Traitors Among Us: Chapter 2

Cari almost got to opening the vial of mercury when it was pulled out of her hand and she was lifted up off the ground. She watched as Roxas quickly held Yuki back and Marluxia stopped. Growling, she turned to glare at Axel, who was watching her inquisitively, and attempted to kick him in the crotch.

"Let go of me, you bastard", she snapped. She continued to struggle, to no avail.

"Axel, Roxas, what are you doing here", asked Marluxia.

Roxas sighed, barely keeping Yuki pinned down. "We thought you'd have been done by now. Looks like you've been having a few issues..."

"Get off!" Yuki struggled to get free of the blond boy.

Roxas groaned and glared at Yuki, before realizing what their position was, and blushed. "Sorry, but... I don't need you attacking Marluxia."

"I could have finished this by myself", Marluxia protested.

"You were taking too long", said Axel, looking up at the pinkette man. "And I was actually worried you might die. Got it memorized?"

Cari's face became ashen and she froze, stopping her struggling. "Got it memorized... Lea...?"

Axel looked back at Cari. "Ok, can I let you go now without you attacking any of us? And the name's Axel now. Got it memorized?"

Cari watched in wonder as Axel looked from her to the vial he'd taken from her. "Axel... What's going on here?"

"How'd you get your hands on mercury", asked Axel. "And what were you planning to do with it? That's dangerous stuff."

"I was going to poison Flower-Power", Cari said bluntly, earning an unnoticed glare from Marluxia. "I control metal."

"Sheesh, Cari, you sure got ruthless", said Axel. He carefully put the short woman down.

Roxas carefully moved off Yuki, who was happy to get up. "So I guess this is the Cari you and Saix were friends with as somebodies."

Cari looked back at Roxas. "Isa?"

"His name's Saix now", said Axel. "He's going to be interested in seeing you again. And how much you've grown." He almost commented that she was still short, but quickly remembered how she hated being called small. It probably hadn't changed.

"You know each other?" Marluxia looked at Axel.

"Ok, so what's this Organization XIII really about", asked Cari. She watched as Yuki joined her.

"Marly kind of didn't explain anything", said Yuki, tossing him a glance before looking back at Axel.

"You want your hearts back", asked Roxas. He watched the two girls look at him and nod. "Well, we're working to complete Kingdom Hearts. Our superior, Xemnas, has told us that it will give us our hearts back."

Cari and Yuki looked at each other and shared a silent conversation before looking back at the three males and nodding. "Should have told us that from the start", they said together.

Marluxia was about to take Cari and Yuki, now known as Xicra and Kixyu, to see Xemnas, but Xicra only seemed comfortable with Axel. So grudgingly, Marluxia gave that responsibility and explaining everything to the porcupine-haired Nobody and went about his own business. Roxas was told just to go back and report to Saix on his own mission. Xemnas didn't seem the most pleased that Axel had been tasked with bringing the two girls to him, of course. So explaining did take a while.

Never the less, he gave them their titles after learning exactly what happened during that day. Kixyu was now Number XV, the Deceptive Morpher, and Xicra was now Number XVI, the Swift Silver. The girls seemed rather excited to have their own code-names, after all the hustle and bustle of meeting their leader. But that was only shown after Axel had taken them to their rooms and given them their Organization cloaks and rejoined each other.

Without further adieu, Axel began giving them the grand tour of the Castle That Never Was, and explained all the different rooms. He also told them about all the other members of the Organization and who to avoid. Although Xicra had to admit that she didn't understand why she should avoid the Chilly Academic, Vexen, when he already reminded her of her dad. Axel sighed and rolled his eyes, though, since he honestly didn't know anything about her dad in the first place.

As they passed the entrance to the laboratory, they watched as a tall man with long blond hair quickly exited in a hurry. Xicra paused and watched him from behind as Axel whispered to her and Kixyu that he was Vexen. And Vexen, even if she was just looking at his back, looked extremely familiar to Xicra. It honestly made her wonder if he was her dad, Even, who had been missing for years.

She carefully and quietly walked closer to him and spoke. "Dad...?"

Axel's eyes widened in anxiety as Vexen shot back around in shock, worried for what he might do to Xicra.

Xicra looked straight at his face and a realization hit in less than a second. She quickly latched onto him in a tight hug. "Dad!"

