Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to.

A/N: Um…so this is like…ridiculously and utterly embarrassing but uh yeah…here's lame chapter 16...if you hate me, it's okay, I understand. I will go now. Thank you to anyone who is still reading.

Word coding:

'Thoughts' & "Speaking"

Random flashbacks or other stuff & Everything else

Obscured

Outside in the night air, Larxene felt oddly peaceful despite the commotion that had transpired shortly before her trek into her vast backyard. Whether this was attributed to her lack of emotion at the moment, or Marluxia's mysteriously soothing aura she didn't know, nor did she care to find out. As it was, the breeze drifting by them was not as hot as usual, which lent to the night being rather pleasant. She found it strange that the night itself would have been the opposite of what had occurred; tranquility as opposed to hostility. 'Such a weird combination but suitable for us, I guess.' Her thoughts were interrupted when Marluxia paused ahead of her, stopping just before the large, dried out fountain that used to be so beautiful during the spring and summer nights when her parents were alive. She blinked back bitter, biting tears at this, pushing the feelings back down into the darker depths of her heart. It wouldn't do well to dwell on her past more than already was present. While it had been forced back upon her, Larxene knew she didn't have to add more fuel to that already billowing fire. It would be best to let it simmer again, just below the façade of her well maintained composure. 'Except that now, it's gone to shit.' A scowl appeared on her lips even as Marluxia turned to her, eyebrow raised in questioning.

"Shut up," she whispered quietly but firmly.

Marluxia's brow rose higher, if possible, his fingers reaching up to rub his chin in a thought provoking gesture. "Ah…Miss Larxene, if I may, I have to insist that you quell your hostility, if but for a moment."

"Insist all you want. It doesn't mean I'm going to do it," she replied though the usual fire in her voice was heavily lacking, and the chestnut haired man noticed. Sighing, she fell against the fountain, perching herself on the granite as comfortably as possible. "What did you want to tell me?"

Seating himself a good amount of inches away from her, he settled into a comfortable position, the moonlight creating a silver crown on his hair. "I wanted…I wished to discuss something of pertinence with you, regarding this…situation." She blinked again, her face blank otherwise. "I feel that…it's finally time to tell you about Jacob."

"Your brother?"

He nodded. "Yes…Jacob was my little brother." Larxene didn't nod but her eyes suddenly took on an interested gaze as Marluxia heaved the heaviest sigh she'd heard since his arrival in Twilight Town all those months ago. "Jacob was…7 years old when he…died." Again, Larxene blinked but her eyes showed no other emotion and the man wondered, for a moment, if she was as heartless as so many claimed. "I can't remember, however, exactly how he died. I do know that the last time I saw Jacob was shortly before my father and mother disowned me and kicked me out of the house. I never looked back that day."

"Why not?"

"They blamed me…or…he blamed me, for Jacob's death. My mother…she never said a word, never stood up for me that day. She just cowered in fear, in acceptance. But now I know…I know it was Sumitse who killed Jacob." Involuntarily Larxene scooted closer to him, the interest in her eyes renewed; it bothered Marluxia mildly because he couldn't tell what kind of interest she was demonstrating. "Jacob used to go to the doctor's a lot—one doctor. When we lived in Traverse Town, we lived in a special housing complex that I didn't, until now, realize belonged to a block of property owned by your…step-father. It explains a lot now but back then, I was simply trying to provide for my family and finish school. One cannot blame me for not caring that rent was cheap, or that I was able to find a job with relative ease." He looked away. "It should've been obvious, all the signs that kept surfacing. I should've known better than to think I could help us all escape my father's…abusive grasp."

Rubbing his temples, Marluxia's voice fell into a deeper tone, solemn and full of an aching Larxene recognized all too well. "Jacob had been going into the Doctor's office far too long to have not fallen more ill, or to have his condition not improve. You see…Jacob, I now know, was being tested. The experimental drugs he had been injected with were to create a new medicine, a new serum, for some disease that Sumitse had been…conducting research on for many years. Perhaps you knew about it, indirectly. Whatever the case, he needed test subjects. What better way than to offer money to less illustrious, poverty stricken families like mine? Back then I…I didn't know that Demyx's father was a close colleague of his. I was young and naïve, my only concern for our well being." Shuddering, he felt the anger creep into his voice. "How foolish of me…this is my fault."

"How can that be?" Larxene quickly interjected in an even tone. "You didn't know. Shit…the bastard is my step-father and even I didn't know."

"I was too focused on not suspecting that something was amiss. I never miss a sign. I'm always one step ahead." Shame plastered his face. "But this time...I was unable to keep up with what was happening. The drugs…I was young. I was not able to resist the effects, nor recognize them until it was too late. Now everything is one big massive ball of debris floating around in my head like a lost memory."

Before she realized what she was doing, Larxene's hand reached out, covering his own for the briefest of seconds. At the discovery of what she had done, she quickly retracted it, turning away to hide the sudden blush of surprise that washed over her face. "It's…it's not your fault."

Marluxia was still staring at the spot where her fingers had been seconds earlier, somewhat mesmerized by the quick action. But he did not draw more attention to it as Larxene seemed highly uncomfortable as it was. "That is…rather kind of you to say. But I have no delusions as to what part I've played in this mess."

