Have you ever been apathetic towards a pairing for thirteen years and then suddenly get struck by inspirational lightning and have to write a stupid long fic about it? This is that fic. Thanks to Theo ghostadas for joining me in my marvex spiral and encouraging/beta reading/crying with me; about half of this (including the art!) would not exist without her!
This fic is not totally done, but I've been working on it since far before Re:Mind was announced, so forgive me if things don't line up once that comes out. Enjoy!
As his boots sank ankle deep into the mud for the third time in an hour, Even wondered what in the worlds had convinced him that accompanying Ienzo and Aeleus on this trip was a good idea. They'd been traipsing through the woods of Corona for the better part of the morning, following sign posts which had promised they were getting closer to the city, but now they were slogging their way through a gloomy marsh at the edge of the forest. The farther they went, the wetter it got, and now it was nearly impossible to make it more than a few feet without squelching through the muck.
Grumbling, he latched onto the nearest tree and tugged, perhaps a little harder than he should have, because a spray of muddy water flecked dark stains across the hem of his coat as he pulled one leg free. It was fortunate he'd exchanged his labcoat for something a little less conspicuous, though the mud was quickly ruining the dark green fabric. Even tugged again, and flinched as the scarred skin across his chest stretched with the effort. His other boot only slid a few inches sideways before sinking even deeper.
"Stuck?"
Even looked up, still frowning. Aeleus, somehow not sinking despite his size and the watery terrain, was holding out a hand. Even begrudgingly took it, the mud sucking at the soles of his boots as Aeleus helped him onto drier land.
"Why aren't you having trouble?" he grumbled.
"My powers," Aeleus said. He was holding his axe-sword in his other hand; he tapped it lightly on the ground, and the patch of mud beneath solidified as the earth expanded, decreasing the moisture.
"How very convenient for you," Even muttered. He glared at another mud patch quite close by, willing it to freeze over. A thin layer of ice spread along its surface, but after a moment it evaporated in a puff of mist, leaving the area as wet as ever.
"It'll come back to you," Aeleus said as he created a path for them to walk on. "I've had more time to practice."
"I shouldn't need practice," Even continued to gripe. "It hardly required any effort before!"
"You were a Nobody before," said a much calmer voice from nearby. Ienzo was waiting a little further ahead, sitting patiently on a fallen log. His boots were a bit mud-caked too, which made Even feel slightly better.
"Now that we're human again, our powers aren't what they once were," Ienzo continued. He held out his hand palm up, a characteristic gesture Even had seen a thousand times before, whenever Zexion summoned his Lexicon. The air above Ienzo's hand, however, remained empty, and he lowered it with a quiet sigh. "We'll just have to keep trying."
"We should be nearly out of the marsh," Aeleus said as they drew level with him. "This way."
Ienzo rose and followed, Even trailing behind them. He held his hand out to his side, willing his shield to form from its usual icy mist, but only the barest hint of frost spread across his fingertips. Shaking his hand with a muffled sigh, he hurried after them. It would be the height of embarrassment for Even to get lost in this horrible swamp when it had been his idea to accompany Ienzo on this journey in the first place.
Ienzo had been surprisingly adamant about searching for some of their missing numbers, particularly Demyx and Braig. Even had agreed that locating Demyx was rather high on his list of priorities-he still hardly considered the boy a friend, but Demyx had assisted him in his plan to deliver a vessel to the other apprentices, and that counted for something. Even was surprised at how much it had bothered him, not knowing where Demyx had ended up after the whole affair was at last put to rest. But as for Braig…
"You told us that Xehanort's influence could bring out the worst in a person—that it distorted your sense of self," Ienzo had argued, a week before.
"Yes…" That had been difficult to deny. Even had been spared the worst of Xehanort's influence when he was passed over as one of the chosen vessels, but it had still had surprising and unpleasant effects on his emotions.. "But, Ienzo-"
"Isa was affected that way, as well."
"That's correct, but-"
"Then the same could be true for Braig."
And that had been the end of the discussion. The plans for a new gummiship were completed in record time, thanks to Ienzo's friendship with the little king's engineers and the help of Highwind from the Restoration Committee, and so Ienzo and Even, along with Aeleus, had set out to begin their search.
The other two had seemed surprised that Even had insisted on coming along, but Even did have knowledge of the various worlds the true Organization had been monitoring, and anyway, none of them had regained true mastery of their old powers. Certainly Aeleus and Ienzo would look after one another, but three would be able to handle problems two could not. So here Even was, worlds away from home not even three weeks after his second recompletion, searching for Demyx and Braig. Demyx was one thing, but privately he couldn't help but remain unconvinced that locating Braig was as good an idea as Ienzo seemed to believe.
Yes, it was true that Xehanort's influence was quite negative and at times almost overwhelming. Even's own experiences during his time with a piece of Xehanort's heart in place of his own was proof enough of that. Vexen had felt his own emotions, now unable to deny their faint presence in what was left of his heart, but feelings that were not his own had crept up on him when his guard was down. The feverishness with which he had pursued the completion of the new replicas had surprised even him, and he was quite used to his own obsessive tendencies when it came to work. This, though, was different, so intense at times that it unsettled him, and always accompanied by other feelings that were not his own, or perhaps his own but magnified: strange surges of jealousy, or indifference, or loneliness.
It hadn't taken long for him to pinpoint the cause, and Isa had confirmed his suspicious when questioned: Xehanort's influence on the heart made every negative emotion fester, drowning out all other feelings if one wasn't careful. As he had worked on the new batch of replicas, it had been all Even could do at points to ignore the dark whispers in the back of his mind, Xehanort's personal desires creeping into the void beneath his ribs. It wasn't hard to imagine the same happening to the other members of the new Organization, particularly those among the chosen.
But Xigbar...the others had been dutiful, some even enthusiastic with regards to their new missions, but something about Xigbar's behavior had just seemed off. It hadn't been difficult to surmise that he knew the old man in charge more extensively than anyone had assumed, or that he appeared in some ways to be higher in the current pecking order than even Xemnas, to Even's surprise, but he didn't seem to be doing much with his newfound status. Xigbar visited worlds without any real reason, talked occasionally about some strange black box they were all supposed to be searching for, and seemed almost indifferent to practically anything the Organization concerned itself with. This was the strangest of all, considering he had apparently been enduring Xehanort's influence longer than even Isa.
All of this had been difficult to explain to the others, particularly in the face of Ienzo's determination to locate Braig. Dilan had been skeptical, almost hesitant, but had agreed that determining where their former colleague had gone was important-though he had declined to join them on their trip. Aeleus had only nodded at Ienzo's reasoning, immediately volunteering to join him in the search. Lord Ansem, for his part, seemed almost as interested in finding Braig as Ienzo was, and encouraged the idea. Even couldn't help but wonder if they were all quietly clinging to the hope that Braig would be just as they remembered before everything had gone wrong: reckless and selfish, certainly, but not totally willing to turn them all into lifeless husks in exchange for a little power. It was possible, Even supposed, but he just couldn't help but think that perhaps the reason Braig had yet to return to the Garden on his own was not because of a lack of ability to do so, but because he simply didn't want to.
Even had given up his heart a second time in the main square of Radiant Garden, but Braig's absence implied he had done otherwise, and they had all been rather ashamed to admit that Demyx's homeworld was a mystery. They began their search search at the Keyblade Graveyard, which they had found as dusty and desolate as it had ever been, and even emptier than Even remembered. It seemed as likely a spot as any, considering the amount of time the true Organization had spent there, but after as thorough a search as they could manage, there was no sign of any remaining members of the Organization amongst the rocks and dead keyblades. The stone pillars stood empty, and the crossroads likewise, silent and lifeless.
