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You gotta figure,

everything starts someplace.

The closest thing for me

is when I was just seven days old,

and I met her.

Day 7: Number XIV

Axel: Heya, Roxas.

Roxas: ......

Axel: Something I can help you with there, chatterbox?

Roxas: ......

Axel: Ah, I remember now. We were supposed to convene in the

Round Room today. Blegh, meetings...

Roxas: Round...Room...?

Axel: Yup. Apparently the boss man's got some big news.

After seven days

of clinging to a number and a name,

I had trouble processing anything else.

I couldn't have told you

who the people in black coats were,

or what they wanted with me.

Day 8: The Icing on the Cake

Sax: Roxas, your work begins today. I will issue missions, which

the Organization expects you to carry out.

Roxas: ......

Sax: Think of these early missions as exercises. You still have

much to learn before we put you to a real test.

Roxas: ......

Sax: Axel will be joining you your first time out. Isn't that right,

Axel?

Axel: Oh boy... What, are you making me the kid's mentor now?

Sax: Surely you don't mind showing Roxas here the ropes? Roxas,

come see me when you're ready to go.

Axel: Well, you heard the man. Starting today, I'm your babysitter.

Roxas: ......

Axel: Sheesh... Quit acting like a zombie, and let's get this show on

the road.

Sax: Teach him well, Axel.

Axel: Don't worry. I'll be sure he makes the grade.

Axel: C'mon, Roxas.

Roxas: ......

Axel: Hey, what's wrong? You worried about the new kid? What

was that name again...

Sax: Number XIV, Xion.

Axel: Right, I knew that.

Roxas: Xion.

Axel: Got it memorized, Roxas?

Roxas: ...Yeah.

Axel: You sure? How 'bout my name, then?

Roxas: It's Axel.

Axel: And our boss's name?

Roxas: Xemnas.

Axel: Very good, Roxas! No way you're gonna forget his name,

right? Now, let's get moving.

Axel: All right, let's start by talking about what we do on missions.

Axel: Ahem. Missions are...uhh... They're, you know... Hrm.

Roxas: ......

Axel: You know what? Talking is dumb. Let's just go ahead and get

our hands dirty, shall we?

Axel: Follow me.

Axel: There ya go. Good job.

Roxas: Thanks.

Axel: But don't go thinking you can just run and jump your way

through every mission.

Axel: You've gotta BE AWARE.

Roxas: What...what do you mean?

Axel: You hafta look around. Sometimes what you're after is

sitting right under your nose. Got it memorized?

Roxas:Y...yeah, I think so.

Axel: All right, then, time for a road test.

Axel: There's a treasure chest somewhere in these passages. I

want you to find it.

Roxas: That's all I have to do?

Axel: I know, don't hurt yourself. Anyway, remember to look

around.

Roxas: Axel... What's this?

Axel: A barricade. It means you're not supposed to go this way.

Roxas: You mean there's nothing down there?

Axel: Yeah, that's the gist of it. They're set up to keep us on track.

Axel: That, or out of trouble. I mean, hello, look at it. Big,

menacing X? I'll take the beaten path, thanks.

Roxas: Is this the chest?

Axel: Sure is! Well done.

Roxas: ......

Axel: Um, what are you waiting for?

Roxas: The mission was to find the chest. Aren't I done?

Axel: Uh, Roxas... There's this thing about chests. They have stuff

in them.

Roxas: So I should open the chest?

Axel: Yes, that is generally what we do.

Axel: Good work! You can keep what you found. All right, time to

RTC.

Roxas: RTC?

Axel: Return To the Castle. Go ahead, lead the way back to the

dark corridor that brought us here.

Axel: Bravo. So whaddaya think? Got the hang of this mission

business?

Roxas: Uh-huh.

Axel: I'm sorry, speak up? Cooouldn't quite catch that.

Roxas: I said...

Axel: Hmm?

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Roxas: I could have done that blindfolded.

Axel: Ha ha! I dunno if I want a blindfolded zombie on the loose.

Axel: All right, smart aleck, you did good And no successful

mission is complete without a little icing on the cake. C'mon.

Roxas: But...don't we have to RTC?

Axel: Later. Don't you remember our hangout?

Axel: Here ya go. The icing on the cake.

Roxas: ......

Axel: You remember what this ice cream is called?

Roxas: Umm...

Axel: It's sea-salt ice cream. C'mon, I already told you once. Get it

memorized, man.

Roxas: It's really salty...but sweet, too.

Axel: Ha ha. Roxas, you said the same exact thing the other day.

Roxas: I did? I don't remember that.

Axel: Hey, what has it been, a week since you showed up?

Roxas: Maybe.