Vexen froze in shock and looked down at Xicra in wonder. To have someone call him 'Dad' was something that hadn't happened in years, and he wondered if the new member that was now hugging him was really his only daughter. Her face was the same, if older, and all her hair had done was darken some. He had often put his daughter's hair up in a bun whenever she had asked to help him with his private experiments. And from what she'd said, she had always liked it kept up like that.

He carefully rested a cold hand on her head and heard her gasp before she looked up at him.

"You're hand's cold", she whispered. "You really are my dad..."

Vexen blinked once, and then smiled, pulling his daughter into a soft embrace. "How did you ever get yourself into this mess, Cari?"

Xicra smiled. "It's Xicra now. I was attacked, I guess a few months back, by some heartless when I was heading back to Mom's place."

"Um... Wow." Axel stared awkwardly at the scene before him and Kixyu. "I'm not sure whether I should be touched or scared", he said bluntly.

Xicra and Vexen looked back at Axel, but glared at him.

"Dude, they were having a moment", Kixyu whispered to the porcupine. "You ruined it."

Xicra pulled away from Vexen and sighed at Axel before crossing her arms. "Seriously, Axel? You couldn't have just let us have our moment?"

Vexen sighed. "It would make sense he'd ruin it."

"Hey, didn't mean to ruin it", Axel stammered. "I was just being honest." He paused. "So... If you're the dad she stayed with during the summer..." He looked back at Xicra. "I guess you already know several of the members. Only ones you haven't met are Demyx, Luxord, Larxene, and Xion."

"How does she know you, anyway", asked Vexen.

"Me and Saix looked after her sometimes", said Axel. "Like when she'd go out on her own for something. Saix never met Molly, though. He never got the chance to."

Vexen sighed again and looked back at Xicra. "Is this why you developed a love of fire?"

Xicra gave a nervous chuckle. "You really think...?"

"Well, at least you should be able to get in good with plenty of the other members", said Kixyu. "My only hopes would be if either of my brothers, Myde-kun or Kira are here."

"Myde", asked Axel. "Kira?"

"Kira for Akira", said Xicra. "Kixyu gives everyone nicknames, but watch when she drops them."

"Myde-kun tends to have an odd-styled hair", said Kixyu. "It's kind of a mohawk-mullet thing. Dirty blond. Kira keeps his hair really messy, and it's the same shade. We all got split up when our home was attacked."

"That Myde guy sounds like Demyx", said Axel.

"Somebody call my name?" Demyx walked over to the four Nobodies and looked around them. But his sight stopped when he saw Kixyu. "Hey..."

Kixyu's mind clicked just as fast as Demyx's did, and she lunged at him in a hug. "Myde-kun!"

Demyx laughed. "Long time since I've been called that. Yuki?"

Kixyu pulled away and gave a wide grin. "You bet! But it's Kixyu now." She paused and her grin faded. "Is Kira here?"

Demyx sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, haven't seen him since we all got split up."

Kixyu sighed and gave a small smile. "Well, we're together again, at least, Dem-Dem."

Demyx smiled again and rested his hand on Kixyu's head.

"Ok, first Xicra's dad is Vexen, now Demyx has a younger sister and brother", said Axel. "What a day." He looked at Vexen. "Not to mention these two girls gave Marluxia a hard time. And she almost gave him mercury poisoning, too."

Vexen and Demyx turned to Xicra an stared at her.

"I control metal, and he was asking for it", she said with a shrug.

"And we still need to finish the grand tour of the castle", said Axel. "So if you don't mind, or want to join us, we should probably get moving."

Xicra's eyes widened as Axel lead her and Kixyu to the kitchen, which Axel noticed. "You still like cooking, huh?"

Xicra looked up at Axel and nodded fervently. "I wonder if Dilan will be in there... And Ienzo. Dilan served as the cook, and Ienzo and I learned some from him."

Axel nodded. "Right..." He opened the door and led the two girls inside, all to have the two men in there, Xaldin and Zexion, look over at them. Only Xaldin's look was accompanied by a knife in Axel's direction. "Hey, I'm not here to burn anything! I'm just giving the new girls a tour of the place!"

"Oh, sorry, then", said Xaldin, turning back to the stove to work on the dinner for that evening.

Zexion, though, continued to watch Xicra and Kixyu, mainly Xicra. "Hello, my name is Zexion", he said.

Xicra watched Zexion intently for a few more seconds before speaking. "Long time, no see, you two."

"Hmm?" Xaldin turned back to look at Xicra.

"You do look familiar", Zexion muttered, frowning to bring back old memories to the surface.

