A Single Pink Rose

It’s been days since I’ve arrived at this castle. All thanks to Marluxia. Err… I mean, Number XI. And for the days that I’ve been here, It seems that these “Nobodies” only want to work me to the bones.

I keep getting told that it’s something that all the members had to go through when they first started out. That’s all fine and dandy. But, why can’t I get a break?!

”Today you’re training with so-and-so..” The same, old dull voice informed me. The voice had finally became annoying that I could no longer stand it.

Lazily, I rubbed my eyes, tuning out Saïx’s unwanted voice. It was nothing more then a hum that echoed in the background.

He was the right hand man of Xemnas, and the one that told everyone what to do. Or, that’s what it looks like to me. Seeing as he’s the one that I report to everyday for my missions.

“Isabella..?” I heard him question. ”Isabella, are you listening to me?” His voice cut through my thoughts, causing me to now pay attention to him.

I looked up to him with my orange hues, as I let out a yawn, “Yea, I heard every word” I said, still rubbing my eyes. Another yawn escaped my lips.

Waking up this early wasn’t good for me.

“If you heard me like you claim you did, Why don’t you repeat what I just told you? Hmm..?” He smirked at me, his voice holding a pleased tone, his eyes looked to me demandingly. Something told me he knew I wasn’t paying him any attention.

“Uh..” I started.

“I’m waiting?” He spoke, leaning in forward, his arms now folded against his chest neatly.

To be honest, I don’t know what he said! So, I only came up with something silly on the spot.

“Chu told me..” I started to speak all child like, as I pointed to myself, “that I will be training with so-and-so” I pointed to one of the members randomly, “And that we will be going to the place next to that one place!” I laughed jokingly.

I heard a few members laugh once I was finished being silly.

I looked up to Saïx innocently, a smile forming on my face. My arms folded neatly behind my back.

He was now angry. You could tell by his hair. When he was on the verge of going berserk, his hair that spiked, would stand up slightly. A warning to stay away from him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shook his head. I think he was going to yell at me. But stopped himself. He only clinched his fists.

“That is not what I said..” He informed me in a low angry voice. “What I said was, today you will be training with Marluxia.”

’Ugh.. Not him!’ I yelled to myself, as I narrowed my eyes in the direction that he stood. I couldn’t help but cross my arms, sighing when I did so.

I could feel Saïx gaze harden on my face. He noticed that I looked away, not paying any attention at all.

“Isabella! Pay. Attention!” He snapped.

“Oh! I’m sorry..” I sighed, looking to him.

“Now, as I was saying, Today is your last training mission, and you’ll be going to a city called ‘Central’”

“Training with Marly,” I giggled slightly saying his name, I heard a slight growl come from his direction, “And go to a city named Central, Got it!” I stated, getting ready to walk away from him.

“Not just yet” He stated, pulling the hood that was on my jacket.

“Whoa! Hey, Hey, watch it!” I stated, falling back slightly. I was now back to where I was previously standing.

“Recon” He finally said, “Get some recon of Central, and then report back here.” He said, letting go of my hood.

“Right, and get recon!” I exclaimed, finally able to move forward, and over to flower boy. His flower power annoyed me to no end. It seemed that with every movement he made, petals floated about the area.

I honestly think he does it on purpose, knowing it annoys everyone around him. If so, how lame.

“You ready to head out?” He questioned me in a soft tone. Though, his voice did have a bit of an edge to it. I could tell he was angry from me calling him ‘Marly’ earlier.

“Yea.. Let’s get going” I said as cheerful as I could. It seemed almost impossible for me to sound cheery, so I sounded like a kid who didn’t get their way.

He only chuckled quietly to himself, allowing the dark portal to appear before us.

“After you” He smiled, pushing me lightly forward.

I was tired of his chivalry act, It only sent chills down my spine, and back up. Something told me that there was more to him then meets the eye.

But I suppose that going on this mission with him wasn’t all that bad. I could get the answers I wanted out of him. Like, Why couldn’t they get some other less unfortunate girl? Why did it have to be me? This question haunted me the most, but I did have others for him.

---

We arrived onto the other side of the portal. The town that Saïx called Central. I honestly didn’t know where to start in this big city.

