Disclaimer: You've heard it before.
Jaxon groaned and adjusted his position slightly before raising the binoculars to his face again, a cliff ledge several hundred feet up wasn't the best place to do recon, but considering how powerfull the people he was checking out were it was best to keep his distance. He moved his sights down from the market area of Hollow Bastion to the residential area then up towards the bailey where his two targets were still standing.
Man, is it me or has that Leon guy let himself go?
He made a quick scan of the area again then returned to where Leon was talking to the ninja girl, the other three members of their party were out of sight, probably working on something back at their base, these two were obviously checking out the Heartless presence once again...
"So, what're they doing?"
"What?" Jaxon moved back from the edge slightly and turned to his partner.
"I said, what're they doing?" Demyx asked idly flicking at his sitar, Jaxon sighed.
"I'm getting real sick of answering that question Dem..."
"Hey, you're the one with the binoculars Jax! I can't see anything from way up here!"
Jaxon conceded his partner had a point on that front. "OK, they're just standing there and talking, that's all they're doing, hell apart from the odd Heartless turning up that's all they ever do! That's what they were doing three hours ago, that's what they were doing when you asked me five minutes ago, so when you ask me again in five minutes, they're still just standing there, and they're still just talking, OK?"
"OK Jax..." Demyx put his hands up defensively at his partners rant, silence fell between the two as Jaxon sighed and went back to looking through the binoculars, Demyx smirked. "You're bored aren't you?"
"Extremely" silence fell again for a moment.
"So what're they talking about?"
"What?" Jaxon nearly dropped the binoculars in surprise. "Dem, they're all the way down there, how the hell am I supposed to know just what they're talking about?"
"Look, we've been sitting up here..."
"I know damn well how long..."
"And all I've done is watch you watch them and..."
"You think that's fun?"
"Would you two just shut up?" Both nobodies jumped and turned to the new arrival. "Jeez, it's like listenin' to a coupla' old ladies!"
Jaxon shrugged and went back to checking on the town. "So what brings you here Xigbar?"
"Changing of the guard dude, Superior want you two to get back home quick as so he can give you a new job."
"Can't be any more boring than this one, wait, you're doing this alone?"
"Just because you two need someone to hold your hands every time you leave the castle doesn't mean we all have to" Xigbar shrugged. "Now get goin', just being around ya is sucking my IQ out of me."
Jaxon smirked and disapeared, clearly keen to get a more active mission, Demy pulled a face at the freeshooter before following his partner, Xigbar laughed to himself then settled into position to watch over the town.
"... and I've told you, it doesn't matter if it's a stray, you can't bring a dog back to the castle!"
"What, the Organization has a no pets policy now?"
"Now? It's always had one Jax! Something about the pet symbolising a bond when we aren't able to form them..."
"Not that crap again" Jaxon sighed. "Wait, if we're not allowed pets how come Xemnas gets to keep Saix?"
Demyx burst out laughing. "OK, I could wander the Worlds for a hundred years and I don't think I'll ever hear a better cheap shot, I salute you Jax."
"Had to be said."
"Yeah? Well for double points I dare you to bring that up to the Superior then say the rules should apply to him too!"
Jaxon smirked. "Sorry Demyx, I'm quite fond of not being a Dusk so the answer's not only no, but no way in hell!"
"Oh well, a nobody can dream..." the two laughed again as they reached the Alter of Naught, sure enough the Organization's Superior was standing there looking up at Kingdom Hearts.
"You are late" he said without turning around to see who it was. "So I hope there's a good reason for your amusment?" Neither nobody answered, Xemnas turned to face them. "I was going to give you a break before sending you two on your next missions, but now you will just have to wait until you're done."
"Someone's testy today" Jaxon muttered, Xemnas turned his eyes on him.
"Demyx, your presence is required at the Beast's castle... just go!" He snapped as Demyx began to groan. "Xaldin will be waiting for you there."
"What about Jaxon?"
"He has another mission, one which he better take seriously" Xemnas added dangerously, Demyx took the hint and vanished, giving his partner a nod to wish him luck, Jaxon acknowledged him then turned back to the Superior.
"Something tells me whatever you have for me is important?" He asked.
