"Hazed and Confused"
Disclaimer: All characters from the Kingdom Hearts series are © SquareEnix.
"Edym! Edym!"
Edym glanced at his older brother. "What, Ansley?"
"Will you please pay attention to your physics lesson?"
"But it's sooooo boring!"
Ansley shoved his wire-rimmed glasses back onto his nose "One more problem and we're done for today. A man weighing one hundred and fifty pounds goes up and down a flight of stairs four times. If his vertical displacement is sixty feet, how much work is he doing in foot-pounds?"
"Why doesn't this nutcase take the elevator like normal people?"
Wrong answer. Ansley sighed. "You can't shirk work forever. Heaven forbid something should happen to our parents."
"But you can just take care of me." Edym poked his older brother playfully.
"But what if something happens to me?"
"We'll worry about that tomorrow." Edym yawned. "I'm sleepy."
"I can't believe you got that ridiculous haircut."
"It is not ridiculous."
"You look like David Bowie on a bad hair day. Though he's having a bad hair life."
"He is not!"
"You don't see me going out in public like that."
"Of course you wouldn't, Ansley. Only Daddy-approved haircuts for you. You would never dream of doing anything to upset Daddy. I keep waiting for the day you snap and get a tattoo or something. Or cuss someone out."
"Oh, gracious, no! How uncivilized."
Edym threw a pillow at him. "I've had it up to here with civilized."
Ansley replaced the pillow. "And turn down your radio! The neighbors are starting to complain!"
"They didn't complain when you blasted that Beethoven!"
"I'd hardly compare a master like Ludwig von Beethoven to REM!"
"You're too stuffy."
"If appreciating the finer things makes me stuffy, then stuffy be I. Good night, Edym."
"Good night, Ansley."
That was the last time he saw Ansley.
XXX
"Demyx! Demyx!"
Demyx sat straight up. "Huh?" He glanced at his surroundings. He was in an office, seated in an unergonomic chair. He must have dozed off.
"That's your new name, is it not?" A man seated behind the white desk asked. He was wearing a black cloak, and had long blue hair. His expression was an odd mix of scrutiny and utter boredom.
"Yeah," Demyx replied hesitantly. "It's what that white-haired dude called me."
"That 'white-haired dude' is our Superior, and your potential boss. Show some respect."
"Sorry."
The door swung open. "Saïx!" A tall, thin man with a shock of bright red hair burst in. "There's been an incident in the kitchen involving Xaldin's hair and an open flame."
Saïx sighed. "Axel, I would think you of all people would know where the fire extinguisher is."
"Yes, but it's empty!"
"Then get Vexen."
"He's out right now."
Saix's yellow eyes seemed to glow. "You do realize the high fire insurance premiums are your fault! Now get out! I'm not through with this interview!"
Axel backed out. "I just wanted it on the record that this is not my fault." He slammed the door.
Saïx rubbed his temples wearily. "Now where was I? Oh yes. What qualifications do you have?"
"Qualifications?"
"What sets you apart from other applicants?"
"I got an eight hundred on my SATs."
"Really?" A look of surprise rippled across Saïx's face. "Math or verbal?"
Demyx blushed. "Eight hundred total."
Saïx scribbled something on a notepad. "Do you have any weapon skills?"
"No. Not really."
"Do you know any martial arts?"
"Uh uh."
"So you can't fight at all?"
"I never had to learn to fight."
"Do you know any magic?"
"Magic? Like parlor tricks?"
"No. Magic spells."
"Not a thing."
"What would you contribute to this Organization?"
"I graduated seventh in my high school class." He could just hear his father say Yes, you graduated seventh, but did you fail to notice that the number in your graduating class was also seven? In other words…dead last!
"Hmm. Keep going."
"I can play the shamisen."
The reply was caustic. "Great. You on the shamisen. Zexion on the piano, and Lexaeus on violin. Kingdom Hearts help us."
Okay, maybe he's not a music lover. "Um…I don't eat much?"
"Your food and lodging is covered, provided you fulfill your duties."
"Sweet."
"Now, the explanation Xemnas gave you may be a little confusing. This is normal. A person had to give in to darkness for the Heartless to be attracted to them. You have lost your heart, and exist only as a body and soul. Now, how did a squeaky clean little twerp like you enough darkness to be swallowed?"
"Darkness?" Demyx asked. "I don't know. Or maybe I do."
"Would you like to talk about it?"
"I don't know."
"Whatever you say here does not leave this room."
"You promise?"
"I believe in confidentiality."
"All right. You see, my big brother Ansley was Mister Perfect. He was so smart. And his clothes. You couldn't find a single wrinkle in them! Even if you used a microscope! He never raised his voice. I'm pretty sure even his thoughts were pure. I've never even heard him curse! I lived with him for my entire life and he never said a bad word! I loved him to pieces, but sometimes I hated him at the same time. And then Obadiah happened."
