Lost Sheep [Luxord, Alanix]

[Nothingness]

August 6^th

"Another, if it doesn't trouble you, barkeep." Luxord said, rolling his wrist dramatically over an empty wine glass. Disappointment would probably be the simplest way to describe the way he was feeling. "No, this is just a simple trick of the alcohol." He hadn't gotten his heart back--no, not yet. Luxord had been having to remind himself of this fact ever since the battle-less battle at the Graveyard. He couldn't help but think that the more he drank the more he'd believe he still had a heart.

He kept pondering the thought, his concentration eventually being broken by the bartender flipping Luxord's empty glass upside down and telling him emphatically that he'd had more than enough for ten men twice his size. "Very well," he sighed, flipping a coin onto the counter, "Until next time."

Luxord hadn't even realized how much time had passed while he was inside the bar: it was bright and breezy outside, the air filled with the fresh scent of the sea. Shading his eyes from the glare of the sun, he walked over to a bridge overlooking the ocean and propped his elbows on the edge of it. "How strange. I've lost concept of time." He laughed at the irony. Perhaps someone would free him from this endless loop of drinking and contemplating. Anything or anyone would most certainly do.

[Aerith]

What to do next?
--------

The sand between her bare toes was nice, and coupled with the sun beaming down from above, a pleasantly warm tingle traveled over her skin. The smell of salt water hung in the air. No matter where she went in this place, she could not escape the scent. It only became mingled with other scents, mostly the sharpness of alcohol or perfume, depending on what part of town you found yourself in.

At this point, Alanix was hanging onto the Organization by a very thin thread, a thread that was probably going to snap any second. It no longer mattered that it was run by men. The entire idea of putting together a group of conniving Nobodies who had no moral foundation was asking for failure. Working together required trust, which none of them would do, except for a couple of exceptions. Axel and Saïx seemed to trust each other, as did Aixfeur and Vexen.

Did she trust any of them? She really had no idea. Outside of Lexaeus, she had not had an extended conversation with any of them. And now Lexaeus was gone. She had thought she might have been able to trust the Hero. So much for that.

The problem with leaving the Organization was that Alanix had no idea how to go about regaining her heart. She knew she still wanted it. But when she did get it back... what then? Her world was in ruins. There was nothing to return to and pick up the pieces of her life from before.

Such a bother. Lexaeus is gone, I doubt I can stay with what remains of the Organization, and the Champion seems to have vanished forever.

Perhaps if she went back to the End of the World, she would find something. The Champion had to be somewhere.

[Slash]

We know not.

[/center]

Lethe and Kyza followed closely behind their mistress. They did not know where she was going- in fact, they did not know anything about what she would do now that the other Nobodies had begun to fall apart.

Something had to be done, though. They would not return to a life without purpose.

Lethe raised her head in the air. "Another one...There's another greater Nobody nearby."

They walked towards the source, moving a little ahead of the mistress, and saw a blond-haired man standing on a bridge.

Lethe turned her head to watch the mistress as Kyza warily observed the blond-haired man, ready to defend everyone if need be.

[Nothingness]

En Passant, Yes?

Having been preoccupied by watching a small school of fish dart and weave in the water, it wasn't until he looked up that Luxord even noticed the Organization member that had arrived. Mischief glinted in his eye--something that hadn't happened in a while. "That game is afoot!" It seemed that his prayers had been answered, and as any gambler knows, one should push their luck as far as they're willing to take it when they have everything to give.

Removing himself from the bridge, he walked down the road and onto the beach, stopping a few yards off to the side of Alanix. "Mademoiselle, what brings you to such a virile locale?" He smiled coyly as he said this.

Pacing around to her front, he tilted his head slightly, and looked at her with playfully narrowed eyes. "I am assuming that they're no closer to reaching the pot than before, yes? Still stuck at the ante?" Bringing a hand to his chin, he stroked his goatee thoughtfully. "If so, then what brings you to this table? I see nary a high-roller present. Except for myself, that is."

