IF anyone asks why I am skipping a number of weeks is because I realized how boring it will be if I keep writing about the regular missions. I will be focusing on the later half of the year which involves a little something...

Disclaimer: I only own OCs. this disclaimer applies to all other chapters as well.


Week 28: Back to Regular Missions

(Day 5: Lyxshel's Dinner Duty?)

Seven peaceful weeks have passed ever since Lyxshel and Axel returned from Castle Oblivion. Looks like Heartless activity is on the rise ever since the entire fiasco. Roxas and Xion have been through a lot of strange occurrences. Roxas started dreaming about a brunette boy, while Xion lost her ability to call her keyblade every once in a while. Both of them tried asking around but no one knows the answer. Roxas managed to come up with one very simple solution: lend Xion the keyblade. Apparently it worked. Her ability to call her keyblade returned after spending a couple of missions using a borrowed keyblade. Roxas borrowed Lyxshel's sword in exchange.

It was Lyxshel's turn for cooking dinner that week and it became very evident that she cannot cook very well. Although most of her dishes are edible, Xemnas opted against eating it. Luxord challenged the others to play poker for the soup. The loser has to finish up the entire dish. Since Xaila, Lyxshel and Xion are busy cleaning up the kitchen, only the boys played. Axel loses for the first time, bringing Xigbar's losing streak to an end. However, it did not go too well for the organization as beans give off flammable gas when digested and with Axel... well flammable gases and fire does not mix.

Almost every time Axel burped, streams of fire emerged from his mouth instead of the normal gas. Soon enough, every single member of the organization and their lesser nobody servants were hiding in the meeting room, afraid that they might become a victim. They went out only after Axel stopped burping but by that time, the entire castle has been covered by ashes and soot. Xemnas, for the first time ever, joined his underlings to clean the castle up as he felt responsible somehow for not asking if any of his underlings can cook properly. Xaila opted to take over all of Lyxshel's kitchen duty days, leaving her and Xaldin totally in charge of the kitchen. Why Xaldin? Only he knows what the superior likes. Of course, Lyxshel's disappointed that her food is used for gambling.

After the castle was neatly cleaned, the older members of the organization started drinking wine in celebration for a job well done. Axel wanted some but Xaldin refused to give him and so he did something that is... well... most annoying. Since flammable stuffs and fire doesn't mix, well... let's just say Xaldin was extremely angry over what happened and spent the remaining evening chasing after the hothead.

After the chase, the group spend the remaining hours watching some movies that Demyx 'acquired' from somewhere. After the movies, Xaila was too tired to even move and dozed off on Lyxshel's couch without even bothering to move to her own room.


(Day 6: Pranks and Counter-Pranks)

There's a saying in the organization that goes like this: 'Let sleeping nobodies lie.' And our friend Axel here is about to know the reason why, the hard way. Axel deemed today as being too quiet (once again) and so he decided to pull a prank someone. That unfortunate person happened to be Xaila, sadly for her. She was still sleeping on the couch after watching the late night movie yesterday.

"You know, she does look cute whenever she's asleep," Demyx said. "Look at that peaceful face. I've never seen her smile like that before."

"Yeah and she's vulnerable right now," Axel whispered.

"What are you doing!?" Demyx frantically said in a whisper. "She's too innocent to go through what..."

He stopped to he looked at what Axel was doing. So far it seems harmless enough. Axel brought a bowl of warm water. Axel approached her stealthily and took off her glove before dipping it in a bowl of warm water.

"Just wanting to see if the theories are true..." Axel said. "Xigbar said something about this and now is my chance to test it!"

True enough, everyone laughed at the poor girl when rumours spread about what happened and she was so upset. She cried and for five hours refused to meet anyone else. She eventually opened the door, but only let Lyxshel and Demyx in.

"How can Axel be so cruel? Aren't we supposed to be friends?" Xaila complained. "Now everyone thinks I wet the bed! Even Saïx is laughing so hard when he sees me!"