One it was crowded with inhabitants, and two, I’d get lost! I’m not good in new places. Let’s just say, Recon isn’t my thing. Never will be.

I only sighed in frustration as I gnawed on the inside of my cheek.

“Why so frustrated?” Marluxia asked, crossing his arms delicately across his chest, his eyes scanning my frustrated face.

“Where do I even began!?” I questioned out loudly, causing somewhat of scene.

Marluxia only laughed at me, placing his hand on my shoulder, “It’s fine, if you get lost, just meet me up at the building in the middle of this town” He informed me, pointing to a building that was viewable from where we were standing.

I only nodded, glancing toward the building. Something told me I may have to go over there and examine the whole building. It seemed like it was holding mysteries that not even the city folk knew what it was. Like, there was something worse hidden inside.

“I guess we should” Before I could finish my sentence, I was interrupted by a loud voice yelling from behind me.

“OUT OF THE WAY!” the voice yelled. I didn’t bother to look, seeing as I knew I wasn’t standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Brother slow down!” I heard a voice echo soon after the yell. The footsteps echoing as well.

“Oh hush Al! Mustang is going to have my head if I show up late!” The voice from before yelled in response. In his voice you could tell he was in a hurry.

“People need to learn to be a bit more quiet..” I heard Marluxia mumble only loud enough for me to hear.

I glanced up at him, only to see him looking in the direction of the noise. That’s when I finally decided to take a glance at the source of the disruption myself.

Dead ahead were two figures running our way. One was short, maybe shorter then I, and the other was wearing a suit of armor, and he was much taller then the boy beside him.

I glanced to the shorter boy, seeing the determination burning deep in his golden eyes, and seeing the fact that he wasn’t going to stop for nothing. He was late, and wasn’t going to hear it from this ‘Mustang’ person.

“MOVE IT!” The shorter boy yelled at me, waving his hand about, making his way closer toward Marluxia and I.

I blinked a bit confused for a moment. Taking in my surroundings. I couldn’t be standing in his way.. Could I? That’s when I looked toward Marluxia. Noticing that he was a bit further behind me. It was obvious that he took heed in the boys yelling. Only I was the stupid one who stood like a doormat in his way.

“Brother watch out!” The boy in armor yelled. But it was to late. The shorter boy had ran right into me, causing me to fall back beside Marluxia and onto the brick wall.

“Ah!” I huffed, feeling the air being knocked out of me once I hit the wall.

“You okay?” I heard Marluxia ask in a sarcastic tone.

I only glared up at him, “You could have caught me, or grabbed my arm” I complained, pushing myself up.

“I’m sorry for what my brother did.. Are you alright?” The boy in the armor stopped chasing after the younger boy that he had called ‘brother’, just to make sure I was alright. A kind gesture, But he wasn’t the one I wanted the sorry from. It was the boy who pushed me.

Rubbing my back, I nodded, “It’s alright, It’s not you who ran into me” I spoke through my clenched teeth, glaring to the shorter one running away, not stopping once, or realizing that his brother wasn‘t beside him. “WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING SHORTIE!!” I yelled, tightening my fists as I continued to watch the boy. I was ready to fight him.

“Remind me not to push you..” Marluxia chimed in. He must have noticed the anger rising in my body, and my balled up hands.

I glanced to him, watching as he took a step forward beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. He then leaned over slightly to watch the boy.

I glanced back in time to see the blond boy come to a complete stop. His hands balled into fists. His form then became straight, as his head slowly turned toward my direction. It was obvious that I hit a cord there, and that I was now in big trouble.

“You’ve done it now..” The boy named Al informed me. I looked to him, seeing his palms faced out, as he took a step back.

The shorter kid’s attitude must have been scary when you called him short. And that would explain why Al was backing away, frightened.

“WHO YOU CALLING SO SMALL YOU COULD CRUNCH LIKE AN ANT!!?” I heard the boy yell at me. He then began to run toward me. A hostile look on his face.

“Brother, Please, She didn’t say anything like that!” Al chimed.

“That‘s right shortie! You have to push people taller then you just so you can feel soupier! HOW CHILDISH!” I yelled, glaring down to the boy.

“NO ONE CALLS EDWARD ELRIC, THE FULL METAL ALCHEMIST SHORT!” The boy, who had now named himself Edward, yelled in my face.

