A/N: I'm back from camp, and writing again!
The Savage Nymph:
Chapter Five:
Vexen promptly disappeared, still holding the card.
"What have you done, Axel!" I cried out, alarmed. The whole castle could probably hear me, but at that point, I didn't really care who heard. I was convinced that Axel had just thrown away the wild card.
"Trust me, Larxene." He replied coolly, as always. It was as if he were never panicky, or obsessive, two of my own flaws. He made me so mad sometimes, how he always seemed to be good at the things I was horrible at. Grr. "Vexen will play straight into our plans."
I hastily looked down, embarrassed at my lack of faith in Axel's plan. "You sure? Sora could find out about—" As if he expected it, Axel clapped a hand over my mouth. I had, once again, momentarily forgotten the rule about mentioning Roxas. Oops.
"I have to go talk to Naminé. Please excuse me." He said politely, his hand still over my mouth. He stepped back to teleport.
"Axel, I—" I began as he stepped back, but he was already gone. I walked backwards, until I was against the wall. I sat down, and began to cry.
I later found myself in the library once more, wandering the vast shelves and shelves of books. I always had a fondness for the library, it made one want to contemplate, and think. What was Axel saying to Naminé? That girl drove me crazy. Maybe it was the fact that Axel spent a lot of his time talking to her, or that she was simply an innocent teenage girl, despite her Nobody existence.
At that point, I had a horrible, horrible idea. Maybe I could pick up my old habits and eavesdrop. Had I really become like the rest of the Organization? Reduced to eavesdropping at the doors of a witch's bedroom out of jealousy? Yeah. As I walked, I considered, was really jealous of Naminé? But why? Because of Axel? No, right? Why would I be jealous because of Axel? Why am I jealous at all? Because Nobodies can't feel, right?
At last, I reached Naminé's door, my heart pounding so loud I was sure that they could hear it.
"Heh heh…" Axel's familiar laugh floated out, "I know exactly how you feel. But Nobodies can't be sombodies." Aah. I understood now. Naminé loved Sora, because of her other half, Kairi. She was probably jealous of Kairi. "But think, Naminé. I'm sure there's SOMETHING you could do." I heard heavy footsteps as Axel walked to the door, and scurried out of the way just in time. The door slid open, and, as if he sensed I was there, his eyes fell on mine, and he reached out his hand to pull me up.
"Let's go, Larxene. Naminé told me that Riku isn't responding to Vexen anymore. We must speak with him." He told me, sounding concerned, but slightly amused. So, together, we walked at a brisk pace down the hallways to Vexen's room. Ready for revenge, for Vexen's interruption earlier, I burst into his room without knocking.
"Now what, Vexen? Looks like your little toy isn't taking orders anymore." I said, my hands on my hips and a smirk on my face. Gotta add Vexen to the list of people who hate me by now.
"Now Larxene…" Axel said patiently, though he too had a smirk on his face, "Shouldn't we give Vexen the benefit of the doubt?" Vexen rolled his eyes slightly, he could see a load of tormenting sarcastic remarks headed his way. Rightly so, I might add. "Riku could be hiding as part of some elaborate plan to lure Sora deeper into the castle."
"Oh, of course!" I said, probably sounding very girly, "Why didn't I see it before? Terribly sorry, Vexie." I added a flirty wink for effect. "I guess I'm just used to you and your research being more funny than formidable." I said, cocking my head and looking slightly thoughtful.
"Hold your tongue!" Vexen snapped, even though he knew I wouldn't.
"Aww, are you sulking?" I squawked, "Ha ha, you are so half-baked." I doubled over in silent laughter.
"You're hardly one to talk, you conniving little —" His eyes were slightly narrowed, and I could tell that he would have tried to insult me if he hadn't been cut off.
"That will do." Marluxia seemed to appear out nowhere, and he probably did, but I wasn't really paying attention.
"Marluxia!" Apparently Vexen wasn't paying attention either. Marluxia pulled his hood off, then turned to Vexen.
"Your project has failed, Vexen." While he was speaking, Vexen shot him a look that said, 'you-think-I-haven't-figured-that-out!' "Do not disappoint us again." He ordered.
