A/n: First chapter is a prologue, next one will be longer, I promise :)
"Naminé, I have a task for you."
For her credit, the girl didn't flinch as dark matter materialized in an eruption of shadow and reaching tendrils, licking tauntingly at her sandaled feet. She kept her eyes down on her drawing pad as the accompanying hum escalated then dimmed into whispers before disappearing completely, emitting a man in a dark cloak, his face shrouded by the drawn hood.
"Yes, Marluxia?"
He didn't speak right away, choosing instead to walk calmly around her chair, the sharp clack of his boot heels loud in the undecorated room. She knew he was watching her like a hawk, though for what she couldn't hope to guess. Intimidation tactics didn't work on her much anymore, and he knew it.
Then, at last, he came to a stop in the exact same place he had arrived, his arms crossed over his chest. Still, her head remained tilted downward.
"I need you to rearrange Vexen's memories."
At that, Naminé quickly looked up. "I'm sorry?"
"You heard me," he remarked simply. "I don't think I should have to repeat myself."
She bowed her head. Her fingers were clutching tight to her pad, and though she wanted to ask why, she held her tongue. He would never tell her, anyway; he'd just use her curiosity as an excuse to punish her. "How far back?"
Marluxia mused for only a second. "A couple days. Follow the chains concerning the Beast's rose and myself. You have free reign," he added, summoning a portal as the girl bit into her bottom lip, "to change as much detail as possible. But don't break him."
With that he stepped back into the writhing mass and left, as quickly and abruptly as he had arrived.
Naminé raised her eyes to stare at the space he had occupied, confused. She could've sworn… that there was a hint of affection in his tone.
And it wasn't directed towards her.
A/n: I started work on the next part, but a little encouragement is nice -innocent smile-