Author's Note: So, after this, only five more chapters to go. I wonder how you guys are feeling about Zexion? I didn't exactly plan him out to have a huge part, but I think he could be just as despised as Xemnas. I don't own these characters and I suppose I'm not very good at taking care of other people's property since some major damage has happened to some of Square Enix's characters.
Also, a big thanks goes out to lovelyxpeach and xoxheart for pushing what my editor lovingly called "this train wreck" further.
And this is a first for Hero, this chapter is just one continuous narrative. None of those horizontal line breaks. It's not all that interesting, ha ha. Enjoy!
Don't Be Afraid
His blood came back to him but it pumped so slowly, as if with trepidation. It peered around every corner in his veins and arteries just so uncertain of the cocktail of emotions that boiled and sizzled. He was barely aware of Saix pressing the executioner's gun into his hands or of Luxord beckoning him forward. Vexen sneered at Axel as he followed Luxord out. When Axel didn't move, Zexion bumped arms with him and led him into the hallway.
"What's going on? What happened while I was gone?" Axel asked Zexion.
"Something that was bound to happen eventually," Zexion replied mysteriously. Axel was irritated but came to see Zexion's curtness as a personal triumph; Zexion was still pissed about Axel's comments last night. He had gotten under Zexion's skin.
Axel was going to ask Zexion something obnoxious and off topic but his breath was sealed tight as he recognized Riku being half dragged by Lexaeus into the room Luxord had disappeared into. Riku was limping heavily and lurched awkwardly when he lost his balance because his hands were tied. Axel's brain short-circuited. So Riku was alive, which he had come to believe was a good thing, however he was being led into the execution room. Apparently Xemnas was incredibly pissed. Axel now came to see that the torture he was ordered to exact on Riku was because Xemnas wanted to shatter Axel's humanity. So the execution was to further plunge Axel's morals into blood, then. Axel tried working the problem of Riku's execution over in his head like a math problem. He could shoot Riku, say he put him out of his misery, but then he would be breaking his promise to Naminé and she could rightfully break her promise to him. Or he could refuse to shoot Riku which would probably lead to Riku's death anyways as well as Axel's and as a bonus Sora would probably die too. His promise to Naminé wouldn't be fulfilled either...There was no more time to think as Zexion walked into the room and Axel had no choice but to follow him.
Axel's eyes immediately sought Riku; the Twilight Town soldier was being forced to stand in the corner of the room while Lexaeus stood imposingly next to him, one of his large hands clamped on his prisoner's shoulder. Riku stared at Axel with...pity. Axel lowered his gaze to his boots. So, Riku knew about Roxas then. When he looked back up he was careful not to look over at Riku again. He surveyed the room; it was white like the torture room, however, one wall in particular was stained a murky brownish red. The stains speckled the wall along with a couple bullet holes that burrowed into the brick. Axel looked away, feeling a little disturbed, and his gaze fell on a black coated figure slumped at the foot of the wall in the corner of the room. The person's face was covered by a black bag and his hands were tied behind his back. He was breathing steadily but in a slightly pained way.
"You have interfered with my examination, Luxord," Vexen complained, casting his fuming gaze over the person crouching in the corner. "My methods of examination are far more complex than simple brutalization. This tampers with my results."
"You'll have to speak with the General, Vexen. I didn't authorize the traitor's torture nor did I actually do it. Besides," Luxord said with a grin as he put his hand on the bag covering the person's head. "You're the rabbit in his hat. The magician knows all his own secrets; you're just the prop. It wouldn't matter how you handle him. He's probably prepared for any and all of your strings and slights of hand. Like I said, the rabbit holds no magic, only the magician does."
Luxord pulled the bag off with a flourish to reveal Marluxia. He stared wearily up at Luxord and Vexen.
"What the hell?" Axel said as he stepped forward to frown down at Marluxia confusedly. Axel looked to Luxord who stared back coolly. "Seriously, what have I missed?"
"While you were traipsing around in enemy territory this traitor attempted to assassinate me," Vexen spat, pointing at Marluxia who grinned. Vexen gazed coldly upon Marluxia, his frigid eyes attempting to wilt the other man's pride. "Luckily the General was well aware of the situation."