[Aerith]

Unexpected company?
--------

The accent of that voice was unmistakable, and Alanix hardly needed to guess who it might be. Though she had not known Luxord for more than a few hours before he left the Organization, she had found him to be one of the more pleasant members. Not that that said too much of course, considering his competition.

"Why am I here? I don't believe that's any of your concern."

She met his eyes unwaveringly. "As for your other question, they are falling apart. Lexaeus has left, as well. Now, they are essentially leaderless. And even if they finally did decide on a leader, there is hardly anything left to lead."

Casting her gaze to the side, she continued. "It is a great mess, and the larger it grows, the smaller the chances become of any of us regaining our hearts."

[Nothingness]

'Tis a Pity

Luxord listened to her words, taking note of every minute facial expression and gesture, stroking his goatee. There was something interesting about her; something fresh and new. Nothing malleable, but definitely someone he could enjoy having fun with. Well, 'having fun at her expense' would more accurately describe his feeling towards her.

"You know," he began, clasping his hands behind his back and pacing in front of her, "You can tell a lot about a person by how they answer what questions. For my first question, your answer was rather curt--a personal issue. And yet, for my second question..." His voice trailed off as stopped and turned his back to her, though slightly turning his head. "For my second question, where a simple 'yes' or 'no' would suffice, you gave me a full answer. That tells me it's impersonal, and that it doesn't particularly matter to you, thus, it's not a question I find worth pursuing."

Drawing his deck of cards out, he began shuffling them between his hands, walking around her like an interrogator would when probing a suspect for answers. "However, you also continued to answer, even! Not only that, you averted your eyes, so, while the situation is impersonal, the outcome, however, is very important all the same."

He stopped shuffling the cards and looked at her dead in the eyes. "So, what exactly do I mean by all this?" Lifting the deck above his head, he flicked all of the cards directly into the air and spread them all over the sand, where they promptly vanished into thin air. "Absolutely nothing!" He laughed a little, smacking his knee for good effect. "I do quite believe they've found themselves a new gambler in you, my dear! In fact, if you're curious, I have just the perfect idea for us..."

[Aerith]

And what might that be?
--------

Luxord's theatrics were simultaneously amusing and off-putting. She understood his title better, what with all the cards and the gaming imagery he liked to use.

"Oh? You have some idea? I should hope it doesn't involve any of your lewd fantasies."

Truth be told, she could remember what those feelings were like, but trying to emulate them now that she could not truly feel seemed almost like a transgression against the feelings themselves. Besides, Luxord was nothing like Owen had been. There would be no other connection besides their mutual lack of hearts.

[Nothingness]

Are We Playing the Same Game?

"Ma cherie, you seem to misinterpret my hand!" Luxord chuckled, somewhat offended at her words. "I was merely suggesting that you and I entertain ourselves for a while with a rousing," with a flick of his wrist, a rolled up sheet up paper slipped out. "Treasure hunt!"

He was beaming at her with a suave, though clearly mischievous, grin. "'Tis as much a gamble as any hand in poker. Equal amounts of luck and skill required. To fail is to find only disappointment--something we needn't worry about--but to succeed is to find riches beyond our dreams! Besides," quickly changing his tone to one of a mysterious, all-knowing sort, "Sometimes jewels aren't all that are buried."

[Aerith]

Let me introduce you.
--------

Alanix arched a quizzical eyebrow. "A treasure hunt? If not jewels, then what sort of treasure? I've hardly any use for material wealth."

For someone claiming to be so observant, Luxord apparently missed her two Heartless companions. Either that, or he was as one-track-minded as she had originally suspected. An odd thought to have about another Nobody.

Her eyes went to the Heartless. "Lethe, Kyza. Do you think I should trust anything this Nobody says?"

The question was mostly rhetorical, and she gave Luxord a mischievous glance of her own. "Ah. Have you not noticed them, Gambler? What if I had given them orders to kill anything that approached me, hm?"