They left the Graveyard behind quickly, which Even was grateful for. He didn't like the few memories he had of this world, nor did he appreciate the way Ienzo and Aeleus kept glancing at him when they thought he couldn't see. Were they expecting that he would break down, somehow, returning to this place? If so, he was happy to disappoint them. The only emotions he felt as he surveyed the cracked plateaus were distaste, and the desire to leave.
From there, they had made their way to Traverse Town, as Ienzo had pointed out that if Demyx's original world had yet to emerge from the darkness, he would most likely have recompleted there. The three of them had searched for hours, questioning those who still remained in the world and going through each building carefully. They had even found Highwind's old garage, a few spare gummiblocks littering the floor and dusty workbenches that had been strangely covered in claw marks. Perhaps the Heartless had caused some trouble for the refugees of the Garden here too.
There had been no sign of Demyx or Braig, unfortunately, so they had left the world in-between and visited a good handful since then, Corona being the third. It was the most pleasant so far, though Even's opinion of the place was rapidly declining. It was, at least, quieter than that world with the tall glass and metal buildings with too many people crowding its streets, and better by far than that bizarre toy store. The less said about their experience in that world, the better, in Even's opinion.
"Ah," Ienzo said as they reached the top of a steep hill, "I think we're getting close." He pointed out past the trees to what looked like the peaks of a handful of towers. "We may be able to see the city from the bottom of this slope."
"It's rather steep," Even said, eyeing the incline.
"Even, are you really frightened of a hill?"
"I didn't say I was frightened," he snapped. "But if one of us breaks our necks in a fall, there won't be any coming back from it."
"I may not be able to use my Lexicon, but I can heal any injuries we might obtain," Ienzo said. "Let's go."
He started off again down the hill, and Even sighed. Aeleus was frowning, but when Even looked at him he only shrugged and followed after Ienzo, and Even begrudgingly went after them.
It didn't take long for any of them to start slipping down the incline. Even and Aeleus both halted in time, but Ienzo stumbled and began to slide. Instead of reaching for something to steady himself, however, Ienzo let himself fall, and slid off through the grass, sending a spray of flower petals in his wake. After a moment, to Even's utter shock, they could hear him laughing as he slid further down the hill and out of sight.
It was not a sound that Even was used to hearing. Aeleus looked just as surprised, but he only shook his head, almost fondly.
"I could level the ground out a little," he suggested.
"You know he'll make some comment if we do."
"Probably."
Even sighed. "I suppose we don't have a choice. It is, at least, the most expedient way down." He grimaced, and let go of the fistful of grass he had grabbed onto. Aeleus did the same, and down they went, trying their utmost to ignore the utter indignity of sliding down a grassy hill like a couple of children.
The hill path emptied out onto a wide bay, water gently lapping at its shore. Above the glistening surface was a long bridge connecting the shore to an island, upon which a large city with bright towers stood imprinted against the sky. It was fairly impressive, and reminded Even more than a little of Radiant Garden. Ienzo was waiting for them at the bottom, turning away from the sight of the city as the two slid to as graceful a halt as they could manage.
"Well!" Ienzo was slightly out of breath, but he was still smiling a little as Even and Aeleus straightened back up. "Any broken bones?"
Aeleus shook his head as Even scoffed. "No, of course not."
"Good. Shall we?"
He turned and walked forward, but rather than approaching the bridge, he went to the shore and stepped into the shallow water, rinsing the dried mud off of his boots. Even followed suit, silently wishing something could be done for his stained coat. Once they had cleaned themselves up they set out across the bridge.
"It's rather like home, don't you think?" Ienzo said, looking up at the tall towers shining in the late morning sun. "A large city with a central castle situated on an island, surrounded by water…and they seem fond of flowers, too."
He wasn't wrong; from the main gate they could see flowers sitting on windowsills, strung from rooftops, in carts along the streets. There were even garlands being strung by uniformed men on tall ladders. Townspeople moved busily through the cobbled avenues below them, most moving in the direction of what seemed to be a market.
It was still strange to move in the open, to allow themselves to be seen, rather than lurk in the shadows to observe. They received a few curious glances-everyone in the market seemed to know each other, laughing and greeting one another by name-but no one questioned their presence. As a port city, and the hub of a kingdom, travellers were presumably a fairly frequent occurrence. Aeleus seemed to be getting the most attention due to his sheer size, towering over the tallest of the guardsman who patrolled through the streets, but beyond this they were able to search through the city without more than a handful of raised eyebrows.
It didn't take terribly long to conduct a cursory search, considering the size of the city. The large gates in front of the path to the castle were locked, and other parts of the surrounding town seemed to be blocked off, too. The citizens seemed to be preparing for a celebration of some sort; most of the areas were bustling with people, but they moved with purpose, most of them quite intent on their work as they strung up more garlands of flowers and hung bright purple flags with sunburst emblems from every surface.
On previous worlds Ienzo had taken up the role of questioner-Aeleus certainly wasn't the chatting sort, and Even still found it difficult to interact with the locals instead of observing from afar. He approached a man selling baked goods from a cart as the other two hung back, ignoring the awed glances of a few children who stared up at Aeleus as they passed.
"Excuse me," Ienzo said to the baker, "we've been travelling for quite some time and were intending to meet friends in this city. You wouldn't happen to know of any newcomers that have come to town recently? In the last month or so, perhaps? One of them might be wearing an eyepatch, and the other would have rather, um, unusual hair."
"Hmm. Can't say I've seen anyone with an eyepatch, or hair more unusual than yours," said the man, with a glance at Ienzo's long bangs. "But there's been someone staying at the florist's for the last few weeks. Caused a bit of a commotion when he arrived."
"A commotion?"
"Apparently he lived here a while back, but went out on a trip and never returned. There's been some gossip about it-none from me," the baker clarified quickly, "but word is that he might've fell in with some of those ruffians who live out past the marsh. He was in pretty poor shape when he finally got back, I hear. Good thing the florist's married to a doctor."
"Would you mind telling us where we can find him?"
The man pointed down the road. "Follow this street to the end and take a left. Place is full of flowers, you can't miss it." And with that he turned away to greet a woman opening up another stall to his left.
Ienzo made his way back to the other two. "I assume you both heard that. Shall we look?"
"Is it worth it?" Even asked. The crowds were definitely not endearing him to this world. "Braig never lived here, unless he was leading a very impressive double life."
"Demyx might have," Aeleus said.
"Exactly," said Ienzo. "We can't know for certain until we check."
"I suppose," Even muttered as they set off, though he privately thought that a world this industrious did not seem like Demyx's style. "Did any of our former number mention having lived in a world like this one?"
"It's not as if we often discussed our pasts," Ienzo replied. "I don't know that Roxas or Xion were aware the majority of the Organization knew each other before, for instance."
"Highly doubtful." Discussing the past just wasn't something they did, in either of the Organizations. Better to focus on future goals than dwell on memories you supposedly had no emotional attachments to. "Perhaps if we'd all been a bit chattier, this would be an easier endeavor."
"Which of the members were sent here in the new Organization? I don't recognize this world from our previous missions."
"Marluxia," Even said, barely suppressing a grimace. He hadn't had much time to interact with his former adversary-something he was highly grateful for, as Marluxia seemed just as insufferable as ever. If he had to hear one more remark about how slow his work on perfecting the replicas was going...but Marluxia was gone, presumably recompleted on some distant world, and out of Even's way for good. "A new princess of heart was discovered here. The intention was to keep her hidden away, but Sora and his friends interfered, as always."