"Correct" Xemnas sighed. "This mission is of the utmost importance to the Organization, you are to go to Castle Oblivion... do not interrupt" he cut the young nobody off before he had even got a word out. "Once there you must find Axel, he is to give me you a report on his mission there, once you have it get back here as quickly as you can..."
"You just want me to get a report for you?"
"It may not seem much Jaxon, but I assure you, this mission may effect us all."
"In that case, you can count on me Superior."
"Hence why I chose you for this mission Jaxon, but there is one more thing."
"Just one?"
"Marluxia must not know why you are there, if he questions you, you are there to get a report from him, he must not know of Axel's mission..."
"You think he's a traitor don't you?" Jaxon asked, realization hitting him, Xemnas actually looked surprised.
"How did you..."
"I may not be the smartest nobody in this Organization sir, but I know a snake when I see one, and Marluxia fits that bill perfectly."
Xemnas smirked. "Well, as I said, get the report from Axel, and keep Marluxia in the dark."
"Yes Superior" Jaxon went to take his leave. "What about the others?"
"Do not worry about them, they have their own suspicions about Marluxia."
Jaxon nodded and disapeared, seconds later a Dusk appeared where he had stood, the creature seemed anxious about something, Xemnas paused and frowned.
"Sora?" He muttered, a small grin starting to form on his face. "Well, this should be interesting."
So, this is Castle Oblivion? And the difference between here and home is what exactly?
Jaxon frowned to himself as he looked around the room, there was practically no difference between this castle and the one he called home, same empty, white rooms, same sense of nothingness all around, same... he paused and spun round, a girl sat in the corner of the room looking at him, her white dress and light hair blending almost seamlessly into the wall behind her, Jaxon frowned and walked over, various drawings were scattered across the table in front of her.
"Who are you?" He asked confused, Xemnas hadn't said anything about another nobody, assuming this girl was a nobody...
"I'm Naminé" she replied simply, as though unsure of whether or not to trust him.
"Naminé..." he repeated quietly. "Are you a nobody as well?"
She nodded sadly, Jaxon frowned, a nobody in human form that the Organization didn't know of? Or to be more specific that the Organization's Superior didn't know of...
"How long... how long have you..."
"Been a nobody? I don't know, Marluxia found me and brought me here, I've been here ever since."
Jaxon shook his head, just what was Marluxia's game? "And where is Marluxia now?"
Naminé went to answer but stopped and looked past Jaxon to where the nobody in question was just appearing with Larxene in tow, Jaxon turned to face them, making sure his face was calm even though he hadn't yet removed his hood, at the same time he was carefull about letting his guard down. He stared at Larxene for a moment and sighed inwardly, she had been at Marluxia's side for the entire time Jaxon had been in the Organization, something told him that if Marluxia was going to betray the Organization, then she was in on it.
"Marluxia" he greeted as the other nobody gave him a confused look, unsure which member of the Organization was standing before him, Jaxon shrugged his hood back revealing his face causing Marluxia's confusion to continue.
"Jaxon?" He asked. "What brings you to our domain?"
"Well, I was here because Xemnas wanted a report on how everything's going, but I've got a few questions of my own now."
"Such as?"
"Well Naminé here for a start" Jaxon gestured to her. "Does Xemnas know that you recruited someone behind his back?"
Marluxia frowned for a moment then returned to his usual calm, polite demeanor. "I can explain Jaxon, and I assure you it will be to the Superior's satisfaction, however we have a more pressing issue to attend to."
"And that would be?"
"Sora is in the castle."
"Sora?" Jaxon repeated. "Sora as in the Keyblade master?"
"The very same" Marluxia smirked. "However he may interfere with our plans, we need to take care of him quickly."
"Well, let's just go down there and take him out, how hard could one kid be against three of us?" Marluxia sensed an opportunity in the tone of Jaxon's voice and immediately reached for it.
"You seem eager Jaxon, do you wish to test your abilities against his? I wouldn't advise it, Sora is a formidable force..."
"So I've heard, but Roxas is his nobody, and I can handle Roxas."
"Well then, if you're so confident then why don't you face him alone? I'm sure you can handle him."