"Aww… don't let his little pranks get you down, Xaila," Demyx grinned mischievously. "In fact, I have the perfect counterattack in mind."

"How?" Xaila asked.

"Well he is a natural fire element right?" Demyx said as he smirked. "Let's just say that fire and water don't mix. Humidity does get in the way of his hairstyle and all since water is not his best friend. That's why he would never approach water unless it's time for him to bathe."

"I get it! Dunk him with a bucket full of cold water!" Lyxshel said.

Xaila nodded and looked for a bucket right away. She filled it with water before Lyxshel casted a few Blizzard spells on it to chill it down and waited around the corner close to Axel's room. He was talking to Roxas and Xion about what happened and they were busy talking up to the point that Axel didn't realize what's coming to him. Obviously the two others did for they were staring at the silhouette of someone carrying a bucket and was expecting the worst possible scenario.

3...

2...

1...

"Gotcha! This is payback for back then!" Xaila said as she dunked Axel using the bucket.

"Uh oh..." Roxas said. "This looks bad."

"Run!" Xion immediately ran away. The other three followed suit.

A wet Axel stood right there without reacting for quite a few seconds before he yelled rather loudly. Steam rose from beneath the bucket occupied by his head and when he took it off, his hairstyle is definitely ruined. Demyx is right... fire and water don't mix. It is no wonder that sometimes Demyx and Axel cannot get along very well.

Axel offered an olive branch to Xaila later after lunch, with Xaila accepting it rather fast. Hours later the girls were hanging out around the moon fountains, an area just added to the castle by the superior thanks to the girls' request. For some unknown reason he decided to be a little generous today, although he insists that he do the designing. As expected, the fountains are in the shape of hearts, but hey at least he did make it.

"Hey ladies," Xigbar said as he appeared upside down as usual. As they are used to see him appearing suddenly, they are not even surprised.

"Hello Xigbar," the three girls stated lazily before Xaila detected something and pinched her nose.

"Eew... something stinks!" she said. The other two girls pinched their nose as well after sniffing the air around them for a while.

"Beware the winds of despair," Xigbar said while smirking.

"Hey!" Xaldin's voice was heard from a distance. "Don't copy my lines you idiot!"

That evening is a time yet for another proper prank, as Axel already warned Demyx to keep the kids in a room for the duration of the entire escapade.

"Why should we stay in a room?" Roxas asked.

"Not tellin' ya. Got it memorized?" Axel said.

"Are you going to burn the dining room in record time again?" Xion asked suspiciously. Burning down the dining room once every four weeks has been Axel's old habit.

"Nope. That thing's too old now. I needed something else," Axel said before he ported off.

"Alright, kids. Into a room and don't get out until I say so," Demyx said.

"Do you know what he'll be doing?" Xaila asked.

"Oh you'll know soon enough," Demyx said.

A loud boom rocked the castle and they looked outside to realize that a part of the castle has been blown to smithereens. The four of them looked at the damage Axel caused within a few minute as if their jaws had dropped. Thankfully it hasn't. The door slammed open to reveal a very pissed looking Saïx.

"Where is that Axel?" he asked.

"We don't know. He told us to stay indoors before that happened," Demyx said. Saïx slammed the door in his rage and left. No sooner he did that Axel arrived.

"Hey, uh… have you seen Saïx around?" Axel asked.

"You just missed him," Demyx said.

"I guess I better hide," he said as he hid in the wardrobe.

"Axel! Not in my wardrobe!" Roxas protested but he was a little too late. Axel already hid in there.

"What did you do anyway?" Lyxshel asked.

"I blow Vexen's old lab to smithereens," Axel said with pride. "There's too much explosive chemicals in there to be left on their own."

