Tainted But Beautiful
Part 3: The Renegades
25. Council
Pairings: AkuZeku, Zemyx, AkuRoku, AxDem, minor onesided VexZex, XemSaix
Rated: M
Warnings: Vampires, vampires, vampires...uh, yaoi, AU-ish-ness, abuse, noncon, rape, graphic scenes, character death, overall weirdness.
Summary: Axel is a powerful vampire slayer who's captured Zexion, a vampire, as his pet. What Axel doesn't bargain on is Demyx, his former student, developing a strong attraction to Zexion...
Notes: More proof that I am not indeed dead!
Here's a pretty long chapter, and the introduction of some characters who have yet to properly show up (namely the FF ones...hope I haven't massacred their characters because I've never played a single FF game). Bleh, I'm not too fond of this chapter...it didn't end up at all the way that I was imagining it. But oh well, I had to get it over with.
Oh, but you get Org members in suits. Perhaps it's just my weird fetishes, but that's a bizarrely hot image, no?
"You serious, Axel?" said Roxas, wide-eyed.
"'Course," said Axel, winking at him as he ran a hand through his hair. "You're as much a part of this as any of us. And I'd say out of all of us, you're the one who wants to see Xemnas fall the most."
A part of Roxas wanted to remind Axel that it was probably Zexion who wanted that most, but he held his tongue, less out of prudence than the fact that he couldn't think of anything to say. He was going to be part of a real slayer council...a council that would decide the fate of the Coven of Thirteen.
He wasn't sure the exact details of how the council came to be, but he knew enough: apparently, somehow during the night Axel had been persuaded to cast his lot with DiZ, though he insisted on calling a council of vampire slayers in order to aid them against Xemnas. DiZ and Axel had argued marvelously over that, waking Roxas up in the middle of the night. He and Namine had gone to see the argument, and together they'd somehow managed to convince DiZ to allow the council, though he insisted that it was too soon. Namine had cut him down when she reminded him, "But DiZ...I thought you wanted to get your revenge sooner?"
So he consented. And now...now DiZ and Axel were organizing the coming council. He didn't know what Zexion and Demyx were doing, but figured they were staying out of trouble if Axel wasn't complaining and-slash-or ranting about them. But as for him and Namine...Axel had approached them that morning while they were drawing pictures together (for lack of anything else to do), and told both of them to come.
"And I...I can come?" said Namine quietly, but her voice ringing with hidden strength. Axel nodded.
"The Coven of Thirteen killed your parents," he said. "Who would we be if we didn't give you a voice on the council?"
Namine nodded. "Thank you," she said, and again that resolve was back--tempered by a bitterness that alarmed Roxas somewhat, because he'd never heard anything like it from Namine before.
She's like me, he thought. She wants...revenge.
"All right," said Axel with a laugh, ducking out of the doorway which his lanky form practically filled. "Well, I'll come tell you when we're ready to get started, got it memorized?"
"Yeah," said Roxas, finally managing to think of something halfway intelligent to say. Axel nodded one final time, his green eyes filled with a strange emotion Roxas couldn't quite identify; suddenly, Roxas wanted to rush up and throw his arms around Axel and reassure the older slayer that everything would be all right...
The crazy urge passed the instant it had appeared, and all for the better, too. Axel shut the door behind him, and Roxas was left standing there, feeling strangely warm and uncomfortable.
"He's...he's a very kind man, isn't he?" said Namine, in her measured way, gazing at the door--but Roxas could really tell that her attention was focused on something else, something distant...a distant prospect.
"Yeah," he managed, feeling his blush intensify. "Yeah, he is."
Zexion hadn't seen Axel since that night, when he'd seduced the slayer (though he had of course heard Axel and DiZ's argument--it was the kind that could wake up an entire city block, if they were in the city)--and he was perfectly fine with it that way. He was quite sure that Axel would be in a magnificent rage after what had happened last night, and did not much look forward to being on the receiving end of that rage.
He'd taken to hiding in the library. Hiding--he didn't like that word. It reeked of cowardice, but what other way could he put it? The plain truth was that he was afraid of Axel, so he'd taken to the most secluded corner in the library he could find so as to keep Axel from finding him. If that wasn't hiding, then what was?
Currently, he could detect Axel's scent moving up and down in the halls on the ground floor; he was quite sure Axel would be yelling and pitching a fit about not being ready yet to receive any visitors because he wasn't finished with his preparations, got it fucking memorized. It didn't surprise Zexion; Axel had behaved that way back in his own manor, right before he held that party, scrambling back and forth to rearrange furniture and berating his servants for baking the wrong appetizers and generally acting like a hysterical woman before her wedding.
That party...the one in which Zexion had met Demyx, the one that had started all of this, for better or for worse...
There was another scent that seemed to be tailing Axel; it a heavy one that reminded Zexion of an overgrown garden on a hot summer day, all rich sweet overpowering scents rising over one another like opera singers' voices. He felt lightheaded just detecting it. Presumably, it was one a slayer who'd arrived early; he resolved to stay out of the slayer's way if at all possible, because he was quite sure he would faint if he came too close to that sickening presence.
Then again, he didn't plan on meeting any of the slayers in person, and he doubted Axel and DiZ would let him in the first place. Oh, it had been his idea to call the council in the first place, but he knew the way vampire slayers worked. They would never let an incubus into a formal slayer council, and most probably Axel would take the credit for having called it.
