In my mind I continually went over just what plan of action I should take. How I would draw my enemies out...How would I take action against them...What resources I had at my disposal...Should I seek information...or simply destroy them on contact. The wheels of my mind were in constant rotation...trying to remember the layout of the castle within, trying to formulate a plan the moment we entered. Yet...it'd been so long. That's right...it'd been nearly ten years...so why? Why did this place feel EXACTLY the same?
I stopped dead in my tracks. Rexikat along with me, the two of us halting the others behind. "Something is terribly wrong here...and I don't just mean them..." I mumbled. "The Heartless are being drawn to something here...what could it be? But more importantly...why has nothing changed...nothing. Not in ten years?"
Rexikat suddenly noticed it as well. I could tell she herself began to question it all now. Rayix, Vexe and Sparx looked puzzled. I examined them. Rayix was wind...Vexe, water...and Sparx, obviously electricity. I had everything I needed within grasp. Now...we had to make it work. I just hoped they were good at following orders. I knew Rexi was capable of performing whatever task I asked of her. For her to take on Triskix...was not only brave, but also showed the confidence she carried for her capabilities. Leaning in...I mumbled my plan to them. Timing was crucial...I only prayed it would work...and that my enemies were indeed of the predictable type.
Shoving forward the large front doors of the castle...we made our way inside. Rexikat was crouched...as though ready for anything. Her reflexes were so cat-like...it nearly made me giggle. I was glad...for the most part, I'd remembered this part of the castle. Gargoyle Knight type Heartless rushed us, along with a few large NeoShadows. Feeling my boots splash water underfoot as I attacked, I grinned. Vexe was already setting the plan in motion. We would just have to stall for time now. Slowly the floor began to flood as we fought the heartless. Rexikat took her place at the bottom of the stairs. She allowed the heartless to drive her back, until she was about halfway up them. Right. Now to put an end to them.
The heartless were destroyed, therefore it was time to draw out our true opponents. I just hoped they were gullible. Rexikat silently slid her Legato Melodies out, they draped on the floor loosely.
"COME OUT HERE!!" She shouted. "I smelt you the instant we entered...cowards!"
"I'm sure they aren't from the Organization...I doubt they'd accept such low-class Nobodies into their fold such as these..." I scoffed.
"Yeah...I mean, they're practically advertising their cowardice!" Vexe laughed with me.
"How dare you!" A shrill voice suddenly rang out. "Haven't you ever heard of observing your enemy?!"
"Yeah! You aren't supposed to just jump into combat!" Another similar voice shouted. "That's just irresponsible and dumb!"
Our opponents had revealed themselves as result of our taunting. One appeared directly behind Rexikat, at the top of the stairwell where it divided...while the other blocked the front door. Both with their hoods up...yet it was obvious by their figures and voices they were both young women. I smirked.
"RAYIX!" I shouted. In an instant we were pulled up by a fierce wind current. As soon as our feet left the floor, Sparx sent a bolt of lightning streaking to the ground...the floor which was flooded by Vexe's water. For a second everything flashed...including the opponent who had so foolishly placed herself behind us. She was smoking as she fell to her knees.
"SARAX!!" Her partner screamed. "SARAX! ARE YOU AL....UGH!"
Her cries were cut short...by the choking force of Rexikat's chains. They were wrapped around her...and squeezing her tighter the more she squirmed.
I froze over all the water, and landed atop it gently as Rayix set us all down. Walking over to the downed opponent, I ripped off her hood and grabbed her by the top of her hair. It was the same color as Demyx's hair...and cut roughly in the same way. Except, her hair was slightly longer on the sides. I made her look at me.
"What business do the two of you have here?" I asked. "Answer!"
She seemed a bit out of it...after all...she had just been shocked.
"Rexikat!" I called out.
"You hear the question?!" She asked her captive. "What are you up to?!"
"haha...as though I'd tell...UGH!" She mumbled...the chains had only tightened more.
Vexe rushed up the stairs and threw back the others hood. "OH! That's what you look like!" She giggled. "I was just curious...sorry."
The girl growled at her, wincing. Her hair was pulled into two short side ponytails. And her bangs flowed off to the side as well. It was also light brown.
"Out with it already!" Rexikat growled. I could tell she had a low tolerance for insubordination.
Casting aside the girl in my grasp, I ordered Rayix to watch her. Complying instantly, she put one of her half rounds to her throat. I walked up the stairwell to the other captive.
"State your name." I ordered flatly. She was silent. Raising an eyebrow, I began to form ice around her feet. "Listen here you." I sneered. "It won't bother me one bit to cover you in ice and shatter you into nothingness. I'm giving you the chance to comply willingly."
"Janex." She finally answered as the ice reached her waist. It continued to climb. I stopped it at her neck. "Damn....you...." she mumbled as it enveloped her.
"Your purpose." I stated threateningly.
"LOOK!" She shouted as the ice started to rise even more. "We were just supposed to mess with you guys! I don't know why...but it's the truth!" The ice began to envelop her chin. "IT'S THE TRUTH! I DON'T KNOW!" She screamed in a last ditch effort.
Snapping my fingers, the ice crumbled and fell to the ground. "Let her breathe Rex." I asked. Rexikat loosened the chains. Janex fell to the ground...shivering. To be safe, Vexe pointed her steel fan menacingly at her throat.
"We should take them back to the Castle. Question them on the matters of the Other Organization." Rexikat advised.
"Yes. I believe so...though I doubt they know anything." I stated, my finger once again on my lips as I thought over my next plan of action. "They seem the type that are viewed as "dispensable". I doubt they'll know anything of value..."
Suddenly the Beast appeared. We all turned to face him as he howled.
"This isn't good!" Rexikat groaned. The beast charged Rayix, forcing her to jump away from Sarax. Vexe called out to him...and Sparx attacked. Yet...his attack went right through the Beast.
"WHAT?!" Rexikat shouted. Her Legato Melodies went limp.
Sarax and Janex reappeared in the rafters.
"You win this time...but it'll be different next time we meet." Janex stated condescendingly.
"Pawns such as you cannot defeat me." I dismissed.
Sarax waved her finger at me in a gesture most familiar. "You shouldn't judge anyone by appearances!" She quoted. DEMYX!
They vanished...and as they did so...so went the Beast, as well as the good condition of the castle. It had all been an illusion...While we were a bit stunned...we still had a mission to complete. Entering the run down chambers of the Beast himself...we found the rose he'd held so fondly. It still looked exactly the same.
"This can't be..." I started. Just before a swarm of lesser nobodies appeared.
"WAIT!" Rexikat commanded. I halted and watched her as she somehow managed to tame them...they disappeared instantly.
Sighing a breath of relief...I approached the flower. As I touched the vase...it fell to dust. The flower within blackened and wilted. "Well, this explains the Heartless...maybe they thought it was a strong heart?"
"Perhaps." Rexikat consented. "Anyway, we're done here. I've managed to tame that rather large group of nobodies...so I say our mission is a success. Shall we return now?"
"Yeah..." I agreed. With that we left the Beast's Castle...returning to our own.
~RaXi
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Side Note:
Janex and Sarax both use illusion powers.
Sarax often makes herself appear as Demyx...even going so far as to use her power of water while wielding an exact replica of his sitar.
Janex has the additional power of Nature. She uses certain plants as such...thus...in the castle she was left completely useless.
btw...the Beast was an Illusion as well... -_-'
