sorry it took a while to update. our story is nearing to the end and i'm having a little trouble connecting the dots. it's all good though. next update should (hopefully) be soon.

read and review please.

Chapter 23
New Recruits

Pleo just scowled.

She was bad at scowling, but she could manage. The Leader stood in front of her prison cell, the gloomy cage blocking Pleo from seeing his face.

"It's been a while, Pleo," the Leader smiled wide and twirled the key to Pleo's freedom around his pinky.

Pleo just scowled.

"Not going to talk?" the Leader mused, "Fine. No matter, I'll find a way, Baby Sister," he spat her name as if it were a curse.

The leader turned on his heels and vanished from the dark cell. Pleo slumped against the wall and slipped down until she was sitting on the stone floor. Pleo found that being a prisoner was no fun.

"So, you're the girl?"

Pleo turned and saw a woman in a long black organization cloak locked in her own separate cage, "Who are you?"

She shrugged, "The name's Larxene. Though, it doesn't really matter at this point now, does it?" She smiled but her smile just made Pleo shiver.

"Why not?" Pleo mumbled.

"Because, sweetie," Larxene began, "They 'bad guys' have you now. You know what that means? It means they win. They are going to use you to obtain the power they want."

"Larxene," a deep voice cut her off, "Leave the child alone."

"Aw, Lexaeus," Larxene pouted, "Can't I have a little fun before I leave?"

Lexaeus didn't answer and Pleo got the feeling that he wasn't much of a talker.

"No, Larx," a strange man with pink hair spoke up, "Just leave her be."

Pleo could tell just by looking that these people had been locked inside this place much longer than she would have been able to bear. She actually found herself pitying them.

"You're part of the Organization, right?" Pleo asked.

"You know about us?" Larxene asked and pointed to herself.

"Yeah," Pleo nodded, "I have some friends in your organization."

"Really?" Larxene pressed.

"They'll be here. I know they'll come," Pleo gave Larxene a small smile.

"I hate to break it to you, darling, but I don't think anyone's coming," Larxene sighed.

"If no one else, Demyx will come," Pleo told her hopefully.

"Ha!" Larxene didn't hold back a rude laugh, "I don't think you put your trust in the right side."

"Oh," Pleo looked Larxene up and down and used a sarcastic tone, "So I guess I should have teamed up with your side. Then maybeI wouldn't be in a cage. Oh, wait…" Pleo peered around Larxene and looked at all the others in the cage to emphasize her point.

Larxene cracked a smile, "I like you," she commented and changed the subject, "Anyway, I guess you're right. Maybe Water Boy was on the right side, after all. We only joined Xigbar because he is stronger than Demyx. But, then again, Demyx isn't in a cage," Larxene shrugged, "Well, you can't change the past."

"No, but you can always change the future," Pleo informed.

"Big words coming from a little girl," Larxene mused.

"At least they're true," Pleo shrugged, "It doesn't have to end here."

Larxene crouched down so she was eye level with Pleo, "I'm listening."

"do-do-dooo-do-do-do," Demyx put his hands together, making a gun, as he crept through the corridors.

"do-do-doo-dooo-do-do-do," Deym echoed.

Demyx quickly hid behind a wall, bust out with his 'gun' drawn, and then slowly moved against the wall once he saw that the 'coast was clear'. Deym quickly did a dodge roll to the other side of the hallway and tip-toed his way down the hallway.

"Demyx, Deym," Roxas interrupted, "We're a big group walking down a tiny hallway. No matter how much you try and be James Bond, it won't stop them from seeing us."

"…I was just having some fun," Demyx mumbled and stood up from his crouch.

"Maybe next time Water Boy," Axel smirked and playfully smacked the back of Demyx's and Deym's head.

"The Leader's throne room is here," Bruixe pointed at a wide door at the end of the hallway.

"What's our plan?" Luxord asked Zexion.

"Uh," Zexion thought for a second, "Honestly, I didn't think we'd make it this far."

"Great," Xaldin sighed and before anyone knew what was going on, lances were dropping into Xaldin's hands.

The organization members watched as the lances fell and Xaldin flawlessly caught each one precisely.

"One-two-three-four," Bruixe count out loud as the lances fell, "Seriously, how many lances does this guy have?" Bruixe watched as the lances kept falling and Xaldin magically made room to catch the next one.

Roxas and Axel shrugged and answered in unison, "You get used to it."

"It takes foreverfor him to summon all six," Demyx complained.

The lances finally stopped falling and Xaldin was floating with his lances around him in a very threatening way, "Are we breaking up this party or what?" Xaldin asked with a small smirk on his face.

"Well, now that we gave the Werewolf a head start on summoning his weapons…" Bruixe rolled her eyes and summoned her keyblade, Fallen Angel. Everyone else followed suit, summoning their own weapon of choice.

"You're a smart little punk, I'll give you that," Larxene mumbled as she stood up.

Pleo smiled.

"Well," Larxene turned back to the other organization members, "There has been a change of plans. We're on Demyx's side now."

The man with long blond hair spoke up, "You know the probability of us getting out of here alive is—"

Larxene interrupted, "Save me the logic, Vexen. It's either we die here or we try and fight back with Pleo. I'll let you choose your side."

"I'm Vexen," the smart man told Pleo, "It looks like, despite my better judgment, I will be loyal to the Purest Heart."

"Yeah," the man with pink hair stood up, "I'm on your side. Call me Marluxia."

"I'm with you, young one," the big man spoke up, "It's Lexaeus."

"Thank you," Pleo bowed to her new team.

"So…" Larxene looked to Pleo, "How are we going to put this plan into action?"

Pleo but her bottom lip. She hadn't really thought about the actual escape. She had thought about what they were going to do once they were out, "Umm…"

Larxene sighed, "This wouldn't be an issue if that Leader wouldn't have used that stupid spell on this cell."

"What spell?" Pleo asked.

"I don't know what it was. I'd never seen it before. But, it made it so that we couldn't summon anything. Not our weapons, not a portal, we're totally stuck in here," Larxene answered and sighed deeper, "I never thought I'd say this but… I wish Zexion were here," She paused and then muttered under her breath, "Where are you, Cloaked Schemer?"

Pleo walked over to the metal that held her in the prison. She ran her fingers across the think metal and a wide smirk spread over her face.

"Hey, guys?" Pleo turned back to them.

"Hmm?" a few murmured as they gave her their attention.

Pleo smirked wider, "I've got this covered."

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