4 - XIV

Roxas awoke on his seventh day of life, staring at his plain grey room and white bed for a few minutes.

Outside the window was the moonless sky of WTNW, skyscrapers reaching up into the skyline.

He stretched and got up abruptly, his feet hitting the ground harder than it should have.

As he wiped his eyes and yawned, he realized he barely remembered the events of the day before.

He knew he had talked to a man in a black coat, something about a name... And a voice that was familiar to him.

As Roxas thought this over, he realized he remembered the days before that even less; he couldn't remember anything from his first day, but he still remembered some of the other Members' names, more prominently Axel. What had been his part again? Roxas didn't know.

He walked down the hallway clumsily, attempting to adjust hood as he arrived in the Grey Area.

Larxene looked up from a couch and greeted him with an, "Ew, you're awake?"

A more high-ranking member, Xigbar, greeted him more kindly: "Hey, Roxas. Welcome to the program, as they say."

In the middle of the room stood Saïx, wearing the same expression from the day before. To his left stood Axel, gazing out the window.

Roxas walked over to him as Axel turned around to face the new Member.

"Heya Roxas."

Roxas just stared at the ground.

"Something I can help you with there, chatterbox?"

Again, Roxas gave no reply, as Axel crossed his arms in deep thought.

"Ah, I remember now. We were supposed to convene in the Round Room. Blegh, meetings..."

The room sounded familiar to Roxas, tilting his head as he tried to remember. "Round.. Room..?"

"Yup. Apparently the boss man's got some big news. Wanna head over there now?"

"Okay."

"Alrighty then. Follow me."

"What is... the boss's name...?"

"What, no one told you yet? Ugh, you gotta be kidding me... It's Xemnas. X-E-M-N-A-S." Axel pointed to his forehead, smiling mockingly. "Got it memorized?"

"I... I think so..."

"Heh, funny as ever, man."

They walked over to Saïx, who announced today's events. "Today's is an important meeting. I expect everyone to be there."

Axel smirked. "Yeah yeah, me and Roxas are gettin' there."

"Then go ahead, if you are so keen today."

"Fine. C'mon, Roxas."

Axel conjured a Dark Corridor to his right, gesturing Roxas to follow him. They both were enveloped in the shadows, and appeared seated on their respective thrones in the Round Room.

Soon, the other members appeared, some quite later than others. The last to arrive was Xemnas, as his voice boomed over the room.

"Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. A new one has been chosen to wear the coat."

From a Dark Corridor emerged a figure of about Roxas's height and stature, wearing the uniform of the Organization, hood over their face. They walked slowly towards the center of the room, looking up at the Members.

"No. XIV" introduced Xemnas, as he studied the new Member coldly.

Roxas looked at her, and was hit with a sudden memory.

"Let us all welcome one of the Keyblade's Chosen."

He was looking at the ground in the same position as the new Member, Axel behind him.

The memory then faded as the new Member looked at Roxas, smiling at him. Roxas gasped in surprise.

Xemnas called everyone's attention again. "I expect everyone to welcome both of our new Members kindly to the Organization. No. XIII and XIV shall begin work soon."

He waved his hand. "Dismissed."

No. XIV looked at Roxas again and smiled before wandering back into her Dark Corridor.

The other members disappeared one by one, until Roxas and Xemnas remained.

"You and No. XIV..." Xemnas said to Roxas softly, "I expect both of you to be great assets to us all."

He put his hand out toward Roxas, creating a Dark Corridor to consume him.

Roxas emerged in the Grey Area, where some members were just lounging about, as if nothing had happened.

Axel and No. XIV weren't there; probably dealing with something, Roxas thought.

Before Roxas could walk back to his room, Saïx walked over to him, carrying a pad of paper and a pencil.

"Roxas," he called, "I've got an activity for you to fulfill."

Roxas turned around. "Yes?"

"Have you ever heard of a diary?"

"No..."

"Well, here is your chance to learn. A diary is a writing of one's story through life, a chronicle of one's adventures." Saïx held up the pad and pencil. "And I would like you to make one for yourself, with these tools."

"You're gonna... Check it?"

"Oh, no. Diaries are a private thing, No. XIII. But perhaps by expressing your view of the day, you'll discover more about yourself."

Discover more about himself... Perhaps a diary wouldn't be a bad idea.

"So, shall you begin your entry for today?"

Roxas looked at the papers and nodded. "Yes."

Saïx handed Roxas the pad and pencil, and dismissed him to his room.

Roxas followed Saïx's orders, staring at the pencil and pad as he walked down the empty hallway to his small room.

On the cover was the Organization's strange insignia. Under it, in cursive, was Chronicles of -. Roxas held the pencil in his right hand, and (rather messily), wrote his name on the line.

He then opened the pad to the first page. On the first line, he wrote Day Seven.

Lying in bed, Roxas thought through the past events of the day, and began writing his first diary entry:

It's been a week since I got here. Saïx told me to keep a diary, but he said

nobody would check it. What am I supposed to write about?

Today they told us to go to the Round Room, where we met our new member,

No. XIV. Was I like that when I first got here? I think I was. But I don't

remember too well.

He read through it, and decided it was enough for today. He closed it, placing it on a grey sidetable.

He stared up at the ceiling, his mind wandering to the many questions he had about his life. Slowly, he fell asleep.