So um... hi ^-^' It's been quite a while, huh? I don't have many followers to this story anyway though, so I'm not that concerned. However, I do not have access to my old files now that I have a new laptop, so I will be starting fresh from here on out and hoping I stay true to my original intentions with my plot design. Without further ado (besides the DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS, I JUST OWN THE CHARACTER CONCEPT FOR JULIET AND THE PARTS OF THIS PLOT THAT HAVE NOT BEEN USED PRIOR IN THE KH OR FF GAMES) here is the new chapter so many, many years later!


~**Hidden Schemes**~


Word traveled fast in the World that Never Was. And by fast, Larxene meant obnoxiously, heavily laden with alcohol slurred tongues around Luxord's gambling table, and more than a couple of misplaced innuendo and insults. Her electric turquoise eyes flashed as Xigbar collapsed face down on the velvet tabletop, knocked over his bottle, and groaned about Halloween Town and some stupid heartless he'd had issues with. But it wasn't his intoxicated complaints she had caught onto; rather, it was the brief exclamation from Xaldin that Luxord would not be joining their little game tonight due to his explicit instructions commanding him to speak to Juliet.

Specifically about her roguish actions lately.

That apparently may or may not have been further encouraged by her anger towards Zexion. Larxene's interest was piqued.

With her million watt smile stretched with feline-like distortion, she slid sensually into a chair directly to Xigbar's left and crossed one long leg over the other. A tilt of her head sent her lightning like bangs bobbing. "Oh?" she purred, "What happened? They seemed so... close."

Of course, her very obvious display of feminine grace did just what she hoped it would: distract Xigbar from wondering just why she seemed to care so much about the issue. The men gathered at the table had turned the entirety of their attention to the female member and let their gazes glaze over with emotion she would later punish them all for.

"Eh, schemer made uh... some mention or other..." the gunman slurred, focusing too hard on Larxene's calves to notice that Xaldin had leaned over and was thoroughly committing the cards in Xigbar's hand to his memory. The lancer smirked. Larxene rolled her eyes.

"Mm, yes, go on."

"Well uh... said something about... low class whores? Yeah! That was it... Uh... Called the pipsqueak a low class whore... Straddled him or something. Had to have been an accident. Pipsqueak ain't like that, ya know?" Xigbar nodded to himself as though affirming his own claim, then turned back to his cards as Xaldin snapped back into an upright position and pretended to be heavily invested in his own hand. Larxene watched him change the lineup of an ace and sighed.

"Hmm... Now isn't that interesting..." The woman narrowed her gaze as she pondered just what she had been informed of. Zexion calling Juliet of all people a whore? It was highly unlikely. In fact, it was just downright unbelievable. She had to wonder why her female companion would even believe such a story- but perhaps it was the ickily doled out affection she placed on the schemer. Love, after all, made one blind and sensitive, something Xaldin would have attested to immediately. Never mind that Larxene was rather in love herself.

These little things didn't matter.

Of course not.

But she took what was said with a small amount of curiousness. Just who had told Juliet that Zexion had said that? Certainly the schemer did not say it, which left that it must have been heard through the grapevine, just as she had heard the story while sitting around a bunch of lazy, drunken gamblers. Her smirk told of her sudden interest and her desire to get to the bottom of this odd matter. Rising gracefully, Larxene waggled her fingers at the boys.

"Well, it's been fun, but I have things to do, people to shock, hair to wash. Oh, and Xigbar? You might want to fold.~"

A portal emerged, and she was gone.


The wicked, chilling giggle that brushed against his ear alerted the Flurry of the Dancing Flames that either two things were about to happen: he was going to be very, very delayed from his current mission, or Larxene was up to no good.

He believed it would likely be a combination of both.

Turning on his heel and giving the woman a rather apprehensive look, Axel crossed his strong arms and pursed his thin lips. Now, he loved his eccentric girlfriend with a fire that rivaled his own magic, but that did not mean he didn't have a healthy amount of... caution when it came to her demented tendencies. One never quite knew what he would get when it came to the woman. She was a wild card among the predictability of the Organization members, and it marked her as much more dangerous than most.

At least he had one thing going for him- she probably wouldn't bring her boyfriend harm.

Much.

At the wary look he gave, Larxene giggled again and sidled up to the man, grinning fiendishly as she slipped her arm around his and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Ah, come on now, don't give me that!~"

Axel's caution increased tenfold.

"I'm just here to ask a few questions is all..." The nymph brushed her lips against the redhead's jaw before releasing him and taking a step back, turning her attention back towards the task at hand. "What's all this nonsense about Zexion and Juliet, and just who do you think is responsible for it?" Her gaze had turned icy.

