My World

My World

CATHY GUEVARA

Chap 9 – Playing Catch Up

Another few weeks passed, and they were still all wrist deep in only mere assumptions and minor facts. Now however, the troupe in Mickey's palace was pushing in more over-time. When the killings had begun to ebb and everything seemed almost – quiet – Mickey had received a call from Leon saying that things were starting to pick up again around the worlds – but this time with a mind blowing body count.

Instead of targeting individuals – it appeared this mass murderer was now attacking local areas. He (or she) started bombing museums, monuments and basic run of the mill places people often came to just enjoy themselves. It completely boggled the minds of the three youngsters on why the murderer – if this WAS the same murderer – had completely changed his targeting. Again the body count of the people and the destruction of miraculous landmarks took their toll on the worlds that were already unstable at the moment and only greatly increased tensions between neighboring nations. Worlds were blaming other worlds for the cause of the destruction. Some were beginning to believe that this was the end of life as they knew it.

But probably the most heart wrenching thing to come of all the chaos was –

People were beginning to blame the young trio for their failure to capture the culprit.

The cosmos knew the three were on the case in trying to discover the evil-doer since they had seen them scouting around the murder areas trying to pick up clues. Thus people began to send letters to them, and the three received angry and troubled letters from people recounting the loss of loved ones or loss of peace of mind. They were being told about what a lousy job they were doing trying to catch the perpetrator and how King Mickey should've never appointed them to the case.

This was incredibly insulting to Riku and his eagerness and faith began to dwindle as the mail began to grow. Sora on the other hand was fueled by the dejection and began to work even harder – to try and prove himself a competent hero. And then Kairi – Kairi had fallen into a great depression because of all the work, all the murders, the pointing fingers and was constantly sleeping because of it. Riku and Sora tried cheering her up – walking and talking with her – trying to make her laugh again, smile, but this did little to help as she always had to come back down to face the reality of the situation she was in.

As Sora was working on the case, Kairi was sleeping again, and Riku was about ready to fess up and call it a day, Mickey came bursting into their room – a grin brightening his features and the room with it.

"We've got a lead!" Was all there needed to be said before Riku and Sora jumped up and intensely waited for Mickey to deliver the information he had received.

"Someone was at one of the bombing sights in Atlantica and had seen a suspicious looking person – a woman to be more exact – dressed up as a clown fish. I know this isn't a name or anything – but this is the best thing we got! Use it!"

They didn't need to be told what to do and they immediately set out to work to look for anyone – a woman who had a thing for dressing up like a clown fish.

They had no doubt in their minds that this was the person they were looking for – their answer to Samson's riddle.

"You're all dismissed." Xemnas gave out a low guttural sound as everyone began to shuffle out of the gathering room.

After what had happened to Xaldin, he only saw it as appropriate to introduce everyone to the menace that was – the Joker. The Organization members were thoroughly confused about hearing one of their own falling to the hands of a mere psychopath. Xaldin was all the more embarrassed when he came to, and after visiting Castle Oblivion to recollect his thoughts of what had happened between him and the Joker – no recollection of the events came up.

When hearing news of this, Xemnas just simply couldn't believe that such recent events could simply VANISH from one's memories. Sure they all had little memories of what they were like in their former lives, but nothing that Castle Oblivion wouldn't be able to rouse up. And this only happened a few weeks ago – something like that couldn't slip from your mind that easily. It was as if someone had stolen his memories from him…

Xemnas began worrying that this must've have been the case…that the Joker now seemed to have obtained the power to alter or completely erase people's memories – but how was the real question.

The Joker had no powers – as far as he was concerned – to do such a thing. He was a mere mortal – and yet, there was nothing quite mere about that mortal. Xemnas was now beginning to regret the recruitment of this clown, and yet, he was still making fabulous work of what they assigned to him. Really just – everything Xemnas could ever hope and dream for was happening. And the Joker really knew how to tickle Xemnas' fancy when he displayed bodies in such remarkably grotesque ways – the clown treated as one big chess game. And the ultimate prize – the innocence and light of the worlds.

Really, a man after Luxord's heart.

Well…if he HAD a heart.

