Magicians Reversed [Zexion, Sora]

[Fate]

Mousetraps Don't Work for Rats

"Indeed, you're right." A foreign voice came out of Zexion's lips, neither Roxas's or his own. His form changed within an instant once more, becoming the Nobody Sora had seen earlier: Marluxia. His face, as always, was strict and was glaring straight back at the Keyblade Master. He raised his hand up high into the air, a single pink petal falling from out of nowhere. A scythe appeared in that hand and Zexion brandished it as Marluxia would, petals, wind and all. The castle walls changed back to their stark white, the sound of rain and thunder gone.

"You don't remember me do you?" he asked Sora, "You don't remember how I used Naminé to change your memories and make you my puppet? And to think, I had almost succeeded." He had Marluxia glance at Axel, giving him a harsh look as well. The Nobody would not be pleased in seeing the Flame once again, the one who had essentially ruined his plans. In fact, he might go so far as to attack him. However, Sora was here and Marluxia would focus his attention on him first.

"Perhaps I should show you what you don't remember," he said in a menacing tone. He then leaped straight at Sora, bringing his scythe down on the Keyblade Master. Zexion could already feel the slight strain from doing all of this, but he figured that this would be his last attempt and he would not need to go any further. Violence was, after all, his last resort and even then, Sora was only dealing with an illusion. If it came down to it, Zexion would deal with the Keyblade Bearer himself; this was his end of the deal and he would uphold it.

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[Castle]

Sora's glare deepened as "Roxas" transformed into someone else, a man who was obviously with the Organization. However, it didn't take long for his expression to falter. As he watched the pink petal come drifting down, a strange feeling rushed through his heart and mind, bringing with it not only the memory of the vision he saw earlier, but other images as well. A harsh throb pounded in his head, and he grimaced, only to have it pass a second later, leaving a dull blurriness in its wake.

He didn't have long to dwell on this, however. The rainstorm cleared around them, the stark white walls exposed once more. Sora took his eyes off of his opponent to check his surroundings, but his attention was soon drawn back to him as he continued to speak. He mentioned Namine, and the plot that Axel spoke of earlier, a plot that seemed unreal to his ears, but not to his heart.

No, he couldn't fall into this. Sora grasped the Keyblade in both hands and got into a fighting stance.

"You're crazy, Marluxia!" he shouted.

He didn't realize what he'd just said until he had said it. Surprise flitted over his face. How did he know that was this guy's name? Axel had mentioned Marluxia before, but not what he looked like.

A mere moment after his accusation, Marluxia leaped at him. Sora, distracted by his momentary distress, barely managed to jump out of the way in time. He felt the rush of air and energy from the scythe brush against him, and as his feet hit the floor, time dropped suddenly into slow motion.

Fleeting images, voices, his own voice, all rushed through his mind at once. The torrent threatened to engulf him. He gritted his teeth and tried to look ahead, where Marluxia's image was beginning to blur beneath what his inner eye saw. This was what he wanted, Sora realized suddenly. He did not know why, but this was what Marluxia wanted.

"No!!"

Sora launched himself at Marluxia, the Keyblade held at his side. As the distance between them rapidly closed, he swung the weapon around to strike his opponent with as much force as he could muster, pouring all of his determination into one blow.

[Fate]

Caught in the Act

As expected, Sora leaped out of the way of his initial attack. Instead of going for another swing of the scythe, Zexion waited to see what he would do next. Sora had shouted out the Nobody's name, surprising even himself when he did. That meant that bringing up these forgotten memories, the ones that the witch had made him forget, was giving him the intended response. Sora was now just standing there, staring straight at the Nobody. Zexion smirked, the gesture coming through naturally on Marluxia's face as he prepared another attack with the scythe.

He should have waited just a second longer. Sora went to attack him, closing the distance between the two quickly before bringing his Keyblade straight at the Nobody's middle. Zexion had no time to block with the scythe, the force of Sora's blow alone sending him back and into the door at the top of the stairs. His back hit the door first, sending him to the floor just at the top of the stairs. The scythe dropped to the floor, making a clanging sound before disappearing in a flurry of petals. Every illusion that was present in the room was shattered as a crumpled form of Zexion rested in a heap at the top of the stairs.

