Xhäs followed Axel as the pyro led him down the streets of the World That Never Was. It was raining, as per usual. The various inhabitants that actually ventured out into the bleak rain kept to themselves and scurried along past them.

It had been several months since he had returned from Po's world and he was eleven now. He had to say he rather missed the big lovable panda, but being back with Axel and Larxene made up for it.

Seeing the expression on Xigbar's face when he bested him in combat was priceless. The Freeshooter was a menace with his arrow guns, but once you had him disarmed, he was a sitting duck. Larxene had shown him that she was no amateur at CQC, (Close Quarters Combat) however and he still had some bruises from their last spar.

Saïx had been quite cold to him as well, though that was of no surprise.

Right now, Axel was leading him to who knows where.

"Just where are we going, eight?" Xhäs asked irritably as a car drove past them, getting water all over his shoes.

"Relax, thirteen," Axel replied easily, using his dominion over fire to dry their shoes. After what seemed like several hours, they finally entered a dark alley.

"Where are we?" Xhäs asked.

"Watch," the pyro said with a grin. He quickly pushed a large dumpster aside as though it were nothing. Xhäs blinked as a door was revealed. Axel knocked on the door three times.

A small window in the door opened, revealing a pair of blue eyes. "Pass-phrase?"

"Oh, come on, don't do this," Axel groaned.

"Either say the damn pass-phrase or get out of here," the voice said, a bit smugly.

"Fine," Axel growled. "Luxord is a sexy beast."

"Why, I'm flattered, Axel," the voice chuckled before opening the door, revealing Luxord himself standing before them. "Ah, welcome, Xhäs. It appears you've been deemed trustworthy enough."

"Er, thanks?" Xhäs said uncertainly, still not understanding what was happening.

"Well don't just stand there, get in," the blonde ushered them inside. Xhäs's eyes widened at the sight.

Before him was a round table with several familiar faces sitting around. Xigbar sat leaning in his chair, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in his mouth. Demyx sat strumming his sitar muttering to himself. Zexion was a surprise to Xhäs. The silver-haired boy was usually quiet, cold and composed. The boy before him now appeared to be completely smashed already and was relaying rather loudly to a silent Lexaeus a rumor he had heard about Saïx and Xemnas and their illegitimate love child. A stereo sat on a long table, playing some song that Xhäs didn't recognize. Next to the stereo was a cooler with various alcoholic beverages.

Xhäs felt an arm around his shoulder and turned to a grinning Axel. "Welcome to the club!"

"Club?"

"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Luxord asked, raising an eyebrow. "This is a group of select individuals within the Organization, whom we trust enough to uphold one of our most sacred traditions…"

"We're here to play poker," Axel interrupted. Luxord glared at him. "Sorry. You were taking too long."

The blonde cleared his throat. "In short, yes, we are here to play poker,"

"So that's why you had me bring my money," Xhäs said in realization, his hand finding its way to his wallet in reflex.

"Well we're the last here, so let's get started!" Axel exclaimed. Luxord nodded and summoned his card deck.

"This is everyone?" Xhäs asked Axel. The pyro nodded.

"Yeah, everyone we know that won't go squealing to Xemnas," he replied.

"What about Larxene?" the younger boy inquired. Axel laughed.

"We already tried bringing her in, but she got disgusted after ten minutes and just took off," he explained. "Besides, this is a man's game! No need to let Xeny get everyone down."

Luxord began dealing the cards. "Since we have a newcomer, we shall have a few practice rounds before the real game starts,"

The next few minutes were spent teaching Xhäs how to play properly. Xhäs was surprised by Luxord's cards. Each of them held an illustration of one of the Organization. Xemnas was the Ace, Xigbar was the two, Xaldin three, Vexen four… until it ended with Xhäs as the King.

The game started, and the first few rounds saw conservative betting, the players testing each other's strengths and weaknesses, everyone waiting for the others to make the first mistake.

Almost as if in agreement with this strategy, for the first half hour nobody had any real winning hands, it all going down to who had the highest value cards. Xhäs was the first to get anything worth anything, and it was just a pair of two and the pot was small during that round. During the tenth round however, there seemed to be some unspoken agreement that everyone chose to abide by, although it also could have had to do with the fact that right off the bat several people suddenly had working hands.

With the same smirk he had been sporting the whole night, Xigbar raised the stakes a bit. "I bid two thousand." Xigbar had a lousy poker face… But of course since he kept it the same, good hand or bad, said that he was either better than they thought, or an absolute idiot.

Looking down at his own pair of sevens, Hearts and Clubs, an eight of Diamonds, a ten of Hearts and the Ace of Spades, Xhäs decided that Xigbar was an absolute idiot.

Luxord then took the exact same amount from his own stacks and tossed it in, saying, "I'll match." Suddenly everybody knew the real game had only just started.

Zexion smiled goofily at his cards before taking twice the amount and said, "I'll see two thousand, and raise two thousand. Yes, that will be just lovely."

Frowning at the drunken boy, everyone else hesitated for a moment before matching the four thousand bet. Until it got to Xhäs. "I'll raise another two thousand," he said, casting in six thousand. Axel chuckled and raised the stakes to eight thousand. Demyx was looking rather hesitant all of a sudden but matched the pyro's bet. Lexaeus simply matched the eight thousand and added another two thousand to make it an even ten thousand.

Xigbar lost his smirk the tiniest sliver, but not to the degree that said he was worried. Thankfully, before the betting could continue, everyone was offered the choice to discard and draw fresh cards for their hands. Xigbar took three, Luxord took one, and Zexion discarded his entire hand and took five fresh ones. Axel took two while Demyx took three. Lexaeus discarded only one card and gave himself a new one.