“Well, I think I just did” I said smug, folding my arms across my chest.

“Oh that’s it!!” He hissed, bringing both of this arms in front of his body.

“ED! NO!” I heard Al yell from behind me.

“That’s it..” Marluxia huffed.

I turned to look toward him, only to see him coming closer.

“We gotta go, I don’t feel like hearing your whining once he’s kicked your ass” Marluxia said in a low, deep voice, his hand reaching to grab the hood of my cloak.

“But, I coul--” I was then cut off, the collar of my cloak riding up to my mouth, covering it so I could not speak another word.

“There, much better” Marluxia laughed. I could hear the smile in his voice. It made me sick with how smug he could be.

I only growled, a orange hue glaring in his direction.

“See you later, Mr. State Alchemist” Marluxia spoke in his gentle voice, waving a gloved hand in his direction. He continued to hold me up in the air, my cloak making it hard to speak, due to it covering my mouth.

“Next time, I’m going to leave you, got it?” He questioned me, making his way toward the big building on the other side of the city.

I only nodded, mumbling a ‘mhmm’.

“Good. Once I set you down, you better behave yourself until we get back to the castle” Marluxia said, placing me down onto my feet.

“Yea, yea yea..” I huffed, fixing the cloak around my body so it fit correctly, and not all ruffled around my chest.

“Good” He snapped, running his gloved hands through his long light pink hair. He then gazed forward, “well this is where we need to start our investigation anyway. We can’t enter, but we can sure snoop around” Marluxia informed me, his purple hues scanning the big white building.

What purpose it held was unknown to me. All I saw were people in blue uniforms walking in and out of the building. Saluting one another when they passed each other. It was obviously the Military. I only growled under my breath, crossing my arms angrily against my chest. I hated the military.

“How much longer do we have to stand here?” I asked, a cold edge in my voice. I glanced toward Marluxia, noticing that he was walking away.

“I guess if you were paying attention, you’d notice that it wasn’t going to be very long.” He hollered over his shoulder, a laugh then piercing the air. He was enjoying this somehow.

“You could have said something!” I yelled back, just as I began to run after the tall nobody.

“You looked like you were in deep thought, I didn’t want to bother you” He spoke innocently, looking down to me as I made my way beside him.

“Jerk..” I mumbled only loud enough for me to even hear. I was about to slug him. But if I did that, I wouldn’t get my answers I wanted.

“Next stop, Central Library…” Marluxia halted, turning toward a pile of rubble. “It seems someone decided to burn it down..” Marluxia mumbled, his gloved hand covering his mouth. He seemed like he was the one in thought this time. “I wonder what drove someone so far as to burning down this building..?” Marluxia asked out loud, only to then make an about face, walking the direction we came when we arrived in this area.

“So who cares if someone burned down a building? It’s not like this town doesn’t have a dozen others!” I huffed, following close behind Marluxia.

I only heard him sigh, not answering my question.

-------

Marluxia and I walked in silence the rest of the way from Central Headquarters. Like I said before, he must be in thought. About what? I have no clue, he won’t answer any questions that I’ve asked him.

“Central’s church… It’s been abandoned for years..” I heard him speak, a bit of a hurt tone lingered in his voice. “Let’s go inside..”

I nodded, following behind him once he began to make his way inside.

He was right. The church was abandoned. It’s peers were broken in half, chunks missing from the seats. They were as well, thrown across the place as if a fight had broken out inside. The air was filled of dust, which only made it hard to breath. Spider webs hung from the ceiling, and the peers.

“This place took a beating..” I sighed, stepping over a torn bible. “I wonder what could have happened..” I was curious to know, but the answers that I had weren’t going to be answered. Ever. No one knows what happened here. And it was pointless in asking anyone.

Making our way further into the church, we made our way up onto the stage. The place where the preacher stood when he would read scriptures from the bible. We discovered a door. It seemed to have not been opened in years, and yet, I didn’t even want to open it. And it seemed Marluxia didn’t want to either. “W..We should go..” I gulped, fear getting the better of me.

Marluxia only nodded. He swiftly turned around, placing his hand on my shoulder, and we left the old creepy church.