"Yeah!" Xicra skipped over to the two Nobodies. "Ienzo and Dilan. I remember you." She smiled brightly at them. "I'm Cari. Or I was, at least. Now, my name is Xicra."

Zexion set the knife he was using for the fresh salad down and turned fully to Xicra. "Yes, you are. But how..."

Xicra gave a nervous chuckle. "Walking home and got mugged by Shadows. Not a fun experience... I already saw Dad."

"Hey, are you forgetting about me", Kixyu called, before walking over to join them. "I'm Kixyu, Dem-Dem's little sister." She gave a wide grin.

"No wonder the little Waterboy looked so excited when I saw him." Xigbar entered the kitchen and walked over to the group, looking at Xicra and Kixyu. "And I heard you two gave Flowerboy a hard time today."

Xicra turned to look at the new arrival and caught a very familiar-looking eye-patch. "Hey... Braig?"

Xigbar blinked and then grinned. "So you remember me, huh?"

Xicra mirrored his grin. "What I remember is your incessant pranks on Dad, and how he all but constantly scolded you for it. Among some other things, of course. And it's Xicra now."

"Well, it's Xigbar for me now." Xigbar's grin grew slightly strained. "You remember those lectures, huh? Well don't forget, you helped me with a lot of the pranks when you were with us."

"And the prank wars we had", Xicra asked. "You remember those, right?"

"Oh, how could I forget? Like the time you switched my foot powder for itching powder?" Xigbar watched Xicra intently.

"Replacing my shampoo with glue?"

"Your hair had spikes for over a week", said Zexion. "That, I remember. And you begged me to help you pay him back for it."

"And occasionally ganging up on me for pranks", Xaldin grumbled. "I certainly hope you outgrew them."

"Wow, and I thought you learned all your pranks from me", said Axel.

Xicra's expression reverted to a cheerful smile. "Don't worry, I'm not so much of a prankster anymore."

"Good, because Xemnas and Saix are sick of pranks", said Xaldin.

Xicra turned back to Xaldin. "Did I ever say I was completely done with them? No."

"Oh, no, she's not done", said Kixyu. "Want to know how many times we set up pranks in TwilightTown and other worlds? I don't actually remember."

Zexion sighed. "I hope, though, you've matured even more after all the years we haven't seen each other."

Xicra smiled brightly at Zexion. "I have. I'm nowhere near as childish as I was. And for Kixyu not remembering how many pranks we set up, it has been a few months since we met, anyway."

Zexion let a half-smile slip through. He could see that she'd matured a good deal, but still had some child in her to balance it. "Have you seen Lexeaus yet?"

"Aeleus?" Xicra's smile faded and she shook her head. "Not yet." She paused and looked back at Axel. "By the way, give me back my vial, please."

"Vial of what", asked Xaldin.

"Nothing I'll slip into the food", said Xicra.

Axel watched Xicra carefully. "For you to slip to Larxene if she gets on your bad side? I don't think so, got it memorized?"

Xicra pouted. "That's only the worst case scenario. I snagged that out of a lab, and I don't think you should be handling it. It could break and it's contents leak out and get you sick big-time."

"What's in the vial", asked Xigbar.

"Liquid metal", Xicra said, tossing Xigbar a glance. "Otherwise known as mercury." She looked back at Axel. "I don't think Dad has ever shown you how to be careful handling it. And besides, I'm the only one who can really use it without getting poisoned. Now give it back." She held out her hand expectantly.

Axel groaned and grudgingly pulled the vial out of his one pocket and placed it into her hand.

"Thank you", she said, now pocketing it.

"Where did you get mercury?"

Axel turned to see Saix walking into the kitchen. He had his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in mild interest and worry.

Xicra's grin returned and she bounded over to the Luna Diviner and hugged him. "Isa! Dude, years!"

Saix sighed. "Cari..."

"It's Xicra now, and I know you're Saix now", she said pulling away. "And the mercury, I got from some lab in another world for if it ever comes down to really needing it."

"I should confiscate that and hand it over to Vexen", said Saix.

Xicra waved a hand dismissively. "Dad already knows I have it, and he hasn't taken it away yet. Don't worry about it."

"Vexen is your... dad? He never once mentioned having a daughter before", said Saix.

"We've all avoided the entire topic because we knew even without a heart, he missed her dearly", said Zexion.

