The Uprising

So… I didn't write this as quickly as I had hoped… My bad. I just wasn't feeling the inspiration, but I got it back! If you cannot remember, the Traitors just faced a crippling defeat against Rogue agents Axel, Delta, and DiZ. Marluxia's unfortified (but masterfully decorated) stronghold was easily infiltrated by the trio, allowing the escape of Namine and Kairi. To make matters worse, Saix and Xigbar were also able to spirit their leader, Xemnas, away from his trophy case atop the Altar of Naught. But at least they still have Aros. That's something. Right? …Right? I don't think Larxene is convinced. Poor Demyx is just along for the ride!

Read and review! Thanks!

EDIT: Sorry it took so long! I was gone for 2 weeks at a performing arts camp!

EDIT (AGAIN): I'm so sorry for the delay! School took over, you know?

!_!

Larxene, hood drawn sharply over most of her face, stared in an angry stupor at the very spot of the Rogues' departure. The Memory's Skyscraper loomed over her, its neon lights illuminating the naturally gloomy corners of the Dark City. Things were not going well. The "New Organization" that Marluxia spoke so highly of was basically nonexistent. They had three and a half members, a tattered army of lesser Nobodies that had barely reacted to the intruders, and absolutely no plan for the future. It wouldn't be much longer until some faction, Axel's misfits, Zexion's flourishing legion, or even the recently released troupe of Xemnas, would return to wipe out the Traitors in one devastating blow. The World That Never Was could be annihilated at any time.

"I backed the wrong side…" She whispered in a trance, her voice cracking in solemn bewilderment. "…Again…"

Larxene's normally superior posture slumped as she drifted into a deeper state of depression. Her cold eyes slowly glazed over with rage that she no longer had the will to take out on anyone.

The Savage Nymph barely looked up as an unmistakable yelp resounded from the Altar of Naught, heralding a sudden torrential downpour of Demyx's rain. Being exposed to Aros's triple-keybearing energy seemed to amplify each of their powers, but what did that matter? Things were falling to Hell and there was nothing to be done about it.

Thunder magic danced across the surface of the grim puddle forming beneath Larxene's feet. Luckily enough, she had learned enough control not to be electrocuted every time she took a bath, but at this point, the sadist could care less.

Suddenly the diminutive pool beneath Larxene pulsed, expelling her heeled boots from its depths. There was a presence in its shallow depths, hiding among the water, listening and watching from below.

"Spy much?"

Without hesitating, she plunged her gloved hand into the growing water spot, sending electricity throughout its expanse and heralding another drenched yowl of pain. Her lips quivered with what she remembered were supposed to be emotions as she drug out the eaves dropper: a very soaked and fidgety Demyx who had somehow learned a new ability. "Water teleportation… Clever trick." Larxene seethed. "But not as good as mine." She drew her knifed arm back to punish the mole, itching to see if sadism would be able to bring her out of this strange depression. The sweet crack might be enough to bring on a shadow of what was once happiness. Anticipation brewed around Larxene's emotional barriers as she prepared to strike, but suddenly, she hesitated midway through her victim's cringe.

Glowing brilliantly behind Demyx's rocker mullet was the Memory's Skyscraper. Silently, Larxene remembered the strange release of energy that had mysteriously empowered Namine. It had begun here, in this tower. Deep inside, she knew of its ancient power, sparking an idea within the recesses of her quickly churning mind. Without breaking her gaze with the building, she dropped the Melodious Nocturne, who landed roughly in a puddle.

Ignoring Demyx's cries of pain, Larxene continued toward her salvation, sending the doors open with her electrical powers. The rain intensified as Demyx hoisted himself up from the ground and reluctantly followed his cohort. A soft breeze escaped through the threshold, but the Skyscraper did nothing more to stop the duo of Organization members from entering. Demyx summoned his sitar in defense as they pressed into the lobby.

