Imperative Elucidation [Vexen/Zexion]

[Matt]

Waiting for Answers

Vexen stood in the Castle Library, surrounded by dozens of bookshelves filled with books on various subjects, most of which was old Organization research. He was currently reading an old report he had written a while back, on a particularly interesting subject. But despite the incredible brilliance of the data, it wasn't yet complete... It still required further experimentation. Of course, going through his data wasn't the only thing that he was doing at the moment. He was also expecting company any moment.

The morning had been a rather eventful one in Radiant Gardens. Little did the citizens know that they had had three guests from Organization XIII in their little town. After all, the nobodies had been far too busy with each other to have time to cause any real havoc. Although that was not to say that no one was up to anything bad. One particular moment still had some explaining to do. And having promised to give some answers, Vexen was now waiting for said member to show up, to finally shed some light on his actions.

[Fate]

The First Move
Ebla by E.S. Posthumus

The three Nobodies had returned to the World that Never Was, leaving the quaint Radiant Garden behind. All of them parted ways, the Schemer of the group going to his quarters to write a quick report. He had sent a message through a Dusk to the Superior that he was going to check on the status of the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee before he left; he might as well write what he observed. The world, just like many worlds, had few Heartless except for the castle and the security system Ansem the Wise originally had was back in place; Superior might find that interesting.

The report was finished quickly, Zexion now standing from his spot at his desk. He had made a promise to give information before he left Radiant Garden with the other Nobodies and he was going to hold to that word. The familiar scent of the Nobody was in the library, exactly where he asked to meet him. He left the report on the desk and fetched a true cloak of his so the illusion could be stopped. Once he had it on, he left his quarters, his course set for a room he had spent what seemed like eons in; the library.

He reached the library in silence, closing the door behind him. With soft steps, he reached the other Nobody and stood in front of him with his hands at his sides. He realized already that the move he was making by doing this was dangerous and could possibly lead elsewhere. However, he had trusted Vexen before and he did not fail him; he supposed he could do it again.

"Vexen," he said to alert the other, his voice empty, "I believe you wanted answers. It is time I give them to you."

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[Matt]

I'm Listening

Hearing someone walk in, Vexen looked up. Just the nobody he had been waiting for: Number VII, The Cloaked Schemer. Setting down the report that he was previously reading on the table behind him, he turned to hear his name being said. Followed by a statement of extreme obviousness, that he had been wanting to here. So they were finally getting down to business were they? Good, Zexion was deciding to be more direct than usual. "Indeed." he replied simply, clearly ready to hear whatever it was that was going to be said.

[Fate]

An Old Flame

Vexen only replied with a simple word, a sign that he had grown impatient with the Schemer. That was not too much of a surprise, though Zexion was half-expecting the man to start asking questions left and right; Number Four was not the most patient of Nobodies and typically asked Zexion to explain himself as soon as possible. His one word response was lending Zexion partial control of the conversation; he would have to be the one dictating where the conversation went.

"I apologize for not trusting you before with this information," he said, prefacing what he was going to say with that statement, "No one can be trusted anymore, as you might know. Things have changed since we both passed in Castle Oblivion." He might as well start the conversation at that point; he was going to have Vexen follow his line of thinking. He started to pace a little, thinking of exactly how he wanted to put this and glancing around to make sure no one else was listening.

"What I told you when you first returned was a partial truth," he admitted in a straightforward manner. "You asked me who I thought was pulling Axel's strings, to which I said I was unsure. That is still partially true, for what I have is only a hunch." He looked at Vexen as he said that, trying to emphasize the truth that he was saying and that it was only a hunch, not yet known to be true.

"I had a chat with Saïx recently actually," he told the Academic, "And I happened upon something I had previously not known." He put his hand to his chin in thought. "He seemed to know Axel's Other before the two lost their hearts, and you know as well as I do that even after the heart is lost, bonds are harder to break." This was a true statement, a fact. It was now time to lay down his theory.

