Not surprisingly, Roxas was woken from his sleep before the sun, around four in the morning when Xemnas barged in and yelled at the blonde to get up.
"What?" Roxas sat up half asleep.
"Get downstairs, now." Xemnas said nothing else as he stood at the doorway and watched Roxas put pants on over his boxers and a white t shirt over his bare chest.
Once Roxas stepped into the elevator, a black cloth bag was placed around his head. His hands were forcefully pulled and secured behind his back, and Xemnas made it clear for Roxas to be silent until told otherwise. Axel however was left upstairs and told not to join until summoned in his black robe.
Roxas was placed somewhere cold and quiet for quite some time before he heard a door open and felt hands around his arms. The bag around his head was removed and the blonde found himself in a large room with every member and Xemnas himself holding him still.
"Today is the day that Roxas either dies, or becomes a member. The choice is his. To succeed, he must complete three tasks that will prove his unparalleled ability to break locks. Failure to succeed will kill him. Each task will be presented to you one at a time. Are you ready for your first?" Xemnas asked Roxas, who looked around the spacious circular shaped room and wondered what his first task could entail.
"Yes." Roxas gulped. He was nervous, but the longer he waited, the more he would eat himself in fear and curiosity.
"What you see before you is the dog pit." Xemnas held a remote in his hand with a single red button, which he pressed to split the floor before him into a half circle. The now open floor revealed a circular pit ten feet deep, allowing everyone to look down where a metal gate would divide the pit into two pieces, were the gate not buried. Evidence of the gate was shown through small spikes in the ground in a line, clearly the objective of the task. The first section was near a small wooden door, and took over two thirds of the entire space. The other section was small and near a rectangular keypad about five feet high off of the ground. "As you can guess, the door on the far end is the door that leads to the dog kennels. You're task is simple. We place you by that control panel and release the dogs. If you can hack into the electronic lock and wire the gate to rise, you move onto the next task. If you can't, then the dogs will attack and chew you to bits. They haven't eaten in some time, and have been used as torture and execution methods for some of our prisoners in the past. This would not be their first human meal. It's a rather large space, but it gives you less than one minute to complete the mission. So, whenever you're ready," Xemnas waved as Roxas looked to Axel.
"I'm ready," Roxas gulped, twelve sets of anticipating eyes glaring at him anxiously.
"Very well." Xemnas took Roxas' arms, freed his hands, and walked him to the edge of the floor. "Your time starts," Xemnas put his hand on Roxas' back and shoved him suddenly into the pit. "Now!"
Roxas fell hard onto his hands and face, pushing himself up quickly when he heard Axel screaming at him to hurry. He heard Demyx's voice as well, but couldn't make out words over the sound of dogs barking. He stood up directly in front of the control panel and took three seconds to look over the electronic screen before he started pushing buttons. The sound of the three large dark grey hunting hounds charging at him proved more distracting that he wanted to allow. He glanced over to see his inevitable death, shaking as he stared into the face of certain death.
"Focus!" He heard Axel and Demyx shout above the rest. Twelve voices screamed at him, three dogs barked at him, and the electronic pad was the only key to saving him. Quickly Roxas pressed more buttons, unlocking the security block and working to activate the gate.
"Time is half past." Xemnas said loud enough to be heard over everything else.
"Shit!" Roxas' fingers fumbled in his nerves as time flew by all too fast. As the dogs came closer, the blonde felt a weight on his fingertips, slowing him down as his brain raced too quickly for his body to keep up.
"Roxas, hurry!" Axel pleaded as loudly as he could.
"Come on, come on!" Roxas tried to reason with the lock pad, his entire being pausing in existence when he saw a green rectangle on the screen. The bold neon green words 'activated' never looked so good as the sound of the iron bars emerging from the ground shook the floor.
"Woohoo!"
"Go Roxas!"
"Good job baby!"
And various other cheers could be heard until Roxas looked to the gate. It was rising from the ground, but at so slow a pace, it served pointless.
"Xemnas?" Axel turned to the Superior with rage.
"Perhaps I should have mentioned how slow the bars raise." The silver haired man smirked.
"Roxy!" Axel dove near the opening, throwing his hand down into the pit and reaching for the blonde.