He curled up tighter in his armchair, gazing at the rows of leather-bound books opposite him. Several of them he'd taken out and opened on the table in front of the chair, but quickly tired of looking at them because they were all atlases, and in bad condition--on some pages the ink had faded completely away. He'd grown bored with trying to identify the blotchy shapes that remained and shoved them aside.
Axel's scent was moving again...scaling the staircase to the second floor, where the library was...in fact, he seemed to be moving closer to the library.
Zexion immediately tensed, adrenaline rushing through his frozen veins. He rose to a defensive crouch, claws outstretched, prepared to attack the instant Axel approached...even though his logic was telling him it wouldn't be a fight at all. Axel would overpower him in an instant, animated by not just his natural strength but his rage--
It would be just like that first time, when he'd grabbed Zexion by the wrists and pinned the protesting incubus to the bed, laughing all the while, before reaching for the waistband of his pants...
Stop it--stop thinking this way, you idiot! He will not--you have the element of surprise here--and he doesn't even know you are in here, does he?
With his sensitive hearing, he heard the library's mahogany double doors swing open, heard the light and all-too-familiar footsteps click against the polished floorboards, sending an involuntary shudder running down Zexion's spine...he found himself remembering how in those first few days after Axel captured him, he would wait with fear and dread, chained and blindfolded in his cell, as Axel's footsteps approached...
He shook his head to clear away the bad memories, just as Axel's voice, sharp with impatience, shouted, "I know you're in here, vamp! Come out, come out, wherever the hell you are, got it memorized? --shit, I don't have time for you fucking games--"
Zexion remained frozen in place, sweat prickling on the back of his neck. He tried telling himself that Axel wasn't going to hurt him, but it was pointless. His mind could say anything it wanted; his body still remembered every blow, every kick, every painful grip, every panicked night--
"Dammit! Come the hell out!" To Zexion's horror, the steps grew ever louder, and the scent of smoke and cinnamon grew ever stronger--Axel was approaching his hiding place.
And then Axel appeared between the bookshelves, a scowl dragging down his face and his arms folded. Compared to the towering shelves on either side, he was tiny, but he loomed above Zexion anyway. The incubus's head swam.
But not for long. Immediately, blind instinct took over and with a ferocious snarl he dove at Axel, prepared to stab straight the slayer's heart with his claws and suck his blood, all of it, suck him into a dry and empty husk so he could never get up and hurt Zexion again--
A vice-like grip closed around his wrist and bent his arm painfully backward; despite himself, Zexion cried out in pain. Axel jerked harder on his arm and he lost his balance, falling roughly to his knees and breathing hard, panic swirling in his mind. It was coming--Axel was going to hit him or kick him or worse--
Pain erupted in his abdomen. He doubled over, retching, feeling his stomach twist in on itself from the force of Axel's kick; hot bile rose in his throat. To make matters worse, Axel laughed aloud, a cruel sound like knives being dragged across Zexion's flesh.
"I spared your face, vamp, 'cause that's the one thing you've got going for you--oh, fuck! That's disgusting!"
Zexion hadn't been able to help it--he'd vomited all over the floor. The dark red undigested blood spread across the floorboards, shockingly bright against the subdued colors of the rest of the laboratory. Axel cursed and stumbled rapidly backwards.
"Dammit, fucking incubus--if you get any of that shit on these shoes I'm going to fucking kill you, I just bought them--"
And that Axel had. With slight interest, Zexion looked up to see that the slayer was wearing shiny dark dress shoes, along with a very stiff pinstriped black suit with a tie a shade brighter than his hair. It was not a very pleasant image; Zexion resolved to tell Axel that he should stay away from wearing suits altogether unless he got a halfway respectable haircut--as soon as he got enough breathe back to speak.
He straightened, lurching to his feet and wiping his mouth, most emphatically avoiding the puddle of vomited blood he'd left behind. It still hurt where Axel had kicked him and there was a sharp, sour taste in his mouth, but he did his best to present a strong image. Since he still didn't trust himself to speak, he settled for glaring at Axel.
"Don't act so pissed," said Axel, straightening his suit lapels. "It's your fault, attacking me in the first place. Anyway, vamp, I've got a present for you."
"A present?" Zexion hissed, tensing.
"Yeah," said Axel, taking a step closer--Zexion instinctively took a step back. "Hey, look, don't panic, I'd be stupid to beat you up right before the council--"
"Why?" spat Zexion. "As I recall, you used to have no problem with beating me before you would meet with other slayers...you said some nonsense about 'stress relief' or whatnot..."
"Well, yeah, maybe that's so," said Axel, twitching as if tyring to dispel a fly, "but look, if you show up there all covered with bruises they're going to have questions, and I haven't got time to be cross-examined."
"What do you mean?" Zexion narrowed his eyes.
"I mean what I say, idiot," said Axel most unhelpfully. "And hey, you can't show up dressed like that--" he added, tugging on the sleeve of Zexion's oxford shirt; Zexion immediately pulled away. "The dress code for slayer councils is business formal, got it memorized?"
"Ex...excuse me?" Zexion was sure he hadn't heard correctly. "Are you saying--what are you--am I to go to this council?"