His mind was whirling as he rested there for a moment, holding his stomach and taking light gasps of breath. It was an incredibly forceful blow; every ounce of Sora's strength had been put into it and managed to make Zexion break his concentration while knocking the wind out of him; it would take another couple of minutes for him to get up. From here on out, illusions would fail unless the Schemer was able to remove himself from the scene again without Sora noticing. That would not work unless Axel distracted him, which he could do. He looked to the Flame, his breath still somewhat rapid.

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[Axel]

C'mere, I'll Make It All Stop
[The Other Promise (Piano Collection Version)]

Axel knew this was starting to go downhill when that Keyblade appeared. The kid was questioning who Zexion really was, obviously not buying this Roxas act. From a personal standpoint, the Flame was lucky Sora didn't seem all that interested in questioning his intentions and motives. He would have interjected something, but Zexion quickly dropped his Roxas guise in favor of Marluxia. Axel tensed slightly as that particular Nobody's voice now dominated the room, and he resisted the instinct to summon his weapons to hand.

Marluxia's focus settled on him for only a brief moment, though, before turning to Sora. And then, he did something Axel had not expected him to do. He attacked the Keyblade master. Was Zexion out of his mind? Had Marluxia's arrogance filtered into the Schemer's thought process so much that he believed he could take the kid head-on with only an illusory scythe? This was not the way things were supposed to have gone, and the longer Axel just stood there watching, the more the entire situation spiraled out of control.

Sora, while perhaps confused at first, suddenly dropped into that characteristic crouch of his, the Keyblade a deadly presence in his hands. He surprised everyone in the room when he shouted the Graceful Assassin's name, though he didn't let it faze him for very long. With a cry of rage, the Keyblade master launched himself at Zexion and slashed his blade straight across the Schemer's abdomen. Zexion had no chance. Illusions shattered into nothingness. The Schemer slammed into the door at the top of the stairs and then landed in a disheveled heap. For a moment, there was hardly any movement.

Even when the Schemer at last stirred and lifted his head to meet the Flame's eyes, Axel was deliberating with himself. This entire plan was failing fast, and he wasn't sure who to blame for it. Sora was the obvious first choice. Despite everything he could possibly see, the kid stubbornly clung to a faith in the light, refusing to yield to the darkness. But Zexion had clearly grown too ambitious in his weaving of illusions. Now, all he had accomplished was pissing Sora off, and he would pay the price. Since the Keyblade master was entirely focused on Zexion for the moment, Axel could escape and save himself.

This is what he would have done under normal circumstances, but something about the way Zexion was looking at him, the way his breath was raggedly wrung from his chest, the way the faint glimmer of anxiety shone somewhere behind his eyes gave Axel pause. And now, fury was being born somewhere deep inside of him, fury that made no logical sense for him to have, yet that Sora's presence adequately explained. Zexion was nothing to him, a business partner in this quickly crumbling venture, wasn't he? The fact that the Flame was doubting himself at all pushed harder against the dam that was only barely restraining the tide of his anger. Patience had run dry.

When he shifted his eyes to Sora, the dam burst utterly.

Taking advantage of the Keyblade master's preoccupation with Zexion, Axel leaped like lightning toward him, heedless of the Keyblade, and took large fistfuls of the kid's shirt in his hands. He then shook him violently, pouring all of his frustration into his shouted words. "You just don't get it, do you?!" Rage was seething just beneath every inch of his skin. He shook Sora again. "You have everything in the worlds, and what do I have? Nothing! Nothing! Because you have the one friend I want!"

