Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Sitting up and stretching, the purple hatchling dragon yawned and looked about. She was only a few hours old and knew she had not intentionally abandoned--she was cast to this new world when the world she originally came from was destroyed by magic. The world she found herself in was in the midst of a furious snowstorm. Though she was mostly capable of defending herself, the purple dragon knew that snow was not her primary element and that she needed to find shelter--and quickly.

Still in her dragon form--as it would provide her with the best defense against the raging storm, the purple dragon hatchling ventured through the storm until she came upon a village. Looking in various windows, the purple dragon hatchling picked a house with older inhabitants that had no children or grand children running about. Slapping the door three times with her tail, the purple dragon quickly transformed into her human form and lay squalling on the top step because she was cold.

Almost immediately, the front door opened and the elderly couple looked out and saw her. The hatchling knew she was lucky in her decision as the older woman picked her up and brought her inside by the fire where the dragon hatchling was quickly able to warm up.

The hatchling, named Xangord, spent fifteen years in this village before the villagers began to suspect that the cause for missing livestock was her fault--one of their reasons for their suspicion is that Xangord's hair grew in entirely silver so many thought she was a demon of some kind in disguise. Once Xangord caught wind of this suspicion, she immediately took off without saying goodbye to her foster-parents.

Driven away from humans, Xangord took on her dragon form--a form she had not been in since she was first hatched--and set off to find a culling of dragons to see if they would allow her to join them. About two hundred miles north of the village, Xangord found a cull of dragons of various colors that were willing to allow her to join their cull because of her unique scale color.

The time with the dragon cull was shorter than with the humans. It was not that she was the only purple dragon that any of the others had seen, or the first they knew who was able to take on human form, or that she was several times smarter than the rest. Xangord had left the cull because she simply could not stand being with the dragons.

Centuries passed with Xangord pretending to be human for a while in this or that village or trying to pass for a normal dragon in this or that cull. However, she never stayed much time in either villages or culls because she had a sense that she never truly belonged to either one because she was far different than her outwardly appearances allowed.

A few months before Xangord turned 2199, her life was changed from the monotonous life of drifting between humans and dragons.

It all started when Xangord had decided to take a walk through China's capital city at night--not something a lone human female would dare to do, but then again, Xangord was not human.

As she was rather expecting fool of a human to attempt to mug her, Xangord was caught off guard as a swarm of strange little black creatures with antennae and yellow eyes rose out of the ground around her and attacked her. Swatting them back as though they were flies, Xangord could feel that they were trying to draw her heart out her chest.

The swarm slowly grew larger and larger as the creatures continually attacked her. Growing bored with the fighting--at this point Xangord was using her specialized whip that she had created some time ago--Xangord transformed into her anthromorphic form to better utilize her smoke dragon's breath to dispose of them. Once all the strange creatures were gone, Xangord transformed back into her human form--only to hear clapping from one of the darkened alleyways.

"Show yourself," Xangord said.

Stepping out of the shadows, a strange man with long silver hair and orange eyes smiled. The man was wearing a black and white jacket, black pants, and black gloves. "My my, aren't you a strong one?"

"Strong enough," Xangord replied carefully.

"Let's see just how strong," the man said, producing a red light saber in each of his hands and rushing Xangord.

Lifting an eyebrow, Xangord waited until the man was close before stepping aside. As he stumbled by her, Xangord used her whip to lightly tap the man's backside. Furious, the man spun around and glared at her--Xangord shrugged. Like a cat playing with a mouse, Xangord toyed with the man for a few more minutes before growing bored.

When the man rushed her again, Xangord quite easily knocked the light sabers out of his hands and lifted the man off the ground by the front of his coat. "What is it you want? Answer quickly or you die."

"I want Kingdom Hearts," the man said. "And I want you to help me obtain it."

Lifting an eyebrow, Xangord said, "Kingdom Hearts? What's that?"

"Put me down and I'll explain," the man said.

Regarding the man for a few seconds, Xangord set him down. True to his word, the man--who introduced himself as Xemnas--explained what Kingdom Hearts was and why he wanted Xangord's help in obtaining it as she was a fellow Nobody.

"Well, oh Superior one," Xangord said, nicknaming Xemnas for his superior attitude. "I do not go willie-nilly joining newly born Organizations without some proof that they are worth my time. Come back in a year with proof that you are worth my time and I will consider your offer."

