The new XIII was not, at first glance, particularly impressive. Viewed from above, he looked small – too small, point in fact, to reach his new seat much less fill it. Which was, Axel reflected, less of a comment on the new XIII than it was an indictment of Xemnas' deeply held need to maintain the Organization's numerical constancy, no matter how many times he had to replace a given number. He wasn't the first VIII, after all, and he doubted that this boy would be the last XIII.
And he was a boy, probably no older than Demyx, who was jailbait to no insignificant degree. A self-possessed boy who stood there under the weight of twelve sets of eyes, some visible, some not, with no perceptible expression on his pretty mask of a face, behind his heaven-blue eyes. Blonde hair. Fair skin that seemed even paler against the black robes, the arctic white of the council chamber walls and floor. A fine bow of a mouth, drawn into a flat line that seemed oddly sad around the edges.
Axel sensed something inside him, an emptiness, a blankness, that was terrible even for one of the heart-eaten. Insubstantial. He seemed insubstantial, even for a Nobody, and that was too bad for him, particularly in the World That Never Was. They were all real here, as real as the strength of their minds and their wills and whatever remnant memories they possessed could make them, and still closer to oblivion than any true person could ever come. This one was walking the edge already and all it would take was one hard shove to push him into nonexistence. Saix might enjoy that. So might Larxene. They'd make a special project of him. A quick glance around showed the others sizing up the newcomer with obvious malicious intent. Axel kept his uncovered face carefully neutral, or at least as blank as it ever got.
Xemnas finally stopped speaking. Introductions were not exchanged, nor were greetings, and Axel privately wondered when their fearless leader was going to learn that publicly inducting new members into the Organization would never work out the way he wanted. Instead of relative politesse, as one could only expect of a group of heartless creatures welcoming one of their own to the fold, someone trotted out the old show us your worth with a display of strength chestnut. The floor of the council chamber was more or less immediately thronged with Dusks. Axel was busy groaning internally and rolling his eyes heavenward, and so he missed the newcomer drawing his weapon for the first time. He did not, however, miss the dazzling flash of light from the chamber floor as Jailbait XIII responded to the attack on his person with explosive violence. A handful of Dusks splattered against the walls, a double-handful more dissolved into nothing beneath the newcomer's gleaming weapon. A ripple passed through the assembled Organization and, an eye blink later, the new XIII was surrounded again, this time by creatures of the higher orders.
Axel wondered how long it would take for XIII to lose his patience. The answer was, not long at all. A dozen higher-order Nobodies dissolved and he kicked off the ground and, very much to Axel's surprise, continued to rise, hung there in midair just out of reach, a perfectly irritated look on his face, blue eyes all narrow and bright and hot. The semblance of anger suited him, Axel decided, and ducked for cover as XIII threw, his weapon boomeranging around the room, ricocheting off thrones, smacking solidly into startled heads and midsections, deflecting off hastily summoned weapons. It returned to his waiting hand without prompting and dissolved in a bright golden-white shower of sparks.
Axel would have applauded, had his arm not been numb to the shoulder from the effort it took to turn that shining blade. He settled for his best grin, directed at XIII, who returned it with a cool-eyed glare of his own. Not empty anymore. He was most definitely not empty anymore, and whatever it was that filled him burned in the backs of his eyes, nearly shone through the surface of his skin. Real and alive and vivid and Axel almost laughed out loud at the sight of the others realizing it, too.
"As you can see," Xemnas was, of course, constitutionally incapable of turning down the chance to orate, "the Key of Destiny is, despite your doubts, a formidable addition to our company." Resentful silence greeted this statement. "Flurry of Dancing Flames, if you would be so kind, please escort our colleague to his chambers…"
XIII sank to the floor and Axel leapt lightly down, gestured for the newcomer to follow. Behind them, no one moved and, as the council chamber doors closed at their backs, a number of voices rose. Axel rolled his eyes again, his gaze coming to rest on his surly, silent, still annoyed companion.
"Don't mind them – I think you made your point." Axel took a moment to discipline his mouth, which kept wanting to grin maniacally at the mere thought. "Forcefully."
Slender shoulders rose and fell. "I hope so."
A world of threat implicit in those words. Axel somehow thought the Organization hadn't made the best first impression.