Slanted and Enchanted (Open)

[Lagunamov]

Loyalty seems to be scarce nowadays…

Well, wasn’t this little reunion bringing so much stuff to the surface. It was not striking news that Saïx had had a hand in the events of Castle Oblivion; a detail Xigbar forgot for a moment that The Schemer would obviously not have been aware of, due to his non-existent self being unfortunately located at the wrong castle at that time. The orders to Axel had gone through Scarface first, so the death of three more members than expected had raised some alarms. About enough to alert half a city. It was just assumed that nothing ever came to them due to the pair providing some positive results for the remained of that year.

The next piece of information, however, was the crème de la crème. So now the truth about Xemnas’ intentions had come to light, and his search for the power of Kingdom Hearts, instead of their restoration as humans, had been revealed. If Zexion had a heart, Xigbar would have sworn he saw some disapproval for their Superior in that course of action. But, little did it matter to the Freeshooter. To him, his objective remained the same as ever. Not the Organization’s. Not Xemnas’, and neither Xehanort’s. Even after twelve years, he still worked under his directive, and his alone. All he had to do was make sure the current pawns didn’t stray off their path.

“So, that’s how it is then,” he sighed, leaning against the wall with his shoulder, placing his right hand on his hip. “Saïx, in the very end, was loyal to the Organization’s true purpose. He sought to remove Xemnas from command, so that we all may gain our hearts back one day,” his eye wondered around, going back and forth between the Flame and the Bookworm. “You two call him a traitor, yet you seem to dislike this truth about Xemnas just as much as him…” The scarred man rolled on the wall, now his back fully against it and his head resting against the hard, sand colored bricks. “Does this mean that, while rejecting Saïx, you are intent on following a similar course of action? I don’t suppose you two meeting with the Keyblade Masters can bode well to the chatterbox’s life,” he chuckled as he said so, trying to squeeze even another grain of information before this trail of conversation died.

[Axel]

And What's Your Definition of Traitor?

Xigbar raised a valid point, and one that Axel had been pondering. Of course, he could care less about whether or not Saïx was a traitor to the Organization. Rejecting or accepting the Diviner based on that was nowhere near the Flame's priorities list. He was, after all, himself a traitor. Not to the goal, for he wanted his heart back just as much as the rest of them did. But rather, to Xemnas. If that guy wasn't running the show, going back might not be so hard a possibility to swallow.

No, Axel rejected Saïx for completely different reasons. Personal reasons. Or did he? He let his eyes wander off to the side as he thought. Maybe if Saïx hadn't spent so much time around Xemnas, things would have been different. Besides, could Axel really blame his former friend for trying so hard to get his heart back? No, he couldn't. He was trying to do the very same thing. Just not by playing lapdog to Xemmy.

"No one wants to work for a guy who veils his own pursuit of power in lies that promise to make us whole again." He turned his head to look at the Freeshooter. "At least, I don't. And neither did Saïx." With his head still toward Xigbar, Axel shifted his gaze to Zexion. "And neither, I think, does the Schemer. Though, I can't speak for him." Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the wall, spiky red hair fanning out behind him. "And the Keyblade masters know nothing, except for the fact that Xemnas has been resurrected. But we haven't pushed them into taking him out for us." It wasn't a bad idea, though. They'd destroyed Xemnas once. They could probably do it again.

[Fate]

Abandoned Dogma

Zexion watched as Xigbar leaned against a wall as well, the Schemer left to stand in between the two. He supposed there was a bit of symbolism in that: his current position didn't place him as loyal to Xemnas, or at least not completely, but he was still loyal to the goal of the Organization. When the Organization had originally started, that was not the case and Xemnas had aligned himself with the goal of getting their hearts back. Now that it was confirmed that he had moved away from that goal and he most likely was going that way again, Zexion couldn't say for sure what his next move should be. Should he stay loyal to Xemnas and watch the Organization start to fall because of his lust for power, or step in and deal with the issue more directly?

Unfortunately, directness wasn't exactly a safe route; the illusionist didn't exactly want to get himself killed again or turned into a Dusk.

Xigbar asked the key question here. Were they just going to follow the same path that Saïx had chosen and try to dispose of Xemnas, and others, to set the Organization straight? Zexion shook his head to this and then made brief eye contact with Axel when he spoke. He was not in the same position as him or Saïx in this case. Even though Xemnas's goals no longer aligned with the Organization's, Zexion would not be the one to propose the idea of getting rid of him. He, along with Xigbar and the other Original Six, followed this man into the darkness and gave up their hearts for it; there was still a sense of loyalty. There was also the "keeping hands clean" regiment that Zexion chose to go by. If he could find another way instead of killing, then he would.