Then he tossed the kid aside. Fire blossomed in his hands, a prelude to the summoning of Eternal Flames, and seconds later, he took hold of the violently spinning chakrams. He shot a look at Zexion before turning his back on the Schemer and glancing at him over his shoulder. "Nobody gets to be responsible for your death but me. You got that?" Returning his full attention to Sora, he spun both of his weapons in his hands and muttered darkly. "To hell with illusions." He raised his voice once more, though its former angry snarl was temporarily replaced with a subtler and much deadlier tone. "Greed is unbecoming of a hero, Sora." His eyes hardened, and he extended a chakram to point in Sora's direction. "Give... him... up!"

Fire suddenly exploded into life in the form of a large ring in the center of the room, surrounding only Axel and Sora. But while Zexion was outside the circle, he would still need to be wary of the unpredictable flames. And given the current state of the master of those flames, they would be incredibly unpredictable.

[Burn, Baby!]

[Summary:
Axel used Explosive Ring; will remain in effect for Axel's next two posts.
Posts until next use: None
Uses remaining: None]

[Castle]

Of all the things to expect at this point, watching an Organization member turn into another Organization member was not high on Sora's list. He gaped at the new person before him, who was currently in a heap on the floor. The appearance of said person roused no memories; he'd never seen him before, but the black cloak was unmistakable. Even so, the Keyblade lowered a few inches.

"What... What is this?" he half exclaimed, half demanded.

Another spike of pain shot through him. The chains of memories had only begun to reconnect. His free hand went to his head as he reflexively shut his eyes, the visions flying by almost too quickly to see. In that time, he did not sense Axel's unseen change, and once the bout cleared, he had just enough time to hear the movement and turn partway around before Axel seized him by the shirt.

He found himself being shaken violently, Axel shouting in his face. Sora could only stare, shocked, and clutch vainly at Axel's hands in a halfhearted attempt to pry them off. Even coming from a Nobody, he could not deny the onslaught of emotion behind those infuriated eyes. It disturbed him; he hardly knew what to make of it.

Axel threw him aside. Sora stumbled, but managed to stay on his feet. Flames blossomed in Axel's hands, more furious words pouring from him. Sora stared, still thunderstruck, but with no anger. The truth was beginning to sink in.

"Axel..."

Abruptly, flames burst forth in a ring around them. Axel was ready for a fight, and he could only guess how far that fight would go. But, Sora didn't want that. Not after what he'd just heard. It suddenly didn't matter that Axel was a Nobody, that he wasn't supposed to feel anything at all, and that his actions now were completely illogical on that basis.

I wanted to see Roxas.

Why didn't he realize it before?

"It doesn't have to be like this," Sora said, shaking his head slightly, the Keyblade held in one hand at his side. He only raised his voice enough to be heard above the flames. He couldn't bring himself to feel angry, even after that attack. He just felt... sad, somehow.

[Axel]

I Don't Want Your Pity

Axel's eyes momentarily lost the fury they held. Sora wasn't in any kind of offensive or defensive stance, even though flames were licking hungrily at the walls around him, even though Axel and Zexion had been trying to put him through hell, even though all the explosive anger of the former Number Eight was fixated on him. That anger was not returned. The kid was looking at him with... sadness?

It doesn't have to be this way? Is that what he thinks?

Indignation spread across his face once more, and he started pacing around Sora. The circle of flames was an eerie backdrop as shadows flickered in twisted forms over the walls, ceiling, and even Axel and Sora. When he spoke, the Flame's voice was laced with undercurrents of enmity.

"This is the only way things are, Keyblade master. It's either you or him. One guess as to which of you I'd prefer."

It didn't matter how many sappy speeches Sora gave him. It didn't matter that Sora was some champion of the light who needed to be whole to keep the universe turning. It didn't matter if Sora had his own friends who would miss him terribly if he were gone. At least Sora's friends could have each other in his absence. Who did Axel have besides Roxas?

No one would miss me.

It hadn't been true then, and it wasn't true now.

"If the only way to get Roxas back is to turn you into a Heartless again, then so be it." He pointed a chakram at Sora. He lacked the capacity to feel remorse and therefore didn't care what happened to the kid, in all honesty. "Light and friendship speeches aren't going to do you any good here."

