The yellow-haired woman stood there in her black coat, regarding Kairi with narrowed eyes.
"Well?" the woman spoke, her voice cutting. "Are we going to get this party started, or what? Oh, and the name's Larxene, by the way - not that you'll be in any fit state to use it after I finish with you!"
As she came striding forward, Kairi saw she had a black miniskirt on under her cloak. Bare legs down to her long black boots. She raised a hand to run it over her slicked back hair, disturbing the two long strands that were sticking up like antennae, almost. Her green eyes pierced Kairi's very Heart like knives themselves.
Yellow hair! This definitely had to be them, then? The friend of Xikira's, who was working with her to get out of this totally-a-cult of an organization?
"U-um..." Kairi said, hating her voice for how high it sounded. She pushed back her hair, then glanced left and right, to Sora and Xion. "Listen, we don't-"
The woman flew forward in an instant, becoming a streak of pure, yellow lightning itself! She reappeared in front of Kairi, and her knee came up to slam into her pelvis. Kairi doubled over with a gasp, and she was hardly aware of hands grabbing her and flipping her-
And then she was laying flat on her back - and then a heeled boot was pressing to her throat!
Kairi let out a long breath of air, desperate to find more for her poor lungs! For her poor- she tried really hard not to just roll over and cry. She brought her knees together and reached up to grab the woman's ankle, digging her nails into her skin.
God...Ooooh...that...is that...what that feels like...for boys...?
If so...well...maybe Kairi now had a tiny bit of remorse for using that move on Riku before - and also Ven's evil brother Vanitas, too. Well, no, screw both of them, but...
"Ah, ah, ah! One stupid move and your little princess here gets her head caved into the floor!" Larxene was saying over head. Kairi turned to look, finding both Sora and Xion with weapons at the ready. Ready to fight this woman for her. "You loooove her too much for that, don't you?"
Sora blushed an impressive shade, but then he just looked furious. Furious, and scared for Kairi. "Let her go NOW!" he shouted out.
Kairi blinked. She'd never seen Sora that angry before. Well, maybe once or twice, but...
Wow...
And it was for her...?
"Well..." the woman mused, raising a hand to her chin. "I suppose I should, shouldn't I? Orders, and all... Can't knock the princess down that many pegs. All right! Then I'll make this a bit more of a fair fight - for the sake of the test I'm meant to be giving her here..." Larxene suddenly lifted her boot from Kairi's neck and stepped away. Retreated a good few feet, in fact. Then, she raised a hand in Sora and Xion's direction - sealing them off behind a barrier. Just like Axel had done!
"Kairi!" Sora cried, swinging at the barrier to no effect.
"It's- okay! I've got this, Sora! Trust me!" Kairi gasped and climbed to her feet again. She winced and cringed, but brought her weapon up all the same. She wanted nothing more than to massage her poor nether region, but there was absolutely zero chance she was doing that anywhere near Sora! If it had been just them girls, oh yes, but it wasn't! And besides, she also thought it would be extremely undignified of a hero - not a princess! - to go putting her hand there in the middle of a combat situation!
"Okay..." Kairi breathed, meeting the woman's gaze again. "Okay...so - fight, then?"
Larxene flashed her a brilliant smile. "Uh-huh! Now you're getting it!"
"O...kay... But, um-"
The woman lunged again, seizing Kairi's face this time and yanking her in close! They were eye to eye - and one of those knives was touching Kairi's cheek. Those green eyes glistened at her...and widened a fraction. Larxene suddenly shoved Kairi away, turning away from her.
"Ugh! Fuck, you really do look just like her!" Larxene exclaimed.
"Like-" Kairi caught herself. "Who?" she amended, in a high voice.
"And you sound like her too - this is just the worst!" the woman went on, holding up a hand to Kairi, while the other went to her forehead, all dramatic-like. "God...dammit!"
"I thought we were going to fight? What happened to that?" Kairi said loudly, stepping forward and aiming her weapon.
"Yep - there's my little brat," Larxene remarked, dropping her arms and sagging her shoulders. She gave a great sigh, then tossed her head and straightened tall again. She began to pace, back and forth, a hand going to her chin. "How in the hell does he really expect me to hurt a technically-but-unofficially-a-member-of-the-skirt-brigade...? Especially with that face! My Heart just wouldn't be in it...not really..."
"Um..." Kairi began. "Skirt brigade...?"
