Kingdom Hearts, "Servants of Masters" (Roxas)

[sincere]

Warnings: This fic contains invented ranks of Nobodies and a rather creepy Organization. It also contains an increasing plentitude of Dusks, sitting on rooftops, and a heart-to-heart with a Samurai. Gen. ...what did I write?



.servants of masters.

"What is going on here?"

Xemnas stepped between Roxas and the Monk, reaching out to grip his shoulder with one gloved hand. Roxas jerked away from the uninvited touch; both of them pretended it hadn't happened.

"Likely it is confused," said Xemnas, smooth. "After all, Lexaeus has been long away in a place where they cannot go. New Nobodies are often disoriented without their commander's presence."

He turned, giving Roxas a brief view of the flowing silver creature -- it staggered and clutched at its head with heavy arms and its square mouth opened and closed in silent distress -- and stretched out a hand. As simply as that, the Monk shuddered and became still, then lurched upright and moved away with purpose.

Roxas didn't like it. "Don't ever do that to my Samurai," he informed Xemnas.

"It gives me no pleasure to override another's authority," said the Superior, in such a cool voice that he may as well have said that nothing gave him pleasure.

That isolated incident was repeated all over the castle within an hour. The Monks wailed soundlessly and flailed wherever they went, and Xemnas could only be so many places at once. Roxas watched as Sorcerers and Berserkers swept up the crippled creatures, gathering them together in one of the larger chambers where they could be monitored; two Samurai flanked him, their presence wordless and unasked-for but wary. He did not ask them what they thought, and they did not ask him if he needed their protection.

Xaldin and Xigbar were together, speaking in quiet voices, when Roxas found them. Xigbar grinned at him as he approached, but Xaldin did not look up from the sea of uneasy Monks.

"Well?" Roxas demanded.

Arms folded over Xigbar's chest, and the scarred man's grin turned into a broad smirk. "Is that any kind of tone to take with your elders?" he drawled. "You think you're hot stuff because you've got a pair of keyblades?"

"I think I have a right to know what's going on."

"Well, tough luck." Xigbar turned back to the balcony. "We don't know either. This has never happened before."

"It's a shame that Vexen is at Castle Oblivion," Xaldin said, still not looking back at Roxas.

Roxas glanced at the corner of the room, where a handful of Vexen's Alchemists were idling, waiting for an order. Their commander was gone but they would still obey the Superior's word. Only Xemnas was elsewhere, it seemed, and without him they simply milled about, wispy scarves fluttering, waiting for the opportunity to investigate the odd madness that had seized the Monks. Like Vexen himself, they were drawn to the study.

Xaldin murmured, offhanded, "I wonder if something has happened to Lexaeus."

Later that day, the Geomancers went mad.

It happened very suddenly -- in the same instant that Marluxia had been killed, although they wouldn't learn that until after -- when suddenly the slight Nobodies, sprite-like things that drifted on the breeze whimsically and developed irrational attachments to places, became violent. It was the worst because no one could have expected it: it was all at once when the tiles in the floors erupted into tangled roots and sourceless explosions rocked the walls.

Roxas entered his room to a burst of blinding energy; his arms were up in front of his eyes, keyblades shimmering into his hands, and the Samurai by his side lunged in without needing to be told, seeking out a crazed Geomancer.

One of the friendly little creatures had been fond of his room, occasionally sprinkling flower petals on his windowsill. Roxas remembered it touching his face curiously, blindly, trailing gauzy wings like a moth's. He remembered Marluxia, leaving Never Was for Oblivion, and how the tall Nobody had smiled when he attempted to hand over the creature he had caged, and said, 'She likes you. Your room smells like one she used to know.'

"Back!" he snapped at the Samurai. He killed the Geomancer himself.

It was difficult to sleep through the commotion, but by the time Roxas awoke, the Geomancers had been eliminated with ruthless efficiency. Demyx was perched on a windowsill, half-curled into a fetal position, when Roxas came across him. Without waiting to be acknowledged, Demyx mumbled, "Something's gone wrong at Castle Oblivion. I heard that they can't get in touch with anyone there." He sounded worried.

It occurred to Roxas that he might have joined the Organization just in time to see it die. "Isn't Marluxia in charge there?"

"He's always been so reliable -- so competent. They said it was a shame I wasn't more like him." Demyx didn't seem to mind that 'they' said such a thing about him. "I wonder what Xemnas wanted him to do there, anyway...?"

"You mean you don't know?" Roxas had simply assumed that no one had thought to inform their newest member, but from the blank look the taller blond turned on him, that was not the case. Demyx was as ignorant as he was.