"And such an Organization it shall be!" Xemnas said. "With--"

"N'yuh!" Xangord interrupted, holding up a hand. "No more talking. Get out of my sight this instant, and remain out of my sight until the year has passed and you have proof that your Organization is worth my time, or else I will kill you where you stand and you will never obtain Kingdom Hearts."

Although clearly disappointed that he could not go on ranting about Kingdom Hearts, Xemnas bowed and created a portal. As he walked through it, Xangord lifted an eyebrow. That man said he and I were the same--that both of us are Nobodies. Perhaps I, too, can create portals.

Raising her arm, Xangord snapped her fingers and was mildly surprised when a portal appeared. Stepping through it, Xangord was slightly more surprised to see that, instead of being in the Forbidden City in the middle of winter, she was in a large hall.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my castle?" someone demanded from behind Xangord.

Without turning, Xangord could tell that there was another dragon in human form standing behind her. "Your castle? I didn't think black dragons liked having castles--but then again, you can always find one screwball in a cull."

"Insolent fool!" the black dragon yelled.

Instantly on the move, Xangord spun around to block the hand that was descending upon her. With her free hand, Xangord knocked down her attacker. Placing her foot on the woman's throat and staff, Xangord said, "I'd rather dangle you by your throat, but you're a bit tall for me as we are in our current forms and I am in no mood to deal with you in my dragon form."

Though her full attention was focused on the woman, Xangord sensed movement. With fluid movements, Xangord moved everything above her waist as she dodged and deflected various attacks. Producing her whip, Xangord whipped into the shadows where most of the attacks were coming from. Feeling it wrap around someone, Xangord pulled on the whip and saw a tall, thin man wearing red and black soaring through the air. Pulling down on the whip again, she forced the man to land on the ground.

Repeating the process, she snagged a man in a baggy white suit full of worms, an octopus woman, a man wearing all red with a giant feather sticking out of his hat, and a blue-skinned man with blue flames sprouting out of his head. Using magic, she had pinned them all down so that they could not move.

"Is this how you greet guests?" Xangord asked.

"Guests would not attack their hosts," the man in the baggy white suit said.

"Nor would hosts attack their guests," Xangord replied. "As a show of faith, I will release you. But should you attack again, I will destroy all of you."

True to her word, Xangord released the magic holding the others down and then used more magic to lift them to their feet. Dusting themselves off, the six people glared at Xangord.

"So, now that we are all on our best behavior," Xangord said, "how about some introductions. I am Xangord."

The others, in order that Xangord had captured them, grudgingly introduced themselves as Maleficent, Jafar, Oogie Boogie, Ursula, Captain James Hook, and Hades.

Bowing, Xangord said, "Well met. I am to assume that powerhouses from different worlds, such as you six, are after Kingdom Hearts?"

"How did you know about Kingdom Hearts?" Maleficent demanded.

"Nobody told me," Xangord replied coolly. "But I shall leave you to your business and--"

At that moment, a portal opened and a young man stepped through. He had clear blue eyes, silver hair, and was wearing a yellow jacket and blue pants. Looking at those behind Xangord boldly, he strode up to them and said, "I am Riku."

"Hello Riku," Xangord replied. She felt something in her chest that never before she had ever felt and was quite interested in it. Turning her back completely on the others to face Riku, she said, "I am Xangord. These guys are idiots."

That was how Xangord met Riku. Through him, she ended up meeting friends of his world--Kairi and Sora. For a time, Xangord and Riku's relationship remained as friends; but over time, Xangord began to realize she had more than platonic feelings for Riku.

"Riku don't do it," Xangord said. He had just expressed his intention in allowing a Heartless to possess him.

"Don't you see?" Riku said, taking Xangord's hands. "It will make me stronger and then I can get back Kairi's heart!"

"You can get Kairi's heart back without doing this!" Xangord said. "You don't need to be possessed by a Heartless to do so! I'll help you get it back!"

"No!" Riku said, throwing Xangord's hands down. "I need to do this on my own!"

"You won't be doing it on your own if you allow a Heartless to possess you!" Xangord replied. "The Heartless will be doing all the work. And you may not survive the possession!"

Knowing that Xangord would not lay a finger on him, Riku slapped Xangord across the face. "You just don't want me to become stronger! Well I've had enough of you! Get out of my face!"

