Brilliant beams of artificial sunlight filtered warm rays through the tall crystalline patchwork of glass the window of a somewhat small room filled with foliage and flowers.  It was the only room in the castle, no, the only room in this world of darkness that seemed to glow with the brilliance of a normal spring day. The much needed warm sunlight gently reached out to all the plants while also illuminating the hunched over figure of a man kneeling before a small yellow rose bush.

His light cherry colored hair that usually fell free in layers was now pulled back into a loose tie at the base of his neck, freeing him from being hindered by flyaway strands while he worked intently on his small garden.  A usual routine that never changed as long as he had been ‘alive’; wake up to what should normally be early dawn, shower, then greet his loved ones.  

Yet something this day had stopped him from his habitual tending and watering the small lives that depended on him, one of his ‘children’ needed special attention today.  

He sat on his heels in front of the small rose bush, inspecting it while a soft melody escaped his lips and echoed through out the room.  His slender fingers gently caressed a single yellow rose bud that seemed to have developed a slightly limp appearance, the beginnings of a withered state was overtaking the small plant. Yet something strange began to happen as he held it gently and sang quietly, life seemed to spring back into the little rose bush.  It’s leaves perked and it’s little wilting yellow rose buds began to brighten once again, opening in response to his care and loving words.

“…my bright yellow rose buds, oh I still love you so…” the tune suddenly stopped as the man’s attention was ripped from the frail flowers toward the door that lead back into his chambers.  

He gave the little rose one last tender touch and then stood up, grabbing the small bottle of water near his foot with one hand while dusting off the seat of his black leather pants with the other.  The once tender smile that played upon his lips was completely erased, replaced now with irritation and suspicion.  He set his hand on the door, but instead of turning the latch handle he put an alert ear to the white entry. Muffled voices echoed behind the door, all he knew well but only one sent a wave of irritation up his spine until it settled in his tensing shoulders.

“Obviously you must have a death wish, because that’s the only possible reason I could come up with for the likes of you daring to enter my room after that last time.” The door suddenly swung open, startling the three that had invaded his sacred space.

“MAR MAR!!” Demyx squealed happily completely unfazed by the danger that had been dripping from the assassin’s words, “You ARE here! We need your help, I mean I should say Axel needs your help and since it’s something only you can do… er actually Larxy could too but Axel said he’d kick my butt if I brought Larxy anywhere near him, so I figured maybe you could…” the ramble from the musician was suddenly cut off as the Graceful Assassin’s hand shot up, clamping down his index finger and thumb on Demyx’s lips, pinching them shut.

“I don’t need anything from him either, ya mook!!” Axel growled loudly, a pained expression twisting his face into a grimace. The mere thought of needing anything from that man sent a wave of nausea strait to his stomach.

“Shut your trap, fool, even your voice annoys me.” Marluxia spat at Axel before turning his attentions back upon Demyx, “Now, Demy, take a breath and calmly tell me what on earth would make you think I would help the likes of him?”

Demyx blinked owlishly as Marluxia released his pinching grip on his lips, an almost bewildered disbelief shining in his aquamarine eyes, “Because, we’re all friends… I mean we’re all in the same organization so it’s kinda like family, so… we’re friends... cause we’re family…” His quiet hesitant words were silenced by hysterical laughter from all three of his companions.

“You’re kidding right? FRIENDS?!?” Marluxia nearly choked from laughing so hard, “With HIM? When a purple monkey flies out my butt…”

Roxas chuckled, only to get elbowed by Axel right in the ribs.  Axel stepped back, “Let’s go, I’d rather die than get his help with anything!”

Marluxia arched an eyebrow, a wicked little grin snuck its way across his lips, “Ah, a fate worse than death am I? Nice, so how may I bring about your torment, I can’t just leave a ‘friend’ in need!”

“Forgeeee…” Axel was in mid snarl, only to be cut off by Demyx.

“He needs make up.” Demyx stated flatly.

“He wha?” Marluxia turned back around, his bottle of water slipping from his weak grasp, hitting the ground with a slosh, then rolling across the floor toward Roxas.

Demyx nodded, smiling innocently while Axel choked.

