O.A.N. (Opening Author's Notes):
Yup, this is how I'll refer to this part from now on (do you see the anime reference *wink wink*? *Sigh* I'm a geek, I know).
Sooooo, this is chapter 2. I think it only took me about a little over a week to write it; however, I didn't post it right away because I like being ahead in my writing.
I must admit it was extremely disheartening for me to receive only one review (to which I'm very grateful) for the previous chapter. Hell, even the number of views was devastatingly low *sniff sniff*. I hope this doesn't mean my story isn't all that good. I think I'll keep testing the waters for a little longer before deciding on my next course of action. I've also noticed some readers skip the prologue. Don't do that, people (ò_ó)! The prologue is essential to the story.
.
Disclaimer:
Since I failed epically in the previous disclaimer, I decided to use my secret weapon…
*Drum rolls*
TADA! I introduce you to my staff—
Roxas: Well, technically we're not your staff.
Me: What? Why not? Aren't you working for me?
Roxas: That may be true but—
Me: Then you're mine!
Roxas: What are you, stupid? You're doing the exact opposite of what you're supposed to do in this part.
Me: *Pouts* Am not.
Roxas: *Glares* I am so not playing this childish game with you. Start acting your age!
Me: How cruel! *Sniff* How could you *sniff* stamp on the pure heart *sniff* of an innocent maiden *sniff*?
Roxas: *Rolls eyes* Whatever.
*Looks at readers* Anyway, KH is property of Square Enix and Disney.
Me: *Sniff* What about me?
Roxas: *Points at a nearby weeping bundle* She doesn't own anything besides the plot.
Me: *Wails* NOOOOOOO! WHYYYY? Why did you have to rub it in my face?
Roxas: *Sighs* Please don't mind the crazy lunatic and enjoy your read.
Chapter 02: Unhealed Wound
"To Organization XIII."
"WHAT!?" Roxas's eyes widened.
Organization XIII…
It was a name that made Roxas's blood chill; he hated anything related to the inhabitants of the Realm Between.
The hooded man crossed his arms. "Your Director's supposed to take a Gummi Ship there and is probably already waiting for your return… or not," he mumbled the last part. "Anyway, let's go." He started walking away.
Roxas didn't follow. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" he said defiantly then made his way in the direction where he had parked his Car-Bike.
"You sure are stubborn!" The man huffed before hurriedly following the blond.
When he almost reached his destination, Roxas fished his pocket for his keys. He heard a whistle from the direction of what he assumed was where the annoying man was standing.
"Nice ride!" The hooded person said as he approached.
Roxas rolled his eyes. Well… at least he was smart enough to not call it a car.
The tall figure started turning around the vehicle, taking in its every detail, and even ran a hand on it. Roxas could feel his eye twitch; he hated it when strangers touched his Proxima so casually.
When the mysterious man ended his examination, he turned to the irritated blond. "Man, the Ace sure has it good."
"Yeah, right," Roxas muttered under his breath. He unlocked the door and was about to get in but stopped abruptly and looked at the tall man. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Uh, getting in the car?" The hooded figure reached for the handle of the passenger door.
"Yes, I've figured that much. What I mean is: why are you still following me?" Roxas hissed in irritation.
"Uh, to show you the way to the Organization?" The man retracted his hand from the handle.
Roxas's patience ran out. "Are you deaf!? I told you I'm heading back to headquarters!"
The cloaked person sighed in exasperation. "Your Director said you wouldn't come with me easily, which is why he asked me to pass you this message in case you refused." He cleared his throat before relaying the message. "'If you do not show up at The Castle That Never Was, I will consider that our deal is off.' Whatever that means." He shrugged nonchalantly.
The blond froze in place; a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by the tall man and he kept observing the boy who seemed troubled.
After a little while, Roxas sighed and looked at the awaiting man. "Lead the way."
The words surprised the hooded figure. It must be one hell of a deal to drive him into such helplessness, he thought absently as he reached out to open the passenger door. When his hand almost touched the handle, he heard the door get locked and looked up in confusion.