Axel unleashed an exasperated sigh and a ran a hand through his hair, spiking it up even more. "You're pretty unperceptive, aren't you? I mean, you're going to come to the council as well. It was your idea, fucking incubus."
Zexion stared at Axel, quite sure his jaw at dropped quite foolishly. He couldn't have expected--this. He'd expected being excluded, along with Demyx and Roxas, while the real slayers sat down to discuss business, but apparently Axel was generous enough to include him... No, that was idiotic, Axel was never generous. He must have an ulterior motive--but what?
"So get going, vamp," said Axel, thumping the startled incubus on the back with so much force he almost bowled him over. "Oh--and one more thing--straighten up a bit, dammit--"
Zexion obeyed, though he felt rather irritated--but before he could ask Axel why, he felt a sharp sting in his left ear and then a sudden unpleasant burning sensation, exactly like that of silver...
Axel laughed cavalierly and jingled the silver hoop he'd inserted into the soft flesh of Zexion's earlobe. "Just...insurance, little slut. So you don't pull any stupid tricks on the other slayers like you did on me..."
It was all Zexion could do to keep from hissing, or spitting on Axel's stiff new suit. Already, he could feel his powers begin to ebb away, like the last fitful drizzle before the clouds of a storm parted. Axel patted him with undue force on his shoulder before turning around and striding away again, hands in his pockets. Midway down the aisle between the shelves, he turned to throw Zexion one last glance.
"Oh, and one more thing--go tell Demyx to come, too. Knowing him, he's probably still asleep, so wake the little bugger up. Got it memorized?"
"What--Demyx?" choked Zexion, his head spinning. Everything--everything Axel was doing defied what Zexion had been expecting, what Zexion had deduced of his personality. He'd expected Axel to rage at him, to attack him and attempt to repay the "favor" in kind...but instead all he'd done was stick a silver ward on the incubus and then tell him to run an errand. In fact, Axel seemed more amused, in a bizarre macabre way, than angry.
Zexion frowned to himself, digging his claws into his forearm to distract him from the burning pain of the ring in his ear. Well, this was an unusual development...he'd be sure to keep track of it. But for now, he had other things to think about. He hadn't expected having to speak before the council, so he'd have to think of things to say, of how to argue his case...
And even before that, he had to go get Demyx.
Demyx fumbled with the tie of his new suit, cursing under his breath the idiot who'd invented neckties in the first place. He could never wear them right, and they seemed designed for the express purpose of choking people. In fact, he could have sworn he'd read somewhere that wearing neckties increased your blood pressure and made the risk of getting a heart attack even higher...
Lucky for him that his line of work didn't require him to wear suits often--but apparently, according to Axel, he had to dress up for a slayer council. So here he was, standing before the mirror in his room, flushing hot with embarrassment as he struggled to knot the blue-and-silver diamond-patterned tie properly. His fingers, so adept with a gun and even more so with a guitar's strings, kept slipping and getting tangled with the tie so that he had to undo it every time and restart.
He had to chalk part of it up to nerves--he'd never been to a formal slayer council before, after all. He knew about their existence, but they were held only among the highest-ranked slayers (now, he realized, the ones who were not human), and they discussed all sorts of lofty, important things in them. Slayer councils set the rules of the slayer societies and decided which vampires were the most dangerous, and thus the most necessary to slay. And to think that he, an unimportant, incompetent human slayer, would be taking part in one...
Finally, he decided that he'd gotten his tie as straight as he possibly could, and slipped into the navy blue suit jacket. As he did up the buttons, he gazed at himself in the mirror. He barely recognized the young man staring back at him, with slicked-back hair instead of his usually messy fauxhawk, and clad in an Armani suit with a sloppily-done tie and lopsided lapels. I look terrible, he thought, grimacing.
The door to the room clicked open; Demyx turned and saw that Zexion had entered. The breath stopped in his lungs, and he swayed for several seconds, feeling very much like he'd been punched in the chest.
He'd never seen Zexion in a suit before, but now he decided that this was the way he liked Zexion most, and how he wanted to see Zexion all of the time. He wore it so well: his purple-striped tie was perfectly straight and knotted right up to the collar, and the cut of his black suit, instead of making him appear ridiculous as Demyx's did, served to broaden his shoulders and sharpen his silhouette. He looked--older. More mature. And did Demyx dare say...manlier?
"What the hell has been taking you so long?" snapped Zexion, striding right up to Demyx.
"Um, well..." began Demyx, but before he could explain, Zexion's hands shot out and closed around his tie, straightening it with several insistent yanks.
"Have you," snarled Zexion, "ever known a woman in your entire life?"
"Huh? What?" Demyx was rather alarmed at this line of questioning. "CourseI have! Don't think I don't do anything when I go to bars!"
"I don't mean like that, idiot," said Zexion, as he busied himself with flattening Demyx's lapels. "I mean that you have no earthly clue how to dress yourself, so clearly no one has ever taught you. Even Axel has better dress sense than you do."
"Well, sorry," said Demyx. "It's not like Axel ever taught me how to do a tie. And hey, you don't need to know a woman to be able to dress, look at you--"
"I am," said Zexion, "French."
"Oh, right," groaned Demyx, smacking his forehead. "Of course."
"Hmm, well," said Zexion after he finished buttoning Demyx's jacket cuffs, stepping back to appraise the slayer. "I suppose there is nothing I can do about that hair...do not blame me if everyone laughs at you, fool."