"While Saïx's motivation was valid, the way he carried it out is not something I want to see repeated," he said, shifting his gaze between both of them but lingering on Axel for a bit longer. "Disposing of loyal members is not the way to handle this, even if the Superior's best interests are not with the Organization." The unfortunate thing was that he still had not pondered another way to handle the situation. How did one deal with the fact that their governing power, so to speak, was at fault? He would have to mull it over.

He paused, the conversation switching to the Keyblade Masters for the moment. He nodded in agreement to Axel and spoke again. "Any Keyblade Masters that are against us only know of Xemnas's existence, though King Mickey knows how many of us remain; I did not reveal which ones, though he is not a true threat to the Organization like Sora. However, there are currently two others that completely place their loyalties with us. One of them finds our goal honorable." He couldn't help but grin to this. Arc was indeed an honorable person and, if Zexion had a heart, he might have admired that. Obviously, that wasn't the case and he got a bit of amusement out finding the goal of the notorious Organization honorable.

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[Lagunamov]

God, I hate politics…

So it seemed destroying loyal members was somehow something out of the question for Zexion, which seemed somehow… odd, all things considered. Zexion was a loyal member and got killed just for, well, being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or that’s what Xigbar figured. Either way, Saïx had obviously ordered his demise and that of the rest of those at Castle Oblivion. So, why was the Bookwork acting all high and mighty now over killing members? One would think that having experienced death in such a manner would persuade him down the path of revenge or something.

“What do you expect to do to get our hearts back then? We don’t exactly pick our leaders by voting them,” The Freeshooter snarked at the prospect of actually accomplishing something other than what Xemnas wanted without using force. “The most you could ever do is hijack Kingdom Hearts before he does, if we ever manage to create a new one, or find the real one. Neither is exactly very likely of giving good results if ya ask me?” he shrugged, knowing their Superior would most likely be at the exact place where either one would show up. Last time The Organization had created a Kingdom Hearts, the only reason it didn’t end in success for them was because their former master had destroyed it. That, and an annoying kid had killed just about all of them.

Speaking of the kid, now his kind was brought to attention. At least it seemed Xigbar and the rest of the Organization still remained in the shadows, but Xemnas, Axel and Zexion were evidently exposed to the Keyblade Masters. And those who were safe by anonymity and didn’t particularly have much cover. While their names weren’t mentioned, it wasn’t such a huge leap of faith to think they were back among the non-existent ones. “Oh?” he thought as The Schemer mentioned two people who could become possible allies. “I hope you find the way to use these two people to our advantage kid. Be it gathering hearts, or getting rid of nuances.”

[Axel]

To Stage a Coup or Not to Stage a Coup?

Axel caught that lingering look Zexion gave him. No killing loyal members, huh? At least that left Marluxia as fair game. Too bad Vexen was stubbornly loyal. Well. The Flame would comply with Zexion's wishes for now. But he was never one to truly stay on a leash, especially if a better opportunity presented itself elsewhere.

The news about a second Keyblade bearer surprised him a little. The Schemer had previously mentioned only one such ally. Everto. But from what Zexion had said, that guy didn't strike him as the type to find anything in particular honorable. So, there was someone else out there who didn't mind working for the Organization. This was good news, especially if he ever managed to get Roxas back. Maybe the Organization would leave him alone if they already had Keybladers at their beck-and-call.

"Xiggy's right." Axel waved a hand casually in the air. "Xemnas is the Superior only because none of us challenge him on that front. Sure, in a straight, one-on-one fight, none of us would win against him. But that's why we have to pool our resources." He still agreed with Saïx's original plan to just kill their way to the top if necessary. Or at least, they could kill off all the useless members on their way to Xemnas. But he wasn't about to say that to Zexion or Xigbar. Best not to hint that he might still have something in common with the Diviner.

"So, what are we gonna do?" He looked at both the Schemer and the Freeshooter in turn. "I think we all agree that Xemnas is most likely a threat to getting our hearts back if we're still going the Kingdom Hearts route." Regardless of what was decided, Axel knew he'd be leaving here with some loose form of protection. After all, he hadn't been shot yet. That was always a good sign.

