Zexion sat in his room contemplating the day so far. He hadn't done much, really. He had been sent on another "important" mission earlier that morning; he had been thoroughly annoyed that he had been picked by Superior. Patrolling was hardly what he'd call important. It was a task for lower beings, dusks. Zexion, being one of the original six members, hadn't the time for such impudence. He sighed deeply and picked up his tea. Before he took a sip, a crash sounded from down the hall. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and continued on with his tea.
"AXEL!"
"What! It's just a dumb experiment!"
"Dumb—dumb experiment? I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW—"
Zexion rolled his eyes and sighed once more. He slowly got up and made for number four's room, the laboratory.

Once he had arrived, he found himself looking at a very infuriated Vexen and a petrified Axel. Zexion looked over the laboratory. At one table there was a mess of yellow-orange liquids splattered all over paperwork. At another there were chemicals set in rows of five, all of which seemed to be attached to a nobody. He turned once more to the quarrel. Vexen, still a little red in the face, was holding up his shield.
"Put that away, Vexen. It will not be needed." Vexen's eyes flashed with anger as he looked up at Zexion. Zexion eyed Vexen calmly. Axel decided to shut up; he stood in the corner watching both of them. Vexen began to stutter.
"That dense twit of a nonentity just ruined my research! I've been working on this before you were born, number six," Vexen snapped. "Which, coincidentally, should never have happened!"
Zexion raised one eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously. "You must be pretty old, then," He paused patiently to wait for Vexen's response.

Vexen gave a cruel laugh and looked at Zexion with pure ecstasy. "According to my research," Vexen gestured with his hand to the ruined paperwork behind him. "You, number six, should never have been born." Vexen laughed once more and walked over to the soggy notes.

"Oh really?" Zexion asked lamely. He was getting curious, though, as to what Vexen was rambling about.

At that point in time Lexaeus had been in his own room reading a book on the greatest works of Tchaikovsky. He was quite misunderstood as the big oaf in the Organization; that was far from the truth. Lexaeus enjoyed quiet evenings reading in his privacy when he wasn't out on duty. Right now he was reading an exceptionally good part of the book about "1812 Overature". He was getting deeply interested when he heard the words, "You, number six, should never have been born" echo from down the hall. Deciding to find out what the matter was, Lexaeus adjourned from his study and made for where the sound seemed to be originating: Vexen's room. This was going to be one of those days.

Lexaeus looked at the scene before him and studied it for a moment. Finally he took it all in. "What exactly is going on here, gentlemen?"
Axel was the first to speak up. He had been quiet for all of the conversation so far, and felt he needed to be a part of the argument. "It's become quite a party, now, hasn't it?"

Lexaeus ignored Axel's comment for the time being, as did Vexen and Zexion. Vexen seemed obliged to bring up the more important matter at hand, which he did immediately.

"That imbecile has just ruined my work!" Vexen said, pointing dramatically at Axel, who took a step back and held up his hands.

"Now wait a minute. I didn't ruin your work completely," Axel paused as if to think for an excuse. "You did have an extra copy, didn't you? Vexen…you always keep copies."
Lexaeus nodded in agreement. "You do tend to over prepare, Vexen."
"Of course I had an extra copy!"
"Then I don't really see the point in all of this, Vexen," Zexion said softly exchanging looks with Lexaeus.

"The point is," Vexen pressed on. "he's been coming in here to interrupt me which eventually leads to things like this!" Vexen spat at his ruined notes and files spread across the yellow-orange substance. All were about to spew into an angry argument that would probably involve curse words and obscene phrases, but were stopped by a noise down the hall. The author apologizes for all this "noise down the hall" business, but is too lazy to be creative at the moment.

"Quite," Zexion remarked as the four of them left the room.

"AGAIN?" Number two's voice rang down through the castle. "ALL I ASK YOU TO DO WAS STOP SORA FOR A WHILE UNTIL I COME, BUT NO! INSTEAD YOU DIE! WHAT KIND OF NOBODY IS THAT? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FEARLESS!"
Demyx shrank back and raised a finger. "Ac—actually, Xigbar, we don't technically have hearts so—" Demyx was cut off by a loud growl followed by a particularly nasty hiss.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT 'Oh, look! I'm a nobody and I can't feel anything!'. THIS IS THE LAST TIME, DEMYX, THE LAST TIME! AND THAT IS XIGBAR SIR!" Xigbar looked down loathingly at the pathetic state of his colleague. He huffed and started to cool down.

"…Yessir." Demyx hung his head. Seconds later it flipped back up again as Vexen, Axel, Lexaeus and Zexion entered the room. Zexion lifted one eyebrow and sighed, as he usually did. Lexaeus and Vexen stayed silent; Axel was the only one daring enough to question the scene before them.

