xD Thanks. I was worried about his hair looking to Axel-y. And those dots by his eyes aren't meant to be there. They're remnants of a mistake xD
Yeah, you already have him =D
Chapter Seventy-Two
“Kali!”
The group froze as the shout echoed through the silent air. Sora looked around the endless corridor, wide-eyed. His heart palpitated as he looked to Riku, chest heaving.
“Did that shout say what I think it did?” he asked quietly, alarm within his whisper. Riku shrugged, blue gaze surging through the darkness.
~*~
“When Kali gets here, she shall just back me up,” Jinn purred, utterly convinced. He folded his arms, letting the trickles of blood drip from his jutted cheekbones, and down his withered face. He had his back to Loki, but looked over his shoulder. “I have lied before, but I am serious now, Loki. Mikado told me the night before Sora arrived.”
“I bet he did,” Loki replied sourly. They stood there in the darkness, a short distance apart. The room grew darker with each moment, thunderclouds gathering up above them to obscure the pale, ghostly aura of the moon.
“He did,” Jinn insisted, thin lips exaggerating every hissed word. “As much as you refuse to accept this, there is no word of a lie in it. Mikado and I were close friends. Rather like you and Orexein.”
“How do I know you are not lying?” Loki growled, eyes narrowed. He ran his fingers through his ebony hair. “You come in here, disrespectfully impersonating my brother, then claim to be good friends with him? It does not add up, Jinn.” Jinn smirked in a reptilian manner.
“If you had bothered to get to know me,” he grinned, “then you’d know that impersonating friends is something I do for fun. There is no harm in it.” Loki raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘Jinn’ and ‘fun’ were rarely words put together. “Plus, I knew it would make you angry.”
Loki gave no response, just a long, growled sigh, heaving in his chest as he eagerly awaited Kali’s arrival. It would only be moments before she sauntered through the door with her flirtatious stalk; the woman was incredibly fast.
“I had a good repertoire with your brother,” Jinn continued, without being asked. It was time for some manipulation on his behalf. “I was held in high regard. That put me in good stead with you immediately. So, I was left to my own devices, wasn’t I? All I was asked to do was release Heartless. Not a daunting task. I was away from the danger zones, as it were, leaving the others to be killed and, keeping myself safe. You unintentionally helped me with my goal.”
“Then I was a fool to be so accepting,” Loki growled, waiting for Kali’s figure in the doorway. He heard hurried footsteps echoing along the hallway.
Sure enough, there she was, standing in the door. Her crystal blue eyes appeared wild as she stood there, and from her slightly swept, unkempt appearance, it was clear she‘d ran here. Bowing to Loki as she entered, trying to tame her golden locks, she gasped as she saw Jinn’s bloody face. Judging from the ominous atmosphere - not to mention Loki’s furious glare, and Jinn’s injured body - she knew exactly what had happened.
“You tried it, didn’t you?” she grumbled, red lips curved into a frown, her pretty - albeit aging - face wrinkling with a scowl. She folded her arms - but, in true Kali fashion, did so in a seductive fashion. “You went and did it. I have no sympathy for you, Jinn. This is your own doing.” Loki did not bother to explain; Kali seemed as though she knew the situation already.
“He said you wanted nothing to do with his rebellion,” Loki said to her. “Are we right in thinking so?” Kali nodded, turning to Loki, away from Jinn’s cloaked, ancient form.
“Damn right,” she hissed. She fluttered her eyelashes at Loki. “I’m surprised the wretch is still breathing.” Loki smiled, as did Sable. “But what do you need me for? I thought I was to stand guard.” The lupine man sighed.
“I want to know something,” he growled angrily. “Before I rip him to shreds.”
“Go on,” she replied, letting a hand fall to her curvaceous hip.
“It’s not like him to wait,” Kali thought to herself as she watched the changes sweeping Loki’s face, emotion buzzing around his usually cold body. “Normally he kills them and asks questions later.”
“Mikado,” he breathed. Kali sighed to herself at hearing his name. “Did he choose a successor, or not?” Kali’s warm sigh lengthened into a long, leaden breath. With uncharacteristic nervousness, she rubbed the back of her neck with shaky talons. She bit her red lip.