Roxas put a hand on his hip and twirled the keys on the index finger of the other one. "I don't remember saying anything about you riding with me, do you? For all I know you could be an assassin or an imposter—the possibilities are endless. Besides, I have a strict policy against riding with suspicious strangers. I'll wait here while you go get your ride."
The cloaked figure smirked in amusement. "Then it's not a problem if I'm no longer a stranger, right?" He reached a hand and proceeded to removing the hood of his coat.
The first thing that caught Roxas's eye was the bright red color of the shoulder-length hair which was styled into slicked-back spikes. The redhead's eyes were a bright emerald color and Roxas noticed purple reverse-teardrop shaped markings under each eye.
Examining the tall man's appearance, Roxas narrowed his eyes in distrust. I find him even more suspicious now that he has removed his hood.
"The name's Axel, A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?" The redhead pointed a finger to his temple, smiling smugly.
And what the hell kind of name is that?
"Now, would you open the damn door?" The man put his hand on the passenger door handle.
"What about your ride?" Roxas insisted.
The redhead shrugged. "I'll send someone to get it back later; there's no way in hell I'm missing the chance to ride in this beauty," he said, patting the Car-Bike's armor, unaware that the irritated blond wanted to strangle him right then and there.
Releasing a heavy sigh, Roxas unlocked the doors. Without wasting a second, the redhead jumped into the vehicle and made himself comfortable in the back seat. He lost no time in exploring the vehicle's interior and didn't leave a corner untouched. It took a lot of restrain, self-control, and will power for Roxas to not rip the man's head off. After removing his gloves, he revved the engine then put his seatbelt, the entertained passenger following suit.
"I suppose you know the way to the border, right?" the redhead inquired expectantly.
Roxas nodded. "Theoretically, yes."
"Theoretically?" the man echoed skeptically with a raised red eyebrow.
Roxas sighed. "I remember the map but have never driven there," he explained dryly.
"Good enough." The redhead smiled. "Just drive there and I'll warn you when you stray from the right way. Once we reach the border, I'll give you directions to The Castle That Never Was." He adjusted himself into a relaxed position. "This is gonna be one long ride!"
Roxas had never set foot in the Realm Between since the day he and Sora had lost everything. As Keyblade Wielders, their hometown was once part of the Realm Between before the incident that took place seven years ago. The Land of Departure was where the remaining Keybladers who had survived the Keyblade War decided to start over. The small town in the neutral territory was the perfect place to rebuild the lives that had been destroyed by the war.
Roxas released a heavy sigh; he had hoped that he would never have to come back to that realm again. But there he was, on his way to the land that his brother and he had fled from without looking back.
The drive was mostly silent except for the redhead's soft snoring. Roxas scoffed. Wasn't he supposed to keep an eye in case we lost our way? Such a reliable help he is!
Since the Keyblade Graveyard was the closest to the Realm Between among the towns of the Realm of Light, it only took two long hours for the border to finally be in sight.
Glancing at the sleeping passenger in the back seat, Roxas rolled his eyes. Useless.
When they finally reached the border, Roxas stopped the vehicle and stared at the shimmering whitish barrier that stood before him. The Door to Light was the borderline separating the Realm of Light from the Realm Between just like the Door to Darkness separated the Realm of Darkness from the Realm Between. It had been said that both doors were ethereal prior the Keyblade War; however, because of the clashing between Light and Darkness during the conflict, the equilibrium had been upset and the barriers had suddenly become visible.
Roxas kept gazing at the barrier in front of him; it had been a long time since he had last seen it up close. After a moment, he decided it was time to cross to the other side. "Well, I guess it's time to wake up the Sleeping Beauty." He turned back to the still-sleeping extra luggage and nudged his knee. "Hey, wake up! We've reached the border."
The redhead stirred in his sleep then groaned. "What? Where are we?"
"At the Door to Light, where else?" Roxas answered irritably. "You said you'd give me directions from here," he reminded, impatience clear in his voice.