It seemed like there was nothing she could say that would get through to him and Larxene decided it was best to let him continue with this story. Normally she would have made some smart ass comment, some ridiculing statement to cut him down like she did everyone else in her life that made her feel unlike herself. But, as in every other instance involving him, she found her voice lost, her speech impaired to say anything to him if it was not nice. It was more than unnerving that this was the case; she was losing her touch. It was an extremely foreign concept to her to say the least. And it made for a very unsettling concept that she was, perhaps, going soft. Of course, this was a general sentiment that didn't apply to Namine at all; her little sister was her biggest downfall, if one considered her emotions on the girl a bad thing to begin with. Curling back into herself, the blonde was able to remain silent long enough for Marluxia to continue his story, the details startling as they were revealed one after another. His past was anything but happy and it reminded her, vaguely, of Axel's. While Roxas had been disowned for the mere inkling that he was gay, Axel's parents—bible thumpers, she called them—had sought to beat the "disease" out of him, bruising him until he was black and blue on many occasions. Or so he had shared with her. At first Larxene didn't think it was possible for Axel to sound any whinier but she'd been proven wrong when Roxas had entered the picture. They'd shown up on her doorstep by pure accident, the day a fond if not ridiculously funny and inappropriate memory for her.

"How did you meet them?"

Startled but masking it well, Larxene cocked her head to the side. "Meet who? The fags?"

"Is that really what you call them? It seems as though they're your friends," he replied, face impassive.

Sighing, she nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, they're my friends, Axel and Roxas," she admitted begrudgingly. "How did I meet them? It's not the most exciting story. You sure you want to hear it?"

"Are you sure you'd like to tell it, Miss Larxene?" She shot him a dirty look and Marluxia's lips turned into a sly smile. "I am interested in banter in which the likes are not so depressing as my previous…story. If you would be so gracious to extend the same consideration as I have, I would very much like to hear such a tale."

"So old world…has anyone ever told you that?"

"Thrice, this evening if I'm not mistaken," he said, eyes coy. "Now, if you please."

"Stop rushing me, flower," she huffed as she readjusted her legs on the stone fountain. "I'm only going to tell it once so listen. It's annoying." Marluxia looked attentive. "Quite frankly, there's nothing glamorous about it. I found those two squatting at my house like homeless people. It was disturbing."

Larxene had managed to hide for the last few months from her step-father's goons with relative ease and relative succession. They had yet to come check the mansion, which she thought was incredibly stupid of them—it'd be the first place she'd have checked if looking for a missing ward. She would thank sheer dumb luck that she hadn't been discovered but she knew it had everything to do with the fact that her father was a cheap bastard who didn't pay his henchmen well, with the exception of Xaldin, Seifer and Fuujin. She knew he paid his scientists all the good money so they would continue their loyal experimentation. By God did she hate him more than anything else. And he had her sister. She knew she had to try and fight him for the younger girl, had to fight him to get her back. Her mother had been an incompetent and complete twit, entrusting them to him when the man was a disgusting excuse for a human being. Larxene shuddered, pulling her raggedy clothing tightly about her bruised skin. She had too many bruises and marks on her pale skin to venture out in public; people would ask questions she couldn't answer. She'd been kept inside so long that the outside world seemed like a scary place.

High school had become a distant memory after her parents died, her social life suffering heavily as a result and eventually ending in her becoming home-schooled. This did not occur without a fight and she had paid a dear price when defying her step-father. He had done what he saw fit to make her understand that he had the upper hand, everything to make her know that they belonged to him now. She had become property, an object, a possession that he coveted when he felt like it. The thought made Larxene sick to her stomach and she ended up dry heaving whatever semblance of lunch she had eaten, the contents spilling over her lips like acid, burning and stinging as they did so. Tears fell from her eyes in the solitude of her cache, the wooden walls encasing her in a safe hold. She had told herself many times before that if she ever cried, she'd be damned if she did it in front of him or Namine. Crying had become the ultimate weakness and Larxene vowed never to cry in front of those who would exploit such an emotion. This is how she learned to fend for herself, hardened and bitter as a result of her punishments. 'Punishment…fuck that pack of lies.' She had no reservations when it came to admitting what her step-father was, to herself. She knew what he had done was wrong and now, all she wanted to do was forget and move on with her life. But she knew, deep down, this would never be the case until he was at the bottom of the ocean, or six-feet under. And she knew she wanted, more than anything, to be the one to do it.

Until she was able to get Namine back and expose him, she could not rest. Sighing, she wiped her mouth with the dirty rag she'd brought with her. It was relatively quiet in the empty mansion that she had once called home. When she'd returned to it she realized she'd been away for at least a few years. It was dilapidated and falling apart. There was dust everywhere and it looked like there could have been a fire somewhere though she wasn't sure who would've put it out. Her room was as it had been left before she'd moved with her step-father. Namine's room, too, was the same, littered with dust covered pictures and broken crayons everywhere. The atmosphere of the house felt morose and Larxene wondered if this had anything to do with the fact that it had been empty for so long. Regardless, when the will was read to her, Namine and her step-father, she was grateful that the house had been given to her though she would not be able to inherit it until she was 18. This was, of course, overshadowed by the fact that Cora had given Mr. Sumitse custody of her two daughters unaware that, while she'd been living, he was a terribly disgusting excuse for a human being. Larxene snorted. She knew her mother had been so enamored with the man that the young blonde knew something was up. Her suspicions had been confirmed shortly thereafter; Larxene was no fool of a child—Phillip had raised them well. She knew her mother was having an affair with Mr. Sumitse but didn't care to address it as long as it kept Cora off her case, and allowed her to continue living life in peace.

That all changed the day her parents died. Nothing would ever be the same.