"I see."
Even didn't elaborate further; whenever he spoke in too much detail about his time in the true Organization, something about Ienzo's attitude became almost brittle. Even couldn't tell if it was for his own sake, or if Ienzo was still unhappy that Even had left without informing the other apprentices of his plans, and he wasn't about to push and find out.
The three turned the corner, and found the baker had been right about the florist's shop. Flowers decorated most of the buildings in the city, but two doors down was a shop practically engulfed by a cascade of colorful blooms. Plants were a common sight for Even-you couldn't walk two feet in the Garden without practically tripping over some flower-bush or other-but even he was surprised at the vividness and size of the blossoms bedecking the shop front. Hydrangeas and geraniums spilled out of the planters sitting outside the door, bunches of begonias hanging from pots suspended from the overhanging roof. There were even a few he didn't recognize, presumably natives to this world. Even immediately started mentally categorizing them, relating them to species he was familiar with, and was so intent on this that he didn't notice the person who had just come out of the shop's front door until Ienzo made a noise in surprise.
Even glanced at the man standing in the doorway and stumbled right into Aeleus, who had already stopped short. The man had stopped too, staring at the three of them over the blooms of amaryllis he held in his arms. He was wearing plain clothes, dark trousers and a buttoned shirt instead of a coat, but Even would recognize the face anywhere. How often had he endured smirks disguised as polite smiles, skepticism and condescension lurking in those sharp blue eyes? And they were blue again, no longer the odd gold they had all shared in the true Organization but their usual shade once more, wide in surprise beneath feathery pink hair. They narrowed slightly as he met Even's gaze, and the expression was so familiar that Even could feel himself grimacing in response. It wasn't something he could help-annoyance was instinctive when it came to Marluxia.
Without quite taking his eyes off the three of them, Marluxia set the plant down on a small ledge beneath the shop window, then straightened back up. The shock in his expression was gone, replaced by a familiar mask of politeness, though a certain wariness was still present in his eyes.
"Hello," he said. "I didn't expect to see the three of you again."
"Marluxia?" Ienzo was the first to step toward him. Aeleus was right behind the boy, and though he hadn't summoned his weapon, Even saw his hand twitch. Ienzo didn't seem bothered in the slightest, only surprised. "You've been recompleted?"
"Obviously," Marluxia responded. "What are you doing here?"
"As if we owe you any explanation," Even interrupted. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here." His polite tone held a hint of amusement. "Surely you could surmise that much."
Even scowled, but before he could respond, Ienzo cut back in.
"Forgive our surprise," he said. "We weren't aware this was your home world."
"No, you wouldn't be." Marluxia tilted his head thoughtfully. "Again, what are you doing here?"
"We're searching for Demyx and Braig," Ienzo said. He ignored the scandalized look Even threw him in favor of watching Marluxia closely, though his tone was just as polite as Marluxia's.
"Braig? Ah, Xigbar. I see." Marluxia's eyes narrowed again. "And what will you do when you find them?"
"What does it matter to you what we do?" Even demanded.
"Even, please, there's no need to be combative," Ienzo said, touching Even's arm briefly.
"Yes, cool that temper of yours. If I considered you a threat, I would have done something about it already," Marluxia said.
Even scoffed. "I highly doubt you're able to use your powers at the moment. Your posturing is unnecessary, as always."
"Even," Ienzo said, and there was an edge to his tone that made Even pause despite himself. "This isn't necessary, either." He stepped ahead of Even, and said to Marluxia, "Have you seen either of them here?"
"Excuse me!" A young, high voice called from down the street. A girl with reddish hair in two braids hurried up wearing a sweet smile. "I'm here to pick up my mother's order!"
Marluxia glanced at the three with a surprisingly stern look, and then turned to the girl, smiling politely again. Even didn't bother holding back another scoff—the man was as insincere as ever, it seemed. If Marluxia heard, he didn't react, instead speaking to the girl.
"She ordered the amaryllis, didn't she? They're right here." He lifted the pot he had placed on the window ledge and held it out to the girl, who took it with careful hands. "Make sure to keep it somewhere sunny. Rotate the pot every day if you can."
"What happens if we don't?"
"They like to grow towards the sun. It might lean too far and start to fall," Marluxia said, tipping one of the blooms to the side with his hand. "If that happens, bring it back and we'll stake the blooms. Sometimes they just need a little extra support."
The girl nodded seriously, and Marluxia gave her another smile. "Thank you!" she said, and with a curious glance at the trio still standing in the middle of the road, she turned and headed back down the street. Marluxia watched her go for a moment, then turned back to them, his smile replaced with wariness.
"I understand if you would prefer not to speak with us," Ienzo said as soon as the girl was out of earshot, "but if you do know anything about where we might find Braig or Demyx, it would be a great help."
"Hmm. I have to say, I'm a little shocked that you're actually asking me for assistance, Zexion."
"It would be foolish to not use every available resource. And that isn't my name anymore."
"Ah-of course not. My apologies," said Marluxia, though he didn't sound particularly sorry. "What is it now?"
"Ienzo. And this is Even, and Aeleus," he said, gesturing at his companions. "What should we call you?"
For a moment Marluxia looked as if he wouldn't answer, but then he gave a short sigh, and said, "Lauriam." He paused, and then, with a brief shake of his head, he turned and went back into the shop, saying over his shoulder, "Come in."
He disappeared into the shop, the bell on the door ringing as it swung shut. Ienzo looked back to Aeleus and Even.
"Well?" he asked.
"We don't have any other leads," Aeleus said.
"We don't," Ienzo agreed. "We may as well see what he knows."
"Are you joking?" Even asked. "Why on earth would we go in there? Did you forget that it's thanks to him that the plan at Castle Oblivion went so horribly awry?" It was astonishing to Even they were even speaking to the man, after his foolish ambitions had led each of them to their quite literal destruction. They had been recompleted, certainly, but that was beside the point.
"Of course I didn't forget," Ienzo said. His tone was neutral, but there was something in the way he held Even's gaze that suggested he knew exactly what Even had left unvoiced. "But that's in the past. As I said, we need to take advantage of whatever help we can find."
"We don't need his help! And furthermore, he never said he knew anything about where they are."
"Even, I understand your frustration, but he was one of the chosen vessels, wasn't he? It's possible he spoke to Demyx more than you did. He might know where he was found when they invited him into the real Organization," Ienzo said. "It would be unwise to leave without finding out what he knows."
"He doesn't know anything. He never has!"
"Even." Aeleus's voice was quiet, but the other two immediately turned to listen. "We can't be certain of what he knows until we ask him."
Even crossed his arms. "You're acting as if he's ever been forthcoming with us in the first place."
"To be fair, it's not as if any of us were ever forthcoming with him," Ienzo said.
"For good reason!"
"He distrusted us because we were closer to Xemnas. And his distrust of Xemnas was understandable, considering his true intentions."
"Marluxia wouldn't have known Xemnas's intentions. We didn't," Even said, tightening his arms around himself. "He and Larxene were just hungry for power."
"It doesn't matter anymore," Aeleus said. "What matters is finding the others."
"I agree," Ienzo said. "Perhaps he won't tell us anything of worth, but I do think the best strategy is to go inside and see what we can glean."
He strode to the door and held it open, looking back to the other two. Aeleus followed and entered the shop, ducking slightly to get through the doorway. Even stared at Ienzo for a moment, still flabbergasted that the boy was even considering going to Marluxia of all people for help, but Ienzo merely tilted his head as if to say, "Are you coming, or not?"
