Unforeseen Denouement (Nyxar, Zexion, Axel)

[Angelus]

It had been some time since the Graceful Assassin had seen his apprentice Nyxar. And unfortunately, he had yet to hear from his spy within the Organization. This wasn't a pleasing thought for Marluxia, as it could mean a few things, none of which were good. It could mean that his apprentice had been found out. The results of this were either execution, being turned into a Dusk, or him being on the run, as Marluxia himself was. And the other reason for Nyxar not contacting him that he dared only to think briefly about...

"Has he truly become loyal to them?" These were the only words the former Organization member spoke while he waited, and they were powerful words to consider, as much as he'd rather not.

[Administrator]

Oh, it appears I'm late. Uh...oopsie?

Nyxar walked in via dark corridor, just in time to turn and see his master--well, perhaps former master would be more appropriate, as the Organization was a much better group to work for and they had better health benefits--standing there with a falsified impatient look plastered on his face. 'Twould appear he was late by a little bit.

A false grin flew across the Nobody's face in an instant. "Why hello there, Marluxia. I, well, happened to be busy with Organization stuff for a while. Plus, you didn't really set a date to meet at, and I did check in a couple times..." His voice trailing off, Nyxar brushed it off with a nonchalant smile.

"Anyways, it's worth it, isn't it? I'm in, and I'm staying in. I got too nervous to speak much at the meetings, considering who exactly their leader was, what he had accomplished and all. Plus, he would do worse than turn me into a Dusk if he found out that I was working with you." The Nobody shuddered. It was not a pleasant thought, not at all. Of course, he wasn't certain that no one from the Organization had seen him leave, and one of them could have followed him here... But that wasn't likely.

[Axel]

Old Enemy, Fresh Scorn

Ending up here again had not been planned. Well. Maybe it had been.

The familiar sound of the water caressing the shoreline greeted Axel upon his exit from the Dark Corridor. The Dark Margin hadn't changed much since he had last been here. At least this time, it wasn't raining. No, a strange stillness, broken only by the water's movement, hung in the air. An intangible foreboding lay just out of reach of all five senses. But the Flame paid it no mind. He just wanted time to think.

He suspected that Sora was beginning to get to him. Why had he said those things to Saïx? It was almost as if he was starting to care about the Diviner again. Some shred of his loneliness was reaching out to anyone who might actually be concerned about what happened to him, even if the concern was pretend. Axel had to laugh at that thought. Saïx caring, falsely or genuinely, about anything was ridiculous. The most the Flame could hope to get out of him was a peaceful understanding not to kill each other.

Then, there was Zexion. Saïx was probably going to try to kill the Schemer if... No, there was no "if," really. The Diviner was dead-set on going back to the Organization, and it wouldn't take much to figure out that Vexen wasn't really the mind behind Saïx's current traitor status. He rubbed the back of his head and sighed a little. Being protective wasn't his thing. The concern for Zexion was born purely out of selfish reasons. Without Zexion and his connections, it would be much harder to get Roxas back.

Voices reached his ears on the faint breeze that ruffled his hair. One of them, the one that was doing most of the talking so far, was unfamiliar to him. But the other... Oh, there was no mistaking that voice. They were farther down the beach, so Axel quietly made his way in their direction.

It wasn't long before he saw the bodies attached to those voices, and as he had known, one of them was Marluxia. While it might have been a good idea to hide out of sight to see what information he could learn, skulking around wasn't really his thing, either.

"What a surprise," he called out. His almost cheerful tone was undercut with derision. "I thought only cats had multiple lives, but it turns out that rats have at least two." He approached the pair but made sure to stay out of scythe range should Marluxia refuse to see the profit in talking. "Well, hello there, Marluxia. Fancy seeing you here. Or anywhere at all. Didn't Sora send you to oblivion in that castle?"

[Angelus]

Envious?

Marluxia scowled as Nyxar spoke. His words about being late were true enough, but there was something about Nyxar's words, perhaps the way he said them, that made the hair on the back of Marluxia's neck stand up.