Placing a hand on her cheek where she had been slapped, Xangord looked with surprise at Riku. "Fine. I will go. However, I hope you realize your mistake before it's too late."

Returning to the Land of Dragons, Xangord went in search of the cave she called home and found a village had sprung up next to it. As she was looking the village over, she sensed a portal opening behind her.

"Xemnas," Xangord said, turning to face the man as he stepped out of the portal. She noted that, with an arched eyebrow, he was not alone. "What are you doing here?"

"It has been a year, Miss," Xemnas said. "And I've come to ask you again to join me in obtaining Kingdom Hearts."

"Who're these two?" Xangord asked, using her chin to point at the two that had come along with Xemnas.

One had black and white hair pulled back into a ponytail and yellow eyes. The other had a blue mullet-like hairstyle with yellow eyes. Xangord noted that all three of them were wearing coats similar to what she had been wearing when she first met Xemnas.

"This would be Xigbar the Freeshooter," Xemnas said, placing a hand on the shoulder of the man with black and white hair. Placing his other hand on the shoulder of the second man, he said, "And this is Saïx the Luna Diviner. These two are my Numbers 2 and 7 in my Organization. They're Nobodies like us."

"They don't look very strong," Xangord said.

"Neither do you," Xigbar said. To Xemnas, he said, "Sir, why are we bothering our time with her?"

"Xangord is a dragon," Xemnas said, looking at her with glee. At this, Xigbar and Saïx looked at Xangord with surprise. "She has promised that if I bring her proof that the Organization is worth her time, she would join us."

"And these two are your proof?" Xangord asked. "They aren't winning you any points."

Because his hands were behind his back, Saïx presented Xangord with a four-inch file. "If you would, look through this."

Taking the file, Xangord flipped through random pages in the file. What she saw of other members impressed her. "Okay, you've got my interest. I shall join you on one condition."

"Your wish is my command," Xemnas replied, bowing at the waist. Immediately, his two underlings did the same.

"That I be given free rein to do what I want, when I want," Xangord replied. "I do not take orders from anyone and I'll help when and where I want."

Xigbar said, "That's--"

"Completely reasonable," Xemnas said. Though it was whispered into Xigbar's ear, Xangord could still hear it, "She's stronger than me so it's best to make her happy."

"One other thing before we go," Xangord said. "Xemnas, you introduced these two with nicknames. Why?"

"Well," Xemnas said, "like our coats, if you've noticed, it was something inspired by you. You had called me Superior so I had decided each member of the Organization needed a nickname."

"Then call me the Gray Leviathan," Xangord replied.

"As you wish," Xemnas said, creating a portal. Offering an arm, Xemnas said, "Shall we go?"

Taking Xemnas's arm, Xangord nodded. With Xigbar leading and Saïx following behind, the four stepped through the portal.

"Welcome to the World That Never Was," Xemnas said, making a grand sweep with his arm.

"Looks like crap," Xangord said after a moment of looking around at the deserted town. "I really hope your lodgings are better than this rainy little place lets on."

"But of course!" Xemnas said, leading Xangord through the town with Xigbar and Saïx following along behind them. "You, of all Nobodies, should know better than to judge a book by its cover."

When they had reached a wide-open area next to some hotel, Xemnas freed his arm from Xangord's grip and said. "There is one thing we must do before I take you to the castle."

"And that would be?" Xangord asked.

"You must fight them," Xemnas said. "Once they can attest to your strength, then the rest of my members will honor and respect you."

With Saïx and Xigbar circling her, Xangord kept her eyes on Xemnas, "This is a foolish display of strength."

"JUST FIGHT!" Xigbar yelled, whipping out a gun as Saïx produced a claymore.

Before the two could even dream of beginning their attacks, Xangord had produced her whip and used it to cut an X-shape in Saïx's face and put a cut in Xigbar's face from his cheek down to his jaw line.

"Why you," Xigbar said as he held one hand to the cut in his face and pointed his gun at Xangord. Quicker than the blink of an eye, Xangord rushed up and plucked out the man's eye opposite from where she had cut him on his face.

Turning to Xemnas, Xangord said, "Are you going to order them to back off or do I actually have to kill them?"

"That's enough," Xemnas said. "Xigbar, Saïx, go to the infirmary on the double."

"Yes sir," the two replied.

"I hope there will be no more foolishness such as that," Xangord replied. "If so, then I will revoke my membership this instant."

