A/N: My utmost apologies for taking this long to update. I have no good excuse, besides the fact that I just never quite got around to it.
Forgotten Lies: Believe me, everyone wants to know. I practically got the same review, over and over and over again.
RubberDuckiesWhoLikePieAndCake: Thank you! More smilies! BTW, your username makes my spell-check very, very confused.
Oathkeepra: Er, next chapter miiight tell…eheheheheh….
Okami-nin: Don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't know what's going on. No one else does, not even poor Ceri-chan, who goes to school with me. And frankly, I'm not even sure if I really know what's going on.
Cindamcjinga Uh, yeah. Sorry about keeping you waiting.
Crystal Inferno: Larxene is the best. No doubt about it. Hmm…I'll have to go look for that .dothack song. After I finish typing this chapter.
Okiegirlforever: Thanks! And don't worry, you'll find out what happens. Eventually.
Next to Nothing:
Chapter Ten:
"Memories Better Left Forgotten"
"Sora?!" Axel and I shouted in unison. The shock began to wash over, numbing my senses. I had thought—I had thought Sora had come to the World That Never Was to fight the remains of Organization XIII. And our hope had disappeared, as soon as the words left Xemnas' mouth. Sora, the light, the Keybearer, was fighting against us once more.
And with a swift, graceful leap, Sora jumped from the rooftops and landed before us. I couldn't help but gasp and step back at the sight before me, as he looked Axel and I hard in the eye. His skin was a grayish color, his once blue eyes were black, and his face, arms and legs were covered with the same ink-black designs as Catássa. I was horrified, and at once filled with fury.
"Long time no see, huh, Axel?" Sora said. His voice had changed as well. It wasn't as cheerful, optimistic and youthful as I had remembered it; his voice now had a gravelly tone that reminded me of the texture of sandpaper.
Axel only stared back, his eyes narrowed and his arms folded across his chest, scrutinizing Sora, looking him up and down. After a moment, his gaze switched to Catássa. "How could you?" He asked, his brow furrowed in pain. Pain for his friend, who had been lost somewhere inside the boy standing before us.
"How could you?" Catássa retorted, twisting his words and throwing them back at him. "Was it not you who joined the Organization? Was it not you who tried to use Sora to your own selfish advantage, to try and get your friend back? Your Organization may have tried to kill Sora, but this time, he's on my side."
"The negotiations, Catássa." Xemnas said, laying a hand on her shoulder.
She seemed to snap back to reality, relaxing her facial expression and straightening up her posture. I remembered doing the same around Xemnas, trying to impress him, trying to prove myself, and I pushed the memory to the back of my mind before I could dwell on it any longer. "Right, Superior." Both of them turned and walked in the direction of the castle, and Sora followed immediately after, the Keyblade still in his right hand. Something shuddered deep inside of me, a part of my soul that had been tucked away. Oh. That's right. I had died by that weapon.
"You okay?" Axel said, glancing over at me.
"I'm fine…" I trailed off, not sounding entirely sure of myself. Because I wasn't. I still couldn't figure out what these 'negotiations' were about, and it bothered me. What would Xemnas want from me?
"You have a bad feeling about this too?" Axel said, after a short pause. "It's not too late to turn back. I can make us a portal, and we can be back in Radiant Garden before they realize we're gone."
It seemed strange of Axel to suggest this, but there was always the chance that he feared the Superior and his intentions just as much as I. Maybe he just didn't show it like I did. I wanted to turn back, but it didn't feel right. No, I wasn't going to turn back this time.
"No. I'm staying here. I decided—" I choked on my own words. "I decided that I'm not going to run anymore. I'm staying, because I believe we can help Catássa. And Sora, too. You—you gave all that you had left for him, and his freedom was stolen by your own sister. How could you think of backing down from something like that? No, I'm not going to run anymore. I'm going to those negotiations."
Axel smiled softly, and for a moment, I thought I saw Avery's face somewhere behind his. "You haven't changed at all, have you?" And he kissed me just as softly, and I knew that we would go together, whether or not we would make it out alive. Pulling away, he gestured to the others, ahead of us. "Well, I suppose we had better catch up, if we're going to those negotiations after all."
"Now, Relena." Xemnas began, as we settled ourselves down at the table. "I know that your relations with the rest of the Organization were not always---well---pleasant." I grimaced, remembering various practical jokes that had been played on me, simply because I was 'the girl'. He smiled at me, and evil smile that gave me chills down my spine. "But I'm sure you can push that aside."
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, feeling there was something I was missing. The walk through the castle had been unbearable enough. I looked upon the white walls and recalled conversations, fights, and other various events, many of which were unpleasant. We had passed through the room where I had battled Sora for the last time, during which I squeezed my eyes shut.
"As Catássa has told you, I was surprised that you had returned first. You were Number XII, nearly the youngest, and the only girl. Frankly, the odds were stacked against you."
I wanted to shout at him, jump on the table, and wring his neck. None of which I did. My curiosity was growing, and I wanted to find out what Xemnas had to offer me, especially when I had regained my heart. BY MYSELF. Take that, Xemnas.
"With only Roxas as your subordinate," Xemnas continued, "You were often looked upon as the weakling, the sensitive one, someone only to be messed with if you were in need of amusement. If I remember correctly, the title given to you was—'The Savage Nymph'?"
I nodded. Axel had given me that nickname, after an incident in the library, and it had lived on throughout my whole time in the Organization. It wasn't the best, but it sure was better than 'The Graceful Assassin' or 'The Fury of Dancing Flames'. "Can we get on with this?" I asked, feeling impatient. Across the table, Catássa's eyes locked on mine, in obvious disapproval of my testy behavior. But I didn't care to much for what the Superior thought of me. Not anymore.
"Not beating around the bush, are we?" Xemnas said, chuckling to himself. I didn't see what was so funny. "I'll make you a deal. Help me rebuild the Organization, and you will be my second in command, Miss Savage Nymph."
A/N: Okay, so I didn't do much explaining in this chapter, but that will come next chapter. Hopefully. I have a vague plan in my mind for the rest of the story, but I'm mostly making it up as I go.