Xemnas' right eye twitched at the sight before him. He knew this was the hand of the ship's medic, but why did he do such a thing when he specifically gave him orders to not touch the Merman? With a small growl, Xemnas turned and marched up towards the blonde doctor.
The man hadn't even seen him coming in the first place. No, he was too busy with his chemicals and beakers. Honestly, Xemnas couldn't understand why he even decided to take on the name as 'doctor' when all he wanted to be was a mad scientist.
None of that mattered at the moment though. Xemnas was quick to hit the glasses out of the blonde's hands. His green olive eyes widened to such a mass that is almost made Xemnas laugh, but the reason it didn't is because of the confusion in the doctor's eyes as he watched his first mate do this.
"Xemnas?" Vexen gasped, looking up in confusion at the first mate. "What on earth are you doing? !"
"I could ask you the same question, Vexen!" Xemnas growled, pointing his finger towards where the Merman was being kept, in the small glass tank only a few yards away.
"What are you talking about?" Vexen asked, annoyance written all over his features as he bent down and muttered out curses as he picked up the broken beakers.
"That is clearly your work, doctor," Xemnas said, shooting his gaze at the Merman's bandages.
"So it is," Vexen said, shooting his chin in the air before going back to the task at hand, which was cleaning up the mess the first mate did, but that was stopped short as Xemnas kicked the broken beakers farther away from the doctor. "What the hell, Xemnas? !" Vexen growled, standing up to look his commander in the eyes angrily.
"You were given specific orders to NOT go near him!" Xemnas spat, continually pointing an accusing finger in the Merman's direction.
"I am aware of that," Vexen said.
"Then why did you disobey my direct order? !" Xemnas asked, his face showing off how pissed he was at the disobedience.
"Because a higher-up said I could," Vexen simply replied, making Xemnas' eyes widen to the realization of whom he was speaking of. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm quite busy all of the sudden."
At that, the doctor walked off, mostly in the direction his broken beakers had been kicked. Xemnas only let out a sigh before he turned around and readied to march right towards his Captain's quarters, that is, he would have, had his Captain not been standing right there, in front of him.
"Captain!" Xemnas gasped, holding a hand over his heart for a moment. The man seemed to always pop up out of nowhere and scare the very ghost right out of you.
"I want you to order Roxas to be the Merman's main watcher," Xehanort simply said before he turned with a nod and began walking off back towards his tented quarters.
"Captain, there's something I—what?" Xemnas was stopped short in his complaint about the doctor as he registered what Xehanort had just ordered him to do.
"Oh, did you not understand my order at first?" Xehanort asked, turning back to his nephew with an amused smirk, one he tends to wear as of late.
"N-No, it's not that," Xemnas replied, clearing his throat before straightening and standing at attention before his captain. "Sir, I wish to speak about the Merman's situation."
"There is nothing to speak about," Xehanort said with a shrug. "As of now, I want Roxas to be his main watcher. Make sure you order the boy to do so, right away."
"It's not about Roxas," Xemnas let out a frustrated sigh. "I confronted Vexen about the creature's wounds only to find he tells me you ordered him to wrap it up!"
"I did because I want him in fine shape," Xehanort said. "I don't want any wound chancing in his death. He's the only Mer-creature we have and I won't lose him until he fulfils his usefulness to us."
"Then, what is this about Roxas?" Xemnas asked, now understanding why Vexen was allowed near the creature against his orders. "You do realize he almost caused us to lose the Merman? I highly doubt he's the right choice to be the creature's main watcher."
"It is what I have decided," Xehanort said, needing not to explain himself any further if he didn't wish to. "Just make sure the order follows through."
At that, Xehanort turned on his heel and walked off, leaving his nephew to sigh out in frustration before turning and follow as ordered. Xemnas went over to where most of the crew were resting before his amber eyes scanned around only to find the young boy who was sitting next to their youngest female member, and two other young members known as Demyx and Zexion.
"Roxas," Xemnas called out, making all the crewmates around freeze and turn towards their first mate.
"Yes, sir?" Roxas asked, looking up at the tanned man as he stood in attention.
"It has been decided you shall be the creature's main watchman," Xemnas said, folding his arms behind his back and poking out his broad chest to make himself seem bigger.
