It's becoming clear now that conventional methods cannot defeat a Keybearer. No, the Keyblade is too strong to be taken down by any member of this Organisation. What they need is something different; something Sora isn't expecting.
The regular elemental magic that all nobodies are gifted with simply isn't enough to take over the light. What Xemnas is looking for now is another source of power. An alliance, perhaps.
It's brought up in a meeting a month after the disaster at Castle Oblivion. The members involved in the Chain of Memories project are anxiously eager to please after their previous failure. They have all done extra research into the possibility.
Vexen shuffles a stack of papers in his hand. Xemnas had politely requested - in fact, barely even hinted - that new worlds that the Keyblade bearers had not yet touched be considered. A dangerous enemy, they say, is the enemy you do not know.
"There is a world," The scientist begins, finding the correct sheet, "That beholds greater power than expected for such a backwater world. It seems that in the world, certain people are born with magical abilities through their bloodline. There are certain organisations that deal with these people... All in secret of the greater population, or "muggles" as they are called there,"
"Interesting," Xemnas says. He leans on one armrest, the side of his head resting on his gloved palm. "What significance do you think this has for us?"
"Although they have precious little concept of modern technology, these "wizards" do have a very potent way of dealing with magic. Instead of being tied to any certain elements, they can release spells, if you like, with a wand, which can do any number of things Sora will never have encountered before,"
"And this will benefit us how?" That's Saïx, always sarcastic and snappy.
"It's a possible alternate concept of power. It's just a thought that might throw Sora off. Plus, it's complex. Would you believe that they have entire schools just to teach children the intricacies of their magic?"
"Are you saying that we ought to collect some of these wizards and convince them to join us?" Xemnas asks, curious but still unconvinced.
"That will be unnecessary," Vexen leans back, smugly. "The best part is that anybody with inner magic can learn these wizard techniques. The schools-"
"Before you get any ideas, most of us are too old to go to school," Axel snipes, interrupting Vexen. But it's easy to tell that everybody is intrigued.
"There is Roxas. Demyx and Axel, you could possibly slip in unnoticed, as well as Zexion. And there's no ruling out the idea that a number of the older members could pose as teachers as they collect information," Vexen elaborates, gesturing to the younger looking members as he speaks.
"Preposterous," Zexion says, without much conviction. Of course, he'd be eager to visit any new world in the search for knowledge. "We'd all stick out like sore thumbs,"
"This is a wizard world," Vexen reminds him. "Nobody would even turn a blind eye,"
---
Thus followed an immense argument, even by the Organisation's standards, as to who would infiltrate the new world, and posing as what.
Marluxia, with easily the most to loose, stayed quiet through most of the discussions, hardly even listening. Things were easier that way. Offer to do something and people expect you to do it well. It was far simpler for now to just do what he was told.
Vexen had done yet more research - information about this world came easily, it seemed - and was even considering which positions of the teaching staff of one particular school could be filled by which nobodies.
"Herbology," Somebody said. "Would be perfect for Marluxia, it seems,"
Upon hearing his name, Marluxia glanced up.
"It certainly wouldn't require much new research, since he always maintains that he knows every plant by heart - excusing the colloquialism,"
"I will if any positions need to be filled," Marluxia replied dismissively.
Vexen sniffed.
"I doubt," He clipped, "That Marluxia would be quite up to the task of accompanying me to this world,"
Marluxia frowned.
"Surely there will be others-"
"We decided that as few as possible of us would visit, to stay inconspicuous," Zexion interrupted. "We would have planned on one teacher and one student, but Roxas is the only one who could pass off as being that latter and Xemnas needs him here for research. And Vexen can't go alone. He needs somebody to back him up should things... take a turn for the worse,"
"Consider it a challenge," Xemnas said with a tiny, unreadable smile. "I know that the two of you don't get on as well as perhaps you need to, and that weakness, in the Organisation, is unacceptable,"
The unsaid words rang clearly in six of the nobodies' ears. That weakness had been what caused the Castle Oblivion event to turn out so badly as it did.
Marluxia glanced at Vexen. Well, it couldn't hurt to try and patch things with the scientist up a little bit.
"Very well," He finally muttered.
---
It only took two days to sort everything out. It was convenient that their visit coincided with the start of a new school year, and due to the influx in popularity of Herbology, the current teacher was struggling a little and could do with some help. And it seemed that there was some kind of stigma attached to Defence against the Dark Arts, since nobody else but Vexen would take up the job.
Robes were a bit of a problem. Vexen had had them made, to the perfect measurements, but somehow there was no pleasing Marluxia.
