Organization and Family
Xigbar was watching Xemnas with a kind of quiet curiousness. It was really something, how far they had come. It was ten years or so ago that he had first met Xehanort, a space-cadet of a young man. Oh, he was a brilliant scientist, when he wasn't carrying on animated conversations with the refrigerator or the paintings in the hallway or the lounge curtains. Braig had wondered for weeks where Ansem the Wise had found this kid, and eventually Xehanort became less spacey and more like a normal human being. He was the most brilliant of all of them, rivaling the dream team of Even and Ienzo all by himself. It was Ienzo's silver tongue that had gotten them their lab, but it was Xehanort who had pushed their research further than it had ever been, leading them into the Darkness.
Xigbar was quite sure it would one day be romanticized into the history books; possibly something quaint about the "Fall of Radiant Garden". Who would history place the blame on? The king who could not control his apprentices, the child-apprentice who talked the king into giving them the tools they needed, or the apprentices who continued even after they were told to stop? Personally, Xigbar figured they couldn't blame Ienzo. He had been young, eager to learn. They who were older should have put a stop to it. But they didn't. Something about Xehanort made them want to follow where he led. It was the same something that had drawn them together as an Organization years later, when suddenly that space-cadet man who talked to refrigerators was the one they were calling 'Superior'.
Speaking of the Superior…
He didn't talk to curtains anymore, but Xemnas was still just the slightest bit off in the head. Xigbar had noticed even before their strange rebirth. A piece of that man was somewhere else, some other place and time, lost in memories none of them knew the first thing about. Xigbar had spied enough to know it was something to do with the Chambers. Repose and Waking. What did Xemnas hope to find? Was that why he wanted Kingdom Hearts? Did he think it would help him find the Chamber of Waking? What did he think was in there? Too many questions, but Xigbar wouldn't pry. He would follow Xemnas to the ends of the universe, just as Braig had followed Xehanort unquestioningly into the Darkness.
A dark portal flickered into existence across the room, and Xaldin stepped out. All of them were thankful that their ability to manipulate the portals was one that had remained. Even as humans, they were close enough to the Dark to manipulate it some. Xaldin strode across the room to where they were sitting, and said in a quiet voice, "The keybearers have completely left Never Was, as have any stragglers to the Organization."
Xemnas finally looked up from where he had been staring sightlessly at the floor. "Who was there?"
"Zexion was there briefly, and Vexen was in the labs." Xaldin replied. "Both have departed, for where I do not know. Axel was with the Keybearer, as was Roxas."
"Thirteen received a heart…" Xemnas mused. "Though he was the only one of us to return to his Somebody, Kingdom Hearts granted him individuality as well. Interesting…" A smile that seemed slightly crazed, to Xigbar at least, spread over his face. "Well then… It is time for us to return to Never Was."
xXx
The seven from Castle Oblivion were on their way back to the Destiny Islands. Riku had taken the girls in his ship, leaving Axel, Roxas, and Sora to take the Highwind back. Sora had turned the autopilot on again, and they were sitting in almost complete silence around the back room. He had gotten Roxas to tell him about Xion, but once that topic was exhausted, they lapsed into silence, not wanting to bring up the other topic that all of them questioned to some extent.
It was Roxas who finally worked up the nerve to look at his best friend. "Axel… about Oblivion…" he began hesitantly. "Is it true? Did you… murder people?"
Axel sighed. "I don't think that I've told anyone the whole truth about Oblivion, or anything. Yeah, Rox. I killed them. At least, Vexen and Zexion I did. Marluxia and Larxene had it coming. They betrayed us. Sora, you remember, they wanted to use you as a weapon to take over the Organization."
Sora nodded. "I remember you… setting Vexen on fire. I didn't understand…"
"Vexen… had been doing sensitive research on Replicas." Axel explained quietly. "He got in a bad way with Marluxia. In hindsight, he shouldn't have ventured aboveground at all, and he would have lived to return to Never Was. But he took you to that memory-world of Twilight Town, and Marluxia ordered me to kill him before he could tell you anything vital about the Organization or Roxas.
"At that point, I was angry, too. If you were to learn of Roxas… I was certain you wouldn't rest until you'd found him and taken him away from us… from me. So it was anger and spite that killed Vexen as well. Zexion… was another story."
Sora blinked. "I never met Zexion in Oblivion. Was he working with you?"
Axel shook his head. "Zexion stayed in the basement where he belonged. He and Lexaeus were coddling Riku, but we didn't know that at the time. That's not why he died." He glanced at Roxas. "Do you know about me and Saïx?"
"You joined the Organization at the same time." Roxas said. "Wait… Is this about that memory Zexion showed us, you and him talking about a 'plan'?"
"Right." Axel twiddled his thumbs absently for a moment. "Isa and Lea were best friends as Somebodies. When we joined the Organization, we realized that the Elders were taking everything too slow and careful. We made a plan to get as close to Xemnas as we could, and push his plans to happen faster. But there were… obstacles." He held up both hands, waving one. "Xigbar and Xaldin, they were content to follow Xemnas, no questions asked. Those two were the most loyal out of everyone… well, at the time. Obviously Xaldin went off the deep end somewhere…" He waved his other hand. "Anyway, it was the other Elders we had to worry about. Vexen was smart, despite his temper and all other unpleasant personality traits. Zexion had the Superior's ear, and Lexaeus would follow Zexion to the ends of the universe. He was more devoted to that kid than he was to Xemnas, that's for sure."
"So you needed a way to surpass them?" Roxas asked.
