Watchdog

"Watchdog" is the thirteenth chapter of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
== Synopsis ==
A cloaked figure arrives at Castle Oblivion where he is approached by Pluto. Noticing that it is completely abandoned, he takes Pluto and decides to leave.
In Twilight Town, Axel and Xion are on a mission exterminate some Heartless with Xion doing all the work. Axel flashbacks to a conversation with Saïx, who tasks him with keeping an eye on her and observing her behavior and fighting patterns. Axel thinks that Saïx is hiding something, but realizes that he doesn't know a lot about Xion except that she fights exactly like Roxas. He deduces this to be because of the Keyblade and snaps out of his thoughts when Xion completes her mission. He apologizes for making her do all the work, but she says that she doesn't mind as she has to make up for the period in which she couldn't use the Keyblade. She hears footsteps and turns, only to be knocked to the ground by Pluto, who she instantly falls in love with. Axel warns her that if she's too nice then Pluto would follow her home. As she pets him, Xion feels a note in his collar that asks for her to take care of him. She begins to ask Axel, but he stops her by reminding her that Saïx would never approve of her adopting a dog. As Xion apologizes to Pluto, Axel begins feeling guilty and changes his mind, saying that it wouldn't hurt to ask. Xion thanks Axel, but he reminds her that they still don't know if she can keep him. Oblivious to both, the figure had attached a chip to Pluto's collar and is watching from afar with a tracker in his hands.
At the Castle that Never Was, Saïx agrees to let Xion keep the dog, shocking Xion and Axel. Xion takes Pluto to meet Roxas while Axel stays behind, joking that Saïx had been replaced. Saïx reminds Axel that they used to play with a dog, shocking him as he thought he didn't have any memories of their past left. Saïx changes the topic by revealing that he only allowed Pluto to stay in exchange for Axel to return to Castle Oblivion. He asks about Xion, but Axel says that she acts the same. He tells him to keep his eye on Xion, and Axel asks for how long. Saïx responds with "always," and instructs him to report any changes in Xion to him immediately before leaving a confused Axel behind.
Elsewhere, Xion introduces Pluto to Roxas, who awkwardly greets the dog.
 
== Worlds and characters ==
Castle Oblivion	Twilight Town	Twilight Town	The WorldThat Never Was
* Riku
* Pluto	
;Organization XIII
* Xion
* Axel	
;Heartless
* Bulky Vendor	
;Organization XIII
* Saïx
* Roxas
== Production notes ==
=== Series continuity ===
* Xion refers to the period in which she lost her Keybalde which began in "Morning Elixir" and ended in "The Xion Supremacy".
=== Differences from the video game ===
* Pluto appears in the manga adaptation, but not in the game itself.
* In the game, Saïx tells Axel he’ll be assigned to Castle Oblivion before his mission with Xion and convinces him to go by telling him that’s where both Xion and Naminé originate.
=== Goofs ===
=== Trivia ===
* The chapter title refers to both Axel and Pluto. Axel is instructed by Saïx to be a "watchdog" and monitor Xion while Pluto, an actual dog, is sent by Riku to watch the Organization.
Category:A to Z
Category:Chapters
Category:Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days chapters
Category:Real world