It was far too early the next morning that the wake-up call was issued, the task divided between Axel and Saix, and it was the former who had the rather unpleasant task of waking up the lightning and water elementals. He approached quietly, kicking the side of the bed and offering a gruff, short, "get up." He was greeted in return by an incoherent noise of some sort from the male laying in the bed, and a single-fingered salute from the female.

Axel turned to leave, grumbling but a few words to the two before doing so, "Keybearer's headed to Hollow Bastion. We're gonna meet him there. Be ready in five." It was obvious from the thickness of his voice, he'd recently been awoken as well.

Larxene was having none of it, burying her face even further in Demyx's chest. "I... am not going out there."

"We have to..." he mumbled a moment afterwards, as soon as his vocal chords remembered how to work. His voice was still hoarse, a testament to the damage the coughing fits had done. "... What is wrong with Xemnas..."

Reluctantly, the two slowly removed themselves from the bed and each other, before sorting through the haphazardly discarded clothing from the day before, separating shoes, socks, gloves, and coats from the others'. When all was sorted out and they were ready, a quick teleportation to the meeting room was all that was needed.

Happily enough, none of the other members looked to be in any better shape. Axel still looked like he was recovering from a sunburn, shoulders drooping and tired. Xigbar's hair had been hastily pulled into its usual ponytail, so hastily that several strands were free and drifting about his head with every motion. He looked alright, but they could bet he was still having trouble hearing. Luxord just looked disheveled, short blonde hair sticking up in the most random of places, his goatee scraggly and stubble lining his jaw- he hadn't had the chance to shave yet. Saix looked relatively clean and maintained, but dark rings lined his eyes, and his mouth was pulled so deeply into a frown the tendons in his neck showed.

No one was happy to be there, with the possible exception of Xemnas. He was smirking as they finally settled themselves down, and in less than a second, he was pacing about, fingertips steepled against each other. "The Keybearer," he began abruptly, and the fatigued Nobodies all jumped at the sudden sound of his voice. "Is arriving shortly within Hollow Bastion. I feel it is our duty to welcome him back to the realm of waking, and the... reestablishment of his lost memories." A grin. "I'm not saying we need to do anything strenuous, after this, your day is free. But for now... anyone up for an evil laugh?"

A tense silence descended in answer of his question. The grin on his face seemed to fade like a morning mist until he was left disgruntled and, if the way he clenched his hands behind his back was any indication, somewhat embarrassed.

"... What?"

All eyes fell on Demyx, and more than a few eyebrows raised at the sight there. He was staring very, very flatly at the Superior, green eyes empty and cold, his 'inner' Nobody on display for all of the Organization to see. Displayed and agitated. Larxene had the same look to her countenance, though such a sight was not uncommon out of her.

"I thought it would be healthy for the lot of us to go down there together, and ruffle the Keyblade Master a little. We haven't done anything as a team since before the incident at Oblivion, and I believe it would be good for morale to gaze upon the sight of our would-be adversary, see what has happened in the year he has been without us," Xemnas explained, voice empty and monotone, almost as if explaining such a thing were boring to him.

Demyx clenched his jaw for a moment, before relaxing. "You wake us up from a warm, healthy sleep to go out and laugh at a fifteen year old kid?"

"I have stated before, you may return to your chambers later. For now, we go. Keep your hoods up."

"Yeah, who's gonna be afraid of a bunch of people who look like half-drowned rats that have been stuck on an electric floor, anyway?" Xigbar muttered. Xemnas turned to look disapprovingly at the Freeshooter.

"You are going to do this whether you want to or not. We all go out at the same time, we all laugh at the same time. We will return shortly after, and you may then resume sleeping if you wish," Xemnas replied sternly. The Organization stiffened in response, as though to stand at attention before a commanding officer. Xemnas nodded approvingly, then reached behind his head and flipped his hood up, the other Nobodies following suit. "To Hollow Bastion, just above the gate and near the entrance to the Bailey. You know of where I speak."

Larxene barely heard the voice of someone as she approached the end of the corridor. She paused, hearing someone mention the Organization, and the Superior's deep voice calling out in response. A pause to look around at the grotesquely warped purple and black scenery around her, barely visible through the darkness.

"You called?"

She really wanted to roll her eyes. Oh well, time to put the game face on and play bad guy.

"You're doing well!"

Xigbar maybe? Voices were terribly distorted when still traveling through a dark corridor. Finally, she could hear the response.

"Who's that?!"

Continuing to make her way slowly to the end of the corridor, she sighed. Stopping the transfer process so quickly always made her feel a bit queasy.