Perhaps... Perhaps the words or more accurately lack thereof are what worry me. the Graceful Assassin thought as he ignored most of what Nyxar said. If he truly got anything out of what Nyxar had said it was the three words:

"I'm staying in."

Those words resonated within him, echoing what Marluxia believed to be an attempt at fear, or maybe even desperation. The longer he stayed within the Organization, the harder it would become to meet with his apprentice, and the harder it would be to have him remain his ally. And he was not about to lose his only ally at this point to the people he wanted to watch be destroyed.

"So tell me then Nyxar, what has occurred since I've been away. What are the current inner workings of my former comrades?" It was at this moment that his head turned to a voice he'd not heard in what seemed like an eternity.

"Hello Axel. What a pleasant surprise, seeing you here. And if either of us is the rat, it would be you. I happen to be the cherry blossom tree, which has one rather long, beautiful life. One that is hard to end." He turned his body toward the man who had stabbed him in the back, metaphorically speaking of course. The only one that Axel had literally done that to was Axel's elemental counterpart, Vexen.

"Is it truly unthinkable that I survived my encounter with him? Hmm, considering your lack of foresight and knowledge about the power I possess, I would venture the guess that such a notion has taken hold in your head." He smiled at his former ally.

"Ah but such is the case. I was not truly dead, I merely left, allowing myself time to recuperate." A flat out lie, but Marluxia's monotone voice did well to hide it. He waved his hand, and turned back toward his apprentice.

"So Axel, pray tell. Why are you here?"

[Axel]

A Dangerous Mind

Axel smiled coldly at Marluxia's back. The Graceful Assassin was, as always, an odd mix of bland and florid. The cherry tree metaphor was only a hint of his true fascination with flowers, which Axel was sure none of the other Organization members had ever understood. The obsession combined with the masculine voice was a tad dissonant.

Since he had a moment, his mind wandered to the strangeness of the former Eleven's nickname. Had Marluxia ever assassinated anything? A scythe wasn't exactly an ideal weapon for killing people without drawing attention to yourself. And if he was the assassin of the Organization, why hadn't he commanded the Assassin Nobodies? Oh, that's right. Those had been under the Flame's control. The only Organization member who had actually taken out another member.

The fingers of his right hand curled into a loose fist. One downside to being apart from the Organization was the loss of that control over an entire species of Nobody. That would have been nice to have retained. But it wasn't a good enough incentive to go back to Xemnas.

"Oh? So, you planned a charade to fool us all, including Xemnas, into thinking you were dead?" He smirked and shook his head. "I wonder how you pulled off the earthquake that shook the castle's foundations after Sora took your non-existence from you. Very elaborate theatrics, I must say." Of course, Marluxia would have thought Sora had killed him in that little disagreement over whether or not Axel was going to take Naminé's life. But he had not died then. Oh, no. And he heard and saw the effect snuffing Marluxia out had had on the castle.

"As for me possibly underestimating you, I beg to differ." Turning his head to the side, he closed his eyes and laughed outright at the Assassin for a moment. The sound and the non-feeling behind it were hollow. "You barely tried to fight me before you decided to hide behind a little girl. Oh, yes. That's a great show of power." The sarcasm may have been a little over-exaggerated. It was automatic, though. If he ever got his heart back, he would feel nothing but loathing for Flower Boy.

He paced around to get a better look at the unfamiliar Nobody. Ash-gray skin was unusual for someone wearing that cloak. This was probably one of the new members Zexion had mentioned. After giving him a once-over, Axel looked back at Marluxia. "I wasn't aware that this was your private getaway. I came here to think." He shrugged. "I thought maybe I wouldn't be disturbed." That was all he was going to tell him. The less Marluxia knew, the better.

[Angelus]

Is that sarcasm? I hadn't noticed...

Marluxia scowled as Axel questioned Marluxia's words. He should have remembered that the wielder of fire was not one easily fooled, but it was too late for that now. Marluxia commented on Axel's difference of opinion on underestimating the Graceful Assassin.

