A/N: ASDFJKL; I have been neglecting this thing. XD

I'm so sorry I haven't updated – but it's not my fault. I swear it's not my fault. BLAME THE PLOT BUNNIES THAT HAVE SUDDENLY GONE TAME ON ME. I had to rack my brain (and read over that script I found) for ideas (for this chapter, anyway; I got a bunch of ideas for other chapters thanks to discovering translations of part of the first KH2 novel), and well, MORE FILLER TEXT! YAY! (That was sarcasm, just in case there's some idiots in the crowd over there.) Again, if you're not bored and don't want to read the filler text, please skip all the way down to the tenth divider. (seven pages of filler text -dies-)

And I just realized I screwed myself over even more once I began to read the CoM manga...the Unknown that approaches Sora in the beginning is, in fact, Marluxia. (I could tell right away when we got a glimpse of the hair XD)

And I might not be able to update so quickly as I did when I first started. I'm doomed to go to Chinese school with my little cousins every Sunday (luckily next week is the Labor Day weekend and all that jazz) and school just started. -whine-

The good thing that came out of it all? I convinced my little cousin (he's ten) that Axel's gay. FWAHAHAHAHA! -shot- (Fufufu. He made me fight the big Roxas vs Axel fight at the end of Roxas' story for him "Fight it yourself!" "But I suck at fighting! See? I died!" "You freaking idiot, you should've used a potion...-.-", and you know that reaction command where Roxas pins Axel to the floor? Well, I did that. Twice. 8D)

...I need sad music. Like...right now.

Italics are either thoughts, emphasis, or what Sora's saying while the Orgy 13 members aren't in the same room he is in. In the beginning, it's only what Sora's saying.

Disclaimer: If I owned the Kingdom Hearts series, it wouldn't rock as much as it does.

Thanks to twilighttries, Aya Kurayami, Flyingsoul, Riku-stalker, and siverrain for reviewing! -hands cookies out again-

Philophobia

by Kyoto-chan

III. Thanatophobia

There was another girl...

Larxene smirked, listening on Sora's conversation with Goofy and Donald alongside Axel.

The four of us would always play together...

"It looks like Sora's memories have taken root, just like we planned."

Axel grinned, "Let's see how far our boy will go, then. Think it's time for another round?"

"Only if it's my turn to play. You had your fun on the first floor."

Axel chuckled, throwing some cards to the lone female member of the Organization.

"Remember, Larxene, our job is to deliver him in one piece."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. But who says I can't have my way with him first?"

Axel's smile turned into an angry frown once Larxene's words escaped her mouth.

"Don't break him."

Larxene smiled smugly, "Do I detect a soft spot?"

"He's partly one of us," Axel merely replied.

"I'm not going to break the toy, Axel – merely play with it. I'm not stupid."

Axel's expression didn't change.

"Then you won't mind the warning. Remember, Sora is the key. We're gonna need him if we're gonna take the Organization."

Had Larxene been mentally able to be ecstatic, that's how she would've been at that moment.

"So you're in on it too? Well, keep it under your hood until the time is right."

With that, Larxene disappeared into a portal.

"You'd be wise to do the same, Larxene."

Larxene had reappeared in the room.

"Whew, throwing that battle wore me out."

Axel nearly laughed.

"Throwing the battle? Looks to me like you plain lost it."

"H-how dare you! You just don't appreciate the finer nuances of –"

A familiar voice interrupted Larxene.

"Axel is right. That was an ungainly performance, Larxene."

Both Nobodies looked over at the source of the voice.

"Vexen!" Larxene, exclaimed.

"Can we help you, Vexen? It's not very often we get to see you topside."

The Chilly Academic replied bluntly, "I came to lend a hand. I remain unconvinced of any potential in this 'hero' you've been coddling. Perhaps an experiment would put my doubts to rest."

Larxene let out an annoyed groan.

"I knew this would happen! Everything's an experiment to you!"

"I'm a scientist. Experimenting is what I do."

Axel rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, Vexen. Do whatever you want. But quit acting. Testing Sora is probably just an excuse for testing your little follower."

Vexen glared at the redhead.

"Follower? He is the product of much research!"

"What he is is a toy," Larxene said bluntly.

Vexen let out a 'hmph'. "I see that I'm wasting my time."

