Full info: A series of one-shots from the other Organization members's points of veiw, made to help get me over my SERIOUS writer's block T_T
Xanze has changed the Organization in such little ways no one seems to notice but Xigbar.

Between Two Worlds

Close Your World is the main story, Darkness Rising is the sequel, and Fear of the Dark is the original opening to Close Your World.

Chapter 1: Tempo

I've just noticed how quiet this Castle is, and really the only sound I can hear is my own ragged breathing and my uneven footsteps. I'm not a drunk, alright? I just have a lot on my mind and drinks are better than shrinks.

Or in this case Vexen.

One week. One week in this forsaken world of darkness and light that teetered on the verge of staying nothing and becoming something. Kingdom Hearts would make us something, or so Xemnas said, and I could finally go home. I could return to the remains of Radiant Garden and there I would finally ask her to marry me. I would get her a big ring, nothing too obnoxiously large but something that would impress her and wouldn't drain my wallet desert dry.

I nearly stumbled out into the hallway, my thoughts swirling through my mind like a sub-conscious twister, but the murmuring of voices caught me off guard and tripped into the wall in attempt to lean against it.

"He has an alcohol problem."

"He's been here a week, just give him some time and I'm sure he'll get over it."

"He has all the time in the world, but he need to use that time to focus on his missions! He can't keep sneaking off and getting drunk!"

I vaguely recognized the voices as Xigbar... and Xanze? Why were they talking to each other; worst of all, why about me? "Why are you talking to me about this, Xigbar?" Xanze hissed, "Take it up with Saix or the Superior! What the Organization does is none of my concern."

"You're the fourth highest throne, Xanze," Xigbar leered back, "If it weren't for that I wouldn't even be looking at you right now, but this matter is serious! Saix and Xemnas have their hands full so you're the only one who can deal with this situation!"

"If it's such a bad thing, deal with it yourself since you actually care," Xanze went to step around him but his fist came up and punched a gaping hole-more like a gaping crater-in the wall and his arm was just skimming her nose. I noticed Xigbar was heaving, trying to remain calm and catch his breath before he snapped. Was this really such a big deal? "What're you gonna do about it, Xigbar?" She leered.

He reached with his free hand and grabbed her collar, pinning her up against the destroyed wall, "Please."

I glanced down at the bottle in my hand. I might actually need more of this. Xanze seemed to be on the same page as me and tilted her head, "Why are you so desperate, Xiggy?" The tension lifted for a moment, maybe because she wasn't being as serious now.

"...No reason," He smirked and leaned to her ear, "I just like the feeling of having you beneath my finger."

Xanze snorted, possibly to be sarcastic, "Oh, like that's ever going to happen."

Xigbar laughed at that, and I wasn't very sure what was going on between them now. Was it some kind of inside joke? Or... maybe they really didn't hate each other despite-scratch that, there was no way they were friends. Even I'm not drunk enough to think other wise. "Just do it. I expect him to be sober the next time I see him. Isn't that right, Luxord?" Oh, shit! "I can smell the alcohol on your breath from over here. No use in hiding any longer." He backed away from Xanze as I stumbled out into the hall.

"Oh, damn," The Break-Loose Scout scratched her chin, "He does look rather wasted..."

"My point exactly," The Freeshooter said matter-of-factly and started off, "Well, you two play nice!" and he slipped off down the next passageway.

"Luxord," Xanze approached me casually, "We're talking. Now." She grabbed the bottle of... I forgot what brand it was at this point because I can't keep my vision straight enough to see it, but she chucked it clear across the hall and I flinched as it shattered against the far wall. "This has to stop, Roldu."

I wince every time she uses my somebody name. "What has to-hic-stop?" Oh, that's just perfect. The thing I liked about Xanze was that she knew how to get to people. Problem with that, sometimes she didn't get to you in a good or even an easy way. I had a feeling we were about to take the hard way out.

"Your drinking problem," She jabbed my chest with her finger, "Don't play stupid with me."

"It's not like hic drinking keeps me from hic doing my missions!" The thing about me, I was adamant to change. Not even Xanze could convince me to stop a habit that wasn't even erroneous to begin with.