"Remember, I spent summers with Dad and the rest of the time with Mom", said Xicra. She glanced over at where Kixyu was to find she wasn't there anymore. She looked around to see that the younger girl was attempting to climb up to reach a cupboard to pick out some candy. "Kixyu, I dare say dinner will be ready soon. You don't need to be filling up on candy before then."

Kixyu sighed and slid down. "Oh, come on."

"Kixyu, no. Besides, you're always eating something sweet", said Xicra. "We don't need you to get hyper like you've done before." She looked at the others. "Think me when I was very young, only worse."

Xaldin groaned. "Alright, no candy for the blond girl."

"That's Kixyu, and I don't always end up hyper."

"At least not when your sugar is controlled", said Xicra.

"And I think we should all get out of the kitchen and let Xaldin and Zexion finish making dinner", said Saix, quickly going to grab the hoods of the two girls. "You can catch up with them later, Xicra." He looked at Axel and Xigbar. "You come with us, too. And someone return the knife outside the door to the kitchen."

Xicra made her way back to her room later, after Axel had finished showing her and Kixyu around the castle. It was definitely a big place and she was half-afraid she'd get lost in it if she didn't learn it quickly enough. And she didn't want to have to depend on another member to show her around in that event. She felt it would be rather embarrassing to her if she had to ask directions around her new home of sorts.

Once she made it to her room and laid down on her bed, she wondered what all would now happen in her new home. She already knew a large sum of the other members of the Organization, and knew how to make sure she was still on their good side. But she almost couldn't wait to meet and get to know the rest of her new 'family', as Axel had called them. He'd even given her some tips on how to get along with the others and when to avoid them. Tips of which she was happy to know now.

Eventually, after long having lost herself in her thoughts, she heard a knock on her door. She quickly scrambled up and hurried over to open the door, and saw Xion standing on the other side, looking slightly nervous. She blinked and tilted her head some to show a little confusion and waited for the younger girl to speak.

"Hey, I'm Xion, Number XIV", she said. "You're Number XVI, Xicra."

Xicra nodded. "Y-yeah, I am. Um..." She searched around for something to say. "Want to come in...?" She stepped aside to let Xion in and closed the door.

Xion looked around at the yet impersonalized room before looking back at Xicra with a nervous smile. "Axel told me I might like to meet you. He said you two were the best of friends before."

Xicra smiled and blushed slightly. "Yeah, we were. We... uh, did hang out a lot."

"Are you ok", asked Xion.

"Huh? Oh, I'm just... I'm a little... awkward when first meeting people", said Xicra. "I'm not really socially adept. I've come to prefer watching others before I jump into a conversation. You'll find me pretty comfortable talking to some of the others, but as far as someone I haven't really met...?"

"Oh..." Xion glanced down slightly. "Well... um-"

Xicra's eyes widened. "Oh, no, it's, uh... Not that we can't get to know each other", she stammered, waving her hands in front of herself. "S-sorry, not what I meant at all!"

Xion looked back up at Xicra's flustered expression and giggled a little. "Axel did mention you get nervous around new people."

After a few seconds of watching Xion giggle and then laugh at her, Xicra started to laugh as well.

Xion smiled brightly at Xicra. "But he also said we'd probably end up being pretty good friends, too. Maybe we could all go get some sea-salt ice-cream tomorrow or something. He said you loved it. Roxas likes it, too."

Xicra stopped laughing and nodded. "So does Kixyu, now. Maybe we can get Zexion, too. During the summers I stayed with my dad, we would sometimes go out and get some."

"I don't really talk to him much", said Xion. "And I'm pretty sure he prefers to spend his time in the library."

"Maybe it's just no one ever invited him", said Xicra. "I considered him one of my good friends, even if I didn't mature like him."

"And he prefers to keep to himself."

Xicra shrugged. "Well, I'll see about picking some up for him before we leave, then. I'm pretty sure he still likes it."

"Well, I have a mission tomorrow, so I'll come by when I'm finished to make sure you're set", said Xion. "I heard something about your first day of training being tomorrow. And Kixyu. I think you'll be with Xaldin, though."

"I don't mind him", said Xicra. "He and my mom both taught me how to cook. Not that they ever taught me together, of course. They only saw each other a few times. It's a rather complicated story 'cause of Dad's work. And Mom liked living out amongst the trees."

Xion nodded. "Right, I heard Vexen's your dad. Kind of weird to think about it, though. No offense."

Xicra laughed. "Yeah, I know. No offense taken. Not exactly what one would expect for a dad."

To Be Continued