"I can't reach!" Roxas started to panic as he jumped as high as he could.
Axel stretched further into the pit, offering his help as best as he could as Roxas did his best to climb onto the flat wall. When their fingers touched, Roxas smiled wide, a shot of survival as Axel started to lift.
"AH!" Roxas screamed as a dog clamped down around his ankle. Axel strained through the pain as he pulled Roxas towards safety, huffing as the blonde struggled by kicking the dog against the wall.
"Well would you look at that," Demyx chuckled as Axel tugged Roxas up to safety.
"Fuck," Axel panted wildly, shaking his head as sweat formed by his hairline.
"You, you saved me," Roxas turned his head to look at his boyfriend, his mind stuck in a haze as he had actually accepted the concept of dying.
"Well done Roxas. You survived the first task. You'll be glad to hear that the next task is much easier and grants you more time." Xemnas stood over both exhausted men.
"You set him up for failure!" Axel sat up, but had no strength to stand.
"Nonsense, I told him he needed the gate to rise for success. He failed to do so with enough time. Poor time management very well could be the only thing separating success from death." Xemnas lectured.
"My leg," Roxas moved his pants to see his skin shredded and bleeding.
"He's hurt." Axel informed Xemnas.
"That's his fault." Xemnas shrugged.
"He needs medical attention." Axel insisted.
"Zexion, bandage him quickly. You've got one minute." Xemnas ordered and Zexion pulled out sanitizing wipes and a bandage before he completed his task in half his allotted time.
"Better?" Axel asked.
"It stings and feels swollen." Roxas tried to breathe through the pain.
"It'll all be over soon and then you can go upstairs with me and rest." Axel encouraged the blonde.
"What's the next task?" Roxas asked, wanting to take the rest of the day off in bed, but knowing that while his adrenaline was high and his wits about him, he stood a higher chance at survival.
"Follow me," Xemnas smiled.
"Rox, wait," Axel still hadn't caught his breath as he gulped.
"I don't know how to thank you." Roxas looked the redhead in the eye.
"I'll let you know tonight." Axel winked as Demyx gave him a hand up.
"You good?" Demyx asked as Roxas stood up.
"Yeah," Roxas sighed. "I feel like I'm not even here right now."
"You're in shock is all." Zexion said.
"Roxas?" Xemnas called near the exit.
"Let's go." Axel once again offered his hand to the blonde and held it tightly.
"I don't think I have it in me anymore," Roxas said, meaning the adrenaline specifically as he and the entire organization followed after Xemnas.
"You're doing great." Axel encouraged him.
"No, I feel tired," Roxas put a hand to his head.
"Hey!" The redheaded assassin said loudly. "Focus. Don't get distracted."
"Right," Roxas swallowed hard, but had no faith.
"You'll be done before you know it." Axel kissed Roxas' temple. The group walked outside where a decent sized wooden shed stood alone in the vast outdoors.
"I wonder what this will be," Zexion tried to deduce an idea, but Xemnas provided the answers before he could guess them.
"This is a very simple mission. You'll be chained inside the shack. The shack will be set on fire. Unchain yourself before you burn alive. Any questions?" Xemnas asked.
"What type of chain?" Roxas asked.
"The exact same as the one you've experienced in the dungeon."
"Well we all know he can't do that." Xigbar laughed. "If he could, he would have freed himself tons of times." Xigbar crossed his arms.
"You'll do just fine." Axel reassured the blonde.
"Unless Xemnas has another twist, it shouldn't be too difficult." Roxas nodded, surprisingly confident.
"Come on, in we go." Xemnas ushered Roxas inside and placed a single metal cuff around his ankle.
"It smells like gasoline." Roxas scrunched his face.
"This place is coated in it. Axel?" Xemnas called, ushering the redhead into the shed.
"Superior?" Axel appeared as commanded.
"You always carry a lighter on you. As soon as I'm out, use it." Xemnas said, stepping outside and watching thoroughly.
"Rox, you got this." Axel said slowly and comfortingly before he held his lighter up to the doorframe.
"Right, see you soon." Roxas nodded just before the door set ablaze. Axel and Xemnas both stepped back, the flame growing enormously and the heat becoming too much for them to handle.
