[Disclaimer: ...we obviously don't own Kingdom Hearts...if only we were that good... ;) ]

CHAPTER EIGHT

Room Assignments

"Xigba~! How did you know? Shh! You weren't supposed to tell anyone!" Leximy exclaimed, before turning to Demyx. "You!"

"I swear it wasn't me!" Demyx squealed in protest.

Chelly gasped. "It's another mystery!"

"I'm innocent!" Demyx persisted.

"A cruise…?" Axel asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I don't think Demyx did it…" Chelly said.

"It wasn't him, don't worry," Xigbar assured her.

"I DIDN'T DO IT! WHY ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT ME?" Demyx shouted.

Everyone stopped talking and turned to the stressed out musician.

Chelly pat him on the shoulder. "No one was blaming you…"

"Oh, okay," Demyx said with a smile. "How did you find out, Xiggy?"

Xigbar returned Demyx's smile with one of his own. "Secret."

"Secrets don't make friends, Xigba~," Chelly said.

"But friends make secrets!" Demyx amended.

Leximy sighed. "Why couldn't you keep this a secret? You ruined everything, now no one will want to come with us…you'll just have to stay here and 'work'…"

Saix nodded sternly. "I know it sounds like fun, but-"

Marluxia suddenly gasped loudly, interrupting Saix. "On a cruise? Where to Leximy?" he asked, running over and holding Leximy's hands. "We get to go hang out on beaches with the sun and in swim suits?"

There was a pause in which Saix did not know how to respond; Axel took advantage of this. "Saix is imagining Leximy in a swim suit."

Saix immediately blushed and frowned his signature frown. "W-what are you talking about? How dare you talk to me like that!"

Leximy sighed dramatically and stood up. "Well, I guess since Saix doesn't think we should go, it's best if we stay here. There are plenty of Heartless to be killed, and I know Xemnas would not be fond of the idea of his loyal companions off gallivanting on a hot sunny beach…"

"Did you say sunny?" Xemnas asked, stuffing a bottle of tanning oil in his pocket.

"N-no, obviously since the Superior is okay with it, we must all go along," Saix said with a knowing nod.

"Niiice cover up, Saix," Axel said.

Saix snapped his neck to look at Axel. "Keep your peace, Axel," he said through clenched teeth.

Axel scratched the back of his head with a smile. "Sorry, just trying to lighten your mood."

"Does that mean we go get the things out of your bedroom now, Chelly?" Demyx asked.

"Everyone knows already, so yes. I'm excited!"

"So am I!"

"Okay, well…everyone go pack your bags! We're going to be gone for a while!" Chelly said.

"We should probably go inform the rest of the Organization…" Axel pointed out.

"Wait until the last minute to tell Larxene!" Demyx instructed. "That way she has less time to get her things together!"

"Yeah, we can just leave her here!" Chelly said, high fiving Demyx. "Nice thinking!"

"Where should we meet?" Axel asked.

"Let's meet in your room!" Leximy announced. "Everyone to Axel's room as soon as you're packed!"

"…what? Why?"

Saix shook his head. "Our room is hardly big enough for the two of us…"

"We're all going to be sharing one room on the cruise boat, it's best we get used to being crammed in small spaces," Leximy said with a smile.

"…are you serious?" Zexion asked.

"It's like a longer version of the slumber party!" Demyx said happily.

"As I recall, you fell asleep, Demyx," Xigbar pointed out.

Demyx smiled and scratched the back of his head. "I was wondering why I couldn't remember a lot of it…"

Chelly snickered. "We don't all have to share…but…I do recall the thing online that said we'd have 8 rooms, so everyone will have to share with someone else, and there will be someone who has their own room…"

Everyone's faces lit up, then suddenly dimmed in realization.

"…The Superior…" Saix said.

"…will probably get the extra room…" Axel finished with a sigh.

"Nonsense," Xemnas said. "I will be sharing with one of my inferiors on this trip!"

"…why?" Saix asked.

"I feel…detached from you. I read somewhere that the boss should be on the same level as his employees. It builds better relationships."

"We're not running a business here…" Axel muttered.

"Was that a volunteer I just heard?" Xemnas asked.

"Actually…I'm sure he already has someone he wants to room with in mind…" Roxas said with a smile at Axel.

Axel smiled back. "You're right." He walked over and put his arm around Chelly's shoulder.

