Long Time No See. Thankfully. [Open to Organization Members]

How many days had it been? The Graceful Assassin had lost count for what felt like a year ago, but he was certain it couldn't have been nearly that long. A few days at the most, though his concept of time had been thrown out the window. The natural balance of things had been disrupted and, contrary to what was expected, he was not delighted to be given another chance at life. In fact, being regarding as nothing more than nothing had made things quite easy on him. He didn't have to think, he didn't have to fool himself into "feeling," and he sure as hell didn't have to put up with annoying little keyblade runts. 

The tall man had been meandering throughout the castle for what had felt like forever, and he had yet to run in to anyone that he had been in the Organization with just yet. Whether it be that they simply hadn't appeared yet, hadn't come back here, or simply had not reformed at all, the alone time was comforting and rejuvenating. It was definitely necessary, as Marluxia had been taking the time to simply sit back and reflect on all of the things that had obviously happened. Ever since his disappearance at Castle Oblivion at the hands of Sora, it seemed that so much had gone down here. It wasn't just he and the others in the midst of those white halls that had suffered the fate - it appeared as though the rest of them had, as well. 

Serves them right. 

Marluxia opened the door that he had been traveling to, looking both left and right, making absolutely sure that there was, indeed, no one following him. Of course there wouldn't be - the castle had been essentially abandoned. At least, that was what he thought. The pink-haired assassin made his way into the room, the sweet scent of his creations flowing through his olfactory senses and making him relax, a gentle smile appearing on his lips, one that others would probably never see come out of him. The room was humid and warm, though it was much different than the rest the Castle. Surrounding him was a wide variety of plants, growing and prospering in the hot temperatures. It was here that Marluxia felt as ease and at peace - he didn't have to worry about anything else. 

"You are all looking wonderful." He spoke to the plants, knowing that, in a weird way, they heard him and appreciated him. The area wasn't a big one, though it was full of different pathways, though there was a center where it was nothing but the usual gray flooring. He had been able to clear that away and replace it with fertile soil (Xemnas didn't need to know about that. Nor did anyone else, really) by using his natural ability. He came in here to water these plants regularly, which was what he was doing, now. Marluxia picked up a large watering can which he had already filled the day before, and began his work - if it could even be called that. 

Droplets of water rained down all over, hydrating the foliage, flowers moving from the weight and bouncing back to their regular placement. That smile of Marluxia's refused to fade, whatever happiness was still inside of him from his human life shining - he didn't recall much from those times, but he did know that he shared the same passion. Once he was finished watering his "friends," the eleventh member leaned down to see a few buds, almost ready to bloom but having some problems doing so without proper sunlight. Unfortunately, the world outside of the castle lacked such as well, so Marluxia had taken it all upon himself to nurse these plants to full life - it was a responsibility, but one that he enjoyed to the fullest extent. Holding out his hand, he concentrated his energy into the buds on his fingers, watching as they opened up to create beautiful, yellow and white flowers. 

"See? I knew you could do it. You're beautiful." His voice was warm and gentle, sounding much different than when he spoke to actual people. 

The Flurry groaned and rolled over. He didn't want to get up yet. It was so nice to be able to do as he pleased. The Organization had demanded much of his time, though he rarely gave all his attention to what they wanted. Now, there was nothing stopping him from doing whatever he wanted. The redhead had been back just long enough that he was beginning to make his own routine now.

He was able to sleep in late, take naps, and go wander the worlds whenever he liked. There was no agenda other than that of finding the others and trying to find answers as to why they were back. It was nice to be his own boss without the annoyance of someone else trying to order him around. However, it was annoying when Assassins tried to wake him up before he was ready.

They were right though. The lesser Nobodies had become his sentries. They patrolled the castle silently, reporting back to him when something was amiss. Axel had caused enough trouble when he had been around last time that he didn't want any surprises. Also, he didn't want to risk Roxas' safety in case he became a targeted Key bearer again. So, makeshift guards that could travel silently about the castle.