"Ah, yeah… right," the disoriented passenger responded groggily. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he straightened up then looked at the blond. "Once we cross the barrier, tell me if you start feeling… weird."
Roxas tilted his head to the side. "Weird?"
The redhead scratched his head. "Yeah… y' know… Since the atmosphere is different between the realms thanks to those damn barriers, your body will need time to adapt so…"
Roxas mouthed a silent 'ah' in understanding; he had completely forgotten this fact about the three realms.
Though it was unknown what triggered the brutal war between the Keybearers of Light and those of Darkness, its devastating impact affected the whole world. The scholars who studied the barriers after their formation concluded that they were the world's defensive mechanism to avoid another collision between Light and Darkness. However, this remained nothing but speculations and theories.
"I'll keep that in mind," Roxas said before revving the engine and crossing the border.
Following the redhead's directions, Roxas made his way through the empty atmosphere of the Realm Between. At first, the air still held some of the freshness that characterized the atmosphere of the Realm of Light; however, the closer they got to their destination, the staler the air felt. It was no surprise, though, since The Castle That Never Was lay close to the Door to Darkness and thus to the Realm of Darkness.
When they were far enough from the barrier, the man let out an exasperated groan. "Finally!"
Roxas looked at him briefly in confusion. "What is it?"
The tall redhead straightened up. "We're finally at a safe distance for me to use a corridor and spare us the long ride."
Blue eyes widened. "We're gonna use a Dark Corridor?"
The redhead blinked. "Yeah… unless you want us to spend endless hours on the road."
Roxas frowned. "But… what about the risk of being corrupted?"
The passenger shrugged. "Your Director said that you of all people should be just fine; something about your designed uniform being similar to our black coats. Besides, ever since the Time Warp incident some years ago, using the corridors became relatively safe 'cause the Realm Between lost the lingering Light and Darkness that remained trapped in it after the barriers appeared."
Despite his doubts, Roxas had no other choice but to believe what he was told. With a defeated sigh, he conceded. "I guess we'll have to do as you said, then."
With a satisfied grin, the crimson-haired man stretched his arm forward and a mist of black portal with a bluish hue appeared before the vehicle. Revving the Car-Bike, Roxas drove into the portal and a few seconds later he found himself in front of a huge castle. The duo stepped out of the vehicle and headed toward the massive building's only gate.
After entering the castle, Roxas silently followed his guide who swiftly made his way through the maze-like hallways. A few minutes later, they stopped in front of a big, white door. The redhead proceeded to opening the door, but only Roxas stepped in and the door was closed behind him. The room was large with a table in the middle and a few chairs. Moving closer, he could make out a single figure sitting on the chair farthest from the door.
"I see you made it back." The Director smirked in satisfaction upon seeing the blond.
Roxas looked at the man before him, trying his best to hide his contempt. The bastard wasn't sure I would return alive.
Xehanort looked the blond over; except for the dirt covering his clothes, the boy didn't have a single scratch. His smirk widened. "I knew you were ready."
Roxas took a deep breath and forced his polite-mode on. "Sir, may I ask what this is about?"
The Director relaxed in his seat and rested his elbows on the armrests. "Since the demons' attacks have become more vicious and their numbers have been multiplying, the Superior of Organization XIII and I have decided to join forces to fight this threat together."
Roxas furrowed his brow in confusion; weren't humans and Nobodies on bad terms?
Nobodies…
The creatures Roxas loathed with every fiber of his being. They were what remained of those who had lost their hearts to Darkness. Since they had no emotions, they were looked upon as monsters that lacked humanity and were feared and hated by humans. Despite having grown up in the Realm Between, where Nobodies had transferred their kingdom after the war, Roxas didn't share this opinion until the massacre seven years ago made him see them in a new light.
The Director's calm voice brought the blond back to reality. "When the Superior first approached me about this alliance, he wanted proof that Order VII would live up to its reputation and asked for a demonstration. That is why you were chosen for this task; you are the Order's most prized element, so it is only natural that you would represent our side. The mission you have been assigned was a test to judge your abilities; however…" he rested his chin on the back of his hand, "you will also be working here for a while."
