Glimpse

By Black-Kimauri

"Oh? Are you here to think as well?"

"Perhaps." Larxene folded her arms behind her back, strolling forward to the balcony railing beside me. She rocked back and forth, humming a little. "What are we thinking about? If you're wondering what to do about some garden problem, though, count me out." I smiled, same old Arlene, just new name. "What was that for?"

"What?"

"That smile."

"I have no clue what you mean, Larxene."

"Oh, suuuure you don't." She crossed her arms in front her chest, turning a little to the side. She held that dangerous little smirk on her face, blue eyes gleaming. "So what are you thinking . . . ?"

I frowned, holding my arms towards the sky. "This." I waved my arms around me. "All of this. We're in a castle named the Castle That Never Was. But yet, is. We're Nobodies. Beings without Hearts and not meant to exist. But yet we are. Without any apparent reason to be. So, why are we?"

Beside me, she shook her head. "Well, well, Marluxia. Had I known you were such a deep thinker, I'd have stayed in the castle with Xemnas. Only plus is, you're not so long winded. Who cares how contradictory our existence is? We are what we are, no matter how little we have or how much we lack." She flicked out her wrist, summoning a spark of lightning, neon kunai appearing between her fingers. She twirled it a bit, before lodging it into the rail. "And our purpose? That." I followed her fingers to the floating Kingdom Hearts, a half aglow yellow, hollow stone in the sky.

"Kingdom Hearts? Larxene, the Organization has been working on completing that rock for nearly a decade."

"And have any of them aged? Those science geeks haven't aged a day since they lost their Hearts, I don't think a little wait will be so bad. If you ask me anyway . . ." Stretching to her toes, she still had yank me to the side to whisper in my ear, "Our Great Superior's been going at this all wrong." While I gave no reaction, she sat back on her heels, slapping my arm. "Oh, come on! You've been saying the same for months." She turned her back to me, feigning disappointment. "Don't tell me you're becoming the Superior's lapdog. I think you and Saix might have trouble finding enough ego to kiss then."

I laughed. "Our Superior?" I laughed again. "Xemnas? That fool. No . . ."

"Good, that's what I like to hear. Personally, this Organization needs a few back-stabbers to rid of such a useless, good-for-nothing—"

"Good idea, Larxene." She frowned over her shoulder, not happy to be cut off.

"What is?"

"Perhaps our dear Superior has led his term. Power corrupts absolutely, and I don't think he has our best interests anymore . . ."

"You're not saying . . ." Her face lit up, cruel smile tearing across her face. Smoothing her features, she said, "You are! Excellent idea, Marluxia. Tyranny, I believe, is what the Organization might soon face if we're not careful. Don't you think so?"

"Indeed. For the better of the Organization, something should be done about such evil." I smiled, crossing both arms against the railing, gazing across the dark city sprawling ahead of us. "An opportune moment is near at hand. We should plan for it."

"The Castle Oblivion thing? You sure, I thought the spots were all taken?"

"I've been given a slot there, actually." I shrugged. "Nine would be a bother there anyway. His spot will be yours."

She dropped both arms to her side, for once, looking unsure of what to say. "You can do that?"

"I am lord of the castle. It is my choice who goes, aside from the party of the original three." For a moment she looked at me, a slow smile spreading across her face. It wasn't cruel, or full of contempt, or even remotely evil. It was the Arlene smile, beautiful and ready for action, excited. It was a ghost, a glimpse of Arlene, reaching out in that one gesture, and I held on to that look.

"So, Marluxia, will this mean I go from second-to-last to second-to-first, hm?"

And like that, Larxene was back.

"Of course. Though, I was thinking something more as a joint partnership . . ."

(Now insert whatever scheme you think they had) Well? Sorry, I probably could've written this better, it sounded so much better in my mind, I swear! What do you think? Okay? Not? What?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Square Enix