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Raising an eyebrow, Vexen glanced up from the vial of fizzing black sludge and watched as Number VII approached him. Setting the beaker down, he waited for Saїx to begin.

"We must discuss the matter of… Juliet."

"Ahh," Vexen agreed with a frown, "yes, that troublemaker. I believe a conversation is very much in order ― her attitude is quite unacceptable."


Juliet's POV

I'd chosen today to go shopping for the party. Sticking around the castle was definitely out, and today was as good a day as any to begin preparations for the grand festival. I called Larxene and Aqua, and they both agreed to come with me. Larxene just wanted to get out of her mission, and Aqua said she needed a girl day after spending so much time with Terra and Ven.

We started in Twilight Town, combing through the rather impressively sized strip mall in the newly renovated Tram Common. Industry had been booming post the emergence of the Organization as a security force rather than a cult of heart-moon worshiping maniacs.

"So what've you been up to?" Aqua asked, her fingers brushing against a silky crimson curtain. The party theme we'd agreed on was red, silver, and zebra, which worked in our favor since there was so much material and décor in that theme.

"Eh, the usual," I answered. Anything beyond a simple reply would take much consideration on my part, so I thought through my next words carefully. "Well, Zexion and I kind…"

Aqua let go of the curtain, her eyes gleaming in a conspiratorial way. She loved hearing boy gossip. "What?"

Larxene smirked, "They got together at Kairi's party a week ago."

Shaking my head, I corrected, "Not really though. I mean, Riku and I were sort of almost together, but then this brat, Cecilia ― who I'll get to later ―, jumped in and ruined things. Zexion fought for my honor, however unneeded that was, and then we kissed and danced and then… nothing. We've barely said more than a few words to each other since."

The tension between us had been almost tangible the day after the party. Neither of us wanted to bring up the subject, and neither of us called each other out on it, either. The whole event reeked of awkward, but there was just no changing that. Yesterday had been the first time that we were alone in the same room together, and that had clearly gone just swell.

Frowning, Aqua asked, "But if you two kissed, then obviously you like each other, don't you?"

"I like him," I admitted, not missing the way Larxene's grin turned wolfish.

"Then just tell him," the blue-haired mage commanded, laughing. Her reaction insinuated that the solution to my problem was simple, and it was anything but. I wished it was that uncomplicated.

"Easier said than done, since Saїx ordered us not to see each other anymore." I heatedly flung the silver fabric I'd been holding back on the rack, nearly knocking the stand over in my annoyance.

Aqua gasped and Larxene spun around to look at me with a wildly aggravated fire in her turquoise eyes. The Savage Nymph scrunched up her face and snapped, "Saїx told you what?!"

"Number XIV!"

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

My back remained to Saїx. With a roll of my eyes, I signaled the girls to start walking and ignore him. Aqua followed my lead because there wasn't much else she could do, and Larxene did so because the last thing she wanted was to be caught skipping her mission in exchange for a shopping spree.

"XIV, don't you walk away from me!"

"Juliet, this is your superior. You will come here this instance!"

I froze in my tracks. The Superior?! Saїx had gotten the Superior?!


Earlier that day:

"I do not think this is necessary," Saїx stated calmly, watching the Chilly Academic scramble around for various "incident reports" he'd felt inclined to write out whenever Juliet had given him a hard time. After a few moments, the scientist returned with a rather thick packet of papers.

"Oh, but is," Vexen beseeched, setting down the stack in front of Saїx with a resonating thud. A few sheets from the top fluttered to the ground, and Saїx watched them drift to the floor with a hint of disconcertion on his face.

"Yeeessss, well then."

Saїx lifted the first page he'd come to off of the mound and held it before his eyes. "Number thirty-seven: Juliet released the lab rats before her lesson. Number thirty-eight: Juliet graphically explained how conception begins in her reproductive system biology homework after being explicitly told to copy only what was written in her textbook. Number thirty-nine: Juliet glued the human body model to the ceiling (Xigbar assisted in the implementation of this one). Number forty: Juliet placed the skeletons from the lab closet in lewd positions in the Grey Area."