Axel merely threw a card at him.

"It's a wild card to keep things fresh. Now you can't tell me that I don't respect my elders."

Number four shrugged, saying, "I won't dare say."

With that, Vexen left the room.

Other side...?

The Savage Nymph groaned in exasperation, stomping around as she spoke.

"What the hell did Vexen do that for? Is he insane? The show's going to be over if Sora figures out about the other side!"

Axel replied, "Relax...if he passes through and doesn't figure it out, we can patch things up later..."

The Graceful Assassin merely said, "Let Namine handle this. In the meantime, Axel, you know what to do."

"No, I don't. Spell it out for me?"

"Rid us of our traitor."

Axel grinned, "Done. You can't take that order back later."

And Axel left through the darkness portal.

"...you'll lose your heart and become Marluxia's pawn!"

"Who's Marluxia and what do they have to do with Nami–"

Without a warning, Axel threw a chakram at Vexen, and revealed himself.

"Axel!" the spikey-haired brunette exclaimed, as Axel appeared behind Vexen.

Axel replied, "Hey Sora, sorry to butt in while he was just getting to the juicy bits."

Vexen groaned, "Ax...el...wh...why?"

"You sure love to talk! Well, now it's time to shut you up – forever."

"Mercy...! I don't...want to go...yet...!"

"Now you can tell me I don't respect my elders."

With that, Axel stabbed Vexen and the scientist faded away.

"What the...? Who are you people?" Sora exclaimed from behind Axel.

He looked back at the Keyblade wielder and responded, "Wish I knew the answer to that myself."

Axel then returned back to the room where Marluxia and Larxene were watching over the scene.

"Great work, Axel! Way to shut that blabbermouth up!"

Axel ignored the blonde and turned towards Marluxia.

"You used Vexen's strength to test Sora, didn't you?"

"Not just Vexen, we used your strength too. We weren't sure if you had it in you to eliminate a fellow Organization member. Well, now that you've proven yourself, you're in the big leagues now. Now taking over the Organization will be a piece of cake!" Larxene grinned, patting the other Nobody on the back.

"I see. So that's where Sora comes in, am I correct?"

"Yep. He wants to see Namine, so we give him what he wants."

The flower-element Nobody grinned, "Rejoice, Namine. The hero you've longed for is almost here."

The smaller blond-haired female replied meekly, "I'm...very happy."

The other blonde Nobody asked her, "Are you now? Well, in your 'fits of happiness', be sure not to hurt Sora's feelings. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am."

Marluxia ordered, "All you need to do now is layer the memories one by one and lure his heart closer."

And then Larxene and Marluxia left.

Namine spoke up, "Sora, when you get here – what then?"

"You're all he has left, Namine," the lone Organization member in the room answered.

"But...it's too late now!"

"Look around. I don't see Marluxia anywhere. Do you?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"No one's here to stop you. Go ahead."

Namine nodded and ran off.

Axel began to laugh. "This should be good! All the actors are now in place! Namine! Marluxia! Sora! Larxene! It's about time you gave me one hell of a show!"

Roxas poked his head through his door.

"Axel, shut up. I'm trying to sleep," Number Thirteen yawned.

Axel sweatdropped, "Eheheh. Sorry."

Marluxia glared once he saw who had just appeared in the room.

"Axel, you're a fool among fools to show your face around here, traitor!"

Axel merely smiled, "Traitor? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You let her go! Sora could have been our slave, but no! You let her go!"

"Right right right, your big plan. You used Namine to rewrite Sora's memories so you could control him and overthrow the Organization with Larxene. Am I not correct? Because if so, that makes you the traitor, Marluxia."

"But you destroyed Vexen!"

"So what? I merely weeded the garden. I had to earn your trust."

"I see...a double agent...you've been onto our conspiracy from the beginning," Marluxia let out a desperate chuckle.

"Moving on...I believe you ordered me to 'rid us of our traitors'," Axel summoned his chakrams, "I always obey orders, Marluxia."

He grinned, almost looking like Larxene while she was reading that book of hers...or like the Cheshire Cat!

"Larxene paid the price for disloyalty, and so shall you. In the name of the Organization you betrayed, I shall annihilate you!"

"Then go ahead – strike!"

Namine then appeared between the two.