Even hesitated a moment more, and then he uncrossed his arms, grumbling, and went to the door. Ienzo gave him a brief smile and allowed him through the door before stepping inside himself, the bell on the door tinkling again as it shut behind him.
If the outside of the shop had been covered in flowers, the inside seemed almost like a flower explosion. They lined the walls in pots and hanging baskets, crowding the benches lining the perimeter of the room. There were so many pots and planters, in fact, that it was a little difficult to maneuver the floor; Aeleus was gingerly stepping around a container of cheerful-looking hydrangeoas as Even and Ienzo edged in behind him.
At the far end of the room was a desk, atop which stood a container of some of the largest magnolias Even had ever seen. A hummed melody and faint rustling from behind the desk suggested that someone was behind it, though they weren't visible through the stalks. Beside the desk was another door, and as the three looked around, it opened up to show Marluxia, frowning slightly.
"There you are. This way," he said. To the person behind the desk, he added, "We'll be in the back for a little while. Let me know if you need help."
"Take your time," came the response, and a woman with long greying hair popped her head up over the blooms. "It'll be slow until the bouquets are done. Good afternoon, gentlemen."
"Pardon our intrusion," Ienzo said, nodding, and crossed the room-carefully-to follow Marluxia. Aeleus and Even followed, Even still wondering why in the worlds they were bothering.
They followed Lauriam out to a small patio that overlooked a decently-sized garden. It was hard to tell precisely how far it extended behind the building because the view was blocked by dozens of vividly blooming flowers, crowding right up to the patio's edge. A large work table and a few benches were arranged beneath the thin metal roof. Marluxia went over to the table, pulling on a pair of work gloves.
"You'll have to forgive me," he says, "I still have work to do. We're preparing for the princess's coronation." Piles of flowers were arranged across the table in front of him, along with reels of colorful ribbon. "Take a seat, please."
"The Princess of Heart?" Ienzo asked with interest as he sat across from Marluxia. Aeleus stayed standing until Ienzo looked over at him; after a moment's hesitation he took a seat next to Ienzo.
Even remained on his feet, ignoring Ienzo's glances, and crossed his arms. "Is she aware you are here?" he asked Lauriam. "I know you spoke with her in person."
"She isn't. I'm sure she's quite busy, starting her new life." Marluxia set to work, deftly gathering a couple stems from each pile and arranging them just so into bunches. "Far too busy to concern herself with a florist's apprentice." His lips twitched in a slight smirk. "Even if he did seemingly return from the dead. Most of the city is still too excited about her presence to pay much attention to me."
"No one has questioned your return?"
"No. I've let them assume what they want. I kept to myself before losing my heart, and I've continued to do so since my recompletion. The people I lived with previously took me in readily enough, and they rarely asked probing questions of me before. They aren't going to start now." Marluxia measured out a length of pink ribbon and wrapped it around the gathered stems, and then glanced up at the three of them.
"Before I tell you if I've seen Xigbar or Demyx," he said, "I would like to know how the three of you traveled to this world."
Even thought it was rich that Marluxia felt he was in a position to barter for information, but Ienzo answered anyway.
"I take it you're unable to use dark corridors anymore, either," he said.
Marluxia tied the ribbon into a neat bow. "If I could, I wouldn't be here."
"Isn't this your home?"
"This is where I lived before I lost my heart, yes, but it isn't my home."
Even raised an eyebrow. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Marluxia glanced at him, but didn't answer the question. "How did you get here?" he asked again.
"A gummiship," Aeleus answered.
"Ah. Like Sora." Marluxia cut another length of ribbon, yellow this time, and wrapped it below the first. "Interesting."
"We answered your question."
"You did." Marluxia tied the second ribbon off. "I don't know where they are."
Even rolled his eyes. Of course he didn't. Speaking to this man was, as ever, a waste of time. Aeleus frowned, and so did Ienzo, just slightly, but Marluxia leveled a look at them that Even could not quite read.
"I might be able to determine where Demyx is," he said after a moment. "With some assistance."
"Assistance?" Ienzo asked.
Marluxia laid down the bouquet, and looked at the three of them. It was a calculating look, as if he were carefully deciding exactly what to say. "Did Xemnas ever tell any of you why we-myself, Larxene, Luxord, and Demyx-were chosen as members of the original Organization?"
The three apprentices exchanged confused glances. Ienzo answered, "Your hearts-"
"Are powerful enough that our wills were sustained once we lost them, yes," Marluxia finished. "But that isn't why." He put both hands flat on the table, watching them all closely as he spoke. "According to Xemnas, we were gathered together because we are connected to the keyblade."
"The keyblade?" Even asked, flabbergasted. "How?"
"That was what we wondered. He was reticent about the specifics, as always. We were only told that we were connected to what he called an ancient keyblade legacy. He referred to it as our greatest secret. I would have considered it more subterfuge, however..." Marluxia hesitated, but sighed quietly, and continued. "Recently, I...began to remember things that I had thought were lost."
Ienzo leaned forward, intrigued. "Are you saying you weren't in possession of all of your memories before?"
"No. I wasn't. There were parts of my childhood that were...hazy, far before I lost my heart and joined the Organization. But now, some of the haze has cleared."
"And your new memories are connected to what Xemnas spoke of?"
"...I think so." Marluxia stared down at the table, frowning. His voice was so quiet it was almost as if he were speaking only to himself. "I remember people I had forgotten for a very long time. In those memories, I didn't live here. I lived...somewhere else, on a different world. And I carried a keyblade of my own."
"That's preposterous," Even said flatly. "If you were capable of wielding a keyblade, we would never have needed Roxas's assistance, nor would we have been tasked with turning Sora to our former cause. And if you came from a different world, then why do you live here now?"
"You may believe whatever you like." Marluxia was still staring down at the table, at his hands, which were now clenched tight. "I know what Xemnas said to us, and I know that I have memories of wielding a keyblade."
"Hmph. Your new-found memories prove very little. You know as well as we do how misleading they can be."
Lauriam locked eyes with him. "Yes, I do," he said coldly. "I don't need you to tell me how troublesome memory can be, considering I've just told you that I suffered from significant memory loss, but your lack of sympathy is unsurprising." He reached for another reel of ribbon. "And undesired. I don't need sympathy from any of you. I need only for you to provide me a way off of this world."
Even could not believe Marluxia's gall. "And what reason do we have to pay you such a favor?"
"I've just told you. Demyx was connected to the keyblade too, according to Xemnas. If Demyx is indeed tied to my past, then it's possible that knowledge of his home world is locked somewhere in my memory. If I'm able to recover the rest of them, it's possible that I can assist you."
"And if we were to take you with us, where would you go?" Ienzo asked.
"That's simple. I need to find Elrena."
It didn't take more than a moment for them to realize who he meant. "Larxene?"
"Yes. I don't recall Demyx or Luxord-yet. But I remember her. We knew each other before."
"In your recovered memories, you mean?" Ienzo asked. "Interesting. And neither of you recognized one another when you met in the Organization?"
"...There was a sense of familiarity. I couldn't explain it. I think she felt it too. But we rarely discussed the past. I can't know what she remembers until I speak to her." He finished another bouquet, laying it beside the others. "It's possible she recalls more than I do. If anything, she might have an idea of where Demyx is."
"But she might not," Even cut in.
"Perhaps. But considering you were so desperate as to ask me for assistance, I have to assume you have very little idea of where to look for either of them." He tied a purple ribbon around the new bouquet. "Wouldn't Xigbar have recompleted on your home world?"
"Not if he gave up his heart again elsewhere. He has yet to return, in any case. If he is unable to move between worlds, as the rest of us are, then the only way he could come back to the Garden is if we are able to find him and bring him back."
