Hello everyone, Hito me Bore here. This is my first story and it'll either go over well, drop like a hot coal or somewhere in between, so I'd appreciate it if you'd read it and tell me what you think in a lovely review!
Disclaimer: I don't own the marvelous creation that is Kingdom Hearts.
xXx
Xemnas stood just past the door way of the hall, slowly rocking back and fourth on his heels. He'd decided to start the morning off with a meeting, which really wasn't any different than any other day; it was just a bit... earlier. It was on a whim of sorts and he followed it, waiting in the doorway, for the grim, lackadaisical faces of his fellow Organization members.
Saix arrived through the door first, offering a short nod in Xemnas' direction and taking his spot in line. It was a wonder to Xemnas that Saix always seemed ready hours before he even announced his irregularly timed meetings. He was ready to listen to every word uttered with intent and alert regard, however long the gathering may be, without so much as a shift in position.
There was a quite a different story for everyone else. Most would have been nestled deep under the blankets, encased in a snow globe about to win a badminton match with a billowy blue hound , or riding the fastest, brightest, orange roller coaster of all the worlds, making a glass of lemonade through the red and blue summit of Naught's Approach.
Dreaming.
But since Xemnas' near ear rupturing announcement over the PA had pulled all of them from some such dream, the badminton trophy , along with the last terrifying backward loop through Twilight's View would have to wait.
Larxene dragged herself through the doorway, eyes dark, yawning, and maundering something about a serve. Luxord rubbed the sand from his eyes as he and a near-unconscious Xigbar followed him.
Xemnas pushed back his sleeve and glanced at this wrist watch. Was it really that early?
Next to enter the room was Vexen, who looked almost as he did most of the time, with his lip slightly curled. One could almost assume he hadn't been asleep at all save for the slightly angled style his hair had taken on from being shoved against a pillow. Xaldin, who hadn't quite had time to roll each of his perfectly molded dreads into place, had one side rolled, but the other hanging freely down his back in a matted, uncombed mess.
The superior closed his eyes. This was a ridiculous condition for Organization members to be in. His jaw tightened a bit as Axel entered allowing Roxas to use his arm as a pillow in an effort to sleep and walk simultaneously. It wasn't working well, and as he took his place in line, Roxas didn't bother to move, taking Demyx's spot. Axel offered a sheepish grin seeing the displeased look, but decided it wasn't worth explaining.
Marluxia proceeded into the room, pushing back pink strands of hair and tangles that had been misplaced by slumber. He covered his mouth, yawning with his free hand and extending an annoyed askance glower in Xemnas' direction. This was an unruly time of morning for anyone to get up, and he was less than amused to stand in the same quarters as Xemnas, much less listen to one of his lectures, which at times seemed unnecessarily lengthy.
Xemnas' lips turned up into a smirk.
"Is this hour too early for you Marluxia?"
Marluxia narrowed his eyes; brushing off the statement and standing next to Luxord in the second line. Xemnas wasn't on his top lists of favorites, rightly since he'd been planning to take over the organization in the first place. Xemnas was making a mess of things and tended to single him out and place him in particularly inconveniencing situations.
Eyes glowing slightly, Xemnas followed Marluxia to his place in line. Something was indeed intriguing about him. For awhile now, he discovered the man entering his thoughts at incidental parts of the day, and furthermore, he enjoyed perturbing him. There was something intriguing about Marluxia he couldn't quite place. Perhaps it was that almost defiant aura that enticed him so.
Nearly dragged into another genial debate, he remembered the meeting and turned his attention to the nobodies before him. Two spots were empty. To the first, he offered an eye roll. It was an anomaly if Demyx ever arrived on time to anything. He would be clear in the middle of a speech before he would arrive through the door and utter a "Sorry I got lost again heh heh," and disrupt the entire room to make it to his spot.
The second space belonged to Zexion. He only showed up when he felt like it and apparently today he didn't feel like it.
Sighing, he closed the door and made his way to the front of the room, stepped onto the large white rostrum and faced his group of black adorned subsidiaries.
