With only three floors left, things are happening fast…can Zexion and his group keep up?
Thriteenth floor: Larxene returned to the Castle Oblivion. As she entered the thirteenth floor, Naminé looked at her from her chair. "Larxene, would you like to see what has happened since you left?" Naminé asked quietly. Larxene merely walked over to the Nobody's orb and saw the footage for herself, and was in a good mood when she stopped watching. "Little one, what floor are Zexion and the humans on?" she asked. Naminé consulted the orb, and responded, "The eleventh floor. They are currently in Beast's Castle." Larxene fought off a wave of nostalgia and sat back to watch the show. «Xenmas's condition to letting me return to Castle Oblivion was not part of my plans…no problem. I will simply adjust.» Larxene thought to herself.
Thirteenth floor, one hour earlier: Marluxia was patiently awaiting Larxene's return. "Selene the human is Larxene's child! She must know of this." Naminé got up from her chair and got in front of Marluxia. "I won't let you," she said queitly, her arms out as if to block him. He chuckled derisively. "What could you possibly do to me?" Naminé simply snapped her fingers, and Marluxia fell to the ground.
Eleventh floor entrance hall: Zexion and the group no longer had any World Cards, so they simply chatted while waiting for Marluxia or Larxene to appear and give them a World Card. "Hey, Serenna. How long have you had that rose behind your ear?" Zexion checked, and indeed there was a rose tucked behind her left ear. Serenna looked at it, mystified. "I found it in my pocket after we left Wonderland, so I tucked it behind my ear and I guess I forgot about it." Zexion had been the one who had put it in her pocket, but he decided against saying that out loud, especially considering that he was developing feelings for her. Suddenly, in a rush of rose petals, Marluxia appeared in front of them. "I never expected for you to get this far, Zexion. Much less the humans. But you all have an actual chance of making to the thirteenth floor. So I am here to snuff you all out." He waved his hand, and the rose Serenna was holding turned into a World Card. "If you can make it past this floor, I will be waiting on the other side to drown you all in everlasting darkness. So better that you simply perish on this floor." With that, Marluxia vanished. Seeing the look on Serenna's face, Zexion plucked the World Card from her fingers and studied it. "Good news, Serenna. If you want another rose, this is the perfect world." He used the World Card.
Thirteenth floor: Larxene once again was rolling on the floor, laughing. As she regained control over herself, she turned to Naminé and said, "Don't you just love watching Zexion and humans? They seem to do all the things that amuse me." Naminé simply asked, "When they get here, what are you going to do with them?" Larxene's smile disappeared, and she said indifferently, "Xenmas is overtaking this Castle's operation soon, so what I wanted to do with them no longer matters." Naminé sank a little in her chair. The situation was spiraling out of control, and fast.
Beast's Castle: The group crashed onto a veranda that was outside a castle. The group stood up shakily onto their feet and first thing Selene did was note, "There are no rose bushes here." Zexion saw this coming, and countered this with, "There is only one rose in this world, but it would be considered the most beutiful rose in any world." Serenna beamed at him, and then a huge roar rent through the air. "What was that?!" Serenna exclaimed, startled. Zexion flipped through his memory for a moment. "I believe that is our gracious host. Greet him for me, will you Serenna? Selene and I will catch up to you later." Serenna walked through the glass door into the castle.
Still on the veranda: "So why am I here, Bookworm?" Selene asked, impatient. Zexion looked at the castle and asked, "Did your parents ever tell you about this castle? That anything happened here?" Selene looked away for a moment, then said, "My father gave me your old journals, then ones titled '84/3 days' for my thirteenth birthday. Said I was old enough to read them, and that you thought so as well. There was an entry on this castle, and when I asked my mom about it, she admitted that my father had saved her life that day, and told me that was the day she started to fall in love with him. At least, until this mess." Zexion clapped her on the shoulder and they went into the castle as well.
Castle ballroom: Serenna was chatting amicably with the Beast when Zexion and Selene entered the room. The Beast automatically growled at the black coats they wore. "Do you know Xaldin?" He asked with obvious anger. Zexion shook his head. "He is an associate of mine, no more. My friends and I are looking for Jason." The Beast's face became less guarded, and a girl in a yellow dress stepped around from behind him and approached Selene. "What is it, Belle?" Beast asked the yellow-dress woman tenderly. Belle the yellow-dress woman continued to study Selene, much to her irritation. "Take a picture, it will last longer." she snapped. At this point, Belle's face lit up in an, "Ah ha!" fashion. She went over to the Beast's ear and whispered into it for a minute, and he openly stared at Selene in wonder. "Don't take it personally, Selene," Zexion whispered in her ear, "Your very existence just violates the laws of nature." Serenna cut in at this point, asking, "Where is the rose I've been hearing about?" Everyone turned to her, and the Beast said, "But, that is my most precious possession! I can't let just anyone touch it." Belle gently touched his arm and suggested, "Just let her look at it. It won't do you or the rose any harm." The Beast relented, and led the group out of the Ballroom.
