In the Shadows (Vanitas's Story)

Thirteenth

Today's Akio's thirteenth birthday.

The day Xehanort said she was ready to become a vessel.

The day I'll never see the girl who could make me crack a smile again.

The only one who made me happy.

I opened a portal to Destiny Islands to see her sitting on a tree that was bending over. A star-shaped fruit was in her hand, and she was actually wearing a dress for once. It was white and loose. Her hair was neat, the braid over her shoulder. I walked up the path to her, and the moment she noticed me coming, she turned around smiling.

"Vanitas!" she exclaimed, jumping off the tree. She was barefoot, yet still fast as she jumped into my arms. She squeezed me tightly, and I actually hugged her back. She already knew what was to become of her. She was accepting it, because she thought it would mean she could be with me forever.

Boy, was she wrong.

"What took you so long to get here?" Akio demanded. "I told you to be early!"

"Well, I was figuring out the perfect gift to give you," I said, shrugging my shoulders. Her eyes widened, and she looked behind me.

"What'd you get me? What'd you get me?" she asked, looking around.

"Close your eyes," I said. She did as I said, and I pulled her hand open. I placed her gift in her hand, and her fingers curled around the handle. She opened her eyes to see...

"A hammer?" she asked, disappointment in her tone.

"You don't like it?" I asked, pretending to be hurt.

"No, it's just...I was hoping I could get one of those cool weapons like you," she said.

"You have to earn that," I answered.

"Well, I still like this. Only because you gave it to me," she said, winking. Akio tossed it in the air, catching it with her opposite hand. "Yeah, I can get used to this! Thanks, Vanitas."

"C'mon," I said, turning away.

"Why? What's...oh. I forgot that was today." I opened a dark portal, and we walked through the darkness. A blinding light forced us to cover our eyes, and we emerged in the center of a bright room. Thirteen chairs were in the room, all of them taken except for two.

I stepped forward to take my seat when I felt someone grab my hand. I looked back to see Akio looking down at the large Nobody symbol beneath our feet.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered. I sighed, annoyed by the people who were snickering. I glared up at two chairs, where Isa and Braig sat, laughing behind their hands.

Assholes.

"I'm just going to sit down," I whispered back. "You have to do this on your own." I pulled away, glancing back to see her gripping her hammer tightly. I reappeared in my seat, looking down at her with the others.

They all seemed to judging her, and it irked me. I saw some of them talking to each other and some sitting quietly. Everyone had their hood up, so I put me helmet on. It's sort of tradition for new members to not see our faces before becoming one of us. You never know what could happen.

"Silence, everyone, please," Xehanort said, his voice echoing all around the room. A hush fell over everyone, their attention on him.

"Today, we will be having our final piece to conquering Kingdom Hearts. This girl, the one who can use the darkness in her heart without being corrupted, will become my thirteenth vessel. I know what you are all thinking: what's so special about her?

"True, she is a young child, and a girl, at that." A few of them snickered before Xehanort continued. I just clenched my fist. "She is also the daughter of my old friend, who didn't deserve her mother. But, I shall not get into that. Vanitas has been teaching her to use her dark powers, training her to fight. She's become more powerful, but she still has a weakness.

"The light in her heart. It is keeping her darkness under control, but it's also holding back her true potential. As you all know, darkness cannot be destroyed, but channeled. Thus far, Vanitas has failed in showing her how to let her darkness take over her being, so she seems unimportant. But, there's more."

"The darkness in her heart is much more powerful than all of ours combined, for she is special. I believe that her heart is actually holding the spirit of Kingdom Hearts itself." Everyone started murmuring, and Xehanort waved his hand. They became silent.

I finally looked back down at Akio, and she was staring at me. The look of confusion and fear flashed across her face, but she quickly looked down.

"So, we will need to extract Kingdom Hearts from her, somehow. But, we will worry about that later. We might be able to use her heart for forging the X-blade, since, once again, Vanitas has failed." All eyes were on me, but I glared at everyone who was looking at me. Not that they could see me giving them death stares.

"For now, I shall put a piece of my heart in her, and the true Organization will be complete. Her heart will be pure darkness, like all of you. The seven guardians of light will clash with us thirteen seekers of darkness, and I will finally have the X-blade to create a new world," Xehanort finished. The room was filled with cheers and hollers as he stood up, summoning his Keyblade.

Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum.

He moved his hand over his Keyblade, his fingers tips glowing. Raising his Keyblade, it charged with energy. He pointed it down at Akio, and a bright orb shoot towards her. Her eyes widened with fear as it got closer, closer, closer-

A bright flash stopped it. Everyone looked away, but my eyes were glued on Akio. She was surrounded in a a barrier of light. She had covered herself, but looked up with bewilderment. The barrier fell down, and the air changed.

"Xehanort," Akio spoke, her voice strong. She had stood taller, looking unafraid. "You are not the one to decide my fate. You are not the one to start the Keyblade War. You foolish old man." She laughed bitterly. "You disgust me."

Two spirits appeared beside her, one made of pure light, the other of pure darkness. They formed two large, beautiful women. They appeared above Akio, so they were at the same height of Xehanort. They both had long hair, their dresses trailing down. They were back to back, both looking at Xehanort in the eye.

"We have taken pity on this girl, but not for you to use her," they said unison, their voices becoming one. "She will alter the future, but she is not to be your pawn in this preposterous game. We are her heart, and you will not be using one of us for our power, nor destroying the other." They smirked at him. "You better find another vessel, for your time is running out, you old coot."

They disappeared, and Akio suddenly became less confident. She fell to her knees, looking up at all the hooded figures. Her eyes lingered on me the longest before she looked at Xehanort. He had stood up, glaring at her with rage in his eyes. Everyone else had stood, but I knew something was up. I stood as well.

"Well, I was right, but now this girl shall pay the price for such a sharp tongue. She is no longer valuable, for I cannot use her darkness, and I can't let her run off with the spirit of Kingdom Hearts still inside of her. The only way to solve both of those problems is for a proper...execution," Xehanort said. Akio gasped, tears filling her eyes. I appeared by her side.

"Xehanort, she is just a child! She doesn't deserve this!" I yelled, pulling her up by her arm. She grunted at my grip, but I felt her eyes staring at me.

"You heard what they said!" Xehanort countered. "I can't just let her go on living. There are no more questions. It shall take place in a few days. I want everyone to see what happens when you don't accept your fate." He stared at me. "Keep that up, and you'll be next."

Everyone nodded their heads before disappearing, one by one.