Author's note - I should explain a little about this story first. I was talking with my friends one day about the Kingdom Hearts games, as one of them had just played them for the first time, and I mentioned that all the Organization members died surrounded by their own element. Marluxia in a swirl of petals, Demyx in a fountain of water, etcetera. One of my friends then said, "Yeah, all but Larxene. She just vanished." After mulling it over for a bit, we popped in Chain of Memories to check. Lo and behold, there was not a single bolt of lightning as she died. Speculations on why her death was different led to wondering if she died at all, which lead to more questions, and ultimately to this story.

Enough back story, read on!

XII

Darkness. Endless darkness. Lightless. Soundless. Scentless. Motionless.

Well, mostly.

A small lump of darkness shuddered and twitched. First one, then a second glowing orb popped open. The lantern-like eyes glanced from side to side quickly, and then locked straight ahead again. The small creature took a hesitant step forward, then another, and then it seemed to melt into a flat outline. The thin shadow flitted across the distance quickly and slowly rose back into its original shape. It shuffled its feet nervously and reached a hand slowly forward.

The hand caressed over the tip of the boot, ready to dart back if the shoe so much as fell over. Encouraged by the lack of response, the shadow crawled on top of the leg and patted it down. Its search led it further up, its questing hands hindered by the unyielding, black coat. It paused as it found a wicked tear across the coat's chest, sensing the power leaking out from the opening. But a more tantalizing source proved too tempting and it continued up to the collar.

The shadow's lantern eyes roved over the face, the only uncovered part it could find. It gave the impression of considering the pale skin, the pink lips, and the one open, sea-green eye. It reached out to touch one of the long strands of bright yellow hair, but paused at the last second and instead fell upon a pale cheek.

Its expressionless face gave a good try at expressing hunger, surprise, and then horror in the span of a few seconds. It tried to remove its hand but was held fast. A small pop of static curved over its arm and the shadow suddenly started to melt. It came apart in a flood of liquid shade, pouring over the pale skin and pooling around the bright yellow hair. The pool of blackness bubbled for a second and then settled, motionless save for a small ripple. Like a sponge, the puddle was slowly drawn inward towards the head, quickly disappearing entirely.

Soon, the darkness had returned to its original state. Endless. Lightless. Soundless. Scentless. Motionless.

Well, mostly.

For now there was the soft sound of breathing…

***

Where… am I?

I can't see anything. Why does it hurt to breathe? I can't move. How long have I been here? I can't get up. What happening to me? I can't roll over. How did I get here? I can't-

Wait.

Stop panicking. It's pathetic.

OK… you can think through this. You've been through much worse… haven't you? Why does it hurt to think? Ignore it. Grit your teeth… oh. Right, can't move. Never mind, just concentrate. You have to… you have… you... you? Who's you?

Who am I?

***

Time might have passed.

The endless, unchanging darkness made it hard to tell, but if time did pass, then a lot of it did. Or maybe no time passed and the shadow had only just died. The endless darkness didn't care. The face, the boot, the coat, the sea green eye, all of that, didn't care. The shadow couldn't care anymore. But something was happening, time or no time.

For while the darkness was still endless and lightless, scentless and motionless, it wasn't soundless anymore. A sound, small at first, was slowly growing. And now the darkness wasn't motionless anymore, either. High above, a dot had appeared, growing in size and shape. If a point of reference had been available, an onlooker would have noted that the shape was falling. But there was nothing to get a reference from, and who was there to look?

"aaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

The shape, much larger now, barreled just passed where the shadow had died and kept going. The shape was shrouded in shadowy forms, forms that clutched and scrambled as the shape fell. Several shapes trailed after it, trying to catch up to the speeding shape as it receded into the depths.

"-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa…"

Soon the loud shape was gone, but a few of the smaller shapes trailing it remained. One paused in its pursuit and looked to the side. It sensed a closer meal, not as strong as the first but not moving as fast. This shadow was much larger than the last and only hesitated a little as it ran over. It brushed past the long locks of yellow hair and grabbed the head in both hands. There was a sizzle, a pop, and a flash of light, and the shadow died. It melted quickly and just as quickly was gone.

The darkness settled. Endless. Lightless. Scentless.

But it wasn't soundless. The breathing had steadied. The form's chest rose and fell gently, and the gash didn't seem as large anymore.

And it wasn't motionless. The form's fingers twitched and its head rocked slightly to the side.

***

Alright, I can at least move that finger. It's a start. Now to see if I can open my right eye. Or at least close my left. It can't see anything anyway… I hope I'm not blind…

What happened to me?

I remember… white? White walls. Lots of them. Everything was white… except… there were people. People in black. Was I one of them? I think I was…

And there was… a girl… but was she in black or white? I think it was white…

And a boy! The boy in red! Yes… he was… was… Sola. No… Sore… Sora… Soba… wait, it was Sora! And there was… a talking duck…

Am I making all this up?

Why is it so hard to think! Wait… did I just shake my head? I wonder… nope, still can't get up. Sigh… I'm bored. And I think I'm hungry.