“Yes,” she concluded, her voice soured. She braced herself for Loki’s wrath. “He chose Jinn to carry on the New Generation.”
Loki scowled deeply, taking a deep sigh. He rubbed his furrowed brow, trying to get the idea into his head. His clenched fists shook as he stood there, silent as he thought it over. Closing his eyes, he tried to get over this disbelief. How could Mikado choose Jinn? Although, his brother would not do so without great reason. And he was not to know his little brother would find him after his death. He knew that this pain was not Mikado’s doing, but could not help feeling slightly hurt. But, he hid this hurt well, beneath his trademark scowl.
He was drawn from his thoughts by a hissed, nasal cackle. Jinn.
With a predatory reflex, Loki lunged, sending his foot into Jinn’s spine with a well-aimed kick, enough to mercilessly crush the man’s frail bones. Kali shuddered as Jinn hit the ground. Not because she particularly liked Jinn - rather, she feared she would be next.
“That should shut you up for a few minutes,” he growled. He then turned to Kali, black eyes blazing with insane rage. Yet, their fiery gaze seemed to - strangely - cool as they met her. “Kali, please, tell me what happened.”
“Please?” she thought, slightly bewildered. “Did he just say please?” Her eyes darted to Jinn for a moment, seeing him try to pull himself from the ground. “He’s stronger than he looks…”
Not wanting to delay her response further, she sighed, looking back at the man. Strangely, she found an almost unrecognisable look in his eyes. He wore a frown upon his face, but the forlorn look in his black, miserable eyes was enough to tell anyone that this was a broken man. Sable had noticed too, and had left her perched seat upon the table’s edge, standing closer to him, her tiny hand grasping his fingers.
“Mikado,” she sighed, seeming somewhat distant, “he… it was almost as though he knew he wouldn’t survive.” She brought her arms around herself, turning from their gaze. “He kept talking strangely. Not the usual arrogance he had.” She smiled gently at this particular thought; his charisma was just one of his charms. “He would talk about what would happen if he was gone.” Knowing that Loki did not know Mikado as well, then, she elaborated. “Mikado was never a man to say ‘if’ when mentioning his plans. It was always ‘when’, or ‘once’. Plus, never before had he mentioned failure; he seemed entirely convinced that the plans would succeed. It was strange to hear him talk that way. Not because he was acting really differently. I mean, other than logically mentioning what would happen after his death, he was exactly the same.”
“Go on,” Loki mumbled, his breaths deep, and ponderous.
“Then he came to me,” she whispered, “and told me he’d made his decision. It was the night before he fought Sora.” She looked away. “The boy was in our grasp. I dragged him back to the ravine a few nights earlier. We thought we’d leave him to rot for a while, just for fun.” Loki smirked.
“I bet that was Mikado’s idea,” he purred. “To mess with Sora’s head.” Kali nodded, with a beaming smile.
“Naturally,” she purred. “But, he - ”
“No-one messed with him more than I did,” Jinn hissed from behind, standing there behind Loki.
“Shut up, Jinn,” Kali scowled. Jinn smirked.
“I did,” he laughed. “Impersonating Riku was the best plan yet.”
“Shut up!” Loki roared. Would the man ever die? He then lowered his voice, speaking to Kali. “Continue, please.”
“Thank you,” Kali said softly. She seemed to be speaking with a much less harsh tone than usual. For once, so was Loki. “He came to me, and said he’d decided on a successor. In true fashion, he explained why, and such.” Loki smiled.
“Why?” he then asked, his face falling. “How could he choose Jinn?” Kali breathed a smile.
“The others were no match, really,” she whispered. “He explained reasons for which member’s failure. He did not choose Meiji, for he would become fixated on Imari. Then we’d never get the job done.” Loki nodded, smirking as he thought back to all the manipulating they’d done with the man. “And let’s be honest. No-one would choose Ryu as a leader.” Loki laughed a little, arms folded over his chest.
“That is true,” he smiled. “But…” He scratched his head. “What about you? I would have guessed that he would appoint you the new leader.” Kali sighed, with a broken smile. This was a bittersweet memory to her.