Demyx grimaced, resisting the urge to think, Too true.
"Well, glad I have you," he said as he began following Zexion out of the room. "You'd make a great wife, Zexion."
He regretted it the instant the words came tumbling out of his mouth. Flushing, he stopped in his tracks. What was worse was Zexion's reaction: the vampire did nothing except throw him a pitying glance before turning around and heading on his merry way down the hall again, hands clasped behind his back, acting as if nothing had even happened. Still blushing furiously, Demyx ran to catch up and soon overtook Zexion.
As they headed down the stairs, coming ever closer to the sitting room in which the council would be held, his nerves began acting up again with a vengeance. Already, all of the slayers had arrived--Marluxia of the Florez family (who'd come an hour early), Xigbar of the Marchen family, and a few names he didn't recognize (the banker Luxord hadn't attended, because he was on business in Switzerland, according to Axel). All powerful and experienced slayers, so much stronger than the weak little human Demyx. No doubt they'd talk knowledgably about old campaigns and vampire slaying methods and he wouldn't know what to say, he'd feel like a stupid schoolboy...or worse, if he did speak, he'd probably embarrass himself and they would all wince a little bit before politely trying to steer the conversation into safer waters, and then he'd have to sit there for the rest of the council, blushing like an idiot...
Demyx's heart was pounding a mile a minute by the time he entered the sitting room. Feeling sick, he swept his gaze over the men in there, all looking much more comfortable in business suits than him, sitting in a circle of chairs and intently conversing while they sipped at mugs of coffee. There was Marluxia, smiling haughtily and occasionally adjusting his salmon-pink tie as he discussed the World Series with Xigbar, slovenly in a gray suit, and lounging casually against his chair. There was a slayer Demyx didn't recognize, with spiky blond hair and a sharp black suit, watching the conversation silently while resting one hand on a giant sword by his side. Sitting to his left was another young man Demyx didn't know, with long-ish dark brown hair and a scar over his face, wearing a brown suit and talking with Axel. And Axel...Demyx couldn't help the way his attention instantly slid to Axel--out of all the gathered slayers, Axel sat with a lazy confidence that was all his, smirking resplendently, his scarlet tie a brilliant flash in the muted colors of the sitting room. It couldn't be clearer that he held the real authority in the room.
In two seats behind Axel were Roxas and Namine, positioned more like spectators than participants. Neither seemed to mind, though. Roxas, in a beige suit with a checkered tie, was leaning forward eagerly, looking determined to take in every word of the conversation. Namine, dressed in white as always, sat to his left and avoided looking at anyone.
"Sit down, sit down," said Axel, gesturing lazily to two empty seats to his right. Demyx swallowed a hard obstruction in his throat before stepping forward to take the seat. The conversation halted as he crossed the room; he could sense all eyes on him, burning into him with their scrutiny. As soon as he sat down he lowered his gaze and clutched the edges of the seat, hoping with all his might that the slayers would just stop staring at him; it was making him more than uncomfortable.
Miraculously, they did--but only because Zexion had entered the room. He could sense, immediately, how the tension in the air changed, becoming sharper and tighter like a wire stretched to its limit. He could almost taste it, corrosive and burning like lightning. Out of pity and sympathy, Demyx lifted his gaze as Zexion headed towards his seat, offering the incubus what he hoped was an encouraging smile; Zexion wasn't looking at him, though--instead, he gazed straight ahead, directly into Axel's eyes, seemingly heedless of all the people staring at him. He stood straight and proud and confident, appearing almost taller than anyone else in the room, which was quite a feat since every slayer present far outstripped him in height, and spoke in clear but biting tones to the red-haired slayer.
"As you can see, we are all present."
"Yeah, I see that," snapped Axel, his eyes narrowing. "Sit down, incubus."
"My name is Zexion," said Zexion, his tone quiet yet confident.
"Well, well, Axel!" burst out Xigbar, laughing in loud delight. "Invitin' yer pets to councils, now?"
Pets? Demyx was confused for a moment, before he remembered that Axel had initially presented Zexion to the world as his "pet". How long ago those days seemed...
Zexion stiffened but did not speak. Axel shot Xigbar a glare; Xigbar shrugged as if to say "suit yourself", and Axel then pointed at the empty seat beside Demyx. "As I was saying, sit down."
The vampire obeyed without protest, though he never removed his glare from Axel's face. Demyx shuddered, trying in vain to shake off the heavy tension that had yet again descended over the room.
"What's going on here?" said the spiky-headed young man, glaring at Zexion while tightening his grip on the hilt of his enormous sword. "Axel, why are you inviting vampires to a slayer council?"
"Long story--" began Axel with a grumble.
"I was the one who suggested this council in the first place," said Zexion.
Spiky-hair raised an eyebrow. Marluxia, as if to outdo him, raised both of his.
"I remember that this is why I'm not a vampire slayer," said the brown-haired man calmly.
Huh? He's not? Demyx added his own confusion to the confusion party.
"A-hem." Axel cleared his throat, clapping his hands to bring everyone's attention back to him. "Let's all start from the beginning, shall we? You remember why I called you all in the first place, don't you?"
"Yes," said Marluxia, rather grouchily. "You claimed to have discovered a way to cripple, in one blow, nearly every coven in the world."
