I apologize for the wait. I've been busy lately, but now I'm back! Let's see what kind of mayhem the Host Club can get into now -- at the beach!

Chapter 9 -- Let's Go To The Beach!

"Of course we're going to go on vacation. Why wouldn't we?"

Roxas stared at Axel in shock. The host club's enthusiastic leader had just annouced that the club would be going on a beach vacation to Destiny Islands.

"Number VIII, you do realize the dangers of going to that world, do you not?" Zexion said as he glanced over at Axel.

"Yes," Axel replied, "but we won't have to worry about that when we attract more lovely customers. Profit, Zexion, remember?"

Zexion sighed. Although Heartless seemed to be fixed on Destiny Islands at the moment, the idea of more profit was too enticing for the Cloaked Schemer to pass up.

"Axel, we can't just leave on vacation when we have work to do here!" Roxas protested. The Superior wanted him to train more, and the other members probably had assignments to work on as well.

However, Axel did not seem interested. "Okay, we all need to make sure we have good, ripped chests so that the ladies are attracted to us. Also, we'll need to bring money for food and a hotel."

"Can I bring my inner tube?" Demyx suddenly asked.

"Inner tube? Demyx, your element is water!" Axel exclaimed.

"So? It's easier to swim with an inner tube! Plus it's cuter!"

"Whatever." Axel thought for a minute. "We'll need fireworks, of course, too."

"Fireworks?" Roxas looked up at Axel in confusion. "Why fireworks? It's not a holiday or anything."

"Axel's a pyro, remember?" Marluxia nudged Roxas. "He has to have his fire needs satisfied every time he goes to the beach."

"Just so long as you don't set off something too dangerous, Number VIII," Zexion reminded Axel.

The next day the Host Club, completely decked out in Hawaiian shirts and swim trunks, went through their portals to Destiny Islands. Marluxia had made leis for everyone out of his own homegrown tropical flowers. Demyx brought along his inner tube, just as he promised. No one else was at the beach when they arrived, since it was a weekday and most peolpe were at work or school.

"They'll come eventually!" Axel reassured them. "This way we can get some goof-off time in before the ladies arrive!"

Roxas sighed. I could be practicing my fighting skills right now...

Axel and Demyx jumped right into the water and began splashing everyone else. Xaldin slowly followed after them. Marluxia had been distracted by a group of tropical flowers and was admiring them. Zexion was still checking things off of his clipboard.

"So, Zexion, aren't you going in at all?" Roxas asked him as he approached his beach chair.

"I'm not a big fan of swimming," Zexion replied. "I have a bit of work to catch up on."

"Oh." Roxas turned to head into the water, but a cold spray of water met his face.

"Come on, guys! The water's great!" Axel shouted. He was armed with a water gun.

"Where did he get that from?" Zexion muttered in an annoyed tone. Suddenly, Axel ran toward them and sprayed both Zexion and Roxas with his water gun.

"Party poopers! Get in the water!"

Zexion, who was now completely drenched, looked up and glared at Axel. His clipboard was soaked and blotchy from the ink. "I'll kill you," he growled slowly.

"Oops!" Axel sprinted back into the water with Zexion chasing after him. Roxas went over to Xaldin, who was happily soaking next to a rock.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked as he slipped into the water. Xaldin only nodded. Then he looked around.

"Where did Demyx go?"

Roxas looked around. Demyx had been in the water, but Roxas couldn't see him anywhere. He scanned the shore and didn't see him there either.

"I don't know..."

He swam over to Axel, who was splashing Zexion, and tapped his shoulder.

"Um, Axel?"

"Oh! Here, use my water gun! I'm good with just splashing! You can be on my team!" Axel exclaimed.

"No, I mean --"

Axel shoved the gun into Roxas' hands and swam after Zexion. Roxas sighed again and decided to play along.

Pretty soon they all forgot about Demyx. Roxas was spraying Zexion while Axel splashed him from behind.

"This is completely unfair. I am getting Number IX to join my team," Zexion murmured.

"No! We want Demyx! He likes us better!" Axel shouted.

They all looked around, and Roxas remembered that Demyx had disappeared a while ago.

"Where's Demyx?!"

The Host Club was assembled on the beach. Marluxia had made flower wreaths for his hair and had stuck flowers behind his ears. He looked kinda like a hippie, actually.

"Okay, when was the last time anyone saw Demyx?" Axel asked as he looked around at the other members.

"He was in the water before I got in," Roxas noted.

"Yeah, he was splashing me," Marluxia said. "But then he went off, and I don't know which way he went."

They all sat in silence for a bit.

"That's it. We're going to have a search party!" Axel exclaimed. "Let's split up into groups and look for him! I want Roxas-kun!"

Roxas sighed.

"Xaldin and I shall go together," Zexion declared.

"Marly, you stay here in case he comes back," Axel ordered. Marluxia frowned.

"But I'll be all by myself!" he protested.

"Go play with the flowers or something," said Axel. "You'll be fine. You're not five."

"Ooh, flowers!" Marluxia wandered over to another tropical plant a few yards away.

"Okay, let's go!"

The two groups split up, with Axel and Roxas heading toward town and Zexion and Xaldin heading toward the other end of the shore. Marluxia was currently interested in a tall palm tree.

Which group will find Demyx? Is Demyx really even gone? And just what kind of fireworks did Axel bring to set off? We'll just have to wait until Chapter 10 to find out!