Jaxon smirked. "I'm sure I can too, but when I get back we're going to have a little chat."
"I look forward to it" Marluxia smirked. "Oh, Jaxon?"
"What?"
"One small point, Sora doesn't know how many of us are here, which is why on the off chance he might defeat you, it would be best for him not to know that there's more than me here..."
"So he has to think I'm you?"
"Very good Jaxon, do you think you can manage that?"
"I don't know" Jaxon responded in an almost perfect immatation of the other nobody's voice. "I've never tried being a monotonous, flower obsessed bore...."
Marluxia actually laughed. "Very good Jaxon, and you might need this" he threw a card across the room, Jaxon caught it and stared at it for a moment.
"What is it?"
"It will help you defeat Sora, should you need it" Marluxia answered criptically as Jaxon slipped it into his pocket.
"Don't know why I would but thanks anyway Marluxia."
"Don't mention it Jaxon, I'll see you when you get back" Jaxon vanished, Larxene began laughing.
"I knew the kid was an idiot, but wow, you played him like a violin!"
Marluxia smirked. "And now all that's left is for Sora to cut his strings..."
"Well, this is unexpected..."
"What now?" Axel asked.
"A new scent, it seems we have yet another guest."
"Who this time? Kairi?" Axel smirked, Zexion allowed himself a small grin, Lexaeus remained impassive as Zexion frowned in confusion.
"It would appear to be Jaxon...."
"Jaxon?" Lexaeus repeated. "Why is he here?"
"How would I know? He's with Marluxia and Larx..." Zexion trailed off.
"What is it?" Axel asked not liking the expression on the other nobody's face.
"He's moving, it would appear he's going after Sora... on his own no les..."
Axel frowned. "But why is he going after Sora? If he was with Marluxia then surely he would know that the Superior wants the kid alive?"
"I doubt it" Lexaeus spoke up. "The Superior suspects Marluxia is plotting something, and if that is true Marluxia knows Jaxon is too set on getting his heart back to betray the Organization so..."
"He wants Jaxon out of the way!" Zexion exclaimed suddenly. "Why else would he let Jaxon fight Sora on his own? He attacks Sora full strength, Sora fights back..."
"And Jaxon gets taken out" Axel finished quietly. "Not on my watch."
"Why do you care?" Zexion asked as Axel began to disapear, the other nobody frowned.
"Well, if the kid dies then we have to put up with depressed Demyx, and I can't be bothered to deal with that..."
Zexion smirked, then frowned again, sending another nobody to die? All the Organization members at Castle Oblivon knew Marluxia was up to something, Xemnas himself suspected which was why he'd chosen the member he had to form the Organization force there, but this proved that whatever it was, it was treacherous. He exchanged a knowing look with Lexaeus then went back to tracking the scents of the various beings in the castle.
"Vexen" he muttered to himself with a small smirk. "Riku won't be that easy..."
Jaxon frowned as he stared at the door Sora would be emerging from any second now, he had planned to attack Sora in that room but when he'd emerged there he found himself in a World he'd never seen before, stranger still whilst in there he'd seen that Leon guy and the other Hollow Bastion residents, he assumed it was a trick of Marluxia's, create copies of a place Sora had been before with people he knew to lure him into a false sense of security before eliminating him.
He turned his thoughts to what he'd discovered since arriving, Marluxia was plotting something, why else would he not have told Xemnas about Naminé? However Sora being here took priority, if he took out the Keyblade master it might earn Marluxia's trust and get him to reveal why Naminé was there, then he could have a report of his own to give Xemnas after he met Axel. Whatever the case, Marluxia was in it deep...
His head snapped up as the door opened and a boy emerged from it flanked by two other figures, it was these figures that caught his attention first, on Sora's right was a duck, much like the one he'd seen in Hollow Bastion, however this one seemed younger at was dressed almost like a mage. On his other side was another animal that looked like either a large dog or a very scrawny bear, either way it was freaky, Jaxon was so distracted it took him a while to turn his eyes on the Keyblade master for the first time. He truly did look a lot like Roxas, spiky hair (although a bit darker) large, clown-like sneakers, clear blue eyes now glaring directly at him, it would have been easy to confuse the two.