Xigbar laughed out loud, as if he'd heard a very funny joke, while the spiky-haired youth looked skeptical. The brunette said, "I don't see what any of this has to do with me."
"That's what I'm getting to, Leon--Jesus Christ, have some patience, all of you," said Axel with a scowl. "I do have a reason, but first, let's all be polite and get some introductions under way. Everyone, this is Demyx, my former student, and this is--what's your name again--"
"My name is Zexion," said the incubus quietly. Then, after a moment's hesitation, "Pleased to meet you."
The slayers did not look nearly as pleased. "Well, you already know these two idiots--" Axel swept a hand towards Xigbar and Marluxia, both of whom looked offended, before turning his attention to the two strangers. "This--" he pointed to the blonde "--is Cloud Strife, vampire slayer, and this is Squall Leonhart, a werewolf hunter. They're both very good at what they do, and they're going to help us."
"I don't remember saying that," grouched Cloud.
Understanding flooded through Demyx--so this was why Axel was holding the council in the first place. To form a strike force against the Coven of Thirteen...but he found himself wondering if the skeptical slayers would even believe their tale, so bizarre as it was...
As Axel started talking, telling from the beginning their tale--starting from his capture of Zexion (though he skimmed over the details; Demyx noticed Zexion's visible relief at that)--Demyx found much of his nervousness had begun dissolving. Instead of flapping away about things Demyx didn't know, the other slayers kept silent except for occasional interjections at points in Axel's tale. Demyx soon found himself taking part, because part of the story was his alone, and Zexion soon joined in as well, mostly to correct Axel and Demyx whenever they made mistakes. Sometimes one of them talked alone for a stretch, to explain what they'd been doing when their paths had diverged--Demyx was just as fascinated as the other slayers to learn what Axel and Zexion had been up to. His head swam when he heard how Zexion had "killed" Axel, made Roxas, and journeyed north for Demyx's sake alone, and he discovered that Axel had during the time when Zexion had been away was busy searching for both of them. Even Roxas started speaking at times, to explain his side of the story.
When they were finished talking--culminating with an explanation of the Xemnas, DiZ, and the Coven of Thirteen--Demyx sank against the back of his seat, feeling as exhausted as he would have after a fight. It'd taken a surprising amount of energy, drawing on his memories to give the best account he could of everything that had happened...
A long silence descended upon the room, which, coupled with the darkening sky behind the window curtains, gave it a somber air. The other four slayers seemed to be lost within their thoughts, trying to digest everything they'd heard...
Cloud broke the silence first. "How can we believe what you're saying?"
Demyx had been expecting such a response, but couldn't for the life of him think of how to reply. He felt too tired to think logically; luckily, Axel leapt to the rescue.
"It's true," he said. "It happened to all of us--c'mon, you'd think we'd all conspire to come up with a lie?"
"He has a point, you know," said Marluxia haughtily. "It all seems rather...unbelievable. Every coven gathered under the leadership of a single vampire? Who so happens to be Xemnas, of all people? And allying with werewolves? Come now, if this were really true, would we not have received some indication of it earlier?"
"Xemnas operates in perfect secrecy," retorted Zexion.
"I don't believe any of this," declared Cloud, standing up and shooting a challenging glare around the room. "Especially not you, vampire."
"You can choose whether you want to believe or not," said Zexion, "but that does not stop any of it from being true. I have been banished from my coven, and a bounty has been put on my head--do you think that I would do all that for a lie?"
Cloud looked ready to retort, but Leon said, somewhat sharply, "Cloud...sit down."
There was something in his voice, something else besides just an order. Something...that Demyx happened to recognize. An electric current of understanding passed through him; he tried throwing Zexion a knowing look, but the incubus was focusing all of his attention on Cloud.
"Well, listen," said Xigbar, his voice surprisingly calm compared to the suppressed heat, anger, and disbelief twanging through the room. "Axel's a good guy. I trust him, all right? He ain't the kind of guy who'd make up a lie for kicks. If he says this is all true, crazy as sounds, well, I'll throw my lot with him."
The others, however, did not look so convinced. Cloud continued standing and glaring at everyone, while Marluxia was doing his best to look haughty, and Leon folded his arms and just looked skeptical. Demyx resisted the urge to groan. Would it end like this? Their plan to put an end to Xemnas once and for all--blown away like a house of cards, all because the slayers that were supposed to help them thought their story didn't hold any water? His mind raced in overdrive as he struggled to piece together a way to convince them that it was true and that they should help, but he kept drawing blanks...
By this point, he had quite forgotten about DiZ.
The door clicked open--all heads turned towards it. Demyx heard the man's entrance before he saw him, the swishing of cloak against the carpet...and then DiZ himself appeared, a resplendent figure in flowing red, appearing almost carved from stone. He felt the atmosphere in the room change the instant DiZ stepped in, moving so silently he almost seemed to be weightless. The air seemed to thicken, settling heavily on Demyx's clothes like dust and pressing down on his chest, squeezing until he thought his lungs would burst. He couldn't breathe, could only watch, along with the everyone else, as DiZ reached the center of the room.