Roxas frowned. "I'm afraid I don't understand, sir."
Xehanort smiled wickedly. "Since the Superior still had some doubts, the arrangement was that they get to keep you for an evaluation period," he calmly explained.
The answer made Roxas's blood boil. Evaluation period? What am I, a product with a trial version now?
Despite the burning urge to voice his objection, Roxas knew better than to protest. He knew firsthand that it was futile to argue with the Director; he was trapped with no way out of this. "How long will I be staying here?" he asked dejectedly.
Xehanort threaded his fingers. "As long as it takes for you to prove your worth."
Roxas's eyes widened as a wave of panic washed over him. "But, sir, I have to go back—"
"If it is your brother you are concerned about, rest assured; I will see to it that he is being looked after," the sinister man said with a knowing smirk.
Having nothing else to say, Roxas found himself cornered. Even though he had managed to complete the nearly-impossible mission, he would be staying here for an unknown period of time. So this is why Leon apologized back then; it feels as if I'm being sold in some sort of deal.
Taking the blond's silence as a sign of acceptance, Xehanort proceeded to giving him some final instructions. "During your stay here, you will be working with Axel, the one you came here with. I read his file this morning and I think you two will make a good team. I do not need to tell you this but as the Order's Ace, you must live up to your name, and above all, always use your regular Keyblade and show them your weapon's superior abilities." He stood from his chair. "You can leave now; I still have to discuss a few things with the Superior."
Roxas wasted no time in getting out; staying in the same room with the sinister man was suffocating. When he was outside, he started walking away while fiddling with his watch.
"There's a clock over there if you want to see the time," the green-eyed Nobody, who was still nearby, pointed at a big wall clock nearby.
Roxas looked at the man impassively then went back to his fiddling. He could tolerate the redhead during the trip because he had no other choice, but he had no intention of interacting with a Nobody.
The tall male scowled. What's his problem? He kept observing the blond and his brows furrowed in curiosity that increased when he saw him take the watch part off. To his surprise, the boy flipped the detached part open and his green eyes widened upon discovering that it was actually a small phone.
Leaving the amazed man behind as another cloaked figure approached, Roxas sought a private corner while he scrolled down his contacts list. Putting the watch-phone to his ear, he heard it ring and patiently waited for his brother to pick up.
"Hello? Roxas?" came Sora's nervous voice.
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Roxas smiled unconsciously. "Hi, Sor."
"What happened? How did the mission go? Are you hurt? Oh God, please tell me you're all right; if anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do—"
"I'm fine, Sora, so calm down before you give yourself a heart attack." Roxas chuckled. "The mission was a success so don't worry."
A relieved sigh sounded on the other end. "I'm so glad." There was a brief silence before the brunet spoke again. "So… when will you be back?" he asked hopefully.
Roxas frowned. "That's the reason I'm calling; I don't think I'll be returning any time soon."
"What? Why?"
Roxas sighed. "I'm not sure I understand either, but it seems I'll be staying away for a while."
"Away? Where?"
"Euuh…" Roxas trailed off, not knowing how to answer; should he tell his brother he was in the Realm Between and at Organization XIII no less?
Organization XIII was located at The Castle That Never Was in the town known as The World That Never Was. The Organization's members mainly did underground and illegal jobs such as assassination, reconnaissance and espionage, kidnapping, theft… You name it, they did it. But despite being part of the Realm Between, their services were also solicited by people from the Realm of Light; their name incited terror and distrust.
I'd better tell him everything 'cause I'm sure he'll find out sooner or later, Roxas reasoned. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly spoke, "I… right now I'm in… the Realm Between."
"WHAT!? WHY!?"
The outburst made Roxas pull the phone away before he could press it back against his ear. "Calm down, Sor, so that I can explain." He rubbed his eyes and could almost feel the upcoming headache. "I was sent here for something related to Organization XIII—"
"WHAT!? Organization XIII?"