[Fate]

Whether 'Tis Nobler in the Mind to Suffer...

Unfortunately, it didn't seem like force could be avoided in this case. If the members of the Organization truly wanted their hearts back, working under Xemnas was not going to get them there. Once Kingdom Hearts was filled with hearts, he most likely was going to go for power again. By the time that happened, it would be too late to stop him and none of them would get their hearts back. Zexion couldn't say what the other members wanted, but he wanted his heart back; although, he never thought that this sort of force would have to be used.

"Pooling our resources might just have to be done at this rate," he said after a minute of mental deliberation. "I don't like saying this, but this may be our only course of action. We will have to figure out a way to do this and relatively soon." He said "we" even though he knew he would not be part of the actual disposal. He would do all of the planning behind it of course and even make sure it was executed properly, but he did not want to actually partake in that process. He wanted to keep his hands clean, even if they already weren't.

"Although, that raises a few questions. Where would that leave the Organization? Surely, if the Superior was disposed of, then that would set it further off balance. It would certainly leave us without a leader." He looked at Xigbar in particular when he said this. The Freeshooter was the next in line to get that position because of his number, even if Zexion was the unofficial second-in-command. His advice was also something to consider.

The Schemer then moved his gaze back to Axel. "If this were to happen, where would you stand?" This was simply curiosity speaking. If Xemnas was gone, where would that leave Axel? Would he become loyal to the Organization again, or would he stay alone?

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[Axel]

Might Not Exactly Be the Answer You're Seeking...

Axel's gaze remained steady on Zexion while he spoke. It was interesting that the Schemer did not protest the idea of a coup as much as Axel had thought he would. While the word "we" had been used, the Flame knew better than to think Zexion would share equally in the killing of Xemnas. At most, he might employ some illusions from a distance. If illusions even affected Xemmy. Who knew?

The questions about the state of the Organization didn't concern him. He was of a mind that anyone other than Xemnas would be better. Well. Perhaps anyone other than Xemnas or Vexen. He certainly had no ambitions to lead the Organization, even if he wasn't branded a traitor. Though, the idea of the remaining loyal members tearing into each other in a fight for supremacy was somewhat amusing. He'd have to be around if that happened. Just to watch.

Oh. Now the question was out in the open. Zexion was looking at him expectantly. Where would he stand? The answer to that, as always, was with himself. Or with whomever's interests lined up with his. In the case of Xemnas, his interest was power, and therefore, Axel was not interested in following him. But if someone else were in charge and returned the focus of the Organization back to the sole purpose of regaining their hearts, he wasn't so sure he would continue to stay away. But Xemnas wasn't the only object of annoyance for him. There were others, and he would just as soon stay aloof from the rest of the members unless he chose not to for whatever reason.

"I'm not disloyal when it comes to the original purpose of the Organization." He tilted his head slightly while still looking at the Schemer. "I do, after all, want my heart back." That was the best answer Zexion was going to get out of him. Declaring intentions to rejoin the Organization before plans to remove Xemnas had even finished being laid was a stupid move he wasn't going to make.

[Lagunamov]

We could play ventriloquist with Vexen though. He’d make an ugly ass puppet, but the stick is already up his rear end. It’d save us a hand.

Just as expected, for a Schemer, Zexion was most easily influenced by others. Where only minutes before he seemed pretty adamant over even the thought of killing other Nobody companions of them, now he was firmly considering the option. Now that that was out in the open, the real logistics behind the deed needed to be planned. The first thing that Zexion had started to wonder about was who exactly would lead the Organization with Xemnas gone. The look he gave The Freeshooter as he said this was… troubling. Being put in charge of the Organization wouldn’t interfere with his agenda directly… It would simply be bothersome.

“As if kiddo,” he snarked at the implicit question that look was giving him. “I will pull the strings, play puppeteer, poke you in the ribs with my guns, but I am NOT taking the big chair unless absolutely necessary,” he complained and made his point as clear as possible. He had always been more of a shadowy second in command, always working hidden from sight. Even with the snooze-o-meter disposed of, he would rather remain in a similar position. He needed that sort of freedom.

Once Axel had made his position clear, that all he wanted was his heart back and as such, joining an Organization redirected to its original purpose, it seemed that most of what could be gained from this reunion in terms of that topic had reached its peak. “Ok, I think we are done with this line of conversation for today. Unless you two want to start singing the coup song or something? No? Shame,” he joked around, but it wasn’t like they could get any further than that for the moment. There was, however, something else that could possibly come into play later that needed to be brought up.