It was severely damaged, but right before their eyes, the tower began to repair itself. Broken tiles righted themselves and cracks were sealed by the invisible magic of the reminisces. Shards of glass rolled themselves back into their positions in the tilted screens covering the walls. Each one, upon completion, displayed empty static before displaying memories. Some joyful, some sad, but overall, they were horrifying. In one, a young blonde girl hid under a bed, her face stained with blood, a knife clutched to her chest. In another, a young musician was throwing up in a grimy bathroom, his ravaged body bone thin. Ignoring these, the Savage Nymph dragged her unwilling cohort into the posh elevator at the end of the room.

Without hesitation, she commanded it to the top floor, looking up in anticipation.

The doors opened soundlessly, revealing a chamber of screens. To a keen eye, one could observe how each displayed one name for a brief instant before reverting to static, as if hiding from the intruders.

Naminé

Fortunately for the tower, neither Larxene nor Demyx had eyes for details, as each was too preoccupied with their own problems to notice the building's obsession with the girl. Cautiously they both approached the main control board, stopping at a wall of screens. On the board, a large engaged button slid slowly out of sight and was replaced with a hand-shaped panel, the building adapting to its users.

"I wonder what power this place holds…" Larxene mused, running her slender fingers over the monitors, electricity dancing about them. Her examination of each device was slow and methodical, almost as a young girl trying to decide which toy to play with first. When she reached the hand panel, she paused, looking up at Demyx, as if for reassurance.

Meanwhile, the Melodious Nocturne stared back at his higher ranking cohort in awe. She was almost acting… Normal. Her features seemed softer, almost vulnerable. Never in his Nobody life would Demyx ever describe Larxene as soft. However, that same intensity still festered behind her eyes. Probably just because of the stress. Right? She definitely seems off-beat, even for Larxene.

Turning back to the controls, Larxene's mouth tightened in determination. She grabbed her unwitting partner's hand, their combined powers sending a shock through their arms, and placed it over her own. Demyx raised an eyebrow. "What are you-" But then, soft moment totally gone, Larxene slammed both hands down on the panel.

"Wait!"

But it was too late, the static on the monitors cleared, displaying the memories the tower had collected. The images flew through the minds of the revolutionists, briefly filling them both with hand-me-down emotions. Larxene gasped and laughed sadistically; first soft chuckles, then knowing giggles that evolved into a hysterical fit of laughter. The solution was so clear to her now! The tower held the key to the Organization's survival all along… If only she had known sooner!

This… This has the power to bring memories to life! Real, fleshed, breathing life!

With her free hand, Larxene grabbed Demyx's trembling shoulder for support as she delved deeper into the remembrances, searching the confines of every dark secret, every hidden scheme until she came to a collection of armors, caped, each wielding a unique Keyblade. A strange helmet obscured each of their identities, leaving each expressionless and stoic, the epitome of a generic soldier. "Perfect." She gasped, the raw power robbing her of breath. Tightening her grip on the controls, she utilized the power of the skyscraper. Below, outside the towers walls, five armors flashed into view. They each held their blades pointed downward, guarding the Dark City on the Steps of Remembrance. Slowly, more joined them, called to protect the world for their new master. They fell into patrols, all under the command of the first five, the most powerful, but equally silent.

The New Organization had just found their foot soldiers. Never again would their stronghold be so easily infiltrated. Even the lesser Nobodies skirted around the armored ranks, knowing enough about survival to fear them.

With a hiss, the tower powered down as Demyx pulled his hand off of the panel. "Are – you – crazy?" He stammered, fighting off the skyscraper's sensation. Larxene gasped for breath and giggled as she slid to the ground. "Too perfect…" Her eyes were in a faraway place, but she still turned to the trembling Nobody to warn him. "This has to stay between you, me, and the walls, got it?" She grabbed his cloak suddenly, bringing herself back to full height while ignoring his startled bark. She was much too close now for comfort, callously staring into Demyx's eyes. "His Royal Gracefulness can't know about this power. It'll be our little secret. If Marluxia brings himself down from Mount Superiority and sees them, then feign ignorance, act as if it's a gift from God, or any other stupid reason as long as it isn't the truth and doesn't involve me." She stroked his chin, seductively, like she once did to manipulate as a human. After a whimper of agreement, Larxene threw her cohort into the wall, still dissatisfied.

