Velocity Starts To Make You Sweat [Completed]

[graviga]

Character(s): Marluxia and Xigbar
Content: There's more than one way to smoke a rat out of it's hole.
Setting: Around the streets somewhere.
Time: Afternoon
Warnings: Violence/Org Members fighting.

News of the traitor had reached him quickly. Even more so, Saïx’s failed attempts to eliminate him, though he was sure they were nothing less than relentless. Saïx had his reasons to deliver the kill but whether he had the skill, well… Xigbar just didn’t know. The job required a certain sort of cunning, one which few possessed. Tracking was an art after all and not to be taken lightly. Only someone of inadequate craft would turn to Dusks and Lessers for aid. Call Xigbar a patron, but he paid his dues. In own his search, he worked independently. That was simply how it was done.

“Never send a Berserker to do a Sharpshooters job.” The Nobody thought aloud.

He too sought to see the treasonous man, reasons unknown aside from the order; eliminate the traitor. His absents had meant nothing to Xigbar than much needed elbowroom. Apart from an empty seat, there was little sense of loss. And what little history lay between them seemed to serve only as an empty excuse for him to track the Nobody. It was truly what set them apart that intrigued him, Marluxia’s betrayal much a curiosity.

The Nobody in question had not made it difficult to track him. Marluxia had been sloppy; his footsteps practically paved across the city to those who knew what to look for. He had even failed to mark his messages over the messageboard anonymous. It made Xigbar wonder if the Nobody had wanted to be found. Marluxia had always appeared as the calculating type, prone to pour more thought into things he did than others. Had going rogue changed this or had he simply been too occupied by greater devices? He wondered…

From the rooftops, Xigbar smiled down in content as he watched a small group of citizens speak amongst each other. He had tracked Marluxia down days ago but since then focused on familiarizing himself with both the area and its residence. Even he had to admit it never hurt to be prepared. He turned his focus to a window revealing a poorly lit room, an almost cat like poise to him before he opened a Corridor of Darkness and disappeared.

“Talk about careless...” From the ceiling, Xigbar’s voice easily filled the room. “And here I thought you didn’t want to be found.”

Comments

[reaperofnaught]

Marluxia froze the moment Xigbar's voice reached his ears, the corners of his mouth twisting downward into a frown. He had thought his most recent message might twist a few opinions to his favor, but it seemed he truly had been too careless. He should have expected the Organization's number two to be harder to sway.

"Here to eliminate me, are you?" he asked, his tone remaining casual. He turned to look up at Xigbar, his right hand balling into a fist. "I hope you don't assume that finding me will mean I am easy to kill."

[graviga]

His teeth shone through the darkness while a low growl crept its way through his knavery smile. “That was the order.” he replied, voice kept easily as casual as his cohort. If there were any tension in the room, Xigbar certainly did not appear to notice. “’Eliminate the traitor on sight.’” The Nobody shrugged his shoulders, a small sigh given before he waved his hand at Marluxia and continued on. “Yep, seems the Organization has really got it out for you now. Gotta say, kinda expected more from you. I mean, you didn’t really think they wouldn’t catch on, did you?”

Xigbar shook his head, as though too aghast to look at Marluxia and laughed. “As if!”

[reaperofnaught]

"It was inevitable," Marluxia reluctantly agreed. He had never harbored any doubts that the Organization would come across him eventually. Saix's previous visits had already seen to that. It just seemed that there were more members on his tail than he had thought. And perhaps he had become a little too complacent.

"But will you be able to finish the job?" In a flash of light and a burst of petals, Marluxia's scythe appeared in his hand.

[graviga]

Xigbar raised his hands up defensively and shook his head at the scythe. “Whoa! Take it easy, Flower Power. You think I’d go through all the trouble of finding you just to end it like that?” Marluxia was wise to believe so, but the Nobody would have preferred him to believe otherwise. “Hardly seems worth the scars. I’m not in it for the prize.”

He dropped down landing in front of Marluxia with an inquisitive look, though notably remained a fair distance from the scythe that stood between them. Xigbar was cautious but had yet to summon his weapon. Violence was nothing new to him but had he the choice he would chose not to resort to such with Marluxia, not yet. “Nope, thought I’d pay you a little visit on my own accord. Imagine that. You should be honoured. ”

Luxord would have laughed at his attempt to push ‘Lady Luck’.

[reaperofnaught]

Marluxia couldn't say he believed Xigbar, but he wasn't about to look this gift horse in the mouth. He was at the disadvantage, after all. The small room wasn't the best place to do battle with someone with a weapon like Xigbar's.

"'Honored' isn't the word I would use," he replied, shaking his head. "But if a reward is not what you seek, I have to ask... What is it that you're after?" Marluxia lowered his scythe, but didn't dismiss it.

[graviga]

Xigbar daringly turned his back to the Nobody. “What, you’ve never heard of a friendly visit before?” He shook his head, mockingly upset. “Here I thought we went back. Let’s not forget who introduced who to the Organization to begin with now.” He turned to face Marluxia and pointed to himself with a Cheshire grin. “And with that, gave a purpose…”

His expression would never show it, but Xigbar knew to remain equally as cautious as Marluxia. A well placed step was made to test the Nobody’s nerves before he moved on to admire his ensconce within the city. So, this was the hole Marluxia had made for himself, was it? He hadn’t expected much from a man on the run. Of course, there were only so many places one could hide in a castle as well. He narrowed his eyes at the thought and looked back to Marluxia.

