"So you mean to say we're stranded here?" Luxord asked the red-haired Nobody.
"Looks like it," Axel looked around on the rock they had appeared on. It was small, and a part of it jutted out as if a docking site for a boat, but there was none there. Around them were several other rocks poking out of the water, but the ones that looked flat enough to stand on were too far to reach. "Looks like we should head back and tell Saïx it's a no-go."
"Hmmm…." Luxord seemed to agree, but wanted to say more. "I never did ask Roxas how he was able to fly here."
"Apparently pixies have magic that can make someone fly," Axel said. "Roxas knew one that helped him."
"Ahh, an ace in the hole is it?" Luxord asked. "Well, seems we'll have no luck then. Saïx won't want to hear that."
"Hold on," Axel said, looking out to sea as an orange glow streaked by; it was not too far off. "I think I just saw one."
"I doubt we can catch it," Luxord said, his eyes following where Axel was looking.
"We don't have to catch it," Axel said, "just get its attention." He held out his hands and his Chakrams appeared in them. He watched the pixie fly, predicting its route and speed. He threw one Chakram rather far ahead of the pixie in a ball of fire; he didn't want to hurt it.
The pixie stopped abruptly and watched as the Chakram returned to its owner. Curiously, it slowly approached. The pixie's clothing seemed to be made of orange leaves and was a tank top and a brown skirt with orange pants. Around her waist was a belt of vines. Her long brown hair was braided and trailed behind her almost like she had a tail.
"Hey there," Axel waved. "Um….we're a little stuck. Think you could help?"
The pixie only folded her arms and regarded them with half-closed eyes. Axel thought she looked a bit like Xerisa when he did something she thought was stupid.
"We heard pixies like you can grant the ability of flight," Luxord said, "would you be so kind as to do so."
The pixie pointed at them with a frown on her face and a pose that suggested she had quite an attitude. Then she lifted her hand and held it out flat, palm down. Each time she moved, she made a soft jingling sound.
"I'm guessing that was a no," Axel said.
"Seems pixies are mute," Luxord observed. "How did Roxas get the ability to fly?"
"He already knew the pixie," Axel said, "and he just asked. That pixie was actually nice."
The pixie flew in closer and floated level with Axel's face. She tilted her head in question.
"You know Roxas?" Axel asked.
The pixie shook her head.
"Do you know the pixie who helped him fly?" Luxord asked. "Could you find her."
The pixie shrugged then churned the air with one hand, encouraging them to continue.
"Um, she had a yellow glow," Axel said, "and I think she was dressed in green. She was blonde too."
The pixie snapped her fingers making a louder jingle. She seemed to know who they were talking about.
"You know her?!" Axel asked.
The pixie nodded.
"Will you go get her?" Luxord asked.
The pixie shook her head.
"Why not?" Axel demanded.
The pixie shrugged with a sly little grin. Axel almost thought the jingles she made sounded like the words "why should I?"
"Is there anything we can do for you in return?" Luxord asked.
The pixie floated there, resting her elbow on her hand and tapping her chin with her finger. Finally she shook her head.
"This is getting us nowhere," Axel moaned, "let's just report back to Saïx and tell him we can't do the mission."
"Seems unlikely Sora would be here anyway," Luxord said, "unless he knows a pixie too. Excuse me," he turned to the pixie, "one last question. Have you seen a brown-haired boy with an over-sized key around here?"
The pixie made a confused face, as if she thought the question was very odd. And when put like that, Axel had to agree. After a minute, the pixie got over the shock and shook her head.
"Thanks anyway," Luxord said, turning to leave.
They both headed back to the dark corridor. Axel could almost feel the pixie's confused gaze on them. She's probably wondering how we're going to get off this rock, he thought.
The dark corridor opened up and engulfed them. They proceeded through to the Gray Area.
"Any news?" Saïx asked.
"No dice," Luxord said, "we can't get around Neverland without the ability to fly."
"We asked a pixie to help us out, but she wasn't exactly cooperative," Axel went on. "But we did ask her if she'd seen Sora and she said no."
"That's no confirmation that Sora is not there," Saïx said.
"Well, he can't get around either," Luxord said, "so it would be unlikely that he is there."
"I guess I'll have to settle for that," Saïx said with a sigh. "I can't believe we lost him so easily!"
"It is kind of weird that no one's seen him in a week," Axel said. "I mean, we've confirmed that he left Destiny Islands to start a new quest, didn't we?"
