Author's note: You know you haven't updated in ages if you end your last chapter with 'a happy new-year' and start your new chapter with one xD Late, late update. I'm sorry!

A little recap: Roxas and co. are stuck in some kind of virtual (and somewhat sadistic) levelling game. Namine seems to have some control of it (but is not the creator) and planted a bug which activated ever since Roxas, the thirteenth subject, entered. If Roxas' life is endangered by one of the levels, this bug activates and crashes the level. This is all figured out by Zexion and Marluxia, who both seem to know more than they let on, much to the others chagrin. In the last chapter it became apparent that Axel really, really hates hospitals and Roxas got himself injured on purpose to crash the level and get them to safety.

Remember? If not, try reading chapter 2 again since it explains a lot of 'rules' of the game.

On to levels 9!

Oh, and I made a little change, in chapter 2 I had written: "The levels ten to fifteen have six possibilities", but I feel that's a bit too little now, so I upped it to 20 possibilities xD

Abyss

Chapter 7 – Purple Savior

Roxas flinched as Zexion wrapped the bandage around his injured arm. The cut hadn't been that deep but it still stung a lot. But the pain wasn't the main thing on his mind. He knew Axel was furious at him for getting hurt on purpose. For now the redhead was taking a shower, but Roxas knew that the moment Axel was done, he was going to receive one hell of a preach.

"You should keep the bandage on for a day or two to prevent infection," Zexion said. He looked at the wound. "Which level were you in?"

"A hospital run by someone with mysophobia," Roxas replied sarcastically.

Zexion's eyes lit up in comprehension, "With the bloody storage room, right? Yes, that one is quite difficult."

"And weird," Roxas sighed, "especially for Axel. He was kinda freaked out." His big blue eyes didn't miss the slight flinch Zexion gave at that last reply. "Do you know why?" But Zexion just shook his head and awkwardly started cleaning up the first aid box. With another sigh he decided to drop the subject. For now anyway. "Zexion."

"Yes?" Zexion answered, his back turned to the blonde.

"You should make up with them."

The blue haired man turned around swiftly, obviously surprised by the sudden change of subject. "What?"

"You should make up with them," Roxas repeated. "You've known each other for years now. Yet you didn't tell them that you knew more about this game. More than they did." Blue eyes stared intensely at Zexion. "That hurt them, Zexion. A lot. Especially Demyx, if you're as close to him as I think you are."

A guilty look covered Zexion's one exposed eye.

"Something is obviously preventing you from telling the entire story. But you should at least apologize," Roxas finished.

Zexion briefly closed his eyes, "You're right." Then opened them again to look straight at the injured boy, "Thanks, Roxas, and…and I'm sorry." He received a smile in reply.

"That's alright." The blonde stood up, gingerly rubbing over his bandaged arm. "I remember the last three letters, by the way. They're "ISI"." He grinned at Zexion's surprised look before making his way out of the room. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a preach to receive."

Axel was already waiting for him in their bedroom. He still looked cross, but the look in his eyes softened slightly at the sight of the bandage which covered Roxas' entire lower arm. "Do you write with that hand?"

"No," Roxas answered, he tried to keep his voice neutral to hide his nerves.

"Hmph, at least you were smart enough to prevent that, eh?" Axel sneered. He opened his mouth to let out more snide comments but was cut off when Roxas raised his hand like a stop signal.

Roxas took in a deep breath and looked intensely at Axel. Time to follow my own advice. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Axel." The redhead blinked at the sudden apology. "I just couldn't sit and watch. Not again." Not like in that museum level.

Axel ran a hand through his hair, "How am I supposed to stay mad at you if you give me that puppy look?" His eyes gazed at the ceiling to escape baby blue eyes. "I wasn't expecting you to apologize though." He grinned and ruffled Roxas' hair, "You keep surprising me, Roxie."

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" The blonde asked as hands tried to save what was left of his hairstyle.

"If you'll forgive me for being an ass at the start of that level," Axel replied in a serious tone. 'And for not explaining why', was left unsaid but clear.

Roxas blinked. He hadn't thought that Axel would say that. "I…I…sure." He received toothy grin in return.

"Then we're both forgiven," the redhead stated happily. "Let's go and eat. I'm staaarving."

Roxas and Axel entered the kitchen to see that the others were there as well. That wasn't the strange part though. No, the strange part was that Zexion was cooking –Demyx always did that– and Marluxia was giving Larxene a backrub.

"…What the hell?" Axel said. Both he and Roxas were left blinking at the strange scene. "What's going on…?"