"Darn…"

"Who wants to room with me?" Demyx asked, then turned to Roxas and hugged him. "Okay, roomie!"

"I didn't…say anything!"

"What! How come you get Chelly?" Leximy exclaimed with a glare at Axel. "Now who am I going to be stuck with…?"

"I would like to offer myself-" Saix started.

"As your room mate! I'll be sleeping next to you," Marluxia decided.

"Okay…that's creepy Marluxia," Leximy said.

"Really?" he responded. "Would you rather me room with you? Same rules apply."

"…I think she'd be safer rooming with me…" Saix said.

"It's a battle for Leximy's love! But who will be the victor?" Demyx announced.

"Me," the two Nobodies said in synch, then glared at each other.

"Maybe we should pick your guys' roommates when we get there…after we let everyone else know…" Chelly suggested.

"But I want first dibs…" Leximy whined. "What if I get stuck with…Larxene, or…Vexen…" She shuttered at the thought.

"Then choose, you can have anyone you want," Axel said, before squeezing Chelly's arm. "Except Chelly of course."

"Erm…" Leximy said, looking between Saix and Marluxia, then to Xigbar and Zexion. "I guess I'll have to pick…"

There was a momentary pause in which everyone leaned forward to hear her.

Chelly broke the silence, causing everyone to jump a little. "Well…maybe we can take everyone and do a 'pros and cons' chart…"

"But that'd take too long! I don't want to be late!" Demyx retorted.

"But we're teleporting…we could be there within seconds, Demy…"

"Oh yeah! …but I need to pack!"

"Leximy should just pick the best of us men," Marluxia said with a smile.

"Or woman, in some cases…" Saix muttered.

Marluxia turned to him. "What?"

Saix coughed. "Nothing… So Leximy," he said, trying his best to give as genuine of a smile that a Nobody could. "Who would you like to room with…?"

"Well…I have someone in mind…but I don't want to hurt anyone with my choice…this is too hard…" A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Don't cry Leximy! I'll back out of the running…that should make your choice easier?" Saix said quickly.

"No, don't do that!" Leximy exclaimed.

"Why?" Saix asked with a cocky grin. "Could I possibly be the one of whom you have in mind?"

"Why don't you all rock-paper-scissors for it…it's only fair."

"She didn't answer my question…" Saix thought to himself.

"Oh the pressure," Axel said with a smirk.

"Good luck the person who Leximy wants to win!" Chelly said with a smile. "Wait a minute…Leximy, is the person you have in mind here right now?"

"I'm…not at liberty to say," Leximy responded with a smile. "Just play the game."

Marluxia, Saix, Xigbar, and Zexion held out their fists and prepared.

"Oh, this is so exciting. I love this game!" Demyx said.

"One, two…three!"

Marluxia, Saix and Xigbar played scissors, while Zexion played paper.

"Well, looks like I'll find a partner elsewhere," Zexion said, glancing at Chelly.

Axel nonchalantly stood in his line of vision of Chelly, who was focused on the game.

"You're too tall, Axel! I can't see what's going on!" she squeaked.

"Oh, sorry…" Axel said, only moving slightly.

"Once more…" Marluxia said.

"One…two…four…eight…three!" Leximy counted.

Saix played paper, Marluxia played gardening sheers, and Xigbar played paper.

"What? Where'd you get those?" Saix exclaimed at the actual gardening sheers Marluxia held in his hands.

"Does this mean I win?" Marluxia asked. "I could easily cut Saix's wimpy scissors…"

"How did he do that?" Chelly gasped.

"Marluxia likes to cheat," Axel explained.

"Hey, it's not cheating. It's assurance that I'll win."

"That's cheating…"

"So…Marluxia wins…does that work, Leximy?" Chelly asked.

"Of course not, cheaters never win," Leximy said. "Marluxia you're disqualified."

"What? But you cheat all the time!"

"How dare you accuse me of cheating!" Leximy exclaimed, with a swift kick at his shin.

"Ow…I really wish you weren't still wearing high heels…"

"So…I get to bunk with you?" Saix asked.

"You get to share a room and sleep in the bed on the other side of the room, yes," Leximy confirmed.

Saix nodded and had the smallest hint of a smile on his face.

"I think I'll go ask Lexaeus to room with me…" Zexion said thoughtfully. "He's quiet enough to let me read."