Now, he was roused because someone else was in the oversized, and very empty house. If it had been Roxas, the Assassin wouldn't have bothered since the blond had no problems wake him himself. This person didn't seem to realize that there was another occupant behind the closed doors. With another grumble of dissatisfaction, the fire starter rolled out of bed, grabbing black tank top to pull over his bare torso. It matched the soft black pants he had bought to expand his all leather wardrobe.

Axel stepped out of his room, feet shuffling over the tiled floor as he listened for movement. There were quiet sounds to follow, a gentle murmuring that was clearly not meant for other people to hear. He padded quietly to an open door, peering inside to see what danger lurked around the corner.

Well, he wasn't sure if this was dangerous or not. Marluxia wasn't exactly known for being nice and his plants were a weapon if he so willed it. However, Pinky wasn't exactly looking very scary right now. When the hell had he put a green house in the castle? Is this why no one's seen your room? He questioned, stepping into the garden carefully. He was very mindful of where he placed his feet, bright green eyes that matched the foliage wandering over all the colorful flora.

Welcome back, Marly, Axel said distractedly. Seriously, how had no one ever known about this? Did Larxene, maybe? She was the only one that had been close enough to the pink haired assassin to perhaps be let in on this. Seriously, this is ... impressive. The Flurry wasn't really sure if the garden itself was more impressive, or the fact that he had hidden it from everyone for so long.

Is this why no one's seen your room?

To think, things had been peaceful around here long enough for Marluxia to get spoiled off of the alone time. Personal space was something that he valued above just about everything else, and being alone with his creations was all he really needed to be happy - but now someone was here to disrupt that peace, and he could identify the voice even if it was just a remnant in the back of his mind. He recalled the battle that he had shared with this specific Nobody, how they seemed to be equally matched until Marluxia felt it was time to end it by simply retreating to focus more on the situation at hand. This traitor had let Namine free, which was the downfall of his plot, and it was because of Axel, pretty much single-handedly, that his plan to take over the Organization had failed.

But now he was treating him like some sort of buddy-buddy pal? This was disgusting, in more ways than one, but something else crossed the Assassin's mind - did all of that truly matter anymore? The Organization was done. There was no reason to harbor negative feelings toward anyone because of the things that had transpired within it. Maybe if things had gone differently in Castle Oblivion it would have turned out better for all of them, but it was over, and he couldn't change the past. He had to deal with what he had been handed and see what would happen in the near-distant future.

Marluxia rose to his full height, hearing the shuffling of feet, meaning that the redhead behind him was moving closer. That caused his stomach to clench and his jaw to do the same; he didn't enjoy whenever people invaded is personal bubble.

He took a deep breath and he turned around, brilliant blue eyes fierce with intimidation, though it was with Axel that this trait about him never seemed to work; which was annoying. But he wasn't going to be focusing on that right now - right, he was trying to be friendly. Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean, anyway.

"I know." He simply responded when the Flurry was finished talking, already taking off to water a different section of his garden, knowing that the plants would appreciate the dampened soil much more than anything else. "I kept this room from everyone because if word got to Xemnas, things wouldn't have been pretty." Maybe it was easiest to just keep small-talk initiated like this and avoid talking about what had happened in the forgetful walls of the whitewashed castle.

"What are you doing here, mind my asking?" He was speaking without even looking at the other, probably subconsciously because he didn't even want to give him that much satisfaction of holding a decent eye-to-eye conversation. "I'm guessing that you reformed here - like myself." Marluxia finished watering the foliage, setting the watering can down on the table in the middle of the circular clearing, though he didn't stop to continue the exchange. If Axel wished to respond, then he would do so without that decency.

"Is your little key-runt here, too?"

Axel glanced at the pink haired Nobody, tracking his progress around the garden. He was playing this all off as if nothing had happened between them. The fire starter had been sent into Marluxia's "ranks" to keep an eye on them and remove the traitors of the true Organization. He had done that wonderfully and potentially made an enemy. At the time, there hadn't been reason to worry since it didn't look like anyone was going to come back. Those Keyblades were supposed to be pretty final.

Now, while wary, he didn't see much point in worrying since this was almost like a fresh start. Axel was able to do whatever he pleased, not that he had been deterred before. However, he didn't have to think about Saix and their forgotten plan to take over themselves. He didn't see a reason to stop Marluxia in whatever plans he was going to conceive. Lastly, what the hell was he going to bring everyone back to? He didn't have to be a blood hound, tracking down foxes and dragging them back to master.