"I believe Number Seven is not to be trusted," he told Vexen starkly, "Saïx had something to gain from my death as well as yours, most likely rank. Though, I do not know why he would need it unless there was something else going on, something that possibly happened after we both passed." He stopped speaking for now, waiting for Vexen's thoughts on the matter. This was naturally not all of what the Schemer had to say, but he had to go in parts. Vexen wanted everything explained to him, and that's what he was going to do.

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[Matt]

Precisely

Vexen stared at Zexion as he began to speak. So he was apologizing. Good, he ought to have been doing so. He nodded at the next statement. Unfortunately it was just as true as it had been before Castle Oblivion, if not much more so. The loyalty of many was much more strained than it had once been. With the acquiring of a member, new or old, came more than just strength. It also brought a threat. At this point everything that had been said was unarguable, but he would see how long that lasted.

He smiled to himself as the conversation continued. He had known Zexion had to at least have a very good guess as to who the perpetrator was. And he was certain who exactly this hunch was of. All the signs pointed to one nobody. Saïx. Hearing the name he was thinking of, it was evident that he had been right. The mention of a new fact interested Vexen, but it turned out to not be as excited as he had hoped. "Yes, I had actually been aware of that. They once lived in Radiant Gardens as well. Lea and Isa. Those were their names."

"I agree." he replied. He had never been very fond of Number Seven. The Luna Diviner had always come across as very power hungry, not to mention completely unaware of his place. He seemed to have some odd delusion that he was second in command. Ridiculous really. And he never seemed to have enjoyed having Vexen remind him of his rank. "I have no difficulty believing that he would go so far merely to gain power. However," he paused as if thinking about something. "I'm not entirely sure what 'something else' would be that you are referring to."

[Fate]

Questionable Loyalty
(This discussion carries references to a discussion had by Zexion and Saïx on Forgotten Souls)

Zexion nodded his head to this. He had not been aware of Number Seven and Eight's Others at all before it had been revealed to him; they had even lived in Radiant Garden, something else he did not know. Though, he was not too surprised. Ienzo never socialized with many outside of the castle walls and Lea and Isa were most assuredly not inside. Vexen knowing this fact, especially with how often Even went in and out of the castle, was not a surprise. The conversation could keep moving then.

"Neither am I," he replied, echoing what he previously stated. Though, his mind was now reeling, thinking. "Number Seven was always loyal to the Superior. I do not understand what more rank would do for him. Unless..." He blinked and widened his eyes a bit. How could he not see it before? It was what he had been doing all along anyhow: get close to your enemy, close enough so they trust you, and then get rid of them. That had to be it. However, that didn't add up to what seemed like true loyalty in Zexion's eyes. Saïx had always served the Organization, and by extension the Superior, loyally.

But... Zexion had another thought. This one he decided to voice aloud. "I believe Saïx was always loyal to the Organization and its cause," he started to say, "However, the same might not be said for his loyalty toward the Superior." This was a dangerous part of the conversation; Zexion knew that. Both he and Vexen were extremely loyal to the Organization and the Superior in the past; they had helped him start this Organization in the first place. Nonetheless, Zexion knew his loyalty toward the Superior was waning; he did not like what he saw.

"I am starting to question the Superior's goals," he said, putting it bluntly. That was all he needed to say for the moment. Vexen would undoubtedly question that and ask for more information. He wasn't sure how much information he could give though; he was not there when the last member of the Organization, undoubtedly the Superior, had fallen. None of them were. This was merely speculation.

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[Matt]

Dangerous Words

It was true, Saïx had always seemed very loyal to the Superior. He had always followed his orders. There was no denying that. Of course, it could have also just been in the interest of obtaining Kingdom Hearts. Zexion was right of his loyalty to the cause. He had always seemed rather interested in getting his heart back, much more than most of the other members. Even if his faithfulness to the Organization had been a ruse, it was clear that his desire for his heart was not.