"I believe it was Zexion who orchestrated yesterday's mission," Lexaeus said. From Lexaeus' side, Riku made a scathing, tempered noise in the back of his throat.
Instead of nodding gratefully for the praise like he usually would, Zexion's gaze flickered to Axel before he stared hard at the wall. Axel felt his blood begin to boil. He was definitely missing some puzzle pieces.
"Yes, your vanishing act had you reappear in our cage, didn't it, Marluxia?" Luxord asked.
"So it seems," Marluxia said humbly. "He truly does trust no one. The General said he was taking all the soldiers in his inner circle away for the day. I shouldn't be so surprised to say that he lied to me."
"No, especially since you are not the only wild card in the deck. Speaking of which," Luxord turned away from Marluxia and looked to the door. "She's late for a very important date."
"Where are you taking me? Goddamn it, I'm still part of the Organization. Tell me!" Larxene snarled from the hallway.
"She's as subtle as an angry rattle snake," Luxord remarked with an amused grin as he leered down on Marluxia. "Why would you ever wager your chances with her?"
"I wouldn't be so arrogant. She had you fooled for the longest time," Marluxia said as he watched Larxene be paraded into the room by Xaldin. She twisted in Xaldin's grasp and Zexion had to step away to avoid her trashing foot. Larxene paused in her tirade as Marluxia said, "Besides, I needed her more for her strength than ingenuity. Larxene, do not be afraid."
"I'm not fucking afraid, Marluxia!" she screeched, again struggling in Xaldin's grasp. Lexaeus stepped away from Riku and helped Xaldin to subdue her. Together, but with great difficulty, Lexaeus and Xaldin forced Larxene to kneel next to Marluxia. She bent to the floor with a heart-tearing scream. She pushed her back up against the wall and lashed out with her foot at Xaldin and Lexaeus. The two soldiers backed away from her, Lexaeus returning to the wall and Xaldin moving to Luxord's side.
"I think I'll stay just to be ascertained that she causes no more trouble," Xaldin chuckled dryly to Luxord.
Axel had been keeping an eye on Riku, thinking that maybe while Lexaeus and the others were distracted by Larxene he might be able to steal Riku away. Riku didn't seem all that afraid though, in fact he seemed to be looking down at Larxene and Marluxia with the same pitying expression he had looked at Axel with. Axel watched Marluxia lean to the side to whisper something to Larxene. Larxene stared hard at the wall opposite to her without blinking, like she was trying to burn a hole through it with her gaze. Every once in a while she would let something slither out of the corner of her mouth and Marluxia would pause in his whispering and continue when Larxene's mouth twisted tight again. Axel wasn't sure who he felt sorrier for; for Larxene who was trying so desperately to keep up her tough act in her final minutes or Marluxia who was trying to slip his final words through the cracks in Larxene's attitude.
"Very well, Xaldin," Luxord said with a dip of his head. He walked over to stand before Marluxia. Luxord pulled out his revolver, inserted a single bullet, spun the cylinder and pulled the hammer back as he aimed the gun at Marluxia's knee. "Let us begin.
"I believe you know the rules, Marluxia," Luxord said in a regulatory tone. "I ask you a question and you supply an answer. If you supply a worthy answer I don't supply the possibility of a bullet to your knee. Do these rules sound fair?"
"I've already been pressed for answers, Luxord. I have nothing left to tell," Marluxia said steadily as he looked past the nose of the gun and up at Luxord. Each man wore a face perfect for poker.
Without even a twitch in his expression, Luxord pulled the trigger and the room echoed with the thunder from the gun and Larxene's wild scream. Marluxia bent awkwardly over his knee, his shoulders heaved strangely what with his hands being bound behind his back.
"What the hell is wrong with you? He answered your question. He played your stupid game," Larxene spat at Luxord as he loaded another bullet into the gun. "You bastard! You shouldn't have-"
Without spinning the cylinder, Luxord pointed the barrel of the gun in Larxene's face, silencing her mid-shriek.