Marluxia made a slightly choked noise, as if he wanted to speak, but nothing came out. No one else made a sound; they were all too busy watching DiZ. For a long moment, he stood as silent as they did, his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes focused on nothing in particular. Out of the corner of his eye Demyx saw Namine meet DiZ's gaze for a moment before quickly ducking her head so her hair hid her face.
When DiZ spoke, it was as if glass had been shattered; his every word dragged sharply at Demyx's heart, with an almost physical sensation. "Ahh...how long has it been...how long...since I have sat on a slayer council..."
"DiZ," said Namine, her voice barely above a whisper.
Axel's throat was convulsing nastily, as if he was trying to make up his mind over what to say: "Geez, could have come earlier, you know!", "Have a seat..whoops, there are none left", "Thanks for interrupting, asshole!" Knowing him, it could have been any of them.
Only Zexion seemed possessed of all of his senses. Quite calmly, he said, "Well? As you can see, we have already begun. Unfortunately, there are...ah...portions to our tale that the others do not believe. Care to correct their misconceptions?" He swept his arm in a dramatic gesture towards the wide-eyed slayers.
"Certainly," said DiZ. He straightened even more, which Demyx had thought impossible. When he spoke again, there was a hard cast to his voice, like iron, that made Demyx--and some of the other slayers--flinch. "I will personally vouch for the truthfulness of their accounts."
Marluxia exploded at that, leaping to his feet and even swinging his scythe towards DiZ. Demyx quickly ducked to avoid getting nicked by the sharp silver-plated blade; it took all his self-control to keep himself from screaming or cursing or both. Xigbar had less self-control and yelled, "Fuck, watch it!"
The pink-haired slayer ignored them, advancing towards DiZ step by step so that the tip of his scythe was tapping against DiZ's chin. Demyx, heart slamming so loud in his chest that he thought it would burst out, wanted to shout a warning, but something about the cloaked man's resolve--he had not retreated even an inch--made him hold his tongue.
"I don't believe you," declared Marluxia, his voice heated with rage. "You, Ansem the Wise? You could be anyone under that mask! Anyone pretending to be someone he is not for the sake of--the sake of one vampire's idiotic joke!"
"Joke?" Zexion hissed, the pupils of his eyes narrowing. Worry spiked through Demyx's chest; he feared the more feral side of Zexion he was seeing now. If Zexion got up and attacked Marluxia...no, no, he did not want to think about that. Somehow, he had to think to preserve the peace, somehow...
"Stand down," said DiZ, his eyes harder than stones; they seemed to glow with a terrible light of their own. "I am not lying. And do you believe anyone would go to such lengths for the sake of a joke? I do not have to explain myself to the likes of you."
Marluxia looked like he was ready to spit back a retort, but he did not speak--in fact, he seemed somewhat intimidated, just as Demyx was, by the ferocious resolve in DiZ's eyes, carved into what was visible of his face. It was not a human resolve, not a human ferocity. In that instant, standing still as a statue, draped in red, gazing at all present with hard eyes, DiZ appeared at his least human. For the first time, Demyx could appreciate that he had infused himself with monstrous blood...
"Tch!" Marluxia spun around and took his seat again, resting his scythe by his side. He turned emphatically away from DiZ; Demyx glanced at him, feeling strangely sorry for the slayer though he couldn't say why. But DiZ had started speaking again.
"The others have already explained my story. You already know that I have spent the past two hundred years trying to gather a force strong enough to destroy the Coven of Thirteen. It has not been easy. I have failed many times. But this time..." He swept his gaze over the assembled group. "This time...I believe that we may have a chance."
"As if," piped up Xigbar. "You probably tell that to everyone you recruit!"
Demyx had honestly never thought of that before--and it was a good point.
"You are incorrect," said DiZ flatly. "Before, I could only gather rebels and outcasts. But you are all acclaimed and accomplished slayers...all of the highest caliber. And for the first time..." He turned towards Zexion, who stiffened slightly but did not flinch. "For the first time, we have help from inside the coven."
"I am--I am fairly low-ranking--" began Zexion, looking rather flustered.
"Help?" Cloud's eyebrows did a nasty tango. "What'd you do, warm his bed?"
"No!" yelled Demyx in an instant. He almost leapt to his feet, but a hand closed around the hem of his suit jacket and dragged him downwards, against his protests. He whirled around, fist raised, ready to deck whoever was holding him back from teaching Cloud a lesson and teaching it good--but all his rage subsided when he saw it was Zexion, paler than usual, disapproval shining in his eyes. As he and Demyx locked gazes, the vampire shook his head slowly, once, twice.
"Zexy..." began Demyx, unable to think of anything more coherent to say.
When Zexion spoke, it was not to address Demyx, but Cloud. "Do not be foolish. I cannot...do anything of that sort. I have been warded." He indicated the silver hoop in his ear which Demyx hadn't noticed at first--the delicate skin around it was burned and reddened a rather ugly shade. Sympathy immediately shot through Demyx's veins, and he almost reached out to pat Zexion on the shoulder; Zexion, however, grabbed his hand by the wrist and maneuvered it back down to Demyx's side.
Fine...so he wasn't in a very affectionate mood. Fine by Demyx...especially since they had more important things to worry about now. Such as the council...
Cloud still looked as if he wanted very much to stake and then dismember Zexion on the spot, but he didn't say anything more on the subject. It was Leon who spoke next.
"So--what's our plan? How are we going to take down this...Coven of Thirteen?"