Vexen watched smugly. "There, you see, Saїx. The girl is absolutely insubordinate!"

The second in command nodded in surrender, placed the sheet down, and answered, "While I believe a few―," he glanced at the stack, shook his head, thought 'or a lot,' "― of these incidents were only juvenile pranks, I do agree that she is, to say the least, out of control."

"And Zexion," Vexen continued, his wrinkles becoming more prominent as his frown grew, making it seem as though his eyes had been swallowed by the furrowing of his forehead, "is allowing himself to be affected too much by this unruly girl! Hormonal youngsters! There must be a stop to this before it is too late! Why, I used to never get any lip from that boy, and here this heathen has made him a back talking fool!"

"I have made it clear," Saїx returned through gritted teeth, "to Zexion that he is to stay away from her. I found her on top of him in this very room yesterday."

A wild gasp jumped from Vexen's throat. "Egad! Even with that detailed description in her homework I see the child did not learn a thing from the reproductive unit! I must talk to Zexion at once!"

Before Saїx could stop him, the scientist had summoned the young man to the room in a strong of short-breathed shouts. The illusionist entered with a perplexed look on his face and swallowed thickly when he spotted Saїx. Said berserker narrowed his eyes at him.

"Is it true that Juliet straddled you like a low-class whore!?" The blonde's voice was harsh and unapologetic. Zexion frowned at him, and then shot a glare at Saїx.

With barely contained aggravation, he grumbled, "That is not what―"

"Answer me, boy! Did she or did she not straddle you like a low-class whore!?"

"Vexen," Saїx defended, slightly miffed, "I believe name-calling isn't going to―"

"Let the boy answer!"

In frustration, the silver-haired man snapped, "No, she didn't, Vexen!"

"Do not lie!"

"I'm not! Yes, she was on top of me, but―"

"Such filth!" Vexen spat, disgust evident on his face. The Luna Diviner narrowed his eyes. Juliet might have been doing something raunchy, but it was no reason to call her degrading things. It made his blood boil, but he reigned himself in enough to try to be the adult in a situation that was quickly escalating.

"She isn't filth!" Zexion cried, slamming his fist into the lab table. Saїx flew out of his seat to restrain him. His chest was heaving in fury and his one visible eye was slit in rage.

"Vexen, that is quite enough of that," the blue-haired man stated coolly. Zexion shook in anger, but Saїx felt confident that he wouldn't lash out, and let go of him.

"Any girl who would do such a thing is nothing but trash. I would expect nothing less of someone who grew up without parental guidance. A child of the streets."

Zexion roared, flying toward the man who'd raised him, but Saїx held him back at the last second. Eyeing him in disappointment, Vexen added, "Before that silly girl influenced you, you were mild-mannered and dignified. Now look at you― she has made you into a dunce."

Attempting to mollify the illusionist, Saїx stated, "We believe, Zexion, that for the good of you both, you should stop seeing each other."

"I wasn't seeing her in the first place!" he gritted.

Knowing there was no easy way to tell him this, the blue-haired man took a moment to phrase his words in way that would not further upset the boy.

"We mean," the diviner continued, "that you should… cease all communication."

"You mean I can't be her friend." It was not a question but a statement. His frown stretched into a scowl. "Yesterday you told me I couldn't be romantically involved with her, now I can't be involved at all." His fists clenched.

"It's for the best, Zexion," Vexen entreated. "If you should choose to disobey, then perhaps it is time for Juliet to leave our ranks."

The threat, though not expressly spoken, hung in the air. Saїx met Zexion's gaze, nodded once, and then released him. He crossed his arms and stood beside the elder. For a long moment, no one said a word.

Admitting defeat, the younger man's shoulders dropped and he grudgingly consented, "I won't even look at her."


Juliet's POV

Xemnas stood in front of me, his tall frame looming over my petite one. I refused to cower, though I wanted to do so very much.

"Juliet, this behavior will not be tolerated," the man commanded, shoulders squaring.

A hand gripped my shoulder, and suddenly Aqua was coming to my aid, stating, "Juliet should be allowed to have a day to herself every now and then. You aren't a very easy group to live with, I'm sure."