Axel: "Maybe"? C'mon, you must remember that much.

Roxas: ......

Axel: Well, that's okay. Today's where it all really begins anyway.

Roxas: Yeah?

Axel: Sure! Here you are, out in the field, working for the

Organization... Today, you're one of us.

Roxas: I guess it's a start.

That was my first day working for the Organization.

They gave me missions, and I carried them out.

But if you asked me what my job was...

I would've just stared at you.

Day 9: Heartless

Sax: Roxas, today you will be working with Marluxia.

Sax: Come see me when you are ready.Marluxia: Well, there you have it. Welcome to the fold, Roxas.

Marluxia: Roxas, was it? I never properly introduced myself.

Marluxia: I am Marluxia, Number XI.

Roxas: Okay. So what do I have to do today?

Marluxia: Today, your job is to collect hearts.

Roxas: Um, how do I do that?

Marluxia: Roxas, could you summon your Keyblade for me?

Roxas: Well...sure, all right.

Marluxia: Lucky Number XIII... At last, a chosen wielder of the

Keyblade amongst our ranks.

Roxas: Whoa, what are those?

Marluxia: Hmph. Nothing to be feared.

Marluxia: So, Roxas, shall we put that power of yours to a little

test?

Marluxia: Use your Keyblade...and defeat those Heartless.

Marluxia: Good. Those Heartless are called Shadows.

Roxas: But what are Heartless.

Marluxia: Dark creatures who roam about, searching for hearts.

They come in two larger varieties.

Marluxia: The ones you just defeated are known as Purebloods.

Marluxia: Purebloods don't release any hearts when you defeat

them.

Marluxia: In other words, don't bother with them. Your mission is

to collect hearts, after all.

Marluxia: The other variety

Marluxia: Hmph... Is right over there.

Marluxia: Forget about the Shadows.

Marluxia: Take these out, Roxas. They are your real targets.

Marluxia: Those were what we call Emblem Heartless.

Roxas: Why are they so special?

Marluxia: Did you notice? Hearts appeared when you defeated

them.

Roxas: Right...

Marluxia: Your job is to collect those hearts.

Roxas: Is there any trick to it?

Marluxia: None. So long as the Heartless are felled by your

weapon, the Keyblade, the hearts will be captured.

Roxas: I see. And what happens to the hearts I collect?

Marluxia: They will gather as one, and create an almighty force

known as Kingdom Hearts.

Roxas: Which is...good, right?

Marluxia: Completing Kingdom Hearts is the Organization's

primary objective.

Marluxia: And to do that, we need all the hearts we can possibly

find.

Roxas: So that's what the Organization does? Collect hearts?

Marluxia: Actually, you are the first of us to accomplish it.

Roxas: Wait, then

Marluxia: The rest of us can defeat Heartless, but we have no way

of collecting the hearts they release.

Marluxia: Eventually, the hearts will turn right back into

Heartless.

Marluxia: You see, then, how special you are?

Roxas: Hmm...Marluxia: With power like yours

Marluxia: Heh. Here come more of them. Each one is a gift, Roxas.

Squeeze every last heart out of them!

Marluxia: Excellent, Roxas. Your work today is done.

Marluxia: I am amazed.

Marluxia: That Keyblade... The things that could be done with

that sort of power...

Roxas: Umm...

Marluxia: I have high hopes for you, Roxasas do we all.

Marluxia: Defeat the Heartless, and help the Organization reach

our noble goal.

Roxas: Um, all right...

Marluxia: Shall we RTC, then?

And that was how I found out

the Organization's goal.

So they wanted me to collect these things

called "hearts."

I didn't know what a heart was,

or how it even mattered.

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But at least I knew what my part was.

Day 10: Incomplete

Zexion: Good morning, Roxas.

Zexion: I shall be joining you on your mission today.

Zexion: Take care of what you need to and then check in with

Sax. I am all ready to go.

Zexion: Your mission today is to eliminate a set quantity of

Heartless.

Zexion: The Organization may call upon you to meet other

objectivesperform recon, for example.

Zexion: But regardless of the task you have been given, your

primary orders still hold.

Zexion: You and that Keyblade of yours serve us best by collecting

hearts.

Roxas: So, even if I'm given another job, I should keep taking out

Heartless while I do it?

Zexion: Correct. Today, however, the two happily coincide.

Roxas: All done. I defeated the number of Heartless you said.

Roxas: Now we get to RTC, right?

Zexion: Leave, already? I, for one, would apply myself a bit more.

Roxas: But I

Zexion: Yes, yes, you did as you were asked. Mission

accomplished...but...

Zexion: As you can plainly see, there are still Heartless wandering

about.

Zexion: You don't have to eliminate them all. It's your choice.