"What is this? I want a rematch!" Marluxia exclaimed.

"No one likes a sore loser, Marluxia," Saix said.

"It's okay, Marluxia," Leximy said, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll share a room with you next time we go on a cruise."

"But…we never go on cruises…"

"Shouldn't we get packing? What time do we have to be there?" Xigbar inquired.

"Hm…" Chelly reached over and got the tickets out of Axel's pocket and then looked at a nearby clock. "We have to be there in exactly…thirty minutes."

"Oh no! That doesn't leave me much time to put all my things away!" Demyx exclaimed.

Chelly waved her hand dismissively. "I'll help you. It takes me two seconds to magic up my own bag."

"Okay, good! Don't forget all my hair products, though," Demyx reminded, running his hands through his hair.

Ignoring Demyx, everyone retreated to their rooms to pack.

Slowly, but surely, Axel's room slowly filled with members who finished packing.

"Chelly! Chelly, where are you? I can't find you through all these people!" Axel said, trying to see over everyone's heads.

Larxene poked her head in at that moment. "What are you losers doing in here? You're not playing sardines in a can, are you?" she asked. "Because I love that game."

"Oh no! Everyone! Run away from the scary lady at the door!" Demyx shouted, earning him a glare from Larxene.

"Sardines…in a can?" Chelly said in a puzzled voice. "I'm right here, by the way…"

Axel looked over and noticed Chelly standing next to him. "Oh, sorry," he said with an apologetic smile.

"I can't see Leximy…" she said. "I need to make an announcement, but I can't see anything…"

"Shall I get you a chair to stand on?" Axel asked.

"No way, I'll leave that to Zexion and his book."

"…I'm right behind you…" Zexion pointed out in a monotone voice.

Chelly spun around and smiled. "Yes you are! Are you excited?"

"I suppose it'll be nice to take a break…"

"I agree. Let's see…Marluxia!"

"Yes?" Marluxia asked, joining the group.

"Do you see Leximy…?"

Marluxia sighed. "No, I've quit keeping tabs on her ever since she chose Saix over me."

"You…kept tabs on her?" Axel repeated.

"Don't act all high and mighty with me! You know you're just as bad, what would you say if I asked you what Chelly was doing right this minute?"

"I'd say she's standing right in front of you…"

"Point proven."

"I can't find Leximy anywhere…" Saix said. "I went looking for her and realized she doesn't have a room here anymore…"

"She does have a room, but it hasn't been used since she moved to the farm…and Marluxia, I'm the one who called you over here!" Chelly said.

"It's okay, she'll come back to me when she realizes what a mistake she made," Marluxia said, sending Saix a glance.

"It was based on fate, not Leximy's choice…but I'm sure I was the person she was thinking of," Saix added with a smirk.

"Oh dear…that means Leximy is at her farm…I'll be back!" Chelly said before disappearing through a portal.

After about ten minutes, Demyx suddenly cracked. "They're never coming back!" he sobbed. "This is all your fault!" He pointed accusingly at Axel, Zexion, Marluxia, and Saix. "You violated the contract in some way, and now they're…gone!"

"…I don't recall breaking the contract…" Saix said thoughtfully. "Did any of you?"

He was met with a trio of head shakes.

"They have been gone for a while…" Axel pointed out.

Standing on the outside of the door with their ears pressed against the door, Chelly and Leximy smiled at each other.

"Should we?" Leximy asked.

Chelly smiled and put a hand under her chin. "I don't know…let's see if we can wait just a little longer…" she said, glancing at a nearby clock on the wall. "We have time."

"Perhaps we should go look for them?" Saix suggested hesitantly.

Axel shook his head and frowned thoughtfully. "I'm sure there's nothing at Leximy's farm that could harm them."

"Are you sure…?" Marluxia pressed.

Axel paused. "Well…there was a weapon store, but she didn't sell that powerful of weapons…"

"And if she did, you wouldn't have let them go back alone?" Zexion said with a shake of his head. "Someone should have gone with them."

Axel glared at him. "Yourself included, I hope?"

"How could you?" Demyx shrieked.

"What's going on here?" Larxene exclaimed.

"Leximy and Chelly haven't gotten back and they won't make it in time for the cruise!" Demyx sobbed.

"Cruise?" Larxene repeated.