"Unlike you I haven't flouted the rules of the Organization once," Luxord said quite calmly. Axel pictured the bearded man as a professor pointing out a pupil's errors and trying to explain with metaphors and euphemisms exactly how Larxene was wrong. "I play my hand fairly and follow the rules as set by the General because that is what I signed up for. In order to play for General Xemnas one has to agree to the rules; I did as did you and every other soldier in this room. Granted, all of us will be playing with different hands and different strengths as suited to each person, but that does not mean that the rules change to accustom the cards each person possesses. With dedication, cunning and of course luck we learn how to play within the rules and hopefully walk away successful. This you did not do.
"When you prevented Lexaeus from ensnaring his target you shook the thin wire our missions treaded upon. Luckily Zexion's cunning and the General's perseverance allowed for the target to be annihilated as planned. The mission was a gamble from the start but the die that was cast fell on a favourable number for the Organization."
Maybe it was shock that prevented Axel from whirling around and unloading all the bullets his gun held on Zexion, but all he could do was stand on the spot and stare wide eyed at the back of Luxord's head as the bearded man leaned over Larxene. Now wasn't the time to think of the train wreck smouldering behind him; there was one unfolding before him as he watched Larxene's fearful eyes narrow scornfully behind the barrel of a gun.
"When questioned, Marluxia said that his reason for the betrayal was because the General strictly forbids the fraternizing of a pawn like yourself, Larxene, with a knight like Marluxia. I have difficulty believing that simply because the two of you cannot move as equals you thought it best to upset the board. Perhaps with a bit of play Larxene may be willing to answer the riddle."
Larxene's gaze slipped from the black, dead-end barrel to Marluxia who had raised his head just enough to peer at Larxene through his bangs. Axel felt like patting Marluxia on the back and saying 'sorry, man' when Larxene turned her face away and stared scornfully at her boots. Marluxia smiled genuinely enough through the pain, so maybe Larxene could actually express intense emotions that weren't somehow related to rage. Axel felt the same disgust for Luxord as he had felt when Riku had made Larxene scream, but not because she screamed now, because the small tremors in her jaw and rapid blinking of her eyes meant she was trying very hard not to cry.
"Larxene," Marluxia hissed through the pain as he forced himself to sit up a little straighter. "D-don't be afraid."
Larxene whirled on the wounded man. "Marluxia, I am N-NOT-"
Marluxia lunged with an agonized grunt and snatched the revolver from Luxord's hand. No one else but Axel had a firearm and so everyone stayed frozen or backed up a step, save for Luxord. Luxord just folded his hands behind his back and bowed his head with an amused grin on his face. Marluxia pushed his back up against the wall and raised the gun with his one hand while cradling the other. Marluxia's wrists' were rubbed raw from the rope he'd been pulling at for the last hour and the hand he cradled looked odd like a branch with crooked twigs. If he could be grateful for one thing that happened during his torture it was that Lexaeus had stomped his fingers to dust and so they slipped out of the rope easier than whole ones. Marluxia pulled the hammer back and aimed the barrel at Luxord's chest.
Luxord chuckled as he said, "You have one shattered leg, one mangled hand and one bullet. Unless we all stand frozen at the shock of one person's death you will not be getting out of here without further harm."
Marluxia stared calmly up at Luxord and his breathing quieted. Beside him, Larxene shifted to stare at the gun in Marluxia's hand to Marluxia's face, searching between the man and the machine for some hint of where that chunk of metal would be sinking into.
"I know I will not be getting out of this room alive or," Marluxia gasped out a ragged laugh, "or even in one piece. I can't bargain my way out either, you'll just have Axel shoot me."
"Hmm," Luxord puzzled, "There are seven people who you may wish to kill in this room so we all have a seventh of a chance to be randomly shot; those odds are already better than the ones I place on the people I question. Of course we aren't merely plastic or marble pieces on a board so we have to deduce who is the most important for you to shoot."
Axel thought back and tried to remember if there had ever been a time when he'd pissed off Marluxia. Surely the sting of the bullet nestled into Marluxia's leg was fresher than anything he'd ever done to the man. From the corner of the room Zexion made a small swallowing noise that would have been hidden by a murmur, but the room was silent. Marluxia grinned in Zexion's direction.