Axel's return was noticed by everyone: the dark corridor that he opened was acrid and warped, unstable, and he stumbled out pale and bruised. No one moved to help him from the floor as he spoke, shaking words, epitaphs falling from his lips. Marluxia, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Larxene... A mistake, he said. Underestimating that boy.

"And yet you alone survived?" said Xemnas, toneless.

Saix surged forward, grabbing the redheaded Nobody by the front of his cloak and yanking him to his feet. A flustered Assassin slid out of nowhere to defend its master and a Berserker met it halfway: the shadows rustled. It was dangerous to fight in The Castle That Never Was, with Nobodies all about, watching. "What have you done?" Saix demanded, lip curling. "Is this some game of yours, Eight?"

"If you think this is a game, small wonder no one ever wants to play with you," Axel said, his features as empty of expression as Xemnas's voice. Hands at his neck tightened.

Roxas said coldly, "What are you, children?"

"Children who think they are immune to the fire they play with," hissed Saix, but Xemnas said only, "Then we must destroy their servants. In time, they will cease to obey even me. We will not be caught by surprise a second time." He turned on his heel and, in reluctant heartbeats, Axel was turned loose, left alone. Roxas followed the rest of them and did not turn back, but he felt green eyes watch him go.

And so the Monks were broken down, and the Ninjas already beginning to resist the Superior's call. The Calculators were destroyed next, the Alchemists last -- they showed no signs of the madness, and obeyed commands with all appearance of contentment and even interest, but Xemnas said, "Thoroughness is everything," and so they, too, were wiped out.

"The good news is," Xemnas said, almost smiling, "that even those who have lost their minds can be of use to us."

They were not killed, save for the troublesome Geomancers. They were only wiped clean -- turned into Dusks.

Roxas found himself on the tower, legs dangling off the edge, kicking absently. He watched them without seeing. The sense of being distant from everything was comforting: his boots hovering in space and the edge of his coat the only thing close before the whole world faded into blurred, shifting grays and blacks. Better than back at the Castle, where everything was bright and hurtful, and slithering Dusks mended the damage done to the architecture in what might have been their own struggles against death and madness.

There was a distorting sound behind him. He said, "What is it?"

He who is the Flurry of Dancing Flames approaches. He comes alone. Roxas turned to study the Samurai who had addressed him; his servant was bent at the waist, the gleam of its helm and the hilt of swords nearly all that was visible. If it is your wish he will be sent away.

Roxas stared at the flickering neon across from him. "It's not my tower," he observed. "He can come and go where he wants."

You have only to speak the words, the Samurai said anyway.

Slowly, he turned his head up, to look at the clouds. It would rain again soon. It had been raining ever since he arrived here. "Do you remember when you were human?" he asked.

The Samurai tilted its head. Somewhat, it said.

"...what was it like?"

He could never ask another. He thought of Xigbar's mockery or Demyx's astonishment, the smirk that would take Axel's lips, or worst of all, the utter disinterest of Xemnas's hard eyes. But his Samurai were different. Loyal, strong. If he should die, they would follow him into nothing, and take his secrets with them. Roxas wondered if madness would take them fast, like Marluxia's servants, or if it would be a slower fade, like Vexen's might have been.

It was... not like this.

The Samurai waited with him, for the rain.

Comments

[emglyph.livejournal.com]

That is...actually surprisingly cool. Concurrent fics like this are some of my favorites.

I like the Samurai.

[refracting.livejournal.com]

So I adore this relationship between Roxas and his Samurai. Totally, totally love. They're so formal with him but it's not a distanced formal like some of the commanding Org13 people might be with each other; the Samurai do it because they're loyal, because Roxas is someone to respect. ♥ And Roxas being protective of them!

Roxas didn't like it. "Don't ever do that to my Samurai," he informed Xemnas.
Love this line. He just can't stand the idea that the Samurai might be forced to obey someone else. They have such a nice interplay, a give and take, with the Samurai following Roxas around and not asking questions and heeeeee.

Beyond more rabid fangirling, I have little of value to say, except also! The job classes are great! I barely remember what they were in the FF games, though. *will have to check on that*

[thenena.livejournal.com]

This was very fascinating. I've wondered somewhat about the relationship between the greater and lesser Nobodies, but I've never seen it addressed in fanfic before. I like how the lesser Nobodies and their masters seem to share somethign of a bond. I wouldn't mind reading more about them at all.