"Sora," Roxas warned calmly.
"Sorry… Go on," the brunet said sheepishly.
"As I was saying," Roxas continued, "from what the Director said, it seems there's gonna be an alliance between Organization XIII and Order VII to fight the demons. I think it's mainly because their numbers have increased in the Realm Between and they're not well equipped to fight back the threat."
"I see…" Sora said thoughtfully. "And how do you fit in all this?"
My best guess is that I'm sort of like a product with a 'satisfied or refunded' guarantee. Roxas sighed. "Apparently, they want to make sure that the Order is a worthy ally or something like that, and as the Ace, I'll have to prove it to them."
Sora was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "And how long will you stay?"
"I… I'm not sure…" Roxas heard a faint complaining sound on the other end and could almost see the pout on his brother's face. "But don't worry, I'll try to come back soon," he quickly reassured.
Sora's answer came a little disheartened. "As long as you promise me to stay out of harm's way and call me every day."
"Will do," Roxas said with a small smile. After saying goodbye, he reattached the watch-phone to his wrist-band. Now, where will I be staying? He looked around a few times scanning his surroundings. Just where is that useless nuisance when you need him? Scanning the area for a sign of the redhead, he was starting to feel unusually tired; his head was heavy and his body was sluggish. I guess the change of atmosphere is starting to get to me.
"There you are; I've been looking for you."
The blue-eyed boy turned around upon hearing the annoying, familiar voice.
"Seriously, I take my eyes off you for a minute to talk to someone and the next thing I know you're nowhere in sight," the redhead said, advancing toward the younger boy.
"I'm free to go wherever I damn well please!" Roxas snapped; the unfolding events had taken their toll on him, which made him easily irritable.
"Aggressive much?" The tall man cocked his head in amusement.
Roxas pinched the bridge of his nose as his headache escalated; his mood had also taken a turn to the worse. "Whatever. Just take me to where I'll be staying," he said with forced calm.
"All right, come with me." The redhead started walking with the blond obediently following him. The boy was enjoying the silence until his guide decided to increase the throbbing of his head with his talk. "The Superior told me we'll be working together during your stay here."
"Yeah, great," Roxas said blandly.
"Your enthusiasm is overwhelming!" the man next to him commented sarcastically.
When the blond opened his mouth to retort, he was cut off.
"Is that him?" an unfamiliar, deep, male voice boomed.
Looking behind the redhead, Roxas saw two males and a female approaching. All three of them were also wearing similar black coats but the garments weren't quite the same. Blue eyes were rolled. Great! More Nobodies.
"So this is Order VII's famous Ace?" the owner of the same voice asked, examining the blond boy with doubtful blue eyes. He had short platinum-blond hair in a Caesar cut and an ungodly number of earrings in both ears. Looking closer, Roxas noticed the man also had a goatee.
"What!? Are you telling me this twerp is the one we've been informed about?" said a woman with a slicked back, jaw-length, bright, blond hair with two long, antennae-like strands.
Roxas was in no mood to start a quarrel over the insult but raised a curious eyebrow at the girl's appearance. Was she an insect in a previous life or something?
"You shouldn't underestimate him, Larxene. Didn't you hear what Axel told us?" another man interjected. Among the three of them, he had the most unusual appearance: golden eyes, pointed ears, eyepatch on the right eye, jagged scar on the left cheek, and dark hair with several gray streaks tied into a long ponytail.
The girl's bright green eyes were skeptical. "I only believe what I see with my own eyes."
The platinum-blond crossed his arms in defiance. "For my part, the way Axel described his fight at the Keyblade Graveyard makes him live up to his reputation."
"Yeah, kiddo, it's not easy to impress our Axel; you must be really something!" the guy with golden eyes stated, addressing Roxas. The blond, however, didn't seem interested in the least by the conversation and was more preoccupied with his declining health.
Noticing that the boy was growing pale, the redhead decided to put him out of his misery. "If you'll excuse me, guys, I need to show our honorable guest to his room."