Xemnas particularly liked his innovative thinking in blowing up monuments and museums – though Xemnas thought this was merely for only the body count at first – he soon found out the true genius behind it. This made him all the more delighted as he watched as the worlds began to crumble and crack. Darkness was plaguing everyone's minds as well as their hearts and the Heartless were able to round up an extremely high amount of hearts in only a few weeks. Even Nobodies were starting to pop-up which added to the now growing collection of Sorcerers and other Nobody ranks.

And even though the plan was going swimmingly, there was a dark lining beneath the clouds. He pondered on sending his little camera team to monitor the Joker – but knew a plan that simple was soon to be thwarted. But after sitting around and thinking for a few minutes, he realized was what he really needed to regret; and that was sending out one man to do a two man job.

Xemnas watched as the last shuffling member was nearly about to leave but stopped him before he got away.

"Roxas," Xemnas called to him and the young Nobody about faced to face his superior. Xemnas couldn't have been luckier to catch the exact person who had already witnessed the Joker's hazardous countenance. "I have something I need for you to do."

"Yes?"

"I need you and Axel," Roxas and Axel made a formidable team, and he needed a tough duo to withstand the Joker's destructive nature, "to go and see the Joker. I want answers about this business with Xaldin. If he refuses to divulge us this information – I'm permitting you to use force."

"Is that all?"

"Yes that is all."

Roxas quickly crawled his way out of the room and left Xemnas to his own accord as he began frantically wandering around the castle in search of Axel. He needed to tell him of the mission they were assigned to undergo – but most importantly – he wanted to discuss his utter lack of enthusiasm for it. He had already gotten a glimpse of the ridiculous clown and his Hench wench and it wasn't a particularly pleasant meeting. He probably would've felt the need to decapitate the two if it wasn't for his sudden paralysis due to his shock. Now that he thought about it, as he looked through rooms and around bends to find his comrade, he should've ended their lives right then and there. And he began mentally hitting himself over the head for not doing so till he stepped into the Proof of Existence room.

He was surprised to find Axel walking around the room, looking at the various panels on the floor till he had stopped at his own image. He seemed to be admiring himself as he looked over his panel.

Watching him – Roxas couldn't help but smile at what a goof Axel was being – admiring himself – how vain could one get? But then, for a split second, Roxas felt a chill crawl up his spine as he watched Axel. Roxas wasn't really a hundred percent sure if he was admiring himself – but as Roxas looked at him; he started to panic. It was a nagging sensation he felt, if was as if he were watching Narcissus about plunge into his own reflection, it was a weird foreboding experience but Roxas immediately presented himself to get Axel to stop looking at the image – lest he falls in and drowns.

"What is it?" Axel looked up from the floor to face Roxas, Roxas never seemed to be the one to initiate conversation even when he was the one that wanted to start it.

"You won't believe it," Roxas waited momentarily to see if Axel would react, he didn't seem to be in his most emotional mood, "Xemnas put us to do dabbler spy work on finding out what the Joker's up to with getting Xaldin's memories all fogged up."

Silence followed and Axel seemed to be contemplating something. Roxas watched patiently, he never knew what was going on under Axel's fiery red hair; no one did but himself and himself alone. Finally a sly smirk crossed his lips.

"He's quite a charismatic character isn't he?"

"Charismatic?" Roxas was shocked and puzzled by what his comrade said, he believed Axel would've shared the same level of disgust about the recruit. "That's definitely not a word I would use to describe this guy! More like ludicrous and creepy!"

"Now why would you say a thing like that?"

"Well first off, have you seen that suit?" Roxas chuckles a little and Axel joins him, "Next, that smile. That obviously isn't natural – how do you suppose he got it?"

"I have no idea, and frankly I could care less about a "creepy" looking smile, smiles can't hurt you."

"That's apparently what Xaldin thought and look what happened to him!"

Axel sternly looked at Roxas, and he began wondering if he had over stepped his boundary, but Axel's sly smile appeared on his face again.

"Guess we're going to find out first-hand how KILLER this clown's SMILE really is."

A/N:

Bwee! Over 500 + hits! Thanks Yall! Well - things are all about just settling here! And there was this one reviewer (unfortunately I cant remember their name) who mentioned that Axel and Joker have almost the same kinda...well...flavor to them - and I have to agree! So I think seeing how they'd intereact would be pretty interesting! Dont you agree?