The wall of flames roared higher, almost as if in response to Axel's growing displeasure. He couldn't stand that look of pity on the kid's face, and all he wanted to do at the moment was burn it off. After narrowing his eyes and tightening his grip on his chakrams, he launched himself at the Keyblade master, fully intending, in his blind rage, to kill him.

[Castle]

Axel was dead set on this. It seemed like nothing Sora could say or do would change his mind. All that rage, all that hatred directed at him, was not about to just go away with a few words. He hated to admit it, but there were almost no options. How could he appeal to someone's heart if they had no heart? Or, at least, no heart that was present at the moment? Not even Sora could tell what that meant, but right now, it didn't really matter.

Axel made the first attack, the killer intent like a dark but unseen aura around him. Sora was finally forced to get in a stance and raise the Keyblade. He parried the chakrams, the impact shuddering up his arms, and jumped away, landing less than a foot away from the wall of fire. The intense heat licked his back, but he remained steady just beyond the flames' reach.

The pity in him dimmed into a grim resolve. There was no other choice, was there? He would have to defend himself or risk losing his heart. Even though he knew why Axel was so angry, and even with the blurred chains haunting just beneath his mind, threatening to rise up and assault him again at any moment, he would have to fight.

However, before he would begin to fight back, he spoke to Axel once more. The words came from far away, and yet very near, in a voice not his own, but at the same time, from himself;

"I'm sorry, Axel," Roxas said.

He didn't expect that to solve the problem. If anything, it might make Axel even angrier. But, to Roxas, and to Sora, it had to be said. Roxas hadn't forgotten his time with Axel in the Organization, but he did not want to be in pieces again.

[Fate]

Enough is Enough

He had gone too far.

Zexion should have known better than to attempt to attack Sora. He was not like Riku who had been filled with such self-doubt and confusion. No, Sora had that blind faith that he clung to obstinately and he would always attack back, no matter what. He had expected too much out of the Keyblade Master and the plan was starting to fall apart. Any second now, Sora was going to take this chance to attack again and get the Nobody while he was down. Axel would have no conviction about letting him die a second time; they had no hearts after all and they were only business partners.

Though, that seemed to not be the case. Axel became filled with a rage that Zexion had never seen before, leaping at Sora and almost outright attacking him. The Flame had Sora by his shirt and then threw him away after yells, showing that incensed fury that he had kept to himself for this long. He wanted Roxas back and he was demanding it of Sora, his weapons now out and ready to be used. This was going to get farther out of hand if this continued the way that Zexion thought it would.

However, Zexion had to admit that it was rather odd to hear Axel say what he did next. He said that no one else could be responsible for his death besides him. The Schemer had to smirk at this, rising to his feet. The flames that had come from Axel's explosion were getting to be a bit too close to comfort. He quickly got out his Lexicon, the book glowing slightly before he used an ability and it vanished. During that brief moment, Axel had indeed attacked Sora and was keen on attacking more, possibly killing him. This needed to be stopped and it needed to be done now.

"Axel." His voice was firm as he went down the stairs and walked straight into the ring of fire that Axel had created. He came in and gave the former Organization member a good look, not looking at Sora at the moment; the Keyblade Master most likely had many questions for him, but he was going to ignore that at the moment. "Enough of this. This will not get you what you want. If you kill Sora, then you will get neither him nor Roxas." He stood completely still, watching carefully to see what the other would do. He could attack him next, but he'd rather have that than Sora getting killed; Keyblade Masters were necessary to filling Kingdom Hearts and he was not about to let that goal be forgotten.

[Zexion used Magic Bracer, three posts until next use, one use remaining]

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[Axel]

I'm Not Stopping Until Someone's Dead

Roxas.

It was Sora looking back at him, a hint of that pity still in his eyes, but for a moment, Axel imagined it was really his best friend standing there in the shadow of the flames. His resolve to mercilessly slaughter the kid wavered. But only momentarily.