"Bet remains at ten thousand," Luxord announced. "Xigbar, your bid."

"I'll match at ten thousand," he said without enthusiasm, putting a full stack of chips into the pot. Luxord matched, though somewhat reluctantly. For some reason, Zexion seemed very happy and raised it to 15,000. Demyx frowned at him and sighed. Everyone knew drunken boy didn't have anything, but this was getting a bit too rich for him. Not if he wanted to stay in the game for any length of time.

"I fold," he said, tossing his cards down and took up his sitar once again. Axel matched the bet a bit reluctantly. Xhäs glanced over his cards and at the other players in turn. Three of a kind with an Ace and two of Spades was the best hand all night that anybody had seen. It wasn't the best in the game by a long shot, but unless the others were cheating, he had the best hand and could win this round easily. The question was: did he try and draw out more by betting low? Or make the others drop out by raising it higher?

Finally he decided to follow Zexion's example. "I'll raise another five thousand," he said, putting in to stacks of chips. It was the most impressive pot of the night already, and then some.

Lexaeus simply matched his bet and raised it another five thousand, making the bet 25,000.

At the end of the pass, Luxord asked if anyone wanted any more cards, but they all declined and Xigbar quickly matched the 25,000 bet. Zexion almost raised it again, but a sharp jab from Demyx's sitar convinced him not to and simply matched it. Axel sighed and folded. Xhäs stayed in the game, then smirked at Xigbar from across the table and raised the bet to 30,000. Lexaeus folded that round and took up a beer.

All through the game, they had all been drinking. Though Xhäs tried not to, Axel had finally convinced him during the fifth round. The drinks were finally getting to them and it showed in their speech and actions. Apparently none of them had very good tolerance for alcohol.

"Okay…" Luxord muttered. "Who'sh turn ish it?"

"I dunno…" Xhäs muttered. "Whatever… call!"

Xigbar laughed. "Read 'em and weep boys!" he exclaimed. "Pair of Kings, all Hearts and Diamonds!"

"That'sh a pretty good hand, ishn't it?" Zexion asked before laying down his own hand… of two pair with fives and nines and a Jack of Clubs.

"Wow, that's pretty good," Xhäs complimented, not quite as drunk as his comrades. "But my three sevens, Ace of Spades and two of Spades beats it."

"That'sh fine," Zexion shrugged.

"Next round?" Xhäs asked with a smile as he raked in his rather impressive winnings. Everyone scowled at him.

It was the final found. The pot had made its way to a nearly impossible amount. Demyx had run out of money, but instead bet guitar lessons instead.

Xhäs smirked at the group. "What do you have?"

"King-ten flush," Demyx said.

"Damn it," Luxord muttered. "Two pair,"

Xigbar grinned triumphantly. "Four of a kind!" he exclaimed as he revealed four fives, face up.

Xhäs, who had sobered up quite a bit, laughed. "Five of a kind," he said, throwing down four Kings and a Joker. His own grinning face and the Nobody sigil on the cards mocked the group. The odds were astronomical… Xhäs, the newcomer, had just beaten them.

"Alright, Xhäs!" Axel and Zexion both cheered. Both of them were completely hammered.

"I'll just be taking my winnings now," Xhäs said with a grin, raking in his prize as Xigbar nearly began crying.

"Alright!" Axel cheered, throwing an arm around Xhäs's shoulder. "So what are you gonna do with all that dough?"

"Oh, I think I know just what to do with this…" Xhäs muttered, weighing the sack of money in his hands.

"Ugh, we need to get back…" Xigbar muttered. He waved a good-bye to his comrades before exiting the room and down the street.

Dark Corridors were not an option, as complete focus was needed to teleport. If one was distracted by things such as alcohol or even intense thoughts or emotion, they could end up anywhere.

Demyx came over, Lexaeus supporting both him and Zexion, who was passed out. "We can start your lessons this weekend!" he said before the trio made their way out.

Axel stretched. "We better get goin' too…"

"Thirteen…" a voice said from behind them. They both turned to see Luxord stumbling towards them. "I need to tell you something… Something important…" he sounded a bit funny… and not from the alcohol.

"Luxord?" Axel asked in confusion.

The blonde Nobody stared at him. "The cake… is a lie…"

…

…

…

"What?" Xhäs asked. Luxord looked up dramatically.

"The cake is a lie!" he said emotionally.

"I don't und-"

Suddenly Luxord grabbed the front of his cloak and brought their faces mere inches away.

"THE CAKE. IS. A LIE!" he screamed.

"You're scaring me!" Xhäs exclaimed.

"Whoa, there," Axel said in amusement, prying the blonde off of the younger boy. "Looks like you've had too much to drink. Let's go."

With that, Axel began dragging Luxord out of the room, still muttering 'The cake is a lie'. Xhäs remained, still shaken slightly. 'Just what the hell was that?' he thought. 'He was probably just drunk… yeah, that's it…' Nodding to himself, Xhäs glanced back down at his winnings with a grin. 'Oh, yeah, I know just what to do with this…'

With that thought in mind, he quickly opened a Dark Corridor to Twilight Town.

A/N: I understand that this chapter may seem a little unnecessary, but that ending should somewhat explain why I added it. Hopefully you can figure it out.

This chapter was pretty fun to write =)

I'm not really certain on the value of Kingdom Hearts munny, so I just winged it and tried to avoid using the actual term 'munny'.

Sorry for any poker mistakes. I'm actually not very good at it. xD