Disclaimer: I do not, in anyway, own any part of the Kingdom Hearts series or anything else affiliated with it.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Gah! I made a horrible, horrible mistake last chapter. I forgot to read all of Ansem the wise's reports over before posting and made a horrible bad mistake. Bad author! No cookie! If you didn't catch it, that's great, otherwise, I'll try to remedy the situation as best as possible (ugh! So not going to work…), but, hey, artistic license and all that, right? Also, I think I'm wrong on the setup of the room, but for my purposes it's better this way. I apologize if there are a few grammar mistakes; this chapter wasn't able to go through all of my editors.

Chapter 1

Roxas was sitting in his seat in the grand circular meeting room for the first time with all twelve of the other Organization members. There was a lively undercurrent in the room as some of the other members conversed in hushed tones with one another. Most of them were looking at one another, only to briefly glance at Roxas before turning away again, but the one in the eighth seat seemed content with staring in Roxas' direction. It was unsettling because Roxas could not see his face (and knew number VIII was a he since Xemnas mentioned the only female member of their group was number XII, the member that sitting to his right) due to everyone still having his or her hood up, and Roxas found he didn't like not knowing things very much. Roxas wished number VIII would stop staring and turn to the member next to him, number IX, who was obviously trying to get VIII's attention.

Roxas inwardly sighed. This entire hubbub because Xemnas insisted he, Roxas, would be introduced to all the other members at once. Before now Xemnas had been giving him the grand tour of the headquarters, as well as teaching him all of the abilities Nobodies had, including using the corridors of darkness between worlds, but he refused to tell Roxas about any of the other members of the Organization.

"Why should I tell you now when all they will do is tell you the same information later?" Xemnas had asked. Roxas hadn't argued because he had learned by then that Xemnas had no qualms about showing off his power.

From above and to the left him, Roxas heard Xemnas clear his throat. Even with all the conversation going on before, the sound carried, and everyone fell silent. Roxas had to strain to look up at Xemnas. The room was set up so that Xemnas' seat was the highest, number II's seat was to the left and slightly lower, then number III, then IV, ect., until you hit number XIII, Roxas. This way, it was almost like a spiral staircase of throne-like seats.

"Lady, and gentlemen, welcome. I'm glad you could all make it tonight," Xemnas said in an almost good-natured tone while pulling back his hood.

There was some nervous laughter in response while everyone else in the room followed in suit. Everyone knew perfectly well that the only reason one should not answer the Superior's call was if one was dead.

"Allow me to introduce to you all our newest, and youngest member, number XIII: Roxas, the Key of Destiny."

Roxas nodded in response to the others.

"Now then, we will go around the room and-"

"Is it true you didn't make it all the way to Twilight Town to be reborn even though all Nobodies are reborn there?" A voice asked from across the room.

Roxas' head snapped in the direction the sound came from. His gaze locked with a flaming spiked fire engine red head that was leaning forward in his seat, his bright green gaze intent on Roxas. It was number VIII, easily recognizable with his coat tight everywhere on his body like a second (if not a little wrinkled) skin.

"Axel, you fool. How dare you interrupt the Superior," the member to number VIII's right said. Roxas' shifted his gaze to number VII. There had been no inflection in VII's voice whatsoever, yet that voice sounded near-deadly. VII had long blue hair with a silver tint to it. Most of it fell to either side of his head or to the back, but the front was spiked back in layers. His ears were pointed and he had an x-shaped scar between his eyes. Overall he looked like a blue elfish rooster. A deadly blue elfish rooster.

"Saïx," Xemnas said in an almost soothing voice. "I will forgive Axel this time, we all know how curious he can be. Besides, I'm sure all of you are indeed curious about our newest member's rebirth."

There were murmurs of agreement all around.

"Roxas?" Xemnas prompted.

Roxas sat up in his seat. "There really isn't that much to say," he began. "I'm sure you're all already aware that I have no memories of my past. When I woke up after my rebirth, the Superior found me stuck in a corridor of darkness just outside of Twilight Town. We were hoping that if I made it to Twilight Town some of my memories would return, but to no avail. The Superior believes the reason for both me being in the corridor and my memory loss was due to the fact that I was somehow 'lost in transition.'"