"Oh! I've got it!" The woman snapped her fingers, wheeling around to face Kairi again. She gave a half-hearted kind of smile. "I'll just work myself up to it - think back to all those times when you really pissed me off! Like that time when Xigbar pushed you off on me for that stupid shopping trip - or when you asked me about my fucking womb - oooor that time when you barged into my bedroom at three in the morning because you were just dying to tell me about the six different flavors of ice cream you got a taste of! Because, you know, that couldn't fucking wait, oh no!"
"Look, I don't know who you're talking about, but none of that describes me!" Kairi said firmly. "I'm Kairi, and I've never met you before in my-"
"Nuh-uh, you're not getting out of it that easily!" Larxene interrupted, wagging a finger at her. Her smile widened into something...dangerous again. She took a deep breath in through her nostrils...and let it go. "Or how about that one time...when you decided to come into my room in the middle of night...stay up all night long, staring at me...DRAWING ME...like some kind of little pervert!"
"I would never do that to anyone!" Kairi protested, honestly and truly - on sheer, horrified principle!
"Don't give me that bullshit, Xikira; you damn well already knew I slept naked by then!" the woman shrieked at her, incensed. "And you added insult to injury by leaving that damn drawing right there on my nightstand for me to find the next morning!"
"Wait, what-?" Kairi said, blushing furiously.
Next second and the woman flew forward in a blur of motion, her leg flying out for Kairi.
Kairi was ready this time; she raised both her hands, lighting them up with fire magic, and caught that boot in her palms! She skidded back from the impact - but it didn't last long. Larxene let out a cry of pain and surprise, withdrawing her leg and whirling away from her.
Kairi held her blade across herself, giving the woman a grin.
A shift in those eyes, then one side of Larxene's mouth curved into a genuine smirk. She flew forward again, slashing with knives in both hands now - then leaping back to hurl knives into the floor, which exploded in electricity on impact!
Kairi leapt straight up, hovering in the air, and then she soared down for the woman.
Larxene flipped aside and slashed for her. Kairi twirled and created a barrier around herself in mid air, then brought a leg twirling around to kick the woman across the face! She landed lightly on her feet and threw her Keyblade forward, past Larxene. Kairi teleported behind the woman, but Larxene was already turning and ready! And retaliating with furious knife slashes.
This woman was fast.
"Um - wait a second - we aren't - fighting - with that stupid card system!" Kairi called out, as she rolled, ducked, and dodged around the woman's furious assault.
Larxene pulled up short, knives held up before her, lightning sparking over her hands. She cocked her head, then grinned. Then, shrugged. "Eh - can't be bothered!" And she came slashing for Kairi again!
Kairi ducked, batted her arm away, then swung upward at the woman to get her backflipping away, out of her face! "But-"
"No buts!" Larxene interjected sharply. Then, in a mocking, baby voice, she said, "Awww, don't look at me like that! Is the spoiled little princess afraid to go through the scary castle without getting pampered?" She tossed her head with a snort. "I've never pampered you, Xiki, and I'm not about to start now!"
"Xiki?" Kairi said, her weapon lowering, as a warm feeling flooded her Heart. Like...it was a nickname she got called all the time? Or - maybe - just enough times to matter...
Larxene's lips parted. Her eyes got big again. She looked...almost scared? Then she leapt up into the air and hurled out her daggers in all directions, impaling them into the walls, floor, and ceiling! Huge strands of yellow lightning ran between them, connecting them all in a web of deadliness! Then she gathered her hands near her chest, and thrust them down at Kairi! A huge beam of yellow lightning flew for Kairi, blinding with how bright it was crackling!
Kairi tossed her Keyblade forward, teleporting beneath Larxene - behind her. She turned in time to see the lightning blast hit the floor, and erupt in a massive column that reached the ceiling! And that net of other lightning was still there around them!
She'd have to be careful about where she moved.
Welp, Ven thought he had met just about everybody around here now.
Tifa, and Aerith, and Yuffie and Noctis and Cloud - and Leon, too. And of course, there was that Cid guy.
He liked all of 'em well enough. He could tell they were definitely from Radiant Garden - real nice people from a real nice world!
Even Cloud, who tended to stick to himself.
Ven had tried to get to know the guy - but his attempts hadn't gone all too well. Though, he'd caught glimpses..
Nice glimpses, for sure!
Ven was making one such attempt again when things sorta took a different turn. He'd brought Aerith and Tifa with him, hoping that'd change things. And it did, but not the way Ven had hoped!
They found Cloud sitting alone in Fourth District - off to the side from that great big fountain, in his own little world.