"The Keyblade..." Oh, there was Xemnas again. Time for him to preach something. "A truly marvelous weapon. Were it only in more... capable hands." He laughed then, and slowly it spread through the entire group, forcing Larxene to laugh simply because of how perfectly ridiculous it all was. That and the way Demyx laughed didn't sound at all intimidating; his sinus-clogged voice stuck out like a gangrenous thumb.

"Show yourselves!" the Keybearer demanded, and, taking their cue, the Organization emerged. Larxene was slightly behind and to the left of Xemnas, Demyx she could tell, somewhere behind her.

"Organization XIII!" one of the three standing on the path below yelled, pointing.

"Don't point if you don't want to lose your finger, mutt," Larxene snipped angrily. The dog-creature's hand shot back, and he held it as if she'd really taken a swipe.

The Keybearer growled, turning a glare up at them all, and the lightning elemental found her eyebrows inching up. He truly did look just like Roxas.

"Get down here and let's finish this!" the young boy challenged, trying to glare each of them into submission. Larxene bit her lip to stave off a laugh.

"What a shame," Xemnas interrupted again. "And here I thought we could be friends."

Another laugh trickled over the group, and most of them disappeared, a sign from the Superior they could leave now. Larxene wasn't about to go anywhere without ribbing the Keyblade master first. She wouldn't be woken up prematurely just for this and no more. Sora glared at her as he realized she was the only one left.

"Besides, the game has just begun, little boy," She stated finally, continuing the earlier conversation. With a laugh, she plopped herself down on the edge of the wall, feet swinging lazily. "What fun would it be if the big fight happened now? You know you couldn't win. Do you even remember any of your magic attacks?"

Sora grimaced, but remained glaring. Another laugh came from the sadist as she leaned back to support herself on her arms. She knew he couldn't see her grinning, but she would bet he could feel it.

"Get down here, and we'll find out!" the young man growled, sweeping his Keyblade in front of him.

"Oh really?" Larxene continued, and pointed down at him between his feet. "Then if you're so tough, tell me why you didn't see that coming."

A crackle gained the Keybearer's attention and he looked to where she pointed, only to jump back in surprise at the knife he found embedded in the ground there, static jumping from place to place on it.

"Wha...?" he started, and looked up, but she was gone. Something, a sound maybe, got his attention, but before he could do anything about it, he found himself face-down on the ground, a sharp pain in his palms, knees, and the center of his back. Donald and Goofy both yelped in surprise and leapt to their respective sides, but by the time Sora had stood to look behind him, she was already back where she had started, toying with the edge of another knife.

"Like I said. Challenge us when you actually know what you're doing," she laughed, standing up as though to leave.

"Stop!" Donald yelled, making an attempt at running after her by traveling down the stairs. He stopped short when a portal opened right in front of him, halting him so fast he fell backwards onto the stairs. Larxene paused to watch the proceedings.

"Oopsy-daisy," the figure laughed, and it was definitely Xigbar.

Sora trotted up behind his fallen friend, Keyblade held at the ready through the searing pain in his back. "Move!"

"Now, do you think that's polite, shutting me down like that?"

"I said get outta the way! I have no business with you right now!"

"As if! You can talk all you want, but that won't change a thing," Xigbar stated, sounding very close to the edge of laughing. Perhaps his ears weren't as badly damaged as they'd thought... or maybe he'd stolen away some of their supply of potions to help speed the healing along.

The lightning elemental was definitely going to bet on the latter of those two.

Donald stood up, brandishing his staff. "Then we're gonna make you move!"

Larxene laughed where Xigbar did not, though she let him speak. "See, that would work... If I were just any old dude. 'Cept I'm not. I'm with the Organization. Nothing 'any old' about me."

"Ha! Tough talk for someone who stood on the sidelines while his Nobody flunkeys did the fighting!" Sora buffed. Larxene rolled her eyes, and Xigbar looked up at her, tilting his head in confusion. She shrugged.

The Freeshooter turned back to the fore and shook his head. "Oh dear. I think you got the wrong impression." He waggled a no-no finger at the Keybearer.

"You gonna cry?" Sora said again, hands on hips as he leaned forward mockingly.

Larxene really couldn't help herself this time. She snorted and laughed, slapping a hand to her forehead as she did so. "You are kidding me. This is our antagonist? This is the guy they sent out here as their last hope for defeating the Organization? Not some macho guy in his early twenties who's too cocksure and just looking for a beating, but at least has some gall. Not some crafty manipulator with an army of flunkies at his disposal, and a complete glass jaw. No, their final hope is this kid who resorts to taunting his enemies with 'are you going to cry'!" she sobered immediately, crossing her arms over her chest, lightly supporting her elbows with her fingers. She was glaring at him, though she knew he couldn't see. "You know, I should kill you right now and save the human gene pool from your stupidity. Please. For the sake of the human race, do not procreate." She turned, exasperated, and left.