"I believe you're correct." he answered in response to the conclusion on Saïx. The Diviner's motives had become extremely questionable, and something would have to be done to ensure that he would not be a problem. Vexen had been expecting Zexion's next words to be on that matter. But what he said had nothing to do with dealing with the treacherous affairs of others. In fact, it had actually been along quite the opposite lines. For a moment, he simply stared at him in surprise before saying anything.

"Oh?" he asked when he finally decided to say something. "And tell me, what exactly would cause you say such a bold statement." Vexen would not stand for traitorous actions from anyone. Questioning the Superior wasn't something that should be done. But Zexion had always been loyal to him. It caused him to wonder if the Schemer knew something he didn't. He honestly hadn't talked to Xemnas once since his return. As far as he was aware, no one had. However he would hear what explanation Zexion had to give before making any final conclusions.

[Fate]

The Heart of the Matter

This line that he was currently walking was thin, very thin indeed. Vexen wouldn't stand for any disloyalty toward the Organization or the Superior, so speaking against him this blatantly was a dangerous move; especially since there were details missing. The Superior had been aloof since all of them had started returning to the Organization, most likely biding his time until all of them had joined together once more and the Organization was at its fullest. However, it still did not stop Zexion's mind from doubting and asking one question: what happened to Kingdom Hearts?

The Organization's plan was to gather as many hearts as possible with the use of a keyblade to fill Kingdom Hearts. After that task was complete, the theory was that Kingdom Hearts would give the Nobodies their hearts back. There were pieces missing in Zexion's mind as to what happened after he fell, after the mutiny that occurred at Castle Oblivion. He could only surmise so much from what he knew happened at the castle, what he knew of Number Seven and Eight, and what he recalled of Xemnas himself. Xehanort had always been a selfish man; who was to say that his Nobody would be different?

"There are many things I do not know, things that make me uneasy," he said at long last, still thinking things through, "After Marluxia fell, the Keyblade Master went into a sleeping state as Naminé restored his memories. I do not have any knowledge as to what happened during that time for the Organization, though I do not doubt that we continued our work and used Roxas for as long as possible to obtain hearts. Though, his loyalty was questionable as well..." Zexion knew that this was a long way to get to his point, but he needed to think this through. His words needed to be calculated and thought through before he made any sort of suggestion about the Superior and his goals.

"What makes me wonder is why none of us obtained hearts," he said, "If Kingdom Hearts became full, as it seemed to have been, then why are all of us the same empty vessels? This sort of thing is baffling." He paused for a moment, a stern look on his face now. This was his main point, something that he knew Vexen could take different ways. He could either believe him or disregard him.

"I do not think the Superior wants his heart back," he concluded, "I think he may have wanted the power that Kingdom Hearts offered instead. It is certainly questionable, especially since many facts are missing. I am not very sure what to think of the Superior anymore." His answer to Vexen's question, which ended up just leading to another question, was conveyed. What would be the result of this though? Was it even true? Zexion was wary of this and knew he could only deduce so much. This could be considered as a stretch. Would it be like the Superior to want the power of Kingdom Hearts, disregarding the goal of the Organization completely? The Schemer was left to continuously question that.

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[Matt]

Patchy Guesswork

Apparently Zexion still had just as many questions who's answers he was unaware of as Vexen. Each may have picked up little bits of knowledge from various sources since they had returned that the other had not, but they both were still missing many of the same key pieces of information. Naturally, as time went on and the number of members shrank, the amount and the accuracy of records of the events shrank as a direct result. Thus was only to be suspected. Until eventually, there was only member of Organization XIII left: Xemnas, number I. And unfortunately, it was at that point that the incident of greatest interest occurred. An incident that now left the rest of the Organization to guess at the mystery it created.

"That is true..." he replied, his voice sounding thoughtful. He couldn't deny the fact that Kingdom Hearts was now gone and they all still lacked hearts. All that one needed to do was look out the window to see the now empty dark sky. That was painfully obvious though; it wasn't as if he hadn't already noticed it. However the Schemer's next statement was not as blatantly unquestionable. In fact, it was very questionable. "You're right, we are missing many of the facts." he responded sharply. "And unless you know something that you have yet to tell me, then I fail to see how you were able to come up with that assumption."