"I see." Marluxia met Even's eyes then, for no longer than a second, and though he quickly looked away, Even got the distinct impression that they shared similar opinions about just why Braig had yet to make his return. This wasn't a comfort; if anything, knowing that Marluxia agreed with him was incredibly irritating. He always had to act as if he knew far more than he had any right to.
"Do you even know where Larxene is?" Even snapped. "We're searching for enough people already. We don't need to waste time gallivanting across the galaxy looking for her, too."
"I do, yes. She told me. A world called Arendelle."
"Arendelle?" Ienzo echoed. "I believe that world was on our list. Let me see if we have the coordinates for it. One moment." He reached his pocket and pulled out his gummiphone.
"Ienzo! We haven't agreed to this!"
"Even, I already told you that I don't see the point in wasting resources," Ienzo said, not lifting his eyes from the screen as his fingers flew across it. "If Lauriam is correct, and Elrena might know something about Demyx's location, it would be foolish to pass up this opportunity." He glanced up. "It's more information than we had before, at the very least."
Even could do nothing but stare as Ienzo continued his search. He looked to Aeleus, who met his eyes but offered no arguments beyond a slight shrug of the shoulders. Lauriam silently tied off another ribbon, eyeing Ienzo's gummiphone curiously. The device beeped, and Ienzo smiled.
"It's actually rather close to this world," he said, tilting the screen so Aeleus could see. "The trip wouldn't be difficult at all."
"Good. Do we have an agreement?" Marluxia asked.
"We do," Ienzo said, sparing not a single moment's glance at Even's furious expression. "If you need more time to make any arrangements before you leave—"
"I will be ready to go in an hour," Marluxia said.
"So soon? What about your…er, family?"
"I'll make my explanations. I want to find Elrena as soon as possible." He tugged the gloves off his hands, and went to the door, holding it open for them. "If you'll excuse me, then."
Ienzo and Aeleus glanced at one another. A pang of annoyance broke through Even's frustration-those two always seemed as if they could hold entire conversations in a single look. They rose from the table and went to the door, leaving Even no choice but to follow.
Marluxia lead them back to the front door. "One hour," he said, and closed the door before they could do anything more than nod.
"Ingrate," Even muttered. "I can't believe you agreed to this, Ienzo."
"Do you mind if we argue while we walk? I'm rather hungry." Ienzo set off down the road, in the direction of the marketplace.
"We would need to check on Arendelle anyway," Aeleus said to Even as they followed. "Bringing him along doesn't affect our goal."
"If Demyx were from that world along with Larxene, don't you think either of them would have mentioned it? It being her homeworld precludes it from being his! They would have met before!"
"Not necessarily, though I see your point," Ienzo said. "Still, I'm very curious about these new memories they've recovered. If Xemnas considered them important, I would like to know why."
"That's assuming he's telling the truth."
"If he isn't, I still don't see the harm in taking him to Arendelle. Larxene might have information he doesn't."
"Oh? And if she does, are we going to take her wherever she likes? Do we intend to be ridiculously charitable to every person we come across, or only the ones who wanted us dead?"
"Even," Aeleus said, "I'm no happier than you are. I don't like Marluxia. Larxene either. But you told us you wanted to use our resources to help others now. That we have a responsibility to do so."
"That's-that isn't…" Even faltered, taken off guard. "We should help people who deserve it."
"Marluxia and Larxene are just as much victims of the Organization as we were." Ienzo stopped, and looked back at Even. His gaze flickered downward for just a moment, towards Even's chest, and Even knew he was thinking of the burn scars hiding beneath the layers of clothes. Even crossed his arms and looked away, but he heard Ienzo sigh.
"I know you were hurt by their machinations, Even," he said. "I don't want to minimize that. But we can't pretend we were blameless for the events at Castle Oblivion, either."
Even had no desire to continue the discussion. It was clear Ienzo had set his mind on helping them no matter what Even thought. He forced himself to uncross his arms.
"Do what you want," he said, and he started off down the street again, not caring if they followed or not.
They spent the hour in a corner of the marketplace, eating some of the baker's offerings while watching the preparations for the coronation continue. Ienzo occasionally commented on the goings-on, but Even said very little in response. When the hour was up, they made their way back to the florist's street in silence.
Marluxia was already outside the shop as they approached, a large bag slung over his shoulder. The florist stood in the doorway, no longer smiling and looking quite worried; a tall man with dark hair stood beside her looking similarly concerned. Marluxia spoke a few words to them that Even couldn't quite hear. The florist hugged him, and the man grasped Marluxia's shoulder.
"Visit when you can," the man said as they drew near. "We'll be here."
"I'll try," Marluxia said. "Thank you." He looked at them for a moment, and then took both of their hands, very briefly, in his own. With a nod, he let go, and then turned and walked away, leaving the two in the doorway.
The trio had stopped a few yards away. Marluxia's expression was set as he drew level with them. "Let's go," he said, and walked past them in the direction of the city gate without looking back.
They made good time back to the gummiship with Marluxia's assistance, taking a few shortcuts around both the mine and the marsh, for which Even was begrudgingly grateful. It was still early afternoon, the sun shining brightly in the sky, when they reached the small clearing where they had hidden it.
Marluxia seemed intrigued by the ship, his eyes widening slightly as he took it in, but said nothing as they approached and climbed aboard. Ienzo plugged in the coordinates as the others took their seats, but Marluxia lingered at one of the windows, and stayed there as they took off, ignoring Aeleus's warning that he might lose his footing. The ship's outer blocks went transparent as they ascended, masking their departure. Even took his seat and watched Marluxia, who continued to stare out the window as the trees fell away, granting them one last glimpse of the shining city in the distance. It was only once they breached the atmosphere and the windows went dark that Marluxia sat down at last.
The trip to Arendelle was an awkwardly quiet one. Aeleus manned the steering console, Ienzo concentrated on his gummiphone, and Even alternated between fuming to himself and watching Marluxia, who seemed content to ignore them all in favor of looking out the window of the ship. The journey was, at least, blessedly short; after only an hour of dodging meteors and the occasional Heartless ship, the console beeped softly, and they all looked up to see a world that looked rather like Corona, if slightly more mountainous. The ship's outer blocks went transparent again as they descended.
"This world is fairly large," Ienzo said, leaning over the console to get a better look out the window. "Do you have any idea about where she might be living?"
"She told me she lived alone outside of the main city." Marluxia's gaze was intent as they entered the atmosphere. "In the woods."
"How specific," Even muttered. "And just where are we supposed to start looking?"
The ship slowed as they approached a city situated at the edge of a gleaming bay. It seemed a busy place, but they flew on past its border wall until they could see only trees, dipping and rising with the slopes of the mountain. Even frowned, about to ask how on earth they would find a lone homestead without any directions, when a flash of light, visible even in the afternoon sun, sparked in the window's periphery.
"Look," Aeleus said, and he gestured to a section of trees to their right. A winding column of smoke rose from the tops of the trees, quickly dispersing in the mountain breeze.
"There's no guarantee that it's her," Even said.
"Let's see."
Aeleus directed the ship towards where the smoke had been, slowing further. As they began to skim the tops of the trees, more smoke billowed into the air only to be whipped away by the wind. There was another bright flash, and from this close it was now obvious what the source was: a jagged arc of lightning, stretching not upward into the sky but between the trees. The four watched the sparks crackling through the upper branches of nearby trees before dissipating, and then looked at one another.
"Well," Ienzo said, "unless this world has very unusual weather, I think we've found her."
