Chapter Fourteen: Power

Secret Report: Marluxia II

Of all the secrets kept by the upper echelons of the Organization, the details of its founding have been the most vexing. Should the Organization be led by such beings? Chained to their past, yet they refuse to speak of it?

Larxene understood. Even though her prior life was painful, she strives to not be bound by it. To exist on her own terms. To fight against it. It was her perspective which informed my own. Adrift without memory. Yet determined to work to some purpose.

And I have found it. To be truly free in the universe. And the Keyblade shall grant me that freedom once it is mine.

And it's power will be mine. One way or another.

Lexaeus held on to his weapon for dear life, as Vexen no doubt did as well. "The superior? No! His heartless!" Vexen backed away from Ansem, watching with wide eyes. Would he speak to them? Attack them? Call the heartless to his side? At this point, anything could happen.

Ansem brushed off the last pieces of his frozen prison as he looked over the two of them. "Well now...these are faces I did not expect to see for some time. Echoes of what once was, desperately trying to justify their existence." Ansem held out his arms and from him darkness swirled around the room and the walls became overshadowed. The carvings on them eroding as the darkness became saturated. Vexen cringed and Lexaeus braced himself as the room was overcome by the darkness. It was only a matter of time before that power to come crashing down on the two of them.

But then just as quickly, the darkness was repelled. All that Ansem had momentarily warped was returned to normal, and that power was forced back into him. Ansem looked at the room in surprise. "This magic? It's—!"

Lexaeus snarled as he built up power again. He'd be foolish not to take advantage of the reprieve. But just as soon as he started, from out of Ansem's shadow emerged a hulking figure who grabbed Lexaeus by the throat. Strength stifled, he struggled against the guardian while Ansem simply smiled and crossed his arms. "Of course. That sly fox."

Vexen was practically cowering at this point, desperately holding the shield between Ansem and himself. But with a wave of Ansem's hand, the guardian released Lexaeus, who gasped out as he could breathe again, "Wh...why?"

"It seems through your intervention, I have been provided a singular opportunity. So I shall permit your survival for now." Again, darkness gathered around Ansem, but this time he vanished into it.

Lexaeus got to his feet and looked to Vexen, still clutching his shield. Gathering his wits, he asked, "What now?"

Vexen looked to Lexaeus, words failing him. "We...we.." Until finally he hit on a solution. "We tell Marluxia that Riku escaped and that we are working on locating him."

Lexaeus frowned at the suggestion, crossing his arms. "And when that fails and he finds out the truth?"

"We will have thought of a more permanent solution before then!" Vexen barked as he began to pace. "There must be something! Anything!

"Well then by all means Vexen. Tell me."

The two of them looked over to the end of the room where Marluxia had emerged from darkness. He glared at them, hands balled into fists.

"Do you have a solution for this?"

Roxas stood at the door with a smile on his face. "Same time tomorrow? Maybe earlier?"

Naminé simply gave a nod from her chair. "Whenever you can." The smile from the memory they had created hadn't left her yet. It was the only memory of that fictional childhood she truly made because she wanted to. And with Roxas, it was the only one she knew was real.

But as Roxas reached for the door handle it was flung open, and on the other side stood a very unhappy Axel. "Both of you, come with me. Now."

Something in her gut sank at the instruction. Had they been found out? Did Marluxia and Larxene realize she had gone astray of their plan? Was the only good thing in her life being taken away? But all she could find herself able to say as she stood up was, "What's wrong?"

"Ansem's alive, and he's running around Castle Oblivion."

The news caused her to pale, clutching her notebook to her chest. Immediately, she began to follow Axel as he walked down the hall. Roxas, was just bewildered as he tried to keep up."Wha—? Wait. Who's Ansem?"

Of course, the Organization probably wouldn't have any reason to tell him about a dead man. She explained as best as she could, "He was once a wise king before he fell to darkness when investigating the heart. He turned himself into a heartless and led the others before Sora defeated him." Roxas stopped for a moment, and Naminé paused with him. "Is something wrong?"