"No, there will be no further attempts such as that," Xemnas said. "On to the castle then?"

"Very well."

The trip to the castle was shorter than expected. Pausing a moment or two before entering the castle, Xangord looked up at the oddly shaped moon.

"That is Kingdom Hearts," Xemnas said, looking up at the moon with Xangord. "A young man by the name of Sora has been unwittingly helping me create it."

"Sora you say?" Xangord asked, looking at Xemnas's up turned face. It had been nearly a year since she last saw Sora, Kairi, or Riku.

"Yes," Xemnas replied. Looking at Xangord, he asked, "Do you know him?"

"Only by rumors," Xangord said and left it at that.

Leading Xangord into the castle, Xemnas took Xangord what he called the meeting hall to introduce her. In case Xemnas had some sort of treachery in mind, Xangord transformed into her anthromorphic form. In the hall, Xemnas pulled Xangord up onto a platform where she could overlook a sea of faces.

"This," Xemnas said, smiling at those who attended, "ladies and gentlemen, is our newest member, Xangord. She will be referred to as Number 0 or The Gray Leviathan."

After some clapping, Xemnas whispered into Xangord's ear, "Now, my dear, please go with Vexen the Chilly Academic and ZuchaX III the Silent Beast."

"We had an arrangement," Xangord said. "Are you backing out of it?"

"Not at all," Xemnas replied. "Besides verbal testimony from Saïx and Xigbar, some Nobodies require a hard copy of facts that can be printed on a piece of paper."

Sighing, Xangord transformed back into her human form and said, "Very well. I hope this will be the last 'proof of power' your people need."

"I assure you it is," Xemnas said, turning Xangord over to Vexen and ZuchaX III. Vexen had long blonde hair and green eyes. ZuchaX III had long green hair, purple eyes, and a scar in the shape of a cross on his cheek.

As she was led to a laboratory, Xangord sighed softly and said, "Number 0. How insulting."

ZuchaX III shrugged and Vexen smiled. "Quite the opposite, Miss. It means you're more powerful then the superior."

Xangord already knew this, but allowed Vexen to continue.

"In fact, this scanner that we have invented will tell us how much more powerful you are. Hold still, if you don't mind."

Xangord did as instructed, and Vexen pulled the trigger. Xangord's body was bathed in a pale blue light, and after a few minutes, a computer sprung to life. Vexen threw the device to ZuchaX III and began to tick away at the computer, an evil laughter brewing in his chest.

ZuchaX III nodded. "That's all we need from you. Do you need me to take you back to the main hall, or can you handle it yourself?"

Xangord nodded. "I've got this."

ZuchaX III sighed. "Alright. Welcome to the World that Never Was."

Walking along the hallways, Xangord faltered for a moment and put a hand to her head. As her eyes slipped shut, Xangord felt/saw a body of water fighting with a body of flames. She had seen these two elemental bodies before, but only in her dreams. Never had she seen them when she was awake.

"Are you okay?" someone asked, putting an arm around Xangord's shoulders.

Opening her eyes, Xangord looked at a young woman with light green hair and gray eyes. "Yes, I am fine. It has been a while since I have been around so many humans before that I got a little light headed."

Smiling, the woman helped Xangord to her feet and said, "I am Se'rox. I am one of the oldest Nobodies you'll ever come across."

"I doubt that child," Xangord replied. "A few minutes after I had hatched, I became a Nobody. In a few more months, it will have been 2200 years since I had hatched."

Her jaw dropping for a second or two, Se'rox said, "Make that the second oldest Nobody then you'll ever meet."

Smiling, Xangord held out a hand. "Well met then, Se'rox. Well met then."

Three days later, Xangord happened to look into the files of the Organization and was appalled at their filing system. "No recognizable order at all in this! Despicable!"

Taking off her coat, Xangord hung it on the back of the chair and set to work at once setting up a proper filing system that would properly cross-reference each report by ranking, by world, by the Organization member who completed a mission, and by security level.

Several hours passed this way when Xangord's shoulder was tapped. Glancing over her shoulder, Xangord saw Riku. Turning to face him, Xangord leaned back in her chair and put an ankle on her knee. "I trust you saw the error in your ways?"

"Before it was too late," Riku replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Organizing the Organization's outrageous orders."

"Quite a mouthful there."

"It's quite a mess."

"You haven't really answered my question though."

