Five reviews! That's a lot more than normal... Thanks for the nice comments! Anyway, here's another chapter as promised.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts/ Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Resemblance to any other fanfic is purely coincidental.So no one try to sue me or anything of the sort!

Day 10- Morning

With nothing better to do with myself, I decided to go visit Vexen in his lab. But it wasn't just to see him, I was hoping to solve a personal mystery. That place hid something that was important to me... I could feel it. And there was really only one way to find out.

Besides, Vexen had shut himself in there since yesterday without a word, and I was curious to know what experiment he was working on. But knowing him, he'd make a big fuss and be all secretive about it.

"Hey, Vexen! Open up!" I shouted, rapping on his door. It was surprising that I had even remembered the way to the lab, considering that the only time that I remembered being in there was just after my memories had been altered.

Shuffling noises came from within, but no reply.

"You in there?" It wasn't necessary to ask. He was inside, obviously. Just not overly willing to talk to me. Jokingly, I threatened, "I'm going to be standing out here, yelling, until you let me in. But if you can work with all the noise and the guilt, go right ahead and leave the door shut."

Apparently, Vexen thought I was serious about it. Several seconds later, the entrance to his precious lab opened, though only just enough for me to see his suspicious face glaring at me. "What do you want from me?" he demanded. "I'm on the brink of a breakthrough here so it would be for the good of both of us if you left me alone."

Silently and subtly, I positioned my hand so that if he tried to shut the door, I could stop it. I didn't need to be a psychic to know what he intended to do. "I wanted to see what experiments you're working on," I explained, trying to sound reasonable.

"You... want to come into my... laboratory?"

"Yeah."

A moment of well-boding peace passed. "You must be out of your mind!" Vexen hollered, voice so loud that it practically echoed in the hall. I grimaced as the unpleasant screechy sound reached my ears. As expected, he also tried to slam the door in my face, but I clamped my hand firmly onto it, making sure that it stayed open. Vexen wasn't as strong as I was, so he could only stand there, eyes flashing. I met them boldly.

"What's the harm?" I argued. He didn't know it, but there was something that drew me to the lab and I wanted to investigate. I guess it was only because it was the place where I was created, and the memory, though broken off, still lingered in my mind. "I'm just going to take a look-see, stick around for a while then I'll be gone. I think that's fair."

"A scientist works in secret." Then, he attempted, futilely, to wrench the door from my grip.

Putting on my serious face, I told him solemnly, "I'm not kidding, we can stand here all day. I'm a bum with nothing better to do. I've got all the time in the world. But you don't, do you?" At this, a sour look crossed his face. He'd lost.

Finally, after much consideration, Vexen relented and let me in. Gazing around the room, I was disappointed to find nothing that was of interest. Assorted machines stood along the sides, wires and plugs running everywhere.

My eyes swept across the same operating table that I had been lying on when I had first awakened, and also the one that I had come to on after the memory alteration. As I examined it, my skin started to crawl. No way was I going to touch it.

Vexen must have noticed that I was searching for something. He asked with interest, "What are you looking for?" I may not have had any recollection of what I really was, but he, on the other hand, knew full well that I was a replica made here in his lab.

At that moment, he was probably examining me closely to check for signs of suspicious behavior when back in my birthplace. Now I wonder if there had been a folder somewhere in there detailing how I had been made, my day to day progress... etc. It would have been invaluable, not to mention a huge shock, had I found such a file.

But, I didn't, so all was well.

I wasn't going to let him know that I had followed my instincts here though. Shaking my head stubbornly, I answered his prying question, "No. Why would I be trying to find anything here? I've only been here once, and I didn't think that it was anything remarkable."

True, Vexen's lab was not one of the better parts of Castle Oblivion. My very first impression of it had been shabby and I still thought so. Its walls weren't painted properly, unlike the rest of the castle, and there were pieces of paper lying around everywhere. On some machines, a thin layer of dust had formed.

With amusement, I noted the half-eaten plate of unappetizing green beans sitting on a counter. Radioactive, probably.

On the shelves were jars of weird looking... things. Bunches of cells and half-formed creatures. Pathetic to be grown in a lab. I tapped the glass of one of the containers and Vexen went ballistic, swatting my hand away. "Don't touch anything!"

"Hmph" I said, recovering quickly, "Those are ugly anyway."

But on a whole, I knew that it was a still perfectly functional laboratory, a real scientist's haven. But I was no scientist. "I don't see what's so great about this place that you spend all your time in here," I told Vexen truthfully. I let a little scorn slid into my voice, just to see how he would react.

Vexen appeared as though he was debating with himself if he should answer me or throw me out. In the end, he answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Experimentation is my life. If not spent in a laboratory, what sort of scientist would I be? Of course I would rather listen to the hum of my machines than to the bothersome chatter of the others."