"Who's Obadiah?"
"You see, my parents were loaded. We lived in this really classy neighborhood. But then Obadiah's family moved in. They won the lottery, and my father said they didn't deserve that money. My mother referred to them as…what did she call them? Novice rich?"
"Don't you mean nouveau riche?"
"Yeah, that was it. Ansley and I were forbidden to go near their house. One day, Ansley and I were playing. And Obadiah came out of nowhere. He tried to hit me, but Ansley got in the way. And then… I saw Ansley's glasses broken on the ground. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream. All I could do was watch while Obadiah beat the snot out of my brother. Finally my father came and wrestled Obadiah off. The doctors said Ansley was lucky to be alive. I didn't know who to hate. Obadiah, for beating Ansley up. Ansley, for being so darn selfless. Or myself, for being such a coward." Demyx sniffled. "Anyway, Obadiah got in trouble but as my dad used to say, you can get away with anything if you're rich. But we didn't see Obadiah for a while. Ansley's scars healed. We forgot about him for a while. Then I turned fourteen and got a learner's permit. I convinced Ansley to take me for driving lessons. Ansley was always a little shaky about getting behind the wheel. I think his girlfriend got killed in a car wreck, but anyway. But we were in an empty parking lot. And guess who pulled up to us in a custom Continental?"
"Obadiah?" Saïx asked, sounding bored.
"Yup. And let me tell you, the guy was drunk. I didn't even know how he could talk. Obadiah challenged me to a drag race. Ansley told me not to, but I didn't care. I accepted, but I wanted to show him up. I said 'Let's go all the way to Dead Man's Curve.'"
"Like in the Jan and Dean song?"
"Oh, the curve in that had nothing on this one. This Dead Man's Curve was almost perpendicular. You had to time it perfectly just to keep from slamming into the concrete. I had no intention of trying."
"Edym, this is insane. Let's just go home." Ansley begged. "You're going to get us both killed!"
"Shut up!" Edym slapped Ansley's left cheek. The smack was loud.
Ansley whimpered and fell silent.
"I had slapped him. I hit Ansley. And it felt good! I feel so rotten for feeling like that, but I couldn't stop myself. We started racing, and I let Obadiah take the lead, driving just fast enough to watch him. I slowed down before we reached Dead Man's Curve. Obadiah didn't. He never knew what hit him. I'm pretty sure he died instantly. I let Ansley take the driver's seat and he took me home. And Ansley was crying! Crying over Obadiah!"
"Let me get this straight, Demyx." Saïx folded his hands on the desk and leaned closer. "You risked your brother's life, and the lives of innocent bystanders. You caused thousands of dollars in property damage. You took advantage of a kid – who probably couldn't find his rear with a map even sober – too drunk to make rational decisions. All because you couldn't control your adrenaline level?"
Demyx's cheeks were flushed. "…Yes."
"Disgraceful."
"I feel bad enough as it is."
"You should. But nevertheless, you are chosen."
"So I'm in?"
"You have no magical or physical talents, you're dumb as a doorknob, and I hate everything about you," said Saïx. "But we have an open admittance policy on humanoid Nobodies that I keep forgetting to strike from our charter. So you're in. What was your original name?"
"Edym. Edym Fairmont."
"Edym…sounds almost biblical."
"Yeah, well, I hated it."
Saïx shoved a piece of parchment toward him. "All you have to do is sign."
Demyx looked at the bottom of the contract. It read:
Given Name: Edym
Assumed Name: Demyx
Rank: IX
Element: Water
Weapon:
Signature:
"Water?" He asked.
"Yes. Axel setting everything on fire is getting old. Therefore, whenever he goes on the rampage, you can follow him and extinguish the flames."
"But how can I do that?"
"We'll figure something out."
"I need a weapon?"
"Yes."
"But I can't fight. I've never handled a gun or anything."
"You at least need something to defend yourself with. Like I said, we'll think of something. Now, do you accept the commission? You don't have to. You can walk out the door."
"But where else can I go?" Demyx asked. "My world's gone. And my family's probably gone with it. Give me a pen. I'll sign it."
Saïx opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small plastic packet. He ripped it open and revealed a needle. Before Demyx could protest, Saïx jabbed the needle into his palm.
"Ouch!" Blood dripped onto the contract. Demyx watched the blood land on the paper. As if guided by magic, the blood maneuvered itself into a thin line on the "signature" space. It spelled out his name.
"There," Saïx said. "You owe your soul to the Organization now."
Axel came back in. "The fire's under control. Xaldin threw baking soda on it."
Saïx arose from behind the desk. "Axel, I present the new Number Nine."
Demyx waved. "Hi. Do you have any advice for me?"
"Sure." Axel leaned closer and whispered. "Cover your ass."
To Be Continued
