Disclaimer: I own nothing. All names, characters, and franchises belong to their respectful owner, I just remotely own the idea of the story.

Author's Note: Please scroll down to the bottom of the story if you would like a heads up with this chapter, please! Don't say I didn't warn you!

The Devil's Dance Floor

Chapter 2

Axel watched as the blonde made her way up the walk and to the school with the two males trailing behind her. She had a spark for a girl. But then again, most Miss Perfect's usually did, always used to getting what they want from their parents. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he slipped his hand into his pocket, opposite of the pocket that held his Zippo and slipped a cancer stick out from a papery package, bringing it to his lips and sucking on it for a while; enjoying the taste before he actually lit it. What a waste, he thought.

Axel shall play the part of our hero. But at a first glance, one wouldn't think that our flaming redhead would be hero material. Our hero is actually your typical delinquent who was transferred to Ultimate Kingdom High due to something dark and generally bad that he did to his old school. You see, the boy is a pyromaniac and just absolutely loves to play with fire. This is probably what lead to his smoking addiction and the silver Zippo lighter in his pocket. On certain occasions or when he's nervous, he actually removes the lighter from his pocket and opens and closes it repeatedly for long hours at a time. Unfortunately, our hero played with fire a little too much and… Well, the school is in need of repairs right now while a few of it's students and a teacher are hospitalized and traumatized… It wasn't his fault, of course! But some people just don't know when to stop running their mouth.

But in Axel's defense, he's actually not as awful as he seems. Like Demyx, he can play a bit of a tune on a piano and keep a steady rhythm on a drum and even sing a bit. Like Larxene he could write a stanza of poetry and make it sound remotely decent. Like Zexion, he is rather intelligent when he wants to be (when he isn't trying to dumb himself down with his tom-foolery comments). He was a pretty good artist, too! But also like Larxene, he has a tremendous front that he hides behind. He makes himself out to be an ass to make people think he's happy. He makes himself out to be rude and crude so that people will stay away… It's not exactly what he wants, but it's what he thinks he wants.

The redhead slipped the lighter from his pocket, flicking it open and then lighting the flame while bringing it to the cigarette between his lips. He inhaled, helping it flicker to life while a thin trail of smoke left the tip and then closed the lighter and sliding it back into his pocket. He looked back up to the steps to the school and the girl and boys were already walking through the door. His emerald eyes glanced up at the huge clock on the face of the building before another bell rang out, letting everyone know that class was now in session and whoever hadn't made it in class before that bell was now counted as tardy.

Axel groaned softly, removing the cigarette from his lips and exhaling the drag he had taken. First day and he was already late… Mentally, he was daring someone to jump onto his case. It was bad enough sparky had jumped him for his driving, but if one teacher made a crack about his tardiness… He began taking deep breaths, trying to keep his anger in check. If Larxene thought that her anger was bad, she had nothing on Axel. But it would be okay! He took another drag from his cigarette and began making his own way up to the school. By the time he made it to the door, he would be done smoking and his nerves would be calm. At least for a moment. Just a moment…

He had to admit, though, he was lucky to be here instead of some detention center. His only living relative had been his mother, who wanted nothing to do with him now. He had no father, the man had died when Axel was still young. What was he to do? For now, he was staying with his cousin Reno and his family. They were willing to help him, at least until he could find his own place to stay. He was old enough to have his own apartment, get a job. In fact, this was his last year of high school just like Larxene. And how he couldn't wait to be through with it all. Of course, the flaming redhead didn't have that much of a plan as our heroine, but he figured that he could just work on it as he went on with life.

Even though he was quite a smoker, he wasn't out of breath by the time he reached the top of the hill. A smoker and in shape! You barely saw one of those anymore. He didn't notice, though, as he removed the remaining butt of the cigarette and flicked it into the dew covered lawn around the school and letting it remove it's light. He slid a stick of gum into his mouth to hide it's scent and pulled the door and walked in, striding a bit of a distance before taking a right into the front office. Being a new student, he needed to make sure that everything was okay with the principle and had to pick up his schedule as well.

The office was empty save for one secretary sitting at a computer. There wasn't much that one could see except that the back of her head was covered with millions of smaller, black braids set high upon her head in an intricate pony tail with highly designed chopsticks stuck through her hair.. But with an attempt to see over the lady's shoulder, Axel was able to see that her long, violet finger nails were clicking away at the keys, probably trying to get a document typed up for the head honcho or something.

"I really hate to interrupt but I need my information and crap." Axel grumbled out, his voice full of sarcasm while he clearly gave a display of his nonchalance and hard-ass attitude.

