Disclaimer: I don't own KH. All I own from this fic are Solrac and a few other characters I created.
Kingdom Hearts: Lost in the Dark
Chapter 2: A Girl in White
It had been seven years since the visit of the yellow -eyed sage, Castle Oblivion stood on its spot undisturbed. On the inside however, much was happening. The elders have gathered the entire order in thier council chamber to investigate thier latest development. A young girl a white dress and sandals, somewhere around 8 years of age was brought to the castle, holding only a sketchpad in her hands. Standing in the middle of the room she felt like needle in a haystack; behind her were many more people in black and at the podium in front of her were the ones known as Marluxia and Zexion.
"Let us call this meeting to order." Marluxia commanded. "Is everyone accounted for?"
"Not quite master,"answered a young blonded-headed girl answered. Unlike the one in white, this one a few years older and was dressed in a black cowl like the others, she was part of this dark-clad group. "Lexaeus and Solrac are not here."
"Late again, huh?" Zexion surmised with a sly glint in his eyes. "I'm not surprised, ever since Lexaeus began teaching the boy swordsmanship; this is the second time this week they've been late for a summons."'
Marluxia however was not interested. "Larxene, Bring them here at once." He ordered.
The girl looked around the council room with a feeling of dread. She could tell that underneath thier raised cowls, the residents of Castle Oblivion were staring right back at her, as if scanning her very essence.
In another room not too far away, two voices were heard from within...
"No! That's not how you hold it!" Lexaueus thundered to his charge.
"Oh yeah?" Solrac shot back. "How about this?" The apprentice held his new sword like he was making an obscene gesture with the blade.
In the past 3 days, Lexaeus had begun to teach Solrac in the ways of swordsmanship. It was a requirement that all new initiates after a short period of time in the order to learn combat and magic skills in order to defend themselves should hostile situations arise. In most cases, it was about 3 weeks or so that new members would undergo training, but when the matter involves members inducted from childhood, it would not be until they reached thier adolescent years that they would be deemed mature enough to learn how to fight.
Now, at 12 years of age, Solrac was training under Lexaeus, but progress was as slow as molasses.
"Grr.. I thought I told you not to do that anymore!" The giant rebuked. "You're here to learn swords, not backtalk!" Lexaeus began reaching towards his back. Solrac knew that his teacher was going to draw his weapon, but ceased when someone appeared in the chamber. It was rather short but her raised hood could not hide her light aquamarine eyes and blond hair Even though she was a member, Solrac could never get usd to the fact that most everyone kept thier hoods raised.
"Master Lexaeus, your presence is required right now at the council meeting." Larxene stated. "Marluxia has requested it."
"And what of the boy?"
Larxene looked at Solrac and waited a bit to answer: "...all members are to be present." With that said, she vanished.
Lexaeus sighed. "We'll have to finish this later, Solrac. Let's go."
"Do we have to?" the boy asked as he sheathed his blade.
"Yes."
With that, master and apprentice went to join the congregation. There was so much black in the room it was hard to tell where it begun and ended.
"See that you behave." Lexaues told Solrac. "They won't stand for any fooling around after last week."
"What do you mean?" Solrac asked. "It wasn't my fault someone smuggled in that whoopie cusion last time."
Lexaeus grinned slightly. "I doubt that." and left to join Zexion and Marluxia.
...How did he know? Solrac thought as he darted around the multitude of cowls in the room, then at last he found what he was looking for: "Hey Baxtion! Over here!"
The 'Baxtion' in questioned turned out to be another member. But unlike most, Baxtion kept his hood down for all to see his long black hair and mischievous brown eyes. "Solrac, I thought you guys were late again!" He went to meet with the latter.
"...We kinda got found out." Solrac began
"I know." Baxtion acknowledged. "Marluxia just wants to get these meetings over with. He's almost antisocial"
"That's not what I meant" Solrac whispered. " I mean Lexaeus knows it was us."
Baxtion could not believe it "You're joking! We slipped in that cushion with such precision and calculation; there's no way possible he can tell it was us."
Solrac remembered quite well. Before last week's meeting, he and Baxtion found a whoopie cushion in one of the storage rooms and drew straws to see who could prank one of the elders...
"Looks like you got the short one, Solrac" Baxtion proclaimed in triumph.
"Oh great... If something happens to me, I'm going to get you." Solrac threatened.
"No sweat, we'll do it so no one finds out." Baxtion beamed happily.