It was liberating to know that there were options now and Xemnas couldn't retaliate against them right now. If he came back as well, he would have one hell of a time putting them all back in line. He scoffed quietly at the thought. Pinky had to reason to hide his garden anymore. Anyone could wander in here and not care.

What am I doing in your room? Admiring your handiwork. I found out somewhat was lurking and decided to check it out, He replied, putting his hands behind his back, he leaned in to examine one patch of flowers in particular. I woke up on the damn couch. Not a restful place to nap. He gave a sniff of distaste and moved on. There were buds here that he hadn't seen before. It was interesting to look at all the new shapes and colors that filled the room.

Perhaps he was going to have to do some research on them to better be able to deal with the Assassin. It was always good to be armed. He would be able to better protect himself and Roxas just in case. The eleventh member didn't seem the type to let transgressions such as his drop easily. The kid is out right now. Lucky for you, he got yanked out and left Sora alive so you get your rematch. Maybe if he redirected any residual anger Marluxia might have to the person that took him out, he might survive a little longer.

"Ah, you started off much better than I." He stated, walking to the other side of the "clearing," examining all of the plants and making sure they all lived up to his expectations and, just as he had expected, all of them did without question. Plants were dependent upon him, and though they were so heavily dependent, they were precious to him and much more worthy of his attention than any of the Nobodies he had been forced to be around for so long - except for Larxene. She always took the time to ask questions about him (as poisonous as they were) and wouldn't complain to his orders. She seemingly was always on his side no matter what and didn't oppose against him wanting to assume a position of power.

"I woke up in the street. I had opened my eyes, and unfortunately, I was brought back to this hellhole." The pink-haired Nobody squatted down again, thankful that his Organization cloak wasn't in the way to his movement; he had left it in his main room, wearing a white vest with his black pants - he was always a fan of delightful color contrast. "I came back here and immediately took a shower. I felt horrid." He didn't even want to think about that day, how disgusting he had felt with all of the dirt and grime clinging to his skin, as well as his hair being an absolute ratty mess. He suppressed a shudder. Ugh.

What was said next did a little more than pique his interest. So, Roxas had joined with Sora again, and now they were separated? Funny - isn't this how all of it started? There was a big difference this time around, however - Xemnas was nowhere to be seen. An idea then struck his mind, causing his blue eyes to widen in the slightest, his gaze fixated upon nothing before a devious smile came in to play on his features. Marluxia had spent too long cowering in the shadows attempting to take the leadership role. It was time to start over anew, this time going about things much differently. Kingdom Hearts would be theirs, not Xemnas' alone.

"It seems as though new beginnings are happening everywhere we turn." The Assassin raised back up to his full height, speaking without turning. "Including here." It was then that Marluxia turned his whole body, examining the redhead across the way carefully, scanning him up and down, though he knew what the Flurry looked like all too well. "What if I told you I could give you a second chance to prove yourself to me?" The embodiment of grace began to walk towards the fiery individual, stopping only when they were literally inches away from each other, brilliant sapphires boring deep into blazing emeralds.

"If I started anew in this castle and assumed position as Superior, would you follow me, Axel? You haven't anyone to betray me with now, so you are no threat anymore. I plan to form Kingdom Hearts for the good of all of us. Xemnas isn't here to use it for anything other than that." There was obvious hatred hiding in his tone, though he tried his best to remain calm.

"Unless you want to try and deter us from getting our hearts back." He raised his eyebrows questioningly, almost as though he were challenging the other to fight back. "Then, by all means, ignite.

Axel wrinkled his nose a little as Marluxia said he had woken up in the street. The world below was grimy. He enjoyed that it was a little more modern than everywhere else. It stuck to its dark palate rather than the light grey blandness of the castle. To him, the world said that it wanted to be considered to have a "night life" vibe. It failed marvelously, but it tried. The only things it needed were to get cleaned up a little, and, most importantly, people.