“No,” she shook her head, a weak sheen rolling over each blonde curl. “He talked of that, too.” Her blue eyes found the floor. “He explained that I’d make a wonderful leader for them. But…” Loki tilted his head, intent on hearing the rest of the story.
“But?” he repeated.
“But,” she smiled, “he said he knew that if he was defeated, and we rose to power once more, Sora would come back. He wouldn’t stop until the new leader had been defeated.”
“And…” a smile grew upon Loki’s face, “he did not want you to get hurt.” Kali nodded. “He knew Sora would come back, intent on defeating the leader… he didn’t want that to be you.”
“Exactly,” Kali purred softly, arms around her shoulders. Loki smiled for a few moments.
“How adorable,” Jinn rolled his eyes, tongue acidic with bitter sarcasm. Loki scowled, without inclining his head towards Jinn. “Loki, you have the truth. Now, as the rightful leader, I order you to step down!”
“No,” Loki growled. He turned to Jinn, body trembling with anger. “No way.” Jinn smirked. It was his turn for some manipulation.
“You really want to go against Mikado’s wishes?” he said, folding his bony arms. Loki shuddered with the words. “Would you let your own hunger for power take priority over what your dead brother wanted?”
“Ignore him, Loki,” Sable urged him. “You still don’t have all your answers.”
“I suppose,” he growled, trying desperately to contain his violent temper. He looked to Kali again, breathing a sigh; as if trying to breathe away his rage. “Kali, I need to ask something else.” She nodded slowly. She appeared melancholic; it was clear that dragging up the past had made her sorrowful. “Why was Jinn chosen?” Kali gave a watery half-smile.
“Because of his strength,” she replied, “and his single-minded nature.” She sighed. “Jinn is strong, there is no denying that.” Jinn gave an arrogant, reptilian smile. “Mikado knew that Jinn would stop at nothing in order to reach our final goal.”
“I see,” Loki nodded quietly. “There’s something else, too.”
“Alright,” Kali whispered.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?” he asked, his usually booming voice a mere whisper. “I would… If I had known that having Jinn as the new leader was Mikado’s last request, I wouldn’t have assumed leadership the way I did.” He grunted to himself, looking at Jinn over his shoulder. “I hate to say it, but I… would have allowed him to become leader.” He scowled as Jinn laughed. “Only because Mikado wanted it.”
Kali gave a long sigh, eyes wide. Jinn broke in before her response came.
“I told you, Loki!” he shouted. “I did not assume leadership because you seemed willing to do all the hard work! Why would I do the work if someone else wanted to for me? Like it or not, but Mikado‘s last wish was for me to become the leader of the New Generation!”
“That may have been your reasoning, Jinn,” Kali frowned, “but believe it or not, there was something you did not know. Quite ironic, really. It inadvertently allowed you to believe your plans had worked.”
“What?” he hissed, shocked. His beady eyes became wide.
“You becoming the new leader…” she began, with a smile, “was not Mikado’s last wish.” Jinn and Loki stared at her, somewhat in shock. “Mikado’s last with was to do with Loki.”
“Me?” Loki questioned, disbelieving. He was surprised to hear that Mikado had planned something for him.
“Of course,” she continued. “Jinn, there is something you were not told.” Jinn scowled, his entire face becoming a wrinkled, frown, anger burning through his thin body. The solitary figure, apart from the group trembled with rage.
“What is it?” he shouted, his hissed voice a ear-grating call.
“It was one of the last things he told me,” she whispered, thinking back to the moment. “Loki, he used to talk about you all the time, whether you knew it or not.” Loki nodded solemnly, pleased to hear this. “Mikado told me this. He told me that if you arrived, somehow, then I had to do something.”
“What was that?” he whispered. He was somewhat childlike, depending on her words.
“He told me that if you arrived,” she explained, “and you were willing to assume leadership, then we had to give you it.” Loki’s eyes widened.
“Who knew about this?” he gasped. He could not believe that they’d all known about this, all along, and was not sure of how to take the news. Jinn, however, seemed speechless, overcome with rage.
“Meiji, Ryu, and I,” she smiled softly. “Jinn wasn’t to know.”
“Why wouldn’t Mikado tell me?!” Jinn roared - well, as loud as his cracking voice would let him - in a bewildered, neurotic screech, demanding an explanation.