Rubbing the tears from her eyes, Larxene made her way to the kitchen where the cupboards looked to be in decent condition. At the very least she'd have to figure out how to get food. She wouldn't be 18 for a few more months, which meant that Sumitse still had a hold on her money and whatever assets Cora did leave her. She knew that her father had left her and Namine a good sum of money, enough that they would, most likely, not have to work for a long time, if at all. But again, she could access nothing until she was 18. She was just thankful that he couldn't touch any of her assets either. It brought little comfort to her but in a time where barely anything brought her such a feeling, she'd take it where she could get it, complaining aside. She was hungry and she was extremely tired. She hadn't eaten in days and she hadn't slept either. The fact that the mansion was abandoned amazed her as she was sure it would've been inhabited by squatters and deviants, especially with how big and beautiful it was. The location, too, was a primary source for her suspicions that someone might be living in it, only confirmed moments later when she tripped on something. Glancing down in annoyance, Larxene came face to face with what looked like backpacks, 2 of them placed neatly against the interior wall of the living room area. She decided that now was the time to figure out what they were before anyone came snooping back around—that way she could dispose of them. She had just about opened the first one when she felt like someone was watching her.

"Hey…just what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

The voice was distinctly male and she felt her eyes narrow before whirling around. The red-haired male standing before her couldn't have been anymore older than she was. She gave him a quick look over before deciding that he wasn't nearly as dangerous as she could be. Straightening, she shot him a wild smirk. "What does it look like, you fag? I'm investigating."

"You're touching my stuff, which means you're in for a world of pain, got it memorized?"

She snorted, shrugging her shoulders in nonchalance. "And I'm so not terrified right now by you, circus freak. If anyone should be asking questions, it should be me. This is my house, you ass." He raised a brow as if surprised and she responded in kind. "Whether you believe it or not isn't the relevant response. Judging by your expression, you, at least, know this isn't your house. What're you doing here?"

He matched her smirk easily, running a hand through his spiked locks. "Not that it's any of your business, but we're just staying here…for the moment."

"For the moment?"

"Axel, I managed to scrounge up enough spare change to grab us some food!" Both Larxene and the man, who she now knew was named Axel, turned to the door in time to see a figure bound in with dirty blonde hair. He was all smiles until his eyes landed on her; he skidded to a halt next to the red-head. "Axel…um…friend of yours?"

"Not exactly," Larxene replied. "You've been…shacking up in my house."

"Your house?" She nodded. The boy almost dropped the food in his hands. "But this house has been abandoned for years. We've been hear for months and no one said it belonged to somebody."

"Yeah well…Twilight Town wouldn't know jack shit about most of its back alleys or uninhabited parts of town now, would it?" They continued to stare at her, for which Larxene took as judgment and became rather annoyed. "Look…this is my house. I'd have the right mind to kick you the fuck out back onto the streets but…" her stomach growled. "If you give me a fruit…we can…discuss some alternate options."

"You barely know us, lady," Axel said, his eyes as suspicious as she had been moments before when he'd caught her rummaging through his pack.

Truth be told it was unlike her, these days, to be so kind, in a manner of speaking. But she was tired, she was hungry, and she was lonely. These two boys didn't seem to be in cahoots with her step-father nor did they seem to have anywhere else to go. They seemed harmless and hadn't asked her any questions. Sighing, she leaned back against the nearest wall, shoulders sagging with exhaustion and malnourishment. "Just give me a damn fruit and we'll talk, okay? I'm fuckin starving."

Immediately the blonde haired boy bounded over to her, shoving an orange in her face, which she devoured with such ferocity seconds later that the boy could only smile sadly. "You've been…thrown out too, haven't you?"

"No." She chewed thoughtfully on the piece of food. "What's your name?"

"His name is Roxas, and I'm Axel." The red-head sauntered over to them, placing his arm around the younger boy. "And you are…?"

"It's not important," she answered, still chewing with fervor.

"You must be…you must be that girl we've been hearing about, the one who is missing from across the bridge?"

Larxene almost choked on her fruit. It was mere seconds before Axel was lying on his back with her kunai pointed sharply at his neck. Her scraggly clothing was falling off as she hovered above him; Roxas seemed paralyzed behind them. "Who else know I'm here?"

"No one really. It's just rumors. Well…it was just rumors. Suffice it say…we know who you are now." Axel's smirked widened almost devilishly. "So…you're the infamously missing Larxene Isuki."

Pulling away, she brushed her clothes off. "If you can keep that secret…you can stay here."

"Just like that?" Roxas looked incredulous.

"That…and don't ask me anymore questions, or you'll find out what it's like to not have a tongue," she spat.

And thus began the terms of their friendship.

By all rights it wasn't the most exciting story he'd ever heard but Larxene hadn't told it in the most exciting manner, either. She seemed thoroughly tired and bored; as though the story was hard to tell due to the fact she didn't have the energy or interest in sharing. He hadn't quire imagined their meeting to be of epic proportions but he didn't expect it to be so simple. Then again, Larxene, he was finding, left a lot to the imagination when it came to explanations. She hardly ever finished telling stories or expounding on any particular things unless it suited her, which now, he gathered, the story did not. All in all he hadn't found it quite as disturbing as she had made it sound. He wasn't sure, either, if this should've bothered him or not. It seemed as if she was prone to dramatics and he didn't quite know if this was something endearing or madly frustrating. Larxene was such a hard person to figure out and he was determined to do so, if only to support his arrogant thoughts that he actually could and would. The challenge was great but then again, Marluxia loved things that were hard to crack. Whether this was due to his elitist nature or simply because of the way he was raised—to overcome all obstacles—was up to outsiders to decide. As for himself, he would do it for the mere fact that he was outrageously bored as of the late. Life without Larxene and her friend's drama had proved humdrum and colorless. Not that discovering his brother's murder was any fun or less riveting; Sumitse was going to pay and he was going to make Larxene help him. She didn't seem unwilling to do so.

Stretching his sore limbs, he stood from his own perch on the dried out water fountain, eyes alight with newfound determination to scrape up any information he could on the bastard. Immediately, her movements sharp, Larxene turned to him, her expression tentative. "Where are you going, flower?"