"Hey!" Ven spoke, waving to the man.
Cloud looked up - saw him - then saw Aerith and Tifa both. He sighed, sort of threw up his hands and let his head fall again. "All you guys, you have to leave me alone. You have to stop with this."
"Or what?" Aerith said, leaning down to peer at him. "You'll leave us again?"
Cloud gasped, head whipping back up. "You- I- you think I had a choice about that? I'm trying to keep- you- safe...and you're not making that any easier."
"And what gave you the impression that I needed protecting?" Aerith retorted, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"We're both incredibly capable fighters in our own rights, Cloud," Tifa nodded in agreement, putting hands on her hips as she glared down at the man. "Why on earth would you think we need you to go to such drastic lengths to-"
"Because of Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted, balling his fists and glaring back up at them. He froze, then ducked his head swiftly.
"Who's Sephiroth?" Ven said quietly, lowering himself down to sit with Cloud. "Come on, all we wanna do is help..."
"He's a great hero who once came through Radiant Garden - when we were all kids - and disappeared just as quickly after his job was done," Aerith spoke, lowering herself down to her knees to join them.
""Was he why you left us, Cloud?" asked Tifa, falling straight down without a care, leaning back to brace herself on her hands.
"I've met him - and trust me, he's no hero," Cloud said darkly. "He...keeps following me. Haunting me. Everywhere I go. Ever since the day...we lost our home."
Tifa blinked, then she turned her head aside, hair shielding her from view.
"Huh?" Aerith said, tilting her head at Cloud. "But how could he possibly do that, unless...he was always from another world?"
Cloud nodded. "He can go wherever he likes. Find me...wherever I am. I couldn't stay with you guys. I couldn't...put you in that kind of danger. If I left you, I could take him with me..."
"He was there, then, nine years ago?" Aerith said gently. "On that day?"
"Yeah. When you- out on the streets, and the Heartless and...then the smoke, and the fires...and he was there." Cloud whispered, clasping his fist before him. Shaking. "I- I tried to find you, but I- and then- something...a man..."
"What man?"
"Some guy came and saved me," Cloud breathed. "Never got his name, never knew who he was. He had dark hair, and these strange green eyes, and he had on this tunic, and he had...this." He raised his great blade up, then set it down on his lap again. "He...he's where I got it. You all asked, and I could never answer. But...it was him."
"How does Sephiroth...factor into this?" Aerith pressed.
"After that guy saved me, he- too many Heartless, too strong, he couldn't do it alone. He grabbed me and we ran together. But...he was hurt too badly, by that point. He...passed. Told me to take his sword, said I...had to be as strong as him if I wanted to survive the night. And then I- I looked up and Sephiroth was there. Standing over me, looking down on me. And I- my Heart was terrified. But he just...he said, "So you're still searching for that light? Good." and he...he left me alone there. And then I took my chance and- you know the rest."
"Searching for your light..." Aerith looked at Cloud intently. "From Ansem's experiments...?"
"Yeah...I told you guys, I told you that much, didn't I? Those experiments up at the castle weren't just about darkness. It was all kinds of things to do with the Heart. You know that, yourself," Cloud said, a bit sharp, a bit panicked.
"Yeah...I know," Aerith agreed, looking away, a hand going to her Heart. "But to take someone's light..."
Ven gasped. "They- took your light?"
Cloud raised his head, meeting his gaze. "Yeah. I don't remember much of the time I spent down in the castle basement, but...I remember how I felt coming out of it. I know how I've felt since. My Heart's...broken. Missing something. My Light...it's missing. But I know it's got to still be out there somewhere. And I'll find it..."
"I- know how you feel," Ven said quietly. "I lost my darkness. It was just...ripped right out of me. It fractured my Heart. I woulda died, if not for...for Sora. He helped me when I needed it most - and then he spent ten years looking after me. Protecting me. My darkness...became a person of his own. A guy named Vanitas."
Tifa's head came up, and Ven saw those red eyes boring into him. She had the strangest look on her face. It was intense, it was scary, it was... "And what sort of person is he?" she spoke slowly.
"Huh? Well...nobody I'm ever happy to see again," Ven replied. "He's mean, and cruel, and...I don't think he's ever done a single nice thing in his life for anybody."
"But he is a person, isn't he?" Tifa said. "He exists on his own, by his own merit?"
"Yeah, he does, for sure. Not that that's a good thing-"
Tifa's lips parted. She jumped to her feet and stalked away from them all suddenly.