“There is something with an ego larger than Monotone Monologue moving around and possibly screwing things for us. I believe Obstructed Vision could put you up to date Flamesilocks," he said as he crossed his arms, giving cue for The Schemer to fill in The Flame on the topic of the so called Champion. More like Another Stereotypical Villain if you asked him, but that didn’t change things much. It was both a potential threat, and an asset to be used.

[Fate]

Teeth and Ambitions Are Bared

There were a lot of ways to describe the current situation Zexion just put himself into, or his thoughts about it at the very least. He wasn't fond of it, he didn't like it; any of those could do. He had spent far too much time trying to think of how to handle this situation without coming up with anything. He almost felt that he should have been able to come up with something besides staging a coup. Sadly, good points were made: if Xemnas was to be dealt with and stopped from using Kingdom Hearts, force was the only thing that guaranteed success. The Schemer's mind was almost made up for him now.

Both Axel and Xigbar stated their points. Axel made it blatantly obvious that he wanted his heart back and that was all; if that goal happened to go with the Organization's, then perhaps something could be worked out. Xigbar, not to Zexion's surprise, told him he wouldn't go for the Superior's spot. The illusionist couldn't picture Xigbar as someone who actually wanted power; rather, he just pictured him as someone who did as he pleased. That meant they would need to look elsewhere for a leader. Xaldin had not returned to the Organization and Zexion cringed at the thought of having Vexen taking the Superior's place.

"All right," he said, nodding to both of them, "I'll begin the planning process then." That line of conversation was over and would have to be later addressed by the Schemer himself. Xigbar wanted him to fill Axel in on the Champion. "I told you before about the Tool of Darkness before. It seems he wants us to call him the Champion now. He also gave us a rather elusive riddle pertaining to his identity." He summoned his Lexicon quickly and flipped to the page he had the riddle written down on. He tore it out and gave it to Axel to look at.

"From this riddle, we can only guess that there are others such as him. He also has the ability to become incorporeal. He states himself as the representative of darkness, so to speak, and his darkness was the most overpowering I have ever sensed. He refused to align with Maleficent or any others, but he still remains as a possible threat." He crossed his arms, not bothering to say anything else and letting Axel form his own thoughts on all of this.

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[Axel]

Somebody Thinks He's a Poet

It wasn't surprising that Xigbar wasn't interested in taking the number one spot in the Organization. He was less of a leader and more of a secret puppet master. So, the question remained unanswered. Who would rise to take Xemmy's place should their little plot be successful? From the way the Schemer was taking charge of laying the plans, Axel almost thought he had a mind to take the vacancy. He was, after all, already acting as the new unofficial second-in-command. The Diviner might have something to say about that idea, though.

Out of the three of them, Axel figured it was probably going to fall to him to actually do the killing. Zexion had that thing about not dirtying his hands, and Xigbar was, well, Xigbar. He wasn't going to do something that, should he fail, would make him appear disloyal. That's why it made the most sense for the Flame to be either the "hero" or the sacrificial lamb, depending on how this went. If he failed, Zexion and Xigbar wouldn't be implicated, and it would just look like a known traitor was still stuck in his traitorous ways. The thought should have annoyed him at least a little, but he knew he wouldn't mind the chance to take out his pent up frustration on Xemnas himself.

Okay, Zexion. I know you'll ask me eventually. And the answer is "yes."

That particular request would come later, though. Right now, the Schemer was busy bringing him up to speed on this so-called Tool--well, Champion now, apparently--of Darkness. Axel listened, absorbed, and naturally, memorized everything. When Zexion handed him the torn page, the Flame scanned it quickly once, then went back over it slowly. What was this guy? A starving writer or a threat to the universe?

He looked up from the page as Zexion finished speaking. "Well, obviously, this guy has too much time on his hands. Shouldn't he be, I don't know, destroying worlds instead of writing such a fine example of literature?" The question was half-sarcastic. There was information to be had here, but it was lost in the jumble of words. Everything Zexion had said about it was about all Axel himself had gotten out of it.

"The question I have for you is, why are you worried about him so much? You said before that he destroyed Radiant Garden." As though that place wasn't in enough shambles already. "Seems to me like he's more interested in wreaking havoc on those aligned with the light. But that's not us." He shrugged. "Unless you think he's going to do something to Kingdom Hearts, I say just let him do whatever the hell he wants. Besides, if he makes Heartless numbers boom again, that just means more hearts for you guys to harvest, right?"