En Route: Serenna automatically gravitated towards Belle, and they struck up a conversation. "Beast is so much nicer than he looks! How is it you two know each other?" She asked Belle. Belle folded her arms gently over her dress, then said, "I substituted for my father as the Beast's prisoner when he was captured. At first, I was scared of him, but with time I saw a gentle heart, and I fell in love with him." Serenna's hands fidgeted nervously as she asked, "Is it possible for someone without a heart to fall in love?" Belle smiled at Serenna. "I believe anything is possible. Especially after I saw your friend save Larxene." That hadn't been why Serenna had asked, but they had reached their destination so it no longer mattered.
Beast's room: The group entered the Beast's room, and Serenna approached the mystic rose until her nose was pressed up against the glass case surrounding it. "May I have this rose?" Serenna asked, desire plain on her face. Beast gently picked up Serenna and put her down on the other side of the room from the rose. "No," He said, getting defensive, "This rose is more important to me than anything!" Zexion went up to the rose as well, and he studied it intensely for a good ten minutes. Then, he approached the crestfallen Serenna and used his illusion powers to make a duplicate rose and gave it to Serenna. Before she could do anything, Zexion looked out the window and saw the World exit. "Time for us to leave." Belle warned the group, "Blocking the exit is an Infernal Engine. Be careful." The group reached for the exit, but before they left, Zexion called to Beast, "Jason gave you advice when he was here, right?" Beast looked surprised, and said, "He told me that I shouldn't wallow in self-pity because I have so many people that love me." Zexion already knew this, and so took the chance to say, "Here is my advice to you: Don't be in love with a plant, or the woman will leave you." And he left without another word.
En Route: Zexion realized that even a phantom heart couldn't be predicted, which was about all he had. «Oh, the irony of it.» he thought to himself…
Day 81: I guess I…Zexion's room: Zexion was healing a new batch of cuts on Jason. When he was done, Jason sat up and said, "Worth it. At least now we are finally even." Zexion quite honestly wanted to shake the human, but instead he asked, "Why do you put yourself through all of this? You can go home anytime you wish, so why are you here?" Jason stroked his bright red hair for a bit, then he said, "I'm falling in love with Larxene." Zexion knew he should be shocked, but instead he said, "They say hearts can't lie. So I wonder what's wrong with yours." Jason cradled his head in his hands. "I guess I thought I was invincible. But I'm not. There is just so much more to her than I thought. I can't believe I'm in love with her." Zexion shook his head. "Little wonder you haven't gotten yourself killed."
«Now I'm falling in love with his best friend. I guess I thought I was invincible as well. Even though Axel got me killed by the Riku replica, I still thought I was invincible.»
World exit: The group managed to reach the exit, but as Belle said, it was blocked by an Infernal Engine. Zexion managed to make quick work of it, and as they left, Zexion couldn't help think, «That was easy. Too easy.»
Eleventh floor exit hall: Marluxia was waiting for them when they got out, and Zexion guessed, "You dialed down that Heartless on purpose, didn't you?" Marluxia reached a hand into the air, and a rose petal fell into it, and became his scythe. "So true," Marluxia sneered, "I wanted to take care of you guys myself. So drown in eternal darkness!" He charged, and Zexion opened his Lexicon and a Firaga spell hit Marluxia straight in the chest. He stopped, and in a flash, he was behind Zexion, and all of a sudden a cut opened up in his chest. "Zexion!" Serenna screamed, and rushed over to him. Meanwhile, Selene had already summoned her knives and was fight Marluxia one on one. Then, he floated away from her and slashed his scythe at nothing. "You've gone senile," Selene said, which almost didn't give her enough time to dodge the giant wall of pink energy that nearly decapitated her. By now, Serenna had healed Zexion's wound, and he was back on his feet. A series of Fira spells flew from his Lexicon, hitting Marluxia one after the other. He simply waved his scythe, and a storm of petals came out, buffeting the group. Once it cleared, Serenna took out her Bo staff and fought with Marluxia fiercely, driven by fury. He fended off most of her attacks, but enough hit so that he was starting to wear down. Selene jumped in, and slashed Marluxia's chest with both her knives. He dropped onto his knees, then collapsed into a flurry a rose petals. "Is he dead?" Serenna asked tenatively. "He is," Zexion said, "But that was not the real Marluxia, just a clone. The real Marluxia was never here."
Thirteenth floor: "Well. It seems like they finally figured it out. I wonder if they will figure out that the Jason they have been chasing has been nothing but a replica?" Naminé answered Larxene's question by saying, "You had me remove the memory of replicas from him. He almost remembered just now." Larxene walked to the orb. "Now that it matters," she said, "Because it will all end soon."