“Make up, as in cosmetics? Hm, while I think hiding that hideous face is a wonderful idea and a kind show of courtesy to your fellow members of he Organization…” Marluxia smiled, nodding at Axel who’s cheeks were now beginning to turn as red as his hair, “However, Demyx, what exactly makes you think I would have such a thing in my room?”

Demyx shook his head nervously while shrugging his shoulders, “Um… I donno.. um… maybe… ‘cause... you have such… um perfect… color… and shiny…” he hesitated even more on the last word, “…lips?”

Marluxia slowly blinked, staring down Demyx until the tension was nearly unbearable for the Musician, “As utterly flattering as that was, I assure you that I do NOT wear make up.” his words nearly dripped with the rage he was trying to hide from the younger Nobody.

Another chuckle echoed from the direction of Roxas causing Marluxia to spin back around towards the other two unwelcome guests, “You… Shouldn’t you be off cleaning something?” he snarled at Roxas.

“I think not. The Superior said nothing and until he does, I will continue to do just that... Nothing.” Roxas snorted folding his arms across his chest in defiance.

“Ah, aren’t you cute!” Marluxia leaned forward pinching Roxas’ cheek; “You’re just milking Xemnas’ misfortune for all it’s worth.  No wonder you two are such good friends.” He shot a glare at Axel who was setting the fallen water bottle on the book case along the wall, “Your mini me is coming along nicely.”

“Why thank you, I do my best to better our world.” Axel sneered, as he thumbed through a few of the books in the case.  

“Mar Mar please, can’t you do something?” Demyx snatched hold of Marluxia’s sleeve, tugging slightly on the cuff.  

“What would you have me do? I can think of numerous things I would like to do to the man, starting with decapitation and working my way down the list of horrible pains worse than death. Oh, I would like to…” Marluxia paused mid rant, trying to avoid looking directly at the musician. “Don’t give me that look, I hate that look, it’s annoying.”

“He looks like that cat from that CG cartoon about that ugly green thing.” Roxas chuckled.

Demyx continued to stare pleadingly at Marluxia, his eyes looking abnormally large and misty, adding to that kicked puppy look he was deploying.  He kicked it up a notch by turning his feet inward until he was standing somewhat pigeon toed while tugging lightly on Marluxia’s sleeve. He became the perfect image of sappy adorableness despite the rocker’s black tank top and leather he was sporting. He still was an image that could not be told ‘no’… ever.

“No!” Marluxia barked, unhindered. “I want you all out of here, now!” He snatched his sleeve away from the Musician and nervously fumbled towards his bookcase.

“Wow, Marly, you keep that kind of talk up and we’re starting to feel a little unwelcome! Perhaps we should go and leave you to you’re singing.”  Axel snickered from behind one of Marluxia’s gardening books he had pulled from the shelf.

“Yes, please do so.” Marluxia snorted, snatching back the book Axel was currently flipping through.  “You’re ruining an otherwise perfectly good morning for... Wait, what do you mean by that?”

“Oh please, like we couldn’t hear you in there.  You know talking to them makes you seem like a nutter, but singing to them? That just makes you look like a raving lunatic.” Axel tapped the side of his head with his index finger, accentuating the insult.  

“This coming from the man looking for women’s cosmetics.” Marluxia smirked, as he snatched the water bottle off the wooden surface of the case with one hand while firmly pushing Axel back away with the other. “And don’t touch my stuff, also ask before you set something on my book case, it ruins the cherry wood.”

“Blah blah blah, whatever.” Axel rolled his eyes.

“But Mar Mar... Please!” Demyx’s voice cracked interrupting the argument.

“Oh, don’t give me that hang dog look, Nocturne.” Marluxia unconsciously fiddled with the bottle until the cap came off, “I don’t give a rat’s behind about any of Pyro’s misfortunes so for the last time you can just take him else where.” he added, pointing the bottle at the Musician, a small amount of water sloshed out the top.

Demyx’s gaze followed the water that had spilled, staring blankly at the floor where it had splashed.  “Contaminated...” he barely whispered before aquamarine eyes suddenly shot back up to Marluxia’s face just as he took a drink and set the bottle down on his night stand.  He was too late to warn him.

“Well, well, well… what’s this? You DO have make up in here!” Axel cackled from the corner of the room as he rummaged through Marluxia’s dresser drawers near the bathroom door.

“WHAT THE…. Get OUT of my dresser!”  Marluxia growled.