The nickname was not to his liking nor was it a chosen affect he would've deemed appropriate yet he never really fought her on discarding it. Instead, he signaled towards her house. "Back inside, as it were. I believe, Miss Larxene, that a conversation with the local law enforcement is in order. It would seem wisest, too, to speak with the Examiner who has a hold of your records and Namine's. I do believe these people are here to help you."

Muttering to herself, Larxene nodded though she said nothing aloud in response to his commentary. Normally she would have just stabbed him but she did not have the drive to do so, not today. There were a horde of people in her house who she didn't know anything about, let alone ever seen, and she just wanted to know why. She had a good idea why but knew it couldn't hurt to find out more about them and why they wanted to help her. She wasn't paying them anything so why would they want to help her? 'Some people like to just help,' she thought, recalling Axel's own words despite his jaded past and reservations about peoples' motives. It was still unusual and she'd been taught that everything comes at a price, nothing was free. And if it supposedly was, then there was a catch. 'There's ALWAYS a catch,' she thought as she followed Marluxia back inside her mansion where, no doubt, a variety of questions awaited her. She could smell the strong coffee Zexion had brewed in her absence and was thankful for it; she could use a cup of it right now. Her eyelids felt heavy and her head hurt something horrible because of all the stress, she assumed. It wasn't like her to simply let things go, to let things just slide by her without notice or action. Sighing, she tried to prepare herself for the onslaught of attention she was about to receive the minute she walked into the living room. No more than 1 minute later had she entered the living room area when all eyes landed on her and Marluxia.

To his credit he seemed completely unfazed, simply nodding before proceeding to leave her there with everyone while he grabbed a nice cup of coffee. Larxene felt her eye twitch at this; what she wouldn't give for the entire pot of steaming roasted beans. Trying not to seem put-off or put-out, Larxene met eyes with the first person who met hers—a woman with long black hair and a doctor's coat. 'Well, at least it's good to know people aren't going to run screaming,' she mused. Sighing, she approached the rather large group of people, making a beeline for the woman who had pretty much invited her to speak. When she stopped right in front of the woman, she blinked but did not extend her hand.

"Hey. Who's in charge here?"

"Not that I'm surprised your already asking questions but I can guarantee you there is no one in charge. We're working as a team on your sister's case."

"And you are?"

"Dr. Tifa Lockhart, head of the Special Patient's Unit at Twilight Town Hospital. You must be Namine's sister, Larxene Isuki," the woman replied with an extended hand. When Larxene eyed it but made no move to return the gesture, Tifa let her hand fall back to her lap, indifferent. "Ms. Isuki, there are many questions we have for you in regards to your sister's case…and yours."

"How did you get a hold of my file?" Larxene was itching to know who managed to subpoena her records from her Step-father's cronies.

Tifa nodded towards a man adjacent to them with spiked blonde hair. Larxene recognized him as the man who had ordered her father out, an agent with the FBI. 'But why would the FBI be involved in this?' Eyeing him warily, she turned her gaze to him. "And who are you?"

"Why don't we just do an introduction circle?" a voice chirped. Larxene's gaze shifted again to a young woman, her age or possibly a bit younger, with cropped back hair and scrubs. 'A nurse,' Larxene realized. The young woman smiled though Larxene had yet to return such sentiments. "Hi, I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, R.N. to Tifa, Head Physician of the SPU at Twilight Town, as she mentioned. This is Agent Cloud Strife with the FBI. To my right," Yuffie pointed to a man with long silver hair and piercing green eyes like Riku's. "This is Attorney Kosaka with the Private Kosaka Law Offices of Traverse and Twilight Town. This is his Executive Assistant, Aerith Gainsborough. We're all here to assist you with Namine's case."

She stared at them, their faces and names registering in her head before she glanced at Attorney Kosaka. "How much is all of this costing? I'm not made of money, you know."

"Granted what I do know about you, Ms. Isuki, I'd say money is the least of your concerns in this case. Now, if no one minds, I'd like a moment alone with Ms. Isuki," Sephiroth replied.

She blanched as his "team" nodded and departed to the outside of the mansion, most likely to go over information. Xigbar and Luxord moved into the kitchen with Zexion and Demyx to drink coffee. It seemed she was all alone with him, and a young man who looked remarkably like him but whose name she did not catch. She was about to rebuke his request when someone came to stand next to her. For a split second she thought it was Axel but when she turned to the side she found Marluxia staring down at her, a cup of coffee between them.

"You looked like you needed this," he said, eyes blank as she accepted it. He quickly sat down on the couch across from Sephiroth and the unknown man.

"Um…thanks," she replied as she too took a seat beside him.

"Ms. Isuki, you are comfortable with this young man in here, yes?"

She nodded. "I can't make him leave. He'll just…it's fine," she answered and took a small sip of the burning liquid.

"And who is this, if I may ask?" Marluxia's velvet voice broke through the silence.

Sephiroth gestured towards the man. "Ah, yes, Marluxia Shimoto…this is my associate, and brother, Yazoo Kosaka. He will be assisting me on this case, along with the people Ms. Kisaragi introduced to you. We will be conducting a thorough investigation into Mr. Sumitse's financial records, business ventures and personal background. There is…a lot that must be in order before we can proceed to take such a case to Court."

If Marluxia was surprised Sephiroth knew his name he did not show it. "What's in it for you?" Larxene's solemn whisper broke through his speech.

"Pardon?"

She shot him an irritated, despairing glare. "I said, what's in it for you? I haven't been given any information on the cost of this, or why you're doing this in the first place. Hell…I don't even know how that FBI agent was able to subpoena my files from…" she paused and looked away. "You don't know…he has spies everywhere, even in the FBI. He's got his hands in everyone's pockets from here to Traverse Town and then some. How…how did he get my file from Dr. Vexen?"