"'Surpass' isn't the best word." Axel said. "Saïx put together the team who went to Castle Oblivion. He was pretty much second-in-command by that point, but there were still the other Elders to deal with. Oblivion was an unspoken communication between us. Obviously it was to rid our Order of traitors, but it was to further our own plan too. Vexen sealed his own fate, and Lexaeus met his end at Riku's hand. But Zexion… I killed Zexion because that's how Saïx would have wanted it. Zex was closest to the Superior, and that was the position Saïx needed to have."
Sora flinched, and Roxas shivered, and Axel shook his head. "But that's over. Rox, you and Xion showed me that maybe our plan wasn't the best idea, and I regret killing Zex and Vexen. I sincerely regret it." He sighed. "All the way to the top, I opened the way for him… and he still managed to trip on the way up. Now I see it wasn't worth it. I lied to both of you, especially you, Roxas, so much…"
"Don't worry about me." Sora said. When Axel looked at him questioningly, he elaborated, "I doubt I would have listened to you then, if you had tried to explain anything to me. I didn't want to hear what any of you were saying. Vexen tried to tell me that Riku was a fake, and I didn't listen. It took Larxene literally beating it into me for it to sink in."
Axel nodded silently, astonished at how easily his sins were forgiven. But one tiny corner of his mind pointed out that this was still Sora, the same Sora who had convinced himself that Riku wasn't giving in to the Darkness. Of course Sora would forgive him. He looked over at Roxas warily. The blond had always been much more sensitive about being lied to.
Roxas was staring at the floor of the ship, deep in thought. "…You were trying to protect me, weren't you?" he asked. Before Axel could answer, he continued, "You knew it was either me or Xion, and I didn't want to listen either. I guess I can't blame you for trying to keep me safe from Riku. After all, look at where leaving got me." He got up and walked over to sit next to the redhead, leaning on his shoulder absently. "It's my fault too."
"Aww, it's okay. As long as you forgive me, Roxy!" The sappy words and their meaning were effectively killed by the use of the nickname and the wicked grin on Axel's face. Roxas reached up to smack him, and it dissolved into a scuffle on the floor, which Sora quickly excused himself from, laughing as he went to check the autopilot.
xXx
They arrived home first, disembarking on the play island. It was only a short wait before Riku and the girls arrived as well, and they set off in the little boats back to the mainland. Kairi and Naminé, before departing for Oblivion, had already explained the situation to Kairi's father. He was unnerved, and rather surprised at gaining another daughter so suddenly, but it didn't particularly faze him. After all, he had adopted Kairi after she appeared out of nowhere from another world. Another stray teen wasn't a big deal. It was Sora's mother they were going to have to worry about; the shock of gaining two more children might be a bit much for her.
Sora hesitantly dug in one of his many pockets, pulling out his house-key and unlocking the front door. "Mom? I'm back… Are you home?"
Mrs. Hikari hurried out of one of the rooms farther in the house, sweeping Sora into a tremendous hug that nearly crushed him. "Sora, I'm so happy you're safe!" She released him to step back and scan her eyes over the rest of the group. "Riku, Kairi, it's good to know you're okay too. Sora, who are your other friends?"
Sora hesitated, then turned to beckon Roxas and Xion forward. He indicated the blond first. "This is Roxas. He… He's my Nobody, Mom. See, in Hollow Bastion…"
"I know, Sora." Mrs. Hikari interrupted. "Riku told me everything."
Sora blinked. "Oh… But yeah, this is Roxas. And this," he said, pointing at the raven-haired girl, "is Xion. She's… Like Roxas's and my Nobody, together. But they have hearts now, so they're not Nobodies anymore." He frowned. "They're like my siblings, Mom. They can stay here, right?"
Mrs. Hikari smiled fondly. "Of course, Sora." She moved to wrap Roxas and Xion in a tight hug that left both breathless. Roxas had never had a family beside the Organization. Even in Data Twilight Town, he lived alone. His 'parents', the programs DiZ had created, were on a business trip that week. Xion had barely had the Organization, just Roxas and Axel, really. Both were overwhelmed at the amount of affection being showered on them at once.
"So, those last two are…?"
"Naminé, Kairi's former Nobody, and Axel, Roxas's best friend." Sora finished explaining. His mother looked up sharply at Axel's name.
"He was one of Organization XIII. I recognize the name." she said warily. She recognized Naminé's name too, but opted not to say anything. Sora had nothing but kind words for the girl.
"He's the one… the one who died to save me, Mom." Sora murmured. "He's a good person."
His mother hesitated, but finally offered a hand to shake Axel's. "If my son and his friends trust you, I have no reason not to."
"Thank you, Ma'am." Axel replied, unnaturally polite. He wanted to be allowed near his teenage friends, after all, so good impressions were important.
Sora smiled widely. "I should give you guys a tour of the island!" he chimed. "Roxas and Axel haven't seen the town before, not really."
"We can take Xion shopping!" Kairi added, looking over at the girl still dressed in an Organization coat. "It'll be fun!"
Sora walked over, throwing open the front door flamboyantly. "Let's go!" he declared, and promptly walked into the person standing in the doorway, hand raised as if he had been about to knock. Several things happened at once. Xion, Roxas, and Axel gasped in surprise, "Demyx?", Sora fought the urge to draw his keyblade, and Demyx turned white as a sheet. The musician's mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally found his voice.
"I need your help."
Plot! How fantastic! XD
Xemnas... isn't quite all there in the head. I personally think he's absolutely batshit insane, in that "conniving (coughlovablecough) evil genius" kind of way. He's the only person I can think of who is THAT good at Xanatos Speed Chess, after all. (TV Tropes eats my soul. ^_^)
And what on earth could possibly make Demyx brave his Sora-phobia to ask for help? The bad news is that I caught up with my writing, so chapter eleven isn't exactly finished yet. But I will finish soon!
Onwards!
Li
