Hearts of Vengeance 6

CHAPTER 6

Axel had his head lowered, chuckling, before he raised is head and opened his eyes.  “Nice to see you again, Larxene…  Sorry for my intrusion.  Got it memorized?”  He smirked as his chakrams appeared in his hands.

‘Got it memorized…  Same old Axel…’  Larxene thought, smiling a little with a blush.  She soon realized what she was doing and shook her head, slapping herself to gain control back.  “Well, first the Key of Destiny, now the “Flurry of Dancing Flames.”  The traitor brigade’s almost complete.”  She smirked.

Axel rolled his eyes.  “You’re one to talk.”

Larxene wagged her finger at Axel.  “Ah, ah.  I was talking about me as well.  All we need is that rat, Marlxuia, now.”  Her smile gave way to a frown.  “Yeah—the flower fairy who started the whole mess…”

Axel’s ears picked up that last sentence, and the tone in which it was said.  ‘Wait a second.  Was that—regret, in her voice?  She’s actually speaking ill of Marluxia?  I thought those two went hand in hand with one another…not that Larxene couldn’t do better.’  “Sounds like you’ve got issues with Marluxia…”

Larxene shook her head.  “So what if I do?  I’m still fighting here!  THUNDAGA!!”

Axel was bombarded with a miniature electrical storm, from a high level thunder spell, as lightning bolts shot down all around him, trying to electrocute him.  Axel dodged the bolts as nimbly as he could, before countering with his own high level spell.  “FIRAGA!”

Larxene thanked god that she wasn’t wearing her Organization cloak this time, as she danced frantically, trying to avoid the flames.

Axel rushed over to Roxas’ side with a high potion ready.  “Roxas, buddy.  You ok?”

“Ugh…  I will be once I get my stamina back…”  Roxas groaned in pain.

“Here ya go, then.”  Axel uncapped the hi-potion and sprinkled its shiny healing particles contents over Roxas.

“Ahhh…  There we go.”  Roxas sighed as the pain went away and his strength began to build back up.  He watched as Axel held out a helping hand, took it, and let Axel pull him back onto his feet.  “Thanks for the help, Axel.”  He dusted himself off and turned to the still stunned and shaken Larxene with a glare.  “So Larxene…  You still care to fight?”

“Larxene, please.”  Axel said sternly with worry.  “You DON’T have to do this!  There’s no more Organization XIII!  And you’re not a Nobody anymore!  You HAVE a heart, don’t you?”

Larxenen placed a hand to her chest, still getting use to the beating of her new heart.  “I…I know that!”  She shot back, her eyes looking hesistant.

“Marluxia does too.  But he doesn’t seem to give a rat’s ass about it.”  Roxas told her.

“You DON’T have to be his puppet anymore!”  Axel added.  “C’mon Larxene.  You’re your own woman!  You don’t take orders from anyone!  Marluxia just lead you to your own destruction!  You’ll keep going down that path if you keep listening to him.”

Larxene’s hands started to shake.  She KNEW they were right.  When she first lost her heart and was reduced to a Nobody, she didn’t know what to do or where to turn to. All she knew was that she was now a Nobody, an empty husk, and her heart was now some savage Heartless running about.  But that’s when she first met Axel.  Axel came to her, a Nobody much like herself, and told her that she could one day have a heart again.  All she had to do was come with him and join the Organization.  Everything seemed fine at first when Larxene first joined.  She was gifted with the power of thunder and wielded kunai as weapons.  Her penchant for mental and physical torture, along with her ruthless battle tactics earned her the name of the “Savage Nymph.”  But soon, Larxene’s goals became obscured and clouded the moment Marluxia approached her.  He didn’t care about gaining a heart.  All he wanted was power; to overthrow Xemnas and to take the Organization for himself.  When he told her about Sora and the Keyblade, and what powers the Keyblade wield, she became hooked on Marluxia’s plans and schemes, also wanting a taste of power herself.  But where had it gotten her?  Sora caught onto their plans and Larxene was one of the first to fall.  None of that would’ve happened if she hadn’t have listened to Marluxia’s harebrained scheme.  But now she had a heart, and a chance to live normally once again.  Did she REALLY owe that much of a debt to the one who dragged her down in the first place?  Suddenly she felt a warm wetness forming in her eyes and trickling down her cheeks.  She reached up and felt them, feeling the warm liquid streaming down; tears.  Tears—Larxene was crying—the Savage Nymph was actually crying.