It was during the late hours of that faithful night while the two laid the practical trap in the procession seat.Under the the seat cushion looked relatively normal to the naked eye... or at least it would be until it was too late. Half a day later during an impromptu gathering, the elders watched from the sides as Maluxia paced about the chamber elaborating on a certain issue:
"My fellow collegues, I must remind you that until the anomaly can be studied by the elders themselves, no one is to enter the so-called 'Door of Memory', but to use the tower stairwells should they need to acsend to the upper and lower levels of the castle.
From a secret hiding place, both the pranksters waited until Marluxia reached the podium, inches away from thier trap. Then they snuck back to the crowd awaiting one of the finest moments in life; the moment of anticipation...
"Should anyone think otherwise, they'll answer to me. And believe me, when I say they'll be in troulbe, I mean-" Then he sat down...
...A loud flatulent sound exploded from the seat catching everyone off guard. Marluxia sat frozen in stupified surprise as did the entire assembly. When the realization became manifest, the entire gathering of organization members burst into mighty spasms of laughter and mirth. The lord of Castle Oblivion felt his face turn 3 shades of red as he jumped from his seat and pulled out the whoopie cushion. Words failed him utterly as the chamber echoed with roaring laughter, even the four ancient elders found themselves howling like hyenas. Baxtion and Solrac wriggled on the floor clutching thier sides with tears streaming down thier guffawing faces; it was almost too good to believe, but with many others either haunched over or slapping thier thighs, the joker responsible would be as easy to find as a needle in a haystack.
The Organization would forever document that fateful incident as the Day of a Thousand Laughs. Marluxia however, was not so forgiving. He vowed that if he found out whoever set up that embarassaing trap, the unlucky fool would be flogged before the entire order.
"Has he told Marluxia?" Baxtion asked his prankster-in-crime.
"Nope." Solrac chimed. "He told me he enjoyed watching Marluxia squirm."
"Cool. So... any ideas for our next target?"
For the past few months, Baxtion and Solrac took it upon themselves to liven up things around the castle by playing secret jokes when no one suspected it. Up until the meeting, no one really minded them, when one takes to consideration the mediocrity of living in the middle of nowhere.
What better place to plot for pranks than under the noses of thier very victims? Overshadowed by the other members and thier own whispered conversations, Solrac and Baxtion had little to worry about as Marluxia called the meeting to order at last.
"First of all, the old business." The cold leader began to sit down, but not before looking under his seat for any wierd surprises. This brought a ripple of snickering from those who attended last week's meeting. "A number of new members have joined our order. They are to go through orientation in two days time.."
"... Ever notice how Marluxia never smiles?" Baxtion whispered to Solrac.
"...What are you thinking?" The latter asked.
"I think he could stand to use a good laugh." the former elaborated. "..and I know just what to do."
Solrac could feel sweat forming on the back of his head. "I don't think that's a good idea, Baxtion."
It was too late though, the raven-haried youngster was already forming a plot in his trickster brain. Realizing that convincing Baxtion otherwsie was useless, he turned his attention to the meeting at hand.
Marluxia looked around and motioned to the guards "It has also come to the council's attention that some members have been trying to sneak out of our last meeting." A thin smile curled his lips. "As a countermeasure, the guards will lock the doors for the duration of our meeting today."
As the sound of the doors locking began, the only real complaints came from the younger members, who made up most of the initiates of the first circle of the order.
Solrac knew what was really going on; Marluxia had an idea of who pranked him This is gonna be a long day, he sighed and squatted himself on the floor.
Once the griping settled down, the meeting resumed. ".. and that concludes the old business. Now let us move on the new." With that, he stepped down from the podium.
Zexion was next to step up. He cleared his throat before addressing the crowd. "First of all, I'm happy to report that mob attacks have decreased this month by 35 percent. We are currently looking into the matter as to how these outsiders come here, let alone how they even know of us."
The usual song-and-dance. Solrac thought as he listened to Zexion continue his report.
" The elders have decided that for now, no one is to leave this castle without first getting approval from thier superiors. This will insure that all members in the order will be safe within these walls. Next up we have a new guest from the outside world." Zexion gestured to the girl in white. "Step forward."
The girl approached the floor, paying no attention to the whispered conversations of the assembly.
Solrac droned his eyes upward a little to catch a glimpse of the girl. And he found it quite unusual, on account the way she now held herself; more relaxed than when she first entered the room.