"What, why?" Roxas questioned.
"Captain's orders," Xemnas said before turning on his heel with a sneer and walking off.
"What was that all about?" Demyx asked, watching the retreating form of their first mate.
"Who cares," Zexion spoke up with a sigh as he took a long drink from his cup. "Captain's orders anyways."
"True," Demyx nodded in agreement.
"Do you think he knows?" Xion asked, whispering her question towards her best friend.
"I don't know," Roxas replied, whispering back to the raven-haired girl.
"What's with the whispering?" Demyx asked, looking at the two.
"I, personally, don't see why the Captain gave such an order," Zexion suddenly spoke up, pulling the others' attention towards him. "When Roxas nearly lost the creature before."
"I told you before, he—" Roxas was about to defend himself had Xion not touched his shoulder and stopped him.
"Not now," she said with a sigh. "Leave them to their opinions."
"But they don't know what really happened," Roxas complained.
"Is that such a bad thing?" Xion asked. "At least they don't know everything."
"Still," Roxas mumbled, crossing his arms before letting out a sigh and standing up. "Well, better go start my watch, or Saïx will have my hide."
As Roxas came over towards the tank containing the Merman he noticed how Xigbar was the currant watcher. He sighed to himself, wondering how he was going to explain his to their gunner. That man would never let things go once they've happened, so once Roxas would say he's to become the Merman's main watcher he'd, more or likely, scoff and wave it off as a practical joke. Yeah, that's what'll likely happen.
"Hey little dude, what are you doing here?" Xigbar asked. "Not expecting to let the thing out again, are you?"
"It's not that," Roxas said. "Captain ordered me to be the Merman's main watcher."
"What? You're kidding me!" Xigbar scoffed. "What's with you lying these days?"
"I'm not," Roxas argued, knowing this couldn't be avoided with the gunner. "If you want to ask Captain himself, you can."
"What's the problem here?" Suddenly, the boatswain came up and both mates turned to look at the man.
"There's no problem," Xigbar replied, turning towards Roxas. "Roxas was just leaving."
"No, I wasn't," Roxas defended.
"The hell you talking about?" The gunner growled, growing more than annoyed of the boy. "Get out of here before I report you're ass to the Captain."
"The Captain ordered me to come here!" Roxas protested.
"He's right," Saïx said, looking at Xigbar. "I was informed by Xemnas that that is indeed what Roxas has been ordered to do."
"Are you serious?" Xigbar scowled. "You are aware of what happened the last time Roxas watched him?" At the word 'him', Xigbar pointed towards the redheaded Merman whose eyes were now open, curiously watching the scene unfold before him.
"I am," Saïx said with a nod as he crossed his arms. "I frankly don't agree, but it is the Captain's orders and I will not disagree with him on any occasion."
"Tch, lapdog," Xigbar growled with a roll of his eye before he shook his head. "Fine, but if the Merman gets out again, blame him."
With that said, the gunner marched off, retreating back towards his closer crewmates. Roxas let out a sigh before he felt that all-too-familiar glare by the boatswain, on him. Turning, Roxas caught the last glance of Saïx's disapproving glare before he too turned and left.
"Well, I guess it's just you and me," Roxas said, letting out another sigh as he plopped down in a mound of beach sand, a make-shift seat made for the watchers who had to watch the Merman.
Roxas turned his eyes towards the Merman who gazed at him with unreadable eyes before Roxas let off a small smile and inclined his head towards the creature in a show of acknowledgement. "Axel," Roxas finally remembered the Merman had a name, and so, an identity.
The Merman made no gesture towards Roxas. Only taking his eyes off of him and laying back the best he could in the too-small tank he was forced to be kept in. Roxas honestly felt sorry for the Merman; being kept in such a small space, but there was nothing he could do.
So Roxas sat there until the sun was high in the sky and it was now time to leave. Roxas looked up to see the rest of his crew coming towards him and the Merman. Turning, Roxas saw how Axel turned his eyes on the same sight and Roxas even caught the small sneer showing on the corner of his lips. Roxas jumped slightly from the movement of the Merman's tail, making what water was in there, splash on top of the glass lid, making the water stick to it so the others couldn't stare at him as much.
