AXEL

Thing is, he, Marluxia was planning to use Sora as a weapon-

XEMNAS

(Impatience growing, rises from throne) For what?

AXEL

(Raises hands to his face in a squeaky voice) To overthrow you and take over the Organization! PLEASE! DON'T HURT ME! NOT IN THE FACE! I LIKES MY FACE!

XEMNAS

(Struggles for a moment, then sits.) Continue, Axel. What did you do once you learned of Number eleven's heresy?

AXEL

(Relieved) I played both sides of the deck. For the time, I went along with his plan and Zexion's. Ol' Zexy intended to use Riku as a foil to Sora.

XEMNAS

Hmm….go on.

AXEL

Of course, you know how the plan was operated? The main weapon?

XEMNAS

Naminé?

AXEL

Bingo. She manipulated everything. The worlds, the props, all down to the last detail. For a while, she seemed quite diligent in her work. (Chuckles) She may have had a thing for the key bearer it seems.

XEMNAS

Naturally. Don't you know who she was sprung from?

AXEL

I didn't think it pertinent.

XEMNAS

Right you are. Move along now. This is just getting interesting. Who sided with Marluxia?

AXEL

Naturally, Larxene. She got a kick out of torturing the kid. She had that whole Marquis De Sade thing going on in her.

XEMNAS

Believe me, I know.

AXEL

And how could it be complete without the help of dear Vexen?

XEMNAS

(Raises eyebrow) Even?

AXEL

No, Vexen. He created a Riku Replica, a clone made to think, act, and fight like the original. He tested Sora's strength and gave him incentive to save Naminé, and in turn, work for Marluxia.

XEMNAS

That traitor…

AXEL

You think that's bad? You haven't heard the worst.

XEMNAS

It gets worse?

AXEL

Well, the Riku Replica broke down when Naminé broke his heart and Vexen was sent by Marluxia to kill Sora.

XEMNAS

Did he succeed?

AXEL

Unfortunately, no. He went the total opposite way and sent Sora to a version of Twilight Town.

XEMNAS

(Rises) NO!

AXEL

He got close to revealing something too. Then, I came in on Marluxia's orders. Let's just say I did him a favor. Now he can be nothing instead of nobody.

XEMNAS

A wise move Axel. You shall be rewarded.

AXEL

Reward enough was gaining Marluxia's trust. Now I set the dice in motion.

XEMNAS

How so?

AXEL

I gave Naminé some crap heartfelt thing about "following your heart" and "doing the right thing" and all sorts of that crap. She fell for it hook, line, and sinker. It was enough to make her rebel against Larxene, making her an easy target for an agitated Sora.

By then, he had learned the truth of his "memories", again, courtesy of Naminé.

XEMNAS

What happened to Riku?

AXEL

In time, in time m'lord, but Sora's story needs to be finished first.

XEMNAS

(aggravated) Axel…

AXEL

Long story short: I let Sora win again as he plowed his way to Marluxia, defeating him once and for all. The flowers have wilted. Sound good?

XEMNAS

Perfect. Now, Riku?

AXEL

Zexion got wind of the shift in power and got the feeling if Marluxia was dead, Riku was useless. Lexeaus was already murdered by the kid's hand-

XEMNAS

Sora killed Lexaeus too? That boy was busy.

AXEL

No, that was Riku. Lexaeus tried to use brute force but was easily bested. Zexion took another approach and waged psychological war on the kid.

XEMNAS

What did he say?

AXEL

I'm not sure, it was something along the lines of "you destroyed your home world" and "you're not worthy to live" or "go to hell, you Nazi son of a-" wait, not so sure about that last one.

XEMNAS

How did that go?

AXEL

Naminé disguised herself and forced Riku to get off his ass and then some. Zexion was forced to retreat.

XEMNAS

What killed him?

AXEL

Actually, I'm not so sure he's dead. The Riku Replica, for some strange reason I had nothing to do with, figured that by gaining Zexy's power he could become human. Weird, huh?

XEMNAS

(Knows something's funny, but doesn't press the matter)What became of them?

AXEL

Sora and his sidekicks are in cryogenic rehabilitation getting their real memories back. As a sacrifice, they lose all knowledge of what occurred within Castle Oblivion.

XEMNAS

And Riku?

AXEL

(Raises an eyebrow) Why so interested?

XEMNAS

Sora beat the lowest ranks of the Organization. Big deal. Riku conquered Lexaeus and Zexion, part of the hierarchy and opposite ends of the fighting spectrum altogether. That's saying something.

AXEL

Last I heard, he and the King were traversing the Road to Dawn.

XEMNAS

The king…this could be interesting. Anything thing else Axel?

AXEL

Nothing of immediate interest.

XEMNAS

Good. You shall be duly rewarded for your loyalty. But first, I need you to take on a…well, protégé of sorts. Are you aware we have recently expanded our numbers?

AXEL

Yup, from what I hear, we are now officially Organization XIII.

XEMNAS

Correct, here is our thirteenth. (Snaps his fingers. A robed Roxas appears on the smallest throne)

XEMNAS (cont.)

This is Roxas, The Key of Destiny.

AXEL

Roxas, huh? (Descends from his throne and examines the newcomer. He widens his eyes and realizes...)

AXEL

You're his Nobody! I knew he had one!

ROXAS

Who?

XEMNAS

Please Axel, don't confuse the boy, he's new. I found him in Twilight Town only weeks ago, remember?

AXEL

Yeah, I heard something about that.

XEMNAS

You have year, Axel. Train him well.

AXEL

Yes sir! (He salutes and is gone. Roxas is left behind)

AXEL (cont.)

(Reappears) Umm, you're supposed to come with me. Lesson One: Teleporting. (They both teleport away.)

(Xemnas looks around to see the room is empty. His snaps his fingers and Saix appears.)

SAIX

Oh, so now you want to talk to me?

XEMNAS

Watch Axel like a hawk. Make sure he never leaves your line of sight. If this man can watch six of our number drop like flies without remorse, something's up. Find out what.

SAIX

(Laughs evilly) It will be my greatest honor.

(He disappears.)

(Xemnas conjures images of Sora, Riku, and Naminé from nothing. He eyes them with disdain.)

XEMNAS

(He smiles for the first time. It is not a good thing) It has only begun.

(He laughs and vanishes, his cackle still echoing in the halls. The images fade and the lights turn black.)