sincere | Drabble Challenge cuz why not

Need to get cracking on my writing, Crysi made it look tempting, and, heck, I have way too much free time, what with the "can't find a job" thing. Challenge me!

Each person can ask for up to 3 drabbles, and you can ask for 1-3 people in each drabble. All genders and orientations welcome. Pairings are indicated by / and regular interaction with , -- but I'm Le Subtle and your pairing may or may not be nearly invisible.

I'm still on a KH kick, but you may also request: Tales of Symphonia/the Abyss, Suikoden I-III, Warcraft, Lost, Kyou Kara Maou, most of CLAMP, and Final Fantasy VI-XII (minus XI and VIII, although VIII characters may be requested in KH-verse, and plus Tactics). If you're really jonesing on something else, ask and I'll tell you. (In advance, I know nothing of Avatar.)

The format is Character/Character: prompt, as follows:

Luxord, Namine: fortune-telling
Marluxia/Zexion: politics are sexy
Balthier/Fran: the AU where he never took off the Judge costume

You can also request specific storylines, as follows:

Namine, Cid: the tea (AS)
Sora, Roxas, Xemnas: you know nothing (IXIII)

(No requests for NNK canon yet; there isn't enough of it to go around.)

Bonus points if you request at least one pairing that nobody I know writes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It was his first truly daring move; all his games up until now had been conservative, discreet. From the original demure May I volunteer an opinion, Superior? he had been rewarded for his insight, but always at Xemnas's pace. A little respect here, a little authority there, building up until he had been privileged above all the others, even the Superior's own peers.

Now time to see how far that went.

"I would like the witch."

A pause. After consideration, sharp burnt eyes on his unhooded face, Xemnas intoned, "Why?"

Marluxia bowed his head slightly. "To further the goals of Castle Oblivion." Wait for it: two, three. A careful dance, this chess game, edging the pawn to see if she would be able to slip forward unnoticed and become a queen. "You desire the keyblade master?"

Cool, cutting their current keyblade master right out of the equation. Poor child, unaware of the larger game going on around him. Even Xemnas, doting on the boy as he did, had decided that it was better to be safe than heartless.

That made him expendable. Another pawn, like the witch.

Those inscrutable eyes watched him. "...yes. You know that."

"And you commanded me to use the resources of the castle to do so," Marluxia picked up smoothly. Step, step... The beat of the dance keeping time to the ticking of the game clock. "In a confusing, isolated environment, manipulate the impressionable boy to our side. But we could use her connection to him. Instead of taking the chance that he might turn on us and choose to hate us, we can temper the truths in his memories... Make ourselves sympathetic."

"I thought you needed no tricks like Zexion's to use the Castle to your advantage...?"

"VI's tricks are delusions," he said, dismissive. "Useful for what they do, but not for the long term. What I shall do with the witch is no parlor trick." He leaned forward, intent, passionate. Let Xemnas see his certainty and be swayed by his logic. "It is rebuilding."

And the rebuilding could serve so many purposes, so subtly be made to serve Marluxia and not Xemnas. The Superior was not a plotter, not cunning; politics were not his game, but facts, science.

But there was still something nerve-wracking about knowing that he could not read this opponent, that the motionless face and deadened heart gave away nothing of his thoughts. Exciting, perhaps.

"...very well," the Superior pronounced finally, and a cold smile turned his lips up. "Have the witch if you like."

Marluxia darted a wary glance at him. An odd way to say it. As if... he were being humored. As if his pawn had been allowed to become a queen.

Perhaps... he does know. Nervous thoughts began to overtake him, ifs and hows, and then-- Clever. The seeds of doubt had been planted, whether or not there was substance behind them; enough to shake him, make him careful -- less confident, and thus more transparent.

Well, he would grind those seeds beneath his bootheel. "You are generous," he murmured graciously, and thought, Someday you will bow before me.

But for now, they stared at one another across the board.

....Sooooo perfect. *.*

Drabble Challenge cuz why not

Xemnas/Marluxia: "The King"

Re: Xemnas/Marluxia: "The King"