"You actually believe them?" said Cloud.
Leon shrugged. "I don't see why anyone would lie about something so important. Until there's evidence to the contrary, I'll believe them."
"So," said Axel loudly, though he couldn't hide his satisfaction that they'd gotten at least one person on their side. "How're we going to go about defeating Xemnas? Anyone got any suggestions?"
Everyone was hesitant at first, but then slowly, one by one, began to speak, until their voices melded together into a rising flurry, so loud that Demyx could barely hear his own thoughts. Ideas were exchanged, some facetious--such as Xigbar's suggestion they drop a ton of nukes on the Coven of Thirteen headquarters--and others more serious, such as Cloud suggesting they ambush Xemnas. Zexion pointed out the impossibility of performing such a task, since Xemnas was always surrounded by his followers, especially that werewolf (he spat out the word with the foulness of a swear); Leon pointed out that he could dispatch of werewolves any day; Axel noted that there weren't just werewolves but vampires too; Roxas interjected that Xemnas was just too strong and nothing they could do could beat him; Demyx nodded vigorously to this, stating that he and Axel had shot Xemnas through enough times to have pulverized a human, but the vampire had remained standing.
"Basically," said Marluxia, "everything centers around Xemnas, correct? If we eliminate him, the rest of the coven should follow."
"That would be the wisest course of action," said Zexion, raising an eyebrow, "if it were possible to defeat Xemnas in the first place."
"Aww, come on, he's only one vampire," said Xigbar. "How tough could he be?"
Against his will, Demyx found himself remembering how he and Axel had been shooting and shooting at Xemnas, shooting until his fingers went numb and he ran out of ammo, yet the vampire continued advancing towards them, stumbling through a puddle of his own blood, a vile smirk slashing his face in two...
To Demyx's surprise, Roxas spoke up. "He is tough. Don't underestimate him."
"So it appears," said DiZ, "that we know what we must do--defeat Xemnas--but we do not have the means to accomplish it."
That sounded about right; Demyx nodded his assent. Axel said, bitingly, "So, got any suggestions, old man?"
DiZ said nothing, clearly meaning he didn't have any suggestions. An awkward silence descended over the group; Demyx shifted nervously, wanting to break it, but he had no idea what to say because he had no suggestions either. How could they fight against a creature as powerful as Xemnas? He turned slightly to glance at Zexion, who appeared similarly affected: the incubus had become even paler than usual, and had clasped his fingers tightly in his lap. Demyx had half a mind to reach out and squeeze Zexion encouragingly on the shoulder; but he remembered that Zexion was ignoring all of his affections now. Rather sourly, he turned away from the vampire.
"He can't be defeated by just attacking him," said Namine, her quiet voice ringing through the room; everyone turned to her. She flushed a bit under their combined scrutiny, but when she continued her voice remained steady and strong. "You can--you can fill him with as many bullets as you'd like, but he'll barely feel it."
Demyx wondered how Namine would know--but then remembered that her parents had been killed by a vampire. Wait...was that vampire--?
"So you're basically saying there's no hope of winning," said Cloud sharply.
"No one is saying that," said DiZ. "All I am saying is that we must formulate a plan..."
"We've already been here all evening," protested Cloud.
"Then we will spend longer if we must," said DiZ harshly. "This late in my plans, I am not in a hurry. It does not matter to me whether we defeat Xemnas today or a week or even a month from now--so long as it does get done."
Yeah, right! thought Demyx darkly. Weren't you the one who was so eager to defeat Xemnas that you pretty much forced us all to help you? Nice lying there!
"So it's clear," said Leon. "We need to spend more time planning this attack. Researching everything we can on our enemy, figuring out ways to outsmart him if it really is impossible to beat him in a standard fight. Testing out different scenarios."
Axel nodded. "Sounds good to me, got it memorized?"
"Yes," said Zexion, his voice quiet but strained. "We will need some more time...though we cannot dally forever. There are some of us who have bounties on our heads, and the sooner we take down the one who set those bounties, the easier it will be for us to feel secure."
"Some of us?" Axel snorted. "You just mean you."
Demyx opened his mouth to say something defending Zexion, but the others had begun speaking over him, mostly agreeing to what Leon was saying, though Cloud still looked skeptical and DiZ looked a little disappointed--though he was the one who'd suggested it in the first place, it was plain he'd rather his revenge come as soon as possible.
In the middle of all the talk about when they'd hold the meetings and what they should discuss, Marluxia suddenly cleared his throat with a rather loud, nasty unsticking sound. Everyone whirled in his direction.
"Yeah, what is it?" said Xigbar, sounding a bit disgruntled because he'd been interrupted as he detailed an extensive schedule for their meetings.
"Well..." said Marluxia, drawing himself up haughtily--any more haughty and he'd be sticking his pinky out while taking a sip from a cup of tea. "Have you all forgotten...about the Slayer Society Ball?"
"Huh? What's that?" said Demyx, confusion spiking inside him. He envisioned an enormous volleyball plated with silver, which was the Slayer Society's ultimate wepaon...but that clearly couldn't be right.
Leon seemed equally as confused. "What are you talking about?"
The others, excepting Zexion and Roxas, seemed to understand, however. Axel and Xigbar laughed out loud, while Cloud said bitingly, "Don't we have more important things to worry about?", and DiZ said, sounding incongruously delighted, "So they're still holding it, are they?"
