Chapter 8: Dirty Players (double-u x3 dot youtube dot com/watch?v=e8O1428i2i0)

Memo: Don't ask about the "dirty players" thing. Just popped into my head...during a memory of something...Anywho, the lyrics to Nexus's song is actually the lyrical translation of Hikari, edited to fit the situation. ^_- Got it memorized? E-to...ANAL SEEPAGE!! lol don't ask and just... Read, please...

*~*~*

"Though I've gone on living, forgetting fate, just myself, no matter when, I awake in the midst of a sudden light, in the middle of the night," Nexus sang quietly. "Quietly stand at the exit and shoot a light into the darkness. Nowadays promises just make me uneasy, I guess. I just want to put my wishes into words. No matter when, it'll always be the two of us. Because no matter when, I'll be by your side. You're the light that finds me in the middle of the night. Enter a noisy street and take off the mask of fate. You're reading too far ahead. Stop such meaningless things. The future is so far ahead, I can't even understand it. Don't let this be complete, make it better because it's good to shoot one scene at a time. You're the light that reveals my trust. Let's talk some more about the tomorrow before our very eyes. Watch only me alone. No matter how often, I can't stop believing. I'll be next to you in times like those. You're the light that finds me in the middle of the night."

"What're you singing?" Axel's voice suddenly asked. Nexus gasped and turned around quickly.

"N-nothing!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms.

"It was pretty," he said, shrugging. She smiled weakly.

"Thanks, I guess."

"..."

There was an awkward silence between them both, until finally Nexus broke it.

"So, Marluxia is first, right?" she asked, grinning mischievously.
"Of course. We're taking down a pansy that controls pansies," Axel replied, laughing.

"Wow, that's true, isn't it?" Nexus giggled. "Nice way of putting it, too!"

"Of course it is. Now come on, let's go," Axel said, pulling her along.

"Now now, no need for the unnecessary tugging," Nexus whined, wrenching her arm away. "I'm not a child, Axel." Not anymore, she thought. Not after this.

"Well, sooooorrrryyy!" Axel ran off, smirking. "Let's see if you really can keep up with the big dogs!"

Nexus gasped and sprinted after Axel, and, in one swift movement, stepped on his robe. He fell face-flat on the floor. Nexus laughed triumphantly, clicking the safety catch on her gun and placing a foot on his back.

"If you're the 'big dog,' then Marluxia shouldn't be a problem!" she laughed, pointing her gun to the ceiling as if about to shoot.

"Hey, hey, hey, no gun stuff," Axel said quickly. She pouted and pocketed the gun. "Dirty player..." In realization of what he had just said, Axel and Nexus burst out laughing. Nexus removed her foot and kneeled beside him, offering her hand to help him up. Axel, still laughing, took it. Many thoughts ran through his mind as Nexus brought Axel to his feet. He was surprised at Nexus's cunning and strength, but also her loyalty. He wondered...if he could still feel, what exactly would this feeling for Nexus be? Confusion, chaos, and sadness were the only things he could remember. They were the things he knew most of all.

"I am not a dirty player, Axel, you sicko," Nexus giggled, tearing him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, didn't mean it to sound like that," he said, shaking his head and chuckling.

"Then what did you mean?"

"That you were playing dirty."

Nexus giggled and shrugged innocently. "I guess that's how the 'big dogs' do it, then, huh?"

"Shuddup." Axel gave her a small push, smirking. "Are you ready?"

"I have but one question for you."

"Shoot." Nexus raised her gun playfully. "You know what I mean, Nex."

"My question is..." Nexus giggled and twirled her gun around her fingers skillfully. "Are you prepared for the worst?"

"Uhh..."

"Didn't think so. But me neither! Okay! Let's go!"

And with that, Nexus skipped off, laughing. Axel jumped a little, then chased after her, shouting, "Get back here, you dirty player!"

Nexus's PoV

Prepared for the worst probably wasn't what Axel thought it was. I'm sure he figured it was death. But I would rather die knowing him for the only person who liked me over Sune than the worst. What was the worst? Sune's return. It would be all over if she and Axel met. Kind of like what happened with me and Ienzo.

FLASHBACK START

I tip-toed through the corridors of Ansem's enormous mansion, being careful not to knock anything over. The longer I stayed free, the better. Watching the ground, I didn't even realize I walked into someone. Slowly I raised my fourteen year-old face to a familiar one.

"Who are you?" Ienzo asked, waving a strand of his blueish hair away.

"N-nexus," I whispered. He was...

"Oh, that's right, I knew that. I just never see you." He looked around quickly. "I, uh, I had better go, okay? See you again?"

"Maybe, but maybe not."

"I hope so."

My heart flipped as he walked off, but not before tossing a brilliant smile my way.

*~*~*

"Ienzo?" I whispered, creeping around where he and Elaeus could usually be found.

"Who's there?"

"It's only me, Nexus," I said.

"Oh, uh..." Ienzo walked into my line of sight. My heart pounded. "What's up?"

"I-I just wanted to say hi again. I never get to see you."

"Isn't it supposed to be that way, though?"

"Huh?"

"Isn't Sune supposed to be around all the time, and not you? You're the bad side, right?"

I could practically feel my heart breaking. "But I'm not bad! I'm only her opposite!"

"Exactly. Sune's so good inside, so you must be bad, right?"

"No! No, I'm not!"

"Well, whatever." Tears filled my eyes as he walked away.

*~*~*

"IENZO!" I shouted, running around frantically.

"Sune?!"

"No, no, it's..."

"Nexus..."

He walked out of the shadows, an unpleasant smirk on his face.

"Please, Ienzo, you can't do this," I pleaded, tugging his arm.

