You know, I've always known me and debit cards were a horrible thing. That tiny piece of plastic allows me to buy just about anything I want online…which is why I'm now roughly $16 poorer because I had the lovely spontaneous idea to buy an Axel plushie! But he was too adorable…it's like he was calling out to me! Now I just need him a half-decent buddy…Roxas is the obvious choice, but Cloud Strife wouldn't be bad either, ^_^
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!
The Starting Line-Up
The next Organization meeting wasn't really a meeting so much as a field-trip of sorts. They were going to Xemnas' preferred tailor to be measured for their cloaks.
"I feel like what Harry Potter must've felt when Madam Malkin measured him for his school robes!" Demyx gushed. "We're even going to wear black ones like him too!"
"Okay, for the record, Harry Potter is on a crash-course of being extinct once those movies are finished," Marluxia said, standing next to him as both held their arms out for assistants to run around them with tape measurers. "And grow up, what adult still watches Harry Potter?"
Lexaeus gave a little cough from his seat over in the small waiting area, but said nothing.
Once those two were finished, Xigbar and Zexion stepped up next. The others watched as the routine was started again, swift hands taking quick calculations.
"Ya know, this kinda makes me feel like royalty," Xigbar said.
"Mm," Zexion replied, keeping his eyes ahead of him.
"I'm gonna assume you're one of those quite-types, eh?"
"Mm," the guy said again.
"I'll talk to ya, Xiggy!" Demyx said, hopping in front of him with shining blue eyes.
"Ugh, on that note, I'll be quiet too," Xigbar muttered. Demyx's shoulders sagged and he shuffled back over to his seat again and flopped down.
A week later, the group was called back to the shop for a first-round fitting.
"Stick me again with that needle, and I'm singeing your eyebrows off," Axel warned as a tailor attempted to adjust the cloth of the cloak with pins.
He glanced over to Saix, who stood next to him, looking like he seriously wanted to be anywhere else but there.
"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Axel asked him.
"I seriously hope not," the man muttered.
Maybe I'll singe his eyebrows off. "Darshin University, '02. I think I remember seeing you at a self-help seminar. "
Saix gasped and rounded on him, making the tailor groan in aggravation. "For the record, I was only there to audit it! I wasn't actually trying to walk away believing in that stuff like I needed it or something."
"Hey man, nothing wrong with a bit of self-help advice!" Axel chuckled. "That's why I was there. Unfortunately, I was a Nobody back then too, so self-help for us given by an actual person is kinda pointless."
"Aww, did my little Saixy need some help?" Xemnas said, walking up to him and pinching his cheek. Saix could hear the other Organization members snickering.
"I was only there to watch," he gritted out. "I do not have issues!"
"Actually, 97% of people have some sort of issue or another with their selves," Vexen put in. "I personally would like to up that to 100%, but I've not done the research yet. One second." Seemingly out of nowhere, he pulled out an abacus and began muttering to himself as he played with it.
Axel's tailor finally stood up and stepped away from him. "There. How does that fit?"
"Well, let's see," he said. Holding his arms out to the side, he gathered his energy in his hands and conjured his chakrams. "Hm, doesn't feel bad. Nice material. And black helps bring out my eyes. Yeah, I think I like this—"
He was cut off as a chakram caught on his sleeve. A ripping sound was heard and then the room was filled with the metallic scent of blood.
"Oh dear god, no Axel!!!" Demyx screamed. "Don't slit your wrists! You have every reason to live! Live I tell you, liiiiiiiiiive!!!!"
"Okay, who the hell here is about to be his buddy? Cause is sure ain't gonna be me!" Axel said to the room at large. When no one claimed him, his future flashed before his eyes. Demyx was going to be the Orgs nuisance. Innocent at heart and only wanting to be friends, but a bother nonetheless. Why the hell had he joined the Organization again?!
He sighed. "Make the sleeves less baggy," he said, letting the tailor adjust the cloth some more.
Two weeks after this incident, Xemnas called yet another meeting, this time using a nearby school gym for the location.
"Alright men, " Xemnas said.
"I'm a lady," Larxene corrected him.