“’Course, that can’t look too good for me neither, what with you betraying the Organization and all.” Xigbar stuck his nose up having notably unapproved of the matter. “Only a matter of time before they start to suspect me too.” He rubbed the back of head and tsked to himself. “You really messed up big on this one.”

[reaperofnaught]

Marluxia didn't dare take his eyes off of the other Nobody. He knew better than to trust any member of the Organization. Who better to understand the ideas of a group only out for themselves than a traitor? Xigbar was no different. Even if this was just a "friendly visit," Xigbar likely had something to gain from it as well.

"Is that so?" Marluxia asked, raising an eyebrow. "I would have thought someone with as high a rank as yours would be more trusted than that. Or has Xemnas truly become this shaken by the defection of a single member?"

It was doubtful, very doubtful, but the thought was pleasant.

[graviga]

Xigbar laughed at the thought. “Are any of us really to be trusted?” the Nobody asked, Marluxia knowing better than anyone of the Organization’s illusion of trust. He flashed assassin a grin before his gaze returned to the man’s décor. “Why else would the penalty for treason be so costly? I mean, going against the Superior? Not exactly the smartest thing to do. But why else would you be where you are now?” Having spotted an apple in the sparse room, he picked it up and examined it. “Oh, don’t you worry; you too will pay the price of betrayal.” His tone remained casual as he slowly turned to face Marluxia. “You’ll see.”

“They won’t protect you, you know.” He went on to say, idly tossing the apple awhile he spoke. “The ‘visitors’ as they call themselves…” Xigbar rolled his eye. “You’re wasting your time with them. Their fate was set from the moment they set foot in this castle. But I like the idea.” Sinking his teeth into his prize, the Nobody took a bite of the apple and smiled and Marluxia. “If you’re gonna go down, why not drag them all down along with you?”

[reaperofnaught]

For the first time since Xigbar arrived, Marluxia smiled. "I wonder..." It had been awhile since he had seen hide or hair of the Freeshooter. Wherever he had gone before, it was likely that he had just returned, wasn't it?

"Perhaps you should test that yourself." It would be good practice. A test for his pawns, a message to the Organization... And it would get of any of them that weren't up for the task. "If you find me so easy to deal with, it should only take a few minutes to rid yourself of them."

[graviga]

Marluxia’s smile suggested he knew something Xigbar did not. He inwardly frowned at the notion. Either the Nobody had something else up his sleeve or he truly did believe in the visitor’s loyalty. Xigbar placed his bet on the former. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He asked, appearing amused by the challenge. “Wouldn’t mind it myself really… But, I’m not the one who calls the shots on that one. I just fire ‘em out.” He paused and took another bite of the apple. “Sorry, they’re just gonna have to wait their turn.”

“But, if it really is their loyalty you want to test, that could be arranged.”

[reaperofnaught]

"Loyalty" wasn't what Marluxia was looking for at the moment, but he kept that to himself. Loyalty was a luxury, and unfortunately, as his sparse living quarters would attest, he was in no position for luxuries. Their ability, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

But... Xigbar had him curious. "Oh? And what sort of test do you propose?"

[graviga]

Xigbar turned the apple slowly in his grasp, his jagged smile an indication that something had already come to mind. But what that had been would remain mystery, the Sharp Shooter’s attention having quickly changed to the door. He narrowed his eyes with suspicion, gaze shifting back to Marluxia as three quick raps came from the door.

“Didn’t peg you as the sort to have guests,” he spoke lowly, hoping not to tip off their company that Marluxia had already been entertaining. Itching to summon his Arrowgun’s, he looked back at the door. If Marluxia did not wish to draw more attention to his little hole, he would answer the door.

[reaperofnaught]

Marluxia's expression twisted to a scowl and he passed a fleeting glance in the door's direction when the knocks came. He had been debating leaving the visitor to knock in vain, but it seemed Xigbar had already made Marluxia's decision for him.

He walked over and opened the door with the intention of turning the person away as soon as possible.

[graviga]

The gypsy Marluxia had found at his doorstep seemed innocent enough. Given the area, it was far from the norm to be approached. Maybe she was there to beg for money, maybe it was food. The Nobody would never know for sure, for the moment he opened the door the woman screamed in agony and fell to the ground. The scene did not go unnoticed; many of the gypsies which littered the streets stood, their gaze set on Marluxia. The unwritten contract between them was unmistakably broken and an entire city, visitors and citizens alike, suddenly seemed against the Nobody.

A sinister smile gleamed through the darkness at the scene, an apple rolling out from the shadows and to the assassins feet. Marluxia needed only open the door a crack for Xigbar to make the deadly shot, the sharpshooter’s skill demonstrated when he’d warped the bullet to hit the gypsy without moving. Both Arrowgun’s in hand, Xigbar stepped back into the corridor he had opened and disappeared into darkness. He left the Nobody with one word.

“Ciao.”