Must credit Reku14 for most of the trial scene. She just writes things that fit this so well!


Chapter 7: L.I.G.H.T (III)

There was a knock at Axel's room door. He almost didn't open it; no one came to his room these days. After the third knock, he started to stand up.

"VIII? Are you in there?"

Not meaning to, the redhead rushed to his door resulting in tripping over a boot in the process and crashing into the door.

"Ah, fuck!"

As Axel rubbed his head, Zexion teleported into his room.

"Are you okay? I heard a crash…" he said, looking over the man before him.

"Yeah, I'm… why didn't you just come in here to begin with?" Axel growled. "I busted my ass to get to the door."

"I did not want to be rude and invade your privacy. And you could have just told me to come in." Zexion responded.

Only then did Axel realize Zexion actually came to his room.

"Hey! You came here. Awesome. Feeling… uh… better… or something?" Axel asked carefully. He wondered if this particular Zexion Blank Face meant "watch it or I'll make your life hell." Or maybe it was "shut the hell up imbecile, I have something to say and I don't like interrupting." Those two were hard to differentiate.

"Actually, I have something that most likely help our search," so it was the second option, "I was going to bring it up to you sooner but you were out. Would you like to arise from the floor?" Zexion asked.

Axel blinked, "Oh uh, yeah. I should."

Zexion held out his hand for him, this was getting so weird, but Axel took it nonetheless. The problem was, Axel weighed a little more than Zexion and nearly pulled the other boy down in his attempt to help him up.

"Thanks, so what was it that you found?" Axel asked, going to sit on his bed. Zexion paused when the redhead motioned for him to join but he went and sat next to him anyway.

"I talked to Yen Sid today," Zexion started, getting an odd look from Axel. "I thought maybe XIV and XV could be in one of the Pure Worlds, so I asked permission to get in. We go to a trial of sorts in three days."

Axel took a moment to think this over. This whole idea gave him an extra boost of hope. They couldn't get into the Pure Worlds, being from the dark side. Of course the girls were most likely there.

"Why hadn't we thought of that before?" he asked, more so to himself. Zexion shrugged.

"I was thinking we should take the Superior, as backup support." he said, standing. "Would you accompany me in asking?"

Axel stood as well with a smile, "Of course."


Saix stared intently at Xemnas trying his best not to Berserk. There was no way he was even considering not letting him go to the trial.

"This is my sister we are discussing, Superior," he spoke as calmly as possible. He never questioned the man but this… this was different. "I have to be there. Maybe I can even help convince the Light Team to let them go."

"Then who will keep an eye on everyone else, Saix? They're like kindergarteners when there's no authority."

"Have Marluxia do it!" Saix yelled, leaning forward in his chair, clearly losing his temper.

"Everyone steps all over him! I'm not afraid of you, calm yourself this instant!" Xemnas yelled back.

Saix settled back in his seat and diverted his eyes from the orange ones across from him. Xemnas stared at the blue haired man for awhile and sighed. He was too loyal to him.

"Three days. Make sure you don't forget."

Saix's eyes shot up to meet with Xemnas's.

"Thank you, sir." he said gratefully.

"Yes, yes. Inform Marluxia that he'll be in charge, will you?"

Saix nodded and left to go find the pink haired man, bowing to his Superior before leaving. Xemnas merely leaned back and rubbed at his temples.

He had to let him go as well. After all, he only agreed to go himself because the missing people were Saix's sister and her best friend.

Believe it or not, he wanted to make sure Saix was happy. He was the closest thing to a best friend Xemnas had himself.


"I gathered you all here for a very unique request." Yen Sid told the four Keyblade wielders before him. "A member from Organization XIII, if you could still call it that, came to me for help with a search mission."

They had all met at Mickey's castle and were currently discussing the reasoning for being called there.

"What do you mean if you can still call it that?" Terra asked. Aqua was already scowling at the thought of helping Xehanort's group.

"Meaning there are two new members." Sora explained without a hint of emotion. "What do they want exactly?"

"You all will see at the trial. It will start whenever King Mickey is ready. For now, rest up. Leave your mind's open. Remember the light in your hearts."

The four were confused.

"What do you think he meant by all of that?" Ven asked.