"They ruined it!" Leximy said. "Curse them, now Larxene will want to go…"

"Oh, I better go pack! I just got a new bathing suit, too! It's a three piece!" Larxene said happily.

Axel hit his forehead with his palm in frustration. "Nice going Demyx."

"I hope they get back soon…" Xigbar muttered. "Maybe we can still leave without her."

Chelly leaned to Leximy. "What does a three piece bathing suit look like…?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry…" Demyx said quietly. "I just want them to come back…"

At that moment, Larxene opened the door and rushed past the two girls in the hallway, humming a cheery tune.

Axel looked over and noticed them standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Oh there they are…"

"Don't cry, Demyx!" Chelly said, giving him a hug. "What have you done to him?"

"Thanks for noticing I was gone!" Leximy said in a sarcastic tone and pointing at Marluxia.

"What? Why is this my fault?"

"I thought you kept track of where I was at all times!"

Axel and Zexion looked at Leximy with shocked expressions, thinking, 'She knew?'

"I stopped when you chose him…" Marluxia said, pointing at Saix. "…over me."

"Just because she liked someone more than you, you just let her go and do whatever she wanted without thinking of her safety?" Saix asked with a disappointing shake of his head.

Marluxia glared at him. "You didn't go out and find her."

"I'm so happy you guys are okay!" Demyx exclaimed.

"Awh, don't worry, Demyx, Chelly and I would never leave you! Unlike Larxene…speaking of which, we'd better get out of here!"

Axel opened a portal and the large group, carrying their bags, quickly exited.

"To the Bahamas!"

Arriving on the dock of a large cruise ship, the group waited until the portal closed behind them to start talking; some would say they were worried Larxene had somehow snuck in, too, but none would admit to it.

"Hey, Chelly, where's your luggage?" Demyx asked.

Chelly spun around and looked at him. "It's in Axel's pocket," she said with a smile.

"A lady should never carry her own luggage," Axel noted, glancing at Saix and Marluxia.

Saix held out a hand to Marluxia. "Would you like me to carry your luggage?"

Marluxia glared at him and tried to pull his twenty five suitcases away from Saix.

"You can carry mine if you'd like, Saix," Leximy said with a bat of her eyelashes.

She was met with a dumbfounded look.

"Or…not?"

Saix coughed and blushed a little. "No, I'd be glad to help you…" he said, trying to smile.

Chelly leaned to Demyx. "Our first goal of this trip: help Saix learn how to smile," she said, handing Demyx a notepad.

Demyx nodded, wrote it down, and put it in Axel's pocket. "Got it."

Chelly straightened up and got the tickets out of Axel's pockets. "Let's go give this to the ticket-taking person," she said, pointing at the area where passengers boarded.

On the cruise ship, Leximy walked into a room and her eyes widened in excitement. "Wow! I call dibs on this one! Look! It has a waterfront view! Awesome!"

"I think they all do…we're on a boat," Saix pointed out.

Leximy narrowed her eyes at him.

"But this one is the best, of course. Look at these…beds. Oh and we even have a tiny fridge, I bet the other rooms don't have…one of these," Saix amended.

In a room in the same hallway, Chelly sat on the bed, and swung her feet back and forth as she looked around. "This place is so nice!"

Axel nodded in agreement as he pulled out their luggage from his pockets. "So that's your bed, and this is mine," he said putting his luggage on the bed next to her. "Got it memorized?"

"I hope so…we wouldn't want any confusion on whose bed was whose…" Chelly looked at Axel when he didn't reply. "Right?"

"Sure…"

"What's up people?" Demyx said as he walked into the two's room. "Why do you have a weird look on your face, Axel…?"

Axel stopped smiling. "What? I wasn't thinking about anything…"

Demyx shrugged it off and turned to Chelly. "Let's go swimming!"

Axel audibly swallowed. "S-swimming?"

"Swimming? Let's go!" Chelly exclaimed, turning to Axel. "Can we go please?"

Axel coughed and scratched the back of his head; he didn't want to go swimming, but he wasn't sure which was worse: swimming or seeing Chelly's reaction to him not wanting to go. "Why don't we go tomorrow…?"

"But…but…"

"I'll even go then, okay?"

Chelly sighed and muttered, "But I got a pretty new bathing suit and everything…"

"What? Well-"

"No, no, it's fine…tomorrow it is," Chelly said before turning to Demyx to see his reaction.