"He's not too friendly, is he?" Larxene chuckled before placing a hand on her hip.
"I wouldn't be either, if you had treated me like that," Roxas muttered.
"What'd you say, brat? !" Larxene growled, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.
"Calm down everyone," Xehanort spoke up, placing his hat on his head and fixing his white gloves. "I don't want you fighting amongst each other as we travel toward the Fountain."
"Yes, sir," Roxas and Larxene replied in unison.
"So, how is he, Roxas?" Xehanort asked, clasping his hands together behind his back as he walked up towards the tank that held his prize.
"Fine, I suppose," Roxas said with a shrug. "He's been moving around a lot more since Vexen mended him."
"Good, good," Xehanort said with a pleased nod and grinning as he watched the Merman splash more water up at the glass lid, hoping to startle the Captain, but alas, it'd take a lot more than a splash of water to startle that old man. "Well, since he's seemed to recover better, then he won't mind the journey at all."
Turning, Xehanort snapped for his men to come and pick the tank up. After all, it was time to leave.
Roxas watched the two largest members of their crew come up, Xaldin, and Lexaeus, taking two metal bars and sliding them through the copper rings so they could pick the tank up just like that and carry it on their broad shoulders.
"You're still watcher, Roxas," Xehanort spoke up, looking towards him. "So keep an eye on him, for me."
"Aye, aye, Captain," Roxas responded as he walked over towards Xaldin and Lexaeus and stood by the tank, keeping his eyes on the Merman who only turned from him and splashed water in his direction. Roxas furrowed his brow in confusion. He had thought he had built at least some sort of trust between himself and the Merman. What was wrong with him now?
His thoughts didn't linger on that for long. Once Xemnas' voice echoed throughout camp, Roxas knew it was time to leave and so began marching into the forest, along with everyone else.
"Ugh, this place is horrible," Larxene groaned as she and Marluxia continued hacking through the dense growth that continued getting in their way.
"Just keep your comments to yourself and continue cutting a path for the rest of us," Xemnas spoke up to the two in lead who only sighed and did as told.
"Can you imagine what kind of creatures live here," Vexen said, looking around the forest, in the trees, and on the ground.
"Besides the Mermaids and him?" Luxord asked, pointing towards the Merman. "I, quite frankly, don't want to know."
"You're no fun, you know that, right?" Vexen narrowed his eyes at the gambler before scoffing and continuing his fascination.
"You know what? I have to wonder myself, what lives here," Demyx said, being careful to not let the growth brush him too much, not knowing if it was poisonous or not.
"Well, besides the Mer-creatures," Zexion spoke up from his right. "There's poisonous frogs."
"Frogs?" Demyx asked.
"They're covered in vibrant colors, so be sure not to touch them," Zexion said, turning to his left to only point at one covered in orange and black. "Like that."
"EH!" Demyx squealed, nearly jumping ten feet away from it.
"Then you've got poisonous snakes," Zexion counted them off.
"Are they covered in vibrant colors too?" Demyx asked, rubbing his arms to stop his startled shakes.
"Not too much, so just avoid snakes in all," Zexion said. "Oh, and don't forget about the alligators."
"What're those?" Demyx asked.
"Dinosaurs," Zexion simply replied.
"You're kidding," Demyx said, his eyes wide and mouth dropped. "I thought those things were extinct!"
"So, you believe in the Faerie, but not in the extinct?" Zexion asked, raising a brow.
"That's—a different story!" Demyx defended, crossing his arms with a firm nod. "But seriously, how big are they?"
"Hhh, they're like crocodiles, and I know you've see them in the sea before," Zexion said. "Hell, we've seen a lot worse and you're concerned about alligators. Honestly, Demyx."
With a shake of his head Zexion walked off, leaving Demyx's question unanswered.
"W-Wait, Zexion, you never answered my question!" Demyx called out, running after his friend.
Xion only giggled, seeing those two like that before she turned her gaze towards Roxas who was looking a little down. With a sigh, she walked up towards the boy who was still by the tank. She came up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Roxas, are you alright?" she asked with a small smile, startling the boy some before turning to her.