Zexion: Just like I don't have to respect you for slinking back to

the castle while there's still work to be done.

Zexion: And if that doesn't matter to you, just remember the

Organization rewards those who make the extra effort.

Zexion: Much better.

Zexion: I trust you'll exhibit equal diligence in your missions going

forward.

Zexion: All right, now that the mission is over, do you have any

questions?

Roxas: Yeah, umm...

Roxas: Just what is Kingdom Hearts? Marluxia said it was some

kind of...of force.

Zexion: Yes...?

Roxas: And when I defeat the Heartless, those hearts pop out and

become part of Kingdom Hearts, right?

Roxas: But like, what's the point?

Zexion: Kingdom Hearts will complete us. That's the

Organization's goal.

Roxas: Complete us? Complete us how?

Zexion: Roxas, you and I and all the Organization's members are

what we call Nobodies.

Roxas: Well, that's not very nice.

Zexion: With a capital N. It's a name, for those of us who are

missing a vital piece of who we are: our hearts.

Roxas: I don't have a heart?

Zexion: Correct. Like all of us, you entered the world without one.

But you can help us get them.

Zexion: Kingdom Hearts is made of the very things we lacka

multitude of hearts. It has the power to complete us.

Zexion: Are you starting to see why you're so important?

Zexion: Each of us has a vital role in the Organization.

Zexion: Yours is collecting hearts.

Roxas: Yeah, I get it.

Zexion: Well, I just hope we can count on you to "get it" done.

Roxas: ......

Zexion: Any more questions?

Roxas: No... Sorry.

Zexion: Then we should be getting back. Come on.

Day 11: Keyblade

Larxene: Nice of you to show up.

Roxas: Umm, hi.

Larxene: Ugh, this is the worst.

Larxene: Whose idea was it to send me along on your stupid baby

mission? Do I look like I run a nursery school?

Roxas: ......

Larxene: Let Demyx handle this stuff. It's not like he's good at

anything else.

Roxas: ......

Larxene: What? WHAT? You got something to say?

Roxas: No...

Larxene: Pfft, you'd be nothing without that Keyblade.

Larxene: ...Oh ho! I just got an idea.

Roxas: (Uh-oh.)

Larxene: You can do today's mission WITHOUT your Keyblade.

Roxas: What? Why!?

Larxene: Because I said so, that's why! Sax told you to practice

magic today, didn't he?

Larxene: Well, sink or swim.Roxas: Yeahsink! I don't know how to use magic.

Larxene: Well, you're not gonna learn if you keep whipping

around that oversized key.

Roxas: Yeah, but...

Larxene: Ah, perfect. There's a Heartless.

Larxene: Go on, take it outand you have to use magic!

Larxene: I'll stand here and watch.

Roxas: (Thanks...)

Larxene: Ooh ooh, here come some more. Go on, wipe 'em out!

Roxas: ......

Larxene: Ugh, at the speed you move, we'll be here all month...

Larxene: Go ahead. You can use your Keyblade this time.

Roxas: Wait, what happened to learning magic?

Larxene: Do you want to finish this awful mission or don't you?

Just get to it.

Roxas: (Well, since you asked so nicely...)

Larxene: Oh, by the way, if you need to heal...do it yourself.

Roxas: ......

Larxene: Sheesh, about time. Worst. Mission. Ever...

Roxas: ......

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Larxene: If you're our big-shot Keyblade wielder, then we're in

deep doo-doo.

Roxas: ......

Larxene: Ugh, can't you even hold up your end of a conversation?

Roxas: ......

Larxene: You'd better pull it together, or we'll never finish

Kingdom Hearts.

Larxene: Unless, of course, we put somebody else on Keyblade

duty...

Roxas: What? You have somebody else?

Larxene: None of your beeswax.

Larxene: You just worry about defeating Heartless and collecting

hearts for us.

Larxene: Maybe, one day, you'll be almost mediocre at it.

Roxas: ......

Larxene: Ugh, let's gobefore you kill any more of my brain cells.

Day 12: A Closed World

Vexen: Now, listen carefully. Your mission today is to perform

reconnaissance in this area.

Roxas: Reconna-what? What about fighting Heartless and

collecting hearts?

Vexen: Oh, there's far more to the Organization than that, boy.

Vexen: Our work wouldn't go half as smoothly if we didn't gather

the needed intelligence beforehand.

Vexen: Fortunately, you are in good hands. I will be by your side

today to help you stimulate that insensate mind of yours.

Vexen: First, take a look around the immediate area, and report

anything unusual you find.

Vexen: And don't go wandering too far until you've carefully

examined the clues closest at hand.

Vexen: Roxas, you are looking but not seeing.