Demyx gave them a sugary grin, "Hungry? Zexy will make whatever you'd like." His eyes looked at Zexion with a mischievous glint, "Won't you, Zexy, my darling dearest?" The other man nodded in reply, pointedly not meeting the others' eyes.

"Why yes, they'll do everything we'd like," Larxene said. "Right, Marly?"

Marluxia stiffened momentarily at the hated nickname but then continued his massage. "Of course."

"You get to call him 'Marly'," Axel asked, amazed. Larxene nodded. "And he won't bite your head off? Won't maim you? Won't cut you into little pieces and then kill you?"

"Naturally, what kind of slave would he be if he didn't?" The women responded with a grin so large it barely fitted on her face.

Roxas laughed as it finally clicked. "Haha, they apologized, right? And now they're your slaves until you've decided they've been punished enough." The sighs which escaped both men told Roxas he was right.

Axel didn't quite follow it though, "Apologized?"

Zexion ignored the question and asked one of his own, "So are you and Roxas good again?"

"Yes," the redhead replied.

"Does that mean you're in a forgiving mood?" Zexion asked. Both he and Marluxia looked pointedly at Axel.

Axel looked at them sceptically but finally answered when Roxas poked him in the side, "Maybe. Maybe not."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

Both men said it so sincerely that it made the redhead's eyes widen. The silence stretched until Roxas gave him another poke, harder this time. "Fine, fine you're forgiven. Happy now?"

"Yes, very much actually," Marluxia replied vaguely.

"Wait, what am I missing?" Axel asked, his eyes darting from Zexion to Marluxia which were both wearing relieved looks. He was ignored though.

"Roxas?" Marluxia began.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to you too."

"That's alright." Roxas replied. "I really don't need a new slave." He leered at Axel. "I'm already housetraining one."

Axel glared at the grinning blonde, "Very funny….but why- ah crap!" It finally clicked. "You're slaving for Demyx and Larxene because they have not forgiven you yet!" He slapped his hand against his forehead in frustration.

Marluxia looked up from his massaging to give Axel a smug look, "Yes, and since you two have, we won't have to follow your orders."

Dinner went relatively smooth after that revelation. Although Axel kept muttering about missed chances, Zexion and Marluxia were teased endlessly without mercy and the food was slightly burned by a certain inexperienced cook.

The next morning everyone was ready to take on the ninth level. Zexion and Marluxia were looking a tad tired though.

"You've been up all night trying to figure out the password, haven't you?" Larxene asked. She received two tired glances in return.

Marluxia sighed, "We now know that the letter are A T R O C I S I, but I can't form a single word with them…" He shook his head in frustration. "It's obviously not an English word, probably Latin, maybe even Greek."

"We need a hint or a clue to figure out it's meaning," Zexion started. "It probably has something to do with the number thirteen, because that's when it's activated." He shot a quick glance at the pink haired man.

"Well, thirteen is Namine's favourite number," Marluxia explained. At the questioning looks he received, he elaborated, "Like I said before, I knew her." The curious looks didn't stop. "Fine, she was patient of mine."

Roxas asked, "What kind of patient?"

"Psychiatric."

Four pair of eyes widened at that. Not Zexion's though.

Marluxia continued, "She had a past trauma, which has nothing to do with this so I won't elaborate on that. I have work confidentiality, you know." he smirked but his eyes were flat. "Well, had anyway." He brushed a hand through his hair. "The trauma had made her very closed off and unable to express herself. So I once made her draw something as if to convey her feelings." A slight smile. "Namine turned out to be a great artist and the treatment was hitting off, but…" A deep breath, "…then she disappeared without a trace." He gave a hollow laugh. "Imagine my surprise when I saw her here."

"This is all so complicaaated," Demyx whined. Axel patted his head in sympathy. "And even if we do figure out the word, then what are we going to do with it?"

"Tell the virus?" Roxas piped up.

Zexion nodded. "We should probably make the level crash and then tell the virus when it's spilling out the letters."

"That's nice, but what good will that do for the virus?" Axel asked.

Zexion answered again. "I'm pretty sure that the virus needs that password in order to grow. We might even need more passwords after this one."

Axel groaned, "I don't like this at all." He crossed his arms. "The levels only crash when Roxie's in danger…" He sent a concerned look at the blonde.

"Well," Roxas began, "Let's at least take a piece of paper and pencil with us next time. So if it crashes and starts spilling new letters, we can write them down in one try."

"That's still one time too many, blondie," Axel didn't look very convinced.

Roxas smiled sadly, "You'd rather stay stuck here?" The redhead gave him no answer in reply.