"Don't you even dare give me that!" He thought a mere apology would make everything better? If those words really had come from the Roxas in Sora's heart, jealousy was suddenly the kindle to further ignite the Flame's ire. First, he had left the Organization and forced Axel to either get him back or kill him. Now, it sounded like he would rather be with Sora than him.

It was Saïx all over again.

If so-called friends were only going to ignore him, use him, and abandon him, he vowed never to be that open with anyone from now on. He was tired of the games and the masks. The only solace he might find now would be in killing the Keyblade master.

"You don't even know what it's like, Sora!" He refused to acknowledge Roxas directly. "Everyone likes you, don't they? When have you ever been without a friend?" Rotating his weapons in his hands, he fixed Sora with a glare. He would kill him, and he would kill him now.

Damn Schemer.

Zexion had somehow managed to make it into the center of the fiery ring with no signs of harm. The sternness of his voice left no question as to what he wanted Axel to do: cease this pointless assault on the precious Keyblade bearer. While he raised a good point, Axel really didn't care for reason right now. He practically spat his response and gestured at Sora. "I don't want him, Schemer." At least he had enough sense to allow Zexion the option of giving Sora his name if he so chose.

The fire that had been filling the room slowly died then and took just a hint of Axel's rage with it. That didn't mean Sora, or Zexion for that matter, was off the hook just yet. Eternal Flames was still a very prominent presence in his hands, and he gave no sign that he was ready to dismiss the weapons.

"Somebody here is dying in the next five minutes, and unless you want it to be you again, Schemer, I suggest you stay out of this. I could care less about the Organization and its preoccupation with Keyblade wielders." Even mentioning the Organization now caused his anger to flare once more. Just a group full of liars and manipulators that shouldn't even exist.

It didn't matter that he was probably one of the worst.

[Fate]

I Did Not Write Any Deaths in This Scene
[Serenata Immortale by Immediate Music]

Despite the threats, Zexion stood his ground between Sora and Axel, staring at the latter. By no means was this considered protective in any way; there were other Keyblade Masters out there and two of them did already happen to be allies with the Schemer. He had no care for what happened to Sora at this point, but that did not mean he was going to let needless violence continue. Axel was letting his rage control him completely and Zexion was going to reinforce reason. He shook his head to the Flame, not moving. It was dangerous for him to stay here, yes, but he could handle Axel if necessary; he had another plan in store anyhow.

"If you kill either of us, it will not bring Roxas back," he said, his tone of voice still rather firm, "I doubt he would appreciate senseless murder if you killed me. If you kill Sora..." He gestured to Sora with his right hand, turning slightly to do so. "There will be no chance of bringing Roxas back. Nothing will be able to bring him back and you will never get to see him again. Do you truly want that?" He paused, thinking for a moment. Axel was not one to stop when mere words were thrown at him, though there was a chance that they would. Either way, Zexion was not about to take chances.

Though, perhaps he could take this one. He created a Corridor of Darkness behind him and behind Sora and then turned his head toward the Keyblade Bearer. "I suggest you leave. The Corridor will lead to your ship. Axel will not hesitate in killing you if that is what he chooses to do. I believe it would be wise to leave before he makes that decision." He turned back to Axel, a harsh glare in his eyes. Hopefully, the Flame would see the reason in his words and see exactly why he was doing this. This plan may have failed, but it was not over. The Corridor of Darkness was just another part of it. It would not affect Sora immediately, no, but the corrupting power would still be placed somewhere in his heart. He could work with that and hopefully, Axel could understand that.

He did not want to die again, not now.

[/size]

[Castle]

As he suspected, his apology only made Axel angrier. He cringed inwardly, but on the outside, remained firm. He didn't regret saying it. Sora tightened his grip on the Keyblade and readied his stance, expecting Axel to attack him again at any moment.

However, before any such thing could happen, the Organization member that he did not know stepped between him and Axel. That came as quite the surprise, and it rendered Sora temporarily off guard, but only for a second. He knew that this guy was probably only protecting him for the sake of some scheme. He was with the Organization, after all.

