These Walls [Saïx]

[Axel]

Restlessness

After a couple of days of world-wandering, he had ended up here. Unable to find any signs or whispers of this Everto that Zexion had told him about, Axel had dropped that task for the time being and instead thought it might be profitable to learn anything he could about the Champion's whereabouts. That, however, also turned out to be fruitless. Other than destroying Radiant Garden and appearing to Zexion and a few others in Deep Jungle, this guy had been pretty quiet. No news was usually good news, but that also meant information came highly priced.

So, empty-handed and with nothing to do but wait around for Zexion to further develop this coup, Axel had decided to bide his time in Agrabah. Being in the town itself wasn't an appealing idea, seeing as he would rather not run into any of Sora's friends. They'd see the Organization cloak and freak out or something. But standing around out in the desert in the heat of the sun also wasn't appealing, considering his current dark attire.

The Cave of Wonders had enough of a reputation as a “place of doom for the unworthy” that not many people dared to even venture near it, much less walk right up to it. And in the cool of night, it was the perfect place to be alone and think, nothing but the desert winds blowing sand as background noise. The tiger's head forming the cave entrance might have been a little eerie to some, but Axel didn't have a problem with it.

He was leaning casually against a section of the rock wall that surrounded the cave entrance. Waiting was beginning to get old. Axel was almost to the point of taking matters into his own hands, rather than sitting around for instructions from Zexion. As long as Xemnas ended up dead, did it really matter how it was done?

[Slash]

Unexpected Meeting

The moon was bright in this world. That, and its relatively low chance of another Organization member being around, were the reasons that Saix had chosen to be here. He needed to plan in an area where he would not be disturbed. He had chosen the Cave of Wonders due to its isolation, and had sat behind the entrance, staring skyward.

Xemnas no longer possessed the power he had once had over the rest of the Organization. Saix could tell. In trying to replace the defective fragments of a broken group, he had created something much more fragile. Tensions were caused by the initiation of new members, and it was not a stretch to imagine old traitors working easily through them.

The center will not hold.

A dramatic restructuring of the entire organization was needed. Saix knew that under no circumstances would it happen peacefully.

He was under orders to kill Axel and Marluxia on sight. Considering the circumstances, however, it would be much more favorable to kill Marluxia. Axel and Zexion were working on their own, seperate coup, and could perhaps be useful. Marluxia, on the other hand, had beena liability and would always remain so.

He stopped. Someone else was here. So much for not being disturbed. Standing up, he moved quietly around the entrance.

Axel. According to Xemnas, this should be the point where Saix beat his head into a paste with his claymore.

"Axel." He stood at the entrance, indifferent as always.

"I've been ordered to kill you on sight. As well as Marluxia." He looked out of the cave briefly. "Perhaps you could tell me where to find Number Eleven. It would save me a good amount of time."

[Axel]

Testing Limits

The sound of his name was enough to tell Axel who had found him. He glanced up and did indeed see the Diviner standing there, staring at him. The surprise could be called both pleasant and unpleasant. According to what Saïx said, this meeting could quickly turn all the way to unpleasant. But no weapons had been summoned yet, no sneak attacks launched. Then again, stealth wasn't really Saïx's style.

"Funny." Axel didn't move. "I've been told I shouldn't hesitate in killing you. But... I don't think I'm in the mood for that tonight."

It was the truth for several reasons. Axel knew better than to start a fight with Saïx beneath the moon. It was unnecessary and wouldn't end up solving much of anything. Besides, this might turn out to be the time to start yanking the leash out of the Schemer's hands. Zexion could think he had Axel at his constant beck and call, but the Flame had other ideas.

"As for where Marluxia is, the last time I saw him, he was at the Dark Meridian. I believe he was meeting with the Nobody taking his place in the Organization. Nyxar. I definitely sensed some traitorous intent there." For now, he would leave out the fact that Zexion also had been present.

After shooting a quick look up at the sky, he returned his eyes to the Diviner. "So, what brings you all the way out here? Just came for the view?"

[Slash]

Similar Reasons

As always, he found his eyes drawn to the moon, and looked up at it as he spoke.

"The Dark Meridian...I will remember that," he said. He would have to pay a visit to Marluxia later. It would be a benefit to everyone if the Assassin was to perish, and it might get him a little closer to Xemnas. That was of the utmost importance.

