Simply Open-Minded
"Morning Naminé.Looks like a bright, sunny day.Up for a walk around town?", Rixa asked her.
"Well, DiZ would be mad at me, but I guess if we don't stay out too long, we should be fine.", she replied, looking a little worried, "He's not good to be around when he's mad..."
"Oh, relax.That hothead won't know a thing of our day out.It'll be good for you.", Rixa said, smiling.
Naminé nodded and stood up to leave with Rixa.Without either of them realizing, DiZ had overheard them talking through the door.He decided to let them be and focus on his findings.He chuckled a little to himself, remembering times past.
"That girl...is very interesting.I'm looking forward to seeing how this all develops."
"Run a little faster, Naminé!Come on, you slowpoke!"
"R-Rixa, slow down...I can't run as fast as you.", Naminé panted, barely keeping up with Rixa, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"There's a place I want us to go.I've never really been there, but I saw Roxas hanging around it once.It's close to the train station on the other side of town.Once we get to Central Station, we'll ride the train and walk the rest of the way there when we get off."
"O-ok.Just no more running.I'm not like you."
"I'm sorry.I forget that you're not used to doing the things Riku and I do most of the time.", Rixa said, offering her hand to Naminé, "I'll slow down."
"Rixa...You seem a little different.Is everything alright?", Naminé asked her, walking alongside her.
Rixa sighed a little and didn't answer.Her mind was currently on other things, so Naminé stayed quiet.They were walking through the sandlot, where Seifer's group and Hayner's group were arguing with each other.It reminded Rixa of the few encounters she had had with them and made her laugh a little.Hayner's group was pleasant to be around.After all, it was a copy of the group that Roxas had become such good friends with in the alternate Twilight Town.She thought about it for a moment, trying to piece together why DiZ had done that.She never fully agreed with the idea of putting Roxas in an alternate reality and erasing all his memories of the time in the Organization, but it couldn't be helped.It was necessary after all.As they walked up the hill that lead to Central Station, Naminé broke the silence between them, eager to know what was on Rixa's mind.
"Is...something on your mind?You haven't said a word for a while."
"Oh, me?I was just thinking...about some things.That's all.Nothing for you to worry about."
"Uhm, Rixa...Does it have to do with, you know, them?"
"Not them, just Roxas.Remember what DiZ did after the fight between him and Riku?I was thinking about that."
"It was the only way to stop him.Who knows what would have happened if he had reached Kingdom Hearts."
Both of them shut up again, going inside the station and buying tickets for the train.They waited for it to arrive, each one keeping to themselves.They sat down on a bench and watched the people walked past them.All the commotion ran around the area, preventing either one from listening to their thoughts.Their train finally arrived and they gave the operator their tickets, looking for a place to sit once he gave them back.Rixa and Naminé looked out the window as the train began to move, watching the town slowly disappear.The ride didn't last long and soon they were at their destination.Rixa grabbed Naminé's left arm and dragged her.Naminé tried to complain, but she noticed that Rixa wasn't listening to her.The people around them groaned as both of them bumped into them.Rixa didn't care, focused entirely on getting to the spot.They went up a hill with a sidewalk carved into the side in a spiral, where the top was surrounded by a railing where anyone could observe the town with a perfect view.Naminé fell to her knees from exhaustion, glad that Rixa had finally let her go.She groaned and stood up, cleaning her dress when she saw that Rixa was standing by the railing alone, just watching the clouds.Naminé walked to her side and smiled.
"It really is a beautiful view."
"Roxas would probably say the same thing if he was here with us.Naminé...did you ever meet him?"
"I don't know him like you do, but I did meet him.I sort of watched over him when he was in the Organization.It was also me who lead him to where Sora was."
"So that was you...Did you talk to Xion too?"
"Only a little.Mostly, we talked about Sora and the memories she had that belonged to him.She's right where she belongs now..."
"I wonder...how he felt."
"Who?"
"Roxas.Seeing him after what happened, made me think.What if it had been me who had gone through that?Me who had all the memories I had of my friends erased, then placed into a world created simply to prevent me from realizing the truth?"
"That would never happen, Rixa!"
"But it did, just not to me.It was to Roxas.I just...wish that DiZ hadn't erased his memories.Now the only ones who remember all the times we spent together are Axel and me.So much for always being together."
"But you are.In your hearts, you'll always be together like nothing's ever changed."
"Hearts...Saix would laugh if he heard that.Nobodies...don't have hearts.They can't feel.That's what he said.But somehow, somehow I don't believe it.Axel, Roxas and Xion...they CAN feel.And so can you, Naminé.Maybe it's them who can't feel a thing.They're the ones who are empty shells, closed up within themselves and never letting anything in."
"Rixa, what makes you say all that?"
"I remember when I first joined the Organization.Hearing about Nobodies, how they're empty shells without hearts, how it's impossible for them to feel.I couldn't accept the fact that I was one.I know now that I'm not a Nobody, just the embodiment of darkness.but I can't fully understand that.What exactly am I?At least they know what they are.Try as I may, I can't even remember my past and it's not because I turned into a Heartless.I want to know...what happened to me, who I am, if I had a family, all those things.Maybe one day I'll know.Maybe not."
"We're here for you, Rixa.Always remember that."
"I know.I'm lucky to have you all.Riku, Axel, Roxas, you, heck, even DiZ."
"The winds blowing...It's such a nice breeze."
"And a new tomorrow comes."