Frowning, the man considered her question thoroughly. This very thing had been weighing on his mind as well, but he hadn't really had time to think about with his busy schedule that day. Having it directly brought up to him, however, he finally stopped to study his own thoughts. All he truly knew about the situation was that Juliet had stormed off, was being rebuked currently by Luxord, and the whole Organization was groaning at the sudden drama the hormonal younger members had thrust upon their - what, previously undramatic group? Please, drama was a constant between all of the members, they just wanted to blame the kids- ragtag team. He knew of course that there was no possibility of Zexion being responsible for the insult Juliet had taken a grudge towards, but that didn't leave him any closer to an answer as to who was responsible. Maybe Saix would know... After all, the two were very close. He relayed this to his girlfriend, and together, they decided that Saix was as good a place to start as any.


As always, Saix was located at a desk, head down in files and hand scribbling endless nonsense onto a stacked clipboard. Even when he heard the portal manifest, his attention remained fixated on his work. Axel felt a scowl coming on.

Always more concerned with his work. Always overly absorbed with his duties.

It was irritating.

Larxene cast her boyfriend a knowing, even a sympathetic look, but he knew it was just a farce. At least his apathetic princess had tried. Nodding at the woman, he approached the desk and leaned forward to cross his arms in a manner that might have intimidated someone else. But not Saix. The second in command only sighed and continued to write.

"What is it that you need? Can't you see that I am-"

"Working? Yeah, I know. It's what you do best," Axel spat a little venomously, but the sharp nails that dug into his arm and the sickly sweet smile on Larxene's face reminded him now was neither the time nor the place for that discussion, and he swallowed back his frustrations to appeal to the other man. "But we need to have a discussion about Juliet. You and I both know she's getting a little out of control, and now whatever was apparent of her gentler side has grown colder with this whole Zexion thing."

The diviner sighed and dropped his pin in favor of pinched the bridge of his nose. The stress of the recent events showed in the deep furrows of his brow and the dark circles that ringed his eyes. Slender fingers formed a steeple beneath his chin. He truly didn't have the time or the energy to devote to such a meaningless topic, but as he did care deeply for the younger member, he would not simply brush it aside. With yet another sigh, he began, "She has certainly shown a heightened level of defiance lately, I will admit as much. And Xemnas is less than thrilled with that. But I believe it is simply that she has always been in transition, flitting from one place to another. She feels tied down, no doubt, and her restlessness is getting the better of her."

"Be that as it may," Larxene growled and nodded in consent, "I wasn't referring entirely to that. I meant the situation that can be remedied more easily than her feeling like a caged little birdy. Geez, what's it with the girls we hold captive wanting to flee so much?" Clearly, Axel thought with a snort, she didn't see anything strange about their frequent kidnapping and or blackmailing girls into doing their dirty work around the Organization. Scratch that Xion, Namine, and Kairi were all freed- well, depending on which way one looked at it.

"And what would it be that you are referring to?" Saix's confusion played on his features as he arched his azure eyebrows and leaned back in his chair to observe the brief glance that Larxene and Axel shared. They knew something that he obviously didn't. His frustration mounted. "Well?"

Larxene paused for a brief moment, then launched into her story. "You know, the whole Zexion-Juliet fiasco that has the members either sniggering or complaining?" At his blank expression, she continued, "Her throwing a hissy fit because the guy she liked called her a low-class whore!?"

Now Saix was straightening up, amber eyes wide and his expression clearly taken-aback. He shook his head emphatically and insisted, "No, no, you misheard that entirely. He said no such thing."

"But..." Axel began, uncertain and hesitant, "That's what everyone is saying. And Juliet supposedly confronted Zexion directly about it..."

Saix frowned at this. What was going on? Certainly someone had misunderstood the situation; after all, he'd been right there and it was certainly Vexen who had insisted that Zexion admit to Juliet straddling him like...well, a low class whore.

Oh.

Oh.

Immediately, the Luna Diviner rose from his seat and scowled at the completely unaware duo. If anyone wanted Zexion away from Juliet more than Saix did, it was without a doubt Vexen. And this situation had his name written all over it. The man growled beneath his breath.

"I know what's going on here, and it isn't Zexion's fault. I might dislike the two of them together, and I might be rather glad Juliet wants him out of her life, but even I will not allow someone who twist what that boy said and upset Juliet to this degree."

Clearly not keeping up, Larxene and Axel shared another confused look and flashed the other man a questioning gaze. "Vexen," was all that Saix said, "We need to pay a visit to Vexen."


I really hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought in a review please, please, please!

Also, I apologize if there are any grammatical or spelling errors. I don't have the motivation to reread this and check for them ':)