Ball Room Blitz
By Zess

Summery: Roxas and Sora are both princes of two of the seven warring states in historic China. There families hate each other and it's the classic case of Pyramis and Thisbe. But at one fateful masquerade two lives are intertwined. Can two hearts divided by adversity still learn to love?

Other Stuff: Short Chapter Story, Crack Everything, Roxora, Zemyx, Romance/Drama/Some Humor, Kingdom Hearts Based, AU, Yaoi, Rated M just to keep up my record, Some Language maybe. I own nothing but this story so for my birthday you all need to buy me KH okay!? YAY!

Time: Roughly 5th Century BC, during the Zhànguó Shídài.

Place: Feudal China

Players:
Sora: Second in line to the Qi throne. Forced to go undercover to gain information on the rival Qin clan.
Demyx: Heir to the Qi throne, Sora's elder brother. Likes to seduce young virgins and suck out their souls, or anything else one can suck on the female person.
Roxas: heir to the Qin throne.
Axel: Second in line to the Zhou throne and a pyromaniac. Has evil plans to murder the Qi heir to gain his father's approval.
Zexion: Illegitimate firstborn to the Zhou throne, posing as Axel's real older brother in order to marionette his way into power.
Reno: Currently MIA. True heir to the Zhou throne.

Dedication: I wrote this for Synnesai, so I hope you like it!!

Um, I did a little research on feudal china, but I still take complete literary license on everything so don't be mad at me if I make a ton of horrible mistakes. And the dialogue is all modern, one because I can't write in Chinese and two because I have no idea the type of language they used back then. Oh yeah, and I kind of mingled certain time periods together so the first English Ambassador (Lord McCartney who actually visited in 1792) is visiting a hell of a lot earlier. XD

A/N: Chapter Two! Woot! I'm liking the story so far, I get to write Axel as someone other than a goofball, and I must admit that this is my first Roxora Fiction so if I go a little out of character please forgive me. I hope it'll be okay though. Um, I edited the last chapter because there were super mistakes so if you want to go read it again, feel free. The content didn't change at all though so it's nothing the worry about. On that note, if anyone wants to be my Beta-er contact me, because I need one. XD Hehe, and then I'll pay you back with my silly fictions okay? Email, PM, or review to apply? (Gosh I feel so official )

Okay, now, for this chapter. It's Short, but it's good. So read it.

Chapter Two
The Dress Rehearsal

As expected, the palace was packed with relatives and friends. Even though one wasn't supposed to know who was who, everyone always knew who Roxas was. It could have something to do with his father announcing it to almost half of the world, but again he had no choice.

"I thought everyone was supposed to remain anonymous," he muttered darkly to a nearby hanging tapestry. Unfortunately, this was no fairy-tale, and the woven carpeting gave no sound advice. In fact, it completely ignored him; the nerve of some upholstery.

The instant he had joined the party in the large ball styled room, he had been swamped with guests, mostly female. The thing he hated most about the fairer sex was that they always seemed to see him as Prince and not as Roxas. No, not one of them cared about what kind of person he was, they all just cared about his money, fame, and name. What glory it would be to be married to the heir to the Qin throne. It was a little devastating each time a buxom beauty or blushing virgin fluttered their beautiful eyelashes at him through their prettied masks. They all wore a conservative gown in the same European style that he was dressed, and though he had to admit their beauty, he found nothing wonderful about them. Perhaps, if one could say that gold-digging was a profession, they were good at that. He wished, just once, someone saw him as Roxas and liked him for it.

Roxas had managed to work his way around the room without much mishap. He had almost made it to the dais where his immediate family was located when he saw trouble. Coming down upon him was the most pompous of ladies, of whom had three daughters. It was just his luck that all three of them were of appropriate marriageable age. She was a robust lady and was known to be a dragon of a matriarch. She was part of one of the lesser nobles of the Qin clan, and felt no shame about using her daughters Payne, Yuna, and Rikku to work up her own social standings. The three girls looked beautiful as always, but Roxas would rather die then have to twirl them around the dance floor one more time and listen to useless prattle.

He turned sharply on his heel, towards the doors that opened out into the families large expanse of garden when he ran face first into a barrage of blue velvet and wide beguiling blue eyes that so resembled his own.

Sora looked around the huge room in awe, trying not to trip on his dress hem. Who knew such garments could be such a nuisance, and the person that had invented the bustle needed to be tortured slowly. He felt completely off balance with the heavy wig on his head, and not to mention the inside of the mask kept making him sneeze. But, despite all that, this room alone made it almost all worth wile. Sora had always been one to observe the amazing that was architectural art, and this palace was the epitome of perfection. The hardwood walls were sanded and stained, the paintings that lined the walls depicting everything from vicious battle scenes to portraits, to fantastic depictions of cherry blossoms in bloom. The ceilings were at least twice as high as was needed, and the ceilings were arched and made of some type of painted metal. No where in his families own palace did they have anything like this. His mother and father were all about comfortable and simplistic settings, and weren't really interested in art. It was no surprise then that he had never told them of his love of artwork. It was bad enough he always seemed to be getting into trouble, he didn't need them thinking he was some kind of failure at life as well.