"Whatever it is, we're most likely not going to like it. And it sounds like he's already on their side." Aqua said venomously.

She could tell this would not be a peaceful meeting.


Xemnas, Saix, Axel, and Zexion all arrived at Mickey's castle.

"Everyone, lock your weapons away. It will help our case if we don't appear threatening in any way." Xemnas ordered. He summoned a box and his Ethereal Blades and set them in the container. "I'll leave this here with a binding spell, you'll get them back once this is over."

Saix and Zexion immediately added their weapons while Axel narrowed his eyes. At the looks the other three gave him, he sighed and put in his Chakrams as well.

"All righty then, let's go."

They appeared in King Mickey's throne room. Sora gave Axel a barely there smile and waved at him, while the rest of the Light Team scowled. Axel noted that Sora gave Zexion an extremely hateful look as well. He mentally sweat dropped. Well at least Yen Sid was on their side.

His gaze swept across the group landing on someone he thought looked familiar. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, much like Roxas. He sat next to a guy with brown hair, who was next to a girl that had blue hair and purple eyes. She was glaring hatefully at Xemnas.

Axel stared at them for a second trying to recall who they were. Yen Sid broke his attention though his deep voice resounding through the room.

"As you of the In-between know, I am Yen Sid. To my right is King Mickey, next to him being Sora. There are also three here whom I do not believe any of you have met. It was presumed that they were… gone, but thanks to the help of King Mickey and Riku they were found."

Zexion noticed the cringe Sora gave at his name.

"They will be representing the Keyblade Masters today, since Sora has not yet taken the Mark of Mastery." he announced.

Now it made sense.

Terra was Aqua's friend who Xehanhort manipulated into the darkness. Axel had actually met her friend Ventus.

"Will she be able to pass unbiased judgment seeing as her and The Superior's somebody were enemies?" Zexion asked staring analytically at the girl. It was a good question and Axel felt as if the answer was no. It was obvious the girl was against anything the Organization would want.

"I am a Keyblade Master. It is part of my duty not the let any darkness of the heart to persuade my opinions." Aqua said icily. Axel could have sworn he saw Zexion roll his eyes and Saix quietly growled.

"Now that, that is out of the way, state your case." Yen Sid said. Xemnas stepped forward.

"As Zexion revealed to Yen Sid, my long lost son returned to seek revenge on me. He was more powerful that we thought and had control over the castle and nearly took my Organization. In the final battle, we lost two of our members, XIV and XV, also known as Rexial and Tryxel." he began.

"They fought valiantly and if it weren't for them, Kohaku would still be alive,. They used their joint attack, Shadow Flame, to banish him from the castle. Unfortunately, the two went along with him thus sending them to an unknown world. VIII and VI have been trying to find them all of this time. They did not bask in the peace. Neither did Tryxel's brother, Saix. We are here today to ask of you to open the doors to the Pure Worlds. We cannot open them alone. We need the Light Key also. We do not have any hidden agendas. All that we want is to retrieve the two girls." Xemnas finished stepping back.

Sora was nodding in agreement seemingly all ready taken, just about forgetting that Zexion was there. Who knows? Maybe he could get him to agree to help find Riku while they were at it. Maybe even Kairi. He couldn't deny someone finding their friends.

Aqua rolled her eyes, but they all ready knew where she was on the issue. King Mickey and Yen Sid showed no visible emotion.

"Will the two boys please step forward?" Mickey asked. Axel and Zexion nodded stepping forward.

"Please tell us why we should help." Mickey said. Axel took another step forward gazing at all of them intensely.

"The name's Axel. A-X-E-L got it memorized? So you all seem to believe we nobodies have no feelings. You got it all wrong. I love Rex. When I'm with her I feel everything I thought I couldn't. She made me feel like I had a heart again. She was, no, she is perfect. She's loyal, smart, beautiful…everything. She even loved me back. The past years have been hell for me. I just want my baby back. I'll do anything you want… just please… help me…" He said, his bravado slowly fading to sadness. He stepped back, nodding at Zexion to say his piece.

"I was one of the members of Organization XIII that firmly believed that a Nobody could not feel emotion. I was incorrect. When I met XV I felt emotion. I fell in love. I want her back, more than anything." Zexion said.

