XENOSAGA: Kirschwasser -- 4/?? -- COMPLETE
[VITRIOL] ::Vitriol's heart skipped a beat when the house started to shake.:: Not good..
[WILHELM] Is it? ::Wilhelm asked.::
[ALBEDO] ::Albedo's fingers were digging into his hair without him knowing it. When he realized this, it was too late: there was that sound, and that great blanketing feeling of dizzying fatigue, and the Standard was yelling something but he couldn't tell what anymore, and he just wanted to lie down now and curl up. His eyes rolled back in his head.::
[NIGREDO] ::Nigredo was conspicuously--and suspiciously--unaffected by whatever was happening. His eyes snapped between all the occupants in the room, landing on Sakura last, who had suddenly stopped the chatterbox thing. She didn't look too good, come to think of it. Rubedo! Albedo!!::
[SAKURA] Sorry.. ::Sakura rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes.:: Guess I tired myself out, guys...
[NIGREDO] ::Nigredo gritted his teeth when the house trembled. How the fuck was he going to carry two of his brothers AND Sakura out of here? He was a Variant, but let's be realistic here. He'd have to make a choice--and he couldn't. He couldn't. Citrine!! The link was offline; he knew that. Someone.. help...::
[CHAOS] ::chaos leaned away from the hospital bed, back into his own chair. His eyes drifted open and the first thing he saw was the holographic television mounted on the adjacent wall, also muted and also tuned in to the latest news.:: ...
[YURIEV] ::Yuriev stepped onto the elevator. His legs fragmented, and his sparkling pieces drifted up into the sky.::
[JULI] ::Juli fell to her knees. Her tears uplifted from her palms, and they flickered and produced artifacts that remained stationary in the air.::
[NOMURA] ::Nomura fell to Juli's side and attempted to cradle her. The scene became distorted and blurred. The resolution shifted, and the bitrate became random.::
[NEWS] The UMN-- The UMN-- The UMN--Bureau--
[KAEL'THAS] I apologize. ::A grin crossed his face. Two brilliant green orbs exploded into existence over his shoulders, and his eyes flared with real fire.:: We High Elves are keen to the scent of the Sunwell.
[NEPHILIM] ::The mirror fragment passed over Nephilim, but she reached out to catch it before it could go anywhere else.:: ...
[RUBEDO] ::When Rubedo's back hit the ground, the world shook.::
[ADAM] I looked into my father's eyes, and my heart was struck cold. That was when I gave up. I literally stopped living. Every organ in my body shut down. I knew he hated me. I knew he wanted to kill me.
[YURIEV] ::Yuriev's glasses slammed to the floor. They shattered, and as the pieces came apart, so did Wilhelm's body.::
[ADAM] I begged for the jaws of Oblivion to consume me.
[VITRIOL] ::Something invisible grabbed Nigredo by the shoulders.::
[ADAM] And they did. And I could not bear that you died.
[CITRINE] ::Citrine opened her eyes. Her irises drifted up from her pupils, and she watched as each of her eyelashes was plucked and dispensed into the air. The covers of the tanks drifted upwards as well, and incomplete URTVs--and dead URTVs--floated up onto the ceiling.::
[???] You have no idea what you are doing.
[GAGE] I will save her. Even if it kills me. Even if it kills this world.
[???] Then I will stop you.
[GAGE] I would sooner visit the depths of Hell.
[???] Then that.. is likely the course you will take.
[YURIEV] ::He caught something. The wind was brushing the hair out of his eyes and pushing the swings, so he made sure his grip was stable. When he opened his eyes, he stared down at the glass fragment in his palm. The blood that was seeping from the cuts in his skin didn't seem to bother him.::
I miss you too. And that is why I must stay. ::He released the piece of glass. Before it hit the grass, it evaporated into a million particles of brilliant light.::
Mary. . . .
[TITLE] CHAPTER 1 . . .
[VITRIOL] ::Vitriol picked himself up and dusted himself off. He gently nudged Albedo in the side with his foot.:: You okay?
[ALBEDO] ::Albedo's fingers curled against the ground, whatever the ground might have been comprised of now. Had he been asleep? And before that, had he been awake? He licked his lips, which weren't dry or chapped, since infinite telomerase repaired everything.::
What? ::He lifted his head away from the ground and his eyes immediately found Vitriol's.::
[VITRIOL] ::A flurry of laughter entered the alleyway, but as the group of kids ran into the distance, the sound abruptly stopped. That didn't keep Albedo from being able to hear the sound of traffic and skateboards, though.