Strange… feels like I've been hungry for a long time. I wonder why I hadn't noticed before.

***

The darkness was getting agitated. It was supposed to be soundless, but the form was breathing. It was supposed to be motionless, but the form was shifting. It was supposed to be scentless, but something was starting to fill the air. It was barely noticeable right now, but…

A shadow coalesced and stood up. This one was larger than the previous two and more streamlined. Its arms and hands were longer, its chest was thinner, and its antennae were longer. It looked around curiously for the source of the slight scent and spotted the form.

There was no hesitation in its movements as it eagerly approached. But as it reached out to grasp the form a small ark of electricity reached out from the form and landed on its arm. The neoshadow jerked in pain, but was stronger than either of its predecessors and didn't immediately die. It turned and started back the way it came, but paused and looked back. The scent was soft but deep, promising endless reaches of darkness, and the form appeared so weak…

The neoshadow started back and was hit by a second jolt. It paused again and temptation won out again. It took two more jolts before the creature died and melted away. This time the pool of darkness was drawn in greedily. This time the body seemed to turn in towards the flow. This time the wound definitely was smaller.

This time the darkness wasn't motionless for long. Other shadows were already starting to form.

***

Axel. Red hair, had something to do with heat. And a jerk, can't forget that. He was there. And another in black. Big, didn't talk much… what was his name? It'll come to me. Then there was… number eleven… smelled of… flowers?

Damn, I lost it.

There was a fight, or several fights, and I was in some of them. The boy in red, and the boy in yellow… Riku? Yes, Riku. Or was it him? For some reason I think it both was him and wasn't him. It has to be one or the other, right?

Why can't I remember my name?

Never mind, focus. I fought the boy in red, Sora, and he had… some kind of weapon. A sword? A key? Why is this so hard?!?

I had knives and… lightning? Did I have lightning? But he hit me… hurt me… and I tried to get away. I remember trying to open a dark corridor and… wait, what's a dark corridor? Is that where I am? It IS dark…

Yes, I tried to escape after he cut me and I collapsed. Have I been here this whole time? Why didn't anyone come to find me? That man… Axel… and Marluxia! That's the flower guy.

Almost there…

***

The darkness wasn't lightless anymore, either. Lightning was crackling along the length of the body, curling and leaping in strange patterns. It was all that was keeping the swarm of shadowy figures surrounding the body from rushing in. Not that some didn't try. The shadows acted primarily on instinct and while instinct told most of the larger ones to stay back, the smaller ones couldn't deny their hunger.

So they leapt and they died. Their forms melted and were sucked in, fueling more lightning. Soon the lightning was arcing away from the body, striking those that would stay back and killing them instantly. Chaos ruled, the shadows scrambling everywhere as their fear of the lightning and their hunger for darkness fought within them.

And the body continued to feed, but something was missing. The more it ate, the more it seemed to need. It was storing power, but there wasn't anything to spark it. The lightning arced, the shadows died, and the body grew healthier by the minute. But something was missing.

Out in the darkness, another form was approaching. This area was well outside its usual patrol, but it had sensed a strange gathering of shadows and was curious. Its metallic body swayed as it floated through the air, the single propeller on its base providing not-quite-perfect lift. It readied the lasers on its arms just in case the shadows proved hostile.

The light from the arcing lightning ahead glinted off its body, momentarily illuminating the heart shaped symbol etched on its chest.

***

Axel, Marluxia, Zexion, Vexen, and Lexaeus. They were with me in that castle. Castle Oblivion? Sounds about right. And we were invaded by the keyblade master. Sora had already killed Vexen… or was it Axel who did that? Anyway, I went to fight him and he almost killed me. He DID kill me, there was no way I could have survived a wound like that.

Am I dead?

NO! There's no way I'm dead! I can't die like that!

Besides, I'm a nobody. If I died, nothing would be left. Right?

Bah, Vexen was the scientist. If I can think, then I'm not dead yet. I'll ask Vexen later about it. But Vexen's dead. But the others aren't. Are they?

Did they leave me here? Was I abandoned? Who am I? Who am I!?!

L… La… Lar…

***

"Larxene."

The word, though spoken softly, seemed to echo about the area. All eyes turned to watch as the form, the body, the woman, rose slowly to her feet. She looked down as the last of the Guardian heartless faded away and looked back up to regard those left around her. She raised her arms and the lightning curled around them, caressing her like a pet welcoming its master home. The woman flexed her fingers and suddenly her hands were full of daggers. The lightning leapt wildly in anticipation.

Around her, the heartless turned to each other in confusion. One of them took a hesitant step forward.

The woman spun, flinging her daggers in every direction. The lightning followed in their wake, blasting through the shadowy forms like a hot knife through paper. The shadows fled; those who couldn't, died. Soon, the woman stood alone in the darkness that wasn't quite so lightless, soundless, scentless, or motionless anymore.

An evil smile crept onto Larxene's face. "Someone is going to pay."