#the world that never was
For Day Four of Ansem’s Apprentice Week!
Theme: Secrets
Author’s Note: This was inspired by this KH theory.
@apprenticeweek
I hope you enjoy!
Zexion’s footsteps echoed in the Castle that Never was as he walked up the steps. Everything was silent till he heard Vexen’s voice call out to him urgently.
“Zexion! Zexion!”
The teen watched as Vexen rushed down the stairs and calmly answered, “Right here. What is it?”
“Where is lord Xemnas?” The blond man asked dramatically.
“His usual spot.” The teen simply said.
In response, Vexen gave a disgusted expression and sneered, “The Chamber of Repose?”
“Yes. Go and see for yourself.”
Number IV’s face became even more displeased, “THAT ISN’T FUNNY.” He then turned to face away from Number VI, “I suppose I have no choice but to wait. But the clock is ticking. Time is running out. What to do?” He said avoiding eye contact with the teen and walked away, “Why is he never around when I need him? It’s almost as if he knows I’m looking for him!”
Zexion kept eye contact on the man till he was out of sight and his frustrated mumbling unheard. The teen then continued his way to the stairs before abruptly stopping, hearing a voice.
“You know, I don’t like that place either.”
Number VI turned around and narrowed his eyes upwards towards the ceiling, to see his higher up, Xigbar, once known as Braig, wearing his hood covering his face and sitting on the pipes above him.
“What about you, Zexion? What do you think?” He added.
Zexion wanted to avoid Xigbar’s questions, “I think eavesdropping is intrusive. Why are you even here? You and Xaldin were tasked to recruit new members.”
Xigbar then hopped off the pipes and landed on his feet gracefully, before standing up at his full composure.
“Have you forgotten, or were you procrastinating?”
Xigbar answered coolly, “As if! I’m doing my job. I’ll have you know, I found one just yesterday. ‘Mar–something’.” He scratched his chin, “That puts the Organization’s count at eleven!” He shrugged to himself, “And since I’ve been working so hard, I had Lexaeus take my place for the day. I want to rest up for tomorrow, so I can wake up feeling nice and refreshed.”
The young man didn’t care for Xigbar’s excuses, “Is that so? Well then, I will leave you to it.” He waved his hand nonchalantly, “I have work to catch up on. Good day.”
Zexion then turned his back to the man and walked over to the staircase. He heard Xigbar’s feet echo behind him, trying his best to ignore it, until the man wrapped his arm around Zexion’s shoulder and pulled him in closer like they were friends.
They are not.
“Oh don’t be like that.” Xigbar said as Zexion looked away, avoiding eye contact. “Come on. Stay and talk!” The older man moved his face closer to the younger one, “Isn’t it about time you told me about Xemnas’ secret?”
Zexion’s crystal blue eyes then glared at Xigbar.
Xemnas’ secret or rather Xehanort’s?
It’s been ten years since that day. How Xehanort was just brought to the castle in Braig’s arms, while Dilan followed with armor and a legendary keyblade. King Ansem just let him in without a problem. Xehanort claimed he had amnesia and Ansem the Wise believed it, oh how too trusting he was. Xehanort just slipped his way into the castle and Ienzo’s family without a problem. He also slipped into Ansem’s precious research of the heart as his student. He did this all too easily. Ienzo never trusted him because he saw what happened.
When sneaking out of the castle to play in the town square. The sky was covered in dark clouds, it made it look like it was nighttime. He saw two people at the square. Xehanort choking a blue haired woman with one hand. The boy was scared and hid behind one of the trees. He could not hear what they were saying, just watched the scene unfold. Xehanort dropped the woman to the ground and in a flash of puffy darkness pulled out a legendary keyblade. A weapon he only heard from Ansem the Wise. Ienzo gulped, he knew what kind of power it had. It can steal hearts and make you fade away forever.
The woman then summoned her own keyblade out of light and two started fighting. Everything grew darker and the smell of sulfur filled the air. Ienzo covered his nose. Was this the smell of darkness?
He couldn’t stand the smell anymore so he hurried towards the staircase leading to the castle, before tripping on his shoe laces. He quickly got up and continued up the stairs, ran through the gates, ran down the hall, and locked himself in his room.
Ienzo pulled his clothing off of him, the smell of darkness was on him. It was intense and disgusting. He felt so dirty and tainted. He hurried to his private bathroom and turned on the water on full blast. The boy quickly got into the tub and scrubbed his skin roughly, but the smell wouldn’t go away. Maybe it was in his hair? He poured shampoo on top of his head and scrubbed, tears running down his face as the soap entered his eyes. Oh the smell wouldn’t go away.
He started sobbing in the tub and laid down on the cold porcelain surface, he just wanted the smell to go away.
After an hour in the tub, Ienzo turned off the water and climbed out. Finally it was gone. He dried himself off, wore his pajamas, and climbed into bed. He stayed in bed the whole time till Evën went to check up on him and determined Ienzo was ill.
The young boy stayed in bed for two more days before he was eventually okay enough to go out for sea salt ice cream with Ansem. Ice cream with the king always made him happy. After they had gotten ice cream and headed back home, they were walking down the hall when Ienzo smelled a familiar scent. He stopped and turned his gaze around and saw him, the man from town square walking with Braig.
Ever since that day, Ienzo’s life had changed.
The man Xehanort never spoke to the young boy, only looked at him with those cruel orange eyes. Speaking of eyes, no one noticed that Braig’s eyes were no longer brown, but yellow. Evën would be in his lab for hours, Dilan and Aeleus also, which concerned Ienzo because they were indeed not scientists. Everyone became different when that man came in, his family began to crumble apart.
There was one time when Ienzo tried to talk to the king about what he saw Xehanort do, but he would ignore him in favor of his research. Oh his research… So many children were experimented on. Xehanort somehow convinced Ansem into doing it.
Everyone around him changed. No one heard him so he became quiet. He never told what he saw on that dark day. That Xehanort had a keyblade.
And eventually they all lost their hearts. Became part of a cult with Xehanort putting himself on top. Another kicker was that Xehanort took Ansem’s name for his own research, changed everyone else’s name, and gave them numbered ranks.
Ienzo became Zexion, but he kept quiet about it. Xehanort had too much power and would destroy him if he ever stepped out of place.
So Zexion kept to himself while Xigbar rambled about Xemnas. If he revealed any secrets, he knew there would be consequences for him.