He couldn't deny that Xemnas had always been very interested in power, as Xehanort had been, but Zexion's logic just didn't seem to follow a very straight path. There was too great a lack of certainty in it for Vexen to accept. He may have been trying to keep an open mind for the other nobody, but it would take more than the proof he had been given so far to convince make him begin to begin to doubt the Superior. Disloyalty was not something he would be fast to commit.

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[Fate]

Puissant Thoughts

Zexion merely shook his head to this. He had told Vexen all that he knew to be fact; they were talking theory now on a very dangerous subject. "I know no more than you do on the matter," he told him, his words truthful, "I only know of how Xehanort and his Heartless acted; both of them had a lust for power and the darkness. I cannot help but wonder if the Superior is the same." He stopped himself there for a moment, still looking at Vexen. Suspicion was still in the air and it was centered on himself; Vexen saw the path that Zexion seemed to be following and it was not one of loyalty.

"This information could be crucial to the Organization as a whole," the Schemer went on to say, his arms crossed, "If Superior is not acting in the best interest of all, then we cannot expect things to remain even as quiet as they are now. Marluxia and Axel's rebellions were only the beginning." He paused again, going onto a slightly different track. "I will have to ask the Superior about this at some point in time. I do not want to believe that he went for power instead."

To Zexion, it almost seemed to be fact that the Superior had not acted in their best interest. Kingdom Hearts was no longer in the sky, a clear sign that something had gone terribly wrong. It left far too many questions for him to ponder and he was never one that liked being unsure. He did not want to believe that the Superior had gone after power once more, though, he was partially wondering why he had not suspected it sooner. There were signs back then as well that the Superior was on a different track than the rest. Zexion had been too focused on his duties as one of the Superior's most loyal subjects and then did what he could to squash the rebellion effort.

Times were changing; things were not the same as they once were. Though, if the Superior had truly gone against them and he somehow got a hold of these facts, what would he do with them? Would he continue to work under the Superior and in the Organization to accomplish the goal of getting his heart back? Or, a very dangerous thought, would he betray the Organization in search of something more? He had talked with Raen about the balance of light and dark, something he had only meddled in with Ansem. Perhaps, if it all came down to it, he could meddle once more.

For now, he would have to keep that to himself. "Is there anything else you wished to discuss with me Vexen? I cannot help but feel there is something more you wished to ask of me."

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[Matt]

Complicated

So that was all Zexion knew. He had expected as much. The problem was not that the information was not true, but the quantity of it. And even what there was lacked the necessary finality. Yes, one could argue the fact that Xehanort had once appeared to have a noticeable lust for power. Though one could also the reply that Xehanort was gone. Xemnas already had plenty of power, and without a heart, would he truly be able to enjoy all of the power in the world? No, of course not. The fact of the matter was, it would take much more proof than that to convince Vexen of anything.

"Any good scientist knows never to make a conclusion without first acquiring the proper evidence." And that's exactly what Zexion would have to do if he wished to have suspicions to become anything more than just that: suspicions. Vexen didn't want to be too fast to brand a fellow member a traitor. Especially the Schemer, who was a valuable asset to the Organization, and had been part of it since it's founding. Besides, it wasn't as if curiosity wasn't something that he was familiar with. Zexion's pondering were innocent enough at the moment, and didn't appear to be causing any trouble. "I have no problem with you coming up with a hypothesis." he paused for a moment for effect, before adding. "However, I trust you will be able to differentiate between what you know and what he predict. Don't allow it to cloud your judgement."