"How Agent Strife managed to retrieve your personal medical file, Ms. Isuki, is a mystery even to me. But I would not discredit these people before you've given them a chance. They excel in what they do," Sephiroth's voice held confidence. "And even Sumitse cannot hide forever behind his Corporation and money, his lies and deceit. I am truly sorry for what you and your sister have gone through, but you have my word that we will make this right."

"Your word…?" She appeared incredulous and Marluxia could feel it reverberating off her in waves. He nodded again. "I'm afraid I can't accept your word until…something changes. All those before you have failed."

"And do you have anything you'd like to say, young man?"

Marluxia raised a brow. "Should I have something to add to this interlude? If so, I have yet to discover what it is. I, unfortunately, cannot say that I completely trust you. However, it seems your intentions are good so I will go along with this, as you say. I can't help but wonder…what makes you pursue this case so…fervently, Mr. Kosaka."

"Whatever my personal reasons may be are quite irrelevant, as I'm sure you understand. Please return when you've made your decision."

The statement left no room for further interrogation, not that Larxene was the least bit interested. In fact, she preferred if she could go back to her room and crawl in a hole, far away from everyone's prying eyes. Whether Marluxia decided to harass her further in this endeavor, she could care less for his choices. Sighing, she stood, coffee in hand and began to walk away. She didn't wait for a reply, a halting response and such, content to simply disappear within the confines of her room. She could vaguely hear Marluxia bid a hasty although extremely polite departure as she ascended the staircase in time to run head-on into Axel. She was about to retort when she felt a hand gracefully steady her wobbling coffee mug. Shooting the brown-haired man a glare in thanks, she returned her stare to Axel, eyes unreadable. Her red-haired roommate simply raised a brown before gesturing to the room behind them where it was considerably quiet given the amount of people in her entire house, and Namine's prior tears.

"She's asleep. Roxas and Riku got her calmed down enough. I have Roxas in agreement about you needing to spill your secrets sooner or late, lightening bug," he answered pointedly. At her eye roll Axel grinned, all teeth. "In the meantime, pretty little girl, I'll leave you to your newest…companion."

Without another word the pyromaniac vanished around the staircase banister just as Marluxia's hand was on the small of her back, ushering her into her bedroom. Normally she would've protested but at the moment, she was too busy devising ways in which to castrate Axel. In the solitude of her room Larxene leaned against the wall nearest to her bed, coffee mug still in hand as she waited for Marluxia to do something, anything. He glanced around a couple times, taking in the atmosphere, before nodding.

"Your living situation seems cozy enough despite your obvious lack of decorative talent, and pension for dramatic surroundings," he mused. She was about to snap at him when he raised a hand to silence her. "It's my form of a compliment, Miss Larxene. Nothing more, nothing less, I promise you."

"Funny how your compliments always rub me the wrong way and make me want to kill you," she muttered in response. "So." She shifted her weight as she moved towards her bed. "While I don't really need your opinion to proceed with my grand plan of murdering my step-father…what do you think about all of this?"

"I believe Mr. Kosaka will do everything he can to help, whether for us or his own reasons. It matters not. However, I would agree that working together will be a far better method to accomplishing your goals than running in like a wild animal…" she glared at him; he smirked. "Or like a savage nymph."

"You pet name is starting to annoying me, flower."

He smiled arrogantly. "Then that makes me wish to say it even more, precious nymph."

Larxene's cheeks felt hot as she stared at him, his gaze unwavering to match hers. Her thoughts kept replaying the evening on sunset hill, an evening where her drug habit had allowed her guard to fall. That night Marluxia had seen a side of her she'd worked hard to hide, worked like a dog to seal away within the recesses of her heart. But that night, too, she had seen a side of him she doubted many people had, or did even now. She could remember his fingers on her skin, his hand cradling her head even through the hazy, fogged consciousness provided by her weed laced world. She wanted to let go. He made her want to stop pretending, to stop fighting. 'No…I can't. If I ever do…' she watched while he leaned back against the wall across from her. 'I can't until this is over…I need to end this before…anything changes.' She promised herself that she would keep her façade—was that was it was now?—until her step-father was dead and buried six-feet under.

"You're infuriating…"

He raised a brow. "Oh? How so? I can't imagine what I've done that could make you feel in such a way. I've only done my part in addressing your lack of cooperation and the prideful manner in which you carry yourself. Any self-respecting person wouldn't deny such an opportunity as Attorney Kosaka is offering. I would think common sense would rule in this case."

"Your arrogance fits you well, I guess," she answered with a lack of venom that Marluxia found unsettling; even in the short time he'd known her. "I don't suppose that you ever have nicer things to say."

"To the likes of you, Miss Larxene? No, I'm afraid I do not. The lack of ability to compromise that you've sustained puzzles me." His delicate features took on a look of true confusion. "In all my years of meeting strangers…you are by far…the most complicated."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Complicated? I would have to disagree. If anything, I'm just…ordinary."

"Far from it, if I had to be completely honest," he refused to accept her explanations, vague as they were. "I believe that your façade covers up a lot more than you reveal, especially to those who do not know you, or cannot see through the visage." She blinked, the corners of her eyes tensing when he hit too close to home on the topic. His smile widened though now it was slightly rueful. She didn't understand. "I've never been one to mince words, dear Miss Larxene, but I will say that I've always been good at reading people. And while I will, begrudgingly, admit that I have had some troubles with you…" he paused, to which Larxene leaned towards him a bit on her mattress, truly curious. "I will find out more; you can count on that."