Unfortunately for Sora, the next few details that were exchanged between Axel and the one he now heard called "Schemer" were blocked out by his other immediate problem. The corrupting chains were gathering more power, snaking their way into the preexisting links and trying to corrupt them with memories better left forgotten. Momentarily blinded, Sora bit back a shout and clutched at his head, willing himself not to let his knees buckle.

Axel still wanted to kill him. Under any other circumstances, Sora would be less concerned about his ability to survive in a fight, but like this? He could hardly see straight anymore, not with all those passing voices, pictures, and lost emotions of anger and frustration trying their hardest to re-integrate themselves into a heart that could not function properly with them.

Sora.

Something, like a person's hand and arm, blocked the onslaught. The pain subsided to a dull ache.

We need to get out of here.

The Schemer glanced back at him, catching his attention as a Corridor of Darkness appeared behind him. For whatever reason, most likely for his own gain or that of the Organization's, he wanted Sora to escape. Naturally, Sora was skeptical at first. It could be another trick, like that which brought him to Castle Oblivion in the first place. On the other hand, he was running out of both options and time. That force was keeping the corruption at bay for now, but he could feel his fingers shaking, even through his grip on the Keyblade, and his complexion had lost a shade of color. If he stayed here, he would get pummeled, or worse.

But I can't just leave things like this, he thought.

Maybe you'll get another chance someday, but that's only if you get out of here now. Just do it, Sora. People are counting on you.

Sora sighed through his teeth and slowly straightened up. He hated this. He really did. But what else could he do when his own heart was holding him back?

Without saying anything to either of the people who stood before him, he began to take slow steps backward to the Corridor. The energy fluctuated as he stepped into it and began to pull him in, as per its function. As he faded from sight, Sora lifted his eyes to give Axel one last glance.

If there was a time to regret this decision, it would have to wait until later.

[Axel]

You Gave Me a Promise

Zexion wasn't moving, despite the obvious vehemence Axel was ready to unleash against him. He didn't want to listen to what the Schemer had to say, even if it did make more than enough sense. A dead Sora meant no Roxas ever again. It finally sunk in. Killing Sora meant he'd be killing his best friend, and Axel just couldn't bring himself to do that, no matter how much rage roared within him. Ever so slowly, he began to relax, his grip on his weapons loosening somewhat.

While Axel had been lost in his thoughts, the Schemer had been speaking to Sora, telling him to get out of here before the Flame took his head off or something. A Corridor of Darkness appeared right behind the kid, and without saying anything to either of the Nobodies, Sora stepped backward and vanished from the room. But the way the kid looked at him before disappearing completely sent a stab of... something through the Flame. He wasn't quite sure what it was. But it was painfully sobering, regardless of whether or not it had a label.

Tense silence hung in the room for what seemed an eternity. It took Axel a few minutes to stop looking at the spot where Sora had been. When he finally shifted his eyes to Zexion, he was almost ready to take out his frustrations on his fellow Nobody. Almost. Murdering the Schemer might have temporarily alleviated Axel's need to have something go his way, but it would do nothing to fill the hollow ache inside him. And he was thinking rationally enough now that he knew not to kill without purpose.

After studying Zexion's face for a moment or two, Axel turned his head away and let his chakrams vanish in slowly curling flames. He absentmindedly touched a hand to his chest, wondering if he would feel the beat of a heart within. But the only thing he felt was the subtle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. He closed his eyes and smirked a little. Indeed, nothing was going his way today. The kid was gone. It was back to truly being an emotionless Nobody.

It felt strange for a second there, though. Can't remember ever being that enraged.

It wasn't important now, anyway. Anger no longer consumed him, and his mind was beginning to clear. Zexion had let Sora escape. But the fact that it had been through a Corridor of Darkness was notable. This particular encounter might have been a failure, but this wasn't over. Besides, what else could he do with himself? He certainly wasn't planning on getting entangled back in the Organization.