Vitriol wasn't making eye contact with Albedo. He was concerned with trying to figure out where the fuck they were. The moment he heard Albedo, he stepped out of the alleyway and into the streets. This would have been familiar if Rubedo or Nigredo were around, but they weren't. In fact, Vitriol couldn't even communicate with them. --Neither could Albedo. They were "separated" again. Nomura probably would have claimed that "U-DO" was behind it, but Vitriol had a feeling that something much bigger was going on.
He looked up at the skyscrapers, and at the enormous clock tower that stood in the center of the city. The first thing that struck Vitriol was how primitive this strange Encephalon map was. The cars that drove down the streets--they were cars. There wasn't a hovercar in sight. In fact, the city was clearly a one-tiered city; many of the buildings were two stories or higher, but there was no second tier docking of any kind.::
2000 A.D, ::Vitriol announced. He turned his head all of a sudden when he noticed a couple of pigeons fly overhead.:: If I had to take a guess, I'd say this level of technology is about 2000 A.D. ::He stepped further onto the sidewalk, but then stumbled back and started screaming when something GLITTERY started to appear in the air.::
Holy--FUCK!!
[TITLE] T W I L I
[VITRIOL] Albedo! Albedo, duck! Look out!!
[TITLE] G H T
[VITRIOL] ::His eyes widened more when the giant mid-air letters started sparking and emitting some kind of (undoubtedly lethal if inhaled) golden pixie dust at both of them.::
[TITLE] T O W N`-
[VITRIOL] Shi-- ::He grabbed ahold of the alleyway's entrance and exhaled heavily when the title faded away.:: Twi.. Twilight Town??
[ALBEDO] Hey. ::Albedo got up from the concrete with a wince. His back ached! Just how long had he been lying on the ground? And where were Rubedo and Nigredo? And Sakura? And who the fuck was this Standard?:: Hey, you--
::He pulled a hand down and over his face, feeling exasperated beyond belief already.:: What's your designation..?! ::He wasn't close enough to grab the guy's hand and just read off his number, since he refused to move from the alley. He was scared, and neither Rubedo nor Nigredo were within screaming distance, telepathic or otherwise. U-DO's interference? There hadn't been any U-DO. At least they were still in the Encephalon and hadn't been forcibly ejected, which caused all sorts of traumatic side-effects.::
Duck..? ::It wasn't every day that you saw something like that. Albedo stared, feeling the urge to start crying hysterically begin to rise inside of him.::
[VITRIOL] Did-- ::He turned back to Albedo, but then he turned back to where the mid-air magical disappearing text had been.:: You saw that, right?! You saw that?! Twilight Town?! ::He didn't want to move. If he moved again, would another weird-ass title appear?::
What.. ::His mouth moved, but he couldn't say anything.:: What does that mean? Twilight Town. Is that the name of this map? I don't get it--is that a real place? Is it on Fifth Jerusalem or something? Why would Sakura take us to Twilight Town? ::And for such a scary name, Twilight Town didn't appear very.. twilightish. In fact, the sky was a very pretty crimsonish-orange, with pink streaks cutting through the pale blue cirrus clouds.
After a few more moments, just to catch his breath--and to convince himself that he wasn't insane--he reached for Albedo.:: Come with me. Maybe this is that U-DO thing messing with us--we can't stay here if that's what it is.
::His hand.. It was tattoo'd in black ink in his palm: the 'number' "XXX".:: I'm just a Standard; I can't fight like you can. You have to protect me.
[ALBEDO] ::Albedo stared at Vitriol's palm as soon as it was revealed to him. To have no designation was unheard of. He didn't step away from the guy, but he didn't go with him either. Whatever fate had put them together had not chosen wisely, because Albedo was some parts paranoid, stubborn, unstable, and a crybaby. The only reason he didn't freak the fuck out right there was because of something Nomura had said a few days ago: the man you see may not really be a man. If U-DO were behind this, then it could have been a trick in more ways than one.::
When we find the others, I'm saddling you with Nigredo..! ::Albedo didn't want to touch the guy, but he peered outside of the alley and reconsidered. This "2000 A.D." looked like a rough place compared to the sterile, peaceful Institute. He frowned and shouldered past Vitriol.:: But fine. They must be around here somewhere. There's usually only one Encephalon location built by a mind at a time.
