Fractured Twilight {KH Fanfic/Boy Of Choice}

Chapter XVIII

The group had finally agreed on an official plan of action to counter Larxene's threats. Ember was in disbelief at their thought process, but reluctantly agreed in the end. It was the best course of action to take, one that increased their chances of taking another step closer to victory.

Ember vigorously rubbed her eyes, constantly looking up to Sora for confirmation but to no avail. Her eyes weren't getting any redder.

"Nopeeee." Sora shrugged with a sheepish smile. He sat on the couch beside her, casually leaning back as Ember was propped at the edge with her back as straight as a pin. "Not red enough."

Axel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't think that's gonna make her eyes red."

"Cut some peppers then rub your eyes." Ventus suggested.

Ember looked at him in disbelief. "Absolutely not! I just want them to look like I've been crying I don't want them to burn too!"

"I can punch you." Vanitas volunteered.

Ember rolled her eyes. Part of the plan was betrayal, for her to look defeated in a secluded area. She was supposed to tell Larxene she overheard the boys talking about turning Ember into the Organization. Ember wasn't an actress and couldn't force herself to cry on command, so she was currently rubbing her eyes a bunch to make them red and puffy to mimick crying, yet that wasn't working either. She was growing frustrated, worried she would have to take drastic measures to form tears.

"Any trauma in your life?" Vanitas pushed his gruesome ideas.

Ember turned to glare at him as he sat on her other side on the couch. She smacked the top of his head without even a flinch in response from him. "Van if you're gonna be useless then shut up!"

Vanitas snickered as Riku finally intervened. "Let's go cut onions."

"Oh I can't believe we didn't do that to begin with!" Sora exclaimed.

Roxas rushed to the kitchen and grabbed onions, a knife, and a cutting board, presenting them on the board in front of Ember on the coffee table. Ember groaned, kneeling to the floor and adjusted herself comfortably. The pressure was on, all eyes staring at her as the fate of their lives rested on that damn onion.

Ember began chopping lazily, her eyes narrowing to the vegetable as the boys all leaned forward with anticipation. She wasn't feeling it, the onion was getting chopped into diced pieces at this point and Ember felt nothing.

"It's hopeless!" She growled, chopping faster now. "We need a new plan because - AH!"

The burning sensation in her eyes was suddenly great to the point Ember dropped the knife. It clambored loudly on the table as she withdrew her body and squeezed her eyes shut, the burning refusing to decrease. She heard plenty of amused chuckles from her reaction.

"Keep cutting!" Roxas urged her.

Ember blinked the pain back rapidly, mentally preparing herself for more. She picked the knife up again and chopped some more, ensuring to widen her eyes to get as much of that potent onion as she could. Another sting caused her to wince, but she didn't waver. Before long the tears finally streamed down her face, her nose dripping with snot as well.

"Open the damn portal!" Ember snapped and took one last breath of the vegetable.

"Right! See you soon!" Axel opened the corridor of darkness underneath her and let gravity have her fall through.

Ember landed on her feet in the cave leading to the cliff, the best view of that strange castle... The place she last saw Xehanort. Ember stumbled out from the cave entrance and used the exit as a rest, placing her arm against the cold stone and rubbed her eyes. The onion burned so much she couldn't stop the stinging now. Even her tears were inevitable.