"Uh...what'd I-" Ven started, bewildered.
Aerith shook her head firmly. "Leave her be."
"Heh." Cloud let out a small laugh. "So we can leave her be, but not me?" There was almost amusement to his voice.
"She needs to be alone right now - you don't," Aerith said sternly, instantly. "No matter how much you think you do."
Cloud grumbled, then put his hand over his face. "Fine..."
"And I thought you'd never concede! Whew. Victory is ours!" Aerith said happily.
Okay, so Kairi hadn't had this.
Larxene had utterly dominated and obliterated her. Pulverized her. Almost literally.
One one hand, that was brutally demoralizing - but on the other hand...at least it had been at the hands of someone who had mercifully allowed her to live?
Someone who...really, truly hadn't had any actual intentions of killing Kairi?
If...Xikira...was to be believed. And Kairi was really starting to believe she was, now...
After that fight, after what she had felt for this woman despite everything. Despite the viciousness, ferocity, cruelty. And that meant there was a connection. A real connection between Kairi and Xikira! It meant she had to be a part of her, made from her, just like she'd said - her...Nobody.
It also meant...that though Larxene had played her part disturbingly well, it had been an act! Sure, she'd gotten into it with some method acting, working herself up to it - just like she'd said, herself! - but in the end...
Kairi knew she hadn't meant any of it!
There had been that moment, face to face, when it had been nothing but their eyes searching each other's eyes - and Larxene had...she'd seen something and she'd retreated and then she'd had to work herself up to the fight again! That was emotion. Real emotion!
Okay, well, maybe the woman had meant...some of it...but it was for the sake of really selling it to any watching eyes! Considering these guys could pop in and out of dark portals whenever they felt like it!
And that...was why...as Kairi lay there, burning, aching, probably with a few things broken, and with blood running down her face from her nose, and with a bit of her hair actually pulled out of her skull...
She had the biggest grin on her face.
This Xemnas, Ansem-Nobody, evil cult leader guy would never see it coming!
And besides, this super secret spy/double agent stuff was kind of exciting - like the books she liked to read back home!
"-telling you that I am never doing that again! So get it through your skull!"
Marluxia regarded Larxene, alone in the room in Castle Oblivion's upper floors. "I...would have expected you to be the one with no issues persevering in this."
Larxene turned away with arms crossed - and showed him her middle finger.
Marluxia frowned. "I see. Rest assured, I will not be sending you out to face her again. There are others here who will be capable of filling your shoes - and still obeying orders."
He summoned a dark corridor, crossing through it - leaving the upper floors behind, and emerging out into the lower levels of the castle. Its basement floors.
They looked identical to anywhere else in the castle - except that they were in near total darkness.
Marluxia strode out into a small room with false windows.
Two figures turned toward him.
"Marluxia? Is there something we can help you with?" spoke Zexion. "I understand that Vexen's latest Replica is soon to be-"
"Not you, no," Marluxia cut across smoothly. His eyes moved to Zexion's companion: a massive, muscled man of orange hair. "You, Lexaeus, have the skills and temperament I require in order to continue testing the princess."
For a moment, Lexaeus stood with arms crossed. Head bowed, and eyes closed. He said nothing at all.
"Would that, in fact, be something of an issue for you?" Marluxia spoke again, quiet. "I understand that yourself and the princess...ran in similar circles, once upon a lifetime-"
"No," Lexaeus said harshly. His arms fell away, and he locked eyes with Marluxia. "There will be no issues. I shall test her - and, as per orders from the Superior, I shall not kill her."
"I would never have expected you to." Marluxia smiled. He reached into his coat and pulled out three blue cards. "If you find her satisfactory, give her these, wouldn't you? One of them contains the memories of her home."
"Mmm." Lexaeus nodded, and took them. Then he turned, summoned a dark portal, and strode through it without another word.
As soon as he had left, Axel emerged out of darkness, striding up to Marluxia.
"Sending him out to battle her, are we? And you're truly not worried that his...history with the kid won't get in the way?" Axel said, nonchalant.
Marluxia regarded Axel silently, his eyes narrowed. "Lexaeus is a loyal member of the Organization. And he no longer possesses a Heart with which to feel for the girl, at any rate. What could possibly go wrong?" he said carelessly.
Axel grinned. "What indeed..."
AN: Got a bit more Kairi, and some more Ven progress! And some more Org planning stuff! xD Kinda shorter chapter, but I'm happy with it! It's a stage-setter! For the kicking off of the GAAAAMES lol. :D