[Nothingness]

A Bit of Wisdom

"Ah, mon ami, not all that glitters is gold. Treasure comes in all forms. Sometimes the material, sometimes the immaterial. If you treasure certain memories, then they are treasure to none but you, yes?" He had stopped looking at Alanix and was now facing the sea. The sheer expanse of it--finite in logic, but infinite in perception--always gave him a sense of awe, heart or not. Infinite possibilities across an infinite horizon. Ineed, there was hope to be found in it.

Luxord smiled as well, though not turning to face Alanix. "Should your pair have attempted to harm me, I can assure you that my four of a kind would've beaten you three." As if to drive the point home, not all of the cards had vanished and returned to Luxord when he made his little show. The sharpened edges of four cards jutted out of the sand around Alanix's feet. "Misdirection, my dear, is an invaluable art." Whirling around dramatically, he swept and arm upwards and all four cards returned to him.

Fanning himself with them, he dropped the serious-act and laughed. "Remember that riddle I quizzed you with when you joined?" Throwing the four cards behind him to form a chair, he leaned back and crossed his legs, giving her the same coy smile from before. "Just because my words may make nonsense now, don't believe that they still will later." Leaning forward, he clasped his hands together and looked at the two Heartless this time. "So, may your charge and I go seek wealth for the souls we still retain? Assuming you in fact do want to, mademoiselle?"

[Aerith]

Fine. I'll play your game.
--------

Alanix was unfazed by the cards that sliced up through the sand. Instead, she smiled in return. "Ah, but had you been here to lay this trap before you saw me, knowing exactly where I would stand? I did not say that I would give them orders to attack you well after you and I had started this lovely conversation."

Her smile faded a little, and she looked out to sea. "As long as you don't harm me, however, I won't attempt to harm you. Truthfully, I am not so violent a person as to seek a fight with anything and anyone that crosses my path."

To defend herself, she would have no qualms about striking back. Pacifism was a thing left far behind in the dust of her former life.

"Very well, then. I have nothing else pressing to do. What is this treasure we're hunting?"

[Nothingness]

I Don't Know

Luxord didn't respond to her claim about the "flaws" in his plan. He simply gave her his usual smile and turned back around. One should never be revealing all the aces up their sleeve on the first meeting.

Hearing her accepting his offer, he whirled around on a heel and clapped his hands together. "Perfect! We shall need to commandeer a ship, first. Preferably an empty one. And as for what the treasure is, well, how should I know? It's buried in the far-off soil of a foreign land. The fun is in finding it!"

[Aerith]

You have nothing better to do, I see.
--------

Alanix arched an eyebrow. "You mean steal a ship? Why can't you simply open a Corridor to wherever we're going?"

Was he really so bored that he would waste time bothering with something as trivial as sea-travel? What an odd Nobody.

[Nothingness]

Dear Me...

"Why not steal a ship?" Luxord was incredulous, even though he could understand that to the other Nobodies, time wasn't such a minor inconvenience. Still, he could remember from his childhood, all those stories and shows about pirates and buried treasure. Everyone had that 8-year old self in them. Why not live it out when you've got the time?

Regardless, he had to come up with one of his witty phrases. "There's no treasure worth finding that doesn't take effort to find." Walking over to her, he put an arm round her shoulder and gestured to all the boats at the dock. Like an eager salesman he played up her choice of boats. "So, which boat would you like best?"

[Aerith]

...Why are you touching me?
--------

The first thought that crossed her mind was that Luxord was touching her. Worse, he was touching her like he did not care if she minded or not. Such audacity.

The second thought that crossed her mind was that he must be insane to think the two of them could steal a ship all by themselves. And yet, if she had possessed a heart, it would be quickening its pulse right about now. Was this a sense of adventure in the air?

"All right. I will humor you. How about that one?"

She indicated one of the larger vessels, an elaborate affair of glossy dark wood and gold trimmings. Though currently furled, the sails were obviously black in color. How intriguing. The other ships in the harbor all had white sails.

"But do you think we can 'borrow' it all by ourselves?"