.."She's kinda cute, don't you think?" Baxtion whispered to Solrac.
"W-whaddya mean?" The latter asked..
"Come on, don't tell me you've been staring at the wall all this time." Baxtion added with a slightly evil grin. "Some of the other girls have a crush on you;.I've seen love letters."
"Knock it off, we'll get in trouble." Poor Solrac was never goinig to hear the end of that. He turned his gaze towards Zexion and the girl, trying hard to drone out Baxtion's teasing.
"..You say you were brought here just now, what is your name?"
She thought for a second before answering"Um... Namine, sir."
What an interesting name. Thought Solrac as he observed. He just felt a little uneasy since some of the younger female members thought he was really cute. It was hard for him to be alone nowadays.
"Do you remember where you came from?" Zexion asked Namine.
"Not very much." came the answer. "Just that I lived in a town with a big clocktower at sunset...that's it."
Marluxia thought about this for a bit. It reminded him of when Solrac was brought here. "If you wish to stay here, you will have to join our order. Otherwise you will have to go."
Namine didn't like the ultimatum. "Um... I'm not sure, everyone else is looking at me creepy."
"Hold it, Marluixa, don't you think that's harsh?" Zexion asked. "It's not in our code to force people into joining us."
"Nor is taking in anyone who just happens to be dropped at our doorstep..." He answered, casting a consternous gaze at Solrac. The latter of which, did not like this either.. "Unless of course, someone's willing to put up with her."
This brought up audible muttering among the congregation. Even Baxtion stopped his plotting on account of this new development.
Lexaeus observed the moment and began to think about it. He turned to his pupil and saw a question in his eyes. With Marluxia's recent tendancies, she'll be cast out as soon as the meeting ended.
"Is there one in the Organization who would claim responsibilty for this child?" Marluxia asked. No answer. "Then I have little choice but to have her-"
"-Hold on a minute." Lexaeus interrupted.
"And why should I?" Marluxia asked as he stepped down to the floor. "If no one will take her, I hereby exercise my authority as lord of this castle to have her removed-"
"-Then I will." The strongman said calmly.
Marluxia found his words caught in his throat.
"Any objections?"
Many voices began to rise above the whispers.
"Can he be serious?"
"Master Lexaeus must be getting soft, ever since that boy came here."
"But you know what the law is."
"This could get ugly..."
Zexion pounded the gavel to call for silence. Then he turned to Lexaeus." So you wish to take her in? You do know what you're getting yourself into, don't you, Lexaeus?
He merely stood firm and nodded.
After what seemed to be an eternity Zexion delilvered the verdict. "Then you are to present your claim to the elders immediately. Until thier judgement has been decided, this meeting will be in recess." With one last bang of the gavel the masses began to disband."
The sentries unlocked the doors to empty the chamber. With all the attendants gone to thier own affairs, two certain members were left alone.
Baxtion leaned against the wall his face lined with thought. "This is unexpected."
"You mean what master Lexaeus did?" Solrac asked.
"That and Marluixa's behavior. He's never been like this before."
"What do you mean?" Solrac asked.
"Come on, Solrac, you've been here 7 years and haven't noticed?" Baxtion asked in disbelief. "Marluxia's changing; you saw what he tried to do just now."
"But you don't think he'd really kick someone out like that, would you?"
Baxtioned sighed in resign. "Solrac, you're so naive. Ever since you were brought here, more people came to this castle. Not that the increase in memberships haven't been a good thing, but Marluxia's feeling very frustrated about the changes taking place since then."
"Hey, I never asked anyone to come to this place." Solrac answered in defense.
"That's not the point." Baxtion shook his head. "To him, your coming here is a reminder of why he can't do things like he used to ."
Solrac was getting flustered."He's the guy in charge of this place, right?"
Baxtion shrugged his shoulders. "He is, but that doesn't mean he's king of the castle. With most of the new members being as young as us, the elders themselves have found it necessary to keep watch over stuff like this. Now Marluxia can't do anything unless he has thier approval."
The pieces were now falling into place. " And this meeting isn't doing anything for his popluarity,"
"Exactly my point, my two-tone headed friend." Baxtion nodded. He then looked at the closed doors to the council chamber. "I don't think he'll take a joke so easily afterwards...well, since we've got some time to kill, wanna do the usual?"
Solrac began to smile. "Thought you'd never ask."
Please be sure to leave a review on your way out...