"Aw man…I guess we'll just make it even more fun tomorrow!" he said with a mischievous smile at Axel whose eyes widened.

"Definitely…" Chelly said, copying his smile at Axel.

Just then Roxas walked in. "Hey, are you guys all unpacked?" he asked.

Chelly shut the last drawer closed with her hip. "All done!"

"Why are you putting them in there…?" Axel asked.

"They'll get wrinkly if I leave them in the suitcase…"

Axel sighed and started to put his in the drawer next to hers.

"I guess Axel doesn't like wrinkles in his clothes either…" Demyx noticed.

Leximy gracefully sat on Saix's bed.

Saix paused when he saw her. "I thought this was my bed…did you change your mind again?"

"No, I was just visiting you," she said, smiling up at him. "I wonder who Marluxia ended up rooming with…"

In another room in the same hallway, Marluxia walked around the room before giving Vexen a stern look. "Please, Vexen, keep your robot junk to your side. I need this space for my portable garden," he said.

"What is this 'junk' you speak of? I see nothing but essential tools for creating artificial life," Vexen shot back.

Marluxia rolled his eyes. "Just keep it away from my flowers! I don't want them to feel threatened…" He nonchalantly shielded a rose pot.

Leximy looked at Saix. Saix looked back at Leximy. A small smile crept on Leximy's face, which made Saix a little nervous.

"What are you thinking about…?" Saix asked.

"How much you're going to freak out about all the old people who take cruises. You look like a bunch of Satanists with those robes, and multicolored hair…just think of all the heart attacks you'll cause!"

"Is that supposed to be some kind of heart pun…? I don't understand," Saix said with a frown.

"I guess you wouldn't, would you? Can Heartless get heart attacks? What if you're startled really badly?"

"I've…never thought about that. Maybe we should test this theory…" Saix said, thoughtfully tapping his chin.

"I like it. We should consult Vexen about this…"

Saix nodded. "This could be a useful thing for missions…"

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"It's open Chelly," Saix said.

"Huh…so it is," Chelly said as she walked in the door. "Are you guys ready to go to dinner? They have several restaurants in the level just above here…" She opened the guide to the cruise ship on the small table. "What one sounds good to you guys?"

Axel and Demyx walked in behind her. "I like the one where they barbeque everything. The fire makes me feel at home," Axel said with a smile.

"No fire! The one with the aquariums everywhere is cool!" Demyx said.

"Dem, we're already surrounded by tons of water…we need some fire to balance it out…" Axel pointed out.

"I say we go for sushi," Leximy said.

"Agreed. The blow fish makes me think of the moon…and for some reason Xaldin…though I don't understand why," Saix said.

At that moment Xaldin walked in with a scowl. "I make you think of blow fish? …I hate blow fish…"

"What do you like?" Demyx muttered.

"What was that?" Xaldin asked, turning to Demyx.

"Hm…" Chelly said, turning the page in the guide. "Oh! Here's a sushi place…it looks good. Will you eat sushi, Axel?"

"Not bad," Axel said with a shrug.

"It's settled!"

"Okay, let's go!" Leximy said.

As the group waited to be seated, they each found ways to entertain themselves. They had been waiting for a while, and were beginning to wonder if they were going to be helped.

Chelly and Demyx thumb wrestled, Axel leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, and the rest of the group either stood silently or tried to make light conversation.

"We've been waiting here for a long time…" Xemnas said angrily.

"Maybe you should go back into the kitchen and see what's taking so long," Leximy suggested.

"That lady keeps staring at me…" Roxas said, pointing at a table on the far side of the room. "At least I think she is…I can't see her eyes through all her wrinkles."

Leximy looked over at the lady who had folds of skin covering her eyes and dropping off her jaw. "She's definitely staring at you. I think she wants your soul…"

"My…soul? What's that?" Roxas asked.

Leximy sighed. "These kids…"

Chelly looked over at the lady. "Who does she think she is, staring at Roxas like that?"

Demyx put his thumb over Chelly's, signaling his victory. "Ha! You lose!"

"Huh? What? No fair!"

Walking over, the waiter finally acknowledged the group. "I'm sorry but we couldn't fit a table for fourteen. Four of you will have to sit at the separate table."

Leximy looked at everyone challengingly. "Who is it going to be this time?"