Sadly, they were the closest things to people around here and no one would willingly travel to this hell hole. They were the only ones dumb enough to stick around. Maybe that could change. As Pinky said, there were new starts everywhere. They were allowed that, weren't they? First they had been given the chance to change things for themselves. Well, they were supposed to be able to do that. Xemnes had always had other plans, but he had created a small illusions to do so.

Now, they were given a third opportunity at life and to change their fates. He wasn't sure that he could stand to follow Marluxia though. He had hated that he had to follow the Superior. He had done a lot of behind the scenes work that went against everybody. The Flurry of Dancing Flames was not a sheep. He did not take orders easily and would not allow number eleven to rule over his life. He would be back to snatch and grabs all the time again.

The redhead gave an exaggerated thoughtful sound, stepped toward a new patch of garden he hadn't examined yet. Follow sounds so subservient, He sneered, lightly tracing a finger over the petals of one flower in particular. It was lovely to look at. The vibrancy of the color was very attractive compared to the rest of the castle. I will help. I might even be willing and able to convince the kid as well. There will be conditions, of course, He said, allowing that he might be interested in being a part of this new Organization. His heart was important to him. He wanted one very badly, but that didn't mean that he was going to simply kneel down to any that offered a chance at once.

It was much like dealing with Maleficent. He had offered to her to work in trade. He gave her aid when she needed it, but he reserved the right to request things of her as well. Axel worked for himself and no one else. He had his own goals to work for and keeping an eye on everyone played to his advantage. So, he would help to keep in their good graces and be allowed access to things he might not otherwise be privy to. I won't ask a lot, but this is a new start. You are better than Xemnas so if we can come to an understanding, my fire is yours. Axel turned around, an easy smile on his face that would put most people at ease. He also extended his hand. A handshake was always the best way to seal a deal. Surely with enlightened individuals as themselves, that would suffice to begin their "partnership."

Whether Marluxia liked it or not, Axel was a valuable asset to whatever he was trying to accomplish here, now that Xemnas had fallen. Not only was he good in battle with his everlasting flames, but he was stubborn, tactical, and witty. He had proven to be sneaky during their "adventures" at Castle Oblivion, but that was because the redhead was so focused on doing what Xemnas willed, considering he had promised all of them their hearts back. Unfortunately, Marluxia was seemingly the only one who had noticed that both he and Saix were doing the exact opposite of what they were all fighting for. Not only was it a slap in the face, but it was a punch in the jaw with titanium knuckles.

Thankfully, however, things had worked in his favor this time, and the eighth member's help had been granted to his disposal. He crossed his arms slowly and gave a nod of affirmation, a smile filled with contentment playing upon his features.

"Oh, I know I'm better than that deceitful traitor. To think, he had the nerve to call me as such." Marluxia said more to himself, turning away and moseying towards the door, motioning with his hand for the other to follow him. When Axel had left the "greenhouse," the assassin closed the door behind the two of them, then making his way to the kitchen. The best way to discuss business matters was always over a piping hot cup of tea, he figured. Luxord wasn't here to make it the way he did (it was always the best), but Marluxia had come close to mimicking the recipe. When the two husks were occupying the empty room, the pink-haired grace reached up into the cupboard, pulling out a box of tea that had remained relatively untouched. What a shame - with all of the work that had to be done as soon as Sora began to disrupt their plans, not even Luxord had the chance to take advantage of his favorite beverage.

Marluxia then filled a kettle up with water, looking at Axel with his eyebrows raised. "Heat this up, would you?" Once he was complied to, and the water was set to a boil in a matter of seconds, he gathered up two mugs, filling the both of them with the piping hot liquid, grabbing two of the tea-bags and dipping one into each readied cup. Along with that, he added some honey, a decent amount of sugar, and a search into the Castle's seasoning reserves, he found a small container of dried, crushed peppermint leaves. He added a few into each serving, then cleaned up his mess. Handing one of them to Axel, he took a seat at the table, making sure that they would be able to clearly see one another in this midst of this compromise.