"What the heck are you doing?" he asked.

"Number nine, here, has failed again," came the hushed voice of Xigbar. Demyx shrugged, trying to give an innocent look. Vexen put his hand to his forehead; Lexaeus shook his head.

"I think it is time that we all go see Superior." Everyone nodded in agreement with Zexion's proposal.

"So let me get this straight. Demyx has failed yet again; Axel has disrupted Vexen which has cost Vexen several years of research. Lexaeus and Xigbar have come to straighten everything out, and Zexion should not be among us?" Xemnas looked at all of them in turn, who gave a subtle nod or blink of approval. Xemnas sighed. Lexaeus shuffled his feet and Vexen sniffed. Zexion, as usual, sighed and waited. Demyx was tapping his feet to a tune only heard inside his head; Axel was glaring at him, ready to burn them off. Eventually Xemnas spoke again.

"I think…we all need a little time off. Zexion—go find out that whole 'more-non-existent-than-everyone-else' thing. I suggest that Vexen and Axel accompany you, as to solve their—" Xemnas paused for lack of words. "—relationship problems." Both Axel and Vexen glared at the rest, sending out a signal that read, "Say one word about 'relationship problems' and your body will be inflamed and the ashes will be crystallized with the burning intensity of our hatred."

Xigbar glanced at Xemnas, his boss and number one. "If you don't mind, Superior, I'd like Demyx to go along with him. As punishment." Xigbar looked terribly hopeful.

Xemnas considered it for a moment before speaking. "It sounds interesting. Very well. Demyx will accompany you." This was welcomed with a loud chorus of groans erupting from Axel, Vexen, and Zexion. Xigbar looked as if he had entered a true heaven and began to "thank god for all that was good". Vexen looked at the group of four. Not the smartest choice. Lexaeus also happened to think so.

"Superior, if you don't mind I'd like to accompany them." Lexaeus showed no fear in his eyes as he spoke.

Xemnas raised one eyebrow, replied, "Very well", and sighed. This was going to be some trip. He looked upon the five of them (Xigbar had left by now) and smiled with approval. "I suggest you use the R. I. N. Q. It will get you to your destination faster, as you know already." Of course the five knew already. The R. I. N. Q. was known as "Really Incredible Nobody Quickness", which to the readers implies the speed of the gummi ship.

Demyx looked cheerful. He bore a smile so large that Zexion couldn't help but think of wiping it off his face for him. Axel was thinking along the same lines, except with more of a pyro twist. Burning it off his face. Demyx moved in front of the others and looked up at Xemnas. "With your permission I'd like to give this group a name." Xemnas merely nodded with annoyance. Zexion rolled his eyes. Demyx continued on. "From this moment forward…we will be known as the Fellowship of the R.I.N.Q." Loud groans could be heard from the five and Xemnas. Mumbles of "OH GOD" and "Not another LOTR spoof" could be heard amongst the nobodies. One by one the filed out, until a distraught Demyx was left. "It sounded like a good idea!"

Before the group left on their perilous adventure, Xemnas felt that a council was needed. Slowly all thirteen members were collected in the study. Unfortunately for some, they sat in order of rank.

"First I'd like to check that everyone is here," Xemnas said.

"Xigbar?"
"Here."
"Xaldin?"
"Present."

"Vexen?"
"Accounted for."
"Lexaeus?"

"Here."
"Zexion?"
"Oh, for the love of nothing. We're all here, Xemnas." A very hurt Xemnas looked up from his papers. He gave a sober nod and moved on.
"As you all know, five of our members are going on a journey that may possibly take weeks. So, in the meantime, I'd like all who are not going to double up on patrols."

Axel laughed; he was going on the trip—which meant Roxas had to do double the work, not he.

Zexion smirked, and added, "Technically, because we are leaving you'll have to work harder; double time. And technically we'll be gone for a while. Which technically means that you'll be doing our work—" He gave a small chuckle. "—technically, that is."

Several members glared.

"Anyway, I suggest that the fellowship leaves tomorrow at the break of dawn. Are no other comments to be made…?" Xemnas looked around the room at blank faces. "Good. I hereby declare that this meeting is over."
Chairs were pulled out and cloaks shuffled as the nobodies slowly left the room. "Short meeting" could be heard among several members as they walked out. Xemnas, still in his chair, sighed. Finally he would be rid of prank calls, phony IMs, and disturbances. The lab would no longer be a problem; there would be no potions wreaking havoc on his organization. The serenity of the moment astounded him, until the room shook and an angry scream was heard.
"DEMYX!"
"Sorry!"

Yep, so starts the journey. I believe in the next chapter Zexion will face things he did not know possible, Demyx runs to the supermarket, and Axel steals a tour bus. Rate and review, please!