"One could conceive such a notion if they were too incompetent to understand the masterworkings of my actions. I did such a thing knowing that Sora would turn on you, as you had turned on me. And as for my holding back, I saved the majority of my skills for the fight thereafter, because I knew that he was much more powerful than you believed yourself to be." He turned back toward Axel.

"And had he seen my repertoire of skills, it would have given him a better idea of how to best me in combat. And that was something I wasn't willing to risk." He motioned to his former comrade.

"You expect me to believe you came here to think? Twilight Town was your home away from home, not here. So, keeping that in mind, I would surmise that you are here for a different reason. Perhaps a meeting? But the question remains, with who would said meeting be with?" He smiled.

"This world is far too ugly for my private getaway. But it makes for a good place to hide one's scent from those with skills in tracking."

[Axel]

The Last Word... For Now

Ah, the ramblings of the former Number Eleven. Always claiming to be one step ahead of everyone else. Always claiming to be so much more intelligent than the rest. Always claiming he has a plan for every possible outcome. He was full of hot air. That's all.

"What, are you psychic now, too?" He sneered at Marluxia. "You just happened to know Sora would show up the moment I said I would kill the girl to get to you? Likely story. But I suppose it does make sense. You were always looking for other people to do your dirty work for you." He put a hand to his chest and chuckled. It had been on Marluxia's own order that Axel had murdered Vexen, after all.

"And then, when it came time to actually kill someone, you blew it." He shook his head. "Holding back against me to save your full strength and range of abilities for Sora? Don't give me that lame excuse." Something malicious shone in his eyes for a moment. "How exactly did that work out for you? Oh, that's right... Sora beat you. So much for that strategy."

Mockery was fun for only so long, and Axel was growing tired of focusing on Flower Boy at this point. So, he turned instead to the Nobody he didn't recognize. Crossing his arms over his chest, the Flame tilted his head curiously. He wasn't opposed to being civil to the new guy. At least, as long as the new guy didn't start rubbing him the wrong way. Like Marluxia.

"So, what are they calling you? I assume you're with the Organization."

[Administrator]

Watching the exchange...wait, I have to participate?
Damn. Well, I suppose if it's a requirement...

Nyxar was content to watch the two go back and forth. They seemed to almost forget him after they noticed each other, and he wasn't about to ruin that. And he wasn't about to sat the 'inner workings' to Marluxia, especially in front of Axel. Well, he might have told him If Axel wasn't there, to be fair. He wasn't that loyal to the Organization. Sure, he liked the guys having his back and all, but he didn't see why he couldn't play both sides a bit.

Of course, then the attention of this Axel guy fell upon him. "Oh, me? Well, I'm glad that you asked." Nyxar took a bow, a fake smile lighting up his grey features. "The name is Nyxar, the new number Eleven in the Organization. I would hold my hand out for a handshake, but, you know, I'm supposed to kill you on sight." He shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

"I'm supposed to kill Marls over here on sight, too," Nyxar jerked his head to motion towards Marluxia, "but, well, I was never one for killing. I let other people do that." A carefree grin spread across his face. The rest of the Nobodies knew it wasn't felt, but even so, it was a gesture that he would have made could he feel it. He was completely at ease, knowing the chances of him dying soon was slim to none.

[Axel]

The Sordid Details

One of the Flame's eyebrows arched. The new Number Eleven was meeting with the old Number Eleven, was he? Axel had definitely stumbled upon something deliciously interesting. He could almost smell a coup in the works, which wasn't surprising, considering Marluxia was involved. Flower Boy had a history with the concept of the hostile takeover. Or at least, the attempt at hostile takeovers.

"I would say it's nice to meet you, Nyxar, but considering the circumstances, I won't." Verbal confirmation of the death sentence over his head was strangely comforting. He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the non-ambiguous nature of that knowledge. It was something solid he knew he could cling to, something he could work to avoid. In a way, it gave him a purpose: don't die. Why he should stay alive, he still hadn't figured out. Just a trivial thing, really.

"It's curious that you're here with Flower Boy and not attempting to kill him." He shifted his eyes to Marluxia for a brief moment, then they immediately went back to Nyxar. "I know you said you get others to do that for you, but I suspect that isn't the real reason." No, there was clearly something else going on here, and Axel was determined to find out what that something was.