[ROXAS] We've found something that you may find interesting. ::Roxas approached the bench with his hood against his shoulders. Unlike the others, he had no issues with his identity--or perhaps his identity was so beyond comprehension that his hood didn't make one bit of difference.::
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort leaned back in his stone cold throne. Along the same circular wall that made up the entire room, many other smaller thrones were pinned up in the air like picture frames. Some contained "people", and others did not. Regardless, everyone had their eyes on Roxas.::
Oh? And why would you, Young Roxas, be willing to part with this valuable 'something'? ::His amber eyes peered directly into Roxas' chest.::
[ROXAS] I didn't say I'd give it to you. I am willing to make a trade. I've accidentally obtained a princess.
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort perked up, but he tried his best not to smile.:: A princess, you say? Not every damsel in distress can be considered a princess, Young Roxas. If I do recall correctly, every princess has been found and exploited. I can assure you that--
[ROXAS] ::Roxas ripped the Oblivion out from under his cloak and jabbed it directly into the air. Space-time screamed as a rip was opened, and he pulled a girl out of the rip with one enormous tug. Sakura fell to Roxas' feet. She glowed intensely.::
[MARLUXIA] ::Marluxia stood. His scythe shook and a flurry of sakura petals spiraled up around his body. He could feel the intense pull of Sakura's heart--it was so incredibly strong, so incredibly: bright, that it had a gravitational field of its very own.::
Impossible, ::Marluxia seethed.::
[XEHANORT] No.. ::Xehanort squinted ferociously. He stared at Sakura, and the heart that her body was attempting to hide.:: Can it be, Roxas?
[ROXAS] "There is darkness in every heart." ::Roxas rolled his eyes up to Xehanort.:: You were wrong.
[LEXAEUS] ::Lexaeus clenched his teeth, but he kept himself from standing up. He knew that if he stood, nothing would be able to keep him from leaping across the room to feast upon Sakura's body--and her heart.:: How is that possible? There is no corruption--not even a hint of darkness in her heart.
[XEHANORT] ::The proof that stood before him shook Xehanort to the very core, but he tried his best not to show it.:: Where did you find this girl?
[ROXAS] Don't look at me. I'm not the one who found them..
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort's eyes widened. 'Them?'::
[ROXAS] ::Roxas looked over his shoulder, at the doorway.::
[AXEL] Keep your hands to yourself, boys, or else you're liable to lose them. ::Though his hood was up, there was no mistaking Axel's voice. His too-skinny arms were folded across his chest and he looked downright nonchalant.::
But you may ogle the merchandise all you like. I'm not going to go into all the nitty-gritty of it right now, since.. ::He pushed away from the doorway and approached the bench as well. Just like Roxas and just unlike the rest of them, he wasn't salivating all over the place when in such close proximity to a purely pure heart of purity.::
Well. ::His eyes glinted green in the shadows of his hood, just above a paler glint of teeth.:: We've got negotiations to flesh out. Isn't that right, Xehanort?
[XEHANORT] ::His grin was so obvious--he had no facial hair, so every expression was full and robust. He downright slammed one of his fists against the bench and laughed out loud.:: This is about Ven, isn't it?! You think THIS is worth--
::He grabbed his chest, coughed and hacked, and then wheezed out a gigantic guffaw.::
[ROXAS] ::Roxas looked back at Axel when Xehanort went into his laughing fit.::
[XEHANORT] So ignorant. --Or maybe just courageous, I don't know. Either way, it's not going to happen, my old former employees. ::He stood, and he motioned at the doorway.:: Go on, now. Shoo. I've got more important matters to deal with. Stop trying to drag dead relics up from the past. They'll only get you into more trouble than you already are.
[ROXAS] She's from a higher domain, ::Roxas stated.::
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort stopped in his hunch.:: Excuse me?
[ROXAS] I guess you could call her a 'god'--after all, she is containing us. ::Roxas' tongue slipped over his lips.:: You know what? Nevermind. Forget it. I don't think you deserve this kind of power.
::He grabbed Sakura, threw her over his right shoulder, and walked towards the doorway.::
[XEHANORT] 151 days, Dyne.
[ROXAS] ::Roxas stopped.::
[XEHANORT] You think you can just come into Castle Oblivion and spout what you believe to be the truth. --Last I checked you didn't even know who you were not too long ago.