"Because I was bored and you disappointed me."

"Nobodies can't feel disappointment."

"I have half a heart. How else our friendship?"

Looking down at his feet, Riku said nothing for several minutes before he said, "I need your help. The Organization is looking to kill Sora if they should find him."

"I'm not the boy's babysitter," Xangord said. "Nor does he need one with that keyblade of his."

"But he is asleep at the moment and vulnerable," Riku replied.

After a moment or two considering Riku's request, Xangord said, "Only because you asked me as a friend."

"Thank you," Riku replied.

Grabbing Riku's hand and pulling him along the halls until they reached her room, Xangord said, "We cannot be seen in the open together. The Organization knows who you are and wants your head on a platter."

"How do they know?"

"I'm reading the Organizations outrageous orders as I organize them."

"Oh. Do they know about--"

"King Mickey's, DiZ's, and your plans to wake Sora up by combining him with his Nobody after Naminé restores Sora's memories?" Xangord asked.

"...Yeah, that'd be it," Riku said, sitting on one of Xangord's chairs. "I'm more limited in my movements than I originally thought."

"Not quite," Xangord said. "Look, I'll become Xemnas's secretary so I can cause some confusion--maybe even an uprising--within the Organization. With the higher members fighting among themselves, no one is going to be noticing the movements of the lower members--or you."

"Won't that be dangerous for you?" Riku asked.

"You forget what I am, Riku," Xangord said. "I outclass everyone here as my power over smoke is far more complicated than what I even told you."

"How so?"

"Before I became a Nobody, I had the power over fire, water, and smoke," Xangord replied. "Though I am strongest with my power of smoke, I still have limited control over fire and water."

"How much control?" Riku asked, genuinely interested.

"Well I can't make water clones like that pathetic Number 9, Demyx the Melodious Nocturne, can," Xangord said, "or create infernos like that idiot Number 8, Axel the Flurry of Dancing Flames, can. I can however create ice shards and fireballs to throw at people."

"That's still good though," Riku said. "Really good, actually. Perhaps you should sh--"

Xangord cut Riku off with a kiss. Blushing, she pulled back and said, "You've...you've always made me want to do that."

Over the next several months, Riku and Xangord began to assassinate some of the lower Organization members, being careful the whole time not to be seen all the while Xangord played secretary to Xemnas.

This allowed Xangord to get a good feel for all the potential high-level members as they volleyed for Number 13. One in particular piqued Xangord's interest with his determination. He had green hair, purple eyes, and a scar in the shape of a cross on his cheek. Walking boldly up to Xangord's desk, he demanded, "I need to see Xemnas."

"Take a number," Xangord sighed. Calculatedly, she added, "Only real members of the Organization can see him without a number."

ZuchaX III summoned up a flurry of ice and wind, freezing her to the table. "I am a real member you stupid dragon. I'm going in there now."

Arching an eyebrow, for a moment, Xangord rolled her eyes and turned the ice on her hands into smoke. "Fine. I don't remember you, but now I won't forget you."

As ZuchaX III kicked open the try out doors, Xangord looked up and saw Se'rox. "Yes?"

"Just seeing how it's going," Se'rox replied. "And wondering if I could get a number."

"Most of these wanna-be's are rather rude," Xangord said. "At least you're not. Though, between us, kid, I don't think any of you are going to stand a chance against a kid that Xemnas found--he's got a keyblade."

"A keyblade," Se'rox asked. "Now that's downright interesting."

"Indeed," Xangord said, going back to sorting her papers and handing out numbers to those who wanted to take the last open slot in Organization XIII's highest membership.

A few days later, ZuchaX III came in with a young girl while Xangord was reading over one of Demyx's many water logged requests not to go on a mission.

Note to self, ask Xemnas just how in the world he allowed a weakling like Demyx to join the Organization, Xangord thought. Hearing approaching footsteps, Xangord quickly stamped DENIED on the request and looked up to see ZuchaX III standing before her desk with a girl behind him. "Ah, it's you again."

ZuchaX III nodded. "Yeah. How busy is the Superior?"

Xangord sighed. "He's busy. Actually, he left a while ago to get the true 13th ready for his formal acceptance into the Organization XIII. Apparently, Sora had a Nobody and his name is Roxas."

"Wonderful," ZuchaX III growled. He appeared to be unaware about forming his claws. "Halex, go sit down." She did as ordered. "Since he isn't here, can I have a Request to join paper, and a mission report?"