“Demyx was right! You do have such shiny lips thanks to…” Axel turned the tube of lipstick over, “Cherry Petal Passion Pink… Wow… that’s… Wow… I have no words for that you sick, sick little man.”

“IT’S NOT MINE!!! LARXENE LEFT IT!!!” Marluxia howled, clenching his fists by his side turning his knuckles white from the amount of pressure.

“Mar Mar?” Demyx quietly called, still worried about the water and the strange feeling he was getting from Marluxia now, however the worried words went unheard.  

“LEAVE! I can’t stand laying eyes on you any longer!” Marluxia snarled, his voice cracked as an almost startled expression now mixed with the pure anger lighting up his blue eyes. Such rage, uncontrollable rage and embarrassment over being inspected and accused of such trivial things; it almost felt as though something inside him had caught fire now and he wasn’t sure how long he could take this intense and nearly frightening emotion.

‘Emotion?’ Marluxia felt himself tremble as the word echoed in his mind.

“Shoot Marluxia, don’t have a conniption.” Roxas chuckled nervously before darting his gaze over at Axel.  That rage seemed familiar to the smallest nobody, too much like the time they were caught in the hallway and Marluxia nearly took Axel’s head off, literally. But this time it was such a trivial matter, why would that anger be so intense now?

“Something wrong?” Axel smiled, almost sadistically.

“Of course something’s wrong, YOU’RE STILL HERE! Digging around in my business and accusing me of…” Marluxia’s breathing hitched; started to become shallow and erratic as he glared daggers at Axel.  “I... I so h… hate y..you… ooooooh shiny…” In one fluid movement Marluxia slid to the ground, out like a light.

“MAR MAR!!” Demyx squealed; dancing from one foot to the other as he darted his gaze from Axel down to Marluxia sprawled across the floor, “YOU KILLED HIM!!”

Axel and Roxas both stared wide-eyed at the fallen Nobody, neither of them making a move until Demyx squealed again, “WHAT DID YOU DO!?”

“I didn’t do anything! Roxas put it in his water!” Axel pointed at the short Nobody that was now standing next to him.

“HEY! You TOLD me to!” Roxas turned and slugged Axel in the shoulder.

“Mar Mar? Mar Mar, wake up…” Demyx sunk to his knees next to Marluxia, rolling him over and inspecting for any signs of life, “Mar Mar! What do I do!?! Roxas?” Demyx looked up at the other two, pleading for some kind of help.  “CPR!?!”

A loud snort followed by hysterical laughter filled the room, Axel doubled over still laughing but seemingly in pain from it.

“Demyx, you need a heart for that to work…” Roxas sighed as he rubbed his eyes with one hand, fighting back the headache that was threatening to take over.

“THE KISS OF LIIIIIFE!” Axel howled, “That’ll bring him back… lemme get a camera…” he turned looking around for anything with film.

“The what?” Demyx blinked owlishly, utterly confused.

“Mouth to mouth resuscitation, Demyx…” Roxas groaned, “Axel this isn’t funny, what if…”

“But who’s going to do it?” Demyx fidgeted, shifting his gaze between Marluxia’s lips and Axel’s smirking face.

“Why you of course! I don’t want to risk catching his girly cooties...” Axel snorted.

“Shut up, Axel, you’re just making this worse.” Roxas growled as he joined Demyx on the floor.  “What if we did do something to hurt him? We’re not even sure what that elixir can do… Vexen DID say it was a sort of weapon.” He shot one more glare over his shoulder at his best friend back before turning his attentions to the issue at hand.  

Neither of the two Nobodies gathered around the fallen comrade noticed the strange flinch between Axel’s shoulders, the brief pause before he continued to rummage through Marluxia’s drawers for a camera.

“Is he ok?” Demyx whined.

“He’s still breathing, I think he just passed out.”  Roxas continued as he held his hand just above Marluxia’s lips, confirming that he was in fact still breathing.

“What… happened…?” Marluxia muttered as he finally stirred; his words slurred as his eyes slowly fluttered open.

Demyx’s worried expression greeted him, “We think you passed out Mar Mar… you ok?”

Axel’s face was next to come into focus as he leaned over the two Nobody’s gathered around, “Like a little girl… BAM!”