He had no real reason to lie to Axel. He wasn't a compulsive liar any more than he was scrupulously honest- it was just that lying was often more congruent to his interests.

"I came here simply to be alone. But it seems like I chose the wrong place," Saix stated. He looked back down at Axel. "Certainly you are here for a reason, as well."

Perhaps he was here for similar reasons, or perhaps he was waiting for something. Either way, this meeting was what Number Ten would have referred to as "fate" and what he referred to as "coincidence".

[Axel]

Small Rebellions

"Looks like we both had the same idea then." Axel chuckled and uncrossed his arms. Now came a decision. Zexion hadn't expressly told him who he could and could not mention this little coup to, but Axel doubted the Schemer wanted it broadcast to Saïx.

Which was exactly why Axel was about to do just that.

"I didn't have a particular reason for coming here, no. Just killing time." He glanced to his right for a moment. Usually, Zexion had weird timing, and the Flame wouldn't have been surprised if a Corridor opened up and spat out a Dusk from him right then.

When nothing happened, he looked back at Saïx. "The Schemer has grown a backbone I never thought he would get. There's talk of taking out Xemnas. And he asked me to do it." Of course, Zexion didn't have quite enough of a backbone to do the deed himself. But still, the fact that he was willing to throw the Organization into at least temporary disarray meant something.

"He said he'd be in touch. But I'm getting tired of waiting."

[Slash]

Just like old times.

Saïx almost had a sense of deja vu. Here they were, talking about Xemnas's possible death. It had been a couple years since their last plan, which had abruptly ended following Axel's mockery of a friendship with Roxas.

If he entrusted Axel again, would the same thing happen? In all likelihood, no. Although Saïx and Axel had only the memory of a friendship, it was something that made Axel slightly more likely to take his side over Zexion's. The only possible problem was Axel losing sight of the goal. That was Saïx's largest problem with him, and most of the others- how easy it was for them to become distracted.

He didn't even know how you could do that. How could one forget, even for a second? How was it not always at the forefront of their minds? Did they convince themselves that it didn't matter? If so, good for them, but he could not.

He remembered a time, only a bit after he became a Nobody, when it had been somewhat different. The lack of emotions had bothered him, but it was not always at the forefront of his mind and he could feign them well enough. However, he became dissatisfied with that, and there he made his mistake.

He had somehow convinced himself that there would be something in his memories that would recall just the slightest remnant of emotion, and so he had begun sifting through them. Actually, sifting wasn't the correct word, no. He had torn through them. He had gone through good times and bad, and when those failed to produce anything, he recalled the best moments of his life, repeating them over and over in his head as if it would work after a certain amount. When that was done, he forced himself to bring up the worst moments of his life, recalling them as slowly as possible. He tried to recall every detail, certain that something he was missing had to be the key.

It was the mental equivalent of ripping oneself apart, and it did nothing. Nothing at all. He was able to remember what he should feel, but actually felt nothing. The times that he had been overcome with despair did nothing, as did times when he had been truly happy with the world. He had nothing. So why even pretend to have emotions? It was just a twisted, pathetic parody of something he could never possess in this state.

Still, it was the automatic reflex of Nobodies with memories to feign emotions, so he almost did each time he was meant to- but as soon as it came up, he picked it apart, dissected it, revealed its hollowness, and cast it aside. Therefore, his lack of a heart was always at the forefront of his mind.

He almost told Axel about this- they had been friends a long time ago. Then he reprimanded himself. How pathetic. It had nothing to do with the situation at hand, and feigned pity wasn't going to help his cause in the the least. He forced himself to focus once more on Axel.

"Destroying Xemnas is a dangerous prospect. It is like the Schemer to send others to do what he can not." He looked around. It would be unfortunate if any uninvited guests were to show their faces.

Not that he cared about a fight- the moon was in full view, which gave him a good deal of power. However, risk of discovery was always imminent, and there was no guarantee that he could stop an intruder from retreating provided they were quick enough.

"A dangerous prospect. But I'm certain that there would be members of the Organization that would assist you, if the need arose to choose sides and yours was proven not to be futile." He immediately switched into a very cryptic mode. What he was about to say would get him destroyed if Xemnas caught wind of it, so he was going to make it obtuse in case a Dusk was lurking somewhere.