"Let's land." Aeleus tilted the steering console downward, aiming for a treeless patch nearby.
Marluxia stayed by the window, watching the smoke still drifting above the treetops until it was blocked by branches. He was the first one out the door when they touched down, heading off quickly in the direction they had seen the lightning. The apprentices followed as fast as they could, Even shaking his head irritably.
The cool breeze carried with it the scent of burning wood and ozone, growing stronger as they moved. Even covered his nose with his sleeve. He had never been fond of the smell of smoke, and was even less fond of it now. Ienzo glanced at him and looked as if he was about to say something, but Even merely flapped his hand to quell him and hurried onward.
Marluxia was almost out of sight ahead of them, walking so fast that they ended up having to follow him by the sound of his footsteps, and the intensifying sharpness of the smell. They broke out of the treeline into a clearing, and pricks of static sparked against Even's fingertips as they slowed. Marluxia was staring at a tall tree with a long jagged scar etched into its bark. The scar was slightly blurred, a heat haze drifting out of it. Even stayed where he was, having no intention of getting anywhere near a tree that could burst into flames, but Ienzo and Aeleus moved past him, looking around.
They had only taken a few steps before the air filled with a sharp whistling sound, and then the handles of two knives bloomed in the earth a foot in front of Aeleus's boot. Another whistle, and a knife buried itself in the scarred wood of the burning tree, inches from Marluxia's raised hand.
"I wouldn't touch that," said a sing-song voice above them. "Unless you wanna get burned."
The four looked up, and there on a high branch perched Larxene. She was only partially visible through the leaves, but the glint of her smile—and another knife in her hand—flashed bright. The branch rustled, and within seconds she landed lightly on the ground in front of Marluxia.
She plucked the knife from the wood and blew lightly on the blade, and then she grinned fiercely. "Took you long enough. I was starting to think I'd have to stick around this dump forever."
Marluxia smiled. "How terrible. I came as soon as I could."
"Hmm. I guess I forgive you." Her grin lessened as she looked over at the three apprentices. "Or maybe not. Did you have to bring these losers with you?"
"Excuse me," Even said, crossing his arms, "he wouldn't even be on this world without our assistance. You should be thanking us."
Larxene laughed. "Ha! Thanking you? Only in your wildest dreams, Vexen." Her gaze shifted to Aeleus and Ienzo. "So, did he come crawling back with some sob story about the old man forcing him to join the real Organization, or are you two just taking pity on him?"
"How dare you—"
"That's enough," Marluxia said. "They really did help me get here. None of us are able to use the dark corridors anymore, apparently. I would've been here sooner otherwise."
"You too, huh?" She looked at the tree with a critical eye. "I've been trying, but it's nothing like it was before. I could've vaporized this in seconds as a Nobody."
Marluxia's smile widened. "You haven't changed at all, Elrena."
Larxene froze. She looked at Marluxia with an emotion Even had never seen on her face before: uncertainty. Her cocky smile was replaced with hesitant frown. "Since when do you know my other name? I never told you. Did I?"
Marluxia held her gaze intently. "You…told me a long time ago. Before." He watched her closely as he spoke. "When we first met."
"When I joined the Organization? I only told Xemnas…and I didn't want to do that, anyway."
"No, not then," Marluxia said, and he moved a little closer, touching her arm. She looked to his hand, then back up at him, confusion plain on her face. His frown deepened. "You don't remember at all, do you?"
"Remember what?" she asked defensively. "Stop it."
"Elrena…" Marluxia took her carefully by the shoulders. "I know this is going to sound confusing to you, but please listen to what I have to say. You and I met a long time ago. Far before either of us joined the Organization. You helped me look for someone very important, but something happened, and we were separated."
"I don't…I don't know what you're talking about," she said, but her voice held a hint of a tremble.
"Yes, you do. You've just forgotten. I forgot too. But I remember now—not everything. But I remember you." He took a deep breath. "And I remember Strelitzia."
At the sound of the name—at least, presumably it was a name, but not one Even had ever heard before—Larxene's eyes widened for just a moment, and then they shut tight, her face suddenly screwed up in apparent pain. She brought her empty hand to her head, covering her face and muffling her voice. "What are you—stop it—"
"You know I'm telling the truth. Why else did I trust you immediately, when we met in the Organization? Why did you trust me? You aren't the type to put your faith in someone without a reason." Marluxia carefully took her by the shoulders, and said, "How else would I know your true name?"
"Someone told you..."
"Yes. You. And you know mine. Don't you?"
When she finally lowered her hand, it was shaking. She stared up at Marluxia with wide and awe-struck eyes, looking at him as if she was seeing him properly for the very first time. After a long pause, she said, in a voice far quieter than anyone in the clearing had ever heard her speak with before, "L…Lauriam."
Marluxia smiled, and it held no hint of mockery or derision as the ones in Even's memories did. His shoulders dropped a few inches in relief, and he nodded. "That's right." And then, to Even's astonishment, he hugged her, still smiling in relief. "I missed you."
Larxene looked just as shocked at the gesture as Even was. After a moment she lifted an arm and put it around him hesitantly. Even exchanged a look with Ienzo and Aeleus, who both looked how he felt: surprised, and uncomfortable at witnessing such an emotional moment between their former colleagues. Larxene seemed to feel the same, because when Marluxia released her she looked suddenly over at the three, and her frown returned.
"Come on," she said, and without another word she took off from the clearing. Marluxia immediately followed, and the three apprentices were left to look at each other in bewilderment before going after them.
"Unless they somehow staged that, I think we can assume Lauriam is telling the truth about their memories," Ienzo murmured to Even and Aeleus as they hurried to catch up.
"I…suppose," Even said. He had to admit it would've been a very impressive feat indeed, even for two as notoriously sneaky as Larxene and Marluxia.
It wasn't long before they reached a small cabin in another clearing, the wood of which bore some of the deep scars of Larxene's lightning. Many of the surrounding trees bore similar scars, and there was again the faint scent of ozone, accompanied by a slight feeling of static in the air. Marluxia waited just long enough for them to see him in the doorway before going inside, leaving the door open.
The interior of the cabin was was messy and cluttered, but somehow still held an air of disuse. Some of the rooms had clearly been occupied recently, but others held thick layers of dust on the furniture and floors. Despite the mess, there was no sign that anyone else lived in the cabin. An old bag was lying open on a nearby table in the small kitchen, stuffed full of clothes, and as they entered, Larxene came in from another door and tossed another shirt in the bag's direction. Marluxia, standing at the table, caught it and folded it neatly before laying it in the bag.
"And where do you think you're going in such a hurry?" Even asked as they she left the room again.
"With you guys, obviously," she called from another room. "I'm not staying here."
"That's incredibly presumptuous-"
"Look, I don't care where you weirdos drop me off, I just want off of this rock," she said as she re-entered.
"And what makes you think we're going to just do whatever you tell us to?"
Ienzo didn't wait for her to answer. "We're happy to take you wherever you like—"
"Oh, we are, are we?" Even muttered.
"But we do have a few questions to ask you, Elrena," Ienzo finished.
"Sure, whatever," she said, crossing the room drop a small coin purse in her bag.
Marluxia spoke up. "Elrena, do you remember Demyx?"
She stopped long enough to give him a look. "Really wish I didn't."
Marluxia's lips twitched, but he clarified, "I meant, do you remember him from before?"
"Why would I remember him from before? I barely remember you." She stopped, and narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Is this about that ancient keyblade whatever that Xemnas was blabbering about? You can't seriously think we're connected to that wimp. "
"I can't be sure. I don't remember enough," Lauriam said. "But I do think that Xemnas was on to something."