"Oh, hey, Xion," Roxas said, giving her a small smile of his own.
"What's wrong?" she asked, leaning in closer to him so Xaldin or Lexaeus wouldn't butt in—well, Xaldin in particular. Lexaeus usually minds his own business, if not always.
"I'm concerned with Axel," Roxas said.
"Axel?" Xion asked before remembering that Roxas had said the Merman had a name, which he had somehow come across. "Oh, what about him?"
"He won't look at me, at anyone," Roxas said.
"Well, we're taking him further away from the bay, maybe that's why," Xion suggested.
"Yeah, I guess I see your point," Roxas nodded. "But still . . . I thought . . . I thought that maybe we'd developed a sort of trust in the other."
"He's being taken away from his home and sisters," Xion said, patting Roxas' shoulder. "How would you feel if you'd been taken away from your home and family? I'm sure he feels he has to protect his sisters, and now look at him—he can't."
"I know," Roxas said. "I know exactly how he feels."
"Besides," Xion continued. "This is a new environment to him. He's probably never even been out of the bay before. I guess it was like our first day on sea."
"Must be," Roxas said, his eyes on the frame of the Merman who still had his back to him.
"Xion, will you go back to the others in the back?" Xaldin asked, nearly running into the girl. "I'm going to run into you if you don't."
"Sorry," she said as she muttered her goodbye to Roxas before turning to head off, but she was stopped short as she reached down in her pack and pulled out a black cloak. "Oh, almost forget. Here, Roxas, Xemnas told us all to wear our cloaks just in case we touch something poisonous."
"Thanks, Xion," Roxas said, as he held out his arm to grab the cloak only to have Xion a little too far from reach. So the girl sighed and came closer, but like Xaldin said, if she was any closer, he'd run into her and he did just that.
"Xion!" Xaldin cursed as he ran into the small girl who yelped as the larger man tripped over her.
"Xaldin, watch out!" Roxas gasped, running up to the larger man to try and help him catch his balance, but he ended up falling down with him, unable to catch any of that man's weight.
"You fools!" Xemnas growled, turning around just in time to see Xaldin trip over Xion and fall forwards, letting go of the bar and tipping the tank over, leaving Lexaeus the only one to hold up the tank, but it didn't matter, the tank came crashing down sideways, hard.
The side of the tank hit the ground first and shattered, causing the lid to crack and the contents inside to push against it, causing it to break and the content to roll out onto the forest floor.
Large gasps and loud shouts were thrown in the air. Everyone's minds coming to the time Roxas had let the creature out and how it tried to escape. Sure they were nowhere near the bay, or any water for that matter, for it to go anywhere, but that didn't stop them from panicking.
'Quick!" Xemnas gasped, his amber eyes widening. "Get it!"
"Calm down," Xehanort's voice broke through the shouts. "He's of no harm if he can't go anywhere."
So the crew surrounded the Merman who had landed on his stomach as he rolled out of the broken tank, his red tail coming out to full length and his arms lifting himself up off the forest floor to look at everyone. The frustration of the broken tank was quickly forgotten as all eyes were on the enchanting creature that silenced everything.
"Gorgeous," Marluxia purred as his eyes scanned the creature up and down before he noticed something. "What is with that look?"
Then, before anyone saw it coming, the Merman swung his tail around him and tripped a good four members before he rolled off towards a hill he seemed to have noticed.
"Damn it! Catch him!" Xemnas growled, commanding every able-bodied to go after the creature who was trying to escape, AGAIN.
"Stop sounding so upset, Xemnas," Xehanort said, coming up to his first mate's side. "We're nowhere near water, and the Merman can't get far with nothing but a tail."
"But he's fast!" Xemnas growled back.
"So are we," Xehanort smirked.
Roxas, Xion, and Xaldin stopped for a moment to catch their breath. Wherever the creature had rolled, it had to be some place they couldn't see because they had been running for a good 5 minutes with no luck in finding him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so, so, so sorry!" Xion cried out as he let out gasps from running so hard.
"Damn it, Xion, I had warned you," Xaldin said, next to her as he caught his own breath and stood up. "Where the hell is that thing? There's no way it could have sprouted legs when it hit the bottom of the hill and ran off."