"It itches,"
"The materials used in this world are primitive. Get used to it,"
"It's also too loose around my chest,"
"It's made to measure," Vexen insisted. "Just because you're used to wearing skin-tight leather doesn't mean that it's acceptable in every culture,"
"If I had my way, those stuffy coats would be lined with satin or silk," Marluxia huffed.
"Your tastes are far too expensive. The robes will help us to blend in and are practical-"
"How is this-" Marluxia waved about a sweeping sleeve not dissimilar to Vexen's Organisation coat's- "practical?"
"You can always roll them up," Vexen sniffed, as if it were obvious. "I don't have time to argue with you. We're expected at the school in less than half an hour,"
"Half an hour," Marluxia sniped back. "That leaves plenty of time for arguments,"
"I want to make a good impression on the Headmaster and so should you,"
"You just can't wait to suck up to whoever's in power in this new world,"
The comment was low. More to the point, it didn't have the intended effect on Vexen. The scientist simply sniffed.
"Keep your petty insults to yourself, next time,"
Marluxia growled under his breath and opened a portal.
---
"You must be exhausted after travelling so far," The headmaster was saying sympathetically. "So I shan't keep you. Lessons begin tomorrow, of course, but there is a banquet at the Great Hall tonight where I should like to present you to the rest of the staff, and of course the students themselves,"
He gestured to a diminutive fellow in the doorway.
"This is Professor Flitwick, who will be happy to escort you to your rooms, and will come to collect you at six when it is time for dinner. I understand that it is easy to get lost in this castle,"
Vexen nodded and Marluxia bowed as they both stood.
"Thank you, Professor,"
The door had just closed when Vexen leaned over, unable to keep this particular comment to himself.
"Who's sucking up to the boss, now...?"
---
The rooms were large enough, light and airy but with a touch of closed in, cosiness that would never be seen in the sterile corridors of the World that Never Was. Marluxia stayed in Vexen's room to talk over the upcoming days. All conversations were strictly business, of course.
"The library will hold a wealth of information," Vexen was saying, running through a list of notes he'd already made. "I also want you to walk to some of the teachers to find out as much as you can, first hand. Remember to keep to the story; we come from far away, where magic works differently in certain areas and are just curious as to some of the workings here-"
"I know, I know," Marluxia replied. "You can cut the act, you know. Nobody's looking,"
"I'm not putting on an act. Don't give yourself airs that I'll treat you any different to just a colleague,"
"You never did. It always was just a different kind of work to you," Marluxia said absent-mindedly, with a wave of his hand. Vexen frowned.
"You know full well that wasn't true!"
"Prove it,"
Vexen couldn't reply, but that didn't stop him glaring.
"See? Probably, in your eyes, you were forced into being with me. You simply abided it, and at the first chance you got, off you went. Back to your real work - it's all you ever cared about, after all,"
"I don't have time to be arguing with you," Vexen growled back.
"You could at least pretend to deny it,"
"Why would I care what you think?"
"Time was, you'd always be willing to take my advice,"
"Time was! Hah! Once upon a time, you wouldn't stab me in the back! Or perhaps it was always in you,"
"I'd never stab you in the back had you not betrayed me first,"
"I did nothing of the sort," Vexen retorted.
"And yet here you stand, refusing to even acknowledge me as any more than a chore!"
"You-!"
"That's what I am to you, isn't it? I'm more worthless that all the other neophytes now, so inferior to you with you ineffable wisdom-"
The kiss was oh so predicable and sweet and furious and it was with smug satisfaction that Marluxia pulled Vexen out of his seat and onto the bed, easily overpowering the scientist to roll on top of him, already tugging at the uncomfortable clothes they were forced to wear.
"Not now," Vexen tried to protest, but Marluxia wasn't the only one battling with restraining garments. They fell into another passionate kiss as the first robes were slid off, revealing pale skin underneath.
When Marluxia leaned down to leave deep crimson bites on Vexen's collarbone, the scientist couldn't help but moan, tangling his fingers restlessly into Marluxia's soft hair even as the assassin was relentlessly unbuckling his belt.
A sudden knock at the door stopped them both in their tracks.
"What time did the headmaster say dinner was?" Vexen asked in a hurried whisper, pushing Marluxia off.
"Six, why?"
Marluxia was getting tangled in his robes as he hurried to put them on.
"Shit. I knew something was wrong,"
"What?"
"My watch must be set to the wrong time. I thought we had another hour. Come on," Vexen was trying to straighten out his hair and not look like he'd just been making out with his colleague.
"I wonder what this world's views on homosexuality are," Marluxia commented absent mindedly as he buttoned up his last clothes. His hair, always looking as though it had just been dragged through a bush, barely needed little more than a quick run through with a hand to straighten it out. Vexen was having less luck.