"Yes, it does Luxord," Xanze pushed me back with minimum effort and I connected with the wall, "Listen to me and you listen good, Roldu, if this doesn't stop something is going to go amiss and I'm not going to be the one to wipe you off the floor when Xemnas is finished with you. We all want our Hearts back, and if you screw this up you'll never see Kin again! Is that seriously what you want?"

My next hiccup stifled my sudden urge to laugh, "I'm not screwing anything up, Scout."

"You can barely see straight, smart ass," She vehemently jabbed my chest again and my hiccups instantly ceased, "Say Xemnas was to call for an emergency meeting to hunt down a dangerous Heartless and you're passed out drunk, what then?"

"Someone else hunts it down."

She winced, like the smell on my breath was constricting her air ways, "and say that Heartless is Kin?"

I grabbed her neck and rolled so she was the one with her back against the wall, but I wasn't able to control myself and there was a delightful but gut wrenching crack as her skull met the stone, "Kin would never give her heart up for anything nor anyone!"

"What about you?" Xanze hissed, prying at my fingers as they tightened around her throat. The clash of bone on solid structure had been to great and her strength was next to nothing compared to mine now, "She gave you her heart, Roldu! You need to stop being such a selfish idiot and see that!"

"What does drinking have to do with any of this?" I snarled.

"You're a danger to yourself," Xanze uttered, "What would Kin say if she saw you now? It's just your first week, but already Xemnas is thinking about turning you into a Dusk!"

My grip tightened, "Shut. Up."

"Don't do it for us," Xanze managed to get the last word in yet again, "Do it for her!"

Slowly my grip began to fall away from her neck, "That doesn't answer my question."

She gagged and rubbed soothingly at the bruises forming around her neck, "Fine, don't *cough* listen to me then, but you're gonna wish you *cough cough* had!" Blood trickled down her neck and dripped to the floor, leaving behind a trail that lead to the wound on the back of her head. "You shouldn't push your luck with us, Luxord." She straightened, "Don't take chances with us, we will destroy you."

"My dear Xanze," I chirped, "You need to learn the rules of the game... I'm the Gambler of Fate! Luck and chance are my specialty."

"That's what you think," She leered back, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Silently she slipped off into the darkness. I studied her as she went, frowning at the echo of the vexed conversation in my head.

Strangely enough, I hadn't even looked at a bottle of alcohol since that night-or even Xanze, for that matter. She had been spent the day after walking around with her hood up, and Demyx seemed irritated by her sudden shyness.

So, he pounced on her and pulled her hood off. "What happened to your neck?"

Well, that explained the hood. I figured someone (in this case no one) would find out eventually, so I glanced over to see the commotion. Even Xigbar moved over to her to examine the injuries. "Let me see," Xigbar offered, but Xanze instantly backed away.

"I don't need your help Old Timer."

"Fine, be like that." He stalked over to me, and I shrunk back into the couch thinking he'd take a swing at my face. "You're coming with me, Luxord. Mission in Wonderland."

I hate Wonderland, contrary to popular belief.

"So what did happen?" Demyx asked again like he hadn't asked several times in the last second already, "Looks nasty..."

"Heartless," She pretended to choke herself without actually touching her bruises, "Neoshadows can do more than just slash at you, y'know." She glared at me at of the corner of her eye, so I took that as my cue to leave. I jumped up and followed Xigbar towards the corridor of darkness.

Her glower seemed to soften against my back, or was that just the darkness slowly closing in around me? ...I really needed to figure out how to work one of these.

Suddenly we were spat out at our destination-"Uhm, Xigbar... This isn't Wonderland. It's actually a dark alley. Where is this?"

"This," He faced me and cracked his knuckles in each fist, "Is where you suffer my wrath. You wanna tell me what you did to Xanze?"

Even as the stars filled my world, there was one thing I was sure of... Xigbar actually cared more about Xanze then he let on-which wasn't much as all. Well, it seems Scout won this one. Luck and chance weren't on my side this time around.

It was time to sidle up with my consequences.