[ROXAS] ::He felt Sakura's hair against his back--an eerie wind had just blown in.::
[XEHANORT] Is this what you've decided to do with your time? I suppose this is what they call.. ::The grin returned to his face. He took his seat at the bench once again.:: desperation.
Oh, but don't let me stop you. Enjoy your time while it lasts. After all--entertainment over honor, hm? Suicide over dignity. A shame you ended up this way, Roxas. Almost as big a shame as the skeleton that stands beside you.
[SAKURA] ::Sakura's eyelids fluttered, but she didn't quite wake up. She was still so tired. She still felt so heavy.::
[AXEL] Stop right there. ::Axel was trembling for a few reasons, most of which Xehanort could have guessed by now.:: --Hey, no, stop.
::He held up his hand, as if imploring Xehanort to stop tormenting them with words, but a chakram solidified into his hand anyway--but the coloration was blue, not red. It was Zadkiel's, though it was doubtful that anyone remembered that name anymore. Axel's eyes narrowed and he lifted his other hand, which remained empty.::
Couple of things before we go, and we're going right now. One: fuck you, faggot. Two: you know where to find me should you change your mind, and.. despite what you may think.. ::He balanced the chakram on one his shoulders; the spikes dug into the leather of his coat, but didn't pierce it.::
I know you want to know. Don't think I don't know.
::He glanced from Xehanort to the remainder of the Nobodies, who were all in various watchful states. Larxene was cleaning her teeth with a pink bobby pin. Axel slowly backed up toward Roxas, brushed the guy's arm, and then walked out of the room, hair still trembling.::
[XEHANORT] Save the dramatics, Axel. I think I can stand to live another day, even in the absence of one of your subpar speeches. ::He waved a wrinkly hand in Axel's direction.::
[ROXAS] Don't touch me, ::Roxas whispered to Axel as they exited the doorway. His voice was heavily affected by his own trembling.::
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort brought two fingers to his lips in thought. When he was certain that their little intrusion had left hearing range (because things tended to echo in the depths of Oblivion), he side-eyed both of the walls at the same time.::
Kill them. Bring me the girl unharmed. Don't lay a fingernail on her heart.
[WILHELM] Is it? ::Wilhelm asked.::
[ALBEDO] ::Albedo's fingers were digging into his hair without him knowing it. When he realized this, it was too late: there was that sound, and that great blanketing feeling of dizzying fatigue, and the Standard was yelling something but he couldn't tell what anymore, and he just wanted to lie down now and curl up. His eyes rolled back in his head.::
[NIGREDO] ::Nigredo was conspicuously--and suspiciously--unaffected by whatever was happening. His eyes snapped between all the occupants in the room, landing on Sakura last, who had suddenly stopped the chatterbox thing. She didn't look too good, come to think of it. Rubedo! Albedo!!::
[SAKURA] Sorry.. ::Sakura rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes.:: Guess I tired myself out, guys...
[NIGREDO] ::Nigredo gritted his teeth when the house trembled. How the fuck was he going to carry two of his brothers AND Sakura out of here? He was a Variant, but let's be realistic here. He'd have to make a choice--and he couldn't. He couldn't. Citrine!! The link was offline; he knew that. Someone.. help...::
[CHAOS] ::chaos leaned away from the hospital bed, back into his own chair. His eyes drifted open and the first thing he saw was the holographic television mounted on the adjacent wall, also muted and also tuned in to the latest news.:: ...
[YURIEV] ::Yuriev stepped onto the elevator. His legs fragmented, and his sparkling pieces drifted up into the sky.::
[JULI] ::Juli fell to her knees. Her tears uplifted from her palms, and they flickered and produced artifacts that remained stationary in the air.::
[NOMURA] ::Nomura fell to Juli's side and attempted to cradle her. The scene became distorted and blurred. The resolution shifted, and the bitrate became random.::
[NEWS] The UMN-- The UMN-- The UMN--Bureau--
[KAEL'THAS] I apologize. ::A grin crossed his face. Two brilliant green orbs exploded into existence over his shoulders, and his eyes flared with real fire.:: We High Elves are keen to the scent of the Sunwell.
[NEPHILIM] ::The mirror fragment passed over Nephilim, but she reached out to catch it before it could go anywhere else.:: ...