Thriteenth floor: Larxene returned to the Castle Oblivion. As she entered the thirteenth floor, Naminé looked at her from her chair. "Larxene, would you like to see what has happened since you left?" Naminé asked quietly. Larxene merely walked over to the Nobody's orb and saw the footage for herself, and was in a good mood when she stopped watching. "Little one, what floor are Zexion and the humans on?" she asked. Naminé consulted the orb, and responded, "The eleventh floor. They are currently in Beast's Castle." Larxene fought off a wave of nostalgia and sat back to watch the show. «Xenmas's condition to letting me return to Castle Oblivion was not part of my plans…no problem. I will simply adjust.» Larxene thought to herself.
Thirteenth floor, one hour earlier: Marluxia was patiently awaiting Larxene's return. "Selene the human is Larxene's child! She must know of this." Naminé got up from her chair and got in front of Marluxia. "I won't let you," she said queitly, her arms out as if to block him. He chuckled derisively. "What could you possibly do to me?" Naminé simply snapped her fingers, and Marluxia fell to the ground.
Eleventh floor entrance hall: Zexion and the group no longer had any World Cards, so they simply chatted while waiting for Marluxia or Larxene to appear and give them a World Card. "Hey, Serenna. How long have you had that rose behind your ear?" Zexion checked, and indeed there was a rose tucked behind her left ear. Serenna looked at it, mystified. "I found it in my pocket after we left Wonderland, so I tucked it behind my ear and I guess I forgot about it." Zexion had been the one who had put it in her pocket, but he decided against saying that out loud, especially considering that he was developing feelings for her. Suddenly, in a rush of rose petals, Marluxia appeared in front of them. "I never expected for you to get this far, Zexion. Much less the humans. But you all have an actual chance of making to the thirteenth floor. So I am here to snuff you all out." He waved his hand, and the rose Serenna was holding turned into a World Card. "If you can make it past this floor, I will be waiting on the other side to drown you all in everlasting darkness. So better that you simply perish on this floor." With that, Marluxia vanished. Seeing the look on Serenna's face, Zexion plucked the World Card from her fingers and studied it. "Good news, Serenna. If you want another rose, this is the perfect world." He used the World Card.
Thirteenth floor: Larxene once again was rolling on the floor, laughing. As she regained control over herself, she turned to Naminé and said, "Don't you just love watching Zexion and humans? They seem to do all the things that amuse me." Naminé simply asked, "When they get here, what are you going to do with them?" Larxene's smile disappeared, and she said indifferently, "Xenmas is overtaking this Castle's operation soon, so what I wanted to do with them no longer matters." Naminé sank a little in her chair. The situation was spiraling out of control, and fast.
Beast's Castle: The group crashed onto a veranda that was outside a castle. The group stood up shakily onto their feet and first thing Selene did was note, "There are no rose bushes here." Zexion saw this coming, and countered this with, "There is only one rose in this world, but it would be considered the most beutiful rose in any world." Serenna beamed at him, and then a huge roar rent through the air. "What was that?!" Serenna exclaimed, startled. Zexion flipped through his memory for a moment. "I believe that is our gracious host. Greet him for me, will you Serenna? Selene and I will catch up to you later." Serenna walked through the glass door into the castle.
Still on the veranda: "So why am I here, Bookworm?" Selene asked, impatient. Zexion looked at the castle and asked, "Did your parents ever tell you about this castle? That anything happened here?" Selene looked away for a moment, then said, "My father gave me your old journals, then ones titled '84/3 days' for my thirteenth birthday. Said I was old enough to read them, and that you thought so as well. There was an entry on this castle, and when I asked my mom about it, she admitted that my father had saved her life that day, and told me that was the day she started to fall in love with him. At least, until this mess." Zexion clapped her on the shoulder and they went into the castle as well.
Castle ballroom: Serenna was chatting amicably with the Beast when Zexion and Selene entered the room. The Beast automatically growled at the black coats they wore. "Do you know Xaldin?" He asked with obvious anger. Zexion shook his head. "He is an associate of mine, no more. My friends and I are looking for Jason." The Beast's face became less guarded, and a girl in a yellow dress stepped around from behind him and approached Selene. "What is it, Belle?" Beast asked the yellow-dress woman tenderly. Belle the yellow-dress woman continued to study Selene, much to her irritation. "Take a picture, it will last longer." she snapped. At this point, Belle's face lit up in an, "Ah ha!" fashion. She went over to the Beast's ear and whispered into it for a minute, and he openly stared at Selene in wonder. "Don't take it personally, Selene," Zexion whispered in her ear, "Your very existence just violates the laws of nature." Serenna cut in at this point, asking, "Where is the rose I've been hearing about?" Everyone turned to her, and the Beast said, "But, that is my most precious possession! I can't let just anyone touch it." Belle gently touched his arm and suggested, "Just let her look at it. It won't do you or the rose any harm." The Beast relented, and led the group out of the Ballroom.