"No, he's gotta be around here, somewhere," Xion said, standing up next to Xaldin.
"Then look under every log, every bush, until you find it," Xaldin said. "It's easier if we split. When you find it, shout out to the others and we'll come."
"Right," Roxas and Xion said in unison as everyone took a separate direction and ran for it.
Roxas had been the one who started looking under every log, but knew this would take forever if he tried. He knew, like the others, that Axel couldn't have gone far. Sure he could haul himself up, and roll in lightning speed, but when it came to moving in a certain direction, Roxas knew he was slow. When he had tried to make it back towards the bay, Axel had been moving at a snail's space and this was no different, especially with no water nearby.
Roxas had to find Axel and quick, not just because he knew the others would treat him harshly, it was about Xion too. It was her fault that Xaldin had tripped and if, somehow, they couldn't find Axel, Xion would get the punishment of her life.
Roxas didn't really want to think about it, but she could possibly die because of this. Roxas would know, he's been with the Organization for a long time and has seen the Captain become so angered that he'd killed a few crewmembers. They needed Axel and if they didn't have him, no doubt Xion was a dead woman.
"Ah!" Roxas gasped as he tripped over a smaller log, landing face-first into the leaf-covered ground.
With a groan Roxas rolled his eyes and spit out a few leaves that had caught inside his mouth. He looked down at his foot and at the log he'd tripped over. With an angry kick he freed his foot and readied to stand back up and finish his search, but that'd have to wait as he gasped out once more upon feeling something take a hold of the collar of his shirt and haul him up and quickly slam him against a vine-covered tree.
Roxas let out a gasp as his eyes widened. His lips moved to say something, but a long hand covered his mouth and thin long arms held him tightly.
Roxas protested and started squirming, but the gip around him tightened and as Roxas looked at the redhead he noticed that his lips were moving, pursing as if trying to say "Shh, Shh". It was odd to see this because Roxas was unaware of Mer-creatures even being able to speak, much less attempt to.
That wasn't even the worst of it. Roxas kicked himself for not thinking about how the Merman had slammed him up against a tree anyways, so that his feet couldn't even touch the ground. Roxas looked down and his eyes widened even more to see the Merman had, indeed, grown a pair of legs.
Roxas noticed the Merman's eyes following his own and as he looked at his own lengthy legs, his eyes came back to Roxas, but no emotion was really seen on the redhead's face beside the one that Roxas could see in his eyes—the one telling Roxas he didn't want to get caught again. Roxas could completely understand, but it was his and Xion's lives on the line if they didn't get the Merman back in their custody.
Roxas groaned upon feeling the Merman's grip become almost too much to bear. Even though the Merman was quite lengthy he was strong and . . . soft? Roxas blinked before he realized that the hand covering his mouth, and the arm wrapped tightly around his torso were soft to the touch—like—skin.
It then clicked and Roxas realized that when Axel had grown these legs, he had also come to change his hard scales into skin. He didn't know that Mer-creatures could do it, but somehow they can—or at least Mermen can. Whatever it was it still fascinated Roxas to no end, but he still needed to get a shout out to the others.
So, Roxas reluctantly bit down on the hand holding his mouth shut. Skin was easier to bite into than scales and so Roxas was glad for that, but for the brief second his mouth was free, Roxas let out a loud shout of—
"HELP!"
A growl was heard from the Merman who, this time, wrapped his hand around Roxas' throat and pushed him against the tree even rougher, making Roxas groan and choke from the tight pressure the creature had on his windpipe.
Roxas watched Axel stand still before all was deemed quiet. When both realized how quiet it was, Axel decided to move, putting one foot in front of the other as he took Roxas in his arms and made his away out of his hiding spot to find another and another until he could successfully make it back to the bay, and his sisters. But, just as he began to walk, Roxas watched as Axel stumbled on his weak legs for but a moment before catching himself on a tree.
He must not be used to his legs, Roxas thought as he watched Axel push on his legs to keep his body standing.
Just at the end of Roxas' thought three of his crewmates suddenly appeared and overtook Axel, pushing him to the ground, and one took Roxas out of his grasp.