Saïx eventually located him and a huge fight breaks out, only to have Xigbar and Xaldin restraining Saïx and telling the group the bad news of getting to sleep in the store room because of the little stunt Axel pulled and the fight between Axel and Saïx. The superior will be trying to fix the damage caused by the ruckus while Xigbar and Xaldin will be keeping an eye on any movement made by Axel. Saïx will be punished for his little rampage. Needless to say, Axel is pleased at his own work while the girls frowned. Not only they lose their privacy, they must share a room with the boys for a night thanks to Axel's stunt. The fight between the wild man and the hothead causes rooms number thirteen to sixteen to be badly damaged. Of course, that means they lose their regular clothes as well. Demyx is the innocent victim, being assigned by Xemnas to make sure that Axel doesn't do anything funny in the storeroom.

"You three better don't try anything funny!" Xion warned as she tucked into her bed. She's already wearing her pajamas.

"We won't," Demyx and Roxas said at the same time while sending a questioning look at Axel.

"I don't know about him, though," Roxas said.

"Relax! I won't try anything funny!" Axel said.

Xaila sat on the edge of her bed and was about to remove her clothes, but luckily she remembered where she is sleeping now on time to stop doing so and headed for the public toilet to change. Lyxshel falls asleep almost as soon as she hits the bed, not bothering to change use her blanket at all. By the time Xaila returned, Lyxshel is already snoring softly and peacefully on her bed. Apparently Xion covered Lyxshel with her blanket.

"Wow. She must be very tired today," Xion said.

"I dunno. I was the one being pranked at in the morning. Maybe she's not feeling too well," Xaila said while keeping an eye on the three boys before she turns off the light. Everything was silent for about a few minutes until a crash followed by a yelp was heard. The room is still dark, but it is obvious who that is and what happened.

"What now…" Xion sighed.

"Oh man! Only Demyx will fall for that!" Axel said.

"Don't tell me you tripped him…" Xaila said.

"Oh do you people ever sleep!?" Lyxshel yelled. The crash must've waked her up. "I swear if anything else happens I'm gonna kick every single one of you out of this room."

"Okay! Sheesh. You have no sense of humor," Axel said.

"And you have no sense of time, Axel. Now shut up and go to sleep," Roxas said.


(Day 7: Stalker[?] And More Pranks)

It is the last day of the week, but Lyxshel couldn't stop thinking about something. She kept pacing back and forth in the kitchen, saying something about a stalker. Naturally, this caused the other five to get worried so they decided to ask her to provide details regarding her stalker.

"So, you know anything about this... stalker?" Axel asked.

"Not much. He is wearing red and have this dog following him everywhere," Lyxshel said.

"A dog?" Demyx wondered.

"Yeah. You know what the worst part is?" Lyxshel asked.

"What?" Roxas and Xion asked at the same time.

"That dog always managed to follow me even if I ported somewhere else," Lyxshel said. "Probably they were waiting for me to leave the castle now."

"Why don't we ambush him first?" Xaila asked.

The six of them walked towards the place where the castle and the city meet. Using their keyblade, Roxas and Xion opened a path for them to walk towards the city and it was then that this man in red appears through some kind of inter dimensional rift.

"Haha! I've been waiting for you!" he said.

"What do you want?" Axel asked.

"I am Gilgamesh, the legendary fencer!" Gilgamesh said before he pointed to Xaila, Lyxshel, Roxas and Xion. "And I'm here for those lovely blades of yours!"

"Oh... so that's why..." Lyxshel said. She was expecting a stalker but this is something else. The one being stalked is not her, but her sword.

"Yes and now we fight like men! And women!" Gilgamesh said. That sentence apparently caused Demyx to snap.

"Did you just call me a pussy?" Demyx asked with fury that has never been seen on him before.

"Maybe I just did," Gilgamesh said flatly as he took a sword out. "Witness the strength of Excalibur!"

Gilgamesh struck Roxas, but apparently did no actual damage besides causing Roxas to be flung backwards a few steps.

"Whoops... that was Excalipoor..." Gilgamesh said before placing the sword back and taking another one that looks like it. "Now let's try this again. Witness the strength of Excalibur!"

The group fought against Gilgamesh for a while. It became apparent that he relied on his dog for his attacks. The dog, Enkidu, often distracts his target long enough so that he can move in for the kill. Axel and Demyx have both been injured earlier than expected.