En Route: Serenna automatically gravitated towards Belle, and they struck up a conversation. "Beast is so much nicer than he looks! How is it you two know each other?" She asked Belle. Belle folded her arms gently over her dress, then said, "I substituted for my father as the Beast's prisoner when he was captured. At first, I was scared of him, but with time I saw a gentle heart, and I fell in love with him." Serenna's hands fidgeted nervously as she asked, "Is it possible for someone without a heart to fall in love?" Belle smiled at Serenna. "I believe anything is possible. Especially after I saw your friend save Larxene." That hadn't been why Serenna had asked, but they had reached their destination so it no longer mattered.
Beast's room: The group entered the Beast's room, and Serenna approached the mystic rose until her nose was pressed up against the glass case surrounding it. "May I have this rose?" Serenna asked, desire plain on her face. Beast gently picked up Serenna and put her down on the other side of the room from the rose. "No," He said, getting defensive, "This rose is more important to me than anything!" Zexion went up to the rose as well, and he studied it intensely for a good ten minutes. Then, he approached the crestfallen Serenna and used his illusion powers to make a duplicate rose and gave it to Serenna. Before she could do anything, Zexion looked out the window and saw the World exit. "Time for us to leave." Belle warned the group, "Blocking the exit is an Infernal Engine. Be careful." The group reached for the exit, but before they left, Zexion called to Beast, "Jason gave you advice when he was here, right?" Beast looked surprised, and said, "He told me that I shouldn't wallow in self-pity because I have so many people that love me." Zexion already knew this, and so took the chance to say, "Here is my advice to you: Don't be in love with a plant, or the woman will leave you." And he left without another word.
En Route: Zexion realized that even a phantom heart couldn't be predicted, which was about all he had. «Oh, the irony of it.» he thought to himself…
Day 81: I guess I…Zexion's room: Zexion was healing a new batch of cuts on Jason. When he was done, Jason sat up and said, "Worth it. At least now we are finally even." Zexion quite honestly wanted to shake the human, but instead he asked, "Why do you put yourself through all of this? You can go home anytime you wish, so why are you here?" Jason stroked his bright red hair for a bit, then he said, "I'm falling in love with Larxene." Zexion knew he should be shocked, but instead he said, "They say hearts can't lie. So I wonder what's wrong with yours." Jason cradled his head in his hands. "I guess I thought I was invincible. But I'm not. There is just so much more to her than I thought. I can't believe I'm in love with her." Zexion shook his head. "Little wonder you haven't gotten yourself killed."
«Now I'm falling in love with his best friend. I guess I thought I was invincible as well. Even though Axel got me killed by the Riku replica, I still thought I was invincible.»
World exit: The group managed to reach the exit, but as Belle said, it was blocked by an Infernal Engine. Zexion managed to make quick work of it, and as they left, Zexion couldn't help think, «That was easy. Too easy.»
Eleventh floor exit hall: Marluxia was waiting for them when they got out, and Zexion guessed, "You dialed down that Heartless on purpose, didn't you?" Marluxia reached a hand into the air, and a rose petal fell into it, and became his scythe. "So true," Marluxia sneered, "I wanted to take care of you guys myself. So drown in eternal darkness!" He charged, and Zexion opened his Lexicon and a Firaga spell hit Marluxia straight in the chest. He stopped, and in a flash, he was behind Zexion, and all of a sudden a cut opened up in his chest. "Zexion!" Serenna screamed, and rushed over to him. Meanwhile, Selene had already summoned her knives and was fight Marluxia one on one. Then, he floated away from her and slashed his scythe at nothing. "You've gone senile," Selene said, which almost didn't give her enough time to dodge the giant wall of pink energy that nearly decapitated her. By now, Serenna had healed Zexion's wound, and he was back on his feet. A series of Fira spells flew from his Lexicon, hitting Marluxia one after the other. He simply waved his scythe, and a storm of petals came out, buffeting the group. Once it cleared, Serenna took out her Bo staff and fought with Marluxia fiercely, driven by fury. He fended off most of her attacks, but enough hit so that he was starting to wear down. Selene jumped in, and slashed Marluxia's chest with both her knives. He dropped onto his knees, then collapsed into a flurry a rose petals. "Is he dead?" Serenna asked tenatively. "He is," Zexion said, "But that was not the real Marluxia, just a clone. The real Marluxia was never here."
Thirteenth floor: "Well. It seems like they finally figured it out. I wonder if they will figure out that the Jason they have been chasing has been nothing but a replica?" Naminé answered Larxene's question by saying, "You had me remove the memory of replicas from him. He almost remembered just now." Larxene walked to the orb. "Now that it matters," she said, "Because it will all end soon."
