"Few secrets can escape an investigator, who has opportunity and license to undertake such a quest, and skill to follow it up."
--Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter)
[Indie Vexen from the Kingdom Hearts series. I don't own the character or the Kingdom Hearts series.]
must be awkward to live in the kingdom hearts universe and have a name with an X in it. introduce yourself like hey guys what's up my name's alexis :) and everyone kind of sucks their teeth and looks at each other uncomfortably whispering oh umm is she... you know... *mimes stabbing their own heart out*
Vexen Character Analysis Week Day 1- What kind of research is he doing anyway?
To start this off I want to take a look at the research he does in game and try to figure what he is studying. Like most media involving science Kingdom Hearts mixes various fields together to create a generic form of science. Despite that there are still some things that can be noted in particular.
The big one is the Radiant Garden apprentices research into the Heart. While this is for the most pure fantasy, there are aspects that parallel actual fields. The Heart is shown to be connected to a person’s sense of self and bonds with others, which makes it similar to fields of social science that focus on how we think and how we interact with others. Along with this Vexen is shown to be one of the Org’s main recon people, which requires him to be good at observing people and their environment and then analyzing that information to figure out how the people of that world live. There is also his “experiment” (experiment in quotes because it doesn’t actually meet the requirements to be a proper experiment) in CoM looking at how Sora interacts with and feels about Repliku. This all points to his main form of research being a form of social science.
Most of the research is shown to be done using computers and other forms of technology. This goes for both Radiant Garden and the Organization. Even stuff like extracting Hearts seems to be done through computers. While tech is a bit more relevant when it comes to discussing what Ienzo does, as he seems to be the main tech guy on account of his work on the gummiphone and developing a social media site, tech is still shown to be a major element of the research Vexen does.
This leads into the Replica Program, which honestly seems to be pure techno-magic. From what has been seen in the games, Replicas seem to be a mannequin that has by some means been given or grown a Heart. Most of them fall into the first category such as the alternative norts in the real Org and post-KH3 Roxas. Repliku is an interesting mix of both as he’s originally a copy of Riku’s appearance that had his own distinct personality that then had Riku’s memories forced on him. Xion is similar but had a far longer time to develop her own Heart separate from the memories she was initially given. The process of how Replicas are given life seems to require a “spark” of either being given some part of someone’s identity or having someone’s Heart placed into them which shows how magic and science intermingle in Vexen’s work.
Going off of all of this, I think the best way to describe Vexen’s research is a form of cognition and interaction-focused social science that has magical and technological elements mixed in.
Side Note: It’s also interesting to note how often fan depictions bring in things such as dissection and working with chemicals despite the fact he’s not shown doing stuff like that in the games. Most of his work seems to be done through observations, technology and a bit of magic. I think a lot of this comes down to stereotypes about science and scientists along with chemistry and biology being the two fields people associate the most with science.
[We can thank the early 2000s danfic for said stereotypes, lol. Other than that, Vexen's field of study seems much closer to alchemy as it was during the Renaissance. Like a little philosophy here, some science there, some metaphysics and occult dabbling elsewhere.]
I’ve never been in time for the requests being open! I’m so excited!
As a fellow Vexen/Even enthusiast, can we get the Basement Trio’s S/Os (fem) patching them up when they come back from a hard mission? They need softness!
Hello!! Oh I am so glad you did send this in. It was such a joy to work on. Thank you so much for your patience! I hope you enjoy!
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**Fem!Reader Patching Up the Basement Trio**
Zexion
-You were pacing around the White Room. Zexion was meant to be back from his mission over an hour ago and it wasn’t like him to be late. You were starting to worry. Then a Corridor sprouted in front of you and Zexion limped out. Bruises swelled his face, scuffs and burns riddled his coat; he collapsed into your arms before you could even ask what happened.
-You summoned a healing spell. It helped with the swelling and the bleeding, but he didn’t gain strength. He coughed, his voice hoarse: “There are some injuries even magic can’t heal…” His fingers ghosted your cheek, then he lost consciousness.
-Lexaeus saw the display and rushed over, helping you carry Zexion back to his room. Even after Lexaeus left, you didn’t follow. You chewed on your nails, standing at the foot of Zexion’s bed, watching him. Hundreds of questions and worries swirled through your head. They all centered around him. Whatever happened to him, it seemed it would be a long recovery.
-You remained at his side. Only leaving when Saix insisted you had to leave for missions. You took on Zexion’s work as well, without question. Then you’d come right back and sit at his bedside, waiting for him to wake up.
-The days were long. Longer than usual. The idea of life without Zexion poked at your empty chest. He was the only one able to make you feel something. Usually you found that to be a good thing, but now… If he faded away, the only thing you’d be able to feel would be dull longing. You already struggled to accept your existence as a hollow Nobody. His absence made it nearly unbearable.
-You were asleep when Zexion finally opened his eyes. Half of your body laid over him, his hand clasped in yours. He breathed in slowly, his voice raspy when he said your name. You woke up instantly, a breathless grin spreading across your face. Before he could get another word out, you kissed him.
-Recovery did take time. But you didn’t mind it. Zexion regained his strength and you remained at his side. You shared meals in his room, talking long into the night about anything and everything. Once Zexion regained enough strength, the days were spent in illusion. He weaved gorgeous environments, making both of you forget you were simply in his room.