Vexen: Here's what I see: This whole town was built along amountain.

Vexen: That's why the roads the slope.

Vexen: Houses have been built along the terrace.

Vexen: And at the top is a station. The trains there are the town's

primary system of transit.

Vexen: Up there, see that clock tower? That's the station building.

Vexen: Based on its location, we know the tracks are probably

elevated.

Vexen: And this must be downtown. All these shops in one

place...

Vexen: Now, what about this path you pointed out?

Vexen: Trams must run here. See, look closer. There are marks.

Roxas: You figured all that out just now?

Vexen: But that's just it! I only stated what I saw. There was no

"figuring" involved.

Vexen: That's the next step: analyzing the data you find.

Vexen: The clothing and jewelry shops tell us how these people

live.

Vexen: This whole town is a blueprint of their lives.

Roxas: ......

Vexen: Distressing. Very distressing. Your mind wasn't made for

this, was it?

Vexen: Well, you're not off the hook yet, boy. If I let you quit with

these results, I'll be the laughingstock of the castle.

Vexen: Follow this path and investigate the remainder of the area.

Vexen: And stay on the path, if you please!

Vexen: Everything you need to know about this place lies along

itprovided you are capable of connecting the dots.

Roxas: We've been through the whole area.

Vexen: All right, then, what have you learned?

Roxas: Well, umm...let's see. The town has a lot of overpasses and

underpasses. And the tram seems to circle the plaza.

Roxas: Oh, and there was that entrance that looked like it led

underground, but it was shuttered.

Vexen: Anything else?

Roxas: Huh? Oh, umm... Err...

Vexen: Never mind. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself.

Vexen: You're showing some improvement, at least, even if your

natural talents do fall woefully short of my own.

Roxas: ......

Vexen: You're done, boy. Go ahead and RTC.

Roxas: I could've figured it out if I had more time.

Vexen: Oh? Is that so? Then take all the time you like.

Vexen: But don't hold yourself up to my standards. Little steps for

little minds.

Vexen: Hmm, not bad. You're finally starting to see the bigger

picture.

Vexen: But while I applaud your effort, you need to be able to see

these things at first glance.

Roxas: Oh...right.

Vexen: Your goal should be to gather the maximum amount of

data in the minimum amount of time.

Vexen: Spend too much time dallying, and you risk being seen.

Vexen: Sometimes the locals will be wary. You need to be warier.

Roxas: I understand.Vexen: Today's mission was just an exercise. I am satisfied. Let's

return.

Vexen: That concludes today's mission. Any questions or

concerns?

Roxas: Umm... How often do I have to do this?

Vexen: Whenever the Organization needs to know more about a

world, naturally.

Vexen: Every world is unique, with its own terrain, values,

Heartless population

Vexen: any number of variables that could be turned to our

advantage in the missions ahead.

Roxas: Wait, "every world"? You mean there's more than one?

Vexen: Yes, boy. You didn't think you'd be mulling about here

forever, did you?

Vexen: You will visit many worlds for many reasons...but our

ultimate goal remains the same.

Roxas: Kingdom Hearts.

Vexen: That's right. Now come along.

Day 13: Deeds to Be Done

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Lexaeus: ......

Roxas: So, um

Lexaeus: Do you know what a Limit Break is?

Roxas: No...

Lexaeus: It is the most powerful move at your disposal--one that

only works when you are on your last legs.

Roxas: A Heartless.

Lexaeus: Time for some practical application.

Roxas: Huh?

Roxas: Oww... Mutt muzz zat for!? Nngh...

Lexaeus: There. Now you're on your last legs.

Lexaeus: Let's see you use your Limit Break and defeat that

Heartless.

Lexaeus: Well fought.

Roxas: Yeah?

Lexaeus: Organization members are often asked to conduct solo

missions.

Lexaeus: The only person you can count on out here is yourself.

Roxas: So I've noticed. Nngh...

Lexaeus: You and the Keyblade are invaluable to the Organization.

Lexaeus: With your job, however, comes risk. Each mission will pit

you against more and more Heartless.

Roxas: And I have to face them if we're gonna complete Kingdom

Hearts, right?

Lexaeus: Correct.

Roxas: So what happens when Kingdom Hearts is finished?

Roxas: What good does that do us?

Lexaeus: We will unite with it. You and I will gain hearts of our

own.

Roxas: I don't understand...

Lexaeus: When the time comes, you will.

Lexaeus: In the meantime, there are deeds to be done, and only

you can do them.

Roxas: So you need me.Lexaeus: Yes.

Roxas: Are they good deeds?

Lexaeus: Good for the Organization.

Roxas: Right...

Lexaeus: ......

Lexaeus: We should return.