"That dog is a real threat. Never expected that to happen," Axel said as he rubbed the part where Enkidu bit him. Demyx is out of commission, albeit only temporarily.

"Hahah! This fight isn't over yet!" Gilgamesh said as one of his remaining five arms reached for another sword. This one looks very menacing but has the word 'Fake' on it. "Fear this sword that has been used by three generations of warriors!"

"Probably just a replica of the real deal," Roxas said. That caused Gilgamesh to stop in his tracks before looking at the boy.

"You really do know how to hurt an old man's feelings, you know that," Gilgamesh complained before he resumed his attacks.

Gilgamesh used the two swords with great effect, especially since he only uses one hand to wield each weapon while keeping his other four hands free. His arm took yet another sword, a katana.

"This blade is well known for being able to strike before you even realize it!" Gilgamesh said proudly.

It wasn't before long until each of Gilgamesh's arms carries a sword on its own, deflecting attacks sent in his direction while counterattacking at the same time. He tends to focus his moves on Demyx since he's the only one blasting at him from a distance. However, it becomes clear to him that he cannot win this six-against-two fight and decided to retreat.

"I would rather live and try again than die in shame," Gilgamesh said. "Let's run, Enkidu!"

"What a weird guy," Roxas said. "But he's tough."

"I think he'll be back for round two some other time," Xion said.

"I guess. He didn't look like the type's that going to give up just like that anyway," Xaila said.

"Do you think he's behind that sudden surge of heartless?" Demyx wondered.

"I don't think so..." Xaila said. "I didn't sense any darkness about him."


After spending the entire morning dealing with this legendary fencer, Lyxshel chooses to wander on her own throughout the castle that afternoon, feeling much better that her stalker had been taken care of for now. She came across Xigbar and Xaldin, who was talking the kitchen that is reserved for the higher ups. She stopped in order to eavesdrop on the conversation and found something interesting. They were talking about the old days, when Xigbar actually mistook Larxene's underwear for an eye patch. That caused Xiggy to have one of his eyes permanently mutilated. Lyxshel laughed when she heard about the scoop, but the direction which the conversation is heading to intrigues her more.

"You know, if I was gay, you'd so be my bitch," Xaldin said.

"… What?" Xigbar asked. He stopped reading his newspaper and glared at Xaldin.

"You heard me, bitch," Xaldin sniggered.

"You got to be kidding me, fuzz face!" Xigbar said. "I can put you over this table and totally have my way with you right now!"

"Really?" Xaldin asked.

"Yeah," Xigbar said.

"Hah! Tough talk, Xiggy! You wouldn't stand a chance!" Xaldin said as he lunged at Xigbar.

'Oh my god... they're really going to do it!' Lyxshel thought as she watched the brawl that is going on. Of course, she decided to take a video out of what they are doing since they have yet to realize about it and kept it safely.

"Heheh. This is perfect black-mail materia…" Lyxshel muttered to herself while giggling uncontrollably, but soft enough that the brawling duo didn't hear anything. Xaila walked next to her when she heard the scuffle going on.

"What are those two doing?" Xaila asked.

"Go inside and see for yourself," Lyxshel whispered.


Xigbar and Xaldin is still busy with each other up to the point that they didn't realize the pair of girls outside, hearing whatever that they have been arguing about, and one is about to enter and see what is going on.

"Oh yeah? You're so damn slow that I'd be behind you before you even know what's going on!" Xigbar's voice was heard.

"Slow? Why you little!" Xaldin said. Xaila took this moment to appear right at the entrance. Both seniors realized that they have company, and at such a bad timing too. Xaldin is pinning Xigbar to the ground and Xaila looked really horrified at the scene before shivering while pointing fingers at them.

"Oh Light! It's true!" Xaila said while pointing at the two before warping off. Outside, Lyxshel notices this and warped off as well.

"Wait… what's true?" Xaldin asked.

