimpered as more of her armor began to cover her, a reaction of her rejection of the Lavoid. It only obeyed her when she came to accept its presence, and now it felt no need to hide itself. The dark purple crystal spread over her legs and arms even more, and one section even covered her right eye. The bony wings covered in eyes once more split out from her back, nearly hitting Kid with the sharpened "feathers."

She threw her head back and cried out, then stopped as she saw what was happening to her. The decorative mirror propped up on one of the walls showed her exactly what had happened: She was turning into that Lavos-cursed monster again. She shook her head and doubled over.

"No!! I'm not a monster! I didn't want this! I don't want to kill anyone!!" she whimpered. "R-Roxas...Roxas! Brother!! Help me!"

The situation had grown out of control, and she thought the worst of it had passed when the picture frames were broken. She jumped away from the new wings nearly piercing her, only nicking her arm slightly; nothing too bad that a cure element wouldn’t heal. Never before had she seen Lavos take over someone or something so easily. This wasn’t right, none of it was. But what could she do? Staring at her hands, she cursed her own weakness. There was nothing she could do. The only person who could help was Schala herself…

And then it hit her. She was Schala, if only a clone. Perhaps she could get through to her…Gulping, she closed her eyes, kneeling near Xion. She wrapped her arms protectively around her friend, leaning her head onto her shoulder. The horde of screeches came in full fury into Kid’s mind, but she refused to yield and fought them off.

“That’s right, Xion…” she said in a soothing voice, stroking the Replica’s back. “Don’t let the bastard win and take everythin’. You can do it!”

Xion whimpered again and leaned against the woman's shoulder pathetically. When had she become so weak? She had thought herself so strong before, so capable; was this pitiful shell really all she was underneath? Was she just another of those people who hid behind the strong ones? She had wanted to be so much more than that. She could be different. She could be strong.

But just when she finally reached that strength, it turned out to be the wrong kind.

Xion shoved Kid away. She backed away toward the door, wearing the expression of a frightened deer.

"N-No...no I...I..." her eyes went back to blue, if only long enough for her to murmur "Forgive me..." before she bolted out the door. Doing so broke the previously locked front door, and several onlookers in the street shouted as she ran out between them. Xion took to the air when she got to the street and flew away, the Lavoid propelling the adrenaline through her veins.

Run; that was all she could do, she realized. She couldn't remain here, not like this. She would only hurt Kid and those with her. And if she hurt them...she would lose them. Xion couldn't bear that. She would rather they pity her or think her dead than have them hate her.

Kid thought everything had gone so smoothly…until now. The aura had shattered, and Kid had little time to question anything as she laid sprawled on the floor. She flipped back onto her feet and stormed after the Nobody. “XION!” she shouted, doing her best to keep up, jumping over the debris that was the door; Cloud was going to kill her at this rate. “Just hold on! We can fix this!”

She closed in, her hand almost near her shoulder…She shouted her name one final time before Xion’s wings spread. The Replica took flight, and left Kid to simply trot down the street into a slow crumbling walk. The Radical Dreamer fell on her knees and stared at the ground. Furiously, she punched the ground. Fire sprang alive, scaring the remaining few civilians that stood by.

“Goddamn it!” she screamed, her punches striking over and over against the hard ground. Another friend lost, and once again her family had torn it apart. The thought replayed over and over with each inferno her fist gave.

Until a hand caught her arm, but his touch was gentle and careful, a touch she knew all too well. “That’s enough, Kid.”

She finally calmed after hearing Serge’s voice, the one thing that always made her stop in fits of rage. With her friend’s help, she rose from the ground and stared into the star filled sky Xion had flown off into. She sniffled, and spun around into the arms of her boyfriend, silently sobbing in his arms. Whoever did all of this her, be it Schala, Magus, or even Sephiroth…she vowed to make them pay for costing her a friendship. Her family had been torn apart once more, but this time, she could at least put the pieces back together.