"Of course you do." The woman's voice replied, her tone soft but thick with a 'no nonsense' tone, her bright red irises rolling in their sockets. If it was one thing the woman didn't like at all, it was the new students who usually felt like they didn't need to be here when the truth was that they usually had no where else to go. But what really makes her angry are the students who don't appreciate what their parents are doing for them by sending them here. Ugh, teenagers. "Just have a seat and I'll fetch them for you."

Axel plopped down into the nearest, plush seat while he splayed his legs out in front of him in a lazy manner. The woman got up from her computer and rolling chair and seemed to be heading into a room that was connected, this room being filled with all of the cabinets of folders and files containing information on the students. This gave a perfect view for our hero to see that she was dressed in a regular business woman's outfit, except that her torso was low cut and in a v shape giving a nice view of her pale chest. Her skirt ended in the middle of her shin and shared a fur trimmed lining that matched the faux fur around the collar of the torso and she was walking in a pair of high heeled stilettos. A thin red brow lifted as she turned around and leaned over the front desk. Being the teenage boy he is and the hormones that are dwelling in his body at his age, his emerald optics immediately went to the cleavage that could be seen now and completely ignoring her face.

"Name please?" The female asked. Realizing that she hadn't gotten an answer, she extended her hand and snapped her fingers at him, catching his attention. His eyes finally removed themselves from her ample chest and moved to her face, catching sight of the amused smile on her painted purple lips. "What's your name?" She asked again, her voice sarcastically sweet and beguilement glinting in the left eye while the right stayed hidden behind a short curtain of bangs that had a curl curving around her uplifted cheekbones.

Axel finally found his voice and spoke. "Axel." Her head nodded as if wanting him to continue. He was confused for a moment and then suddenly remembered she wanted his full name. "Conley. Axel Conley." He said quickly, scrunching his eyes in painful embarrassment. Embarrassed not only because he sounded like a bumbling fool, but because of his Irish last name, the only thing his deceased father had left him. Now he was definitely a cranky camper.. The secretary just giggled softly to herself before making her way back to the filing room. The pyromaniac was only left to glare daggers at the door.

It hadn't taken her long, but she had finally came back out with his file, sifting through it for the right information while speaking to him, asking questions and confirmation. "Axel Conley, male, red hair and green eyes." Her red hues had been on a picture of a younger version of the male in her office, finding it very different from the actual thing as the kid in the photo was actually smiling. She looked down at the male in the chair who nodded his head for her to continue. "Irish American, six feet, one-hundred-fifty pounds. Transfer student?" She looked up again only to be nodded at again. Not much for conversation, huh? She didn't really blame him.

"Right then." The woman said to herself, carrying the file back over to the computer and taking a seat in her office chair again. "I trust that you've already spoken to the headmaster?" Even though it was a question, it was said in more of a statement format, as usually the kids who were asking for information had already spoken to the principle.

"Yep." Was the only reply he gave, remembering fully the words he had shared with Headmaster Xemnas, the silver haired man 'who completely understands his situation' but 'won't take any fodder from him' and 'expects the best out of him' despite all that's happened. Axel snorted silently to himself. Yeah, right.

No more words were exchanged and she went to typing at her computer again until the clicking of a mouse and the sound of a printer being brought to life filled the room. "I've got your schedule right here. You're late for your first period, but just explain that your new." A once blank piece of paper, now covered in ink in the shape of black letters was taken from the printer and the secretary rose from her seat and walked over to Axel, handing him the sheet of paper. "They should understand." Axel took the paper and was now looking up at her while she leaned against the front desk before him. A kinder smile was now on her face, as if she understood everything. He wanted to spit in her face. No one would understand. No one.

"Just come back if you need anything. Hopefully you won't." Her voice still held that sarcastic edge. Damn her. His eyes rolled.

He folded the piece of paper up and pocketed it with his cigarettes before rising to his feet, straightening his uniform out and turning to leaves. "Thanks a bunch, ma'am." He called to the woman with a hint of annoyance.

"Call me Lulu." Eh? Axel's head turned to look over his shoulder. Her arms were folded over her chest as if she meant serious business.

"Whatever." Was all he replied before walking out and heading for his first class, already having memorized the room number beside it.

XxXxX

Yeah, I know, it's a really boring chapter. I more or less just wanted to introduce a little bit more about Axel in this chapter and have a little bit of fun introducing our secretary. No, you're not getting your wasted boredom time, but you do have the option of skipping this chapter if you'd like!

Alright, guys. Now I need suggestions of teachers and students. Who teaches what? What student belongs where? Who is friends with who? Lots of love to those who help me out.

-HarlequinHellion