The Grey Room had just about emptied when Saïx finally dished out Axel's assignment. About time... He put a hand on his waist, gesturing with the other towards his scowling friend. "C'mon, Saïx, we're going to get old waiting for you."

In 'we', he was including the ninth and newest one to don the cloak (as the Superior put it). The new guy had his hood up and stood quietly by a couch with a slight sway to music only he could hear. No idea if he could hear them or not, but hey, it couldn't hurt to at least act like he could.

"You'll be training Number IX," Saïx ordered flatly, holding out the paperwork for the report.

"Kinda obvious," Axel teased, smirking, and that joke fell flat between them. Without hearts, nothing was exactly... Funny. He took the report with a quick skim- Off to Wonderland, then. "But what am I supposed to teach a guy who can't talk?"

"None of the other members had trouble." Man, Saïx was just no help at all.

"Alright, alright, I'll take care of it." He opened a portal, turned around, and waved for Demyx to follow. He seemed almost surprised since he jumped at the gesture, but... Axel stared at him for a second before they went through the portal. Nah, he must've imagined it.

• • • •

"Good, we're here," Axel started once they were in the woods past the Queen's court. Plenty of easy Heartless here to train with, that was the plan. Demyx was just following along in silence, if a bit distracted... Axel caught him almost going the wrong way a couple times already. "I'll show you some magic, so just watch for now. Got it memorized?"

The darkness beneath the hood just stared out at Axel.

"Right," he muttered and led them over to one of the flower Heartless off to the side. It couldn't move, so at least it couldn't go after the kid instead. Not that it would stand up to fire for long anyway.

Axel called out his chakrams, feeling the burning energy travel down his arms and build in his palms just before they appeared. He grinned, throwing the two in arcs to slash at the White Rose. "Burn!"

The Heartless faded and he chuckled. "See? Easy as-" The electric crackle caught him by surprise and Axel spun around, chakrams back at the ready.

"Owie," the new guy whined, shaking off the shock along with his hood. Axel knocked the Yellow Opera from the sky with one chakram, finishing it with the second.

Big blue eyes locked on Axel as he smirked, resting one arm over his shoulder and swinging a chakram loosely at his side in the other. "Hold on... Aren't you still in that zombie phase?"

"Uhhh..." The blond shrunk, his bony build folding in on itself. "Yes?"

Axel scoffed, shaking his head. "You're not a good liar, Demyx. How'd you even make it past the others?"

"Oh, heheh." He shrugged. "Umm, I didn't. Xiggy said to keep it up 'cause it's funny, Luxord's got a bet on how many of us'll know before Saïx, soooo..." And Demyx finished on a nervous smile past messy bangs.

"So- you think it's over with me?" Axel quirked an eyebrow and waited for the answer. This guy was way too easy to tease.

"No? I reeeaaally hope not," he mumbled with a sad kick at the ground. "They're gonna ask me to do so much more when they figure it out, engh."

"Well," he drew that out as if he was considering it. Demyx watched him with an almost believable expression of hope on his face... Sheesh. "Sure! I mean, it'll be interesting to see how long it takes for you to mess this up."

"H-hey!" But Demyx smiled, standing mostly straight. Or at least not sinking into his cloak. "I can go another day! At least!"

Axel walked past him with a half-salute. "We'll see, won't we? Now c'mon, there's work to do."