"Alright, Axel." He said, taking a sip of his tea, finding that it had, once again, been very close to Luxord's. He would never be able to get it just right, however. Perhaps it was the touch of a gentleman. "What is it you're wanting. I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

The eighth member spared one last glance at the garden Marluxia had created. For someone so cranky and off putting, he certainly had the knack for making something beautiful. How did a patch of crab grass like Marly create something so soothing and enjoyable like that? It was a mystery that he didn't think that he would ever be able to solve. He gave a small sigh and followed the other male out and through the corridors.

They ended at one of his personal favorite rooms, the kitchen. A small smile pulled at his lips without him even thinking about it. It had been so long since he had bothered to cook anything. Honestly, he couldn't recall the last thing that he had put in the oven. That was very sad and he made a beeline for the fridge. He opened the door and immediately closed it. Axel hadn't bothered to try and figure out how long they had been away but now he didn't need to worry. It had been long enough.

He fought the grimace on his face and glanced toward the door way as the pink haired Nobody retrieved the makings for tea. It needs scones, He murmured quietly as an Assassin slinked into the door way. It's willowy spiked arms waved at its sides for a moment before it wandered away again. The redhead had given it the silent order to get him the ingredients for the appropriate pastry for the tea.

He obliged Marluxia by placing his hand under the kettle and transferring a bit of heat into the water inside. Lux would be proud to know he was so remembered. Would you want him too? He asked, green eyes watching as additional things were added to the mugs. He didn't think that he had ever partaken of the platinum blond's favorite drink. He rather enjoyed the bite of coffee it could have if it weren't over sweetened.

He slowly sat at the table, eagerly awaiting the return of his lesser Nobody. His attention was grabbed as the compromise was about to begin. First things first. This place needs color. We need to redecorate, He stated as if there would be no argument on that point. Really, there shouldn't be. This place was boring, drab, and spoke of worse times. None of them had ever liked the plain grey walls. It was too much a reminder of the nothing that they were.

Axel took a small sip of his tea, giving a small shrug and taking another. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't coffee. I won't take orders. Quid pro quo, I do something for you, I get something. As you can imagine, the promise of a heart is hard to believe in anymore. After the crap that Xemnas had put them through, who could blame him for not believing that someone else could deliver. Not to mention, it wouldn't be a stretch for him to not trust the Assassin. Axel had broken his trust once, so fair was fair.

He sat back, again glancing toward the door way. Last thing, no one touches the kid. He can say no if he doesn't want to join or help. Xemnas considered him a tool and it bit us in the ass. I won't allow for it again. That wasn't too much, right? Surely a bit of paint and free will were acceptable terms when considering the potential gains from two powerful Nobodies such as Roxas and him. There was even the power of the Keyblade in there. That had too be worth a lot to the other Nobody.

Hearing all of these specifications coming from the other sitting across the table from him was a bit irritating, but he decided that taking it all in and examining them thoroughly would be the most efficiently would be the way to handle it. Whether he liked it or not, Axel wasn't expendable, and he was vital to whatever operation this would turn into. He wasn't as easy to throw away as the others - he was strong, meticulous, full of wit and cunning, and knew how to turn any situation into one of his favor. Marluxia knew he couldn't just toss that out the window - these qualifications were easy enough to follow, of course.

He took a large sip of his tea, finding that the cup didn't have all that much to offer, and he was left with less than half of what he had started out with. Axel then brought Xemnas into the conversation. The thought of those golden eyes was way more than enough to piss the Assassin off. That golden-eyed excuse of existence was what brought them all into this mess, and then wasn't even prepared to see through his promises. Of course, Marluxia wasn't keen on fulfilling the things he promised either, though it was in the short-term category. Long term, he would be determined to make sure that every one of them obtained the hearts they had been assured.

Xemnas was never prepared to share the bounty that was given to him through everyone else's hard labor. Roxas, of course, would be easy enough to obtain, since the kid was used to taking orders since the moment of his birth as a Nobody, and the pink-haired grace was assured that the little blond youth would be doing little more than jumping for joy when he found out he could work for their original cause again. If it came to obtaining a heart, the keyblade runt would do just about anything. Whether it was for himself or for his "friends," it didn't matter - the job got done.

"Absolutely. I'll... help, with the redecorating." He said it in such a way that implied he would be doing all of the work in that department. No one else in this god-forsaken place had the sense of style or interior designing that he did; he'd handle it.