"Come on. He was just jerking us around like usual. He wanted us to feel like we were there for a reason—you heard Luxord. As soon as they told him he had something to do, he was happy to come back. And Demyx just wanted to save his own skin."
"But you and I are connected. It's possible they were as well."
"I guess. It doesn't really matter, does it?"
"Actually," Ienzo broke in, "it does to us. We're searching for Demyx, so if you do remember anything that might help us find him, it would be a great help."
She looked at each of them, and smirked. "Sorry, boys. Don't remember a thing."
"Elrena," Marluxia said quietly. "Nothing?"
"Nope. Like I said, I barely remember you. And anyway, I don't really see what's in it for me if I did remember, considering I don't owe you losers," she said, throwing a look at the apprentices, "a single thing."
"And yet," Even said, "you think you can demand we fly you across the galaxy?"
"You're going to have to leave anyway, unless you plan on sticking around this dump."
"Well," Ienzo said slowly, "perhaps we could strike some sort of deal."
They all turned to look at him. He was tapping his chin thoughtfully with one finger, and Even could tell from his expression that he had spent the last few minutes thinking very quickly.
"A deal?" Larxene asked, raising an eyebrow. "With you?"
"Yes. We want to find Demyx, and the pair of you might be able to help if you were able to recover your memories in full. It so happens that we have access to technology that might allow you to do so."
"Ienzo—" Even began, but was immediately cut off.
"What kind of technology?" Marluxia asked. "Castle Oblivion is no more."
"Ah, no, I wasn't referring to Castle Oblivion. Our master, Ansem the Wise, built a computer with which he was able to rewrite Roxas's memories when he captured him. It's a rather long story, but we were able to use that same computer to restore his original memories to a vessel, enabling his return."
"That brat's back?" Larxene asked.
"Yes, and Namine too."
At the mention of Namine, both of their expressions changed, in different ways—Larxene pulled a face and crossed her arms, while Marluxia's eyes widened slightly before he looked down at his hands still clasped on the table. He spoke without looking up at them.
"Are you saying you could restore our memories in the same way?"
"Perhaps not exactly the same," Ienzo said. "But it's certainly possibly that we might be able to use similar methods. I can't guarantee that it will work, but I believe it would be worth it to try."
"Ienzo, may I speak to you in private, please?" Even said through gritted teeth. He didn't give Ienzo time to answer, but rather took him by the shoulder and steered him into the next room, knowing Aeleus would follow. The door had barely shut before Even spun Ienzo around and took him by the shoulders.
"Are you insane?" he hissed. "You cannot actually be intending to help Marluxia and Larxene, of all people!
"Even, I know you dislike them—"
"Dislike doesn't even begin to cover it," Even said, "and that is beside the point. We would have to bring them back to Radiant Garden! The children are going to be visiting often so we can check the condition of their vessels, and we have no earthly idea how long it might take to restore their memories, if we are even capable of doing so—"
"I think the idea is sound," Ienzo said calmly. "We were able to fully restore Roxas's lost memories even after Master Ansem modified them so heavily."
"The soundness of it is irrelevant, and you know exactly what I mean! Do you truly intend to bring them to the Garden? Do you actually think it's a good idea to have those two in a place so close to Namine? Have we not made her suffer enough at their hands?"
Ienzo paused, and frowned slightly. "Do you think they would try to hurt her?"
"I doubt it," Aeleus said. "They have no need of her powers now."
"Yes they do!" Even said. "That's exactly the point! She has the ability to alter and restore memories—she is exactly what they require. You two cannot be so incredibly dense as to believe they wouldn't just find her and force her to help them."
The door behind them swung open. Larxene leaned against the door frame, looking highly unimpressed, and Marluxia stood at her shoulder, frowning slightly.
"You three really are the definition of unsubtle, huh?" Larxene said. "You should learn to keep your voice down, Vexen. Not that you've ever been quiet."
Marluxia moved past her into the room. He looked at Ienzo intently. "Do you really believe you can assist us with our memories?"
"I do," Ienzo said.
"Then we would have no need for Namine's abilities. It wouldn't be necessary for us to meet at all. If you're confident that you can help us, we'll go with you to your world. If Namine visits, then we'll stay away from her."
"Hey, hey—I never said I wanted to go," Elrena said.
Marluxia frowned. "Elrena—"
"Go hang out with these losers? Who wanted us dead? No thanks," she said with disgust. "We can get our memories back on our own. We don't need their help."
"I've been trying for the last three weeks to remember more on my own. It hasn't worked. Whatever happened to us, there's something…blocking me, whenever I try to think about it." His voice softened slightly as he looked Larxene in the eyes. "I need to know what happened, to us, and…the others. I need to know. But we'll never find them if we can't remember what happened to them, Elrena."
"…I know that. But I don't want to waste any more time." She crossed her arms, turning away from him, but after a moment she spoke again. "Hey. Zexion."
"Ienzo, thank you."
"Right. Ienzo. What if Lauriam goes with you, and I go…look for Demyx? You want to find him, right?"
"Oh," Ienzo said, surprised. "Would you do that?"
Marluxia was frowning again, but seemed almost contemplative. "We do have people we want to find," he said. "And very little idea of where they might be. It wouldn't be hard to add two more people to the list."
"Wait, two?" Larxene asked.
"We're looking for Braig, too," Aeleus said.
"Braig? Who's—wait, Xigbar? You've gotta be kidding! I wouldn't look for him if you paid me!"
"Even if that payment were, say, a ship that could take you wherever you wanted to go in the galaxy?" Ienzo said slyly. "You'll cover a lot more ground in our ship than you would on your own."
"We are not giving her our ship! Have you two lost your minds!?" Even could watch quietly no longer. "We are not letting either of them come to the Garden!"
Marluxia raised an eyebrow. "If it's Namine you're worried about, I'll stay far away from her. She would never have to see me. Roxas either, or anyone else, if that's what you want." He paused, and his voice was a little tight, as if his next words were difficult for him to say. "I'll do whatever you like, if it means you'll help me with my memories."
Silence fell in the room. Marluxia, of all people, seriously declaring that he would do whatever they asked of him? Even couldn't believe it, and from the looks on Ienzo, Aeleus, and Larxene's faces, they couldn't either. Marluxia caught Even's gaze and held it, however, quite intently. Even narrowed his eyes, but there was nothing in Marluxia's expression that hinted that he was lying. This meant nothing, of course. Marluxia had always been good at lying.
"Well," Ienzo said slowly, "we are in need of someone who can help look after the flowers while the town's restoration is completed. If you're interested, of course."
"Absolutely not," said Even. "We can't make such a decision without considering Namine's opinion."
"We could ask her." Aeleus shrugged when the other two looked at him. "We could. It wouldn't take long."
"That's true," Ienzo said, pulling his gummiphone from his pocket. "Her opinion is important. If she says no, we'll think of something else. But if she says yes, then there isn't a problem."
Even shook his head. "You know as well as I do that she's far too acquiescent to say no."
"I dunno. She was getting pretty feisty last time," Larxene muttered. "Whatever. I'm not done packing." She left the room, a little too quickly, and Marluxia followed her with a glance at the phone in Ienzo's hand. Neither seemed in a hurry to stay, which was possibly the first sign of sensibility Even had seen from either of them.
Ienzo tapped the screen a few times, and the phone began to dial, a small picture of Namine's face appearing on the screen. It quickly disappeared, replaced by an image of the real Namine. Only a little was visible past her, but she seemed to be on a beach, the sky growing pink behind her.
"Ienzo?" She looked rather surprised, and more surprised still when she caught sight of Even and Aeleus. "Oh—hello."
