Stuck in the Shallows / KH

XI. Nixamma

There was nothing Demyx could do or say to make the situation any better. The Organization had gotten their hands on Manami, and now that she was their instrument to fine tune, he could not help but feel like the responsibility fell upon his shoulders.

How had she even gotten her hands on something like a keyblade, anyway? From what he had picked up on, the weapon she wielded was something special. And incredibly difficult, if not near impossible, to obtain. 

Had Organization XIII done something to bind this keyblade to her, he could not help but wonder. The thought of any one of his despicable coworkers so much as glancing in her direction had long been a source of nausea and headache in his life, so that they could do something like force her into this life of servitude and nothingness was... a real downer, to say the least.

He knew these whirlwind thoughts of his were all just bleak distractions to keep him from doing what it was he needed to do right then: knock on the door of his childhood best friend and the only girl he ever loved. 

He had been standing there, his head lowered and a fist planted on her door, for what must have been nearing a solid minute at that point. He asked himself over and over what it was that was holding him back. 

Only one thing was clear to him at that time: losing his heart had done nothing for his cowardice. 

He pivoted around with a defeated groan, placing his palm to his forehead as though to rid himself of the headache forming there. 

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," he was muttering to himself. It was at that time when, at his back, there came the sound of a door creaking open.

Shoot.

Panic building in the underfed cavern of his belly and nervous laughter bubbling at his lips, Demyx whirled around on the heels of his boots. 

The face awaiting him at the door was one of uncertainty. Two dagger-like points of dark brown impaled his face and demanded an answer. Manami had taken her hair down since the meeting, and it danced in effervescent, ginger curls around her face. 

All of the blood rushed from Demyx's face at the same time, taking with it his ability to form coherent thought. 

"Hello." Her voice was the same as it used to be, only... It seemed to be lacking in something important. Something he could not quite place his finger on. "Is there something you need?" 

"Wh-what? What's that supposed to mean?!" If Demyx had still had a heart, it would have in that moment plummeted to his feet. He searched her face, desperate to find even the slightest trace of warmth or recognition there. 

"Manami, it's me. C'mon." He looked from one side to the other, making sure they were alone, before leaning in ever so slightly. "Don't tell me you forget me already. I mean, it's only been one year!"

Manami furrowed her dark eyebrows at him as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. 

"I think you must be mistaking me for somebody else. I'm sorry, but my name is Nixamma." Her voice was mild and different, lacking in the warmth and familiarity he had for many years subsisted on. 

Demyx's eyes widened a little as, for a couple of heartbeats, he could only stare at her. 

"Oh." His arms dropped so that they were hanging languidly at his sides. He knew the difference between a mischievous Manami and... whatever this was. And, well, she was telling him the truth. 

She really did not remember him. 

Man... What did Xemnas do to you? 

"Oh. I- uh... Sorry. That's my mistake." Demyx scratched the back of his neck and his eyes dropped unceremoniously to the pristine, white floor underfoot. He took a step back, but as he did, he could not help but notice the way Manami slipped from the safety of her doorway to appraise him. 

"You seem upset. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. But I hope you find whoever it is you're looking for...?"

He raised his eyes to lock onto hers, and even though she didn't know him, he realized just how badly it was he wanted to just wrap her in his embrace. She may not have remembered him, but he remembered her all too well. Painfully well, in fact, and there was nothing he could do to stop that. 

It was then that he realized what it was he had to do.

He had to stick around. Help complete Kingdom Hearts and earn Manami's heart back. 

And maybe- just maybe- she would come to remember him again. 

He smiled a rueful smile and scratched the back of his head with a small, dry laugh. 

"Ah, don't worry about it. I think I just mistook you for an old friend of mine. You're, uh, the new girl, right? My name is Demyx. Do you think, er, maybe I could show you around?"