"So, what now?" Crossing his arms over his chest, he returned his gaze to Zexion. Technically, he had still not been repaid for his information hunt. And he wasn't about to wait around until the Schemer could work time into his oh-so-busy schedule to see about getting Roxas back.

[Fate]

I Intend to Keep My Word

Zexion wasn't able to see the look on Sora's face as he left, but he did indeed disappear through the Corridor of Darkness after standing there for some time. The Schemer did not expect to see him go through the Corridor, knowing Sora had almost no trust for anyone of the Organization, much less a member he had never met. In fact, he was sure that the Keyblade Master was going to stand defiantly and talk with Axel more, try to get him to listen or something of that nature. However, something made him leave; something had happened internally that Zexion could not place. Whatever it was, it was a good sign.

Without the Keyblade Bearer there anymore, he needed to focus on Axel. His words seemed to have gotten through to him, the grip on his weapons releasing a bit. Though, the illusionist's guard was still up. He watched carefully as Axel looked back at him, keeping the same firmness he had before. If he wanted to kill the Schemer, then he would make his move any second now. Though, Zexion was doubting he would; it wouldn't solve anything except temporarily alleviation of his rage, that emotion that the Superior prized.

The chakrams disappeared, Zexion's guard going down ever so slightly as he watched the Flame. It took a few minutes, but the tension in the room lowered to a reasonable level. Axel asked him what to do next, what was going to happen now. He still owed the Flame Roxas, that much was certain. Axel was not about to let him get away with getting out of the deal that he had made.

"We will get Roxas," he assured, "The Corridor of Darkness I sent him through and the illusions of Marluxia were only the beginning of the corruption of his heart. I will be monitoring his every step to continue the process; his scent is not all that hard to follow. Though, there might possibly be another way I could make the process go faster..." He went into a thoughtful pose for a moment. He could continue the process with Sora by himself; track his every move and implant more illusions and darkness bit by bit. Unfortunately, this process was slow, at least by himself. Fortunately, he possessed allies that could come to his aid.

"I have a couple of allies that will be able to aid us in this venture," he explained, "One of them happens to be a Keyblade Bearer of Darkness. With that in mind, the possibilities are endless." He waved his hand a bit as he spoke to emphasize this. "I will do my best to locate him during this time. If you happen to run into him before I do, his name is Everto. Tell him you are my ally and that I have a specific task for him if he can do it." It felt a bit odd to call Axel that, especially when the two were still on loose footing with one another.

He then paused, thinking more. This was something that would have to be put into motion and it was not going to yield results anytime soon; it would be slow, which would not be good for the Flame's patience. "Is there anything else you need from me? This process will take time, as you know."

[/size]

[Axel]

Returning the Favor

More promises that he wasn't sure he could trust. But so far, the Schemer hadn't double-crossed him, so he had reasonable evidence to assume that he would not do so later, either. He said this was a process that would take time. Time was all the Flame had. Too much of it. He wanted results and quickly. But this was the sort of plan that needed to simmer rather than boil. Unfortunately, patience was not his strong suit. Since he would have so much time on his hands, that would be a facet of his temperament he could work on.

When Zexion mentioned allies that could help speed the process along, Axel tilted his head to the side curiously. A Keyblade Bearer of Darkness, huh? That sounded intriguing. The possibilities were endless if Zexion truly knew such a one. He filed the name, Everto, away for future reference. Since Zexion had so much to do already, it seemed, he hoped that he would be the one to run into this dark Keyblader first. It would at least provide him with entertainment. The way Zexion referred to the Flame as an ally, though, was strange. But considering that they weren't at each other's throat—at least for now—it was as good a term as any to call this partnership of theirs.

What sounded like a parting question was asked, and Axel thought about it for a moment. His first thought was an obvious one. “Well, for starters, how about what's going on with the Organization? I'm not being actively sought out, but I know I haven't been completely forgotten.” He hoped not. The idea of being remembered, epitomized in his oft-used catchphrase, was his personal form of immortality, after all. Xemnas and others like him could seek bodily and spiritual immortality all they wanted, but for Axel, being entrenched in people's memories was enough. “Plus, considering the number of traitors, I imagine there are some open positions.”