‘Tears!?’  Roxas saw what was happening and his jaw nearly dropped.  ‘Ok—something’s WRONG here.  In the short time I knew Larxene when we were all in the Organization, she NEVER cried.  …Of course, she didn’t have a heart then, but still…’

Unlike Roxas, Axel was more concerned than shocked.  “Larxene?”  He started to walk over.  “Larxene, are you ok?”  He reached out to her.

“S-Stay away!”  Larxene half sobbed in a shaky voice and smacked Axel’s hand away, floating backwards a meter and a half from him.  “GRAND SPARK!”  Larxene slammed the ground, sending an explosive electrical current right for Axel.

Axel barely had enough time to jump over the incoming attack, letting it pass under him before fizzling out.  “Larxene, calm down!”

Larxene didn’t listen however and started throwing handfuls of kunai right for Axel, continuing to cry in despair.

Axel twirled his chakrams about in front of him, deflecting the kunai away from him.  “Damn it…  She’s going hysterical now!”  He started to back away as the hysterical Larxene kept throwing kuani at him madly.  “Roxas!  Little help!?”

“Say no more.”  Roxas gripped his Keyblade tightly, and it shone with brilliant light.  Roxas pulled his hands apart, still gripping the handle, and the lone Keyblade split into two.  The light flashed out and in place of the Kingdom Key, Roxas once again held the Oblivion and Oath Keeper Keyblades in his hands.  He charged at Larxene like a bull, gripping both Keyblades, and shouted at her.  “Hey, Larxene!”

Larxene froze in her tracks, halting her attack, and looked to her left.

“ARC ARCANUM!”  Roxas made contact and pummeled Larxene’s body with his two Keyblades madly, smacking her torso, chest and pelvis hard with each rapid stroke, before stopping his flurry suddenly and sending Larxene flying with a an X-shaped stroke.

Larxene cried out as she felt the impact of Roxas’ finishing combo and was sent crashing back first into a nearby group of trash cans.  CRASH!  Steel cans and garbage went flying everywhere from Larxene’s impact.  She groaned softly as she struggled back to her feet and glared angrily and tearfully at Roxas’ tense and battle ready form. She clapped her hands and teleported out of sight.

Roxas did a double take at where Larxene once stood and looked all about the field.  “Where is she?  Where is she!?”

“Roxas!  Above you!”  Axel called out.

Roxas looked above to see Larxene swooping down at him, kunai filled hands sparking with lightning as she held them above her head, before swinging them down on Roxas in a hammering motion.  Roxas quickly held up his Keyblades in a cross-like position.  CHING!  Roxas blocked the attack, as sparks and bolts flew about and crackled against the metal of the Keyblades.  Roxas put all of his weight into his Keyblades, and broke them apart from the X-formation, and sent Larxene back up into the air.  “Here I come!  FINAL BREAK!”  Roxas leapt into the air after Larxene and struck her hard with a blow from the Oath Keeper, before following up with a blow from the Oblivion, and finally swimming both Keyblades down upon her shoulders sending her straight into the ground below, breaking the pavement underneath her.  Roxas landed back on solid ground and walked carefully over to where Larxene was.  “Larxene?”  He leaned over and gently prodded her with Oblivion.  “Speak to me…  Can you stand?”

Larxene’s eyes shot open and she back flipped away from Roxas, albeit limping and panting where she was standing.

Axel ran to Roxas’ side.  “Larxene, enough!  It’s over!”  He yelled, trying to get Larxene to halt her attack.

Larxene shuddered.  It’s—not—over—until I SAY SO!”  She shrieked.  “TRINE!”

A pyramid of lightning suddenly engulfed and twirled rotated around Roxas and Axel, trapping them in a field of electricity, immobilizing them and pumping intense voltage through them for a good 5 seconds, before dissipating.  Both boys dropped to their knees, still not having total control of their fiery nerves and contracting muscles just yet.

Larxene stumbled toward them weakly.  “Now you two listen to me…”  She said in a weak shaky voice.  “I’m doing this because I don’t have a choice!  I have a heart now, yes.  But I might not have it for long if Marluxia has his way with me…”

Roxas gathered up his strength and got onto his feet, still holding the Oath Keeper and Oblivion Keyblades.  “NO!  You listen, Larxene!  That heart is YOUR heart!  You’re acting like Marluxia’s got property over it!  You don’t have to be his puppet!”

Larxene shook her head as tears poured down her cheeks.  “It’s not that easy!  It’s not as simple as that…   I can’t explain it.  Either way, I’m not going to let up!”  She readied her kunai.