Vexen
-It’s not often you see Vexen emotional about something. But the moment he walked through that portal you saw the terror in his eyes. His chest heaved, blood seeped into his coat, dripping from his gloves and to the lab’s floor that he usually kept so pristinely clean.
-You dropped what you were doing and rushed to him. Even saying his name, he didn’t realize you were there until your hands went to his cheeks, forcing his attention. His eyes darted around wildly, and he admitted in a trembling voice, “I don’t want to die…”
-You shook your head, promising him you wouldn’t let that happen. He was safe now. You tried to leave to grab a potion, but he grabbed your wrists, keeping you there. His hands were akin to ice, white and trembling. Whatever he saw, whatever happened, it shook him to his core. You coaxed him to lay back in a medical chair. You would have preferred it to be a bed, somewhere more private and comfortable, but the lab would have to do.
-You undid his coat, pulling the leather off until you found the gash. It sliced up his side, up across his chest, still feverish and bleeding a mixture of blood and thin black mist. You grabbed the equipment, pieces usually used on experiments, but you’d have to improvise. Vexen babbled, attempting to tell you what he saw. He slipped in and out of consciousness.
-A potion poured over the gash, threading the skin back together. It wasn’t enough. It would likely scar. But at least it stopped the bleeding. Vexen remained awake, enough to watch you through half lidded eyes. You continually checked on him, asking if he was still with you. Telling him he better not fall asleep.
-Once the potion soaked in completely, his words came more clearly. He asked for a report on his condition. Ever the scientist. You told him your report was that he needed to take better care of himself he replied he didn’t believe that would be satisfactory for Saix. It was his attempt at a joke and he dryly laughed, hissing at the responding pain.
-You wrapped a bandage around his waist, smiling to yourself at the way Vexen turned cold, flush filling his face. But soon you finished and you pulled back to see his face, your hands on the armrests on either side of him. “Don’t scare me like that again, deal?”
-”If it is any comfort, I don’t plan to,” he replied, running his hand along the bandage. He looked around the lab, spotting the splotches of his blood around the lab. “I-Is that mine? If it stays too long, it might compromise the—”
-You cut him off before he could go into a long winded explanation about how unsanitary it could be with a short, chaste kiss. You promised him you’d take care of it. He needed to rest and you weren’t going to take no for an answer.
-He huffed, but agreed on the condition that he would take a stack of reports with him to work through during his bedrest. You allowed it and waited until he disappeared in a Corridor before you got to work sanitizing the lab. The image of his wide terrified eyes lingered in your mind. You would do everything you could to make sure he never had to experience that again.
Lexaeus
-Lexaeus walked out of the Corridor without a word. You wouldn’t have even noticed him if you had not already been awaiting his return. A smile grew on your face, faltering when you saw the battered bruises all across his face. His gloves were missing, revealing scraped knuckles and thin cuts littered all over his skin.
-You breathed out his name, but he continued walking, his steps quick and heavy. He didn’t stop even as you followed, asking what happened. Reaching his room, he opened the door, smearing blood on its handle. He allowed you in behind him as he went to the edge of his bed and sat down, his entire body slumping.
-You closed the door behind you, leaning against it. Lexaeus couldn’t meet your gaze. He stared down at his cut up hands, clenching and unclenching his fingers. You said his name again, carefully approaching. He hummed, but didn’t say anything. Your fingers combed through his hair and his forehead rested against your stomach.
-You focused on a healing spell, closing your eyes and releasing the magic. It swirled around you, melding into Lexaeus. His shoulders relaxed and a long breath released. Minutes passed. You waited for your magic to replenish before trying another spell. Before long, you could hear his breathing regulating, though you were sure there were still wounds to be mended. Ones that would take time to heal. For now, this was enough.
-His hands wrapped around your back, his skin hot enough to seep through your coat. “...Thank you,” he murmured. Your fingers paused their ministrations, a soft smile curving your lips. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” you asked.
-It took him a while, but he did eventually. You listened, your fingers tightening ever so slightly in his hair when you realized what he had to endure. The thought of him fighting for his life struck you with a fear you didn’t realize you could fathom without a heart.
-You gently tugged back his head from your stomach so you could see his face. His eyes were so tired, yet soft. You leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “I’m just glad you’re safe now…”
-He hummed and agreed, a rare smile curving his lips.
First posted this on Bluesky but posting it here too
One thing I want to do little bit of overanalyzing of is how the games tend to describe and depict Vexen and pre-darkness research/3 and on Even in a noticeable difference way. Vexen tends to be describe as aggressive and temperamental, while Even is characterized as being gentle and calm. Even when he is being stern it’s still described as coming from a place of care and not from one of malice. In contrast, Vexen revels in trying to lord over others. It really gives off this idea that he lost a core part of himself when he fell to darkness, which is a neat idea for the nobodies.
I’ve noted this before, but it’s interesting that his atonement is done through an act of care others, that is giving Xion, Roxas and Namine a chance to live again, which gives it an air of reclaiming a part of himself that had been lost for so long.
Look I just think he is so neat and people need to stop writing him off. Also this reminded that I want to get around to writing up something looking at how science is depicted in KH in relation to the norms and counternorms of science, just feel like that would be an interesting topic to look at
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