[Fate]

In the Land of Mordor...
Will Gaines by Eric Clapton.

Slow to trust, quick to suspect; this was Zexion's general line of thinking. He was not sure he was keen on seeing Nyxar leave hastily through a Corridor of Darkness, having watched him do so. He was not aware of Nyxar getting any new missions as of late; though, if he did, the Schemer would still be curious. Where would the Superior send their newest member, particularly the one that had earned the spot of Marluxia? That alone made Zexion suspicious. New recruits would have a hard time earning his trust because of all of the former traitors. He would follow Nyxar just in case just to be careful; it was not as if the other could sense him anyhow.

He waited a few minutes to do so, drawing his hood to keep his face hidden for now, then making a Corridor of Darkness to follow that direction. He stepped through it, stepping into a world just as dark as the World that Never Was. He also heard voices other than Nyxar's, very recognizable voices; Marluxia and Axel were here, the two major traitors of the Organization. They were close too and they most likely had seen him enter; an illusion to render him invisible would be of little help at the moment. He would have to step closer just to see what all of these 'gentlemen' were discussing and why Nyxar was here of all places. Could he perhaps have a connection to one of them? He doubted that he did with Axel; the Nobody would have mentioned it.

"Is this a meeting of traitors?" he asked in a false innocent tone. He had to distance any relation he had with Axel at this point to not endanger himself even more; he was already in danger as it was with Marluxia being present. "Yet, tell me Number Eleven, why are you here?" He looked to Nyxar as he said this, not the former member of the Organization.

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[Angelus]

And so the charade ends.

Axel seemed more interested in figuring out why Marluxia was here than fighting him, and considering the fact that he was now trying to figure out who Nyxar was and why he was here, this idea was further driven home into the Assassin's mind. What little was left of it anyway, as Xigbar would say.

"A plan revealed is weaker than a plan unspoken. That is what happened with Sora, nothing more." The last words Marluxia would speak to Axel on the matter. He motioned toward Nyxar.

"The reason for our being here is none of your concern Axel. And his decision to not attack me on sight is his own, and not your matter to look into." He turned toward the direction Zexion had appeared in, just before Zexion made himself known.

"It is however the job of our beloved Schemer." Marluxia smiled slightly as Zexion made his comments.

"Quite a meeting indeed Zexion. And since I can only assume that you are not referring to me as Eleven, I shall tell you what I told Axel. Our reason for being here is none of your concern."

[Axel]

Veiled Words, Double Meanings

If Marluxia said anything to him, Axel didn't hear it. He was more interested in the newest addition to their little gathering. "Schemer?" He turned, surprise evident on his face, pretend in more ways than one. This was unexpected. And yet, it made things even more intriguing. Granted, it would be more intriguing if it turned out that Zexion was here on purpose, knowing Marluxia would be here. If the Schemer had merely followed Nyxar, he was just being his usual bloodhound self.

"Well, hello there, Zexion. Long time, no see." Slipping quite easily into the act, he grinned, then circled the shorter Nobody once, looking him over. "You were dying last time I saw you, I think." He paused, tilting his head as if shuffling through his memories. "Yeah, that was it. You were definitely dying." This would never get old. Never. "And yet, here you are. Strange. Then again, Marluxia is also here, so I guess it's not all that strange."

He abruptly shifted gears, though this was more than a random change in conversation topics. Seeming to ignore the others present, he glanced up at the sky, focusing on Saix's favorite heavenly body. "The moon's looking a little pale. Oh, well. I saw a much fuller one right before I got here. Cold as always." He didn't even look at Zexion. The words alone should have been enough.

"And yes, you're right. This is in fact a meeting of traitors. Completely planned just for this very moment." With a smirk, he now looked first at Marluxia, then at Zexion. "Marluxia and I were thinking about recreating the events of Castle Oblivion. Care to join us?" There was a glint in his eyes. "You don't have to stay in the basement this time, dear Schemer. And you shouldn't have to worry about running into any angry replicas, either."