“If I could move I would kill you.” Marluxia growled; his shoulder twitched as though he was trying to sit up but the rest of his body wouldn’t function.

“Well in that case we better get going, come on Ladies!” Axel grinned as he snatched his two friends by the scruff of their clothes and dragged them back a couple steps towards the door. Marluxia’s head thunked to the ground when he slipped from the weak hold Demyx had on him.

Demyx tore away from the grip on his black tank-top scrambling back towards Marluxia who was trying to stand up with still weakened knees that threatened t buckle beneath him.  The not so Graceful Assassin trembled, stumbling slightly only to be caught and steadied by the concerned Musician.  

“Come on, Demyx, or we’re leaving you.” Axel growled from the doorway.

“But we can’t leave him alone...” Demyx glanced over his shoulder, pleadingly.

“And I’m not dragging him around with me all day.  He might do something freakish like spout poetry or become one with his feminine side for all we know.” Axel stated.

“But YOU did this, you can just leave him!” Demyx argued back.

“Obviously I’m gonna have to teach you the rules of pranks, spaz-monkey.” Axel growled as he started toward Demyx, only to be halted by Roxas snatching his sleeve.

“Axel…” Roxas whispered, only to be cut off suddenly.

“Fine, whatever, stay here and baby him. We’re going to go have a little chat with someone... about a certain book.” Axel’s Cheshire grin nearly seemed to stretch from one ear to the other.

“What!?! AXEL, WAIT!” it was too late, Demyx’s call fell upon an already empty doorframe. “Zexy’s not gonna like that...”

“Demyx, you can let go of me, I’m fine.” Marluxia shrugged off the musician’s light touch upon his shoulder before he slumped down on the bed.

“Mar Mar? Are you sure you’re ok? What...” Demyx paused; he knew perfectly well what had happened. Axel and Roxas slipped him that horrid Elixir, but he still couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”

Marluxia stared strait ahead, intently watching nothing beyond the wall of his bedroom, “I think I was… angry.”

“Well that’s kinda the reaction Axel gets out of people…” Demyx sighed.

“No, I mean, I felt angry.” Marluxia let his gaze shift to Demyx’s face.

Demyx shook his head slowly, “Yeah, that’s…”

“I… FELT…” Marluxia caught Demyx’s gaze, “I think… I’m just a little light headed.  I’m ok.” His gaze lowered, staring at the space of floor between his feet.

Demyx studied Marluxia’s expression for a moment, the confusion and was that even a hint of fear?  It was reminding him of that nightmare, the faint ‘feelings’ that lingered when he would wake up to in a cold sweat.  Ever since that bottle came into his life and invaded his closet, they had started then and hadn’t let up for nearly a week.

“I want to ask Zexy about this, Mar Mar… Zexy knows a lot.  He was one of the six so maybe he knows what this is and if it’s dangerous.”  Demyx nervously ran his fingers through the long strands blonde of hair behind his neck.

“You know something don’t you?” Marluxia studied Demyx’s face again, searching for unspoken answers.

“N..no… NO! Why would I? I don’t know anything…” Demyx fidgeted.

“Liar…”  Marluxia didn’t seem angry, more like amused judging from the odd smirk that was tugging at the corner of his mouth, “You’re a horrible liar, it’s written all over your face.”  His voice lowered slightly, more like talking to himself now, “I never noticed that before… It’s like you’re hiding something.”

“I’m nooooot!” Demyx squealed, not entirely sure what Marluxia was getting at.

IOIOIOIOIOI

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle, a certain Nobody finally stirred from a long and painful sleep.  Dark lashes fluttered for a moment allowing brief glimpses at the golden colored eyes that had been hidden for some time.  A groan broke the silence as the heavy eyelids finally clamped tightly shut, blocking out the brightly illuminated white room.  

“W…What… Kingdom Hearts… What happened…” One eye finally opened to squint at the two figures lining the bedside, “Vexen?”

End Track 3: Yellow Roses

Strange things are already starting to happen, without much help from Axel’s mischief. Can Zexion help shed some light on this Elixir and Marluxia’s fate? Or will he too fall victim to yet another prank before Demyx can reach him? And what has happened to Xemnas, will he be able to stop this new disturbance in the force? (LOL sorry… Roooooxas… I am your Faaaather… ok…. Shutting up now) eh, FIND OUT in the next Track.