[RUBEDO] ::When Rubedo's back hit the ground, the world shook.::
[ADAM] I looked into my father's eyes, and my heart was struck cold. That was when I gave up. I literally stopped living. Every organ in my body shut down. I knew he hated me. I knew he wanted to kill me.
[YURIEV] ::Yuriev's glasses slammed to the floor. They shattered, and as the pieces came apart, so did Wilhelm's body.::
[ADAM] I begged for the jaws of Oblivion to consume me.
[VITRIOL] ::Something invisible grabbed Nigredo by the shoulders.::
[ADAM] And they did. And I could not bear that you died.
[CITRINE] ::Citrine opened her eyes. Her irises drifted up from her pupils, and she watched as each of her eyelashes was plucked and dispensed into the air. The covers of the tanks drifted upwards as well, and incomplete URTVs--and dead URTVs--floated up onto the ceiling.::
[???] You have no idea what you are doing.
[GAGE] I will save her. Even if it kills me. Even if it kills this world.
[???] Then I will stop you.
[GAGE] I would sooner visit the depths of Hell.
[???] Then that.. is likely the course you will take.
[YURIEV] ::He caught something. The wind was brushing the hair out of his eyes and pushing the swings, so he made sure his grip was stable. When he opened his eyes, he stared down at the glass fragment in his palm. The blood that was seeping from the cuts in his skin didn't seem to bother him.::
I miss you too. And that is why I must stay. ::He released the piece of glass. Before it hit the grass, it evaporated into a million particles of brilliant light.::
Mary. . . .
[TITLE] CHAPTER 1 . . .
[VITRIOL] ::Vitriol picked himself up and dusted himself off. He gently nudged Albedo in the side with his foot.:: You okay?
[ALBEDO] ::Albedo's fingers curled against the ground, whatever the ground might have been comprised of now. Had he been asleep? And before that, had he been awake? He licked his lips, which weren't dry or chapped, since infinite telomerase repaired everything.::
What? ::He lifted his head away from the ground and his eyes immediately found Vitriol's.::
[VITRIOL] ::A flurry of laughter entered the alleyway, but as the group of kids ran into the distance, the sound abruptly stopped. That didn't keep Albedo from being able to hear the sound of traffic and skateboards, though.
Vitriol wasn't making eye contact with Albedo. He was concerned with trying to figure out where the fuck they were. The moment he heard Albedo, he stepped out of the alleyway and into the streets. This would have been familiar if Rubedo or Nigredo were around, but they weren't. In fact, Vitriol couldn't even communicate with them. --Neither could Albedo. They were "separated" again. Nomura probably would have claimed that "U-DO" was behind it, but Vitriol had a feeling that something much bigger was going on.
He looked up at the skyscrapers, and at the enormous clock tower that stood in the center of the city. The first thing that struck Vitriol was how primitive this strange Encephalon map was. The cars that drove down the streets--they were cars. There wasn't a hovercar in sight. In fact, the city was clearly a one-tiered city; many of the buildings were two stories or higher, but there was no second tier docking of any kind.::
2000 A.D, ::Vitriol announced. He turned his head all of a sudden when he noticed a couple of pigeons fly overhead.:: If I had to take a guess, I'd say this level of technology is about 2000 A.D. ::He stepped further onto the sidewalk, but then stumbled back and started screaming when something GLITTERY started to appear in the air.::
Holy--FUCK!!
[TITLE] T W I L I
[VITRIOL] Albedo! Albedo, duck! Look out!!
[TITLE] G H T
[VITRIOL] ::His eyes widened more when the giant mid-air letters started sparking and emitting some kind of (undoubtedly lethal if inhaled) golden pixie dust at both of them.::
[TITLE] T O W N`-
[VITRIOL] Shi-- ::He grabbed ahold of the alleyway's entrance and exhaled heavily when the title faded away.:: Twi.. Twilight Town??