Sora snarled and tried to move forward, but the ground shifted under his feet, and he found himself on his rump at the top of the staircase.

"Us? Cry? As if! Why don't I remind you how tough the crowd you're dealing with really is?" the man said, chuckling both in lieu of the Keybearer's statement and Larxene's outburst.

Sora just looked confused. "Remind me?" But a second later, he shrugged it off, glaring at the man again.

"That's right, he used to give me that exact same look," Xigbar trailed off, remembering the last time he'd pilfered something from Roxas' secret store of sugar-laden treats.

Sora bristled, but underneath it was an air of confusion and... unsettlement. "I guess you think you can psych me out by saying really random stuff!"

Xigbar tilted his head slightly. "Gee, I just don't know." He raised his arms then, a clear invitation for any of the three friends near him to make good on their earlier threat of making him move. None of them attempted to attack, and the gesture warped itself smoothly into a shrug. "Be a good boy, now!"

He disappeared just as the duck finally descended upon him, a moment too late.

-

Larxene rubbed her nose, just between her eyes, trying to stave off the oncoming migraine. She'd thrown her hood back just after reemerging in the Castle, noting the rest of the Organization had done the same. "I can't believe that kid. You know, I think I want to take back what I said about him keeping his heart. Roxas was never that stupid, something must've gone wrong when they re-merged."

Demyx just laughed softly, bringing a hand up to her shoulder and rubbing it softly, trying to ease the tension away. She relaxed slightly into his touch, but it did nothing to soothe the throbbing behind her eyes.

"You didn't have to stay behind," the Nocturne laughed gently, moving his other hand to her corresponding shoulder.

"Yeah, well. Someone had to make fun of him. Popping in for a 'hello' and just leaving is a waste of all the energy it took me to get out of bed... besides, what kind of bad guys would we be if that was all the evil-doing we were going to perform?" She sighed, letting her head fall forward so he could get the back of her neck as well.

Axel laughed from across the room. "I don't think I would've been able to stop myself from trying to get his heart out of him."

"Well, that is because he's your best friend... but not," Luxord replied. "I would have stayed, but I'm terribly tired. I shall see you all in the morning... or perhaps later tonight if that is how time sways." He bowed slightly and left, leaving only Larxene and Demyx in the room.

The Nymph let a shaky sigh, head still bowed, letting the warm pressure of his hands work over the tense muscles. A second later, another portal swirled open and from it stepped a smug-looking Xigbar. She felt Demyx laugh from behind her.

"So, did you get him good?" Larxene asked after a moment of silence.

Xigbar shrugged. "Not much happened after you left, a little more banter, but nothing exciting."

"By the way..." Demyx said a moment after the Freeshooter had fallen silent. "So nice to see you can hear properly again..."

Xigbar froze.

"You snuck potions, didn't you?"

A laugh from the gunman as he scratched the side of his head. "Aw man, busted. But yeah, just a couple, until my ears cleared out some. Can ya blame me?"

A pair of shaking heads answered him.

"Aha! Well, anyway, I'm out. I definitely need some more sleep. Still haven't recovered from kicking my own ass," Xigbar laughed again, shaking his head. In a moment, he was gone.

The two remaining Nobodies stood in comfortable silence for a short while longer, before Demyx leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips into the back of Larxene's neck. "Shall we adjourn as well?"

She sighed, reluctant to leave the soothing massage of his hands, but knowing she needed to anyway. "God, I'll never get back to sleep now."

The Nocturne laughed, stepping away from her, releasing his grip. "Never stopped anyone from trying, has it? Maybe some nice food and soft music will help."

Larxene rolled her head back, then around in a couple lazy circles, expression remaining static even as several soft pops emitted from her spine. She turned back to Demyx with a tired smile. "That sounds nice..."

-

A/N: Mission accomplished on two things! One being I berated Sora for being such a rock-headed moron. Being 15 is no excuse, thankyouverymuch.

And two, I made the Organization actually malignant and intimidating for KH2. Unfortunately, my opinion of them in the game wasn't that spectacular, I retain the thought train that my sock drawer is more malignant and intimidating than the lot of them combined. They were amazing bad guys in CoM, but it seemed like they used up all of their actual 'bad guys' within that game, and were left with the wishy-washy ones for KH2.

... it's Marluxia and Larxene, I swear. They stole all of the Spite! From the Organization and used it all up in their game.