Author's Notes: I've been very tired lately. Overworked. Not enough sleep. So, now I spend some of my time writing my Fanfictions… My muse hasn't returned from its 'vacation' yet. Oh well. R & R, y'all. x))

------------

Rain on Roses

Chapter II: Aggrieved Disaster

Number Eleven strode through the corridors of the Castle That Never Was, glancing around furtively as he tiptoed silently past Saix' door, afraid that he would cause a commotion that would awaken the Luna Diviner. Saix was known for his mean temper, and maybe, mentally unstable. Marluxia cringed at the thought and made his way to the training area. He had always been doing this for the past few weeks, so as to become the most powerful among his minions. He crept down the stairs leading to the training center when something made him catch his breath.

A sweet, but haunting, melancholic voice reverberated through the Castle's walls. Marluxia frowned. He obviously did not know that Number Thirteen possessed such a power. Letting his sense of hearing take the lead, he pushed open the door and secreted himself behind the wall. Fortunately, the door did not creak, but Marluxia felt something amiss.

"Oh well." He cast a glance into the training area and gasped. Number Thirteen was up early in the dawn, and from that, earlier than him.

She stood at the window near the arena, her arms resting on the silver railing. Long, dark hair trailed all the way down to her waist, tied by the same string of pearls that glimmered from the light from Kingdom Hearts. It was barely a quarter and they needed to complete the whole thing in order to have their hearts returned.

"What is she doing here?" he thought. Marluxia would have felt jealous, but alas, he possessed not a heart.

Her petite frame appeared almost as if she would fall anytime, and she sure did. Pressing a gloved hand to her forehead, beads of sweat trickled down her face and landed on the leathery cloak. With a soft flump, she landed on the ground, her silky hair sprawled out at different angles.

Without thinking twice, Marluxia burst through the door and appeared by her side the next moment. He bent down, staring straight at her face. He scrutinized her; she looked as if she was in intense pain. Marluxia could not understand why. After all, singing was just…singing. It could not possibly cause a fainting spell, especially to one as strong as Zenora.

"Are you alright?"

Zenora stirred, opening her eyes to get a glimpsed of her savior. Marluxia's face hovered above her, although expressionless and just as emotionless like any other Nobody. She sat up, brushing her hair out of her face and shut her eyes for a few more moments, her right hand placed against the floor. Marluxia could hear her breathing heavily, and she certainly did not look good.

"Let me help you up."

Silence.

"No, I'm fine."

Zenora managed to get up herself, but struggled for quite awhile. Marluxia watched, wondering how she managed to keep such a spirit of perseverance. If he were her, he would have accepted others' help by then.

"So…how did that happen?"

"It's none of your business. Now, leave me alone."

"Don't you need help?"

Zenora's eyes flashed with pure rage and Marluxia backed away.

"Alright, alright! Calm down. You and Twelve are so alike. No wonder both of you are such good friends…" he murmured the last part to himself, making sure that Thirteen did not get to hear those words.

After Marluxia left, Zenora went back to her previous spot and rested her head on her arms. "It's too tough being half of each. Why can't I just be either with a heart, or one without a heart?" contradicting statements raced through her confused mind and something surprising occurred.

She cried.

Silent screams thundered in her mind. She was so desperate to get rid of the remaining half, or get her other half back. Zenora bent low against the railing and sobbed, at least loud enough for an eavesdropping Marluxia to hear.

Raising an eyebrow, he refused to believe that Thirteen was actually crying. Of all people! And he thought that she would be the strongest among them. He peeked in again and felt his face flush.

Zenora leaned against the door, sniffing silently, with arms folded into a surly knot. And yes, she did not look happy.

-------------

"Hey! Where did you get that from?"

The booming voice that came from Axel, was always recognizable. Marluxia grimaced, knowing that he had to explain the matter to his other members. After Zenora discovered him, he came to a conclusion.

"Well, you can just say that females aren't always that…weak. And…uh, fragile." He gulped.

A long bloody cut grazed Marluxia's right arm, with the tracings of an edge of a double shruiken.

"I don't get what you're saying. You mean…?"

"Yeah. She." He was even afraid to mention her name now.

"Who she? Thirteen?" Axel guessed, grinning playfully.

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Marluxia looked around, eyes wide in fear.

Axel folded his arms as well, his appearance so similar to Zenora that he began to freak. "Don't do that! Argh!" Marluxia groaned. The whole Organization was going to make fun of him for being bullied by a girl.

"You know what? You shouldn't let her step over you. Gotta let her know that you're the man, and she's the lady, so she has to listen to you, instead of you listen to her. Get my drift?" Axel ranted.

Marluxia's eyes electric blue eyes perked up immediately, as if a storm was reflected in his shimmering pupils.

"I see where you're at." He suppressed a grin.

-------------

Glancing out of her bedroom window, Zenora tugged at a strand of her raven black hair, thoughts whirring in her mind like an endless roller coaster. Focusing back down from the scenery and onto the floor, a single tear slid down her pale face and stained the floor with its splattered liquid.

A tear that was one of its kind.

As she left, it sparkled with a resonating light, one which told a tale of destiny.

Love.

And a tragic ending.

It had all begun with rain.