[ALBEDO] Hey. ::Albedo got up from the concrete with a wince. His back ached! Just how long had he been lying on the ground? And where were Rubedo and Nigredo? And Sakura? And who the fuck was this Standard?:: Hey, you--
::He pulled a hand down and over his face, feeling exasperated beyond belief already.:: What's your designation..?! ::He wasn't close enough to grab the guy's hand and just read off his number, since he refused to move from the alley. He was scared, and neither Rubedo nor Nigredo were within screaming distance, telepathic or otherwise. U-DO's interference? There hadn't been any U-DO. At least they were still in the Encephalon and hadn't been forcibly ejected, which caused all sorts of traumatic side-effects.::
Duck..? ::It wasn't every day that you saw something like that. Albedo stared, feeling the urge to start crying hysterically begin to rise inside of him.::
[VITRIOL] Did-- ::He turned back to Albedo, but then he turned back to where the mid-air magical disappearing text had been.:: You saw that, right?! You saw that?! Twilight Town?! ::He didn't want to move. If he moved again, would another weird-ass title appear?::
What.. ::His mouth moved, but he couldn't say anything.:: What does that mean? Twilight Town. Is that the name of this map? I don't get it--is that a real place? Is it on Fifth Jerusalem or something? Why would Sakura take us to Twilight Town? ::And for such a scary name, Twilight Town didn't appear very.. twilightish. In fact, the sky was a very pretty crimsonish-orange, with pink streaks cutting through the pale blue cirrus clouds.
After a few more moments, just to catch his breath--and to convince himself that he wasn't insane--he reached for Albedo.:: Come with me. Maybe this is that U-DO thing messing with us--we can't stay here if that's what it is.
::His hand.. It was tattoo'd in black ink in his palm: the 'number' "XXX".:: I'm just a Standard; I can't fight like you can. You have to protect me.
[ALBEDO] ::Albedo stared at Vitriol's palm as soon as it was revealed to him. To have no designation was unheard of. He didn't step away from the guy, but he didn't go with him either. Whatever fate had put them together had not chosen wisely, because Albedo was some parts paranoid, stubborn, unstable, and a crybaby. The only reason he didn't freak the fuck out right there was because of something Nomura had said a few days ago: the man you see may not really be a man. If U-DO were behind this, then it could have been a trick in more ways than one.::
When we find the others, I'm saddling you with Nigredo..! ::Albedo didn't want to touch the guy, but he peered outside of the alley and reconsidered. This "2000 A.D." looked like a rough place compared to the sterile, peaceful Institute. He frowned and shouldered past Vitriol.:: But fine. They must be around here somewhere. There's usually only one Encephalon location built by a mind at a time.
[ROXAS] We've found something that you may find interesting. ::Roxas approached the bench with his hood against his shoulders. Unlike the others, he had no issues with his identity--or perhaps his identity was so beyond comprehension that his hood didn't make one bit of difference.::
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort leaned back in his stone cold throne. Along the same circular wall that made up the entire room, many other smaller thrones were pinned up in the air like picture frames. Some contained "people", and others did not. Regardless, everyone had their eyes on Roxas.::
Oh? And why would you, Young Roxas, be willing to part with this valuable 'something'? ::His amber eyes peered directly into Roxas' chest.::
[ROXAS] I didn't say I'd give it to you. I am willing to make a trade. I've accidentally obtained a princess.
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort perked up, but he tried his best not to smile.:: A princess, you say? Not every damsel in distress can be considered a princess, Young Roxas. If I do recall correctly, every princess has been found and exploited. I can assure you that--
[ROXAS] ::Roxas ripped the Oblivion out from under his cloak and jabbed it directly into the air. Space-time screamed as a rip was opened, and he pulled a girl out of the rip with one enormous tug. Sakura fell to Roxas' feet. She glowed intensely.::
[MARLUXIA] ::Marluxia stood. His scythe shook and a flurry of sakura petals spiraled up around his body. He could feel the intense pull of Sakura's heart--it was so incredibly strong, so incredibly: bright, that it had a gravitational field of its very own.::
Impossible, ::Marluxia seethed.::
[XEHANORT] No.. ::Xehanort squinted ferociously. He stared at Sakura, and the heart that her body was attempting to hide.:: Can it be, Roxas?
[ROXAS] "There is darkness in every heart." ::Roxas rolled his eyes up to Xehanort.:: You were wrong.
[LEXAEUS] ::Lexaeus clenched his teeth, but he kept himself from standing up. He knew that if he stood, nothing would be able to keep him from leaping across the room to feast upon Sakura's body--and her heart.:: How is that possible? There is no corruption--not even a hint of darkness in her heart.
[XEHANORT] ::The proof that stood before him shook Xehanort to the very core, but he tried his best not to show it.:: Where did you find this girl?