"Investigating the heart," he began to mutter as he rubbed his chin until recognition lit up in Roxas' eyes, "Axel, was the king of you old home named—?"

"Ansem? Yep. And his Nobody is in charge of our Organization." Axel beckoned the two back down the hall with him as he continued to walk. "Anyway, looks like dying to Sora didn't take," Axel muttered as they arrived at their destination, "So now we need to figure out what to do."

"Are you serious?!"

Zexion's voice heard in the hallway caused the three of them to wince. Opening the doors, they saw everyone else gathered another one of the crystal balls. Vexen was pacing back and forth, and Lexaeus had his weapon summoned to his side. Larxene had her arms crossed unmoved by the outburst. "I'm completely serious. We can't discuss this with Xemnas."

"Complete…?!" Zexion sputtered and waved his hand, "The heartless threat is not something the Organization can simply ignore! If Ansem has returned—!"

"We must be as thorough as possible in our report to him," Vexen spoke up, trying to placate Zexion despite his own anxiety.

Lexeaus continued as he observed the crystal ball cycling between rooms in Castle Oblivion, "If he remains here, we must continue our observations until Ansem departs before making our report."

Larxene smirked as she put a hand to her hip. "You mean so you can both save face after letting him get loose in the first place?"

"Regardless, I concur," Marluxia's voice caused everyone to go so silent, "As acting authority over our operations here, I decree we shall not discuss this with Xemnas until we can speak with certainty of his intentions."

And from the ensuing silence, it was clear that his command was understood. Even if some of the other members of the Organization did not agree with it.

"Anyway Axel, you and Roxas didn't miss mu—," Larxene stopped as she looked to the three of them. And more specifically towards her as her eyes narrowed. "Why is Naminé here?"

Marluxia stepped forward, and gave Naminé a more pointed look. "I want to know her response to this news."

To be sure, the real question Marluxia had posed to her was something she considered occasionally. More and more once Kairi had arrived at the castle and began to fight her way through floor after floor. All for the sake of her friends that she cherished.

And there was someone Naminé cherished.

"I'll do it." Everyone looked at her as she answered Marluxia, "I want to learn Kairi's power." And for a moment, her eyes met Roxas' own that looked at her in surprise. "I want to use the Key—"

"Excuse me!?" Larxene shouted as she walked towards her, arms crossed. "How could someone as weak as you learn how to use a keyblade?"

She flinched at the rebuttal. Naminé didn't have any kind of real experience fighting. Kairi had occasionally joined Sora and Riku's play fights in the past. But she had no real way to tap into it with Sora's memory alone. Still, Zexion seemed to nod at what she said. "If her original self can use the keyblade, it would stand to reason that she would also have that power."

"Yeah right! This frail little—?"

"That is correct, Zexion," Marluxia cut off Larxene's latest diatribe with a raised hand. "It is why I asked her to consider this possibility long ago, when she made it known to me that the princess could make her way here. To see if she could find some way to acquire some semblance of the princesses' power." And that was her one lifeline in this. That Marluxia was even willing to entertain the possibility of her gaining this power. He looked her dead in the eyes, hands folded behind his back. "You are certain of this decision?"

"I am."

Naminé had never been more certain of anything in her life.

Roxas began to smile as he looked towards her and reached out a hand. "Hey, maybe.."

"Roxas, shut up." Larxene snapped and walked over to Marluxia. "You. Me. Talk. Now." At his nod, the two vanished into darkness.

Larxene was already at her wits end with all of the changes in their plan. While Roxas' interruption might have been self-inflicted, the boy was able to pull something together. Everything that came from that, however? With the princess and Ansem arriving on the scene? Part of her could understand why Marluxia considered pushing Naminé to get some training, if only to delay any kind of kidnapping.

But a keyblade?!

"I'm just going to get to the point," she asked as the two of them arrived in Marluxia's chambers, "What are you thinking?!"

