Water sloshed around a black boot, several in fact. Bits of shredded leaves and flowers, concrete and rocks, and what at one point in time may have been a corner of a strikingly white wall, pulsed in the small lake now located in the foyer.
Tentative steps from the two nobodies sent ripples across the water's surface. Zexion glanced at Xemnas; each one's face mirrored the look of puzzlement expressed on the other's.
Curious, the two continued in a hesitant manner, the water slowly seeping through their boots.
They soon met a hunched black figure, water dripping from a shock of red hair. Zexion approached, and squatted down, the end of his coat trailing in the water, but he paid it no heed, "What happened?"
Blinking up blankly, the red head sniffed miserably, in no condition to reply. Leaving him in an undignified pile, the Schemer set off again.
A few steps later, he became aware of a disturbance and set toward it with a slightly puzzled air. So far none of his questions had been answered.
The water became murkier, the walls stained high with the remnants of dirt. He was curious to say the least, it took and unusually amount of effort to cause Demyx to react with such enthusiasm… it was… intriguing.
He turned a corner, skirting past a pile if rubble and almost burst out laughing.
Almost.
It was a near thing.
Fighting down a smile, he approached his comrades, who were all plopped on the floor in various stages of consciousness; all of them looked away from the fuming figure in front of them as school- children do when caught passing notes.
Xigbar was struggling to get to his feet, and failing miserably due to all the water. Marluxia glared at the flailing Freeshooter, sporting a nasty gash across his forehead. Every few seconds he raised his hand to wipe the blood away. Demyx sat a few paces away, humming quietly to himself, rocking slowly back and fourth. Obviously it was a defense mechanism as the kid looked as though he would throw up, pass out, or go into shock… possibly all three… On second thought, that was probably the case.
And Xemnas, was furious. Perhaps it was the fact that his castle had been destroyed. Maybe it was because the entrance hall had been turned into a lake… but they were planning on building an indoor pool, so that couldn't be it. Maybe… Xemnas couldn't swim. Yes, Zexion mused, that was probably it. It always was the insignificant details that their Superior obsessed over.
But something was missing. Some key puzzle piece. Yet he-
Cocking his head to one side, he paused. There was a familiar scent in the air, one almost masked by the general destruction. If it wasn't for the fact he was attuned to it, he doubted he would have noticed it at all. He made his way silently on.
Following the scent through a labyrinth of corridors and hallways, over caved in pillars, and under high curved arches, he at last reached his destination.
Zexion took a hesitant step toward his heartless, the water level creeping up to his ankles.
"Seth."
The boy's head shot up, black eyes red-rimmed. Thin red lines crisscrossed one cheek, and black bangs fell into his eyes. He was soaked in water: his hair was slick with it and his black cloak was darker with it.
"What did you do?" The hissed words echoed slightly.
"Why must you assume I did something?"
The Schemer took half a step forward, the water swishing around his feet, "You always do something, Seth."
"Oh," the heartless replied choosing to play with the water in his lap instead of looking up.
"Well?" Zexion demanded, resisting the urge to tap his foot impatiently- it would loose its effect in three inches of water.
Seth sighed woefully, "Do you remember the tin- foil I had the other day?" A nod prompted him to continue, "Well I just so happened to have a few thousand rubber bands with me and I just so happened to have a couple days with nothing to do and I just so happened to turn the tin- foil into a rubber band ball. And I just so happened to decide that Dumpy" a questioning look caused farther explanation, "my pet wyvern… he has a little wing," Seth flapped his arm helpfully.
"Go on."
"Anyways…" he dropped his arm. It splashed in the water beside him, "well I decided he needed more exercise (he doesn't get out very much, see?) and he just so happened to want to play fetch and it just so happened I had the rubber band ball with me. And it just so happened that when I threw the ball, it rolled to a stop at Xigbar's feet and it just so happened he decided to pick it up. And it just so happened that, in his excitement to retrieve the ball, Dumpy almost bit Xigbar's hand off and it just so happened that during his fit of rage, one of the rounds he fired almost decapitated Maruxia as he came around the corner. And it just so happened that I high-tailed it and was able to make it here before something exploded," Seth shrugged, "and then all the water came and I nearly drowned. So how has your day been? Did you finish your mission?"
The venomous look he received effectively silenced him.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you put me in?" Zexion hissed, eyes narrowed into slits, "The first thing you do when my back is turned id destroy half the castle." As if to validate his point, a tremor shook the floor accompanied by a loud hiss. He turned to watch a stream of water rush into the room.
Seth raised his hand.
"Yes?" he hissed.
Seth looked down sheepishly, "Technically the castle-thing was second."
"Excuse me?"
Seth gulped audibly, "Well mustard is a very tricky condiment to get open…"
Zexion shook his head, "I don't want to know."
Seth nodded, "No you don't; it's still all over the ceiling."
Zexion rubbed his temples, "Come on; we'd better see how Xemnas is taking the damage.
With a great deal of splashing, Seth stumbled to his feet and dragged his heels after Zexion. During the short trip back to where the other Nobodies were at, there was a noticeable shift in the water. Where it had been clear, it was slowly becoming darker. With a small growl of disgust, Seth realized what it was.
"So you've noticed the plumbing's out, did you?" Zexion called over his shoulder.
"This can't be sanitary…"
"I assure you it's not."
They picked their way through the thickest muck and slipped and slid back to the others.