I assumed that the others meant Larxene and Axel, though I suspected that I was included. "Just how many years of your life have you spent cooped up in here? Three? Five?" I questioned, doubting that I could spend even a week in here, let alone months and years.

Vexen had already turned to his computer, and was in the process of pulling up some very complex molecular structure charts (at least that's what I think they were). He said reflectively, forgetting that I was only an unwelcome guest and an insignificant being, "Approximately seven. The exact date eludes me."

Oh... "That's makes you kinda old, doesn't it?" I grinned insolently.

I guess even Vexen doesn't like to be called old, even though he probably wasn't really that much more advanced in age than the others. Immediately swinging around to reprimand me, he said pointedly, "With age comes wisdom, you little fool."

"Ha!" I laughed. In his case, it doesn't. But it got me thinking... Where had Vexen come from? Wouldn't he have come from somewhere else other than Castle Oblivion? If there was a way in, there was a way out. Holding my breath in anticipation, I asked, "Where did you live, I mean, before you came here?"

There was a pause, and I half-expected Vexen to start railing at me again.

"That is absolutely none of your business," Vexen said sharply and coldly. His voice was softer than usual, but perfectly controlled, reminding me of the tone that Zexion had used. I was taken aback.

Gone was the easily agitated and slightly demented scientist, and in his place sat a hostile, perfectly sane and rather intimidating man. Then I uneasily remembered that he was fully capable of holding his own in battle with his ice magic. True, he wasn't quite as skilled as the others, mostly hiding behind a shield, but it still wouldn't be wise to fight him. I guess I was just getting used to bullying him around like Larxene and Axel always did. We always forgot that other side that he kept hidden, either by choice or otherwise.

The glare he was giving me was completely unlike any of the ones he had used before. This one was glacial, as if he was really mad at me, more than a simple irritation. What was it about his past that made him so ticked off?

His eyes fixed on me and I was temporarily frozen. I had never thought that Vexen was capable of that. Face stoic and voice grim, he warned, "Do not poke into subjects that don't concern you." I recognized that this Vexen was not to be messed with.

Holding up my hands in surrender I said, "Fine, I won't." I held my breath.

"Good." He abruptly turned back to the large computer screen and paid no more attention to me. I stared at his back wondering what he expected me to do. I was a bit discouraged since I had found no answers at all, but decided that anymore time here was wasted. Vexen wasn't going to tell me anything useful that might help me found a way out of Castle Oblivion and as far as I could see, the lab held nothing particularly fascinating. I started to leave.

"Sora will be arriving soon."

I turned in surprise. "Huh?"

"Your friend, Sora's here. I thought that you might want to be informed beforehand." When Vexen faced me again, I found that he was back to his regular self again. Grinning away like a madman. I nearly rolled my eyes for thinking that he could be anything other than a complete nutcase.

Smiling evilly, he added, "He has come for Naminé."

I became serious the second he mentioned her name. At this point, I had no ill intentions towards Sora. I was just surprised to hear that he was in Castle Oblivion. How? And what did Vexen mean that he was here for Naminé? Nonsense. Sora and I were best friends! He would never try to take her away from me.

"That's... great, I guess," I began, scratching my head, "But how?"

"Not now. I dare say you'll be meeting him soon, ask him then," Vexen said, waving me off. "You've wasted too much of my time as it is. Leave." He refused to say anymore.

"Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from your, uh, very important work," I assured him in an insincere voice. As I passed through the exit, I glanced back over my shoulder. Vexen was typing something. I could just barely make out the words on the screen, squinting, 'Tenth day since activation: Shows great improvement. Displays signs of curiosity and intelligence. Might–' And the door shut, leaving me staring blankly at it.

Hm. Strange. I wondered what experiment Vexen had been working on.

No prizes for guessing what.

But even more pressing... Sora would be coming! I hoped that he wasn't expected any big welcome parties or anything. Castle Oblivion wasn't exactly the kind of place that put one in a party mood.

Relieved that soon I would have a friend around, I resolved to ask him about all the details when I finally did meet him. Maybe the two of us could find a way out, and we could leave with Naminé! It was best for him to come to me, considering that I didn't even know where he was. I felt sure that, even though Castle Oblivion was so large, our paths would cross eventually.

---

A few days earlier, I wouldn't have dreamed of being in the situation I was in now. What would I have cared about the other residents of Castle Oblivion? But as it was...

"You want to know about Vexen?" Axel asked, raising his eyebrows. The red-haired man hadn't been the ideal candidate to ask, but then, the choices had been sorely limited. I didn't trust him, but at least he was easily available and a lot more approachable than Larxene.

