Down the Twilight Path

Namine

A/N: Just as the the title of this chapter says, the main character is none other than a certain memory witch. Learn more about how she came to meet certain Organization members, as well as her role in this story. Not only that, but I'm introducing a new world today. So enjoy, my readers!

Scene 16: Namine

Unbeknownst to all the residents of Twilight Town, the so-called "abandoned" mansion was currently inhabited by a single person: A young, blonde-haired girl in a pure white dress. Calling her a person, however, wasn't quite an accurate description. The girl had no need to eat, no real need to sleep. And more importantly, the girl had no knowledge of her origins, or her purpose in life- instead she held inside her the memories of another person, and the feeling that she knew belonged somewhere else.

Life for this girl was a simple one. Many days were spent sitting in her pure white room, doodling whatever images floated into her head. The recurring motif to most of the sketches were a trio of people - friends who had suffered greatly in their desperate attempts to reunite. Friends that were still apart from each other, even now.

A few days ago, new images began to arise in the blonde girl's head - of a new trio, all in black coats. She didn't know who they were, just that they were important somehow. Even so, the girl could never bring herself to step outside the front door. The most she knew of the outside world were occasional peeks outside the window of her room.

Which was why, when the pink-haired man appeared in the mansion today, the girl was half anxious and half curious. Who was he? Where did he come from? There was a part of her that wanted to know.

"Me? My name is Marluxia," the pink-haired man said when asked for his name. "What is your name?"

"I... I don't have a name," the blonde girl admitted. Just another missing piece in the puzzle that was her existence.

"I see. Well, I believe I can answer a few of the questions you must have," Marluxia said. "I see no point in beating around the bush: You are like me, a being known as a Nobody. We are hollow shells in search for our purpose. When Nobodies are born, they have nothing, just like you. Not even a name."

So that explained the state that she found herself in. Then could Marluxia... do something to help her? Show her the world that existed outside of this mansion? It seemed like too much to hope for. In fact, if what Marluxia was saying was true, there was no hope for her at all, no emotion of any kind for her.

"And since you don't have a name, I'd like to make a suggestion," Marluxia continued. "If I am not mistaken about your origin, the name that is best suited for you is Namine."

The newly christened Namine didn't know if she could trust Marluxia. Even so, as the first person she'd ever met, the girl couldn't help but ask, "Are you going to take me with you, then? To whatever exists outside this mansion?"

Marluxia looked like he was seriously considering the question. "Well aren't we eager. I won't take you outside this mansion - not yet. You could always step outside the front door yourself."

Namine knew, deep inside, that leaving on her own was always an option. And yet... the very thought of leaving by herself made her legs freeze up. The occasional native showing up at the gates to enter the mansion didn't help - they all frightened the young girl. It wasn't that Marluxia didn't scare her too, but his offer was very tempting.

"Oh? So you don't want to leave by yourself?" Marluxia said, reading Namine's expression. "Then I could take you to see what exists outside these walls. But only if you can prove to me that you truly want this. Otherwise you will spend the rest of your days in here, wasting away."