"Well Sora" he spoke in his best Marluxia impersonation. "Did you enjoy meeting your memories?"
Sora frowned. "Yeah, it was good to see eveyone but... what do you really want from me?"
Jaxon smirked beneath his hood, well, the kid was no idiot. "What do you have to give?" He asked beggining to step forward, Sora seemed to sense what was coming and the Keyblade appeared in his hand, his allies also revealing their weapons, Jaxon slowly advanced on them, hand extended waiting for his gunblade to appear... he paused as he heard the unmistakeable sound of someone appearing behind him, he went to turn but the new arrival's voice rang out around the room.
"Hello!"
Jaxon frowned but still didn't turn, the voice all too familiar to was glaring at the new arrival as though he'd expected an unfair fight, Jaxon still didn't turn but addressed his next question to Axel.
"What do you want?"
"No hogging the hero!" Axel replied casually yet at the same time making his message clear, Jaxon glanced back over his shoulder, pulling out the card Marluxia had given him before spinning and throwing it, not too gently at the other nobody, Axel caught it effortlessly and smirked, hood down revealing his face to all in the room.
"Then perhaps you'd like to test him?" Jaxon asked as he walked past him. "What the hell are you doing?" He hissed under his breath.
"Saving you!" Axel snapped back. "Go to one of the lower levels, and wait for me there, perhaps I would" he added out loud, Jaxon scowled and began to vanish as the other nobody turned his focus on Sora. "My show now Keyblade master..."
"Marluxia!" The pink haired nobody and Larxene turned as Axel appeared looking worried. "We have a problem!"
"Axel?" Marluxia frowned. "What is it? What's happened?"
"Zexion told me Jaxon was in the castle..."
"Jaxon?" Marluxia asked, hoping that his scheme had paid off. "Why would he be here?"
"You mean you didn't know?"
"No, Jaxon is supposed to be back in the World That Never Was, where is he now?"
"He... he ran into Sora and his friends" Axel turned away. "He's gone Marluxia..."
"Gone?" Larxene repeated, trying to keep the laugh out of her voice. "What do you mean gone?"
"Gone!" Axel snapped. "Eliminated! Taken out by that Keyblade! You mean to tell me you didn't know he was here?"
"We knew Sora was here" Marluxia shrugged. "Obviously the Superior had reason to send Jaxon here and he just turned up in the wrong place at the wrong time, poor boy..."
"Poor boy? Someone has to tell the Superior about this! And what... what about Demyx?"
"What about him?" Larxene smirked.
"Well, Jaxon was his best friend, he needs to be told that..." Axel trailed off.
"Don't worry Axel" said Marluxia. "I will take care of it, regretable as it is, it was nothing more than a cruel bit of bad luck that Jaxon encountered Sora before he could find us, we could have told him what was going on and this would have been avoided..."
"The guys on the lower levels are getting worried" Axel continued. "If Jaxon could go down so easily what about the rest of us?"
"Go and tell them not to worry, Sora is making his way up the castle, not down. There is no danger of them sharing Jaxon's unfortunate fate. And once you've told them return here, we need to discuss what to do about this."
"Yes Marluxia" as Axel turned to leave he caught sight of both him and Larxene smirking, once his back was fully to them he allowed one to cross his face as well.
Gotcha!
"Getting bored now!" Jaxon shouted to the empty room before continuing with his pacing, it seemed like an eternity had passed since Axel had sent him down here, he'd tried to find something to draw his attention but in a large, empty, white room there really was nothing.
What was taking Axel so long? Was the fight with Sora still going on? Had Sora actually killed him and he wasn't coming? He frowned and fought back the urge to go back up there and find out what was going on.
"Five more minutes" he muttered then smirked as he heard someone arriving in the room, he turned to see Axel marching towards him. "Well, it's about t... hey!" He yelled as Axel grabbed him.
"What the hell were you thinking?" He yelled up in the young nobody's face. "Going after Sora and his pals on your own? Do you want to be erased!"
Jaxon wrenched himself free and glared at Axel. "Hey, I had it covered alright? I didn't need you to 'save' me!"