He gave Zexion a pointed look. "I mean, he hasn't directly threatened the Organization or Nobodies in general, has he?"

[Lagunamov]

I need a sarcasm sign.

It was hard to see whether Axel’s obliviousness to what the main thread this former-Tool posed was genuine, or faked for the sake of recovering his beloved… friend. In either case, the prospect of simply leaving the creature wander around unsupervised caused him to raises his hand to his face, even feeling –if that was possible- like slamming his head on the wall repeatedly. Of course, such display would leave even more scars on his face.

“He is a creature of Darkness, Match,” he commented as he removed his hand from his face, fighting the urge to turn around and cause even more irreparable damage to his face. “Do I have to spell it out? He doesn’t pose a direct threat to us… But, he does to warriors of Light. Do you see where I’m getting at?”Never being one to over explain things, he simply left the subject at that. It was common knowledge to Organization members, former and current, that their only way to obtain hearts was to steal those freed by a Keyblade. It was the reason why Roxas had been so invaluable to them, and why after his little rebellion, they were forced to manipulate Sora into slaying more heartless. Not that that faired any good results in the end…

“While him throwing around heartless and stuff is going to help us, he need to keep him from liquefying our other assets. You know, the ones that can do the work we can’t,” he shrugged at this. What an irksome thought, having to actually make sure that those that previously destroyed them would now remain safe for as long as possible. At the very least, until a new Kingdom Hearts were formed. “Hound, is your nose strong enough to know his general location now that you are acquainted with his scent?” he asked Zexion. A positive answer to that question could lead to quite a few interest opportunities.

[Fate]

Just a Trace

Axel didn't seem all too concerned about the information regarding the Champion after he read the riddle. Indeed, why not let the Champion run amok and bring Heartless numbers up? That would indeed do some good. However, Xigbar stated the concerns he had. The Organization was not directly affected by the Champion, but the warriors of light, also known as the Keyblade Masters, were. Without Keyblade Masters, the Organization's goal would be null and void. If the Champion made any sort of move to eradicate all of the Keyblade Masters, then the Organization had to get involved. For now, they would observe from afar and watch for changes.

Though, finding the location of the Champion would certainly be helpful. Zexion closed his eyes briefly and concentrated; his senses could typically pick up anything within the realm of his current world, but expanding that took more work and energy. Still, he might as well see if he can pick up any sort of thing. If they could, the Champion's movements could be watched from there and allow the Organization to make quicker moves and better judgment. The Schemer stood still for a few long moments, trying to pick up that overwhelming scent.

His eyes snapped open after those moments passed. He looked to Xigbar now. "I picked up traces of him in Destiny Islands," he said, holding his head for a minute; expanding his sensing capacities often gave him a headache as a result. "Unfortunately, it seems the scent is days old. I cannot sense him anywhere else. However, that does give us at least a small bit of insight." It wasn't much, but it was something. The pattern still stood that the Champion stuck to worlds of light, particularly ones that Sora had frequented; Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands were particular in that respect. Someone would need to be sent to Destiny Islands to see if it was damaged.

"There is not much else we can do aside from watching his movements at this point," he concluded, crossing his arms. "I will send our newest recruit to see if he can find him. It would be a good way to test him; don't you agree Xigbar?" He grinned. This mission may have been assigned to Zexion, but there was such a thing as delegation. He had other things to be occupying his time with now.

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[Axel]

And Where Do We Feature?

The idea that this Champion could potentially start wiping out Keybladers hit Axel like a ton of bricks. But he was careful to keep his expression neutral. Inside his head, he was thinking a mile a minute. Seeing as Sora was one of the main Keybladers out there, he would probably be high on the Champion's list of threats to eliminate. And that just wouldn't do. A dead Sora also meant a dead Roxas. Sure, the Organization needed Keybladers to collect hearts, but that was secondary in Axel's mind, oddly enough.

There's something seriously wrong with me.

Mentally, he was chuckling. Outwardly, he simply nodded in agreement with Xigbar. "Yeah, I see your point. Can't get Kingdom Hearts without a Keyblade."

