Part Four
Roxas wiped the saliva from his eye and followed the girl up to the Hummer. Inside, 11 members of the Order stared at them expectantly. Many of them had their hoods down for the first time since Roxas had seen them. Xemnas sat in the back between two blue haired members, one appearing to a senior, the other perhaps a freshman or sophomore. In front of them sat Axel and Demyx. Roxas took a tentative seat beside them. The girl who'd been sent to fetch Roxas took a seat in the passenger's side beside a peculiar looking boy with an eye patch in the driver's seat. He began driving.
Demyx motioned to the members behind him. "This is Saix, you already know Xemnas... That's Zexion." He motioned to the four hooded figures in front of him. "In front of us are Marluxia, Xaldin, Luxord, and Lexaeus. The guy driving is Xigbar, and the girl in the passenger's side is Larxene." Roxas bit his lip, realizing he'd never remember all those names, especially those of the members that were still hooded.
The Hummer pulled up in front of a dilapidated building, with boarded windows and peeling paint. Roxas exhaled. For some reason, he'd expected The XIIIth Order's headquarters to have a little more class than all the other gangs, but obviously, he was wrong. The idea of spending any amount of time in such a place turned his stomach. Was this really where he'd be expected to spend his free time from now on? All of the members filed out of the car, and Roxas tried to hide his disappointment. Surely the most feared gang in all of Illusory was above such conditions.
Xemnas pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and approached the front door. 'Why lock a place like this?' Roxas wondered silently. When the door opened, he saw why.
Behind the worn-out, trashy facade, a gorgeous, mansion-like front room unfolded. There was a newly tiled floor, shiny and obviously well kept. A dual staircase was the center of the room, leading up to a hallway with many rooms. A bright chandelier lit by candles hung overhead, and appeared to be decorated by diamonds. A grand piano sat in the corner of the room, and at the right of the room was a door that seemed to be leading to a kitchen. Roxas took a sharp intake of breath. It was beautiful.
"This," Demyx said, with a flourishing gesture to the room, "is Fort Oblivion."
"This... belongs to you guys?! You guys really hang out here?" Roxas asked, incredulous, still gaping.
"Yeah. Most of us live here, actually..." Demyx replied with a shrug. "Let me show you my room!" Demyx grabbed Roxas' hand and led him up the staircase and down the hallway. Roxas allowed himself to be pulled along without protest, eager for insight on the Order's way of life. When Demyx reached the end of the hallway, he turned, revealing another hallway and another set of doors on either side. He raced down to one in the middle, and opened the door with a grand gesture.
Demyx's room was amazing.
For one thing, it was huge. It was almost twice the length and width of an Olympic-size swimming pool, and hardly seemed practical for a bedroom. You'd have to sprint to get to the other side in decent time. The back wall was veiled by a huge curtain, which appeared to be hiding a window the length of the wall. To the right of the room, a small stage was set up (perhaps about the size one would see at a poetry reading), and four movie-theatre style seats sat in front of it. To the right of the stage was a large glass case holding nine different guitars, all of which appeared to be top-notch and impressive. On the left side of the room, near the doorway, was a huge bed, made with a blue comforter that had the number nine all over it in roman numerals. Most impressive of all, though, was the small swimming pool across from the stage. Roxas gasped at the sheer perfection of the room he looked upon.
"Does everyone have a room like this?" Roxas asked.
"Mine's the only one that's soundproof," Demyx replied, "But yeah, most of them are about the same size."
"It's soundproof?"
"Yeah. When Xemnas realized how much music I play he made sure it was."
"You play?" Roxas asked, genuinely impressed. Demyx's docile, tea-drinking manner in the cafe had given Roxas the impression that he was a quiet, out of the way sort of person. But, he realized now, that manner might only apply to things like fighting.
Demyx snorted. "Do I play?" he repeated, incredulous. "That's like asking if I breathe."
Demyx approached the guitar case, about to open it, when someone knocked at the door.
"Yo, Blondie," came Axel's annoyed voice from the other side. Demyx and Roxas both answered, "Yes?" at the same time. Axel opened the door, scowling.
"Not you, you idiot," he said to Demyx, and grabbed Roxas' wrist, pulling him aggressively from Demyx's room.
"This blondie is being requested by Xemnas. You pulled him away so rudely when we got here..."
Demyx frowned. "The Superior isn't mad at me, is he?"
Axel grinned. "You'd better hope he isn't."
Demyx's eyes widened. "Please tell Xemnas I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking! I just wanted to show Roxas my room..."
Axel wasn't listening. He led Roxas back the way he came, through another maze of hallways, and finally stopped at the end of a poorly lit hallway, in front of a black door.
He shoved him at it, and growled the word "Knock." Roxas complied, but reluctantly.
"Roxas may enter," came the commanding voice of Xemnas. Axel grinned at Roxas sadistically one last time before walking away.
Roxas feebly pushed open the door. The room behind the door was small, dark, and windowless, and appeared to be an office of some sort. A single desk lamp, sitting on a desk, lit the otherwise pitch-black room. Xemnas sat at the desk, a pair of glasses on his face, looking through a pile of papers. Roxas hesitated at the doorway.
"I suggest you not waste any of my time, Number 13," Xemnas said. "Please take a seat opposite me." Roxas noticed a small chair across from the desk where Xemnas sat, and did as he was directed.