Though Roxas would never admit it, the voice announcing his salvation was music to his ears.
After the duo parted from the other three Nobodies, it didn't take long for them to come to a stop in front of a door similar to many other ones that they had passed on their way. Once inside, Roxas barely had the strength to stand on his feet. Without paying attention to anything else besides the bed in-between the window and door, he trudged over to the tempting sanctuary and ungracefully slumped down on the mattress.
"You sure are young for the position you're holding," the redhead started a conversation which was met with silence. "Maybe being a Keyblader has something to do with it." Silence. "Are you listening?" More silence. "Oh, I see. Are you one of those arrogant jerks who think too highly of themselves and ignore the others because they consider themselves superior?"
Roxas's patience was starting to wear thin. "Just leave me alone already! I don't want to be around Nobodies any more that I absolutely have to!" he snapped with a murderous glare.
The redhead crossed his arms and smiled at the boy coldly. "I see you're just like all the other humans who hate Nobodies."
"I have my reasons," Roxas hissed in a tone dripping with venom.
"Oh, really?" the standing man said mockingly. "'Cause we, Nobodies, despise humans, but you don't see us treating you with hostility."
"You've done enough damage already," Roxas muttered darkly as he lowered his head. He heard some footsteps before hearing the door close. He lifted his head to make sure he was finally alone then lay down on the bed and stared at the white ceiling. Being back to the Realm Between seemed to awaken his dormant hatred for its inhabitants. He could never forgive the ones who had caused Sora and him so much grief.
Such a deep
Unhealed Wound.
As tired blue eyes closed, only one thing was on their owner's mind. I wonder when I'll get back to Sora. And with that final thought in mind, he found himself pulled into a surprising, yet welcome, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Roxas woke up to unfamiliar surroundings: a white room with metal-like walls, an uncomfortable white bed, and a window overlooking an empty, black sky. It took him some time to figure out where he was and when he did, he moaned in dismay. So it wasn't all just a bad dream.
A quick look at his watch revealed that it was morning, but the lack of light contradicted this fact. After wallowing in sorrow for a few more minutes, Roxas decided to face the ordeals the day had in store for him. Dragging himself out of bed, he stood in front of the window and observed the view outside; the dark sky was a very gloomy sight and being close to the Realm of Darkness only added to the depressing atmosphere.
The sound of the door opening snapped the blond from his contemplation.
"Good morning, Sunshine!" A very recognizable voice greeted cheerfully.
Roxas groaned at the teasing nickname; he couldn't handle the redhead's pestering this early in the morning. "Don't call me that!" he turned around and hissed through gritted teeth.
"Why not?" The redhead smirked impishly. "With that golden, spiky hair of yours, you can easily pass as a walking sun."
Roxas knitted his eyebrows together in irritation. "Then how about I call you Flamesilocks while we're at it?"
The redhead's smile vanished. "Did you hear it from Xigbar?"
"Who?" Roxas asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste.
"Never mind," the tall male dismissed the subject. "Buuuut…" He smiled mischievously. "I'll allow you to use that nickname if I get to call you Goldilocks in return," he emphasized the offending nickname.
Roxas was mortified. "Over my dead body!"
"Awww… You're no fun, Goldi—"
"Don't," Roxas warned menacingly, "or I swear I'll beat the hell out of you."
The blond seethed with anger as his threat seemed to amuse the older male who laughed without restrain. "I'd really like to see you try."
Roxas crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Shall I remind you that I didn't acquire the Ace position without earning it?"
"Yeah? Well, I'm not half bad myself." The redhead smiled cockily.
Roxas eyed him doubtfully. "Why do I find that hard to believe?"
A wicked smile adorned the tall male's lips. "Then I guess I'll have to prove it to you. We have our first mission together today so it'll be the perfect opportunity."
"Knock yourself out." Roxas shrugged indifferently.