"Ohoho, you think cowering behind Namine will save you? Your little mascot will keep you company in the void. Sayonara, Marluxia."

Marluxia smiled, "Oh I think not. Sora, are you listening?"

The trio came running in after Marluxia spoke.

"Huh?"

"Sora! Axel is willing to hurt Namine just to get to me! Destroy him!"

And while Sora drew his Keyblade, Marluxia and Namine both disappeared.

"Well well well, Sora, looks like Marluxia made you his puppet after all."

Sora growled, "Never. After I finish you, he's next."

"Hmm. Look here, Sora, we've got a lot in common. I'd rather not fight you, but I have a reputation to think of!"

(Insert a battle scene here XD)

Axel smiled, even in defeat.

"You're not half-bad. It was worth saving your hide, after all."

"Saving me?" Sora asked, confused.

"Sorry to kill the suspense."

And Axel disappeared.

Zexion sighed, "First Vexen, and now Lexaeus is gone too..."

Axel appeared out of nowhere.

"Larxene's gone now, too. Namine turned on her. Gee, I wonder who's going to be gone next."

Zexion looked up at the Nobody that had just come in.

"Perhaps you?"

"Me? Nah. I already got my pounding from Sora. He probably thinks I'm gone for good now. And I don't feel like doing an encore anytime soon. Marluxia's probably up next."

"You think Sora will win. Because you think anyone who beats you is unbeatable – is that it?"

"That's the idea. Marluxia wanted to use Sora to plot the downfall of the Organization; it's only fitting that Sora should be his downfall."

"Then...Riku is not needed anymore."

"Good luck disposing of him. You want me to take out someone who wasted Lexaeus?"

Zexion shook his head.

"That's not how I deal with things. Tell me, have you gotten the data on Riku's home?"

Axel threw a card at Zexion and that was all he needed.

It was a good thirty minutes before Zexion returned into that room.

He obviously was confused and pissed.

"What is he?" Zexion groaned. "No one's worn the darkness the way he does! It's just not possible!"

Zexion looked up from the table and saw Vexen's replica and Axel. Emo-kid nearly fell off of his chair.

"WAHH! Riku?"

Then Number Six got over his initial shock.

"Oh, yes...of course...the replica...are you saying we can use him to defeat the real Riku?"

Axel looked over at the Riku Replica and began to speak.

"Say, Riku, it must be really hard now that you're not real, eh? I bet you'd like to be real, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, you can! You just need to get strength that the real Riku doesn't have. Get that, and you can be a new person...your own person! Not Riku, but yourself!"

Zexion shot a glare at Axel.

"What are you telling him?" he yelled.

Axel pointed at the youngest of the original Organization, and said, "I bet he's a good place to start as any."

"Have you completely lost it, Axel?"

"Sorry, Zexy. Saving you isn't half as entertaining as watching Sora and Riku."

"Wait...no! NOOO!"

Axel looked up at the ceiling.

God, I can be as cruel as Larxene sometimes...oh well. I bet Demyx won't ever forgive me after this. Heh, at least he'll stop talking to me. he thought, grinning.

It had been a good amount of hours until Roxas had finally awoken, having woken up late once again. He headed to the bathroom, surprised to find that there was no Marluxia there that morning to hold up the usage of the toilet and other morning bathroom activities.

"How strange..." he said to no one in particular.

Then he shrug it off.

Heading down to breakfast, Roxas entered the kitchen as usual, but upon opening the door, he stood planted to the ground in shock. Almost half of the Organization was not present.

"Why aren't they eating breakfast today...?" he questioned, slowly walking to his normal seat, also slowly pulling out the chair from under the table.

Demyx looked gloomily at Roxas.

"They...faded away...in battle..."

"And I had to eliminate traitors," Axel added, which was half-true, for the most part.

Roxas slumped down into his chair.

"I see..."

And for a change, breakfast was dead quiet.

End Chapter Three

D; It was supposed to have a bit more Roxas in it, but ended up being mainly Axel-centric. I just wanted to get the CoM part over with. And I said I would have crack in the next chapter, but I seriously need help with that. XD

And if you noticed the slight ZekuDemi, you get an extra cookie! (I think I'm the only person in the US that refers to Zemyx as ZekuDemi...-grumble-)

Thanatophobia – (noun) the fear of death