Apparently the other nobody thought that what he was after was what was best for the Organization as a whole, and perhaps it was. But it appeared to Vexen that he was missing an important point. "Tell me, do you really think there will still be an Organization XIII without the Superior? Many members might be hesitant to follow a new leader." That was the big complication in all of this. If the Superior really didn't care about getting anyone's hearts back, then none of them stood to gain from following him any longer. At the same time, however, if they could actually manage to overthrow him, the Organization would only fall to pieces. Unfortunately, it could only be a lose-lose situation. Exactly why Vexen hoped Zexion was wrong, and it wouldn't come to that. "Either way, you're right, it is essential that we speak with him as soon as possible. There is much to discuss..."

"Oh?" he asked, his voice suggesting he had no idea what the question might be referencing. But now that he mentioned it, he was a little curious on one subject. A much lighter one than the one that had been having. "That girl, Emi, you said that you were conducting an experiment with her regarding memories." Pausing momentarily, he cocked his head slightly to the side, a small smile appearing on his face. "You know how fascinating I find that particular subject. So tell me about this experiment that was worthy of so much of your valuable time?" He was clearly still hinting at the fact that he knew it had been more than just an experiment. Although he doubted Zexion had completely lied on the matter, and also actually was interested to hear the details of the experiment.

[Fate]

Shambles

Vexen was right in his first statement. For now, he would need to bide his time and gather sufficient proof that the Superior was against the goal of the Organization, or at least was. Zexion figured that if the Superior went after the power of Kingdom Hearts the first time, nothing was going to stop him from going after it a second time. The power Kingdom Hearts could offer was undoubtedly immense and Xemnas had already experienced it. He would very possibly want more. However, the illusionist needed to be careful of making hasty rationalizations, at least this early in the game.

"Of course Vexen," he replied, "Testing this hypothesis is going to take a bit of work and time, both of which I am prepared to do." The way Vexen spoke let the Schemer onto at least one thing; Vexen did not completely trust his intentions. He was watching out for him a bit, at least to the extent that Nobodies could, and wasn't allowing his judgment to become clouded. Nonetheless, Number Four was most likely going to remain suspicious of him for some time until things in the Organization started to settle.

Zexion shook his head to Vexen's next question, this answer not pleasing of course. The Organization would surely fall worse than it did last time without the Superior, particularly if he went for power and not the Organization's goal. "I do not think the Organization would be able to thrive without the Superior. Any leader that tried to replace him would inevitably fail. Organization XIII would surely fall." Either way, things did not look good for the Organization unless the Superior was truly going after the same goal he had originally set. Zexion could not be sure; all of this was making him uneasy.

It seemed Vexen was attempting some sort of innocent ploy as he answered the illusionist's last question. It was anything but innocent of course; Vexen most likely knew that it had been more than an 'experiment'. Zexion had used that term to appeal to Vexen specifically, knowing it would catch his attention. It had truthfully been an experiment... in a sense of the word. Though, could he trust Vexen with what he had been conducting in that room? If he did not tell him, it made the Schemer look awfully sketchy and he couldn't have that.

"It seemed that there were memories we shared of the Garden before it fell," he started to say, "It was intriguing to find these memories of hers and to be able to fill in holes in my own. I was able to recreate memories through the use of illusions. Albeit, they were nowhere as well done as Naminé's handiwork, though it seemed to work decently enough to offset the balance Emi had. I managed to create more darkness in her with the memories I recreated. I am not exactly sure why."

He chose not to go into the details of what the memories actually contained; he doubted Vexen would care for those sorts of details. Instead, he would continue with this discussion. "I do apologize for taking longer than necessary with this work. I would have finished sooner if the subject in question did not show reluctance."

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[Matt]

There's Always One Option...

Zexion at least seemed to be thinking fairly rationally. That was certainly a good thing. If he were to be reckless, it could end up causing quite a mess for the entire Organization. Hopefully, he would keep his mouth shut, and least for the time being. Running around and sharing his suspicions with everyone was not an intelligent idea by any means. Completely ignoring the possibility of angering the Superior, there was a much worse effect that could result in doing such. It was entirely possible that the Schemer could accidently succeed in planting seeds of doubt amongst the other members. The results of such an action would be catastrophic, and would undoubtedly cause many problems.