[hijklock.livejournal.com]

Wow. I totally think that was probably the most interesting thing I've read in a long time. I mean--I won't lie about this--I've thought about the possibility before during one of my bazillion (which is SO a number) RPs, but I never wanted to play it out because I wasn't so sure about it. The way you have it done here though, it makes a lot of sense.

I love Roxas, plain and simple. He's such a little brat, but the way you have him interact with his Samurai is completely believable. He would be the one to be incredibly overprotective and treat them with some respect. That's probably Sora's influence, rofl. But it does work, and that's the really cool part.

I would steal the idea, but I don't like to steal and I would never anyway. DD= But see, this is so worthy of being elaborated on. You should do more!

Oh, right. And to further boost your ego, I love your writing style. ;DDDD

[emosasquatch.livejournal.com]

Wonderful idea for a fic <3 Love it.

The last part especially fascinated me, with Roxas and the Samurai.

If you wrote more, I'd definitely read them :) Lovely work.

[nayami.livejournal.com]

I always look forward to your refreshing take on KH aspects. Few have taken on the idea of the relationship between the Nobodies, and I do so adore seeing Roxas as a miniature general. I think he would have a knack for leadership. He just has that aura about him. I also enjoyed seeing Axel's attempts to play them as usual upon his return. He is a master. And your Xemnas is possibly the first fandom version that I can actually understand and connect with. I am slowly beginning to appreciate him in the game himself. Still no love for Xehanort or Ansem though.

[unicorn]

That was lovely. I'd thought about the lesser Nobodies' ties to their "lieges" while I was playing, but never really thought about what would happen when the Org XIII members responsible for them died...besides wondering why Samurai still attacked Sora, and why Dancers and others continued to plague me after their masters were dead.

[doomweasel.livejournal.com]

I love the ideas you have in here, as well as your writing in general. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I've never really thought about the patron Nobodies of the Org members in CoM. You've really opened my eyes and made me consider new ideas.

I'd like to see drawings of your invented Nobodies.

[chibimazoku.livejournal.com]

Okay, hi, have my babies.

I love it. Love love love it. The way you explored the relationships between the lesser Nobodies and their masters, making them into something so believable. The fact that you actually dealt with the aftermath of what happened at Castle Oblivion, which I hadn't ever seen before and was totally necessary. Roxas's attitude towards his Samurai, and their attitude towards him. Axel being the utter bastard he is. I could go on for pages. SO MUCH LOVE.

Also, FF jobs FTW.

[rubyd.livejournal.com]

...this fic was amazing. I'm not familiar with the different job classes from FFT, but here I could understand them wonderfully.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Oh, God, this is brilliant. Oh. Oh.

Man, I don't even know what to say other than "oh." *g*

It's marvelous enough to see a fic address the relationship between a member of XIII and their accompanying Nobodies, but it's particularly wonderful when it's so good. I think this is probably the best fic I've seen for Kingdom Hearts. Guh. Just. Oh. ♥

omg, hi, can I have your babies, too? ;_;

[maiki.livejournal.com]

I, uh, actually already typed a slightly long comment an hour earlier but then an accident happened and I lost it. Thus, I can't remember what I wanted to sa- OH YEAH NOVEL CANON YEEESSS

I looove the Organization's master+servant thingy, so yes, this is love, too! I find the Geomancers cute in the flashback and the Calculators (WTF @ NAME ROFLOL) crack me up. I wanna hug the Samurai. ;_;

Also, uh, I just recently friended both this community and your LJ. Kinda embarassed how you've already had me in your f-list for sometime already. *_*;

[imadra-blue.livejournal.com]

I really liked this. Very inventive and creative, and I adored the introduction of the Job classes to the missing Nobodies that served their Masters. My only quibbles are with minor things (some of your sentence and paragraph structures could use some polishing, especially when it comes to dialogue attrition), but the story itself was fascinating and well-laid out. Nicely done.

[boooon.livejournal.com]

Everyone else has already said everything that needed to be said. This is absolutely amazing. I'd love to see more from you.

[laylah.livejournal.com]

...oh. oh, wow.

This whole premise is fascinating, and well-explored, and convincing -- and then the ending, omg. The quiet understatement of the Samurai's answer made my breath catch in my throat. Yes.

[alba-aulbath.livejournal.com]

This? This is excellent. I love the point of view and possibility -- and the Samurai to Roxas.

Very well done. Huzzah to you, and I intend to read more of your work, if you have it!

[jpegasus.livejournal.com]

That is really, really awesome.

The Nobodies really are fascinating, as an "enemy" group, and I like the other types that corespond with the now-dead organization members. *rolls around in your cool for a while*
And, as others have mentioned, the Samurai are very, very cool