The computer obviously decided they had spent enough time chattering, because it ran it's usual message. "Welcome, subjects VI, VIII, IX, XI, XII and XIII. You will advance towards Level 9. There are three possibilities. Please decide with whom you will take on the level. Four persons per possibility is the maximum."

Larxene looked at Marluxia and Zexion, "You two want to keep figuring out the password together, don't you?" She received two nods.

"Well, since Roxy is pretty much out of commission," Demyx looked pointedly at the boys arm, "How about I'll join you two?" He said whilst looking at Roxas and Axel. "Then we'll split up into two groups of three."

After everyone agreed, they entered their own levels.

The ninth level was an enormous desert. Sand stretched out as far as the eye could see. The sun glared from its place upon the sky, causing the air to be scorching hot. Much to Demyx's, a water lover, dismay.

"Man, it's too hot in here~!" Demyx whined, his arms flapping in weird movements, reminiscent to a fish on dry land.

"If you're done waving, maybe we can get going," Axel sarcastically said.

Roxas turned a full 360 yet saw nothing but sand. "Go where to exactly?"

The big blue eyes gazing up at him in confusing caused Axel to smile. "To the rainforest," the redhead answered mysteriously. When Roxas cocked his head to the side, puzzled, Axel laughed. "You're too cute, Roxie." He received a blush in return. Hitting on the blonde never ceased to amuse him. "I've been here before, we just need to keep walking until we find an oasis."

"An oasis?" Roxas asked. "But there's nothing here!"

Axel bend down to pat Roxas softly on the nose. "It's not supposed to make sense, remember?" As he straightened, a sly smirk made its way onto his face. "You'll be getting your wet dream soon enough, Dem."

Demyx didn't seem to catch the innuendo but Roxas sure as hell did. "Axel?!" The blush wasn't going anywhere at this rate.

Axel just looked at him innocently. "What?" It wasn't a very convincing look though.

Roxas sighed, "Let's just get going, you pervert."

They had been walking for about ten minutes when it suddenly started raining. Drops the size of grapes fell out of the sky. The moment the drops hit the sand, the scenery changed and flourished.

"...What the hell?" Demyx and Roxas muttered at the same time as the desert turned into a lush jungle in front of their eyes. Awestruck the both of them looked around while Axel snickered at the look on their faces.

"Told ya we'd go to a rainforest," The redhead said.

"It's gorgeous," Roxas whispered. Huge trees, about the height of your average skyscraper, were spread everywhere. Large purple wisterias had draped themselves around the trees, also having grown to extreme lengths. The air was moist and hot. The kind that makes your clothes stick to your skin.

"Now where's that tree..." Axel muttered, trying to gracefully manoeuvre his way through the branches and roots littered on the ground. "Ah, there it is."

There stood a dead tree in the middle of a small lake. Its gray white branches contrasted with the colourful scenery. As light filtered through a thick roof of leaves, a glimmer highlighted the key dangling on one of tree's branches.

"So are there alligators hiding in the water or something?" Roxas grumbled. "It can't be that easy to just grab the key."

Axel laughed, "Always our little bundle of sunshine, eh blondie?" He motioned to Demyx to go and get the key. "Getting the key is that easy. It's the key lock that's the problem."

"What do you mean?" Roxas inquired.

"Oh, you'll see," The redhead answered lightly. "Hey Demyx! Find a place to climb unto once you grab the key!" He yelled.

In the meantime Demyx had made its way through the water and nodded to Axel. He climbed the tree and as soon as he had grabbed the key, the dead tree seemed to regain its life force. Slowly colour seeped back in its branches and wisteria flowers bloomed on its surface.

But at the same time the drops of moisture that had rested on the rainforests' leaves started falling. Luckily Axel and Roxas had also found themselves a place off the ground and in the trees, because the ground's surface started rippling as if it were water as soon as the first drop hit the ground.

"What's going on?" Roxas asked to Axel as he saw dozens of drops fall to the ground.

"Just watch", Axel answered. He snapped a leaf of the tree he was standing on and dropped it to the ground. When the leaf hit the ground it sunk right through as if it had hit quicksand. "Good thing I've been here before, eh? I remember the first time I got here. It took me and Marluxia half an hour to pull Larxene out." He let out a slight chuckle. "Granted I wasn't really trying that hard."

"So we just try to reach the lock without touching the ground?" Demyx asked. "That can't be that hard."

Axel shook his head. "Just wait, we'll be avoiding more than just the ground." A sigh. "I hate the cold. Don't get touched the ice balls," The redhead warned.

"What ice balls?" Demyx asked.

As if on cue the water drops stopped falling. For a moment the ground looked solid again but the process was suddenly reversed as drops came back out of the ground. These drops were much larger though. About the size of a tennis ball and made fully of ice. The entire scenery glittered as dozens of sparkling balls of ice levitated in the air.

