Funeral for a Friend [Saïx]

[Axel]

Ain't No Sunshine
--------
[Timeline Note: July 19th]

When he finally lost any stamina remaining, Axel abruptly left the pathway he had opened in Enchanted Dominion. He was dumped into a different world, though the only thing he knew about it upon immediate arrival was that more rock was here. The surface he rolled across for a second was unfortunately hard and a tad gritty. He could smell the salt of the sea. It was dark here, but this wasn't the Dark Margin.

In fact, this enclosed area in which he found himself was illuminated by the full moon shining through large holes in the ceiling, creating pools of moonlight over the floor. Near the edge of one of these circles of pale light, Axel was tucked up against one of the walls forming this little moonlit nook. On his back, he could look up and see the night sky.

Here, he was alone, but he didn't mind that so much right now. He would need some time to recover from the serious injury he had endured at the hands of Lexaeus. Besides, he was supposed to make himself scarce now. If he was seen by anyone either with or close to the Organization, everything was blown. And he would have almost died for nothing.

Putting a hand on his chest, he cursed his lack of immediate healing abilities and tried his best to stop breathing so raggedly. Nobodies did not bleed, which meant they probably would not bruise, either. But even if the physical evidence of his pain was lacking, there was no escaping the agony that burned through every inch of him.

This better end up being worth it.

[Slash]

Saïx looked around. It would do him much credit to say that he instinctively knew Axel was here- far too much credit. He knew Axel was off dying somewhere, and would prefer to speak to him before he made it his business to disappear.

Port Royal. It was a decrepit, miserable place, and that was on good days. Luxord could be found here quite often. Saïx, however, did not visit it unless it was necessary. Like now.

At least the moon was up.

Saïx believed that Axel would not have appeared in the populated areas, so he went into the other part of the world- the caves. And sure enough, in the very hub of the caves was a weakened, suffering Axel.

That wasn't good. He didn't feel any sympathy for Axel's pain, not did he worry about the personal consequences of his former friend's possible death. If Axel died, though, then the plan would fall apart and he would be forced back into a subservient position to an incompetent leader for the incredibly slight chance of gaining his heart back.

"I see Zexion waited until the very last minute," he said, wondering if Axel was in any state to talk.

[Axel]

No. It's Not Just a Flesh Wound
--------

He could be seen by no one... except maybe Saïx.

When he first heard the approach of someone else, he immediately assumed the worst. Lexaeus had not been fooled, after all, and had tracked him here to finish the job for real. No Zexion was here to spare him a trip back into the darkness. He would leave this life as empty as he had returned to it.

His overly paranoid mind calmed perhaps just a little, though, when it was Saïx's voice he heard. Axel turned his head toward the sound and tried to suppress a grimace. Seeing the Diviner illuminated in the moonlight caused the paranoia to flare up for a second more. The loss of self-control beneath the moon wasn't automatic, Axel knew. But Beast's Castle was still fresh in his mind. If Saïx were to enter his berserked state now...

"We've got to stop meeting like this." He chuckled faintly. The Flame hoped that seeing Saïx only while on the brink of fading wouldn't turn into a recurring theme, anyway.

At the mention of Zexion, Axel narrowed his eyes, since that was about the only display of pretend fury available to him that didn't cause him extra pain. "Yes. Yes, he did, damn him." He turned his face back upward. "If I don't get a piece of Xemnas soon, I may just have to kill our dear Schemer again instead."

[Slash]

Kill the Schemer? I don't have a problem with that.

Axel was juggling two plans with two different people. And both had brought him near death, whether intentional or no. It's a dangerous game we're playing, Axel. I don't think anyone knows that better than you.

It was just like the Schemer to throw Axel into Lexaeus's path while continuing to work stealthily from the shadows. Certainly there was something to his method, but it lent no credit to Zexion's claims that he would help kill Xemnas.

"He said that he'd help kill Xemnas." He looked down at the horribly injured Nobody in front of him. "Not that I place much faith in the Schemer's word."

He looked around them. "This is an isolated place, but Luxord can be found in this world. It would be best to be somewhere else. But you're in no state for traveling. What did Lexaeus do to you before Zexion permitted you to leave?" It would have to be something quite powerful to reduce Axel to this. Saïx almost expected to see him fade at any second.