I had just managed to corner him in the hall as he exited the dining hall with a piece of toast from his breakfast still in his hand. Even Organizational agents need to eat, you know. Now, he munched on it thoughtfully.

There had been something about the way that Vexen had reacted to my question that made me want to find out what had happened to him in the past. The glimpse of his other side made me wonder if there was more to his story than what I saw. In answer to Axel's question, I nodded, "Yeah, tell me what you know about him."

"Not much," Axel admitted with false modesty. It's one of his habits to appear more ignorant than he really was, but spend enough time around him and you start to tell the difference between genuine cluelessness and when he was bluffing. "Laxaeus, Zexion or Marluxia should know more, but I guess you're not eager to ask them, huh?" I didn't bother to nod or shake my head; he was stating the obvious.

Besides, Axel had claimed that he was good at providing information, so I decided to put his knowledge to the test. What was the world coming to that the jokers and clowns were the smart ones?

"Alright." Axel folded his arms and looked reflective, "Well, Vexen was here long before I came, but word is that he used to be from big town. Believe it or not, he was entirely normal. Basically, it meant that he didn't display any signs of being more than a boy with an interest in science."

Just 'an interest'? It was hard to believe. "What happened?"

"The early years passed easily enough, and then some major disaster took place. The town was devastated. I hear it was literally reduced to rubble by some unknown catastrophe. A very unfortunate event, particularly for our demented friend.

"With both parents dead, and not having any relatives who could take him in, Vexen went to live on his own. When something like that happens, you just become bitter, you know? Ah... It's the dream of many scientists to finally discover the way to cheat death. Vexen clung on to the past, to the people he once knew but were dead now. He wanted to find a way to preserve their essences– their very selves– forever, even if the original was gone. The answer was presented in the art of cloning.

"Fueled by that desire, and later by the sheer joy of discovery, Vexen developed some obsession with science. He believed that it was the only thing he had left. Didn't have much time left for a social life. He always lived too much in the past, anyway."

Axel looked up at the ceiling. Someone else might've been fooled into thinking that he was sympathetic, but I knew better. I sensed that he was emotionally detached from the tale that he was telling. It was as if he were simply stating facts and numbers. He couldn't care less what happened to Vexen in the past, present or future.

Out of everyone, perhaps he was truly the coldest... I eyed him warily. With every question, I had a weird feeling of myself sinking deeper into a trap that he laid.

I waited impatiently as Axel gulped down the last of his toast. I couldn't help but feel that this was a very inappropriate time to eat. Vexen would be extremely offended if he knew. I suspected that Axel enjoyed dragging out the moment just to irritate me.

Clearing his throat, Axel began again, "And if you're into gossip and rumors, they also say that he was in love with some young lady, but then she rejected him. He wasn't exactly the most eligible of bachelors, you see. Back then, Vexen was basically known as the district's oddball. That was probably the last straw, because he came to accept that he'd be alone forever. But that's just a rumor, mind you. Not from a reliable source, but hey–" He shrugged, "Who knows?

"It was just one tragic event after another so I'll spare you the unabridged story. At that time, our friend was really going bonkers, so when an agent from the Organization approached him, he gladly accepted the offer. Wanted to throw the old life away. And it did work, to a certain extent. I doubt that even he really remembers the person who he was now," Axel concluded his narration meditatively.

"So, what do you think? Not quite what you expected, eh Riku?" Axel noticed that I was exceptionally quiet. He peered curiously at me, waving his hand in front of my face. "Riku?"

"... ... ..."

Grinning at my dazed expression, Axel went on, "If you think that's unbelievable, get this. Vexen was actually one of the early ones, scouted out by our leader himself, the Superior. I guess it was his brilliant mind."

Superior? Leader of the Organization?

"But it was too bad that he never made much progress. Didn't have what it took to accomplish the bigger tasks." Axel shrugged casually, though there was scorn even in that simple motion. "So he was assigned to Marluxia's group here in Castle Oblivion. Basically, it meant cold storage. They gave him a lab to keep him pacified, and he's spent his life down there since. Fill in the spaces in-between."

"You sure that's how it happened?" I questioned having recovered from the shock. "That story's too far-fetched. I mean, we're talking Vexen here."

"That's exactly what I heard. True or not, that's for you to decide." Axel's smile didn't reach to his eyes. "Apparently, Vexen was actually quite an idealistic guy, morals and all. He didn't believe in killing or torture, that kind of stuff. Believed that the world was kind. But I guess that's changed over the years."

Axel chuckled a little, "Vexen and ethics? They mix like oil and water now. The experiments he's been doing are anything but ethical. To this day, I think his greatest dream is something along the lines of producing a clone superior to its original." He looked meaningfully at me. Apparently Axel found it highly amusing, for whatever reason.