They moved on to talk of locating the Champion, and Zexion put his miracle nose to work. When he said he could sense traces of the scent on Destiny Islands, Axel tensed but quickly relaxed. The kid wouldn't have gone back there. Not nearly enough excitement. Unless he'd gone back to recuperate from Castle Oblivion.

Before he could think himself into deeper and deeper holes, he shook off the subject of Sora and focused back on the task at hand. Zexion was talking about sending a new recruit to track the Champion, but Axel was less interested in that and more interested in knowing what next steps they were going to take concerning Xemnas.

Crossing his arms over his chest, the Flame tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Okay, so we've decided that we're somehow going to kill Xemnas. Any thoughts on exactly how we're going to do that? Hmm?" He had already guessed at a possible answer. It was just a matter of seeing how close he was to being right.

[Fate]

Just Listen To Teacher
Be Prepared from The Lion King

Before his somewhat rhetorical question could get answered, Axel brought the previous subject back about Xemnas. How were they even going to perform this act? It was not a simple thing to do either; the Superior was known for his power and could hold his own against any of the other Nobodies in a one-on-one fight. It of course depended on who he was fighting, though Zexion was not a Nobody that could fight against Xemnas alone. He couldn't ask that of Xigbar either and refused to, not wanting to compromise his position.

With all of that in mind, he kept his grin and turned his gaze to Axel, a glint in his eye. "I suppose I will have to ask for another favor then. I will need you to perform this act. It is possible that I can arrange aid, but I believe you are powerful enough to do this on your own." There was almost no other option to go with in this coup. Zexion had allies in many places, but bringing them to The World That Never Was to dispose of the Superior would be a difficult task, though possible. If Axel should take this and fail, then he would have to go that route.

Though, Zexion didn't count on him failing. Axel was powerful on his own and, should he have aid, his success was imminent. After that, other things needed to be arranged. The Schemer started pacing as he thought of these things. A new Superior would need to be instilled and it was questionable who would go there. Xigbar made it clear that he would not, Xaldin had not returned and Zexion doubted Vexen's leaderships abilities; he was an intelligent Nobody, but leadership was another thing. Lexaeus was intelligent enough to do the job, but he was not one to speak much; the opposite of the Superior, who spoke too much.

That left him and Saïx as options. Zexion was not going to fight for this position, though he did not trust Saïx enough as Superior. His goal was the same, but after his coup, trust with him was limited. Others would surely agree with that, leaving Zexion as perhaps the only other option. The thought of him as Superior was... he was not sure how he should feel on that. Power was not something he wanted, but it would be intriguing. He would of course keep the Organization on track as well, that much was certain.

This all depended on Axel succeeding, bringing him back out of his thoughts and to the other two present. His grin was kept as he let the Lexicon disappear, keeping his eyes on Axel for a moment. His next action was not planned and certainly a bit ridiculous of him, but he felt it almost had to be done. "Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected to take certain duties on board." He was not much of a singer and there was a point in those words... somewhere.

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[Lagunamov]

Yes, your ambitions and teeth are bared.

Things were reaching their logical conclusion between the trio, now entering the obvious detail of having the declared traitor get rid of The Superior himself. Sure Axel was strong, but enough to kill Xemnas straight out in the open? Surely The Bookworm was going to think of something that would leave the mark more vulnerable, isolated, and maybe even weakened. Sending a couple of Keyblade Masters after him would also do the job. Regardless, for now, Xigbar would just bid his time and see how it all progressed.

After moments of Zexion trailing off into his mind once again, probably stuck in an inside monologue that lasted two paragraphs or so, the kid, while standing right between Axel and The Freeshooter, blurted a quite rhythmic line. As the words ‘you’re expected to take certain duties on board’, Xigbar took his right hand to the left side of his neck, and with the back of his thumb on it, he moved his hand slowly from left to right as his head did the opposite, a small grin emerging as the motion carried on.

“So prepare for the coup of the century,” he played along in tune, pointing at The Flame. “Be prepared for the murkiest scam,” he continued, moving back a couple of steps, moving his hands dramatically with each step. “What? There’s a copy of the DVD back at the castle,” he shrugged, a Corridor of Darkness opening right behind, only half a meter away. A couple more theatrics would have been nice, but that would have to do for now. “I’ll head back first. Zexion will probably mail you the details later through the Dusk network or something,” he commented as he slowly stepped on the corridor backwards. “And remember,” almost all his body had entered the corridor by now, only his head and part of his torso visible. “Be prepared!” And as such, the corridor closed as the large ham left the stage.