A Tale of Renewal and Rebirth

Dark Lady Devinity

Chapter Four

They were made both old and new simultaneously. Such a thing does not make choosing an identity easy. But it is telling what traits and characteristics survive after existing once as a part of something and then as a part of nothing.

XxX

What can one do when nothing is as it was and yet it has barely changed?

XxX

"We'll need to pick this lock." Saix said, testing the strength of the door and its handle. It was an old door but it was made of sturdy wood. The lock also held when Saix tried to force the door open. It did not help that he was weak from being unconscious for so long- although he should be thankful that whatever magic gave him his body back also protected him from muscular atrophy.

"Where's Larxene when you need her?" Axel asked, jokingly. Lea and Isa always kept some of Lea's sister's hair pins on them in case they had to pick a lock to get into the castle. They never actually got that far but they had practiced enough on other doors to be quite proficient at lock picking. A woman who styled her hair was always convenient to have around and Axel had once used the same technique with Larxene. Then he noticed that Zexion's hospital gown was held in place with the help of some safety pins. The restoration committee must not have had much in the way of clothing for people as petit as the Cloaked Schemer. "Zexion's got safety pins in his dress. I think I can bend them into a nice shape for you."

Zexion glared at the term 'dress' while the others just stared at Saix and Axel. "Were you two delinquents in your past lives?" Vexen cried exasperatedly.

"Yes." Xaldin and Lexaeus both said in a deadpan tone.

Axel rolled his eyes as he quickly swiped a pin from Zexion and bent it into a mostly straight tool. Saix simply held out one hand behind him, not even looking at Axel as he was still studying the lock. As soon as the pin was in his hand, Saix had it in the lock and he started to fiddle with it. The entire interaction between the two went so smoothly as similar memories from their somebody days took over.

Vexen shook his head and muttered "Delinquents. Our second-in-command was a delinquent."

"Hey," Xigbar said with a huge grin, "you weren't exactly one to follow orders either mister. You were always coming up with some plan or another to convince Xemnas to give you more research subjects. I know for a fact that you snuck some in when the boss man wasn't looking. Then there's Zexion…"

"Just how, pray tell, how have I now or at any point ever been a delinquent?" Zexion asked.

"You're the Cloaked Schemer. You weren't exactly all goody-goody now were you?" Xigbar asked, feeling proud of himself.

"And what of you Xigbar?" Xaldin asked.

"I was a perfect little angel." Xigbar said.

"Perfect little angel my ass." Axel said in disbelief. He paused, basking in the feeling that was feeling disbelief, and continued, "You were the worse of the lot of us. I have never abused my powers so that I could spy on Larxene while she showered."

"I should hope you weren't stupid enough to do that." Saix said.

Axel was about to comment on that when he caught the slightest of smiles flicker across the Luna Diviner's face. It went so quickly that Axel wasn't sure he had seen it. He doubted that Saix had even felt it. But maybe if he was capable of smiling… It was kind of fun to be playing the breaking and entering game with Saix again. They didn't really do much together as nobodies as Saix had always been so busy with the second-in-command duties and the fact that if they were going to be plotting a hostile takeover then they didn't want anyone to think they had any connection to each other anymore.

As the maybe-non-existent smile vanished, Saix announced that he was done and he pushed the door open. Axel wondered if maybe what Saix had felt was satisfaction. But the Flurry of Dancing Flames was distracted by Xigbar pushing him into Saix and thus forcing the two former friends out into a deserted hallway.

"What was that for? Axel snapped.

"We should get a move on, don't you think?" Xigbar said. "Don't want the little committee to catch us escaping."

"I really don't feel a need to 'escape.' The least we could go is give Aerith a chance to properly explain what is going on and give us each a pair of trousers." Vexen said. "We are going to attract unwanted attention if we try to be inconspicuous in hospital gowns."

"You can stay behind if you want." Xigbar said pleasantly. "If we do get caught, I plan on telling people that we were trying to stop scar face here 'cause he's crazy. Saix totally looks like he escaped from a mental hospital."

"I'm not crazy." Saix grumbled from beneath Axel as the red head tried to right himself from the pile Xigbar had turned them into. As Axel managed to stand and help Saix up, Zexion said, "You're not really one to talk Xigbar. You're dressed exactly the same way as the rest of us."

"If we are planning on escaping, we should do it now." Xaldin said.

When nobody did anything, Axel rolled his eyes. "We" Axel said, indicating Saix and himself, "have never actually been in this castle before as much as we've tried to break in. One of you needs to lead the way."

"I'm only going with you if we're going to find the others." Vexen said. "Otherwise, I am staying here."

"I concur." Zexion said and Lexaeus nodded his agreement.

"Why not?" Axel said. "I'm in for finding Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia and Larexene."

"I suppose it's a logical course of action." Saix said.

"I'm in." Xaldin said.

"Great!" Xigbar declared. "Now, follow me. I'll lead us out of here."

XxX

Once Xigbar led the group to an exit, Saix and Axel made use of their sneaking skills. They may not have been familiar with the interior layout of the castle but they knew every inch of the exterior and most of those memories were still with them. Axel nearly got them caught when he accidently burst in on a spiky haired blond with a massive sword in the garden but the red head was able to retreat quickly enough that the confrontation was avoided. Finally, they made their way off of the castle grounds and into an empty alleyway.

All in all, it was actually kind of fun.

"We'll need a gummi ship to get off world." Saix said.

"Screw that. We need pants." Xaldin said testily. He saw more than he had wanted to of Xigbar when they were hopping a gate back on the castle grounds.

"I kind of like the breeze." Xigbar said cockily and thrust his hips rhythmically in Xaldin's direction.

"Right-y-oh. Pants it is." Axel said. "And maybe some brain bleach."

"Can't you be serious for once Xigbar?" Zexion sighed.

The seven former nobodies were used to thieving and doing other dastardly things in order to complete Xemnas' orders so they had no problem breaking into people's houses to find clean clothes and footwear. They broke up in teams of two and gathered whatever they thought would fit any members of their group. It took a while to find anything that would fit Xaldin and Lexaeus but they didn't run into any locals that would hinder the process. Anyone living in the area must have been helping with the cleanup. Some of the clothes were old and musty so it was possible that the houses had been abandoned long ago. A few of the newly made somebodies felt a constricting feeling in their chests that was unpleasant and it took a while and some discussion (along with a bit of a physical examination from Vexen) until they determined it was guilt. After everything they had done in Organization XIII they were actually feeling guilty for taking a few pairs of abandoned pants and some shirts.

However, they soon forgot about the new found feeling of guilt when they heard some people walk by. All seven of the group ducked down behind a low stone fence and listened.

"Cid's built a new gummi ship. I can't wait to check it out. Do you think he'll let me drive it?" A perky female voice asked.

"Not if he has any sense." A deep male voice said. There was affectionate laugher in his voice. "Although I would like to see it."

"To Cid's we go then!" the girl replied cheerfully.

Axel, one of the Organization's best assassins, was already following the couple to this Cid's house.

XxX

Sometimes the only option is to move forward and see what consequences arise.

TBC