A/N: Thank you thank you thank you all so much! Since I've posted the first chapter I find another positive review every time I check my email. I was going to wait a bit before working on the fic some more, but you readers have egged me on and gotten me started way sooner! It's going to be a tad more Demyx-centric from here on out, hope you don't mind, but I will add in the other members too! And yes, the idea for naming the Deus Ex Machina charm was taken from Organization VI's fic "Those Without Spines." Just yell at me if it wasn't ok and I'll change the name like the good submissive fangirl I am.
Also: Indigo "Indi" Rosebud does not own any part of Organization XIII or Kingdom Hearts 2. She does, however, own this plot idea along with the immense stupidity that caused her to forget the disclaimer in the first chapter.
"So, what appears to be the problem?" Xemnas was sitting at his desk, looking at the group gathered before him. Demyx was in the middle, clearly shaking in fright. Larxene held a kunai to his throat while Saix's claymore was held inches from the back of his head. Axel and Marluxia were standing nearby, both looking furious. A few feet away, Xigbar and Zexion were looking on. The rest of the Organization had either lost interest or had work to do. Saix was the unofficial spokesperson of the group, since he was both the closest to the Superior and the most upset about the matter.
"This!" Saix nudged Demyx to indicate the recipient of his wrath, "This… thing had the nerve to cheat on the tests! Fortunately for his worthless hide, the rest of us decided not to stoop down to his level and that we would do things in an orderly fashion, so we brought him to you."
"And what makes you think he cheated?"
"Sir, have you seen the results?"
Xemnas chuckled. "No, I decided to keep my health intact and wait until the rest of you were done. Why?"
"Take a look! Axel?" Axel took out the results paper and handed it over to Xemnas.
"Hmmm…" The Superior took the scores and scrutinized them. "I'll admit that this is unusual, not what I would expect. Is this the only indication you have that he cheated?"
"Isn't it enough?"
"Point taken. Wait here, I am going to talk to the Nobodies that helped distribute and manage the testing." As Xemnas teleported through a dark portal, Saix almost growled at Demyx.
"You are so dead when he gets back."
"But I didn't cheat!" Demyx was truly scared. Until now, the only thing that kept Saix from killing him were Xemnas' orders that banned fighting within the order. If Saix got permission from the other members… Why did this have to be for something he didn't do?
"So, you're saying that we expect you to be the most intelligent Organization member that wasn't a scientist before joining?" Marluxia took out his scythe and twirled it around. "You are saying that except for Zexion, you are smartest person in the room?"
"No! I don't know why I did that well! I'm telling you…"
"Man Demyx.." Axel solemnly shook his head. "That was low, just low."
"Hey! Lay off him!" It was Xigbar, speaking for the first time. "Wait till Xemnas gets back, it's just common sense. If you beat him to a pulp now and then we find out the mix-up was due to a clerical error, and he didn't cheat after all, you'll be giving him the gloating rights in the end and the Superior'd kill ya. It's best to wait it out." Saix nodded gruffly and relaxed his stance a little.
"Thanks." Demyx managed to squeak out. Even if it was a little strange, Xigbar was the only one who would stand up for the timid musician. Still, Demyx wasn't in the position to complain. Before anyone else could speak, Xemnas appeared in the room again, flanked by sorcerer and dusk nobodies.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, but I checked in with all the lesser nobodies present at the time of the testing. Demyx did not cheat, nor were his scores mistakenly graded in any way. We are sure of that."
"What!" Saix almost roared, "but how? How then could he have scored so high!"
"As to that, we have not yet reached a conclusion. If any of you have an idea?" Demyx was tempted to blurt out something along the lines of "Maybe I'm not such an idiot?" but that was impossible. Firstly, either Saix or Larxene would kill him before he could get through two words. Secondly, it was something he himself didn't believe was possible. It ended up being Zexion who came up with the first idea.
"Um, excuse me, but I have a theory." Zexion almost smiled as everyone stared at him with a level of respect he had never seen before. It appeared that this testing had some benefits after all. "The test was multiple choice, Demyx could have been just very very very very lucky that day."
Marluxia glared. "So, any ideas on how to deal with it?"
"As a matter of fact, there is one thing I thought of. Remember Luxord's charm?" They remembered. Due to Luxord's unusually high luck, Vexen had crafted a luck-canceling charm that Luxord wore during testing. It negated all luck, both good or bad. Vexen called it the Deus Ex Machina charm. Xemnas wanted the entire organization to wear them, but the materials were both expensive and hard to find, so only one was made. At the time of the first testing, it would only make sense that the charm would go to Luxord. "Well…" Zexion continued, "we can have Demyx take another test of the same difficulty, just different questions, and have him wear the Deus Ex Machina charm while talking it. That should settle the issue once and for all."
Xemnas nodded. "That seems reasonable. In that case, Marluxia, go get the charm from Luxord. I shall go get the test and arrange for the results to be sent to us as soon as possible. Axel, Xigbar, you two keep an eye on Demyx and make sure he doesn't try anything that would give him an advantage. The rest of you, prepare the same room we used last time for testing and make sure there is nothing inside that Demyx could use to cheat. I will meet you all back here in two hours.
Just great, Demyx stared at the floor. Another test, but what if I get the same score? What will the others think of me then? The Melodious Nocturne smiled, finally he had a plan.