"You alright?" Marluxia asked as he pulled Roxas out of Axel's grasp and stood the boy up. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No," Roxas said, shaking his head as he rubbed his red neck. "Did you guys hear me?"
"We did," Marluxia nodded, his eyes turning back towards the Merman who was squirming under Saïx and Xaldin. "We even saw the two of you and when we watched how he stumbled on his legs we knew he'd have no power to struggle against us."
"I can't believe they grow legs," Xaldin said as he and Saïx placed cuffs on Axel's wrists and pulled him up on his unstable legs. "Damn, he's tall."
Roxas had to agree. He, himself, barely stood to his chest. Roxas assumed, that if Axel were ever a human, he'd look like this and be about this tall.
"Did you catch it?" Xemnas growled as he and their Captain came up to them, the others quickly coming as well.
"You found him!" Xion gasped, running up to Roxas' side.
"No thanks to you," Xaldin growled.
"I said I was sorry," Xion said. "I was trying to give Roxas his cloak because Xemnas wanted us all to wear them just in case we touched anything poisonous."
"And I agree," Xehanort spoke up, looking at the naked redhead who was wearing a face of pure hate for his captors. "Tell me Xaldin, Saïx, is he soft to the touch?"
"It feels like skin to me," Xaldin said, Saïx agreeing with a nod.
"Then lend him a cloak as well," Xehanort said. "I don't want him to touch anything poisonous and risk losing him, again."
Xemnas saw the displeased look in his Captain's eyes and knew, that if something like this happened again, they'd no longer have 13 members. So he turned to their boatswain and looked at him.
"Saïx, you and the creature seem to be around the same height and close in frame, lend him an extra cloak of yours," Xemnas commanded.
Saïx looked at the redhead with a small sneer before nodding and reaching in his pack for an extra cloak and placing it on the Merman who only glared daggers at him.
"Since the Merman wants to walk," Xehanort said, looking down at the redhead's long legs. "Let's let him walk."
Xemnas smirked and informed everyone to pick up their belongings and get back to the path. It was about time for the creature to get a punishment, is what his thoughts were rambling and he knew that his uncle was growing tired of the Merman's struggle, so this is what he deserved for trying to escape again.
"And you two!" Xemnas said, pointing to Roxas and Xion. "If you cause one more incident I will personally kill the both you. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," they said in unison.
"Good," Xemnas said before turning on his heel and heading back to their Captain's side.
Roxas turned to see Saïx and Xaldin begin to start pulling on Axel's chain they attached to his cuffs, causing the Merman to fall down onto the ground with his weak legs barely able to hold him up.
"Wait!" Roxas called out, coming up to the redhead whose hair was now beginning to spike as it dried, like the rest of his body.
"What is it, Roxas?" Xaldin asked, he and Saïx turning to the boy with annoyed looks. "You're just meant to watch him, not help him."
"You didn't bother putting the cloak on fully," Roxas muttered as he helped the Merman up to his knees and helped secure the cloak around him more so his own skin wouldn't chance a touch with anything poisonous if it was harmful to him. "Captain will have your heads if he suddenly dies before we reach the Fountain."
At that, Roxas watched the two freeze and he couldn't help the satisfied smirk at the corner of his lips as he finished helping the Merman back to his feet.
"Come on!" Xaldin growled, pulling on the chains a little too hard, almost causing Axel to come tumbling down to the ground, again.
Roxas was quick to catch him though and it was because of this that Axel looked at him with what Roxas assumed was confusion, probably the confusion of 'you-helped-let-them-catch-me-so-why-help-me-know?' Still though, Roxas offered a smile to him and this time, Axel didn't turn his back to him, instead his eyes continued to look at him with confusion before another quick, hard yank from Xaldin tore the Merman's eyes off of the human and to the road of walking ahead of him.
When he stumbled again, Roxas would make sure he'd be there to catch him, that is, until he could stand on his own. It was his job, right? Besides, he wanted to be close to the Merman, at least to where he wouldn't try and kill him again.
Daughter Of The Revolution: So yeah, still not into the AkuRoku yet, but we're getting there. I did say this story will be shorter than my Nothing But Animals, but still . . . you can't rush the love of Axel and Roxas ;D So yeah, leave a review and tell me what you think! :D