"Oh no? Well next time I'll let him cut your head off with that Keyblade then, that good for you?"
"Whatever" Jaxon muttered. "So, did you take care of him?"
Axel blinked. "Who? Sora? Hate to break it to ya but you just got played."
"What?" Jaxon frowned.
"The Organization needs Sora alive...." Axel smirked as he saw the realisation that Marluxia had sent him to die hit Jaxon.
"That, sneaky, no-good... I'm going back up there and..."
"No you're not" Axel grabbed his cloak again just in case. "You're gonna stay here and tell me just what you're doing here."
"Xemnas sent me, he wants a report on how your mission is going here."
"So you went to Marluxia?" Axel commented shaking his head.
"Hey, I didn't know where you were did I? And I figured if I acted like I was on Marluxia's side I could find out what he's up too..."
"And you let him bait you into a fight with the Keyblade master, bravo Jaxon, bravo" the younger nobody fell into a sullen silence, angry and embarrassed at his own stupidity. "But, I'll level with you, Marluxia is up to something, he's trying to overthrow the Organization..."
"I knew it! So, now we know we..."
"Slow down there, now, he thinks you're dead, so we're gonna have to keep it that way, Zexion and Lexaeus are in the lowest basement, go wait there for me to come back, Marluxia trusts me so I think I can get some proof, I'll give you a report once I do."
Jaxon nodded. "Just do me one favour, when it's time for him to face the music, give him one for me."
"I'll do that" Axel smirked as Jaxon disapeared. "And I'll enjoy every minute of it."
"Anything?" Jaxon frowned as Zexion made an amused noise about something he had sensed, the other nobody glanced up at him.
"Just Vexen's replica of Riku failing to slow Sora down" Zexion anwered with a small grin. "He won't like that, he puts his experiments on such a high pedestal..."
"What about Marluxia and Larxene? Or..."
"Patience Jaxon" Zexion sighed. "All you've done since you arrived is pester me about what's going on up there, is the art of casual conversation dead?"
"I just want to know, is all."
"I assure you, if something happens I'll let you know. Now, what exactly did the Superior send you to do here?"
"He sent me to get a report from Axel about his mission, I'm assuming he means finding out what Marluxia's up to."
"Well, if he wanted proof that he was plotting something, sending you after Sora would be a good start, how you allowed him to trick you... I had you down as being smarter than that..."
"I get the point Zexion!" Jaxon snapped. "Hey played me and I took the bait, it won't happen again."
"See that it doesn't, I'd hate to have to tell Demyx about your elimination. I think he'd take it pretty hard."
Jaxon just frowned and fell back into silence, Zexion laughed to himself then fell silent for a moment.
"Riku..."
"Huh?" Jaxon asked, Zexion shook his head and stayed quiet for a moment.
"He is making himself quite a nuisance, everything he meets he destroys..."
"He does have a strong control of the darkness" Lexaeus spoke for the first time. "If only he embraced it, he would be a usefull addition to the Organization."
"Well, why doesn't one of us go get him and force him to use it?" Jaxon asked. "This is the same guy who fell into darkness out of pure jealousy right?"
"Yes, however the light in his heart is equally strong, it would take a lot to make him embrace it."
Jaxon nodded. "I'll be right back..."
"Where are you going? Axel told you to stay here did he not?" Zexion asked.
"Yeah, but we have two Keyblade wielders running around up there, getting one out of the way would be usefull."
"You're just desperate to fight someone aren't you?"
"Pretty much."
"So, what are you going to do?" Lexaeus asked.
"Fight him, taunt him, anything to get him to embrace the darkness like us."
"And if he doesn't?"
"I'll knock him out and bring him back here."
"You're certainly confident" Zexion smirked. "But do not be over-confident Jaxon. Riku is no pushover."
"I'll be the judge of that" Jaxon replied already disapearing to find his target.
"He is too rash" Laxaeus muttered. "He is going to end up getting himself erased."
"I agree" Zexion nodded. "But you cannot deny, it is rather entertaining watching him embarrass himelf..." he gasped suddenly.
"Vexen!"
Welp, part one of this (Re) Chain of Memories tie in is done, show some love people