[ROXAS] Don't look at me. I'm not the one who found them..
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort's eyes widened. 'Them?'::
[ROXAS] ::Roxas looked over his shoulder, at the doorway.::
[AXEL] Keep your hands to yourself, boys, or else you're liable to lose them. ::Though his hood was up, there was no mistaking Axel's voice. His too-skinny arms were folded across his chest and he looked downright nonchalant.::
But you may ogle the merchandise all you like. I'm not going to go into all the nitty-gritty of it right now, since.. ::He pushed away from the doorway and approached the bench as well. Just like Roxas and just unlike the rest of them, he wasn't salivating all over the place when in such close proximity to a purely pure heart of purity.::
Well. ::His eyes glinted green in the shadows of his hood, just above a paler glint of teeth.:: We've got negotiations to flesh out. Isn't that right, Xehanort?
[XEHANORT] ::His grin was so obvious--he had no facial hair, so every expression was full and robust. He downright slammed one of his fists against the bench and laughed out loud.:: This is about Ven, isn't it?! You think THIS is worth--
::He grabbed his chest, coughed and hacked, and then wheezed out a gigantic guffaw.::
[ROXAS] ::Roxas looked back at Axel when Xehanort went into his laughing fit.::
[XEHANORT] So ignorant. --Or maybe just courageous, I don't know. Either way, it's not going to happen, my old former employees. ::He stood, and he motioned at the doorway.:: Go on, now. Shoo. I've got more important matters to deal with. Stop trying to drag dead relics up from the past. They'll only get you into more trouble than you already are.
[ROXAS] She's from a higher domain, ::Roxas stated.::
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort stopped in his hunch.:: Excuse me?
[ROXAS] I guess you could call her a 'god'--after all, she is containing us. ::Roxas' tongue slipped over his lips.:: You know what? Nevermind. Forget it. I don't think you deserve this kind of power.
::He grabbed Sakura, threw her over his right shoulder, and walked towards the doorway.::
[XEHANORT] 151 days, Dyne.
[ROXAS] ::Roxas stopped.::
[XEHANORT] You think you can just come into Castle Oblivion and spout what you believe to be the truth. --Last I checked you didn't even know who you were not too long ago.
[ROXAS] ::He felt Sakura's hair against his back--an eerie wind had just blown in.::
[XEHANORT] Is this what you've decided to do with your time? I suppose this is what they call.. ::The grin returned to his face. He took his seat at the bench once again.:: desperation.
Oh, but don't let me stop you. Enjoy your time while it lasts. After all--entertainment over honor, hm? Suicide over dignity. A shame you ended up this way, Roxas. Almost as big a shame as the skeleton that stands beside you.
[SAKURA] ::Sakura's eyelids fluttered, but she didn't quite wake up. She was still so tired. She still felt so heavy.::
[AXEL] Stop right there. ::Axel was trembling for a few reasons, most of which Xehanort could have guessed by now.:: --Hey, no, stop.
::He held up his hand, as if imploring Xehanort to stop tormenting them with words, but a chakram solidified into his hand anyway--but the coloration was blue, not red. It was Zadkiel's, though it was doubtful that anyone remembered that name anymore. Axel's eyes narrowed and he lifted his other hand, which remained empty.::
Couple of things before we go, and we're going right now. One: fuck you, faggot. Two: you know where to find me should you change your mind, and.. despite what you may think.. ::He balanced the chakram on one his shoulders; the spikes dug into the leather of his coat, but didn't pierce it.::
I know you want to know. Don't think I don't know.
::He glanced from Xehanort to the remainder of the Nobodies, who were all in various watchful states. Larxene was cleaning her teeth with a pink bobby pin. Axel slowly backed up toward Roxas, brushed the guy's arm, and then walked out of the room, hair still trembling.::
[XEHANORT] Save the dramatics, Axel. I think I can stand to live another day, even in the absence of one of your subpar speeches. ::He waved a wrinkly hand in Axel's direction.::
[ROXAS] Don't touch me, ::Roxas whispered to Axel as they exited the doorway. His voice was heavily affected by his own trembling.::
[XEHANORT] ::Xehanort brought two fingers to his lips in thought. When he was certain that their little intrusion had left hearing range (because things tended to echo in the depths of Oblivion), he side-eyed both of the walls at the same time.::
Kill them. Bring me the girl unharmed. Don't lay a fingernail on her heart.