"Good morning everyone." Xemnas began. This was met with a soft murmur of groans and yawns.
He couldn't help but smile slightly at the respectful hatred each sleepy gaze sent his direction for the nerve to rouse them at such an absurd time of day.
"My dear comrades, I'd like to begin with the current state Organization is in. I'm a bit ill at ease with our progress. Are there any new findings on the whereabouts of Ansem the Wise?"
In truth no one had really put that much effort in locating him...
...and Xemnas knew it.
Since it didn't directly help them any, what good was it to find Xemnas' false self? Larxene thought pointedly that it didn't really matter if Ansem had anything to do with Kingdom Hearts or not; Xemnas was probably walking along one day and absently questioned where his past alias was, and on a whim decided that he was of utmost importance and should be searched for immediately.
Of course no one would dare utter these thoughts out loud.
Hearing no answer, he abandoned the rostrum and paced the room.
"And why is that?"
At this, it seemed as though everyone had woken from their brumous states and realized that Xemnas was becoming rather peeved.
He walked down the first row of six until he stood in front of Vexen, who instantly cursed his procrastination. He'd put off research until the evening before and regrettably found out it would take longer than a few hours to find any significant information about Ansem the Wise.
"Do you have an answer for me Vexen?"
Vexen swallowed and said nothing, trying his best to remain straight faced under Xemnas' scrutinizing glower.
He moved on to the second row, passing Saix, who desperately wanted to be chosen to answer next. Xemnas knew this, but airted him anyway. As he passed, Saix seemed to deflate just a little.
He passed Axel and Roxas, and stood in front of Marluxia.
"Surely you have a reason for not producing any information, Marluxia."
It was on the tip of his tongue to say it was a waste of everyone's time, but narrowed his eyes in response.
Sensing this, Xemnas spoke. "You have something to say?"
Marluxia opened his mouth to give more subordinative reply but was quickly cut off as a loud jiggling sound echoed through the hall, followed by a meek little knock. Xemnas clenched his fist as Xigbar went to open the door. Demyx stood blushing slightly and rubbing the back of his head.
"Sorry I got lost again heh heh."
The room was silent save for the tapping of Demyx's boots as he went to his spot only to find Roxas in his place.
"Hey!" he whispered quietly.
Roxas, as discreetly as possible, waved him away in an attempt to get Demyx to find another spot lest he make Xemnas wait any longer, but Demyx didn't quite catch it and stood with his hands on his hips.
"Roxas, you're standing in my spot!"
Larxene snickered at the scene the younger man was unknowingly creating, as Xemnas was growing increasingly more nettled.
"Just go stand over there." Roxas whispered back. He glanced nervously at Xemnas who's eyes were directly on Demyx and him. "You're making a spectacle."
Demyx clenched his fists and stomped hard on the ground. "Roxas! I don't go standing in your place so why are you standing in mine? MOVE!" He attempted to shove him out of the way, but tripped and landed on the floor.
Deafening Silence followed and eyes turned to Xemnas, who curled his lip in annoyance. Enough time had been wasted on this already. "Demyx," he spoke through tightly clenched teeth.
"Why don't you find a spot and stand there?"
Getting the message quickly, he wedged himself between Roxas and Luxord.
"Now," Xemnas said, massaging his brow, and returning to the front to stand behind the podium. "It seems I can't rely on any of you to produce significant information. Do you understand that I want Ansem the Wise found as soon as possible?"
There was a collective nod, and it was back to silence.
"Good. I leave it to you to decide which world to look in. I expect results next time."
Eagerness replaced the embarrassment as it sounded like an early closing.
"This–"
Almost... just a few more words and freedom would be reached!
"Meeting-"
Yes, almost!
"Is–"
Xigbar nearly took a step toward the door.
"Going to take a new direction, and we're going to discuss who it is that's been using the lesser nobodies to deliver food. Is anyone willing to own up to the fact now or will an investigation have to commence?
Alas, the meeting would go on until the late afternoon.