Roxas knew that if Xemnas truly had no twists ahead, then this would be all too easy. And it was. Within seconds a bobby pin he had secured in his pocket the night before became the key that granted him freedom. He stood on his feet, presented with a new problem: The only exit was coated in flames and in shambles at that. The smoke was far too heavy to see clearly and his breathing was shallow at best. He let out several coughs as he squinted at where he remembered the door to be.
With no other alternative, Roxas rushed the one way out and into the open. Much to his surprise, when he was in the clear, he truly was in the clear.
"Congratulations." Xemnas clapped as the blonde hunched over to breathe.
"That, that's it?" Axel almost didn't believe it.
"Yes." Xemnas watched as the shed caved in on itself.
"See? You did it baby!" Axel hugged, Roxas, who was still coughing uncontrollably.
"If it was so easy, why didn't you free yourself in the dungeon?" Xigbar suspected foul play.
"Cause," Roxas got out the last of the smoke in his lungs. "If I got caught, they'd only find a worse way to contain me."
"True." Xemnas chuckled at Roxas' wisdom.
"I'm so proud of you." Axel smiled as he hugged Roxas.
"Impressive."
"Very well done."
"Almost a member."
"Yeah, but not yet."
The members continued to gossip amongst themselves as Roxas started to realize he very well could be the next member in the elite organization.
"Are you ready for the final challenge?" Xemnas asked, but Roxas looked down to his ankle.
"It's getting worse." Roxas looked to his foot and how swollen it was becoming.
"This last challenge will help your ankle, since it involves water."
"I'm ready." Roxas said, with a look of concern to Axel.
"Very well. Follow me." Xemnas led the entire group to the other side of the backyard. "This is a standard magician's water tank. As you can well assume, this is an escape attempt classic. You'll be placed in this full tank, in a strait jacket. Escape, and you'll be an official member. This means you'll have your very own suite, you'll have your own schedule and missions. You'll have a salary and the ability to have an opinion, when I ask for it." Xemnas smirked.
"So I just have to get out of the strait jacket, underwater?"
"If you can free yourself from the jacket, you'll be released from the tank." Xemnas clarified. "I know a key is needed, so I have a small key secured at the bottom of the tank. You'll have to find a way to utilize it with the jacket still on." Xemnas smiled.
"Have you done it before?" Axel whispered to Roxas while Xemnas ordered Xaldin to bring the jacket.
"Yes and no." Roxas didn't have time to explain before he was strapped into the jacket.
"Don't panic. Just hold your breath and focus. If you focus on the task and don't panic, then you'll be able to hold your breath longer." Demyx offered his advice.
"I can't hold my breath that long." Roxas started to freak out.
"Slowly release out your nose." Demyx instructed as Roxas was guided up the ladder by the side of the tank and instructed to hop in. Since the tank was already filled with water, Roxas' body shivered by the cold and immediately did his best to hold his breath.
"Come on Rox," Axel and Demyx watched in anticipation as the other members remained mixed in their opinions.
The blonde was quick to maneuver his body in a way that allowed for both of his arms to remain in front of his body. He found it difficult to get to the bottom of the tank with the water pushing him up and the tank too small to dive head first. He knew he was running out of time with the lack of oxygen as he went on his knees and searched for the key. He found the small key and after two attempts he was able to pick it up with his mouth. He lifted his hands to his mouth and to his own surprise, he was able to unlock the chains.
"Yes!" Axel cheered.
"Good job Rox!" Demyx jumped up and down.
"Way to go." Zexion clapped.
With the jacket slipping off of his body, Roxas pushed his body up to the top of the tank, where an inch of air was left. Roxas sprawled his limbs against the walls to hold his body up at the top of the tank where he could take the smallest of breaths.
"He did it, let him out!" Axel turned to face Xemnas.
"Roxas!" Xemnas walked right up to the tank and called to the blonde.
"Help!" Roxas' hands and feet were sliding and he was losing hope.
"As life often presents a supplementary challenge, so I offer one to you. This tank is also locked, so, find a way out." Xemnas stepped back with his arms crossed.
"Xemnas," Axel shook his head.
"He'll be fine. Or he'll drown." Xemnas shrugged.
"Axel," Roxas guzzled water by accident.
