Alright. I'm shooting at something different here. This isn't my usual thing, but hey why not try something different? Just a reader warning, however, this story's going to be dark. I'm going to keep some stuff (like swearing, sex, and blood) to a minimum, but there will be some implications and some gore. Mkay? In this, Xemnas is just kind of a sadist :P Either way, read, enjoy, review :D

Disclaimer: I don't own, and I think we're all aware of this.

"There is something… missing. Something I can't place my finger on. Zexion, do you understand what I'm talking about? He has the qualities that I am certain that I want this time, but something is off, and I cannot take him in if something is wrong. It will always be on my mind. But do you understand what I am talking about, Zexion?"

Zexion's normally calm demeanor began to be flustered. "Well sir, after you rejected my last two picks, I made sure that this one matched your standards perfectly. You were very specific this time, and I'm sure if you looked at your list…" Zexion fumbled around in his pockets, looking for the paper he knew was there. He couldn't tell what was making him angrier- the fact that he was getting upset in the first place, or how choosy his master was being. "See here… blonde, short-"

"Yes, yes I know. He does match the list I gave you, but it is what's on the inside that is bothering me." Xemnas continued his interruption, not even noticing the way Zexion was shifting his posture in annoyance. "He's not… feisty enough."

"Feisty." Zexion repeated the word with a flat voice; he was downright irritated at his master by now. "That was not on the list."

"I know. But he is too quiet."

The boy's bottom lip quivered as he listened to the two men that he didn't know talk about him as if he weren't there. The last thing he remembered was riding the bus home from the beach with his best friends Terra and Aqua, and he ended up getting off at the wrong stop. From then on, it was a blank until he woke up in a tiny, white, windowless room that was pristinely clean in an eerie way. The next thing he knew, he was here with these two men, who seemed to be deliberating about his worth- or life. He wasn't sure which at this point.

"Speak, boy. Tell us your name." Xemnas asked the boy nicely, even though they all knew it was a demand.

"Xemnas, his name is-"

Xemnas interrupted again, starting to get annoyed with his former companion. "Zexion, I am well aware that you know his name. Now let him speak, like I asked. Speak, boy."

"V-Ventus." The boy flinched at his stutter. He didn't even know why he was speaking to these monsters in the first place- from appearances it was obvious that they kidnapped him for a purpose. He still had yet to figure out that purpose.

"Do you have any family, Ventus?" Xemnas's voice caressed him, like a snake before its suffocating kill.

"Y-yes."

"Tell me about them." Zexion shifted uncomfortably, not happy with how his master was prying into the boy's life. If there was some detail that Zexion had overlooked in shadowing him- a close family member, a guardian… it could mean the end for Zexion himself, no matter how much he meant to the master.

"I have a twin brother… my parents are worthless. My twin lives up in…" The boy changed his mind at the last second about telling them where his twin brother lived. He didn't want them to kidnap him as well. "He lives somewhere else. I ran away to here."

Xemnas nodded approvingly, and Zexion let out a pent up sigh of relief. A runaway- the exact kind of teen that Xemnas was looking for. Runaways were not nearly as missed. "And what is your twin brother's name, Ventus?"

Ventus paused a beat, not sure whether telling them his twin's name was the best idea. He quickly decided that there wouldn't be any harm in telling them- there was no way they could find someone with just a first name and no location.

He did not know how wrong that thought was.

"Roxas."

"Are you two identical twins?"

"Yes."

Xemnas smiled- a chilly smile that even made Zexion shiver. Zexion knew that face- he had found out something that he liked. Liked very much.

"Now, Ven. Can I call you Ven?"

Ventus glanced at Xemnas, who smiled at him. "I-I guess."

"Okay, Ven. How about you tell me a little bit about your brother."

"He's a smartass."

Xemnas smiled widely at this bit of information, and it surprised Ventus. How could this man be so excited about his brother being a smartass? It wasn't an extremely pertinent bit of information, but this man acted like it was a gold mine.

"Thank you Ven, you've done very well." Xemnas looked away from the grubby blonde boy to his trusted servant (for lack of a better word). "Zexion, please locate this 'Roxas.' I would very much like to meet him, from what dear Ven has been telling me."

Ven's bright blue eyes widened in fear, and he gasped. "No! Leave my brother alone- he has absolutely nothing to do with any of this! Please!" Ven broke down sobbing, fearing the worst for his brother. "Please!"

Zexion felt for the boy, but didn't say anything. He felt more fear toward his master than compassion toward Ven.

Xemnas wrinkled his nose in distaste. Zexion knew what was coming next.

Xemnas turned to face Zexion, and smiled at him. The smile wasn't sweet, nor was it angry. It was almost… sadistic. Zexion inwardly shivered.

"Please call in Xaldin. You know why. And you know what you need to do." Zexion watched Xemnas walk out the door, without even giving the boy a parting glance.

Ventus looked at Zexion pleadingly, tears running down his face. "Sir, please… Zexion… please save my brother. He's gone through way too much in his life. If you have any ounce of compassion…"

Zexion kept his face blank, trying not to let his feelings of frustration and benevolence show through. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing you can do for your brother, or even yourself. My master is more sadistic than you will ever know." Truly, Zexion was sorry. His feelings were like a war zone in his heart, and he knew the boy was feeling the exact same way.

"What's going to happen to him? To me?"

"You're going to get it easier than your brother, I can tell you that."

Ventus almost looked hopeful. "What are you going to do to me?"

Zexion felt like he needed to be honest to the boy. "Well, I'm going to get Xaldin and he's going to kill you, since the master rejected you."

Ventus sobbed violently. "How is that easier than my brother? You're such a monster!"

"From the sounds of it, your brother is going to be the Master's next companion. He is the monster, not I, Ventus."

Ventus's eyes widened at Zexion saying his name for the first time. "What's going to happen to him?"

"You don't want to know." Zexion walked out of the room, leaving the boy sobbing on the ground. He shut the stark white door behind him, and walked into a well lit hallway, also white. Xaldin was waiting, face looking grim.

"Master told me that my services were needed." His voice was gravelly, as usual, but tonight, like two other nights in the past few weeks, sounded deep with regret. He knew what he had to do, and he knew the punishment if he did not do what he was told.

There were no missteps in this house.

"Yes. He's extremely upset. Please make it quick… plus, he's just a boy." Zexion's last statement was just barely a whisper.

Xaldin's eyes flashed angry, but he suppressed that, for his own sake. Xigbar watched these halls, and as the master's first companion so many years ago, he was loved above all others. Xigbar returned the master's love with unwavering loyalty.

"I will." Xaldin walked into the boy's room, feet dragging with regret the entire time.

Zexion walked away, silently thanking Xemnas for making the walls soundproof. He headed off to his room to do some research for Xemnas's next companion… victim, really.

He sent silent apologies to 'Roxas,' wherever he was.