"Is there anything else you'd need?" With an ego like Axel's, it would be easy to make him feel as though he was in the one in charge, when really it was Marluxia pulling the string in the grand scheme. As long as he was able to make others feel as though they were calling the shots an receiving things in return for their actions, then things would run smoothly. He examined the body across the table with eyes of blue brilliance, scanning him and watching his body language carefully. He raised his eyebrows expectantly, needing to find out if there was anything else he'd have to work around.

The Flurry's focus drifted as Marluxia took in his demands. Honestly, it wasn't all that much but he also knew that he wouldn't be getting as much as they might agree to. There was a reason he was offering up his help to multiple people. No one ever actually intended on fully delivering on everything. Maleficent was a powerful ally if he could keep her happy, but there were pit falls to that. If he pissed her off, she wouldn't be easy to shake. However, at the same time, if he did enough favors, that was also one serious security dragon that no one knew about.

Pinky, on the other hand, had a common goal. They could work together toward that. Obviously his abilities were needed more than the Assassin's. What did Axel have use for a flower child with a scythe? His strategy mostly stayed the same. Stay alive. Now, he was adding on Roxas' safety and existence, but that wasn't much of a hassle. They had been practically glued to the hip before, so most would assume that the Key of Destiny would have the protection of everlasting flame on his side.

Finally, the redhead felt the presence of his lesser Nobody approach. His lips pulled upward as he rose from the table. He gaze shifted, meeting those vibrant blue orbs. Don't sugar coat things with me, Marluxia. I don't want power so I'm not that kind of threat. I'm just the blood hound that wants his treats, He said quietly in response to the other Nobody's question. He didn't want much, mostly just his heart and those few things he had asked for. The survival of this Organization would depend solely on how Marluxia handled him.

He might not have done all the killing of the first incarnation, but he certainly had a hand in much of their demise. It would be easy to pull it off again once he gathered enough information and made the right connections. But that was for another time if that bridge ever needed crossing. For now, scones. I also want scones. More tea? He asked, gesturing to Marluxia's cup as he took the items that the lesser Assassin brought in.

Immediately, the Flurry set to work in mixing things for the pasties, even setting the over even though he could easily just take care of that without the use of the appliance. That was cheating though. Cooking anything took time if you wanted it right. Instant anything was never as good as from scratch. He certainly didn't mind the wait since it had been so long since he had properly used this room. It was good to be back.

This was.. Much easier than Marluxia ever would have originally expected. It was as though Axel was purposefully letting himself fall into the grasp of his want to get Kingdom Kearts rebuilt, though, it did make a large array of sense. In the end, a heart is what every Organization member was after - even Xemnas, in a round-about way that would never make sense to any of them. Marluxia hated the man with every inch of his being, but he couldn't imagine that the Superior at the time completely lacked the yearning to be a complete human being again. It was what anyone in their position would want, and it was what the majority of them were after. He was determined to complete that goal, and he set it in place for himself so that he could rush into it head-on and not use things for their incorrect purposes.

He might have been deemed a traitor back in Castle Oblivion, but his intentions were much better than Lord Xemnas' ever could be. Sora, of course, was too much too much of a nitwit to even start to comprehend such a thing; Axel seemed to have faith in his husk counterpart, however. Marluxia would do his best to trust his judgement, and with that Keyblade, the boy could prove to be an extremely valuable asset - without that weapon, all hearts would remain useless to them. Kingdom Hearts is what they were after, and the pink-haired assassin was willing to sacrifice anything for it.

"No thank you." He responded, taking the last sip that was in his cup, then getting to his feet. There was much to be done, much to be prepared if he was seriously thinking about assuming the role as the Organization's new Superior. Superior Marluxia had a bit of a nice ring to it, one that made a smug smile appear upon his features. Yes, he could get used to that. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go see what it is we are left with." He began to walk away from the kitchen, waving a farewell without even turning to look at the other across the room beginning his baking session.

"You have made the right decision, Axel. I'm glad to be in business with you." And with that, the grace was gone, off to see the living quarters of the Organization's Superior.

[fin]