She blanched, cheeks reddening slightly at this statement. Whatever his reasons were for wanting to know her didn't seem to revolve around strictly business. Then again, no man had ever been allowed as close to her as he had now become. It was dangerous for her and she refused to let him ruin her chances of revenge, no matter how handsome he was. 'Beauty is only skin deep…his looks will get me killed. His charm will throw me off track. Ignore him, Larxene.' He had turned away from her, the side profile of his face handsome in the flickering lighting of her room. Cursing in her head, Larxene shook the thought away before standing. He brought his sapphire gaze back to her and Larxene had to put more effort into not faltering at the way his eyes pierced her own. Waving away his previous confession, she reached for the pack of cigarettes on her makeshift lamp desk, setting the coffee down as well.

"Whatever…fine, we go along with it. I will do it. But I reserve the right to go rogue at any time I feel like it, understand?"

Marluxia nodded. "I won't tell a soul, then, Miss Larxene."

She scowled in reply. Seconds later she could hear bustling downstairs. "Guess we better go talk to that Attorney again." Marluxia nodded, again. "Well…let's get going Flower."

Meanwhile, downstairs, Yazoo was trying to calm down Riku who had descended the stairs with an annoyed look on his face. "What is the matter, brother?"

Riku scowled. "Kairi is sick again and Lexaues is out of town. I can't go right now…" he glanced back towards the upstairs part of Larxene's mansion. "Roxas and Axel are going to do some…recon with the guys. And I don't want to leave Namine alone."

"She's sleeping, is she not? I think she'll understand if you need to check on your best friend," Yazoo replied while shuffling through a stack of papers Sephiroth had handed to him. When Riku didn't answer the other man looked upwards. Riku's expression was torn, and Yazoo smiled. "Brother, stay with your friend. I will check on Kairi in about an hour, alright? Sephiroth should be fine with this, yes?" At their oldest brother's nod, Yazoo gave his younger sibling a sympathetic, reassuring clap on the shoulder. "Go upstairs and keep watch. I'll call you in the morning." Yazoo watched as his brother disappeared from sight before turning to the oldest Kosaka. "You have my word for another hour brother, and then I will leave."

Sephiroth agreed. "Are you sure it's wise that you go over there?"

Yazoo laughed. "Brother, really now. What's the worst that could happen?"

Larxene sat on the chaise, picking at her nails with feigned deep interest as Marluxia conversed with Attorney Kosaka. Both men seemed to be having a heated discussion on methods revolving around "bringing KH International down" or to justice, as it had been put before. The aggravation rising in her body left little room for actual receptive listening, which was why Larxene was not really involved in the conversation; she'd all but blow-up when it "took too long" for her standards. Planning wasn't really in her vocabulary, let a lone waiting around for other people to help solve an issue. She was a classic "act first, ask questions later" kind of girl, which never seemed a problem before, until she met him. Marluxia had a nasty habit—she recently decided—of ruining all her previous methods and raining on her grand parade of sadism. It wasn't that she was about to give up such a part of who she was, but rather she would have to let it take the back burner in certain instances, like now, when he was talking with Sephiroth when she'd rather being ripping the shit out of Seifer's ribcage. Letting out a heavy sigh she resigned herself back to the confines of the chaise, her nail beds showing wear and tear from her constant picking and mutilation of her skin. 'How much longer is this going to take? I'm going crazy sitting here.'

"It shouldn't take too much longer, I'd imagine, Miss Larxene."

The haughty voice of their newest addition, Graceful Assassin or not, did nothing to appease the rage simmering just underneath the surface of her slowly ebbing patience. Nodding stiffly, Larxene continued to pretend as if this whole "patience" concept did not bother her, when, in fact, she'd rather send the entire idea to hell just so she could stab Sumitse in the throat all pretty-like. The fact that Marluxia seemed to know what she was feeling was eerie enough. If she didn't know better she'd be sure he had eyes in the back of his head and was staring her down where she sat. However, when she glanced up again, it was not surprising she found nothing there but his long, shiny chestnut hair, every strand perfectly placed. It made her want to gag, how much he primped and how much she, as a female, did not. She didn't necessarily believe in stereotypes but she would be lying if she didn't think they applied on certain occasions. Sighing, she waited—albeit very impatiently—for them to get moving, for anything. She hadn't heard any noise from her fellow housemates, a signal which usually meant Roxas and Axel had made progress with Namine, though she never doubted that they did. She had overheard Riku say that her two friends were going to do strategic planning with Demyx and Zexion, which meant that Namine had indeed fallen asleep in Roxas' room, and Riku had rejoined her following Axel and Roxas' departure. Though she would never admit it to anyone other than herself, Larxene was happy for Namine, happy that, despite what had occurred; her sister was able to find comfort in Riku. Larxene was happy that Riku still liked her even with all that had happened. In fact, if not for mere happiness, Larxene begrudgingly admitted, to herself alone, that she was even jealous of her little sister.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been happy. As of the last few years, the only thing that made her happy was the thought that she might be able to torture her step-father as he had done so to her for years, and eventually kill him with some choice options she'd concocted over the years. It gave her a sick sadistic pleasure to think she might be able to do this soon as she'd been waiting for over 5 years. The worse yet was that she knew where he was and it made her fingers itch in anticipation. The whole red-tape and paperwork process only slowed things down and made for lengthy, drawn-out revenge plots that never seemed to occur. It made her angry. And most of all, anger turned into sadness, forlornness, a somberness that reached to the depths of Larxene's soul and made her want to break down into a useless puddle of tears.

But such a luxury was not allowed.

Those around her couldn't see, wouldn't see. When she was younger, she distinctly remember Cora's sorry excuse for parenting, recalling all the times her mother would remind her that Larxene was lucky and had nothing to complain about as a young girl. Larxene made a nasty face at the back of Marluxia's head as she recalled a particular moment in her 15 years that made her want to slap Cora across the face.

"Larxene dear…I cannot understand what you're whining about. You're simply so lucky that you now complain about useless, fleeting moments which have no consequence and are of no real importance. They're simply small issues in the bigger scheme of my life and your father's."