He looked back up at the sky. "The moon is a fascinating thing, isn't it? It could certainly exist on its own, but the presence of its light is dependent on the sun." Glancing at Axel from his peripheral vision, he seemingly switched to an unrelated topic.

"You never paid much attention in school, so I wouldn't expect you to remember that most invasions occur because of collaborations between the invaders and people within the country. And of course, it has always been more valuable to have people within the inner workings of the society on the side of the invaders. The closer to the leader, the better. In fact, there were many cases where traitors within the system did what they had to in order to dispel any distrust from themselves and climb the ranks. After each case, the society, no matter how strong, would fall. It was inevitable. It sometimes even came down to said traitor killing the leader themselves in order to make the takeover far easier. Follwers without their leader is comparable to a chicken with its head cut off...but I digress. I have gone off on a tangent." He looked out again. His caution was almost paranoid, but paranoia was reasonable when there really could be an enemy behind any corner.

[Axel]

How Many Ways Can One Turn a Coat?

The setting was different, but this conversation was oh-so-familiar. Even the circumstances matched, though other members of the Organization might have also been aware of them this time. It had taken Zexion much convincing to see that Xemnas was a threat to the rest of them getting their hearts back. But Axel and Saïx had known long before. Perhaps it had something to do with them being the outsiders. The first six were the core group and had spent time around Xemnas for a while, even before becoming Nobodies. Well, they were blind if they believed Xemnas had nothing but their best interests in mind.

In a way, Axel was already guaranteed some inside help in the form of Zexion and Xigbar. But really, how much and what kind of help would those two offer him? Perhaps they could make sure he got into the castle without anyone noticing, but after that, he'd essentially be on his own. And unless he caught Xemmy by surprise, it was doubtful he could take him out single-handedly. He wasn't so self-assured that he didn't recognize that.

He, too, glanced up at the moon, similar in phase to the one he'd talked beneath with Zexion at the Dark Meridian. There was an obvious need for cryptic language, even if no eavesdroppers were visible. Once again, the moon was a very important topic of conversation. "Can the sun and the moon exist together again without eclipsing each other?"

When it came down to it, the memories of their friendship won out over any bargains, deals, or promises that connected Axel to the rest of the Organization. He knew well enough that Saïx wasn't playing at being buddy-buddy or anything. But to be honest, they knew each other better than anyone else in the Organization knew them. They had history, just like the first six had a history. And that history enabled them to work very well together.

"I haven't forgotten what's most important, either." He tapped a few fingers against his hollow chest. "The only reason I'm considering assisting in this dangerous prospect is to make sure we don't have a repeat of the events that led to the deaths of the rest of us before." He paused for a moment, considering Saïx. "But if the moon wishes to shine brighter, perhaps the sun can lend it some light. That combination might be more effective than anything a shadow walker could devise."

This was risky business, indeed. And much better than being bored.

[Slash]

A favorable alliance.

Saïx nodded. For some strange reason, he got the feeling that things were once again as they should be. Axel's help would be an incredible, almost vital, help to his plan. And his plan? To be quite frank, he was going to try and take the leading position in the Organization. Axel most likely knew that, but kept quiet about it. Would he object? Saïx didn't think so. He knew that Saïx would never stop pursuing his heart, and given a leading position would do everything to gain it back, which in turn would give the others their hearts. Besides, Axel wouldn't want to take over, so who would? Vexen would try, but that would be useless and his leadership would break the Organization completely.

Would Zexion try? Perhaps. But Saïx believed that, between himself and Zexion, Axel would take his side. They had the memory of a friendship, after all, while Zexion did not have that advantage.

"I believe that is quite possible, given the circumstances." He was aware that if he had emotions, a hint of a smile would have appeared on his face right now.

"Of course, in every uprising there is always loss of life. Tell me. Would the loss of a flower matter much? Or at all? I'd imagine not. A flower and its leaf...So easily cut." He was, of course, referring to Marluxia and Nyxar. If it could seem like he uprooted a plot to overthrow Xemnas, he could gain a small amount of precious trust.