"I don't kno…" Xigbar was about to say but he was cut off before they realized something.

"Why do I have the feeling that something bad is about to happen?" both of them said at the same time.

True enough, the fun begins a few hours later. Xaila started it by asking Xigbar to do her a favour.

"Umm, senpai, can you help me wash my coats?" Xaila asked.

"Why would you ask someone higher up to do your job?" Xigbar asked. "That is a little rude ain't it?"

"Well, unless you want the entire incident with Xaldin this afternoon to be known to everyone, then be my guest," Xaila said.

"Who would believe you anyway? It's not like you have any proof of it?" Xigbar asked while smirking but Xaila's face changes. She gave him a mischievous, yet evil, grin. Xigbar's smirk disappeared, turning into a frown. "Oh... tell me you didn't record it?"

"Actually, I did," Xaila said.

At the same time, Lyxshel's doing the same thing with Xaldin. Of course, he tried to stab her camcorder first using his six spears but she dodges and did the same with her own weapons, therefore parrying all of his six lances. Seeing no other way, both of them decided to follow what their juniors tell them to do, for now…

Xaldin chose the lesser evil: helping Lyxshel with her job, but Xigbar tried to get back at Xaila, thus breaking the deal. That makes him the next target for Xaldin's stabbing tendencies. Xemnas did tell the younger nobodies that they used to have more than just thirteen members before Xion joined, but Xaldin took it on himself to eliminate the other, more annoying ones. That is also one of the reasons why there are sixteen rooms but only thirteen members. Marluxia used to be the fifteenth, but since Xaldin killed four people, he became the eleventh. Xemnas has to tell him off by giving him a pair of scissors and stacks of coloured paper.

"Stab the paper, not the others," Xemnas said. His patience obviously running thin.

Axel, Demyx, Roxas and Xion cannot stop laughing about what that has been going on in the video. They didn't believe that Xaldin and Xigbar actually did that at first, but the video Lyxshel recorded is proof enough for them. If they have a heart right now they would've posted the video online and embarrass their higher ups further.


Before dinner, another interesting event is recorded by Lyxshel. Obviously Xigbar has discovered something by anagram-ing Xemnas' name to spell something else and the superior really dislikes ingrates. After saving Xigbar's ass from Xaldin's earlier on, the superior is still in a bad mood. Lyxshel gets to see Xigbar calling names to the superior, and how did the superior retaliates? Kissing Xigbar on the face! Once again, she has another embarrassing event that happened to Xigbar recorded in her camcorder. This time, however, she only showed it to her own friends.

Axel and Demyx cannot hold their laughter when they saw Xigbar buys a large amount of mouthwash from the moogles. He can't stop vomiting either. Either way, the kiss did a good job on number two, who can be one of the most annoying seniors ever. Just like what Axel told Roxas on his initiation days: Xaldin has male PMS and will not resist to stab anyone that tries to talk to him; Do not touch Xigbar's eye patch as it will get you killed; Demyx's mullet is a very sensitive topic for him as Roxas found out when Demyx cried after he said that his hairstyle doesn't fit; Do not play poker with Luxord unless you want to get stripped.


After sharing a good laugh, they decided to head over to the clock tower once again to enjoy the evening in peace, far away from the stiff or annoying higher ups. They noted that there's something strange about the mansion yet again and the girls decided to investigate while the boys went to buy some snacks and ice cream. When they arrived, they spotted a girl wearing black coat much like them, but she had elven ears, light purple skin and is wearing a blindfold. She looks surprised at the trio's appearance.

"Another organization member?" Xion wondered.

"Cecily?" she asked. "Is that you?"

"…"

"Cecily? This darkness… it is you isn't it?" she asked.

"No! I'm not Cecily!" Xaila said. "Don't call me with that name!"

"Surely you haven't forgotten about me?" she asked.

Tears started to form on Xaila's eyes before she ported somewhere else, leaving her two friends dumbfounded before they followed suit. They found Xaila crying at the clock tower. It is very obvious that the chance meeting has a rather unwanted effect on the girl.