[Axel]

Small Confession
--------

Saïx voiced exactly the thoughts that had been rising steadily in the Flame's head. Even though Zexion had said he would offer direct help in killing Xemnas, the Schemer's actions so far had done nothing to convince Axel of that. He knew how the plan was supposed to work, but actually experiencing it was beginning to change his mind about certain things. Like trusting Zexion's sanity. For a moment there, he had thought the Schemer might actually watch him die.

"I'm starting to think I shouldn't place too much trust in it, either."

One thing was certain, though. Axel would not be moving any time soon. This was even worse than Beast's Castle. Saïx mentioned Luxord, and that made a light-bulb go off in the Flame's head. "Oh, yeah, um... I'd be careful of Luxord if I were you. I think he knows we've been meeting. I might have... run into him in Traverse Town after we killed Axas."

He really didn't want to recall in great detail what Lexaeus had thrown at him, so he made it as simple and short as possible. "There were a lot of rocks involved. And some earthy shockwaves. And there was a wall--that wasn't you--that I became good friends with. And then he topped it all off with a rock slide. Yeah, it was great. Great fun."

[Slash]

You...ran into him?

Saïx nodded at Axel's description of everything that had happened. Ignoring the wall comment, he said, "It must have been convincing...but still..."

But something else was bothering him more. Axel had mentioned running into Luxord. That wasn't necessarily bad in itself- Saïx didn't associate much with the Gambler, but he knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't start a fight with the Flame unless he absolutely had to. But how could Luxord know about their meetings?

"Ran into him...You should elaborate. What exactly took place? Certainly he couldn't have deduced that just from seeing you."

Most likely Axel had done something stupid. In fact, Saïx firmly believed that he had done something stupid. Who else had he 'ran into'? Demyx? Xigbar? Few members of the Organization would report them, but letting anyone know of their plot introduced far too many complications and possible threats.

It would be like Axel not to realize this. He was already branded a traitor, so he had less to lose. Besides, he was considered favorably by a good deal of the Organization members. He'd be fine if the plan was revealed. Saïx...not so much.

[Axel]

I Suppose an Explanation is in Order
--------

Honestly, Axel wasn't quite sure how to elaborate. He could only remember bits and pieces of his meeting with the Gambler. What all had he said? "I went to Traverse Town, because Zexion told me Vexen was going to be there. And he gave me leave to do as much damage to Vexen as I possibly could, just so I would be enough of a threat to the Organization that he could send Lexaeus to kill me."

With a deep grimace, Axel sat up and shifted to lean his back against the rock wall. There was a noticeable difference in his current level of pain, so maybe it wouldn't be too much longer before he could move from here. Death wasn't waiting for him just around the corner anymore.

"Before I found Vexen, though, I found Luxord. He was less interested in killing me and more interested in sharing a few drinks." He knew he had done a lot of talking that night. Subjects of conversation floated just outside his grasp. "But I don't think I said anything about you at all. I said I killed Axas. But I didn't say anything about you being there. And then we talked about how much of a club the Original Six are. And then I talked about..." He hesitated only for a moment. "Roxas."

He quickly left that subject behind and cast his eyes off to the side. "After that, I don't remember much of anything until I woke up the next day. That's when I found and attacked Vexen. But he ran off, and Luxord showed up again. That's when he told me I had said too much the night before." He shook his head slowly. "I know I didn't say anything about you. But he also said he wasn't going to get involved because whatever I was planning involved you. And he would rather not get on your bad side."

His eyes went back to the Diviner. "He left without doing anything else. And then I followed Vexen back to the Castle. And that's where you came in. That answer your question?"

[Slash]

Yeah, It Does

So it wasn't that bad, then. Foolish, yes, but not horrible. Luxord would stay quiet and no one else knew. Vexen probably had his suspicions, but nothing that could be acted on. Besides, it was almost time. They'd wait until Axel was recovered enough to fight, and then...

"I see." He noticed that Axel was moving around a little easier. He recovered quickly, apparently.

Saïx figured that Axel should know what was going on in the Castle. He was going to be in the dark completely for a while.

"Xemnas is complacent. I doubt he has realized anything. Most of the others either don't know anything is happening or have a vague idea, but do not care. I believe Vexen is suspicious, but he can be ignored for now. He has nothing solid to work with."

Was there anything else? Oh, yes. The new Number Twelve. Aixfeur, was it?