Marluxia, unflappable as ever, simply crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "With the viability of maintaining control over Sora diminishing, as well as the new threat introduced by Ansem, our circumstances have changed. Thus, we will need to adjust our plans accordingly."

"By making Naminé stronger? We can't just let that happen." She walked over to him and began to poke at his chest to punctuate her point. "If she gains the power of a keyblade, it would only be a matter of time before she escaped." His eyes opened in a snap to meet her own, as she brought up the bigger elephant in the room. "Or worse, finds a way to improve her existing power."

For once, he was silent and began to mull the point over. Eventually however, he gently pushed Larxene's hand back. "That has always been a peril in integrating her into our plans. Which is why we have taught her respect for our rule." She couldn't help but smirk and let Marluxia move her hand back. "But it must be tempered with enough motivation so that such respect does not turn to disdain."

With a sigh, Larxene conceded and walked out of his personal space, "Right. There's a balance to it. Push her too far and she won't care how much she gets hurt if she can hurt us back." As much as she favored the stick, there had to be a bit of carrot in situations like these.

Which they had covered at first. "Originally, the memories she was fixated on were to be her reward to tide her over until Sora arrived." Marluxia explained. "But now there is a growing possibility this may not come to pass."

And with a snap of her fingers, it all became clear to Larxene. "That's why you're offering her this. So she won't turn against us or Roxas to see Sora." But in a moment, she paused, "Though I'm not sure she'll turn against the rookie." Marluxia raised an eyebrow, so she continued. "She gets defensive about his visits. I've got a feeling she likes him."

"And he seems to be continuing his visits," Marluxia nodded. Then began to smile. "Depending on how the situation develops, this may be something we can turn to our advantage."

"So I'll keep an eye on her?" Larxene opened a portal to return back.

"As I will watch him." Marluxia nodded as he led the way. "Together, we will see if either of them are truly worthy."

A moment of silence passed after Castle Oblivion's leaders departed from whatever Larxene was unhappy about. Roxas wasn't sure he cared much about it. Vexen and Lexaeus looked to each other before Lexaeus broke the silence. "I assume we should proceed to scour the castle for any sign of Ansem."

Vexen clasped his hands together and began to eagerly nod. "Of course! Of course! I should be able to reconfigure my equipment to monitor for his darkness given time! So I should get a head start on that! Lexaeus?" He conjured another dark portal and the two quickly made their exit.

Zexion sighed at their departure. "I just hope that we actually can control this situation before it becomes worse."

That just left the four of them. Axel was left scratching the back of his head chuckling, "Well, assuming Marluxia signs off, you're sure you want to do this?"

Zexion crossed his arms and began to ponder. "This training is likely not going to be easy. I'm not sure where we could even begin in instructing you to call upon the keyblade."

"Hey, aren't you forgetting I've got a keyblade?" Roxas pointed to himself. If he was a part of the Organization because of that power, then he needed to live up to the responsibility of being the only person who had it. "I should be able to help Naminé with calling on her own."

"Roxas...Thank you."

It was strange. They were simple words of gratitude. But Roxas couldn't help a warmth gathering in his cheeks just hearing them.

Axel raised an eyebrow and began to tap the crystal ball. "So what made you want to get in the fight? Why not just ask someone to guard you?"

Naminé shook her head. "If things are changing so much, then I need to change too. I can't just stay in that room and wait for everything to happen."

"How else could I help you too?"

Roxas' eyes widened. It was a whisper so quiet he was sure no-one else heard them. But he was certain Naminé was looking at him as she spoke.

Before he could say anything however, a dark portal appeared again. Out stepped Larxene and Marluxia, the former in a much calmer mood. Marlxia looked at Naminé, "Training you may be a worthwhile pursuit Naminé. But it is dependent on one last question." He looked over to Roxas and asked firmly, "You are the only one with the power of a keyblade. Would you assist in Naminé's training?"

"I will."

Roxas had never been more certain of anything in his life.