I wanted to hug her, but I knew that I needed to remain as still as possible and not draw attention to myself. Apparently my acts of defiance were working a little too well, and I had a feeling that they were drawing to an end.

Flippantly, the Superior remarked, "This matter does not concern you."

"I believe it does."

"You know nothing of the circumstances," Saїx barked.

"I believe I do."

"Juliet, come here now!"

"She's not going anywhere!"

"She will return with us!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Juliet!"

Saїx moved to grab me, but Aqua stepped in front of me like a shield and commanded, "I am a keyblade master, and as such, I am ordering you to stand down!"

The Luna Diviner froze, glaring at her. Xemnas narrowed his own amber eyes, meeting my fossilized gaze before returning to the mage. At length, he replied, "This will not end today." And then they left.

"Well that was intense," I commented, and Larxene nodded with a grin.

"Hmm," Aqua murmured. "It seems you've gotten yourself into some trouble." I didn't say a word. "Would you like to stay over at the Land of Departure with Terra, Ven, and me tonight?"

Did she just…? And this was why she was one of my best friends! Instead of turning me over, she was offering a place to stay.

"Heck yes!"


Around dinnertime, we returned to Aqua's world with bags of clothing (pajamas and a set of clothes to wear the next day since she was adamant about not letting me go back to the castle yet) and catalogs for the party. Terra glanced up from his place at the kitchen stove, halting his stirring whatever divine smelling food was in the pot.

"Hey, Juliet," he greeted and then kissed Aqua on the cheek.

His fiancée smiled before explaining, "Juliet has gotten herself in trouble with Saїx and Xemnas, so I offered to let her spend the night here in our guest room."

"Yo-You what?" Terra faltered, whipping his head around to give Aqua a very confused look. "She's in trouble and you're helping her?"

Shrugging, the mage replied with a wave of her hand, "I'm sure it can't be too bad… Come to think of it, what did you do?" She cocked her eyebrow at me. Could everyone do that but me?

"Uhh…" I trailed. "Well, I might've openly defied Saїx, accused him of not doing missions, and insulted him after I heard him telling Zexion he and I couldn't be together."

The couple didn't react. Terra turned off the fire, set the wooden spoon on the counter, and then faced me. With a grin, he cheered, "Give me knuckles!"

He bumped his fist with mine, ruffled my curls, and then pressed a kiss to the top of my head before running up the stairs to call Ven down for dinner. Aqua went to the cupboard to get plates, so I grabbed silverware to help her set the table.

"Jules!" Ven called, a silly grin on his face. The spot beside mine was empty so he took it, sitting himself down beside me. The last time we'd seen each other was that eventful party, and knowing how hyper he was, the fact that we hadn't talked since then was probably eating him up. "How've you been?"

"Just trying to survive life with the Organization XIII," I replied, shoveling a spoonful of some delicious sauce into my mouth and attempting not to let my eyes roll back into my head. As odd as it sounded, Terra was a heavenly cook.

At that, Aqua wiped her mouth with a napkin, set down her eating utensils, and added, "I don't know how you do it."

Terra grinned. "Yeah, she can barely keep up in a household with just two men!" She cut her eyes at him.

I replied, "I mostly just ignore them. I take delight in their misfortunes when I can, irritate them when there are no misfortunes to be had, and then plot ways to bring them misfortune."

"Uh huh," Terra deadpanned, "and when exactly do you find the time to plot these misfortunes?" He waited for my answer smugly.

"When I'm supposed to be doing my missions. Or at three in the morning. But usually when I'm supposed to be doing my missions."

The mage questioned, "Juliet, why exactly did Saїx forbid you from seeing Zexion?"

With a groan, I seethed, "Well, I had a little mishap in the lab that Saїx walked in on ― I fell on Zexion and ended up straddling Zexion like a low-class whore.

"Juliet!" Aqua gasped, dropping her spoon with a clatter. "Why would you call yourself that!?"

Shrugging, I answered, "Dunno. It felt appropriate at the time."


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