"What other reason would he have for being at Radiant Gardens?" Saïx asked.
"Is it possible he only went there and went back home?" Luxord asked.
He didn't, Axel thought. He's looking for the chambers. We still haven't found one of them, not that I know where the first is….
Saïx said nothing to Luxor's proposal. He seemed to be thinking about the possibilities of that being true. "You two are dismissed," he finally said.
Axel went to Xerisa's room, since he didn't see her in the Gray Area. He hoped she had already returned from her mission. He knocked on her door but received no reply. Instead of taking this as a sign that she was not there, he opened the door and let himself in.
Xerisa was nowhere to be found, but somehow Axel was not content with that. He decided to have a look around, maybe he'd find something out about this mystery. At first glance there seemed to be nothing of any importance lying around. The whole room was that blueish off-white color that the castle was painted.
The first place he decided to check was under the bed. Crouching down, he reached under without looking, partially dreading what he might find. His hand rested on something flat and hard. Grasping the edge, he pulled it out.
"'The Encyclopedia of Darkness'?" Axel read aloud the title of the book he now held. "Sounds like something I'd find in Xemnas's room." He turned the book over and examined the spine. "DiZ? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"HEY!" the shout startled Axel and he fumbled with the book before it crashed to the ground.
"Um….I was just…." Axel stood up and rubbed the back of his head. He avoided making eye-contact with the hooded figure standing in the doorway. Even if he didn't recognize her voice, he didn't need to be told what face lie behind the shadow of her hood. "This isn't what it looks like!"
"So you weren't snooping around my room?" Xerisa demanded. "Were you, perhaps looking for something you lost?"
"More like looking for someone," Axel said.
"And you thought I'd be under the bed?" Xerisa asked.
Axel sighed, "why am I even trying? You already know everything."
"I like the way you worded that," Xerisa said, closing the door behind her. "So whadoya want?"
"Oh, um…." Axel wasn't expecting her to give such a friendly response given the circumstances. "I wanted to talk about Sora."
"I shoulda known," Xerisa removed her hood as she made her way to the bed and sat. She motioned to a chair that went with the desk in the room and Axel sat in it.
"So, have you seen him?" Axel asked.
"Not recently," Xerisa admitted, but a sly smirk played across her lips, "but I don't know about the others."
"You mean you think they've seen Sora and not told anyone?!" Axel gasped. Could there be more traitors? What could they be planning?!
"Relax," Xerisa said. "First off Saïx is pairing un-trusted members with trusted ones, myself included. Besides, that's not what I meant at all."
Axel was a little confused and surprised by her answer. He started to think about other possibilities. In his mind's eye he saw Xerisa's devious grin that had faded by now, and it didn't take him long to grasp the situation. "What did you do?" A similar smirk began to form on his own face but he was hesitant. Her potential was becoming more and more obvious, and it was a little scary.
"Just placed everyone in a bit of a trance," Xerisa said, "at night when no one was the wiser. They are now all physically incapable of seeing Sora or any signs of his presence. I did the same to him and his friends. The two trances repel each other, meaning that if they ever even came close, they'd be inclined to move away. That way there won't be any collisions or things that can't be explained."
"Wow, you really have thought of everything," Axel said. "But why go through all that trouble?"
"I can't be certain that I want the Organization to succeed," Xerisa said.
"Why wouldn't you?" Axel asked. "What's wrong with them getting what they want?"
"Don't talk like you're not one of them," Xerisa scolded.
"Take your own advice," Axel said. "What about you? Aren't you part of this organization?"
Xerisa didn't answer, she only looked away. Axel could see her face screwing up with worry.
She's not! Axel realized. She has no intention of staying. So then, what's she here for?
"I'd like to do recon on Sora," Xerisa went on, shaking the awkwardness of the moment, "before the rest of the Organization get to. But Saïx is too smart to let me go off on a mission alone, and rightfully so."
"What if I could get him to pair us together again?" Axel asked.
"You'd let me go?" Xerisa asked, looking up with a bit of surprise.
"I'd go with you," Axel corrected.
"You'd go against the big boss-man?" Xerisa asked, suspiciously.
"The mission is to find Sora and do recon on his current mission and status," Axel said, "that's what I'm doing."
"And you won't tell them?" Xerisa asked.
"That is out of my control," Axel said with a grin.
"Touché," Xerisa nodded approvingly.