"Y-you're very intelligent, Zexion. Xemnas w-would probably consider you for my replacement b-before considering Vexen," Marluxia huffed. "Torture, ha, i-is rather painful. Don't be afraid."
With a shaking hand, Marluxia turned the gun on Larxene. She had just enough time to scream his name before Marluxia pulled the trigger. After the bullet burst her skull Marluxia refused to look at her body. Axel could sympathize; as much as he wanted to keep looking at Roxas as he died, he wished he could shove Roxas' final moments from his mind and recall only the smiles, loving looks and sleeping faces he had seen on his friend's face. Roxas had been alive during those moments and that's how Axel wanted to think of him.
"Well played," Luxord said softly as Marluxia slid the revolver to bump against Luxord's boot. The bearded soldier bent to retrieve his gun. As he straightened up he smiled sadly at Marluxia. "But your own pain will double before I order Axel to shoot you, I'm afraid."
Marluxia nodded dully.
"After committing such a crime how could I ever beg for mercy?" Marluxia asked dolefully. His eyes flickered up and to catch Axel's gaze. Man, did those words ever sound like the ghosts of Axel's thoughts the night before.
Axel exhaled without a sound and winked at Marluxia, his smile set into a gritted grin. Everyone in the room jumped when Axel pulled the trigger and shot Marluxia. All eyes turned to him and the smoking gun in his hand.
"Oops," Axel said, scratching the back of his head with mock embarrassment, "Butterfingers."
"An accident? Unlikely!" Vexen fumed as he stepped over Larxene's body, warily avoiding the little bits of her like a pool of thrown up spaghetti. Vexen got within a few feet of Axel, likely wanting to keep some distance between them in case Axel had another 'oops' moment, and continued his rant. "Even someone who spends his life working with test tubes and flasks knows that guns do not fire accidentally like that. It's ridiculous! As is the fact that the General allows this-"
"I wouldn't speak ill of the General, Vexen," Lexaeus said, his voice warned like thunder before a storm. Vexen's anger stuttered and he took the break in his tirade to compose himself again.
"Have it your way, Lexaeus. However, I still hold firm to the belief that this mutt," Vexen sneered at Axel who just rolled him eyes, "ought to be on a shorter leash."
"If you feel so passionately about that issue then perhaps you could inform the General about the executions for me?" Zexion asked, creeping from the corner to stand in the middle of the room. Zexion turned from an indignant Vexen to a fatigued Riku. "I have something to discuss with Riku."
"You go too far Zexion!" Vexen snarled, whirling on Zexion and stabbing the air near Zexion's cheek with his finger. "You took that traitor's words to heart, didn't you? Well, despite what he believed I do outrank you and seeing as the events that unfolded were between Riku and I then I ought to stay and you ought to-"
"Vexen, enough," Lexaeus said while taking a step forward and causing Vexen to take three steps back. "For one so bound to the cold, hard facts of life you have quite the temper. Zexion ought to deal with Riku for now. He is well informed of what transpired yesterday."
Grudgingly, Vexen fell silent and headed for the door. He was careful to tread on Marluxia's splayed hair as he walked by, a look on his face appropriate for someone swallowing bitter words.
"Luxord, Lexaeus, perhaps you both should accompany Vexen, seeing as you both had opportunities to question Marluxia," Xaldin said and stepped forward to stand next to Zexion. "I'll dispose of the traitors while Zexion questions Riku. Axel, you will hand over that gun to Zexion and help Zexion take Riku back to his cell after."
Axel handed over the gun while the other soldiers filed out of the room. Xaldin watched Axel carefully and Axel behaved to the best of his ability, taking Lexaeus' place next to Riku. Lexaeus didn't say a word to Axel but he patted the young soldier's shoulder as he passed causing Axel's knees to buckle. The other soldiers might say that Lexaeus just didn't know his own strength but that was a naked lie. Lexaeus knew where his strengths lay; the warning gleam in his eyes carried the promise of more 'friendly taps' should Axel decide to get slippery with his actions again. Maybe that was why Lexaeus paired with Zexion more and more frequently, Axel mused. Yeah, those two teamed up 'cause Zexion had brains and Lexaeus had muscles.
The room was clear except for Xaldin as he pecked away at his cleanup duty like a large, black vulture.