[Axel]

Breaking the Leash

It was decided then. Axel would still continue to play Zexion's side for a while, as long as it remained profitable. So far, though, it had been anything but. Now that he thought about it, the only person in his partnership with the Schemer to have done anything significant had been Axel himself. He had played errand boy and gotten nothing out of it. Zexion had botched their plans at Castle Oblivion when he overstepped his limits. Illusions could only do so much against Sora, after all. And when that had happened, who had saved the Schemer's existence? The Flame had.

Helping Saïx take the Superior's chair in the Organization, however, would turn out to be much more profitable if, in the end, it got his heart back. Zexion might have been loyal to the idea of retrieving their hearts, but Axel knew that Saïx, as obsessive as he was, would not waver in the least from that goal. Others who might want to lead the Organization were far too easily distracted by power and the like.

It was obvious to Axel, just from that logic, who the better choice to support was. That didn't mean he would choose to alter that choice should the right circumstances arise. But the likelihood of that happening was slim.

"I don't think the Organization has much need for flowers or any of their offshoots. They aren't good for much else besides kindling." He smirked and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "Of course, I also hear about people flattening flowers to preserve them. Perhaps you'd like to 'preserve' a flower or two?"

[Slash]

Preserved flowers are nice.

Yes, everything was working well. He would kill Marluxia and Nyxar, and in doing so would carve out a better place for himself. Meanwhile, when reporting to Xemnas he would make sure he presented himself as being loyal. While pretending to be blindly loyal would be very suspicious, he was simply going to make it look as though he really believed that it was the only way to regain his heart, and that rebellion would just be a futile effort.

"Indeed, although I think these particular flowers sprout from a weed. I think I'll have to uproot it completely before flattening it." He moved outwards a little, still in Axel's view but slightly outside of the cave. This was partially because he wanted a better view of his surroundings.

There remained a slight chance, however, that Axel would betray him to Zexion. A slight one. While Saïx believed that Axel would usually take his side, he could not account for everything the Flame did. Perhaps Axel held some resentment against him. Saïx could not say that he would not do the same, provided he had emotions.

He had taken Roxas's side, after all. The plan had fallen through, because a Nobody had willingly given him the fake companionship he needed so that he could pretend he had a heart. That betrayal would probably always hold a place in the back of Saïx's mind.

And why had he done that? Saïx believed that it was because Roxas was so willing to feign a liking of Axel, to laugh even when he could not feel enjoyment. Axel found it endearing, Saïx found it annoying. Still, if he could have felt, he wouldn't have used Axel as violently as he did. But wasn't that the point? He had to do what he had to do.

He would never have done it if he was human, but he wasn't. A pity. And while concerned with old memories, he did the unthinkable- he feigned emotion. A single shard of fake regret slipped through before he could destroy it.

"Axel. What happened before, with Roxas, and what I did...I apologize. I didn't-"

He clamped his mouth shut. Stupid! How stupid. How pitiful. Why didn't he just produce some fake tears for the effect? It was all just a show, after all. All of it. Like actors on a stage. By pretending to be sorry, he had for a moment become a twisted mockery of what he used to be.

Idiot. You can't feel, so why should you care what he thinks? Why should you care about anything? Even if you have a reason, it doesn't matter. Because you can't care, even if you want to. He reprimanded himself violently. If he had emotion, he would be screaming at himself, but his mental voice never became passionate or loud. There were no emotions to make it so.

Look at yourself. You can't feel. Not even the slightest bit. Never pretend you can. Never.[/color] He forced himself to bring up all sorts of memories, ones that carried a wide array of emotions. He looked through them, one by one, pulled out the emotion that corresponded with it, then ripped said emotion apart. Over and over and over.

You have no heart. You can not feel. Remember that.[/color]

His face never changed its expression. It was an emotionless mask no matter what.

Finally, he had finished. He wouldn't make the mistake again. He was a Nobody, and would act like a Nobody. His mind was once again firmly on his goal, and would not waver.

"Or I would be. It doesn't matter." He dismissed it, the emotionless indifference in his voice even more prominent than usual in compensation for his previous mistake. He moved back to the previous topic of conversation.

"You can have a flower for kindling if you wish. But I wonder. War is often so polarizing. Between all the choices, I wonder what you would eventually choose. Illusions can be so convincing, after all." He moved a little farther out of the cave.