"You can wonder that later. Get the door, Goddamnit,"
"I also wonder how thick the walls are in this place,"
"Shut up,"
Thankfully Marluxia opened the door and no more arguments or uncomfortable conversations could be held. Vexen only half listened to Marluxia's idle chatter with the tiny charms professor as he fixed his hair and checked himself in the mirror. Goddamn it. His robe was too loose-necked to cover the love bites that Marluxia had left on his neck. He brushed a hand over one experimentally.
"Try concealer,"
Marluxia was right next to him all of a sudden, passing him a little stick.
"I won't even ask why you have that on you," Vexen hissed as he applied the make up. Thankfully it covered the marks up satisfactorily.
Professor Flitwick called for them and they quickly straightened up to follow him to the Great Hall.
"How many students does this school educate, anyway?" Vexen asked as they walked. Around them, a few tardy students lingered and bustled, but he assumed that most of them must already have been in the Great Hall.
"We have close to a thousand young witches and wizards currently attending the school," Flitwick helpfully supplied. "It can be a little daunting at first, but you'll soon get used to them,"
"How hard can it be?" Marluxia asked cheerfully as they approached the huge double doors to the main hall.
Their entrance was far too majestic and showy for Vexen's liking. Professor Flitwick pushed open the doors to reveal whole isles packed with expectant students, and a very, very long walk up the middle of the hall to the teacher's table.
"Students!" The headmaster, Dumbledore, called, clapping his hands together. "I'd like you to meet your two new teachers this year. Professor Cryos will be teaching Defence against the Dark arts-"
Vexen felt all the student's eyes turn to him and there was nowhere to hide. He nodded his head in acknowledgement at them, praying that Marluxia would soon be introduced.
"- And assisting Professor Sprout in Herbology is Professor LeVine,"
Marluxia waved, smiling a charming smile, and a murmur ran through the student body. Particularly the female student body.
"I am sure that you will do your very best to make these new teachers feel comfortable, and help them to settle in at their new school," Dumbledore concluded with a smile.
Vexen and Marluxia reached the teacher's table and took their places a few seats away from each other. Marluxia was next to Professor Sprout, and a man so large that he even made Lexaeus look small. Vexen's companions were a dark, obnoxious man whose hair badly needed a wash, and a stern lady he already knew as Professor McGonagall.
Dumbledore finished his speech with a few encouraging words, and clapped his hands again. Food just appeared on the tables, to the immense delight of the students.
Vexen helped himself to a little of each dish that was presented to him. He'd begun to eat when he noticed the dark, aloof man next to him staring at him with an expression of disdain.
"Can I help you?" He asked politely.
The man in question muttered something under his breath that Vexen didn't catch.
"I am Professor Snape, the potions master at this school. I'm curious, Mr... Cryos... Why do you want to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts?"
There was something implacable about his tone at the end. Vexen ignored it. He had his reply planned out for this question.
"I am very passionate about the subject. I believe that in times such as these, every young witch and wizard deserves to know how to defend themselves,"
Snape nodded in vague satisfaction.
"I see," He muttered.
"So what drove you to teach potions here? A very complex and lucrative art, as I believe,"
The wizard looked up with apparent surprise. Vexen inwardly smiled at the fact that he'd caught the man off guard.
"It's a subject I've always excelled in," Snape sniffed. "And what about your colleague?"
Vexen glanced down the table at Marluxia, who was in the middle of a deep conversation with the wizards next to him.
"He's... He's always had a talent for growing plants,"
The conversation closed and Vexen was glad he didn't have to elaborate further.
"Fascinating! Any plant, you say?"
"As long as I've seen a live one before, yes,"
"Tha's amazin'. I ain' never seen a wizard who coul' do tha' before,"
"I have often been told I'm... unusual,"
"I'll say! In all my years of teaching Herbology, I've never known anybody be able to grow real plants from scratch, like Hagrid said,"
The giant of a man beamed down at Marluxia through a thick, bushy beard. As for Professor Sprout, she seemed absolutely taken by him.
Things were going well.
Marluxia glanced over at Vexen, who was eating in silence. The two professors seemed to pick up on this.
"Ya know Professor Wassname, hm?"
"Cryos. We've travelled and worked together for a long time now," Marluxia replied, looking back.
"He looks like a very knowledgeable character. Does he possess similar extraordinary powers as you?"
"He has full control over the element of ice,"
"How curious," Professor Sprout said, approval etched all over her chubby face as she turned from gawking at Vexen back to Marluxia. "Simply fascinating. I'm sure we'll fit together like peas in a pod, hmm?"