Xangord nodded, and set both papers in front of him. "Tough break, Zuchax."

ZuchaX III shrugged. "I'm going to leave Halex with you, in case she needs help filling out this form. I'll submit my mission report as soon as I can." He handed Halex the Request to Join paper and left.

When he was gone, Xangord regarded the girl for a few moments--just long enough to make the girl uncomfortable--before asking, "Why do you want to join the Organization, Halex?"

"Because then I can be with people who would understand me," Halex replied.

"Is that all?" Xangord asked.

"Y--yeah."

"You don't want to join then."

Confused, Halex looked Xangord in the eye. "Why not?"

"Bad things can happen to both fully fledged members, and to newbie's such as yourself," Xangord said. "Did Zuchax not explain that to you?"

"No...not really."

"Well think it over dear," Xangord said solemnly. "Make sure you understand that should you join that bad things may happen to you."

About three weeks later, Xangord and Riku had all the information they needed to go after the lower members of the Organization. At first, Xangord was the only one who did the killing as it came naturally to her thanks to her draconic nature. After a while, Riku began to kill as well once he got past the fact he was not killing humans but simple Nobodies that he did not know. One day, a particular target was in the tow of Xaldin, the Organization's Number 3 and also known as the Whirlwind Lancer, on a mission to Beast's Castle.

Xangord was on her own as Riku had gone off to make sure that Sora's awakening was to go off without a hitch that day.

"Xaldin, why is it the Organization is called Organization 13?" the target, a woman called Kixyu. "For that matter, why does everyone have nicknames? Also, why doesn't that Xangord lady have a real number? Why--"

Spinning on the girl, Xaldin roared at her, "WILL YOU SHUT UP?!"

In answer, the girl coughed up blood on Xaldin. As she collapsed, Xangord rose to her full height in human form and pulled her fist out of the woman's back.

"Xangord! What is the meaning of this?!" Xaldin demanded.

Ignoring Xaldin for a moment, Xangord examined the blood on her hand. Licking some off and looking at Xaldin, Xangord replied, "The Organization has to die. Simple as that."

"TRAITOR!" Xaldin yelled, summoning his lances.

"Me a traitor!" Xangord said. "There's a joke. When have you seen me steal the heart of some innocent soul and put it to my own use?"

"Then what do you call the look Riku gives you?" Xaldin asked.

Surprised, Xangord said, "How did you know about him?"

Laughing, Xaldin said, "There were reports that Riku was working with a high level female Organization member to kill off those under Roxas and I had my doubts that Larxene would be the accomplice. I simply asked a question based off a hunch and you answered it quite beautifully."

"You will have to forgive me then, Xaldin," Xangord said, summoning her whip. "You were not to be taken out for some time yet; yet as it is, you have been moved up the list. You must die now."

As the two ran towards each other, there was a sudden flash of light and Xangord found herself in the middle of a field. Directly in front of her, a male neko demon was dangling a female neko-dragon hatchling off the ground by her throat. "Put the child down."

"Who the ******** you?" the male neko said, looking at Xangord with disgust.

"I will tell you one last time. Put the child down."

"Screw you," he replied, raising his fist to hit the girl.

Summoning her whip, Xangord lashed out with it. One of the four tendrils wrapped around the hand that was going to hit the girl, a second to wrap around his throat, and the third and fourth to wrap around the arm holding the girl. The male neko demon began to choke, but he at least dropped the girl to scratch at the tendril around his throat. The girl rose to her elbows to look at Xangord, but Xangord figured the girl could see little more than a blur from the way she was squinting and the fact half of her face was caved in--probably from being beaten by the male neko. She had some sort of blue liquid seeping out of her open wounds.

"Release me!" the male neko yelled, struggling.

Mercilessly, Xangord used the tendrils wrapped around the male neko's arm that had been holding the girl to break it. Allowing the howling male neko to slip out of the smoke tendrils, Xangord knelt next to the girl. She was alive but Xangord had no potions to heal her wounds--the amount of blue liquid seeping out of her had Xangord worried. From behind her, there was a loud explosion, followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke. Picking the girl up in her arms, Xangord headed towards where she heard the explosion. Someone there would be able to help her.

In the back of her mind, Xangord regretted the fact she never got to see Riku to tell him that she was pregnant.