The green-eyed man scowled at the boy's lack of reaction but brushed it off. "First, we need to go to the Grey Area to receive the details. I'm sure the others are already…"
Roxas drowned out the redhead's exasperating voice; this was only his first day in the Organization and he already wanted to hang himself. However, before starting his list of suicide plans, he reasoned that he should first try to soldier on and save the suicide option as his last resort. Despite his unwillingness to deal with his sworn enemies, he had to swallow his rancor and cooperate with them. No matter how much he hated it, he simply had to accept this predicament. After reaching this enlightening conclusion, all that was left to do was stick to it. However, it was easier said than done.
"Hey, you coming?" the crimson-haired male called, halfway to the door.
Roxas put a hand on his hip and lowered his head to the side, releasing a heavy sigh, then looked back at the waiting man. "All right, let's go, Ax…" he trailed off thoughtfully, "ess."
"EL!"
"Whatever."
Meanwhile, somewhere in The Castle That Never Was, a man with long, blue hair with wild spikes at the top was sitting on one of many marble, throne-like chairs in a circular room. He had pointed ears and an X-shaped scar between his yellow eyes. On the highest chair, another man with pointed ears was leaning back with his right elbow on the armrest and his chin resting on the knuckles of his fisted hand. The intimidating man had orange eyes and tanned skin, and his hair was silver and reached about mid-back.
"Lord Xemnas, how long do you plan to keep the Order's Ace here?" the man with blue hair spoke in a calm tone.
"I haven't decided yet. It all depends on Axel's reports on the upcoming missions."
The blue-haired Nobody nodded. "From what Axel said about the test mission, the boy seems quite useful and his fighting skills are remarkable."
The silver-haired man smirked. "Of course! He's not Order VII's Ace for nothing." He then turned to the other Nobody. "Now go give Axel his mission description and make sure he understands perfectly what's expected of him."
"Yes, sir," the blue-haired man replied before disappearing into a Dark Corridor.
When only the tanned man remained in the room, he put both his hands on the chair's armrests and mused in a quiet voice. "A Keybearer who is not the one we're seeking…" He paused for a moment then smiled wickedly. "I'm curious to know how come there's another survivor of the Keyblade Massacre other than the Chosen One."
Upon reaching their destination, apparently known as the Grey Area, Roxas could hear faint voices coming from the room ahead. After entering, he recognized the trio he had met the previous day and they seemed engrossed in a conversation with some other members who were sitting on the couches placed at the right side of the room.
"I think my new experiment is going to work this time," a man with long, pale-blond hair and two relatively long bangs framing his face spoke.
"As if!" The guy with eyepatch scoffed.
"Come on, Vexen, you say that every time. I think it would be best if you just admitted that you're a shitty Necromancer," the girl from last time cackled.
"Yeah, everyone knows that Zexion over there…" the one-eyed man pointed at a member reading a book on a couch on the opposite side of the room, "… is the best Necromancer there is."
Upon hearing his name, said member raised his head and looked impassively at the group. He had steel-blue hair which sported messy bangs that completely covered the right side of his face. Without saying a word, he went back to reading his book as if it held the answers to the universe's most fascinating mysteries.
When no one seemed to notice the standing pair, Axel took it upon himself to make their arrival known. "Yo, everyone, please welcome our newcomer," he announced, drawing everyone's attention to them.
Roxas almost growled. Don't say it like I'm one of you.
The room went dead silent as all its occupants ceased their chatter and turned to look at Roxas. The blond was starting to feel nervous under their scrutiny but refused to let it show. The silence went on until a member who had a girly face and fluffy, shoulder-length, rose-pink hair with ruffles approached the blond.
Roxas scoffed. And I thought that annoying Axel guy's hair was ridiculous.
"So, this is the famous Keyblade Wielder," a male voice belied the feminine features.
Roxas blinked and couldn't help but voice his surprise. "You're a man?"
Rather than being insulted, the man smiled and held a rose to his chest. "Ah, I guess my beauty is just too awe-inspiring." He raised the back of his other hand to his forehead and closed his blue eyes in a dramatic pose. "It's both a gift and a curse."