"It's too late now, Nexus. There's nothing you can do. But, wait, you are a part of Sune, right? She feels what you feel and vice versa, right?" I nodded. Then the unexpected happened. Ienzo leaned in and kissed me. "Tell Sune I love her."

"Then do something for me," I said, anger rising in my voice.

"What?"

"Don't forget me."

FLASHBACK END

I never told her. I knew she knew, so what was the point of humiliating myself? One thing was for sure, though. I couldn't let that happen to Axel. Never.

"Nex? Hello? Snap out of it!" Axel shouted, shaking me by the shoulders. "You ready to do this or not?"

"Yes," I murmured, nodding and narrowing my eyes. "Get rid of him so I can get my revenge."

"Oookay, someone got mad all of a sudden."

I sighed through my nose, tears filling my eyes.

"Hey, hey, we can do this together, right? You and me?" My heart felt light and happy with hope.

"You and me."

*~*~*

Nexus and Axel appeared in the room suddenly, surprising Marluxia.

"You two are fools to show yourselves around here, traitors!" he spat.

"Hah! You don't even know how it is to deal with REAL traitors!" Nexus shouted back, clenching her fists. Axel placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back.

"Traitor?" he said in a calm voice. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why did you let her go? You and your cursed meddling! He was ours! The Keyblade master could have been our slave!" Marluxia screamed.

" Right, your big plan," Axel replied, laughing through his nose. "You use Namine to rewrite Sora's memory piece by piece. He becomes her puppet. Then, using Namine and Sora, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Did I get it right? 'Cause that would make YOU the traitor, Marluxia. Not me or Nexus. And besides, Nexus didn't have anything to do with it."

"But you eliminated Vexen!" Marluxia turned to Nexus. "And you aren't even a real Nobody, are you?" Nexus giggled and shrugged.

"Yeah, come to think of it. So what? All I did was weed the garden. And I had to be sure you two trusted me and Nexus."

"I see...a double agent. You've been investigating our conspiracy from the start."

"Moving on...I believe you ordered me to 'rid us of our traitors'..." Axel summoned his chakrams to his side, smirking. "I always follow orders, Marluxia."

"No, you don't," Nexus said, gasping. "That's a lie! Dirty player!"

Axel and Nexus burst out laughing, and slowly Nexus loaded her gun.

"Dirty players stick together, right, Nex?" Axel asked, approaching Marluxia.

"Oh, yes. I concur," Nexus replied, giggling a little.

"Larxene payed the price for disloyalty, and you're next, Marluxia. In the name of the Organization you betrayed, we will annihilate you!" Axel shouted.

"Go ahead, then--strike!" Marluxia said, a devilish grin appearing on his face. Before either Nexus or Axel could do anything, Namine suddenly appeared in between Axel and Nexus and Marluxia.

"Namine!?" Nexus cried. "What are you doing?!"

"What kind of game is this?" Axel demanded. "You think cowering behind Namine will stop me? Think again. Your little mascot can keep you company in the void. Farewell, Marluxia."

"Axel, wait," Nexus pleaded.

"Oh, I think not. Are you listening, Sora?" Marluxia called out. Nexus gasped as Sora and co. ran onto the scene.

"Sora!? You idiot!" Nexus shouted, shaking her head.

"Huh?" Axel said, raising an eyebrow.

"Axel is willing to harm Namine just to get at me! Destroy him!" Marluxia shouted, vanishing with Namine. Sora got into his fighting stance.

"Well, well, Sora. Marluxia made you his puppet after all," Axel muttered.

"Never," Sora said. "After I finish you, he's next."

"What about Nexus?"

"Yeah, what about me?" Nexus said, stomping her foot. "I just HATE being left out." She was being honest, too.

"Fine, whatever. You can go with Axel."

"Hmm... Listen, Sora. We've got more in common than you think. I'd rather not fight you...but I do have a reputation to think of!" Axel readied his chakrams, and Nexus loaded her gun. Sora swung his keyblade in a threatening way, Donald and Goofy got into their fighting stances, and the battle began.

How stupid, Nexus thought, that I'm fighting the good guy, when I'm a good guy, too. This is pointless. What is Axel gonna get out of this, anyway? Is it really for his reputation? Or is it to test him? Either way, it was still stupid to Nexus.

Suddenly she saw a blast of ice coming her way. Shrieking, she hopped out of the way and fired a shot at Donald. She knew better than to hurt Sora, but Donald she didn't give a sh!t. But before she could do anything else, she felt something hard hit her head from behind. She coughed a little and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, and she was surprised to see a little blood. It must've been coming from her nose, she decided, because she couldn't really taste the blood too well. As she turned around to strike back, she saw Axel grab her arm.

"Nex, you--" he gasped.

"What?!" she shrieked, her eyed widening.

"You're hurt..."

"I'm alright."

"Eh, well, we'd better call it quits anyway. I don't want Sora to get himself hurt, either."

"Um, okay," she said, nodding.

"You're not half bad," Axel said, facing Sora. "Looks like it was worth saving your hide after all."

"Saving me?" Sora half-shouted, lowering his keyblade. "What do you mean?"

"Sorry...I'd hate to kill the suspense." Axel took Nexus's arm and dragged her away into a portal.

Nexus's PoV

Axel pushed me into a portal, and I could hear Sora calling our names. But he didn't stop for Sora. He continued until we were far away. It made me feel like we were running away from home. And that would happen soon! We would be able to leave this place! And then what would happen?

"Nex? You okay?" Axel asked me suddenly.

"Um, yeah, why?" I answered.

"Your face is all red."

"Ummm..."

"What were you thinking about?"

"......Revenge..."