But beauty can be cruel at times.

Axel let down another leaf and this time it hit one of the ice balls. It immediately turned into ice as well and plunged to the ground, only to be swallowed up the quicksand.

"...Seriously who makes up these levels?" Roxas complained.

"Oh, oh I remember!" Demyx happily piped up, "One time Marluxia's arm was covered in ice and he was trying to melt it with a blow-dryer! Was that because of this level?"

"Yeah," Axel snickered. "I didn't even know we had a blow-dryer until then. He must've been hiding it for himself."

"Maybe he had brought it along," Demyx suggested, "I mean, you brought along a lighter when you were captured, Axel."

"...I doubt he was carrying around a blow-dryer before he got captured by a theme park attraction," Roxas deadpanned. "Anyway, where's the key lock?"

"In a crucified wisteria", Axel answered cheekily.

"...What?" Roxas blinked. "Can't you give a straight answer for once?" When he saw Axel grin and prepare for a lame comeback, he quickly continued, "And don't even think about making a gay joke, you sick pyro!"

"Touchy, besides I was giving you an honest answer," Axel answered. "Oh, and duck." The redhead pushed down Roxas' head.

"Huh?" Suddenly an ice ball collided with a branch where Roxas' head had been.

"Enough chitchatting," Axel remarked, "Time to find the 'holy' wisteria." He jumped off the tree branch he had been standing on and carefully tracked forward, nimbly avoiding touching either the ground or the ice balls.

Slowly but surely the trio made their way through the rainforest. All of them had been hit several times and had frozen spots all over their bodies that made it difficult to move. Axel had half-heartedly tried to melt the ice with his lighter but hadn't been very successful.

"So where is that Jesus wisteria of yours, Axel?" Roxas asked crabbily. The cold was not improving his mood. Avoiding hits to his legs had frozen both his hands. The fact that he seemed to be doing the poorest wasn't improving his mood either. He had always been kind of a sore loser.

"Right there," Axel replied with a smirk.

And yes, right of front them a large wisteria had draped itself in the shape of a Christian cross on a tree.

"...I guess you could call that a crucified wisteria." Roxas could feel the twitch in his eyes from a few levels back returning. "But where's the lock?"

"Right in the middle," Axel replied. "Go ahead, Demy."

Demyx's hands pushed their way through the flowers and opened the lock with the key. "All done." He said with a smile.

"Congratulations, subjects VI, VIII, IX and XIII. You have passed Level 9. You may now choose to rest or continue levelling," a computer voice droned.

Axel looked at his own frozen limbs and at the other two blondes', "Rest."

The trio entered the Rest Room. They were the first ones back.

"I'll boil some water and get us some hot towels to melt our limbs," Demyx cheerily said and skipped off.

"Where does he find the energy," Roxas wondered aloud. "Have you ever seen him depressed?"

Axel paused for a moment to think before answering, "If one of us gets injured or hurt he'll feel sad for that person. Probably even more than if he were to be hurt himself. But yeah, aside from that he's always peppy." A wink. "And it'll only get worse since Zexion is now his slave."

"Haha, I feel more sorry for Marluxia. Having Demyx boss you around cannot be nearly as bad as having Larxene boss you around," Roxas commented.

"Meh, he'll hardly notice the difference," Axel made the noise of a whip, "She's already got Marly trained if you ask me."

The feeling of someone trying to burn a hole in the back of his head, made Axel turn around. Only to come face to face with a certain ticked of pink haired man. "I thought I'd told you not to call me that," Marluxia icily commented.

Axel tried to save his hide in vain. "Hehe, have I ever told you how much I like your hair, Marluxia? So nice and pi- Aaah!"

Day 1467.

Subjects VI, VIII, IX, XI, XII and XIII have passed Level 9.

Subject I has failed at Level 19. X has been relocated to Level 15.

Subject VII has failed at Level 19. X has been relocated to Level 15.

Subject II has failed at Level 18. X has been relocated to Level 15.

No crashes have been reported.

Current Level of subjects:
I – 15
II – 15
III – 13
IV – 13

V – 18
VI – 9
VII – 15
VIII – 9
IX – 9
X – 11
XI – 9
XII – 9
XIII – 9

Author's Note: Don't mess with Marluxia ;D

I'll try to at least update monthly from now on.

On a random note, I have finally started playing KH Days but my hands starts hurting if I play longer than 30 minutes D: And I really don't care for Xion. Her hair is not fabulous enough to fit in the Organization xD So if you were wondering, no she isn't going to appear in this story.