He wasn't finished with his questions, but he hesitated noticeably. It was probably unhealthy to simply sit around and plot ways to get Roxas back. He needed distractions, something else to do. But he was wary that, if he asked this of Zexion, he would get roped back into Organization power struggles and plots. While he didn't want that, he thought it was probably inevitable at this rate, especially if he was working with Zexion—he was the Schemer, after all. And, in all honesty, anything was better than wandering aimlessly, bored out of his mind.

“Look,” he said, spreading his arms wide. “I need something to do besides wait around.” He worked best with specific goals in mind, plans to follow. Not orders, no. Never orders again, especially from Nobodies asserting their superiority over him. Suggestions, though, he could take. “You know what I can do.” He cast his eyes for a brief moment around the room, a subtle reminder of where they were and what he had done here in the past. “Let's just say that I recognize the great significance of you putting yourself at my disposal while we were here, and I'm offering to return the favor.” He returned his gaze to Zexion, a deadly serious look in them.

“Just keep in mind that I don't appreciate being used.” The emphasis was important. He had learned his lesson with Saïx.

[Fate]

Quid Pro Quo

He wanted information about the Organization, which was not all too surprising. He wanted to know what was happening now that the Organization had been supposedly cleansed of traitors. Zexion, at first, was a bit hesitant about giving such information out to Axel, one of the traitors. There were certain things he could give away, particularly having to do with the Organization's short-term goal of finding the Tool of Darkness that he had let on about in Traverse Town yesterday. He could also let on about the new members that had come into the Organization; the one he had recruited and the one that Xigbar had recruited. He would have to consider carefully any information he gave out though, and how.

"The Organization does not forget traitors easily, no," he said with a grin, then putting on a more serious face. "Two new members have been recruited into the Organization, one just a few days ago. It has not been determined what rank that one will acquire, although the one I recruited before has taken Marluxia's place. Though, I find it rather intriguing that Saïx did not return when the Superior called all of those loyal to him for a meeting." He paused for a moment, giving the Flame a contemplative look. Zexion had already gone over different reasons for why the Diviner had not returned and Axel affirmed that he had his own motives when he was in the Organization. The Schemer doubted those motives died with him.

"The current goal is to find the Tool of Darkness responsible for single-handedly nearly destroying Radiant Garden," he said in a factual voice, "We are attempting to find his location and his motives for attack as well as make sure he avoids an alliance with Maleficent. We do not need an enemy to gain such a powerful Tool that could be used to destroy the Organization or more. I am responsible for this task. The rest of the Organization is seeking out Maleficent's newest pawns and general reconnaissance."

Zexion paused again, keeping his gaze focused on the Flame. That was almost all of the information currently going on in the Organization. The only thing he did not cover was his plans on what to do next concerning the Superior and Number Seven. His mind was not completely decided at this point and he did not want to give away his position. For now, he would keep it to himself as he continued to sift through various things. For now, he would focus on the Flame's last words.

He was putting himself... at the Schemer's disposal. Well, perhaps not quite. Axel was not keen on being used, something that had clearly been done by Saïx. Zexion was not a Nobody too different from the other either, very able to use someone as a tool if necessary. However, his partnership with Axel could not work in such a way. The Schemer did originally use him as a sort of tool to obtain information, but he had returned the favor by putting himself at the Flame's disposal, a truly dangerous move on his part.

Now, what to do with this. There was a certain Nobody that had been on Zexion's mind that he wanted to know more about, namely location and motive. Perhaps this could be useful. He nodded his head to Axel's serious look. "I would not mind knowing more about Saïx's location and perhaps his motive," he said, his tone turning a bit sly, "He did not return to the Organization and that made me rather uneasy. That information could be rather useful if obtained. Although, if his motive turns out to be impure..." He paused, his face growing harsh once more. "Do not hesitate in ridding of the traitor."

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