"The sun could do whatever it wishes, I'd imagine. Who can claim the loyalty of the sun? The moon would endure."

[Axel]

A Flicker

The idea of Saïx smashing Marluxia to pieces was more than a little appealing. Between the claymore and Axel's fire, he could think of a number of vivid ways to end the former Number Eleven. The next time they met Flower Boy, no amount of wide-eyed, innocent girls would keep him alive.

Saïx moved away from the cave entrance slightly to look around. He was probably still worried about being overheard by some wandering Dusk. Or worse. What if Zexion chose now to try getting in touch with him? This would be a difficult thing to explain away.

Oh, yeah, Zexion. I was just having a friendly chat with someone I sort of told you I hated, but now we're pals again. Oh, and he's going to kill you if you get in his way. And I plan to help, most likely. Yeah.

Perhaps the situation wasn't that extreme. Besides, he had to keep reminding himself that Saïx especially didn't bother with fake emotions. They weren't really friends again, because the feelings necessary for friendship weren't there. Only memories. But maybe that could be enough.

Then Saïx did the unthinkable. He threw Axel the biggest curve he probably could have thrown.

From where the Diviner stood, he might not have been able to see the full extent of what those words did to Axel. Fake though it may ultimately have been, shock was clearly written all over the Flame's face. Saïx was apologizing about all that stuff with Roxas? Where did this come from? Saïx never showed remorse in the slightest.

Yet, for a moment, he thought he could hear...

"Isa?" Tentative. He wouldn't move beyond a tentative utterance of that name. Ever. Not until the day he knew they both had their hearts back.

Thoughts were mingling too fast with memories. He needed to slow down. What if this was just a ploy used to further gain his loyalty? He couldn't overlook that possibility.

What the hell? Am I really that suspicious of everything?

Saïx snapped him back to reality again, brushing off the strange sentimental expression from a moment before as nothing. No, that couldn't be all there was to it. He had known for a long time that Saïx didn't approve of his getting close to Roxas. Why retract all of that animosity now?

As the Diviner switched back to a less sensitive subject now that he had regained his usual stoic demeanor, Axel pushed himself off his wall and also made his way away from the entrance. Breathing deeply of the night air, he stood a few paces away from Saïx and didn't look at him.

He was never big on grandiose declarations of loyalty. Those who played opposite sides so often simply got used to giving lip service to binding oaths and promises. Meanwhile, they were secretly plotting ways to use these alliances for their own personal ends. But in this case, both he and Saïx wanted the same thing. Their hearts. And Axel liked the idea of having, perhaps not a "friend" in that sense yet, but at least someone with whom he had a previous connection.

Plus, this way, things were far more interesting.

"The sun will do as it wishes." He paused and looked toward Saïx. "But it's more naturally drawn to the moon than to the shadow."

So sorry, Zexion.

[Slash]

Back to business.

Saïx faintly heard his old name, glanced briefly at Axel, then turned back. A response was not required, and besides, that wasn't his name anymore.

"Then it's settled. As much as it can be, at least."

Marluxia was first. In fact, it would be best if Saïx visited him as soon as possible. He wasn't sure how recently Axel had seen the Assassin at the Dark Meridian, but it would be a shame it he were to leave before Saïx could pay him a visit. Would Nyxar be there? If not, then Saïx would simply reveal Nyxar's plot and have him destroyed.

If Axel wanted to help kill them, he honestly had no objection at all to such a thing. It meant less energy expended on the flower.

"It would be a shame and a disappointment if flowers were to cease growing in the Dark Meridian. Perhaps I should make a visit there as soon as possible. If wou were to appear, I would not stop you."

Like all alliances between Nobodies, theirs was fragile, liable to shift and only held in place by each other's personal interest.
Saïx knew that very well, and accepted it. However, perhaps that would be enough.

How would this be implemented? Meetings would be difficult to arrange at best, and would be prone to leaks. Still, he would try. Perhaps one of the advantages that Saïx had over Zexion was that, compared to the Schemer, he was actually willing to take up a good share of the work instead of dumping absolutely everything on everyone else.

This was probably because he simply couldn't rely on others.

It didn't matter. As long as Axel could keep from doing anything too abysmally stupid, Saïx would be able to keep him alive while getting in a high enough position to cripple the Organization. Meanwhile, it would be a good idea to thin out the ranks, set loyal members against each other- but it was likely Zexion was already doing that. That was his specialty, after all.

