As our heroine had her breakfast, our antihero strutted over and leaned against the table. He propped an elbow up, and watched her eat in silence for a few moments.
"You know that's really creepy, right, Axel?" Shoshanah said after he hadn't moved.
"I was just thinking," Axel started lightly.
"Oh, no. Don't hurt your head."
He ignored this. "So, great and wise leader, what is your plan of action?"
Shoshanah set down her spoon. "What? A plan? I didn't think…."
"I didn't think so, either," Axel said smugly. He leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "Can I assume leadership?"
"Over my dead body," Shoshanah replied carelessly. She began shoveling food in her mouth, giving herself an excuse not to continue.
"Well," Axel said, watching her chew and swallow with only the slightest hint of amusement. "If you don't know what we're doing, wouldn't it be better for me to take over? For the good of everyone, of course."
"So you and Riku can throw more hissy fits? I don't think so, buddy."
"Fine. If you won't accept my offer, will you at least listen to my ideas?"
"I'll tell you what…" Shoshanah glanced both ways, as if to make sure no one was listening. Then she leaned forward, and whispered, "If you run them through Zexion first, I'll consider them."
Axel frowned. "Why Zexion?"
"He has brains."
"Meaning I don't?"
"You said it, not me." Shoshanah stood, and laughed at his expression. "Oh, come on, Axel. You know I'll listen to your ideas."
Axel straightened. "I don't need to take this. I can leave right now." Despite his words, a smile twitched on his face.
Shoshanah began to answer playfully, but a loud thunk stopped her. "What was that?"
"Dunno."
Right on cue, Zexion came sprinting into the room. "Remember those miniature armies I told you about? Well, without the Keyblade Master out of commission, they've arrived."
"Looks like your first mission as general, General," Axel grinned. He summoned his chakrams. "Shall you go first, or shall I?"
"Why can't these things happen after breakfast?" Shoshanah groaned. She slid out of her chair. "Don't wait up; I'll be right out."
"Righto." Axel sprinted out the door, followed rather reluctantly by Zexion.
Once Shoshanah was ready, she ran out the door. What she saw directly in front of her made her stop.
Turning to Zexion, she asked, "This is what you call a miniature army?"
Zexion shrugged. "It's a relative term."
Shoshanah shook her head to show her disgust, but refrained from answering.
Axel bounded over, waving his chakrams and grinning from ear to ear. "Are you guys gonna fight, or am I gonna have to do it all?"
"Like you'd mind," Zexion snorted.
"We're coming," Shoshanah said at the same time. She followed Axel straight into the thick of the fray.
"Plenty for all of us," he observed while chopping a Dusk's head off. He turned 180 degrees, and lit the one directly in front of him on fire.
"You're better at this than I am," Shoshanah said, with a touch of envy.
"Practice," Axel explained. "And natural talent, of course."
"Of course," Shoshanah agreed with a straight face. She shot a few Dusks before continuing. "I'm better at long range than close, any-oh!" The 'oh' came when a Dusk pulled her arm backwards. She stomped its foot, hard, with her heel. The Dusk let go just before Axel turned it into cinders.
"Thanks," Shoshanah said gratefully. She couldn't spend much time on gratitude, though, as the other Dusks began converging on her. She grabbed the closest one by the neck and started swinging it in a circle. The Dusks it hit went flying in every direction (one hit Riku on the back of his head), but when it sunk its teeth into her arm, she had to let go.
Axel bonked the new-released Dusk on the skull with his chakram. "Nice job, Sparky."
Shoshanah grinned appreciatively. The Dusks that had been chased away before now flew towards her at a speed that they should never have dreamed of going. Shoshanah dropped and rolled away, and the Dusks crashed head first into each other. She rolled straight into a group that were attacking Zexion. Their attention diverted, they turned and leapt on top of her. Shoshanah shrieked, and kicked. But there were too many on top of her, and her attacks did almost nothing.
A black-gloved hand reached in, and grabbed the back of her shirt. With a horrendous effort, Axel pulled the thrashing woman out of the mountains of Dusks. As he set her on her feet, he lit the heap on fire.
"Be careful," he scolded.
"You don't need to tell me twice," she agreed, shivering.
A strange light entered Axel's eyes. "Shoshanah…" he began to say, but something over her shoulder caught his attention. He shoved her back onto the ground. Immediately, twenty Dusks flew into him. And more kept coming, piling higher and higher on him.
"Axel!" Shoshanah screamed. She fired wildly, but taking down one Nobody didn't effect the other thirty or so. She abandoned her gun, and instead ran straight at the pile. This time, a different gloved hand caught her.
"Don't bother," Zexion said softly. "He's already gone."
Shoshanah watched helplessly, tears streaming down her face, as Axel and the Dusks disappeared.