"There's also been a new Number Twelve introduced since Axas's death. She is different from the other ones. Far more quiet. She's got some power, but I doubt she'll enter in the fight on either side."

That was everything, if he remembered correctly. He doubted anything significant besides that was going to happen.

[Axel]

Pain is Such an Inconvenience
--------

It was unsurprising that Xemnas seemed oblivious. That was his trademark. Probably why he liked to monologue about pointless stuff all the time. Insecurity would do that to some people.

"Vexen isn't a problem, no. Given the choice between Vexen and us, I think most of the others would choose us." Not that anyone outside of Luxord knew Axel and Saïx were working together. Zexion especially had better not know. Things might get awkward then. As far as the Schemer was concerned, Axel harbored nothing but hatred for the Diviner.

The news that there was a new member to replace Axas already piqued Axel's curiosity. "They don't waste any time, do they?" At least Saïx said this new member was nothing like the previous Number Twelves. Thank Kingdom Hearts for that.

"And you're sure she won't do anything to interfere? Because that could end up being very bad for her." It was no secret that Axel could be ruthless when he wanted to be. He might have a tendency to let the echoes of compassion affect his judgment, but when he fully left behind all moral boundaries, whoever was in the way paid a heavy price. And killing Xemnas would involve discarding all ideas of mercy.

He thought he heard something nearby, but he didn't pay any attention to it. This world was known for its pirates, and they were probably out and about plundering the nearby town or something.

"So when do we finally get to kill him? And does he know I'm dead?" He couldn't wait to show up and burn that look of superiority off Xemmy's face.

[Slash]

Soon. Don't worry.

Axel inquired about the new member's neutrality. "I doubt she will. She doesn't seem to have any real opinion on anyone, but I imagine if she'd side with anyone it would be Zexion. He found her and begun the meeting himself. What Zexion does with her is up to him."

Then Axel asked the real question- when was Xemnas going to die?

"First, you need to heal. Then...I don't know when Zexion intends to carry out his scheme. It'd be possible to kill Xemnas before Zexion's plan goes into action. But that might be risky."

He looked up at the moon through the hole in the ceiling. "If I have to, I'll contact Zexion and try to compromise. But I'd rather not- although the Schemer could have some use."

[Axel]

Decisions, Decisions
--------

Assured of the new member's non-threatening status, Axel moved on to more important thoughts. It would probably be best to stick to Zexion's plan. Whatever that was. Come to think of it, Zexion had yet to mention anything about a specific plan for the actual killing of Xemnas. Just how was the Schemer envisioning all of this going down?

"Zexion does things on his own time and usually ends up making me wait." Except with sending Lexaeus after him. That had happened surprisingly quickly. Or perhaps not so surprisingly.

He supposed he did need to wait until he could move without grimacing. It would be best to go into a fight with Xemnas at full-strength, after all. He was going to be pushing his limits already, even uninjured. "I would give it a few days. If Zexion hasn't contacted me by then, maybe you should say something."

He thought for a moment. "Although... if you keep playing loyal to Xemmy, there will be an added element of surprise if you turn on him. And that could make a difference."

[Slash]

Time will tell.

"Continuing to fool Xemnas for a while longer would be the ideal course of action," Saïx said, "But I would not persist in taking it to the point where I'd stand by and watch Zexion fail because of his haste."

There was also the chance- faint, but there- that he would succeed, leaving Saïx in a disadvantageous position. Besides...

Besides, if anyone was going to kill Xemnas, it should be him. He wouldn't admit that this was a substantial part of his reasoning, but it was nonetheless. He was the one who had to carry out Xemnas's orders, the one who had to hear every idiotic detail of the incompetent leader's plans, the surrogate who did the work and watched the other Organization members while the Superior slept.

"We will have to see what occurs. If I get any definite information, I shall attempt to contact you again." He turned away. "I should be getting back to the Castle now. Xemnas probably doesn't find it suspicious that I left shortly after you 'died', but I'm not going to take my chances."

He breathed in the salty air of this world. Axel was still going to have to relocate somewhere isolated. Where could he go? Atlantica was isolated, but that was because just the thought of that world was enough to make any Organization member cringe. Axel wouldn't ever go there. Hm...

"The best world to hide in would be Deep Jungle." Saïx would make sure that there weren't any missions there, although there never really were anyway.

And without any sort of pretend sympathy for Axel's injuries or the monotony he was going to face while going incognito, Saïx left.