Disclaimer: I don't own anything, especially not Kingdom Hearts and the characters in it. But Raizane Ryda Tarshil/Daryx is a product of my warped imagination and does belong to me.

Author's Notes: uhm… yeah, another chapter. Gee, I must be annoying you guys with all these meaningless comments. Oh well! No one said you have to read them…yep same comments and stuff from the last chapter.

Everyone was taken aback at the forcefulness of the petite, silver-blue haired man's forcefulness in his voice. It was instantly quiet, as everyone took their seats and managed to relax.

Xemnas tossed a grateful look to Zexion before standing up to have perfect viewing of all the Castle Oblivion members of his precious Organization. A glare went to Vexen, who was trying to not get caught throwing the random glance to Daryx. The younger girl was preoccupied with keeping herself out of trouble now, and didn't seem to notice much. And that was just the way it should be.

Of course, they didn't know that her mind was racing with things that she shouldn't be thinking. Mainly, that dream she had. She shivered at the thought of what she and Vexen would have done in that dream just as he looked to her again. Why did he keep doing that, she wondered. It was really unsettling. Her hand gripped Lexaeus's tighter, really not wanting to feel alone right then, even though relationships on the personal level shouldn't be flaunted around.

"Now, all of you should know why we're here, right?" Xemnas asked, his cool voice sending waves of calmness through them. He was nice when he was like this. It gave the members hope that there wouldn't be yelling to come later on.

"Because we fucked up once again and you're going to punish us all by making us work with our worst enemy?" Larxene asked, being the first one brave enough to venture a guess.

"Because you want to give us all raises and a month off so we can actually try and have fun?" Vexen was the next one to speak up.

Zexion and Lexaeus exchanged glances, something in their eyes obviously calling the two talking idiots, among other things.

Marluxia raised his hand shyly, almost trying to be the timid schoolboy. When Xemnas turned on him, he sighed. "Because we have too many people here and not enough work? Or is it the opposite? Too much work and not enough people actually working?"

Xemnas's scowl broke into the faintest of smiles. He nodded. "Very good, little rose. I see you have been paying attention at our meetings." He looked around in a scolding manner, wondering why the original members, the apprentices to Ansem themselves, couldn't see that. Why else would they have had a meeting to decide whom to bring in as the Roxas replacement? Stupid.

Daryx found herself sighing. It was plain to see whom they were talking about. She hadn't had any work to do in the past few weeks, since she had finally convinced Xemnas to put her name up for this position. She had only been hanging around the castle for years, trying to figure out how, exactly, to get into the Organization. Of course she would keep the reasons for wanting to join to herself and not share them with anyone, even when questioned upon such a topic. What could she do? She barely managed to find a roommate, since they didn't think she could handle a whole floor to herself. That was the real truth as to why she had to live with someone on the sub levels.

At least that was her choice. She got to choose to stay with Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion as opposed to Axel, Marluxia, and Larxene. Anyways, it was only fair to give both floors one of the girls. It couldn't be all guys; they would get into too much mischief if left alone for long periods of time.

Zexion spoke up now. "Well, then we just need to redo the work charts to accommodate more people. All 13 of us have to do some work, and that includes going with the other members outside of the castle. Since our Superior—" he glanced to Xemnas, who nodded for him to continue, "has to stay here, that makes a nice number of 6 groups of 2. That's more than enough for just about any task. Even recovery."

A noticeable shiver went down the spine of the Silent Hero as his grip tightened a bit on Daryx's hand. She whimpered softly, just loud enough for him to hear her and loosen his grip again. But it seemed Zexion's proposal had caught everyone's attention.

"What do I need to do? Just say it, Zexion. You're all thinking it. It's not fair for me to just be able to sit around and mooch off of everyone else. It's not fair to you all that I can't fight well to save my life, and I'm still new to all the things that go on here… yet I stay and do nothing." Daryx looked directly at each person and most of them either shied away or looked back at her. She was right. They all felt that way. Another soft sigh left her.

"You'll work with Vexen tomorrow, Daryx, okay? I don't know what the hell happened between you two, but it's not good. We can't have dysfunction in our already dysfunctional family-like system. Got it? And that goes for both of you." Zexion said, eyeing Vexen at that moment.

Both glared at each other for a moment, Daryx's boyfriend and Vexen's lover holding them back from going right into a fight then and there. Sure, things blew up. Sure, they weren't a couple anymore. Sure, they were nearly polar opposites and shouldn't be trusted in the same room together. But why couldn't that chance? Who knows, maybe they could at least be friends.

Vexen nodded slowly, still watching Daryx with curious eyes. He couldn't deny that he still found her beautiful and amazingly sweet; just about everything he wasn't. He had Larxene now, who was impatiently tapping her fingers on the table they all sat around. What was it about the thunder-chick, the Spark Plug as Daryx calls her, which attracted him? Eventually she would play with thunder, purposely pushing it too close to the other side of the table for comfort. Ah, that's why. It was simply because she wasn't afraid to push people's buttons.

Daryx closed her eyes and nodded once more. "Fine, I'll work with Vexen…"

Xemnas smiled approvingly. "Good. I believe that is all. I expect floor meetings to happen. Zexion, Marluxia… discuss anything that needs to happen. And I do not want to hear of any misbehaving among the little couples of this group. Right now, I'm going to make it very clear to you all that it's not a good thing to get too attached. Who knows when another replacement will be needed?"

With those final parting words, a portal was opened for each of them to where they were to go. They all stepped through and awaited the morning.