"You may sit down if you like, Riku," Zexion said and motioned to the floor.
"No thanks," Riku wheezed and swayed on the spot as he took the pressure off his one leg. Axel thought about punting Riku in his bad leg just so the ragged soldier could sit and keep his pride out of Zexion's claws, but he'd done enough good deeds today and was rather sick of how they made him feel.
"Understood," Zexion said with a slight nod. "I just thought taking a seat might alleviate your pain."
Riku remained silent.
"I admit that the execution did not go as planned," Zexion confessed, his hand over his heart in mock sincerity. Axel chuckled but when Zexion turned to look at him he passed his laughter off as a cough. Zexion turned back to Riku. "In some ways it is a good thing. The initial idea was to have you present during the questioning because, I'm assuming it was much to your surprise that Marluxia attempted to assassinate Vexen while you were being questioned and advertently release you. We did not gain information however you did today, Riku."
Riku made a disbelieving noise in the back of his throat and Axel couldn't help raising his own eyebrow. Axel was pretty sure Riku knew by now what the dangers of guns were. Zexion ignored the tugs of scepticism at his platform and continued speaking with suppressed anger.
"The deaths in this room were done sloppily but I expected no less given the executioner."
"Aw, Zex, you just like pissing on my parade," Axel said with a faulty whine in his voice. "And here I was aiming to be an amazing murderer. You just shot my dreams to hell, man."
"No, Axel," Zexion turned slowly to face him, "I believe you did that to yourself when you pulled the trigger on that medic yesterday."
Axel might have actually snarled as he tore away from Riku's side, his fist drawn back and eyes blazing.
"You fucker! You-" but Zexion nimbly stepped back and aimed the gun at Axel's distorted face.
"Zexion! Do you have the situation under control?" Xaldin asked as he lifted Larxene's tarp wrapped body over his shoulders.
"Yes, Xaldin," Zexion said with a bow of his head as he quickly lowered the gun. He stared at Axel as he said, "The truth is often met with displeasure because it is such a strong medicine."
Xaldin nodded and carried Larxene's body out the door. Xaldin's slow and heavy footsteps masked Axel's deep breathing. He turned away from Zexion, blinded by anger and pain, only to meet Riku's eyes. There was the pity again. Axel jerkily faced the corner and squeezed the bridge of his nose, his finger tips pushed down on his tear ducts.
"It seems that you've heard through the grapevine that Roxas died yesterday," Zexion said to Riku. "Like I said, a very sloppy death. I suppose you feel bad judging by the contempt in your eyes but the knowledge that Roxas suffered greatly does not break you like it breaks Axel."
Axel pressed harder against his nose, his teeth attempted to grind each other down while his eyes squeezed shut and his ears relied on their ringing to shut out Zexion's voice. Of course the words sliced through anyway.
"I wonder what would, Riku? I wonder..." Zexion puzzled, "Would you be able to do for Sora as Marluxia did for Larxene today?"
Axel heard all too clearly the frayed breath Riku took in and it ran threw him as easily as any knife could.
"Hmmm," Zexion murmured suggestively as his footsteps took him closer to the door. "We shall see, I suppose. Take him back to his cell, Axel. I'm done with this."
Zexion left the room but his effect lingered on like smoke from a drenched fire. Riku slid down the wall and landed in a sodden state on the floor. Though there was no one else watching Riku, and Axel would in no doubt get in trouble for having his back turned to Riku when Xaldin came back to haul Marluxia away, but Axel just couldn't drag his eyes open and over to his prisoner.
Zexion must have slipped one of Vexen's torture potions into me somehow. There's no way, there's no way my body could hurt this bad all on its own, Axel thought. Maybe it's Roxas raising hell on my mind. If that's true then go ahead, babe. I deserve it and, oh, I almost need it. Axel opened his eyes.
He had something to do first before he drowned himself in his thoughts. Axel jammed his thumbs into the corners of his eyes and turned around. Riku was a sad puppet with broken strings and limp limbs. His eyes were deadened with worry and his mouth was slightly ajar as if he had stopped working halfway through a sentence. Without looking at Axel, Riku's lips came back to life and spoke to his enemy.