He snapped himself back into the present with that thought and closed his almost drooling mouth. Now was not the time to be ogling his surroundings. He did not want to spend one extra moment in this ridiculous outfit, and besides, he had a mission. He would find who he was looking for, and then get out, find Demyx, and leave.

With searching eyes he scanned the crush of finely dressed figures. It would not be hard to find the heir of the Qin clan, as he was supposed to be wearing a very distinct dragon costume. An itch made itself known about mid breastbone and he instinctively scratched it. About mid-scratch he realized that his meticulous family had forgotten one thing. He had no breasts. Looking around at the ladies, he was relieved to find that they all held high necklines like his own dress, but you could still faintly see the outline of their breasts. His cheeks turned pink as he realized that he was staring. He had to fix this problem somehow, it would be too easy to notice if he continued around with a flat chest. He looked around frantically and saw nothing that he could stuff into the front of his gown. He had to do it quick, or someone would most definitely call him out. If he was found here. . . The graphic images that flooded his mind made his heart skip several beats. He was in the proverbial lion's den and he would get eaten if he made any wrong move. In a stroke of genius when his gaze fell upon the food pavilion, located outside and directly adjacent to the massive hall.

Dashing to the fruits table, he snuck two very rounded apples off of the table with what he thought was equivalent to lady like grace. He really had no idea what his mother made so much fuss about. Other than the ridiculous garments, this lady stuff was pretty easy.

Of course, he didn't notice the many odd looks being cast his way.

With a quick glance around the candlelit pavilion, Sora managed to sneak out and into darkened corner of the garden, and shove the two confiscated apples down the front of his gown. With a little bit of wiggling he managed to get them into a sort of order and he smiled proudly. He should become a spy, he was so good at this kind of thing. He walked demurely back through one of the many doors that led from the garden into the large hall and almost killed himself as he ran smack dab into a black and green suited male.

"I-" his voice was his own and Sora blanched, belatedly remembering he was supposed to be a girl. But it didn't really matter because directly thereafter his voice, his breath, and all mental capabilities were stolen away by the man that was supposed to be his enemy. The famous Dragon, Roxas.

His whole body was tingling with excitement. He loved this feeling, this nervousness, this adrenaline, this fear, and this absolute joy of what he knew was to come. Tonight would be the night when everyone would pay for what they had done.

"Hey Zexion?"

"Yeah Dem?"

"I think. . ."

"Don't do things you aren't accustomed to runt."

"Funny seeing as I'm barely shorter then you. But. . ."

"Yeah?"

"I think you're the only person that I've ever really. . . loved."

Of all the times to be reminiscing about the past, this was not one of them. He had no more feelings for that overgrown eyesore. He would never go back to the way he was. Demyx had lied to him, and now he had to pay. Still, the pain in his heart was constant, and even through all of his reasoning, would remain.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Tonight, things will end." He waved briefly to his bound and gagged brother before leaving.

Reno looked around the room, and realized for the first time that Zexion hadn't locked the door. Was it some kind of a trap? He wiggled worm-style to the side of the bed until he could lever himself up onto all fours. It was much harder then previously assumed, what with his arms and legs roped together and all. But he finally managed. He gasped, sucking in air like a shore landed fish.

"Damn. . ."

Who ever knew that his own half brother could be so cruel? To tell the truth, Zexion was so much like the father that he hated so much it was almost uncanny. Reno had always hated his father, but he had told no one about it. He didn't like the way that his father handed anything, especially his younger brother. And now he found out that he had an older brother too? Reno had had no idea who Zexion was until the day he had been taken prisoner in his own room.

So vindictive, so. . . hateful. Reno had never seen such cold eyes. And it wasn't just his eyes. Zexion had a heart made of ice. He had had to lay in agony on the hard flooring while Zexion sprouted all of his plots and plans to him, all the time laughing and joking about how wonderful it all would be. Reno had done some terrible things in his own past, and as the heir he knew he could never live a life of peace, but never this vicious.

"I have to. . . stop him." He gritted his teeth against screaming muscles that hadn't been used in days and forced his body to stand. Teetering, and his body still bound, he used the bed banister to remain upright. He needed to fix this, he needed to make it better. He had no idea what anyone had done to Zexion, but he would no let him continue on with his plan. He had to save his little brother, and everything that was about to happen. As much as he hated it, he had to go to his father.

The binds on his ankles gave no leeway so Reno had to waddle penguin style and pause at the door. It was no laughing matter as he gasped for breath, trying to stay standing. Leaning on the hallways, he made his way slowly through the house and towards his father's study. When he reached the doorway he didn't bother knocking, just slid the paneling to the side and stumbled in. The sight he saw was much more of a shock then anything else he had experienced lately.

"He's. . .dead."

A/N: Mah. Short Again, and cliffhanger-esque. But, I updated sooner than expected so you should like me yeah yeah? The next update is still coming on Sunday (Tomorrow), I just had an urge to work on this a little bit.

Next Chapter:
It's Showtime
5/20/07

Please read and review, 'cause it makes me happy, and I control the outcome of this story. Mwahah. Kidding, just please? Thanks.