Whatever that means, he thought.

"Interesting," said a new voice. Roxas turned to face number IV, a man with scraggly dirty blonde hair and a squashed in face who was leaning forward, his chin resting on his clasped hands. He was staring a Roxas as if… as if Roxas were a thing. "An anomaly to our hypothesis, just like Ansem the Heartless."

"Vexen, you will have your time to hypothesize later," Xemnas assured. "It grows late, and we still have not properly introduced ourselves. Axel, since you were so eager to talk to Roxas earlier, why don't we mix things up a little and start with you?"

Axel, who had slouched back in his seat, now sat up again. "You got it Mr. Superior sir," he said. He first, however, took his deliberate time cracking his back, glancing once or twice at Saïx. Roxas felt Axel was purposely baiting the other man, but he had no idea why.

Finally Axel settled, leaning forward the same way he had earlier, and spoke, "I'm not sure how high you can count to kid, but I'm number VIII, Axel, Flurry of the Dancing Flames." He lifted his right hand to his face and tapped his temple with his index finger. "Got it memorized?"

Roxas felt his jaw twitch. Just because he couldn't remember anything, the stupid flame-head-

"Don't worry about Axel," number IX said, interrupting Roxas' violent thoughts towards flame-head involving a pointed keyblade up the red head's ass. "He's not making in fun of you or anything, that's just his catch phrase." Number IX was smiling, his light brown hair done up like a rocker. He leaned forward with a hand against his mouth as if he were about to share a secret. "Actually, Axel's pretty nice once you get to know him-"

Axel reached down and punched number IX on the head.

"Ouch!" IX yelped, grabbing the back of his head.

Xemnas cleared his throat loudly.

Axel gave Xemnas an innocent look while Number IX glanced back and forth between Saïx and Xemnas looking a little sheepish. "Sorry boss," he weakly laughed. Still rubbing his head, he sat up and looked at Roxas. "Number IX. Name's Demyx." He posed dramatically and when he spoke again, his voice was dramatic and musical. "The Melodious Nocturne." A giant blue sitar appeared magically in his hands. He looked as if he were about to sing when the next member decided to introduce himself.

"Number X," his voice rumbled. He was a white blonde with a buzz cut, a mustache, and an earring in his left ear in the shape of the Nobody symbol. "Luxord, the Gambler of Fate."

"XI," came a man's voice from what could be mistaken as a woman's body. "Marluxia, the Graceful Assassin."

"Larxene," giggled the female voice next to him. The next came out cold, "the Savage Nymph."

While turning to face his left side to see the others, Roxas noticed that Axel was still staring at him. The others at least looked at whoever was speaking, but the flame-head wouldn't stop staring at him. It was unnerving him, the amount of concentration that was in the flame-head's stare.

"Well, since you know the boss already, I guess it's my turn," the man with graying hair, an eye patch, and a nasty scar sitting to Xemnas' left said. "Xigbar. I'm the Freeshooter."

"Xaldin, the Whirlwind Lancer," said the guy with the wicked sideburns and dreadlocks.

"Vexen," said number IV. Roxas was relieved to see number IV was no longer staring at him like an object. "The Chilly Academic."

However, Roxas still felt flame-head's gaze on him. It was really starting to get distracting.

"Lexaeus," said the painfully deep bass of V. "The Silent Hero."

"Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer," said the next member. Roxas couldn't help but notice the petulant stance of the Schemer. It was almost amusing.

"The Luna Diviner, Saïx." There was still no inflection in Saïx's voice. Roxas couldn't help but wonder if the man had actually felt emotions in his previous life. He was too calm, even Roxas had been able to 'feel' anger.

Roxas' gaze slid back to Axel's. The red head was still staring at him! What the hell was his problem?

The side of Axel's mouth twitched.

Roxas glared.

Axel smiled.

Roxas snorted and turned to face the Superior.

Xemnas clapped his hands together and spoke, "Very well then, I believe that will be all for tonight. I am sure Roxas is more then ready for a little break after the week he's had. I will see you all a little later." And with that, he was gone.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Demyx is such a horribly fun character XP