Hope this chapter doesn't take that long to write.
Karrimo: So, people actually still reading this poor excuse for a story?
Me: You don't like anything.
Karrimo: Yes I do. I like torture both mental and physical. Especially when I'm doing the torturing.
Me: Oh, God, I've created a bastard.
Karrimo: Damn straight.
Koxra: Can we get to the chapter already?
Me: Sure, and I still have yet to get feedback about these little conversation things. Am I wasting my time with them, or do you guys like them? Let me know.
Disclaimer: I only own Koxra, Vilx, Risox, Nikki, and Pocket. Also, the song "Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore" belongs to REO Speedwagon, not me.
Warning: Contains bashing of Naminé's artwork. Don't complain because you were warned.
Oh, you know what I do each time for the Disclaimer? I just copy and paste it from the previous chapter and modify it if I need to. Why should I bother retyping it?
"Hey, Vilx, you wanna come meet Abby this Saturday?" asked Risox.
"Why me?" asked Vilx.
"Well, Abby at least has an idea of who you are," said Risox.
"I don't know," said Vilx. "Since she lives in Hollow Bastion, what if she hates me?"
"Abby's not like that," said Risox. "Trust me, she'll love you."
"Okay, I guess I'll try it," said Vilx.
"That's the spirit!" Risox exclaimed.
"You let her get hurt and you're in trouble," said Koxra.
"Relax, Kosh," said Risox. "Abby's really nice."
"Sorry, I'm just naturally suspicious of people at first," said Koxra.
"That's okay," said Risox. "I get it."
"Hey, Zexion, I'm here for my lesson," said Risox, skipping into the library. "Uh, what are you on top of the bookshelf?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business," said Zexion shakily.
"Are you okay?" asked Risox.
"Oh, so being on top of a bookshelf automatically means something is wrong?" Zexion retorted.
"Well, yeah, since you don't climb bookshelves on a daily basis," said Risox.
"Look, either deal with that thing or get Lexaeus," said Zexion. "I don't enjoy being up here."
"Deal with what?" asked Risox.
"That!" Zexion snapped, pointing. "Under the table!"
Risox looked. "It's a cockroach."
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Risox," said Zexion. "I would appreciate you getting rid of it."
"That's why you're up there?" asked Risox.
"Yes, now please get rid of it," said Zexion. Risox squished it and tossed it in the trashcan. "Thank you." Zexion then climbed down.
"You're afraid of them?" asked Risox.
"I should think that much was obvious," said Zexion. "Lexaeus is the only other person who knows and I'd like to keep it that way."
"I get it," said Risox. "Doesn't leave this room. But, I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of."
"That doesn't mean I want everyone else to know," said Zexion. "Well, shall we start?"
Vilx was sitting on her bed, sketching the bathroom door which was shut, due to Koxra taking a shower. The Psychic Image calmly sketched the door, listening to her friend sing along with the CD player.
Even as I wander
I'm keepin' you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer that I ever thought I might
Cuz I can't fight this feelin' anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars forever
Vilx smiled to herself. "Mouthy and tough as nails, yet she loves sappy love songs."
"Knock knock," said Demyx.
"Hey, Demyx," said Vilx.
"Whatcha drawin'?" asked Demyx, walking over and sitting next to her.
"Just the door," said Vilx, showing him. "Nothing interesting. Just needed something to draw."
"You're really good at that," said Demyx.
"Well, Koxra said I have more talent in one pinky than Naminé did in her whole body," said Vilx. "Who is Naminé anyhow?"
"Dunno," said Demyx. "All Kosh would say is that she was the Nobody of Kairi and must've rejoined her or something."
"How would that happen?" asked Vilx.
"Nobody and Somebody were apparently existing at the same time," said Demyx. "It's the same with Roxas. He could take a shortcut and join with Sora."
"What?" Vilx gasped. "He won't, will he?"
Demyx chuckled. "Kosh would kick his ass if he did. I don't think he would even if she didn't threaten him. If he did, he wouldn't be Roxas anymore. He'd be part of Sora and forced to stay inside him and watch Sora live life. That thought just scares him." (A/N: My thanks to Lakota Tala for coming up with Roxas's fear when she was still reviewing as Tala. I don't think I did exactly what she put, but it's pretty close.)
"Who would want to do that?" asked Vilx.
"No sane person," said Demyx. "But, for the rest of us, our Others are dead, so we can't have that choice even if we did want it. Kosh not distracting you at all?"