"Excuse me? What is this...'ball'?" demanded Zexion, his eyebrow twitching. "And what does this have to do with any of us?"
Axel dove to the explanation rescue, probably just so he'd have an opportunity to say his catch phrase. "It's a formal ball held every year by the Slayer Society, about this time of the year, I'd say--"
"It's in a month," said Marluxia sourly.
"That's right," said Axel. "Every top-notch slayer goes. It's really quite prestigious--if you don't show up everyone assumes the worst of you and you'll be ostracized like one two three, got it memorized?"
"And seeing as all of you are top-notch slayers..." began DiZ, a strange revelatory light entering his eye.
"Hold on--" Zexion stood up, shaking in fury, fixing Axel with a ferocious, near feral, glare. "Are you saying that you would be willing to put our plans on hold--all for the sake of a ball?"
Axel looked ready to spit back a retort, but Marluxia spoke first, becoming haughtier with every word. "It's no laughing matter, incubus. This is slayer tradition, so we must attend. That's why I am saying that we must schedule our meetings around the upcoming ball. We can't embark before it--"
"So if we want to defeat this Xemnas as soon as possible," cut in Cloud, "we should do it shortly after the ball."
A scowl crosed Zexion's face, twisting it quite unpleasantly; he folded his arms and glared at all the assembled slayers, but took his seat again. It was clear, though, that he was twitching with impatience--but strangely Demyx couldn't sympathize. He felt a strange sense of relief, above all--going to a dance right before taking down the Coven of Thirteen seemed a nice way to blow off steam, something almost normal after all the insane shit that had been happening to them....assuming they'd be allowed to go, of course.
Roxas voiced this thought exactly. "Wait...um...would...would we be allowed to go?" He swept his arm out in a half-hearted gesture that was meant to encompass him, Namine, Zexion, and Demyx.
"Huh?" Axel blinked, uncomprehending, at him for a moment--but then his expression softened and a smile spread across his face. Demyx had to fight against a pang of jealousy that rose inside him; Axel had never smiled like that at him before...
"Aww, come on, Rox," laughed Axel, thumping Roxas rather hard on the shoulder. "What, you think you wouldn't be allowed to go? Every slayer attend is allowed to take guests, got it memorized?"
Roxas, for some reason, flushed bright red and ducked his head. "Er...yeah...thanks, Axel."
While Axel had been speaking, Leon and Cloud had been exchanging strange, unreadable glances, both looking rather awkward. Demyx wondered what their damage was, but diverted his attention from them to Zexion, the only one who did not seem pleased at the news of the slayer ball. His arms were folded, his shoulders held stiffly, and he was biting his lower lip while glaring at all assembled through a narrowed dark blue eye.
Don't be so impatient, Zexy, Demyx wanted to say, but the words wouldn't leave his throat. Truth be told...he had the feeling that if he tried reasoning with Zexion at the moment, he'd get his head bitten off. And perhaps even literally...
Everyone else was ignoring the moody incubus, however; they'd descended into cheerful, light-hearted conversation together--Xigbar and Marluxia had even resumed their debate about which team deserved to win the World Series. Demyx sank against his chair, rubbing his forehead. He knew there'd be more slayer councils in the future, but for now...he'd had quite enough of debate and planning and wearing a tie. It was about time to go to sleep...
"Very well then," said DiZ, "the slayer council is adjourned."
Meh...yeah. After the emotional high of the previous chapter, this one does kind of fall flat...I blame that on the sheer amount of "talky-talky" scenes involved. Writing conversations between so many people while trying to keep the chapter a manageable length is a massive headache...*sigh*
The next chapter will be much more exciting! We finally get a breakthrough as to how to defeat Xemnas, and it's an important chapter relationship-wise as well (especialy for Zexy and Demyx). Plus, given its title "Ball", it's the perfect setting for making and/or breaking relationships. Here's a preview to whet your interest:
Truthfully, over the past month, Demyx's relationship with Zexion had been a bit more...distant...than he'd have liked. They'd been keeping away from each other by a mutual, unspoken agreement, even taking to separate rooms and doing little more than exchanging cordial greetings and discussions during the councils. He wished he could do something to remedy the situation, but he quailed even at the thought of where to start. There was just so much--so many snares and flaming hoops between them. They'd both wronged each other, he knew that; both had wronged each other badly and he wasn't sure who was more to blame. Zexion, for sleeping around? Demyx, for wanting Zexion to give up what made him a vampire? He just didn't know, didn't know what to do, how to go about reconciling with the incubus. So he let the gaping distance between the two of them remain, no matter how much he despised it, no matter how much he longed to cross it. To return the two of them back to the way they'd used to be...
Not an optimistic prognosis...but we'll see if the two do manage to patch it up when I finally come around to updating.
Thanks again for all the reviews, and thank you all so, so, so very much for helping me make it past 300 reviews. This is my first piece on this site to have that sort of reception and it's just overwhelming to me, honestly. And it would never have happened without all of you. ^^ Keep it up with the great feedback.
Also, if you're impatient over the long waits between each chapter, and want to check out more of my writing, you might be interested in The Chrysalis Project. It's a series of stories set in an original universe of mine, on fictionpress, under the username Bickazer. Look at my profile for more information. ^^