"Who was that?" Lyxshel asked. She sounds concerned.

"I never thought I would see my old rival right here and right now…" Xaila said. "That girl… is… was... my best friend."

The girls managed to cheer her up before the boys arrived, thankfully and they were too dense, as Xion said, to notice anything different. Back at the mansion, the elven girl was soon joined by another person wearing the organization's coat, except that he has his hood up.

"Was that…" he asked.

"No doubt about it. She is my best friend's nobody," she said. "That scent of her darkness is all too familiar. Riku, can you do me a favour and track them down?"

"It's Ansem," he said.

"Don't try that with me. It just doesn't work that way," she said. "Besides, you don't look half bad. Compared to me, that is."

"Whatever. It is my shift now. Get going," he said.

"Alright already," she said before she walked slowly towards the mansion. "Someone's enjoying guard duty I suppose?"


After dinner, Xaila once again seeks refuge in her friend's room, being afraid of lightning since it is raining quite heavily. Lucky for her, Lyxshel has invited Xion over to have an all girls sleepover before they will begin another mission the next day. Since their next mission is shared by them, they didn't see the reason why they cannot wake up late.

"Today is the best!" Lyxshel said. "I can't believe we can blackmail two seniors in the same day!"

"You must be lucky they were arguing when you are around. Normally they didn't give a damn to what each other were saying," Xion said.

"Maybe they are hiding their actual embarrassing behaviour from their subordinates in order to prevent any embarrassing stuffs?" Lyxshel said. The three of them giggled right away.

"I dunno…" Xaila said. She's still 'sore' over meeting with an old friend from her past. An old friend who has betrayed her twice and almost caused their world to be destroyed. An old friend that had nearly killed her.

"By the way, did you know that almost all of the higher ups control unique nobody flunkeys?" Xion asked.

"Really?" Xaila asked.

"For example, Xemnas controls Sorcerers, Xiggy controls snipers, Xaldin controls dragoons, scarface controls Berserkers, Axel controls assassins, Roxas controls samurais," Xion said.

"Oh? I wonder how they call those guys anyway…" Xaila wondered, glad that they have changed their topic of conversation.

"Roxas did say just call them normally and they will come," Xion said.

"Let us try then," Lyxshel said. Both girls stood in different corners of the room before trying to call for the lesser nobodies to turn up, and both of them called different looking ones. The one that answered Xaila's call looks as if it is wearing some kind of a helmet. It is holding on to one sword while another is sheathed on its right and the organization's logo is on both of its swords and its helmet. The one that answered Lyxshel's call looks heavily armoured, its right arm is a large sword while its left arm is a shield. The shield and the sword bear the organization's logo.

"Wow. I guess I'm the only odd one out now," Xion said as she sighed in defeat. Sure she can summon lesser nobodies to do her bidding but only Dusks and Creepers do answer to her call.

"What should we call them?" Xaila asked. She doesn't know about giving names to lesser nobodies.

"I think mine can be called Warrior while yours can be called Onion Knight," Lyxshel said.

"Onion Knight?!" Xaila asked. "That sounds lame!"

"Well its head does resemble an onion," Lyxshel said.

"Fine… Onion Knight it is," Xaila sighed in defeat. Lyxshel is right. The 'helmet' does resemble the shape of an onion.

"Ah, that reminds me! We're going to Beast Castle tomorrow!" Xion said.

"I haven't been there before yet," Xaila said. Lyxshel didn't say anything. She has never been there either. "Either way, you have a rank higher than ours, so you lead."

"Eh? Me?" Xion said nervously. "But I've never been the one leading missions before."

"Don't worry. We have full confidence in you," Lyxshel said. "Commander."

"You make a fine leader," Xaila said. "You just haven't realized it yet."

"I hope so," Xion said.

They were unaware that the elven girl is heading there this minute for her break period. With their first chance meeting ended in a way that she didn't expect it to be, the elven girl wonders if they will ever meet again.