Fearing that their leader might not have their best interests at heart, would create feelings of unrest and mistrust for them; which in turn could likely lead to treachery and betrayal. Thus, it was important for Vexen to not allow such seeds take root, particularly inside himself. Being careful might have been a good thing, but being paranoid was not. He wouldn't go jumping to any conclusion's just yet, although he wasn't certain the same could be said for Zexion. Just because he intended to test his hypothesis, it didn't necessarily mean he was going to approach said tests totally unbiased. He already appeared to be leaning towards one side.

Ultimately, however, finding the sufficient evidence to prove or disprove Zexion's theory would not be easy, if even at all possible. Considering the fact than the rest of the Organization had already been defeated, who else was there to ask for the real story? Then again... "You know Zexion, perhaps if you would really like to know what happened, you should consult one of the witnesses." Whether the other nobody would know who he was referring to or not, Vexen couldn't say, but he thought the statement had been blatant enough. It was clear that the Keyblade Master and his friends were the only one aside from Xemnas who could honestly say what had occurred with Kingdom Hearts. The obvious problem being the less than friendly terms they were on with the warriors of light. Trying to get answers from them might be risky, but it was Zexion's decision, not his.

There was a noticeable pause before the question Vexen had asked was answered. Undoubtedly Zexion was pondering how to respond to it. The real question was: would he answer with a lie or the truth. In and of itself, the inquisition served a dual purpose. Not only was it to satisfy the scientist's curiosity on the matter, but also to see if the Schemer would answer truthfully. "I see..." He seemed to be telling the truth... Still, he was also definitely not telling the entire story. None the less, Vexen supposed it wasn't worth looking into at the moment. Zexion's response was satisfying enough, and there were more important things to worry about. "No matter." he replied to the apology, not interested in further discussion on the subject. "So long as you can prevent the girl from becoming a problem in the future."

[Fate]

When Issues Arise...

Zexion kept his arms crossed over his chest, looking at Vexen for the most part while occasionally looking away. This information could not leave this room by any means, at least not at this point. He was a very careful and precise Nobody. He had to make sure what he had were facts and not just conjecture before letting anything slip. Even then, he had to bide his time until the right moment. Currently, the Organization was quiet and operating smoothly... for now. The Schemer had to wonder how long it would be able to keep that sort of thing up.

Vexen then gave Zexion an interesting option, catching his attention. Consult a witness? It was an interesting option and it made a bit of sense; the Superior could be biased on the situation of course, though witnesses tended not to be. In this case, they would still be biased, but it would be better than nothing. Zexion knew exactly who Vexen was referring to; the Keyblade Masters. He could not help but let a smirk come across his face as these thoughts processed; what an intriguing idea.

"You are right Vexen," he said, nodding his head, "Consulting a witness is a rather good option, although rather difficult considering the Keyblade Masters' stance on the Organization. However... I do not believe I have met Sora. That could indeed prove to be intriguing and perhaps enlightening on the situation." Zexion would have to toy with this idea in his mind for a while and see if it was truly worth the trouble to get Sora to answer his question. The only thing he had on his side was that Sora and him had never met face to face; he could use that to his advantage if he needed to.

"Preventive measures have already been taken," he informed the other, not staying on the subject and moving onto a different one, "I believe we have more pressing matters to deal with, or at least we will. I do not doubt the traitors of the Organization will return at some point. That will need to be handled when it arises, though I do not doubt the Superior has put thought into that already." Zexion trailed off, thinking more. Marluxia was a force to be reckoned with and could be dangerous if he returned. Though, he was not the one that the Schemer thought would be an issue; that would be Axel, and Vexen knew that perfectly well.

"I must be going. I want to make sure my last report was more than accurate. Goodbye for now." Zexion gave the Academic one last serious look before walking out of the room. His thoughts were swirling as he continued to walk; he had some planning to do.

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