"Disappoint YOU?" Vexen laughed, a mirthless laugh, nonetheless, "You presume too much, Number XI." In arguments, we were often labeled by our Numbers. That got fairly annoying after a while. "I am Number IV, and I will not stand for your snide remarks!"
"Yes, you will. This castle and the girl Naminé have been entrusted to ME." God, Marluxia never stopped reminding us. "Defy me, and you defy the Organization." I had to admit, he was right. But that had never stopped me and my 'snide remarks' as Vexen had put it.
"Unless I'm mistaken," I began in my girly voice, and Axel rolled his eyes visibly, "Treason is a CAPITAL crime…"
"This is absurd!" Vexen cried.
"In the name of the Organization," Marluxia began, and I couldn't help but think, 'I now pronounce you man and wife! Are we power crazy much, Marluxia?' "I pronounce your project a failure." And because he obviously didn't sound power-crazed enough, "This lapse must be reported to the Superior."
"No... Please, don't! I beg of you! Leave him out of this!" Vexen replied helplessly. My god. I live in a castle full of drama queens.
"I will, under one condition." Marluxia obviously seemed to think that he was coming off as a merciful companion, but we knew better.
"What condition?" Vexen asked shakily, as if he didn't really want to know.
"You must eliminate Sora personally." Maluxia replied, smiling, it seemed he enjoyed the thought of the end of Sora. I can't say I didn't agree. That little Keyblade wielder was enough to get on you nerves sometimes. And, he was a little slow.
"Eliminate him!" Vexen sounded startled.
"You refuse?" said Marluxia, all the while smirking triumphantly.
"No...I mean...but..." From all of Vexen's stuttering, it was obvious he had first intended to refuse. Now, it was apparent that he thought it was a bad idea, and for good reason, "Why would you want that?"
"Just do it." Marluxia gave him a 'don't-ask-questions' look in reply. At once, Vexen finished. Then, Axel spoke for the first time since the beginning of the conversation.
"He'll really do it, you know. He's got no choice." And Axel was right. Vexen could 'eliminate' Sora, or be killed personally by the Superior. Not a fate you would wish to face, and even the Superior's anger could ruin a person.
"Neither do we." Marluxia said, slightly amused. He then turned to Naminé. "What to do? Your hero is about to be wiped from existence. But he made a promise to you, didn't he? Isn't that right, Naminé?" He taunted the poor girl seated in Vexen's room.
"…Yes." She said softly.
"Well, I'm going to go watch Vexen try and eliminate Sora." Axel said, amused, and at once he vanished. Marluxia followed suit, leaving me alone with Naminé. I decided I couldn't quite handle that, so I vanished to the library, my own safe haven.
"Is it just me, or has Vexen finally lost it?" It seemed an interesting way to begin the conversation, but it was only what needed to be said. "Now he's done something REALLY rash...What now, Axel? The show's over if Sora finds out about the other side."
"If he just passes through without catching on, we can patch things up later." He replied, though sounding a little worried. If Axel was worried, bad things could happen. I looked up and we made eye contact, but it such passed. "But if not..." he trailed off.
"Let Naminé handle this." Marluxia said, "In the meantime, Axel, you know what to do."
"No, I don't." Axel said in his usual sarcastic manner, obviously testing Marluxia's patience. "Maybe you could spell it out for me."
"Rid us of our traitor." Wow, he was asking Axel to take out Vexen? That's a big order…
"Done. There's no taking that order back later." Axel replied in a voice that sent chills
down my spine. I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I knew it couldn't be good. He vanished. He was going to the Eleventh Floor, to finish Vexen. What becomes of a Noboby when their life is gone? Do they have life to lose? Do they sink into everlasting darkness? I glanced at Naminé, as if looking for answers, but her big blue eyes seemed to be lost in a world so distant from our own.
A/N: Ok, so maybe there'll be one more chapter before the epilogue. This one turned out longer than I planned, so I cut back to this point. Thanks for all the reviews, people! -Love from Skye.