"It won't be enough; it'll never be enough, even with our little puppet and Captain Ego up there." Demyx shakily got to his feet, wiping the blood off of his face with his sleeve. "More troops? Something tells me the Skyscraper won't work again." He was correct, of course, as the entire control panel had slipped out of sight after its use. Larxene, one hand on her hip and the other playing absentmindedly with a knife, paced the floor. "No, you're right, but maybe we don't need any. We just need something to keep our enemies busy, a serious distraction to weaken their forces." One of the screens flashed to a different memory, an image of a heavy-set boy with dark hair pushed up with a headband that matched his "Dog Street" jersey. He was typing ferociously into a computer. Walls of coding appeared on the monitor, too complex for most computer wizards to decode.

Larxene smiled savagely, recalling a certain computer system on a world known as Hollow Bastian that also had a knack for giving something metaphysical a tangible form.

"I think I might have an idea how."

Data Log: Subject Zero

The training of Subject Zero, henceforth known as "Reno", has been progressing immaculately.

Emotionlessly, Zexion looked up from the glowing screen of his data tablet, watching his new minion spar with Lexaeus in a specially constructed Combat Arena. The Silent Hero sent wave after wave of lifted earth at the ward, countering the bolts of red electricity firing from his body.

Barely applying any concentration, Zexion began sending illusionary nightmares into his creation's mind, adding an element into his regimen. Looking down again, he continued.

Subject's endoskeleton has adapted to his replicated outer flesh with little difficulty and has begun serving as a conductor for Reno's super-heated electricity. Further control over his abilities has begun to develop after the introduction of a Class-Y Electro-Mag Rod.

Zexion paused, listening to the Replica make his snide battle remarks, his voice identical to Axel's. Involuntarily, the Cloaked Schemer shuddered. That would take some getting used to.

As the exercise ended, Reno skidded to a stop, looking pleased with himself as he stood among the wreckage. The marks on his cheekbones shone a dominating crimson before fading to their normal, dried blood color.

Riku stood silently behind his master, using the darkness to see through his blindfold and see the being that could become his equal in the new hierarchy. Somehow, it was difficult to bring himself to care. A quivering in the back of his mind, told the boy that Zexion was trying to pry into his thoughts. Normally, he'd gladly let his superior in, but it had become all too easy to manipulate the shadows into shrouding his psyche, especially now that he had something to hide: a thin pinprick of light remained among the blackness, refusing to extinguish.

Elsewhere in the Twilight Realm, Olette absent-mindedly picked a patch of grass, surrounded by her best friends and, seated around a nearby tree, her only enemies. She wondered if her parents would worry. Of course she had left them with an explanation for her absence, conjuring up some story about a summer class field trip to study modern architecture, but who knew when she would return to the familiar streets of Twilight Town?

Since the encounter with the strange white-haired boy and the man covered in bandages, her life had been a blur, being whisked away by some ghost train that led them on unseen tracks to the floating island they occupied now, waiting in the shadow of a crooked tower. If it were up to her, they would have called the police on the bizarre duo, but she knew that Hayner would go with them no matter what, and refused to leave the headstrong fool to his own endeavors.

The mysterious pair had propositioned that both gangs could help save the worlds, go on an adventure, and make something of their lives. When this would begin, however, was not explained, as the man and his ward had been gone for hours.

Suddenly, the grass before her began to smolder.