“Well, that’s it for today.. We should be getting back” Marluxia said, his arm extending forward to open a portal to return to the Castle.

He looked to me, a smirk forming on his lips, “Ladies first” He motioned me to go in first.

I sighed, rolling my eyes at him. I then made my way into the portal first, Marluxia following behind me.

Within seconds, we returned to the castle, Saïx’s voice booming through out the quiet room, causing me, Marluxia, and everyone else to jump from the sudden loudness.

“Did everything go alright?” He asked, his golden hues looking toward Marluixa.

“Yes” He replied.

I nodded as well. Glancing toward Marluxia, watching him force out a yawn.

“You two did good, Go get some rest” Saïx informed us, nodding in approval.

“Yes sir” I yawned as well, making my way out of the room we were in, to go to my room. It was then I remembered that I wanted to ask Marluxia some questions. Questions on why they choose ME to be their ‘Keyblade Wielder’.

I made an about face, breaking out into a run. It looked as if I were trying to break out of jail. But I knew better then that. They’d get me and drag me back to this boring ol’ place.

I then tuned down a hall, the hall that held Marluxia’s room on the end.

“Marluxia!” I yelled, stopping in front of his door. I began to bang on the door with my fist, yelling his name once more.

“Marly! Are you in there?” I questioned, stopping to catch my breath.

“If you’re looking for XI, he’s in the lunch room.” I heard a boyish voice speak.

I turned my head slightly, only to see Demyx standing there, his ocean blue hues gazing at me curiously.

“Is there something you need from him?” He questioned, smiling one of his ‘I’m to cute smiles’, making his way over to me.

“yea.. And thank you, I have some questions I need to ask him..” I sighed, turning back to make my way back up the hall.

“See you later Demyx!” I shouted, waving a hand in the air.

“Later! And, later on, We’re going to have a water ball fight! Remember that!” I heard him yell back, a laugh echoing down the hall soon after.

I laughed as well, “Alright!” I shook my head, a smile forming on my lips.

“I’m holding you to it!” He yelled.

“Got it!” I yelled in response, turning back toward him to give him a wave, and then vanished down the hall that lead to the lunch room

-------

I quickly made my way down the elongated hall, neatly decorated with small etches of art into the pale white walls. That one can’t see with their naked eye from a far. And as I made my way past ‘em, I made it into the ‘not so crowded’ lunch room. It was only occupied by a few members of the Organization. And the other half occupied by new-comer nobodies who are in training. But upon entering, I scanned the area with my orange hues, looking frantically for the pink haired male, Marluxia.

“Ah-ha!” I sneered, my lips curling up into a smirk, my eyes narrowing slightly as I then quickly took in a deep breath, and making my way over toward the table he was sitting at. He was accompanied by Larxene, and Axel. They seemed to get along well. But with me, Axel, and Larxene both despised me. Axels’ reason is because I’ll never replace some boy named Roxas. And Larxene.. I’m guessing because I’m the ‘new girl’ and it’s her job to make my time here a living hell.

Either way, it didn’t bother me. At least I got along with Demyx, and a few others. Marluxia was a work in progress.

“Marly.. I need to ask you something” I spoke determinedly, as my face also held the look of burning curiosity. I leaned over onto the table, placing my elbows firmly on the smooth surface.

He slowly looked up to me, his eyes holding a cold stare. It was obviously from the name I had called him. Not that I cared. The nickname will grow on him, and he’ll learn to love it. “What is it?” He asked, a bit annoyed from having to deal with me once more.

I looked to Axel’s and Larxene’s curious gazes, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the situation now. “You can share the question with us” Larxene chimed in, an impish grin forming on her child like lips.

“Agreed” Axel added, leaning over onto Larxene’s shoulder, the same impish grin forming on his lips as well.

This was not turning out as I had planned.

“Alone” I stated, glaring to the two. Seeing their faces become sad. It made me feel good inside to know I got them to become sad.

“Fine” He huffed, dropping his fork to his plate, and standing up from his seat. “Come on” He sighed, making his way around the table, and grabbing my wrist, marching out of the lunch room.

“What do you want?” He asked, making pulling me down to the end of the neatly decorated hall, opening a glass heart-like door that lead outside and onto a medium-sized balcony.

“Well.. I was wondering…..”