The young blonde was fuming as she watched her mother pace back, two and fro, as if the older woman was irritated with the entire situation. No idiot to her mother's antics, Larxene rolled her eyes. She may not have had an urgent problem but as Cora's daughter, she at least expected some empathy from her mother. Rolling her eyes, the blonde scowled. "Mother, you act as if we were always rich. Last time I remember, it was only last year that we were living in a 1 bedroom apartment with you unemployed and dad struggling to make ends meet. I hardly think you can act as if this change is no issue whatsoever. Namine and I are having a hard time adjusting to this. Can't you understand that?"

Cora narrowed her eyes at Larxene from her spot by the window. "No, I can't. You have money now. You should be grateful to Mr. Sumitse."

"Why? Father's hard work is what got us here, not that scumbag of an attorney."

The anger in her mother's eyes couldn't have been normal, Larxene surmised. "Don't speak about Mr. Sumitse that way. If he hadn't given your father the offer to join the Sumitse Firm then we would still be poor. Be more thankful. Besides, he is joining us for dinner this week and I need you girls to be on your best behavior. Really now, Larxene, swallow your pride and be accepting of what we have now. That you cannot see your friends anymore is not something you should be so upset about now. They're probably very jealous of you now that we live in upscale Twilight Town. Don't most of them live in Traverse Town anyway?"

Larxene dug her fingernails into the chair she was perched on, eyes blazing. "Mother…you're missing the point. This isn't about my friends so much as me not liking this new living style. Can't you at least TRY to understand that?"

Again Cora rolled her eyes at what she deemed to be an unnecessary complaint from her eldest daughter. "Really, that's enough now, Larxene. Now, go upstairs and speak to Namine. Dinner will be served soon."

If feeling defeated was her number one feeling then it definitely matched. Larxene huffed in annoyance as she made her way towards the door to her mother's study—Cora didn't seem to notice the irritation in the room. Slamming the door didn't even have much of an affect on the woman as Larxene stomped her way towards her little sister's room. Instead she made a sharp right and entered her own room. She had felt the tears coming, brimming at her eyelids as she ascended the stairs. It made her fill with shame as she collapsed on her bed, the tears falling, sliding down her cheeks in small rivers. Embarrassment wasn't something the young blonde wore well and she fought like hell to maintain the image that her mother's words hadn't felt like needles stabbing her heart. The coldness in which Cora spoke to her, the aggravation in her mother's voice drove her to tears—anger, hurt, betrayal. Nothing had changed, and everything had. She would love to blame it all on Mr. Sumitse but her mother played an active role in pretending like she cared about her family, then shunning them and mistreating them behind closed doors. Larxene wasn't really sure how Phillip, her father, put up with it. It made sense now, she thought. It was no wonder Namine never came out of her room other than for mealtime and family parties. Her sister was a perfectly emotionless little doll that Cora molded to be pliant, obedient and without opinion. Fortunately, Larxene hadn't been fed the same lies or forced into the same role, thanks to her father. However, as time passed she could see the gap between her parents grow wider and wider, and it made her complacent and somber.

In fact, she now realized she spent more than moderate amounts of time crying and breaking things—most of her fine jewelry had been smashed into fine powder. The useless pieces of decoration held little to no meaning for her when her world had been warped and her mother had been completely brainwashed into a false sense of security. Or at least this is what she felt had happened. A number of her personal possessions had been destroyed in her random fits of rage, most of which resulted in her having to hide everything from her mother's prying eyes. Larxene knew that things were not right in her world due to some unknown factor but Cora did a superb job of making the young girl feel like she was crazy. Wiping her eyes, she settled back into the pillows atop her bed as she heard Namine's door open, then close shortly after. She could hear the padding of her little sister's footsteps pause right before her door; it was short lived when the young girl continued on past Larxene's domicile. Sighing in relief, she was barely leaning back on her pillows when she heard footsteps storming upstairs followed by her bedroom door being thrown open. She gasped as she came face to face with her mother whose face was set in a mask of disdain. Cora pointed an accusing finger at her daughter.

"How dare you tell your father I've been mistreating you!"

Larxene blinked in surprise for a moment before realizing her mother was truly angry. Not one to back down from such a demonstration of rage, Larxene hopped to her feet in front of her mother. "Me? How dare you lie to him and pretend like you aren't being a terrible mother!"

Cora paused, aghast for mere seconds when her face turned scornful. "My…Larxene…are you crying?"

The young girl's eyes widened in question and confusion. "So what if I am?"

Cora's smirk became cold. "Crying is for those who are weak, and not becoming of one known as my daughter." Making her way to exit the blonde haired girl's room—Larxene was too stunned to reply—Cora threw one last biting comment over her shoulder. "Weakness is unbecoming of you, dear. Now, clean up your face before Mr. Sumitse gets here. I don't want him thinking I have such a crybaby as my daughter."

Snarling, Larxene bit her tongue to fight back the unshed tears that threatened to fall from her eyelids. It seemed that reminiscing about the past only served to make her angry or sad, neither of which emotions helped her when trying to bring down an entire corporation full of corrupted old men. But, now as she thought about it, such a luxury would've been nice, especially when she was feeling completely drained from her constant battle to keep up her stone-faced façade. Truth be told, she was exhausted when it came to maintaining a demeanor of anger and distaste for all those around her. Such a feat had been easily accomplished before her world has been turned upside down, the silence disrupted by the recent events and recent persons who had barged into her silent, still abode of thoughts. Marluxia's entrance was—she'd be the first to say—unwelcome. He upset the balance her life had come to know and it frustrated her to know that someone so mysterious, a complete stranger, had managed to throw everything off kilter and destroy all that she had fought to rebuild, everything she had carefully constructed in the name of protection. He got under her skin like no other and he had even managed to tear down the barriers of her friends. As it stood now, it seemed like Namine liked him very much. Even Axel and Roxas appeared to have warmed up to him, if even a little. The fact that Demyx didn't seem too keen on getting rid of him anytime soon pissed her off as well. It meant that everyone else had turned their backs on her, abandoned her decision to keep him as an outside. And now it was too late.