"Aaaaaaaah!" Olette screamed, scrambling away from the spot. A huge gateway of darkness sprang before them, severely instable and using the surrounding tree trunks as a handle for its tendrils to wrap around. From either side of the portal, two figures stumbled out, wisps of smoke curling off of their figures. One, the man with blazing red hair, staggered out, singeing the ground beneath his boots. The other, the platinum-haired Delta, nonchalantly steadied himself against a tree.

After a few moments, a petite blonde girl was expelled from the chaos, falling on her back, feet facing the bursting rift. Delta ran to her aid, only to be impatiently waved off by the girl, who had propped herself up on one elbow. In her free hand, she conjured an orb of white energy, ringed by dark matter. In one fluid motion, she had smashed the sphere in her hand, leaving a jagged weapon in its place. Olette gasped as she aimed the key-like blade at the Corridor of Darkness, shooting a beam of colorless power into the black expanse. At once, shadowy chains materialized out of the threshold, latching onto trees, boulders, and even the tower itself.

After a moment, the gateway began to stabilize, allowing another girl to falter out, this one with dark red hair, and who was coughing up bits of darkness. The Twilight Town gangs watched in amazement as the new girl's body glowed with light, expelling the darkness she had choked upon. Suddenly, a dark ball shot out, hitting the Light Girl in the back, sending her sprawling. Before anyone could investigate, however, the Corridor was closed at last in a spectacular burst, revealing DiZ at the center of where it had opened.

"Rough landing?" Axel muttered irritably as he brushed cinders off of his Organization robes. DiZ, unfazed, walked past his comrades and towards the tower, calling back carelessly. "I did not calculate the toll our opposition would take on our departure. Stay close, children, Yen Sid is not one to be kept waiting."

The ball that had hit one of the travelers in the back turned out to be a very frightened Moogle, clad in dark robes that matched the fiery one, Axel. The creature nervously babbled to the group about his unfortunate stay with the Organization and begged to remain with the group. After Delta reluctantly agreed, the creature calmed considerably and fell into a hover behind Fuu, jumping into an attempt to sell her a bedazzled eye patch. Fuu could only stomp onward, periodically muttering the word "Annihilation".

The Light Girl, or Kairi as she had introduced herself, motioned for the dumbfounded teenagers to follow. "I've learned to just stop asking." She whispered to them, fussing over a hole burnt through her dress and using the excuse to hide her face as a nostalgic tear cut through the soot on her face. The other girl, Namine, didn't talk much, and followed DiZ closely behind to stay away from Delta, who filled the others in on what had happened and what was to come. "DiZ must think you have potential." He explained, keeping his voice low and his eyes on Namine. "Or maybe he's just getting desperate. I think he knew you'd follow me back to him. He always had a knack for manipulating the youth of this age. With this war brewing, he's had to go to the great Wizard." He practically spat the word, thinking back on Maleficent's proposal. He wondered if she had been able to tempt his original, Riku, so easily. "Yen Sid's agreed to see you. He must see that the Organization is growing too powerful, especially with their new Sora puppet. We can only guess what Zexion is up to. And then of course we're going to have to worry about Xemnas."

His explanation was cut short as they entered the tower and began to ascend the winding staircase inside.

After an eternity of climbing, and much hushed speculation among the two adolescent gangs, they reached a door that DiZ identified as the way to this mysterious wizard's study. As if mechanized, although there were no gears or wires to be seen, the door swung open, revealing a large room, filled with books. In the center, a tall (as he towered, even when seated) bearded man in blue robes sat, his eyes eerily trained on Olette. This was especially strange because blatantly in front of him, with their backs turned to the newcomers, stood three beings, two sobbing inconsolably, the other rubbing his temples in a panic. It was an odd trio indeed, as the two crying appeared to be an oversized dog and a duck, while the third seemed to be a mouse. It was the mouse that drew in everyone's attention, an example of power and knowledge being held by one so small.

In his hand rested a golden Keyblade.

And on his back, the mark of a king.