“Well, neither am I!”  Roxas brandished his Keyblades.

“Larxene…”  Axel looked at her worriedly, before casting his glance to Roxas.  ‘They can’t keep going like this…someone’s gonna get hurt.  And I’m worried that it’s gonna be both of them!’

“BOLT BALL!!”  Larxene fired more intense balls of electricity at Roxas.

“PEARL!”  Roxas countered with a barrage of light orbs, and nullified the bolt balls.  Once Larxene’s attack had been nullified, Roxas started to glow with white light a she chanted another spell.  “HOLY!”  He pointed out Oath Keeper and pearls of light, the size of coconuts shot from the Keyblade and began to encircle Larxene, gathering light energy all around her until…  SHOOM!  Light erupted from the ground below Larxene and engulfed her, her screams of pain coming from within the column of light.  

When the light dissipated, Larxene moaned softly as she fell to her knees, breathing raggedly.  “C-Can’t beat him…”

“Larxene—give it up.  NOW!”  Roxas said sternly.  “This fight’s pointless.”

“N-No…”  Larxene whispered, as her tears started to pitter onto the ground.  She weakly tried to stand up.  “I— I can’t stop…”  She started to crackle with electricity.  “I won’t stop!”

“Then, neither will I.  Not until I get through to you!”  Roxas started to glow with light, as did his Keyblades.

“Larxene!  Roxas!  Stop!”  Axel cried out to them.

“WATER!”  Out of nowhere a barrage of water bubbles assaulted the two fighters, stunning them and splashing them with intense cold water, and causing them to lose concentration and to halt their attacks, before being knocked down from the ferocity of the onslaught.

“Ugh…”  Roxas shook his hair dry.  “What was that?”

“Ptui!”  Larxene spat out some water.  “I’ve already had my shower today!”

“Finally, that cooled you guys down.”  A voice said.

Axel looked around the area as he sprinkled a hi-potion all over himself and rejuvenating himself.  “That attack—and that voice.”  He stood back up.  “Come one out Demyx!  I know it’s you!”

Out of the Alleyway leading into the Market Place, the figure of Demyx, the Melodious Nocturne stepped out, sitar in hand with a nervous smile.  “H-Hey guys!  How’ve you all been?”  He turned around and his face fell to a worried, panicked expression.  “Oh man…  How did Axel pick me out so easily?  What if they think I’m their enemy too?  Some sneak attack I did.”  He turned right around to see Axel in front.  “YAHA!”  He jumped back and gulped.

“It’s ok Demyx, I don’t think you’re the enemy.  If anything you prevented an all out free-for-all brawl.”  Axel said, a little amused at Demyx’s state.

“I…I did?”  Demyx looked over and saw Roxas and Larxene, all wet and dazed, interrupted from the intense battle.  “Oh!  I mean…  Of course I did!”  He stood up high.  “Yeah, that fight was gonna get outta hand there.”

“Thanks.”  Axel said.  “Now maybe I could talk some sense into them.”  He ran off over to other two organization members.

“Hey!  Wait for me!”  Demyx put his sitar away and chased after Axel.

Larxene was soaked head to toe by Demyx’s water attack, but she did admit the dousing made her feel a little better.  She wiped the wet hair from out of her eyes, in time to see Axel coming her way, with Demyx right behind him.  ‘Demyx?  What’s he doing here?’

Axel stopped right in front of Larxene and knelt down.  He gently brought her face toward him and spoke sternly.  “Are you ready to listen now?”

Larxene found herself staring into Axel’s eyes, unable to look anywhere else.  She slowly felt her resolve wear away and nodded.  “Ok…  I’m ready to listen.”

‘It’s about time.’  Roxas thought as he stood up.

“Hey Roxas.  Need a towel?”  Demyx conjured up a towel and held it out.

“Thanks Demyx.”  Roxas thanked the Melodious Nocturne, before he took the towel and started to dry himself, while listening to Axel and Larxene.

“Now look Larxene.”  Axel told the Savage Nymph.  “You think there’s no way out except to follow Marluxia.  Well you’re wrong.  There IS a way out.  You ARE a free woman now, with your own heart.  Marluxia can’t take that away.  He has a heart too, but he ignores that, still living like a Nobody.  But you can be different from him.  You know better now.”

“But…  What if he comes after me?”  Larxene was worried about that most of all.

“Then we’ll protect you.  I’LL protect you.”  Axel told her softly, before pulling her into a hug.