"No," said Vilx. "Her singing is beautiful."
"Yeah, you'd never believe it till you heard it," said Demyx. "No one would guess that from meeting her. So, she give up anything about Naminé?"
"Only that she thinks her artwork was pathetic," said Vilx.
"Ah, I've heard that rant before," said Demyx.
"What rant?" asked Koxra, stepping into Vilx's room fully-dressed. (A/N: Sorry, felt the need to add the last part in case anyone's thinking dirty thoughts like my brother does. I can never say anything without him getting a sexual pun out of it. It's so annoying!)
"The one where you hate Naminé's artwork," said Demyx.
"Well, the way she draws people is pathetic," said Koxra. "A five-year-old draws better. I can't say I ever saw her draw a face. She just drew clothes, bodies, and hair, but I never saw faces. Did she have a medical disorder where she couldn't see faces or something?" (A/N: Yes, there is such a thing. I just can't remember what it's called)
"Jeez, Kosh, settle down," said Demyx. "We get that you hate her artwork."
"Sorry, but I'm pretty prone to overreacting," said Koxra. "Can't help it. You know if Ris got outta lessons?"
"I think she was roller-blading down the hall with Zexion dashing after her," said Demyx. "He was yelling at her for not thinking again."
"Well, it's not smart to do that inside," Vilx pointed out. "What if she went down the stairs or ran into someone and hurt them and/or herself."
"That's probably why Zexion's chasing her to try and get her to stop," said Koxra. "He cares about her and hates it when she pulls stupid stunts that could get her hurt. She might be fifteen, but I agree with Zexion when he says that she acts like a child."
"Yeah," said Demyx. "Xion and Roxas are the same age as her, but they behave better. Why're you looking for her anyway?"
"We have a mission together tomorrow and I thought I'd spare her having to talk to Wolf-boy," said Koxra.
"Risox, as your superior, I order you to stop roller-blading in the Castle before you hurt yourself and possibly someone else!" snapped Zexion from the hallway.
"I am wearing padding," Risox pointed out.
"Other people aren't, though!" Zexion snapped. "Now, take them off this instant!" There was a scream and a crash. Koxra, Vilx, and Demyx went to investigate. Axel was standing in the hallway, trying to stifle his laughter.
Lexaeus smacked him in the back of the head with a rolled-up magazine. Axel rubbed the spot. "Oww, what the hell, Lex?"
"You should make sure they aren't hurt before laughing like an imbecile!" Lexaeus snapped.
"I couldn't help it," said Axel.
Lexaeus rolled his eyes at the Flurry's inability to refrain from laughing at inappropriate times and went to check on the two Nobodies at the end of the hall. "Are you two alright?"
"Surprisingly, yes," said Zexion. "I may possibly have sustained a bruise on my back upon hitting the wall, though."
Risox was across his lap, giggling. "Hey, Zexion, that was hilarious! Let's do it again!"
"Can't you ever take matters seriously?" Zexion snapped.
"Hey, Axel, what happened?" asked Koxra.
"Only one of the funniest things I've ever seen," Axel snickered. "Zex was standing a couple yards away from Ris, facing her. When he told her to take the roller-blades off, she tried to do it while she was rolling toward him. She spun a couple times, then lost her balance and crashed into Zex. Then, they both hit the wall."
Demyx and Koxra laughed, but Vilx looked to the others. "Shouldn't we stop Zexion before he explodes?"
"Yeah, we probably should," said Koxra. "I don't think I've ever seen him that mad."
"You must've been so late on the day they handed out common sense that they ran out, since you clearly don't possess any!" Zexion continued.
"You told me to take them off right at that instant," said Risox.
"Those with common sense stop first!" Zexion went on, a vein pulsing in his forehead.
"Well, you didn't say that," said Risox.
"I assumed you would be intelligent enough to figure that out on your own, but clearly I give you way too much credit," said Zexion. "Perhaps if I were to draw a diagram, you would make more sense of it, since clearly words don't penetrate that thick skull of yours!"
"Zexion, perhaps it would help if you calmed down," said Lexaeus. "It won't due to say things you don't mean out of anger."
"Calm down when she's more infuriating than a room full of five-year-olds?" said Zexion. "The five-year-olds would have more sense than ten of her put together!"
"Why don't you just go have fun with your room full of five-year-olds, then, since you clearly prefer them over me?" Risox snapped, portaling away.
Koxra sighed. "I'll take Risox." She portaled to where she knew the Angel of Midnight would be.