After looking through his papers for another moment, Xemnas finally acknowledged Roxas again. "You are now a member of The XIIIth Order, the most feared and ruthless gang in Illusory. We hold the city under our thumb, and all tremble at the very sound of our name. You will be expected to represent us in every aspect of yourself. From now on, you are to wear only black. You are to eliminate from your wardrobe any articles of clothing that are not black. If you are unable or unwilling to financially support this change in wardrobe, you are to consult Number Seven, Saix, about funds for shopping. You are required to train your fighting skills for at least sixty minutes each day; we do have a reputation to uphold. In the event of a gang battle, you are expected to follow orders immediately and without hesitation, regardless of any desire for self-preservation. Mercy is not an option unless otherwise stated. You will be given a room here, but are not required to live here. You will be given the funds to decorate your room as you see fit. It is advised, but not necessary, that you cut all ties with outside relations, as membership in such a highly-ranked gang could be dangerous to them. Intimate relationships between members are allowed, but not encouraged. You will be expected to spend most of your time here, in Fort Oblivion. You will be expected to be present at all gang meetings punctually and prepared. Relationships of any kind with members of other gangs are forbidden. You are required to pick the symbol of your choice and have it tattooed to the back of your neck, with a tattoo of your number on it or near it. After meeting with me, you are to see Number 12 about what your trademark weapon will be, and from that point on you will use only that weapon in fights. And, most importantly," Xemnas paused here, looking directly at Roxas, "Keep your focus on our main goal: The Crystal Heart. That is all. Do you have any questions?"
Roxas nodded slowly, still taking in all this new information. "What is the Crystal Heart?"
Xemnas eyed him curiously, his expression reflecting the closest thing to surprise as his face would probably ever portray. "You don't know...? Oh, that's right. You're not from Illusory... The Crystal Heart is a large, heart-shaped and priceless diamond that is said to hold mysterious power. Long ago, legend has it, a man used the Crystal Heart's power to create the Heartless, of the many myths of Illusory. The man hoped to use the Heartless to create a new world, of which he would rule as a peaceful ruler, protecting the people of the world. But the fools of the world feared the Heartless, and soon an uprising against the man accumulated. And, finally," his next sentence was full of bitter contempt, "Some brat named Aros defeated all the Heartless, trapping their essence inside the Crystal Heart, as well as the man's heart. The Crystal Heart has been hidden away in Illusory by those who fear the Crystal's power ever since."
Roxas mulled this over, thoughtful. "But why do you want the Heart?"
Xemnas exhaled, a gesture of seemingly tiredness of Roxas' questions, or perhaps at having to repeat a story he had repeated far too many times. "The man in the legend who created the Heartless... was my great grandfather. I intend to find the Heart to avenge him and finish what he started." His expression suddenly became dark, matching the majority of his surroundings, "But we keep meeting opposition. A gang led by Aros' descendent is also diligently seeking out the Crystal heart. I chose you to join the Order because I feel you are equally matched to their leader. You both seem to have about you the same essence, yet different."
Roxas pretended to understand.
"I only ask that you keep an eye out for the gang 'Wielders of Light', and especially their leader, Sora. They are not above stooping to shallow methods of destroying the Order. If I am not mistaken, they killed Demyx's brother, Myde. They are extremely dangerous, and not to be taken lightly. You are dismissed."
Roxas nodded and stood. He had other questions, of course, but he felt that now was not the best time to ask them. Xemnas' mood had darkened drastically, and he feared staying any longer would only add to the shadow of his disposition. He left the way he came and tried to find his way through the maze of hallways to the front room.
After turning onto what seemed like the hundredth dead end, Roxas was surprised to turn right into the face of Larxene. She grinned.
"Took you long enough," she said. "You've got a weapon to choose or the Superior will be mad. Come with me." Again, Roxas was led by way of being yanked by his wrist through the winding hallways to a doorway. Larxene opened it, and Roxas gasped.
Each of the room's long walls was covered from top to bottom in weapons. Not just the conventional kind, either: foreign weapons, specially crafted swords, and army-edition guns were a few among them. Everything from chakrams, claymores, and sabers to numchucks, brass knuckles, and kunai lined the walls, and Roxas was taken aback. Never in his whole life had he seen the diverse amount of weaponry that stood before him.
"Incredible, isn't it?" Larxene whispered, her voice a reflection of awe. "And to think, you can only pick one of them. Choose well." She slipped out the door, leaving Roxas alone with the store of weaponry.
Minute after minute passed as Roxas carefully examined each weapon, incapable of deeming one more suitable than another. Just as he was beginning to despair, the door opened behind him. Axel strolled in, glancing about the room casually. Roxas did not look up from the weapon he was examining.
"I remember when I had to choose," Axel said. "It was hell. There are so many. It's a terrible responsibility. There's so much power in a weapon... Eventually, though, I realized that there was one weapon that just sort of...called to me. It's hard to explain. Demyx says he felt the same way, and I'm sure the others did, too. It may not be the strongest or most lethal weapon, but it will be the one. You'll just...know. Don't sweat it, okay?"
Roxas looked up at Axel, scanning his face.
"Which weapon did you choose?" Roxas asked.
Axel grinned, taking a step closer to the wall of weapons. He reached up a hand and caressed a pair of chakrams.
"A red pair of chakrams," Axel replied, a fond smile on his face. "They reminded me of fire. As it were, they work great with a lighter."
Roxas nodded, able to picture Axel using such weapons.
"I never got to thank you," Roxas said quietly, "For going easy on my initiation. So...thank you."
"No point in adding broken cargo to the lot. Besides," He smiled mischievously. "I like your face the way it is."