I shook my head and breathed out slowly. I thought of bitter Vexen downstairs forever toiling on some experiment that no one cared about. Even though I talked and tried to appear tough, I really couldn't help but feel bad for people who suffered. It's Riku's fault, I guess, that I had this super annoying conscience nagging at me. He could never not help someone who was truly in need.

"You're feeling sorry for him, aren't you?" Axel said, and I looked up at him in surprise. How did he know? His voice was grim, "Well, don't be. Vexen wouldn't like or appreciate it, believe me. When I met him, he already was the way he is now. If he was ever someone else, it was a long time ago." Axel tried to explain what he meant, "Right now, he's just Vexen. No more than what you see. It's pointless to try to see any deeper."

It was still confusing, but I guess I got a bit of what he was trying to say. Just Vexen. The old him was dead and gone. No matter who he had been, it didn't matter anymore, because it was history. Yes, I got it. But... My– Riku's– heart felt heavy on his behalf.

He could ignore the past, but I couldn't. Every time I saw him, I would think of the person he might've been. Oh well. When I saw Vexen again, I would just have to pretend that I didn't know more than I had before speaking to Axel.

This story, coming from Axel especially, should've been enough for me to I write it off as pure fiction created to make a fool of me. But deep down, I knew that it was really what had happened. Don't ask me how. Still, I just wouldn't accept it completely. Maybe it was because I didn't want to believe that there were wounds that never healed. I wanted to believe that anything mistake could be corrected, and any wrong made right. But that was the first time where I realized that maybe I was too naive to think changes that drastic possible.

I pushed my increasingly disturbing thoughts off and asked a more practical question. "Who's the Superior?" The word had rung ominously in my mind since its mention just a couple of minutes ago.

Axel perked up considerably as he rubbed his chin ruefully. "Funny you should ask. Only the high-ranking agents know that," he replied vaguely. Obviously, he was trying to sidestep the question, but I quickly saw the loophole in his statement.

"And you're not?" I countered.

Axel rewarded me with a broad smile. "Ah... You caught it! You're a sharp one, all right. Anyway, sorry, you're not allowed to know. Maybe someday—"

"–When I'm in your little group?" I finished, secretly disappointed that I had learnt nothing about obviously important Superior character. Maybe next time. Vehemently, I told him, "Forget it, Axel."

He winced, "Ouch."

All right then, time for question number two. Subtlety, subtlety! I told myself. I had to make it sound like a casual question, slowly weaving it into the conversation...

"How did Vexen get here from his town? Where exactly is Castle Oblivion?"

Oh well. I guess I was never good at being subtle. I crossed my fingers behind my back. Yeah, like that really helped.

Axel was amused by my shabby attempt. He offered helpfully, "A tip, Riku. Try not to be so obvious next time and it just might work."

Ugh! No one ever tells me anything! I thought, angrily. It was getting very bothersome that no one could— or rather, didn't want to– tell me about the things of importance. It seemed that I would just have to find the answers myself. I suppose I failed in my mission, but I still grudgingly thanked Axel as I left, "Thanks for the storytelling."

"No problem. Anything to help an aspiring detective," he called after me. I had pretended not to be overly interested, but he had seen through me after all. Just as he always did. I scowled, face turned away from him. His tone really infuriated me, as if he were superior to me.

Just before I pulled out my card and used it to travel to another room, I remembered to ask one more question. Suspiciously, I asked, "How did you find out so much about Vexen's past, Axel? He doesn't exactly broadcast it, you know." Broadcasting it, indeed! It was likely the most well kept piece of information that he possessed.

Axel shook his head, grinning. His eyes twinkled. "It's a gift. I know the darkest secrets in everyone's hearts."

"Quit trying to be all mysterious, Axel. You're lying." I said flatly. There was no way, unless he was a mind-reader...

"Am I?" Axel asked, putting on a show of being puzzled before smiling again. "But that's a se–cret."

Typical. "That's what I thought. What about you, what's your story, Axel?" I asked half-heartedly. It was pointless. Axel only told me things that wouldn't allow me to have a handle on him. I finally understood that. "You're not going to tell me, are you?" I didn't even have to be psychic to make that prediction.

"Like I said, you're clever," Axel repeated. Winking, he waved easily at me as I stepped out of the hall, "That's top secret."

This chapter sort of strayed away from the usual, but I just felt like doing a bit on Vexen (and Axel) even though I never really liked him. Too creepy. Come to think of it, just what do they eat? Oddly, the first thing that came to mind was toast. Anyway, drop me a review if you'd like, please. See you in one week!