Xemnas stared at her for a moment. "Alright men, the clothes have arrived." He turned to the stack of black cloth in front of him on the last row of bleachers. He himself stood on the floor addressing the others.
"Okay, this one is…Luxord's."
Like some sort of sports star, when his name was called, Luxord jumped up screaming "WHOOOO! YEAH! LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!!" He then leapt to the floor, grabbed his robe and ran out onto the court, waving it around his head, still shouting.
For the first time, Xemnas had a feeling that maybe he'd made a mistake with this group thing. More importantly, perhaps he should've screened his applicants.
"Xaldin," He called out. The burly man quietly stepped down, took his robe and bowed to him.
"Um, you're not exactly in Japan anymore, you don't have to do that," Xemnas said, but the man was already walking away to join Luxord. "Er, alright then. Marluxia."
Marluxia took his while talking on his cellphone. "Dude, she had the biggest tits I think I've ever seen! I mean, screw the cow, hook me up to her!" By the time he reached their leader, the man was holding the outfit out as far as he could and with only two fingers, shuddering in disgust when the man passed by him.
"Roxas."
The boy got up, tripped over his own feet and came to a crashing halt at the bottom of the bleachers. "I meant to do that," he muttered, yet whispered 'ow' with every step he took.
"Remember to lift your feet up when walking, got it memorized?" Axel called after him.
In truth, Roxas wanted to flick him off, but he held back.
"Xion," Xemnas called next. Daintily, she hopped down and took her robe, offering a bright smile to the man. A semblance of normalcy in the group!
"Hussy," Larxene snorted.
"Larxene."
She stepped down, having to pass over Axel to get to the floor. As she did, she made sure to trail a finger across his chest.
"In another life, that might've been arousing," he said to her. "You got to me a little too late." She huffed and stomped over to Xemnas, snatched her robe and continued her pounding to the others on the court.
"Fee fi fo fum!" Demyx snorted. "I sense the aura of a disgruntled woman!"
The names went on, and finally, Xemnas was the last one, saving his own for the end. He slipped his robe on over his clothes and turned to look at the others. On first sight, he nearly cried in joy.
14 black-cloaked figures stood before him. The quiet guy Riku seemed to be standing a bit away from the others, but otherwise it was a perfect picture. So beautiful!
Until somewhere, a kid screamed. Oh. This particular school gym just happened to still be holding class when they'd walked in. Oops.
The room was filled with shouting and screams of "Stranger danger! Stranger danger!" as the kids ran around, trying to get away.
"No little kiddies, we're the good guys!" Xemnas said, chasing after the little boy who had rallied the cry.
"Xemnas, let's go!" Saix said, grabbing his arm and dragging him away. The other Org members had already bolted.
They finally paused to catch their breath about ten blocks from the school. "Xemnas, you can't just walk up to kids, man. You don't look as friendly as you might've used to. People are scared of you. You can kill puppies by looking at them the wrong way!"
"No, not the puppies!" Xemnas cried, hugging himself tight and shaking his head back and forth.
Saix felt his cool demeanor slipping away, which seemed to happen from time to time when they were alone. "Xem, it was just an expression. Relax."
"You mean the puppies are safe?"
"Yes, the puppies are safe. As are we, thanks to my quick thinking. I think the Org might want to be an incognito thing. I don't know too many people who take a liking to groups of guys wearing all black."
"They did on City of Angels," Xemnas pointed out as they started to head back to their apartment.
"That's because they had Nicholas Cage. It made all the difference."
"Ah. Okay. Thanks Saixy for cheering me up! I knew I was right in choosing you as my bff!"
Saix saw the incoming arms that spelled a hug and dodged them. He'd given him his daily dosage of softness or whatever. "Alright, enough of that! Now, we have our clothes, what's next on the list?"
"A safe house!" Xemnas said excitedly. Saix had to tug on his back to get him to stop skipping in public. "The other meeting places aren't safe and regrouping at home leaves the house so messy! My goodness, the amount dirt those people can track in!"
As they finally entered the apartment, the thought of Xemnas having perhaps been a woman in his past life crossed his mind. Or maybe someone's house-husband.
Nothing much to say here. Please review!