‘He’ll—protect me?’  Larxene found herself not only blushing from Axel’s words, but also the close contact from the hug.  Now, she REALLY felt the true essence of her new heart, because she could feel it beating faster and faster as Axel held her.

The two former Nobodies were so caught up in the moment, they forgot about their two blonde friends watching close behind.

“Oh boy…”  Roxas rolled his eyes in amusement.  “Now we’ve lost him.”

“I think it’s kinda sweet…”  Demyx said with a smile.

“Yeah, sure YOU’D think that.”  Roxas joked.  “You always were the soft one.”  He laughed.

“Oh, SOFT am I?”  Demyx gave Roxas a look before grabbing him in a headlock and noogieing him like crazy.  “I’ll show you who’s soft!”  He laughed.

“AAAAAAAAAAACK!”  Roxas exclaimed as he was noogied.

After what seemed like a long time, Larxene and Axel pulled away.  And it was then that Axel noticed something.  “Um—Larxene—” He started to blush a bit.  “Maybe we’d better get you into some drier clothes, before you bear more than you’re soul.”  He pointed to her shirt.

Larxene looked down at herself, and realized that black lacy bra was showing through her wet t-shirt.  “ACK!”  She quickly folder her arms over her chest, and blushed.

Axel couldn’t help but smirk smoothly.  “Did you get a little bigger, over time?”  He said slyly.

“AXEL!”  Larxene turned away, blushing more and fuming a little.

“Hey, I was just paying you a compliment.”  Axel said, still smiling.

Larxene rolled her eyes at him.  “Yeah, and taking an opportunity to tell me how big you think my boobs are.”

“Well, I know I’ve got good taste.”  He told her.

Larxene blushed harder at that, but started to smile a little.  “Hmm…  I guess you do, Axel.  I guess you do…”   She started to stand up.  “Ugh…  I hate the feel of wet cotton against my skin.”  She looked down at her feet, and noticed her bootlace on her left shoe was undone.  “Whoops, I’d better do that up before I trip.”  She bent right over to do up her lace, forgetting that she was leaving herself open from behind.

Axel’s eyes widened as Larxene bent right over, and her wet skirt rode up, causing her lacey black underwear to peek out from her tight round rump.  ‘H-O-T.  I got THAT memorized…’

Later that night…

Naminé looked out of her bedroom window at the moon above.  Even after a year or so it still felt odd, how she now had the whole mansion to call her own.  No more single room to be confined too, no more Organization members to jeer and torment her.  Roxas, Axel, Larxene, and Demyx were different though.  Roxas and Axel were her best friends, and Demyx and Larxene were nice and respectful in their own way.  Roxas…  As Nobodies they had a special bond, which went deeper than being the Nobodies of Sora and Kairi.  Perhaps their feelings were true then as they were now.  Now that Naminé had a heart of her own, those feelings were more evident and stronger.  She valued Roxas as a dear friend, but perhaps as something more as well.  Every time she was around him, she felt warm and safe, like she was on top of the world.  Someday she would tell him how she felt, but until then she was happy with the way things were now.  Gently slipping off her dress, Naminé crawled onto the bed in only her white cotton bra and panties with red hearts and gently nestled down into the covers, the moonlight shining down on her beautiful form, making her look like a sleeping serene angel as she thought of Roxas.

Olette sat at the edge of her bed looking at a photograph of her and the gang.  Mostly, she found herself looking at and thinking of Roxas.  The more she thought about Roxas, the faster her heart beat.  It felt like she and Roxas had been friends forever, and now Olette was thinking.  Could they be more?  Olette sure wanted it to be, seeing as how she had requested they go shopping together.  Olette had secretly been flirting with Roxas in her own way, what with modeling bikinis in front of him and all.  The day had been perfect, until that idiot Seifer had pantsed her and gave Roxas a long hard view at her underwear.  But she couldn’t help but notice Roxas sneaking peeks at her.  Did he like what he saw?  She stood in front of her mirror looking at her reflection, and started to strip out of her clothes.  She pulled off her orange tank-top leaving her yellow laced bra on her maturing breasts, and unbuttoned her khaki pants, letting them fall to her ankles, revealing yellow laced panties.  She looked herself over in the mirror from top to bottom.  Did he actually like this body of hers?  She smiled a little and giggled as she remembered his bashful look.  To her, Roxas looked so cute when he was all flustered like that.  Turning her back to the mirror, she skipped over to her bedside and slipped into bed, pulling the blanket over her partially as she went to sleep, dreaming of Roxas.

TO BE CONTINUED