Xurikus was skipping around the pillars, cloak and hair flying behind him. Four others were also standing in the entrance hall, watching the fourth in charge bounce around the room in mock happiness.
"What exactly are you doing Xurikus?" Tasirxt asked skeptically, letting her weapon dissolve back into the shadows of her heart.
"I'm frolicking in the hallway of death." He smiled, spinning around another pillar and skipped over to the next one.
"Who was that girl?" Xathreg wondered, holding his chin with his bionic arm.
"I don't care. She fell on me!" Xetaik pouted, leaning her parasol on one of the pillars, making a point of avoiding the skipping nobody, which he didn't notice. Dekayx had refused to answer their inquiries about the girl as she was the last one in the training hall with the superior; only Xathreg had gotten her to speak and even then, number five had only said she didn't know what was going on. And so the room relapsed into silence, only punctuated by Xurikus's clunky combat boots against the tile floor. Suddenly there was a click and Anaxn stalked from the training hall, followed by a slightly confused female, half of her brown hair tied back in a pony tail. People immediately swarmed for information but the superior's sudden rise in defensive aura made people keep back just slightly.
"There will be a meeting today at 12. It will be short but mandatory. Inform everyone of this." As she stalked off, followed by the newcomer, there were angry mumbles from the now imposed-upon nobodies.
"Stupid number one, thinks she can just schedule meetings whenever she wants…." Tasirxt grumbled, pulling up a portal, probably to escape this new duty.
"Damn, I was going to go play that new videogame." Xathreg sighed, heading towards the basement. Numbers nine and five disappeared into their darkness but Xurikus merely sighed wearily and began walking up the stairs towards the library. Although he never normally went there, it seemed an inviting enough place now. It would be quiet and he could wander about, reading all the interesting book titles. As soon as he entered though, Xurikus noticed Luxaji on one of the computers listening to her headphones, the music leaking into the surrounding space, it was so loud. Sensing an opportunity to cause mayhem, Xurikus snuck up behind her, an evil grin on his face.
"Hi Luxaji!!" Xurikus screamed, suddenly grabbing hold of her shoulders. She jumped, headphones jilted off her ears, and quickly minimized the window she was viewing.
"What the fuck?! Xurikus, why are you here? I never thought I'd see you in a library." She asked skeptically, readjusting her headphones. Ignoring the question, he smiled and said,
"Anaxn planned another meeting, today at twelve." Luxaji started to grumble, but number four interrupted her.
"You won't believe why. A girl fell on Xetaik." This was met with silence and a raised eyebrow.
"The color blind acid trip? Why is that important?"
"The girl came from a darkness portal." Again, silence and Xurikus skipped up the stairs towards the observation tower, leaving Luxaji to grumble about the lack of information.
Xurikus flipped leisurely through the pages of a book that Anaxn, if she found it in the library, would have most likely banned and destroyed. Putting it on the couch next to him with a sigh, he stared into the blackness of the World-That-Never-Was. It had been maybe two weeks since he had become a nobody, and he still wasn't used to it. Then again, was it possible to get used to not having a heart? The lack of emotions made his actions meaningless but he put as much energy into them as he could, as though doing it enough would make it have meaning. The idea of emotions though was such a hard concept for him to let go of. Anaxn seemed to have managed it, but look at her! She wouldn't even tell you the time of day if it meant she had to speak. Sighing, he leaned back more, setting his hands behind his head and watching how the light was reflected on the glass. His eyelids fluttered closed, letting blend together the lights, shadows and reflections. Suddenly Xurikus jumped up, grabbing the back of the couch and scooting away from the glass. His eyes were wide, mouth agape in confusion, but not fear. He couldn't feel fear. Had another face really been there, floating in the glass near where his face had been? Xurikus glanced around, checking the room for other people. There was no one there. If he had a heart it would be racing, but he didn't so he quickly calmed down. A face where there was no one there. How strange. He wondered if it would be his friend. Checking the watch on the back of his glove, he stood, preparing to leisurely make his way down to the meeting room.
As usual, he was one of the last to make it to the meeting hall. Only Tasirxt and Dekayx weren't there; everyone else was staring intently at the girl in the thirteenth seat. Her confusing outfit was highlighted by a short cape, crossed and studded belts, fingerless elbow gloves and her brown hair, half pulled into a ponytail and most left loose at shoulder length. Although she glanced at him with her grey-hazel eyes, the girl returned her gaze into the middle distance, ignoring the rest of the stares and whispers aimed at her. Taking his seat next to Kitexa and Sicjexas, he looked attentively around the table at the intrigued faces, especially Anaxn, whose face revealed nothing about this new girl. Numbers 5 and 7 finally arrived and beside sending them a cold glare, Anaxn ignored them and let the group settle as much as they could with a new arrival.
"As you all well know, we have an new nobody with us. This is Alzaxras, and she will be joining us in our search for our hearts, which brings me to our next point. We have not yet named our group." Anaxn fell silent and even Xurikus was semi-quiet as he though about a name for their rag tag group. It was quite a while before anyone was actually heard.
"We should have a name similar to Organization XIII." Number IV commented finally, holding his chin in his hands. The rest of them stared at him strangely; he had actually said something intelligent which, as they had learned in the past few weeks, was almost impossible. However, there were a few murmurs of assent.
"We do have thirteen members." Said Naryx thoughtfully, adjusting his dark glasses. Another pondering silence settled tentatively over the table.
"I've got it! Guild XIII!" Luxaji stood and exclaimed from across the table.
"Guild XIII…." Anaxn murmured, her brow furrowing. As she looked around the table for affirmations, she stood up.
"Are we decided then?" Everyone nodded except Alzaxras, who was simply staring at the superior.
"Alright then. We are now Guild XIII. Dismissed." As was now usual, Anaxn disappeared into the shadows and several of the other less social nobodies did so as well. Xurikus himself decided to go bother Xathreg and skipped out of the room.