He chuckled a little darkly. "Oh, but we can't play without Sora, can we? Have you seen him?" More veiled questions that would mean something entirely different to Zexion than they would to Marluxia or Nyxar.

"By the way, you probably know Nyxar over there already. At this point, I think he's a half-traitor, so he qualifies for this coup." He shot a look at the aforementioned Nobody. "Take my advice, though. Playing both sides only gets you so far. Eventually you'll have to choose just to leave. Or get killed. Or turned into a Dusk. I'd recommend the leaving option."

[Fate]

Face Value Wisdom and Happy Lies

As expected, Marluxia's answer proved to be unsatisfactory. His comment proved just how ostentatious the Graceful Assassin made himself appear to be. He could have chosen to tell Zexion a lie, something to send him on the wrong path; it was doubtful that he would believe it, but it was better than the lie that they were up to nothing. He sent a warning look to Nyxar, not saying a single word at the moment. If his thoughts were true, then Nyxar and Marluxia had some sort of alliance that no one knew about and were shoving under the rug. Neither of them would get away with giving the Schemer such a vague answer.

Axel played along with pretending their previous meetings had never happened, circling the other much like a predator would. It was slightly reminiscent of their first encounter with each other after their deaths. It was a walk that the Flame was very good at. Zexion played his part further, giving him a clear look of disdain. If the two had no partnership, this would be the exact look he would give him, particularly with him describing their last meeting that resulted in the Schemer's death; Zexion was still not pleased with that and most likely would not be for some time.

He continued to give the other that look of disapproval as he turned around and spoke of the moon. The metaphor was well placed and he understood it completely, his facial signs unchanging. He had met with Saïx, the Nobody remaining the same as he was before. More questions would need to be answered when the two were able to speak alone. He would be able to find out Saïx's modus operandi soon enough and move from there with careful precision.

"This moon is indeed pale," he commented, glancing at it before looking back to the other, "Not quite as glorious as others. Though, I wonder why the moon you saw is so cold. Was it always that way?" The metaphors continued as Zexion asked a question of his own, one Axel would be able to see. The two were skilled enough conversationalists to make it work. Even if Nyxar and Marluxia were to suspect, they most likely would not arrive at answers.

"But Vexen is not here, making your recreation of Castle Oblivion incomplete. Tell me, are you planning to do things yourself this time? Or are you going to try to make another pawn do your work for you?" He dropped his tone to be slightly malicious, making sure to emphasize that he clearly did not want to be in the presence of Axel at the moment. Naturally, Marluxia and Nyxar did not truly know what happened after the former was killed. They did not know what Axel did, though the knowledge would not hurt.

"It is a shame that I have yet to meet Sora," he continued, "Perhaps I should soon." Axel's question was answered now. Unfortunately, Zexion had not gone after Sora yet, though he would as soon as possible and start the corruption process soon. With Axel's question sufficiently answered, he turned his attention fully to Nyxar. "I would like to think that I should not trust the words of a traitor. However, your current position makes me curious." He crossed his arms, putting one hand on his chin in thoughtfulness. This could turn out very interesting.

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[Axel]

Have We Confused Them Yet, I Wonder?

Zexion was a quick one, easily picking up on Axel's meaning. The Schemer offered much more stimulating conversation than Flower Boy over there. Trying to talk to Marluxia was like trying to talk to a wall.

Or a tree in this case. Covered with flowers. Pink flowers. Ugh.

Though, Axel was surprised when Zexion took the metaphor-driven conversation in a direction he should have expected him to but didn't. Had Saïx always been so cold? Yes and no. Saïx had always been cold, yes. The moment he had realized he could no longer feel true emotions, only pretend to feel them, the Diviner had become a brick wall of stoicism that Isa had not been. At least, not to that extent. As Lea, the Flame could joke around and have fun with his best friend. But when the two became Nobodies, Saïx was all business with a constant focus on one thing and one thing only: getting his heart back. Play was something the Diviner avoided, if not downright despised, in a manner of speaking. It doesn't take long for friendships to fizzle out under those sorts of conditions.