"I...fucked up."
"Nah, I doubt that," Axel replied, his eyes downcast and lips smiling ironically. "I think you just got fucked."
"Fuck you!" Riku snarled, becoming very animated in his hate. His face whipped around to leer at Axel as he snapped, "Your jokes don't help anymore! Not after that. Not after Roxas. You grasp the concept of death, right? He's not coming back. Ever!"
"Goddamn it, I know! And I don't need you reminding me, Twilight Trash!" Axel barked.
There was a tense silence where both boys did nothing but stare in opposite directions with set jaws. After a moment, their hackles came down and their jaws unlocked.
"Even if I think you're a bastard, that was cruel," Riku murmured to his lap. He chuckled grimly, "That was something you Organization idiots would say. Sorry."
"Nah, I think I need a good slapping around. I think I'm...slipping a bit. But I'll take the apology for Roxas' sake. And, uh, you're right," Axel said, scratching his nose and kicking the floor with his boot. "I need to get serious."
"Yeah?" Riku asked warily while eyeing Axel suspiciously. "And what does that mean?"
"I probably shouldn't say openly considering, well," Axel's gaze wandered over to Marluxia's body.
"Fine, I get what you mean but I'm not following," Riku determinedly tore his eyes from Marluxia and stared boldly up at Axel. "I'll find my own way out."
Axel looked down with sceptical eyes at Riku's tattered body, bound hands and fragmented spirit.
"Want me to unbind you, cover my eyes and count to ten as you run away? I'll let you say you did it all on your own."
Riku glared silently up at him. Axel awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Right. No more dicking around."
Riku turned his face away and murmured hoarsely, "I don't think it'd be insane for me to say that I can't trust you after all that you've done."
"I'd question your sanity even now if I didn't know that mine left me a long time ago," Axel cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I get that you think I'm a monster 'cause I've done horrible things but, man, you've gotta see that we're both standing on opposite sides. Of course we look distorted to each other. I mean, I knew of you before the war but I heard more about how Twilight Town people are disgusting than I heard about you personally. You became something that had all those Twilight Town faults."
Riku laughed nastily and it set Axel's nerves on fire. He wasn't sure whether to feel offended or ashamed of what he had tried to eloquently explain.
"Yeah, I get it."
"Really?" Axel asked, a little too hopefully.
"You call me a monster when my hands are tied and you're gang beating me. Yeah. I get it," he said darkly.
In the silence that followed Axel could hear Xaldin's footsteps approaching from down the hall.
"Okay, yeah. I deserve that and I don't deserve denial. I don't deserve anything other than misery and woe for the rest of my life, alright?" Axel said hurriedly while trying to get the right words, the words he'd promised to Naminé, out before Xaldin entered the room. "But I've talked about me enough. So no more about me. This is for someone else because I fucked up. I fucked up."
Riku lifted his head and peered interestedly at Axel through his matted hair.
"Who are you doing this for then?" Riku asked. The footsteps were so close.
"Who else could drive me to do something this suicidal?" Axel whispered harshly. "But he's gone so I had to make the promise to someone else. To Nam-"
"Axel, isn't the prisoner meant to be locked in his cage?" Xaldin asked as he stood in the doorway, his dark eyes glanced from Axel to Riku.
"The bastard didn't feel like getting up," Axel shrugged, "And I thought you could do a better job of carrying him out after that stunning performance with Larxene."
"Very well, I'll help you escort him back seeing as your strength can't be trusted," Xaldin said and prodded at Riku with his toes. "The General will be hearing about this disobedience as well."
"So long as I don't have to run laps," Axel caught Riku's eye as Xaldin kicked the Twilight Town soldier to his feet. "That just might kill me."
Author's Note: So Marluxia and Larxene have left us. No more mysteriousness from Marluxia and no more catty remarks from Larxene. As a side note, Marluxia and Larxene aren't one of my top pairings, in fact I never really thought about them being together until this chapter came to be written. I can see them together, but I guess AkuRoku has just had the bulk of my attention. So that's why there wasn't a great deal on them, other than the fact that they had to keep their relationship secret. Sorry to anyone who does have a great affection for this pairing.