[Axel]

First Steps

As much as Axel wanted to dig deeper into the reasons behind Saïx's rare display of emotion, he knew it would be fruitless at this point. It didn't matter, regardless. Axel would throw in his lot with the Diviner if it had to come down to a choice between him and Zexion. Well. Unless Zexion made a more convincing case. And that wasn't likely. The Schemer would have to do nothing short of produce Roxas in the flesh before Axel would put his completely undivided support behind him.

That was the nature of being who he was, always looking for the better deal, the better outcome for himself. It made for a lonely existence. No one could really trust you. Even Roxas had doubted him once. But trying to get Axel to change his ways was like trying to tell the sun to stop shining. It wasn't going to happen.

"It's been four days since I last saw any flowers. Not sure if they still bloom at the Dark Meridian."

Killing Marluxia was the first logical step. Flower Boy had made it no secret in their meeting that he was not remotely interested in rejoining the Organization. If Saïx put an end to him, he could easily gain credibility with the others. No one questioned Marluxia's status as a traitor, and no one, especially himself, would miss the pink-haired bore.

From there, they could make any number of moves. Going around killing members off one-by-one probably wouldn't be the wisest choice. But if certain members were persuaded to turn on each other, all the better. The remaining members of the original six were the biggest problem. They would all be more likely to side with one of their own if it came down to picking a new leader. Which left Axel and Saïx in a bit of a hole.

They could figure all that out after taking care of Marluxia and ensuring that Saïx had enough good standing on the inside to better orchestrate plans. The less suspicion cast upon the Diviner, the better.

"A trip back to those shores sounds refreshing. How soon do you expect to arrive?"

[Fate]

You Just Found Out-- Wait What?

All of the Organization members underestimated the tasks they gave to the Dusks when asked to deliver messages. They did not come with homing systems that allowed them to find other Nobodies quickly. This made it a little difficult and they had to spend quite a lot of time searching the universe to find whoever they were supposed to deliver the message too. This particular Dusk was now not particularly happy with its master; couldn't Zexion simply give it the world Axel was on? He actually had that ability. But no, of course he couldn't. He just sent the Dusk along and didn't bother saying "Oh, Axel is on this world".

Needless to say, if this Dusk could be angry, it would be at Zexion right now.

After searching for a good while across the universe, it finally stumbled upon Agrabah. It slithered through the air in its usual creepy fashion until it made its way to near the Cave of Wonders. Axel was there, thankfully, but so was another Nobody. The Dusk had to use its brain for a moment. Zexion didn't specify about whether or not to give this message to any other Nobody that might be with Axel at the time. It was Saïx after all, a loyal member. Though, Zexion did only say Axel, not mentioning anyone else...

It slithered through the air and approached Axel, settling a few feet in front of him. Axel wasn't exactly the nicest receiver of messages; this Dusk learned that a long time ago. "I have an important message from Number Six," it told him, "He wishes for me to tell you that he has met with Sora and Kairi and has gained the trust of both. Plans will be accelerating at this point. He also wished for me to tell you that he will be aiding you in the plan to dispose of Superior directly; though, it took him quite a long time to say all of that."

[/size]

[Slash]

Oh. A visitor.

"How fascinating," Saïx said.

There was a slight whooshing sound as Saïx summoned his claymore, swung it in a downward arc, and in doing so eliminated the Dusk with one blow. There wasn't even a body left to hit again- he had struck with such force that the Dusk had crumbled into nonexistence before he could even lift his claymore again. A one-hit kill, after all, assured that it could not escape.

He certainly wasn't going to let it go back to its master with the information that Saïx had been talking to Axel. It was nice to know of Zexion's plans, however.

"Zexion. Taking direct action. That's hardly likely." He looked down at the spot where the Dusk had been.

"Sora and Kairi...Interesting. Looks like you're going to be busy for a while, if plans have begun to accelerate. I'll be going to the Dark Meridian as soon as possible. Perhaps even immediately. Maybe we will meet there. If not, make sure you don't die. That would be a serious inconvenience."

With that rather enigmatic last bit, he disappeared in a Corridor of Darkness. Pressing business called.