"That's Marluxia for ya! Only he would take pride in such an offending question." The blonde girl laughed.
And just like that, the awkward silence was broken and the room went back to its liveliness.
Motioning for the blond boy to sit at one of the empty spaces, Axel took a seat next to the guy with steel-blue hair, earning himself a glare. "Awww, Zexion, are you still holding a grudge against me for setting one of your books on fire? Come on, it was only this one time," he half-whined, which didn't seem to have much of an effect.
"As if! You keep playing with fire like that and you'll burn the whole castle next."
"I didn't ask for your pearls of wisdom, Xigbar." Axel glared at the golden-eyed man who only threw his head back and laughed.
From the other corner of the room, the man with the goatee yelled. "Hey, Lexaeus! How about a poker game?"
Sitting on one of the couches to the left, a giant man with auburn hair slicked back into odd messy spikes lifted his head and glared at the platinum-blond Nobody. Despite his unusually huge build, the man's presence had gone completely unnoticed due to his deathly silence.
"Leave him alone, Luxord," Axel yelled back. "You know he's not into this stuff as much as you are."
"I know; I just wanted to hear him say something." The platinum-blond roared with laughter.
Looking across the Grey Area from where he was still standing, Roxas examined the different Nobodies one by one, mentally labeling them. First impressions in order of appearance: a crazy pyromaniac, a pincushion gambler, a mutant bug, an elflike pirate, a mad scientist, an antisocial bookworm, a narcissistic androgyny, and a mute colossus. He scoffed. This sure bodes well! A thought crossed his mind and he chuckled lightly to himself. Demyx would definitely feel right at home here and would be a valuable addition as a lazy musician.
Roxas made his way toward one of the couches on the left side and took a seat as far as he could from the Nobodies, which wasn't all that far considering they were filling the room. He had only met eight out of the thirteen members of the Organization and a thought kept nagging at him. I'm yet to meet the other members of this freak show as well as the dreadful ringmaster, but… He shook his head in dismay.
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Just what the hell kind of place is Organization XIII?
E.A.N. (Ending Author's Notes):
Ha, another anime reference (only uses this excuse to cover up her uncreativity (if that's even a word)).
And that's the end of chapter 2. What did you think of it? Like it? Hate it? Just drop a comment and let me know. Feel free to tell me what you think is going to happen or what you think should happen next. Even though the story is pretty much set into stone, your reviews may inspire me to include new things or give me ideas that could even make this fiction deviate from the original path and throw it in a completely different direction.
On a side note, Axel ended up very different from the way he was first intended to be. He was supposed to be very cold and indifferent, but for some reason, he ended up very close to his personality in KH. I'm not sure whether it's a good or a bad thing. We'll see in the future.
Now that this has been said, please review *puppy dog eyes*.
Readers: It doesn't work unless it is done by someone cute.
Me: *Frowns* How mean! *Kicked puppy eyes*.
Readers: It's useless.
Me: Tch!
*Looks around then smiles evilly*
*Grabs Sora and throws him in front of the readers*
Sora: *Looks around confused* Wh-what's going on?
Me: Don't ask questions and just ask for reviews. If it's you who's doing the puppy dog eyes strategy, readers will definitely succumb. I would've asked Roxas but I'm sure his demon lord glare will have the opposite effect.
Sora: B-but—
Me: Don't argue with me and do it!
Sora: *Frightened* P-please review.
Me: The puppy dog eyes, Sora!
Sora: *Teary puppy dog eyes*.
Me: *Smiles in satisfaction* Good boy *pats Sora's head*.
*Looks at readers* Come on! You can't resist that face; it's a crime!
*Whispers to Sora* The teary touch was a smart move. I didn't know you were such a good actor.
Sora: *Mumbles* It wasn't an act… I was scared for my life.
Me: What was that, Sora?
Sora: *Shaking* N-nothing.
Me: All right, go join the others.
Sora: *Scurries away crying* Roooxaaaas!
Me: *Looks at Sora's retreating figure* Awww, how enthusiastic!