"Hello, Namine," Ienzo said. "I hope you're well. Do you have a moment?"
Another voice issued from the phone from a person off screen. "Namine? Who is it?" The screen shifted slightly, and a face quite similar to Namine's poked into view, purplish-blue eyes peering curiously from beneath red hair. "Oh—the scientists! Hello!"
"Hello, Kairi," Ienzo said with a smile. Even and Aeleus nodded, unsure of what to say.
"Hi! Riku, come say hello!" Kairi leaned off-screen for a moment, and then another person was pulled into view, leaning down a little awkwardly.
"Oh," Riku said, his eyebrows raising slightly as he caught sight of who was calling. "Hey."
"Did you need something, Ienzo? Are you all back home now?" Namine asked.
"Ah—well, not, not yet. We haven't found Demyx or Braig yet, but…we have a question for you. It's a rather uncomfortable one, I'm afraid, but we need to ask your opinion on something."
"Oh," she said. "Um, okay. Go ahead."
"Well," Ienzo said, "We've located Marluxia—rather, his recompleted self. And Larxene as well."
Namine's eyes went wide. At the edges of the screen, both Kairi and Riku looked at her with concern. Even wondered just how much Namine had told them about her time in Castle Oblivion's walls, and shifted uncomfortably. He had been able to restore her to a proper vessel, but there was no way to know how much of their mistreatment she still held against any of them.
It took Namine a moment to speak. "Oh. I…I see."
"I'm sorry to bring up unpleasant memories," Ienzo said quietly. "I truly am."
"It's—it's okay. Don't worry," she said quickly. "What do you need to ask me?"
"The situation is rather complicated, but to put it simply, they…need our help. And we can only do that if they accompany us back to Radiant Garden. "
"They can't go anywhere else?" Kairi asked, moving slightly more into view. One of her hands was resting reassuringly on Namine's shoulder. "Or wait? Namine's going to come visit you for a check up soon."
"We're aware of that," Even said, leaning forward a little. "Unfortunately, we don't know how long our…assisting them will take," he said, trying to keep his distaste out of his voice. "It's distinctly possible that even if they were to wait for you to leave Radiant Garden again, they might still be there on your next visit."
"Which comes to our question, Namine," Ienzo said. "We're all aware of how uncomfortable this might be for you. Lauriam—Marluxia—has promised that he'll keep far away from you and the others, if that's what it takes for us to assist him. We would do our utmost to keep the two of you separated. The castle itself is quite large, and so is the town. There would be very little reason for either of you to be in the same areas at the same time."
Namine nodded slowly. "Right…"
"What about Larxene?" Riku asked.
"She doesn't want to come," Aeleus said. "Lauriam will be the only one in the Garden, at least for now."
"Namine, you don't have to agree to this," Even said. He ignored the glances of Aeleus and Ienzo, looking only at Namine. "This is purely your decision. If you don't want Marluxia in Radiant Garden, that is that. He will simply have to find help elsewhere."
"Even—"
"Ienzo, we already agreed that this decision was up to Namine," Even said stiffly.
"We did." Ienzo looked back to the phone. "Even is right. It's up to you. But you have my word that you would never have to interact with him at all, if you were to agree."
"We'll guarantee it," Aeleus added.
Namine was quiet for a long moment, not quite looking at any of them. Even saw Riku and Kairi share a concerned glance.
"Namine? You can say no," Kairi said softly, squeezing her shoulder.
Namine nodded, carefully, as if she were assuring herself that was indeed an option. After a moment, she asked, "What…what kind of help do they need? If it's going to take such a long time?"
"Well…it seems that they've become aware of some missing memories, recently," Ienzo said. "Lauriam told us a little—he said that he's been missing them for quite a while now, but recently he's begun to recall some parts of his past that he had lost. We think we might be able to speed the process along using a method similar to the one we used to prepare vessels for you and Roxas. But we aren't sure how long that will take, as we may need to reconstruct the data piece by piece."
"Do you mean that they lost memories in Castle Oblivion? I didn't do anything to theirs…."
"No, it has nothing to do with your powers. Though the irony was not lost on us," Even said dryly.
"It appears to be memories of their adolescence, far before they joined the Organization," Ienzo said. "We think they might actually be able to help us find Demyx, if they were to recover enough of their memories. It's possible that they knew him during that time."
"Or it might not be of any help at all. Regardless, if you don't want him in Radiant Garden, then that is the end of it," Even added, leaning over Ienzo's shoulder. "His problems certainly aren't our responsibility, and they needn't cause you any discomfort, either." He hesitated, and added, "I'm aware that our presence most likely causes you discomfort as well, considering our roles in Castle Oblivion, but as your current body is one of my creations…"
"Oh—you don't have to worry, I'm not…it's okay," Namine said. "I like Radiant Garden. It's pretty, and peaceful. And I know you all want to help—you've already done so much. I wouldn't be here without you all." She fell silent again, frowning slightly at her lap. Riku touched her arm without a word, and she looked at him, and then at Kairi, who said nothing, but squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. Namine took a deep breath, and said carefully, "I…think it's okay."
"Really?" Ienzo asked. "You're sure?"
"Yes, I don't mind," she said, though the tightness at the corners of her eyes as she smiled said otherwise. "If you can help them, you should try. No one should have to lose precious memories…I know it's very painful." Her shoulders tensed, and though her hands weren't visible, Even could just picture them tightening around the gummiphone. She nodded again, though, a little more confidently. "And if they can help you find Demyx, then that's good. I want to thank him for helping with our vessels."
"Are you totally sure, Namine?" Even said. "Sympathy is one thing, but you don't need to say yes."
"…I'm sure. But I…don't want to see him, if I don't have to."
"You won't," Ienzo reassured her, "we'll make quite certain of it. We really appreciate this, Namine, truly. Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said, and while she still seemed uncertain, she smiled at Ienzo's gratitude. "Well…I'll see you in a few days."
"Yes, of course. See you soon."
The screen went dark, and Ienzo pocketed the device again. Even clenched his jaw, biting back an angry remark. Ienzo glanced up at him.
"I know you're unhappy with this," he said, "and I understand, but we agreed that it was her decision. If we're able to assist Lauriam, it t might prove useful for others in the future-Demyx, for instance, once he's found. If he's suffering from the same amnesia, knowing an effective strategy will be beneficial to him."
"If he causes any trouble," Aeleus said, "we'll take care of it."
"Yes, because we were so effective at putting a stop to his endeavors last time," Even said.
"This isn't last time."
"Forgive me if that doesn't provide as much comfort as you seem to think it will. Go on, then," he said, waving a hand, "tell them whatever you like. But the moment he steps out of line, that is it. That girl has suffered enough, and the other children, too. I don't intend stand by and see them come to harm again."
Aeleus and Ienzo exchanged a look, and once again Even felt shut out. He knew they thought his concern for the children was unusual, but after spending weeks creating as perfect a vessel as he could devise for each of them, his protectiveness seemed only natural to him. Allowing successful experiments to come to ruin was absolutely impermissible. Aeleus nodded, and Ienzo did too.
"Noted," he said. "You aren't the only one concerned for them, Even. But if we do truly intend to use our work to help others, we may as well start here."
As he and Aeleus left the room, Even found himself bitterly wondering whether assisting Marluxia, of all people, was meant to be part of his atonement, too.
Flower: Amaryllis
Scientific name: amaryllis belladonna
Meanings: pride, splendid beauty
These flowers can often be found growing around or near rocks in the wild. They're quite beautiful, but very poisonous! Proceed with caution.