Koxra spotted Risox sitting at Naught's Skyway. She had squatted down and was trembling. "Ris, you okay?" Koxra asked, sitting down next to her.
Risox wiped her eyes and looked up. "Yeah, fine."
"Oh, bull shit," said Koxra. "You wouldn't be crying if you were fine."
"I just didn't realize he hated me so much," said Risox.
"He doesn't," said Koxra. "You just pushed his buttons too hard."
"Why'd he say that, then?" asked Risox.
"He didn't mean it," said Koxra. "You just pushed him too far. Granted, that does take a lot, but you really get under his skin more than anyone else."
"You really think that's all it is?" asked Risox.
"Yeah," said Koxra. "Don't worry, I'm sure he feels bad about it."
"Even if that's true, I should go apologize for not having the sense to stop first and not taking him seriously," said Risox. "I just realized I could've seriously hurt him."
"At least wait till he cools off," said Koxra.
"I might as well wait till tomorrow, then," said Risox. "He looked majorly pissed."
"Yeah, but you'll have to either do it in the morning or around dinner," said Koxra. "We're going to Traverse Town tomorrow."
"Oh, guess I'll wait till we get back, then," said Risox. "Zexion's more easily antagonized in the morning."
"Yeah, why don't we just turn in?" said Koxra.
"Good idea," said Risox. "And thanks for telling me. That way, I don't have to talk to Saix."
"That was my plan," said Koxra. She watched as Risox headed to her bedroom. "Zexion does care about her, despite how often she drives him insane. Maybe one day, he'll realize how much he cares."
"Jeez, Zex, I know you're pissed, but that was completely uncalled for, got it memorized?" said Axel.
"Yes, I realize that now," said Zexion.
"I did warn you that anger can cause you to say things you don't mean," said Lexaeus.
Zexion sighed. "Yes. I suppose I should've been more in control. Especially since I really upset her."
"What do you mean?" asked Vilx. "I mean, I know she was a little mad, but she probably already forgot about it."
"You weren't looking at her face, Sixteen," said Zexion. "She was on the verge of tears and that was why she left so quickly."
"Excuse the pun, but I didn't know you could be that heartless," said Axel.
"Axel,—," Lexaeus began.
"No, Lexaeus," said Zexion. "Idiot though he is, he's absolutely right. I shouldn't have said that. I didn't really mean it, she just got on my last nerve and I snapped."
"I didn't think you meant it," said Vilx.
"I just hope I didn't upset her too much," said Zexion. "I'm usually in control and that was downright inexcusable. While I scold her on a daily basis, I've never exploded at her before."
"Hey, relax," said Axel. "Kosh went to check on her. And, knowing Ris, she'll bounce right back."
"Zexion, maybe you could try not being so harsh when you're yelling at her," said Vilx. "Maybe, if you reasoned with her, she would respond better."
"It's worth a try," said Zexion. "I don't know how else to reach her. Almost everything is a joke or a game to her. Sometimes I don't think she knows how to be serious which is why she frequently reminds me of a child."
"Zexion, it may seem like she can shake things off easily, but I've noticed she's fragile deep down," said Lexaeus. "And, despite her childish behavior, she is quite brilliant."
"Yeah, probably one of the few people in the Castle who understands what you're talking about most of the time," said Axel.
"Well, I'll admit she's quick to pick things up and always seems like she understands all of what I'm telling her," said Zexion. "If it weren't for her pranks and risk-taking tendencies, she would possibly be another me."
"She likes having fun, but she goes overboard a lot," said Axel. "And you rarely have fun, so you two kinda balance each other out in a way."
"I suppose," said Zexion. "If she would take fewer risks, my day would be complete."
"He's so in denial," Axel thought. "He cares for her more than he'd ever be willing to admit."
"Well, I suppose I'll speak with her tomorrow, seeing as it's gotten so late," said Zexion. "She can be ridiculously annoying, but I only yell at her when she does stupid things like roller-blading in the Castle because she could hurt herself. Hold on, why does it matter to me if she does? Do I actually care for her?"
And, there you have it, chapter 3. I was originally gonna end the chapter with Koxra's line, but I wrote a little more and I even typed in some lines that I didn't originally write in the notebook. I just put extra lines in cuz I'd be really mad if I wrote less than 6 pages and those lines helped me reach that.
About the fight, I just had to do it. While Risox annoys the hell out of Zexion, he really cares about her. He just has a hard time showing it, hence getting angry that she has no concern for her own safety.
Once again, three reviews, please.