He silently held Zexion's gaze with his own for a moment, his expression a blank slate. It had to be, lest Flower Boy and Nyxar get too suspicious and attempt to figure out the real topic of conversation. "No." It was simple, direct, and without any significant emotional facades. But he could not help thinking of the regret that had tinged his parting words to Saïx in Twilight Town. "No, it was not always like that."

Closing his eyes, he smirked, brushing off thoughts about what used to be, what was now, and what might be in the future. "I suspect the moon wouldn't be too kind to you, Schemer. Doesn't offer very good light for reading." That was all he could say for now. There wasn't a very veiled way to say that Saïx was probably going to try killing Zexion, among others, including himself, at some point to prove his loyalty and return to the Organization.

"We work with what we have. And if you're not stuck in the basement, you could be Vexen's understudy." He looked at Zexion with malicious amusement. "You could have a taste of my fire firsthand, then. Would that please you?" Honestly, if this reenactment was actually real, Axel would much rather kill Vexen himself again than substitute the Schemer. But if Zexion was intent on pushing him, he would have no issues with giving him what he wanted.

Well, except for that whole partnership issue. Zexion let him know that he had not seen Sora since the events in Castle Oblivion, which was somewhat disappointing. The process was already going to be slow as it was. The Schemer then asked Nyxar a question about his loyalties. Oh, please. Axel could see what was going on a mile off here. He crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled. "And I would think that a traitor's word should be the one you listen to, in this case. I have experience at this, after all. Shouldn't I know a traitor when I see one?"

[Fate]

Do You Feel It, the Moon's Power?

It was intriguing to see how the dynamic of any place changed depending on the people there. When Zexion had entered, it was hostile and tension had risen. However, conversing with Axel changed it yet again. The two dominated the stage, both of them seasoned actors able to work off one another. Of course, they had plenty of practice at this point, but neither Marluxia or Nyxar would know that. In fact, these two actors did not even acknowledge each other's existence in Castle Oblivion until after Marluxia was too busy with Sora to notice. Though, the Schemer could not say he minded when Marluxia faded; his scent was a rather overbearing one and it deserved to be eliminated.

His question was answered about Saïx and new information was given. Axel's metaphor was a clear warning to him. Saïx was most likely not too pleased with the Schemer at the moment, particularly after meeting with Axel. He doubted the other would disclose their current partnership to Saïx, but it was very possible that Axel made it clear that he was not welcome in the Organization, despite any façades the Organization put up. Saïx was not a Nobody easily fooled either; he could easily trace the source back if he chose to, meaning that Zexion needed to make an effort to avoid the other.

"Hence why I stay away from it," he replied, his tone still full of false contempt, "And I will continue to do so. Though, perhaps you should as well. I can only imagine the lack of warmth will not serve you well." It seemed almost silly to have an entire discussion about the moon, one that Marluxia or Nyxar could sooner or later pick up on if they were wise enough. However, through that metaphor, Zexion told Axel his exact intentions for what he planned to do with Saïx and a suggestion on what he should do; disposing of the other this soon might be frowned upon.

"Demoting me to Vexen's position? How deplorable. However, there is no one to take my place this time." He said this sternly, deciding to look at Nyxar again. He had chosen to not attack Marluxia or Axel, even though the orders were to destroy them on sight. Zexion was not going to give Nyxar the excuse that he was new and did not know who the traitors were; it had been made abundantly clear who was loyal and who was not. He supposed that if he were not a Nobody, he would be more than simply disappointed with Nyxar and, to some extent, himself. After all, he had been the one to recruit him in the first place. His trust in another was shown to be misplaced again; the only good thing was that he found out early instead of when it was too late.

"I suppose you should..." he replied to Axel, trailing off as he kept his gaze on Nyxar. "I will report this to the Superior. The Organization must rid itself of traitors, all traitors." He looked at Marluxia for a moment when saying that and then Axel. He was not about to dispose of any of them himself; Marluxia was powerful for the Schemer to handle alone and trying to take care of Nyxar while he was here would prove to be difficult. It was obvious he could not destroy Axel either out of their unofficial partnership contract.

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