He was here, and she had the feeling that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

'Damn it all,' she thought bitterly. She was still picking her nails when she felt his haughty, arrogant glare upon her. Raising her eyebrows, Larxene shot him a dirty look. "What?"

"It would please you to know, Miss Larxene, that we have a plan now."

She glanced around, taking quick note that Attorney Kosaka was no longer present. "Where'd the lawyer go?"

"Mr. Kosaka has left to retrieve some more paperwork from his office." Larxene looked up into the firm but friendly face of Tifa. "Miss Isuki, can we please speak for a moment?"

Sighing, she consented, surprised at how easily she was letting people push and order her around. She gestured, lamely, to the chair across from her. Marluxia had yet to move and she didn't ask him to leave, which unsettled Tifa. The blonde noticed. "Problem, Dr. Lockhart?"

"I have no problem as long as what I say is okay being overheard by this young man," Tifa replied comfortably as she pointed to Marluxia. The young man looked too intrigued for Larxene's liking but she didn't bother to ask him to leave; he'd probably just tell her to fuck off. Shaking her head, Larxene looked back at Tifa and nodded. "Well, then, I will only ask you a few questions. I'm sure you've had a very long evening and I can assure you, this process will only become longer. That said…I have to as you…how long did you know Dr. Vexen before he became your primary care physician?"

Larxene blinked. "You're joking, right?" When Tifa's expression didn't change, the young woman gritted her teeth. "I didn't know him before I was 15. After that, he was made my primary physician by my step-father. Why does it fucking matter? Why ask me a question like that? You have my file. I don't see the need for questions."

Tifa was not derailed by the animosity shooting forth from her mouth and pressed onward. "Miss Isuki…how much would you say you knew about him?"

She shrugged. "Not much. I just know he was a corrupted bastard of a doctor, and he was a pervert. He never touched me but it's not like my step-father would've allowed it, the sick fuck. Dr. Vexen was a twisted man who used children for his experiments. He used to have a thing for this one boy who seemed to react well to the serums he constructed but…" she looked away suddenly, avoiding Marluxia's eyes as the chestnut haired man's widened in realization. "The boy eventually died. Before that…the boy would remain in a steady state; there was no improvement, there was no decline. He just…was Vexen's favorite. I don't know much else…I never wanted to."

"Jacob was…his…"

"Stepping stone to a new pharmaceutical drug…a drug that would make him rich, a drug that would change KH international into the leading medical and pharmaceutical consortium that it is today," Tifa finished quietly. Seeing their young faces made her cast hers down. "I'm…I'm so sorry for what's happened. I promise you…we will fix it."

"You're too late," Larxene supplied hollowly. "Nothing anyone can do, not you, Kosaka, or even I will bring back my parents." She looked at Marluxia. "Or his brother…or all the families and children that perished." Standing suddenly, she started towards the door. "I have to go. Excuse me."

Marluxia and Tifa watched her exit the living room, her destination made known at the signal of a slammed front door to their right. Tifa smiled forlornly. "No…I suppose you're right." Glancing at the brown haired man sitting to her left, Tifa smiled kindly. "Aren't you going to go after her?" Marluxia blinked, perplexed. "She may not look it, for all her hard exterior…but she probably needs someone right now."

He nodded. "I will need your assistance with some wounds as a result, Dr. Lockhart. I hope you will be available. If she asks, I will blame this entirely on you as Doctor's orders." Tifa nodded in return, her smile still evident.

Outside, Larxene had walked down the path through her gate and into the open forest. She was leaning up against a tree, her nails digging painfully into her palm as the tears began to fall—one, two, then three, then more. Seconds later she was a sobbing heap, curled up behind some bushes out of sight, trying desperately to stop the signs of weakness from showing should anyone walk by. It was with great distress that she became slightly unaware of her environment and did not hear footsteps coming towards her. By the time she realized what was going on, a finger was gently brushing the rivulets away. Gasping, Larxene's knives were at this throat, even as he gazed down at her, face emotionless and finger still resting against he wet skin.

"So…you do cry after all, don't you, nymph?"

Blushing to the roots of her hair, the shock set in so strong Larxene found she could not move so frozen from the sheer surprise. Marluxia took the opportunity to raise her from her fetal position, bringing her to her knees as he too knelt before her, hands steadying her shoulders. Her kunais had slipped from her grasp, resting immobile on the floor as she struggled for words. His sapphire eyes shone brightly in the moonlight, his slightly tanned skin silvery beneath the beams of light that made him seem unreal. She knew she was still in severe shock at being caught mid-emotional breakdown but she couldn't control herself. The tears kept falling and he wasn't laughing, he wasn't scorning her. In fact, he was simply looking at her as he always did. Able to finally find her voice, Larxene opened her mouth after what seemed like an eternity.

"You…I…why you…"

Smiling quietly, a hint of mischief and grace on his lips, Marluxia raised a finger to her lips, a sly smirk now replacing his indifferent mien. Her eyes widened as he leaned forward, lips stopping right before hers. Panic set in and Larxene froze again, losing herself. 'Shit…what do I do now?'

(Oh wow…this was okay. I'm not super proud of it, mostly the ending that is. But I did like writing some of the other parts. And…yeah. So…thank you for reading, for reviewing, for being awesome and having faith. Love you all. Peace out, until next time, which I can't promise won't be long…I hope.)

Sadistickunais