“In case Loki never found us,” she replied coolly. “He saw no point in preparing you for something that may never happen. Mikado hoped he would reach us, but I do not think he truly believed it would happen.” She looked to Loki, breathing a sigh, with a slight smile. “The chances were millions to one. Had you not met Orexein, then you never would have found us.”
“Without a doubt,” he agreed, with a strong, silent nod. He respected Orexein greatly, and doubted he could ever truly express his thanks to the man.
“Mikado used to talk about you all the time,” she purred gently, continuing to explain. “He regretted leaving you behind more than anything else. He missed you dearly.” Loki smiled slightly. If the man had a heart, this was the moment he’d feel warmed. “He told me that this was something he’d want you to continue for him.”
“Not that I am complaining,” Sable whispered, letting herself into the conversation, “but wouldn’t Mikado have thought the same as he did for you?” She realised her words were jumbled, and so, quickly elaborated. “I mean, in the sense that he would not want Loki to get hurt?” Kali nodded.
“That was a great issue for him,” she replied. “That’s why he told me that this was only to happen if Loki was completely willing to take on leadership. Mikado said that if he wanted to do it, then we had no right to stop him.” Loki nodded, fingers gently rubbing Sable’s hand as she grasped it tighter.
“That is why none of you argued,” he concluded for himself. He turned to Jinn. “But, of course, you had your own ulterior motive, which is why you did not cause such a stir.” Jinn scowled deeply, refusing to give a response. Kali let her hands meet her hips.
“You know, Jinn,” Kali smiled, walking towards the man, “we - that is, the others, and I - actually thought you were showing some sentimentality!”
“When?” Jinn scowled, breaking his silence. Kali smiled, trailing her fingertips over the table as she stood at its end.
“When Loki first arrived,” she purred. “We thought you understood that Loki wanted to avenge his brother himself. We thought that was why you gave no protest. You see, we were surprised that you did not become angry, and insist that you were the righteous leader.”
“Am I that predictable?” he grumbled sourly, folding his knobbly arms. “Please. Like I would ever truly accept that he was worthy of avenging Mikado. Although, hearing this, I am not sure that Mikado was worthy of being avenged.”
“Silence,” Loki ordered, narrowing his eyes. “As long as I am leader, you will follow my orders. And do not dare disrespect him, not for a moment.”
“Not any more,” Jinn scowled. “Whether Mikado willed it or not, I am not going to allow you assume leadership.”
Loki ignored him, looking towards Kali with a thankful gaze. Kali was shocked to see such emotion from him, but smiled all the same.
“Thank you,” he said sternly. It seemed that although feeling rather unusually emotional, he was furious at Jinn. “Please, back to your post.”
“Alright,” she smiled. “Glad I could have helped you.” With a last wave, she turned, disappearing from the room.
Loki’s cold gaze met Jinn’s beady eyes. The man gave a long, leaden sigh as he stood there, arms folded tightly over his chest. The fabric creased slightly as he did so. Sable parted from his side, sitting back up on the tabletop. She was not sure of Loki’s intentions.
“Back to your post, Jinn,” he suddenly stated, rather unexpectedly. “Now.”
Sable tilted her head, slightly confused at this statement. She was expecting Loki to tear into Jinn the moment Kali left. She could not think of any reason why he would not. It didn’t make sense to her.
“I told you,” Jinn growled, taking a step back from Loki. He burned with silent rage, blazing in his eyes, trembling through his body. His hands shook violently at this point. “I am not going to take orders from you any longer. I am the true leader!”
“No, you aren’t,” Loki growled, eyes narrowing with each fleeting second. His bizarre generosity was being thrown back up into his face. “Didn’t you hear Kali? My brother’s real last wish was for me to become the leader.” Jinn scowled.
“In that case,” he growled, “I do not care what your brother’s wish was. I am taking the leadership, whether you like it or not, Loki.”
Jinn focused his energy, his quivering hands glowing with a strange, dark aura. Loki stepped backwards slightly, unsure of where this was going to lead. With a mighty roar, Jinn threw a vast blaze of energy towards Loki with all his strength, surging through the air from his fingertips.
Hope you like it. <3