"Shh, it's okay. There's a lock in the top far corner." Axel pointed behind Roxas' left ear after he quickly scanned the chamber visually.
"Kay," Roxas turned and treaded water, once again holding his breath as he tried to free himself. The key from the jacket fit inside, but wasn't a match. Roxas knew he had no other tools, so he did his best to manipulate the key, and after thirty long seconds, it worked. The lock came undone and Roxas used all the strength he had left to try to push open the lid. After several attempts, his exhausted arms gave up as he felt lightheaded.
Roxas looked to Axel, his mind turning numb as his body lost ability to move.
"Roxas!" Axel panicked. The blonde stopped moving as Axel turned to Xemnas.
"I'm very impressed." The Superior nodded.
"He unlocked it, he succeeded." Axel said as he began to climb the ladder.
"Axel." Xemnas walked up to the redhead.
"He already did as you asked." Axel lifted up the lid.
"Axel." Xemnas repeated loudly as he pressed a button on a remote to drain the water from the tank and into the lawn beneath it. Roxas' body fell spell to gravity as he slumped against the now empty tank floor. "Get down and use the door." Xemnas instructed the redhead as he opened a wall panel to the tank.
"Roxas!" Axel jumped off of the ladder and to the unconscious blonde.
"Is he alive?" Demyx had to ask what everyone was thinking.
"He's not breathing!" Axel screamed before Zexion began CPR.
"Shit," Demyx sighed loudly.
"Roxas?" Axel asked with terror in his eyes.
"He's back!" Demyx clasped Zexion on the back when his boyfriend was able to bring Roxas back to consciousness.
"Rox, baby, are you okay?" Axel knelt by the panting and coughing blonde.
"Very well Roxas." Xemnas stood over the young man.
"He did it." Xigbar smiled.
"I can't believe he did it." Luxord shook his head with a smirk.
"That's some skill right there." Larxene said thoughtfully.
"He's officially a member." Saix nodded.
"Not officially." Xemnas spoke up.
"What?" Axel whipped his head around.
"He will be." Xemnas continued. "Once the ceremony takes place. Tonight I will host a grand ceremony and feast. He will be welcomed to our organization, and he will serve until the day he dies." Xemnas said before he dismissed everyone. Axel, Demyx, and Zexion remained with Roxas as he caught his breath and energy. Zexion applied a new bandage to Roxas' leg and ensured that the blonde wasn't terribly injured.
"Apply this disinfectant every four hours since the cut is deep enough to do damage if not properly attended." Zexion handed Axel some crème as he made sure the bleeding wouldn't continue.
Once he was well enough to return to Axel's suite, he joined the redhead who helped him shower quickly before tucking him into bed.
"You feeling any better?" Axel combed Roxas' wet hair.
"That last one," Roxas shook his head. "I thought I was actually going to die." Roxas closed his eyes as he exhaled. He knew he had succeeded, but it didn't seem real. His leg had been aching and he could only think so much as his brain felt like mush inside his airy head. "All three challenges passed by so quickly. I don't even know what happened." Roxas frowned.
"You did so well, I'm so proud of you." Axel rested his body next to Roxas' and held his hand.
"I almost feel like it's too good to be true. Me, a member? You've said it before yourself, I'm nowhere near good enough."
"I've never meant that. I just wanted you to push yourself, and you did. Look how far you've come."
"Yeah, guess it's only a matter of time to see what's going to happen to me."
"You'll see. Tonight, Xemnas will make it official. Until then, let's just catch some sleep. You must be exhausted and you deserve a good nap. You'll want to be at your best tonight, when we welcome you into the organization."
"I wonder what that looks like, life as a member."
"You've been here long enough to see what it looks like."
"From the outside. I've never been to those secret meetings you guys have, or on all the different types of missions you've all been assigned."
"Soon enough. For reals though, I'm tired from just watching you complete those three tasks, so let's catch some shut eye."
"Yeah, I'm tired but just so distracted." Roxas sighed as he snuggled up to Axel.
"Get some sleep. Goodnight Roxy," Axel yawned.
"Night." Roxas closed his eyes before the two fell asleep.
Author's Note: SO Roxas is officially a member, but what does this mean and how will his life at the castle change? Thanks again for everyone following. Trying to get that Soroku ready to post, it will be titled A Good Other.