Aqua shot up shaking her head in disagreement.

"That's impossible! They're lying. Nobodies can't feel. They can't love! All they want is to get their fuck buddies back. Maybe to torture the two girls to see what made them come back after Sora killed them all!" She exclaimed angrily.

Saix's eyes turned yellow, the Superior had to calm him down before he went Berserk. Axel growled small flames flicking around his body as he tried to control his temper.

FUCK BUDDIES? Rexial was the love of his life and this bitch, who knows nothing, is standing here ruining his chances! He tried to summon his Chakrams forgetting that he couldn't. Zexion placed an arm on his shoulder calming him slightly.

"May I show you proof?" He asked Yen Sid. The magician nodded and Zexion summoned his Lexicon.

"Zexion you were supposed to put that away!" The Superior hissed. Zexion waved him off before chanting a spell. Before them a scene unfolded. From Zexion's point of view, they saw Axel curled up on his bed sobbing uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face as he stared at the one picture he had of Rexial. Zexion then stepped forward talking to him as the scene disappeared.

"Yen Sid can verify that this was a true memory. It was not conjured by magic, but from me. We can feel emotion." Zexion said glaring at the blue haired female. She huffed rolling her eyes once again.

"Well, this has been more than enough. Wait here while we come to a decision in the King's Chambers." Yen Sid said before they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Axel was breathing hard as well as Saix. This is why the light and dark cold never get along. They had come there peaceful and with the utmost respect only to get spit on like dark. Hadn't they left them alone for years?

Zexion stood silently, staring at the floor. This was Zexion Blank Face: "I'm extremely pissed off." Axel decided to brush aside his anger a little to comfort the other.

"Hey Zex, it's okay. Yen Sid and Sora will help us out. And if those two are in, I'm sure King Mickey and the others will too." he said, placing a hand on the other's shoulder. Zexion silently nodded.

"You two should control your anger. You're only proving to be filled with dark. How will that help?" Xemnas scolded.

"Us? SHE threw the hissy fit!" Axel yelled, defensively.

"I could have mauled her." Saix growled.

Xemnas just gave them disapproving scowls. "Just watch it. If she wants to be an ass then let that be on her. Be the better people."

Zexion nearly rolled his eyes at the man's fatherly lecture.

"Do you think they'll really grant us permission, VIII?" Zexion asked quietly. Axel sighed.

"I don't know buddy. I don't know."


"Yes." Sora said with no hesitation.

"Yes." from Ventus.

"Yes." from Terra.

Aqua shrieked.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she screamed. "You are all willing to let, to let monsters in the worlds of innocent people? Do you want to wipe out everything?"

"Aqua, calm down." Terra tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but the girl spun around and slapped his hand away.

"Don't. touch me. Are you stupid, Ter? Think about this!" Black tendrils started to swirl off of her.

Ventus and Sora looked at each other.

"Yen Sid said their intentions were pure. He can read into their being, Aqua. He knows better than we do." Terra said calmly.

"Aqua, it's best that you calm down." Mickey told the girl.

"NO!" she shouted.

Her eyes flashed solid lavender and the lights flickered just before she passed out.

"Aqua!" Ventus called and ran to the girl along with Terra. Sora stood there in complete shock.

"And that…" Yen Sid said, "is what happens when you let the darkness in your heart invade."


Yen Sid and King Mickey returned without the rest of the Light Team.

"Your permission to the Pure Worlds has been granted." King Mickey stated, tossing a the Light Key to Zexion. It was a plain silver key that radiated with light, had Zexion not been wearing gloves, the light would have burned his skin.

"Thank you. I do not know how we could ever repay you." Zexion said.

"Just… prove those like Aqua wrong. We believe in you." Mickey said with a wink.

"That key has a spell that allows anyone to wield it, so guard it with your life. It is unsure how long this will last. The best of luck to you both." Yen Sid said to Axel and Zexion just before the two left.

"Wow, they let us in." Axel said in disbelief, poking the Key then snatching his finger away quickly with a hiss of pain. "Pure light, damn that stings."

"We may have a time limit. We need to go soon." Zexion said.

"First," Xemnas cut in, "I have some things you may need back at the castle. We'll make it quick."