-1We Don't Stand on Ceremony

Nathaniel studied the meeting room with half-closed eyes. Why did the walls have to be one solitary colour? Not only did the walls have to be white, but the thrones were as well. He almost felt like he was in a blizzard. He wondered how the members of the Organization don't go insane from the silence to their eyes.

He couldn't begin to imagine how they act on their own.

"Damn it!"

Nathaniel nearly jumped out of his skin from the sudden outburst. He stopped just short of grabbing his sword. His head jerked around the room, searching for the source. His eyes laid to rest on two cloaked members on the other side of the room, playing with cards that floated between them as if an invisible table had been placed between their thrones. The one farthest away banged his balled fists on the armrests in protest, fuming so much steam flowed from under his hood. Eventually, he conceded, his shoulders slumping, and protruded a narrow wad of coloured paper from his coat.

A laugh came from Nathaniel's left, a crown of spiky blond hair waving back and forth in the corner of his eye. "Nice going, Axel!" the member exclaimed. "Now how are you gonna pay me back?"

The losing member, Axel, lifted his hood letting his red mane spike outwards. "Hey, I'll win it all back! Got it memorized?" As if that really needs to be committed to memory… Nathaniel mused. "Besides, don't you owe Luxord quite a bit as well, Roxas?"

Roxas gasped quickly, jerking his head backwards. He turned his head away, blushing. Nathaniel couldn't help but burst into laughter. Roxas lifted his head up, glaring at Nathaniel.

"Why are you laughing? You owe him, too!"

Nathaniel wiped the tears from his eyes and looked down at his challenger, still chuckling. "Yeah, I do, but frankly, I don't care." Roxas pouted and crossed his arms. Nathaniel chuckled again.

"Would you care for a game, then, Nate?"

Nathaniel detached himself from the debate and looked over at the owner of the voice, now shuffling the deck of cards with ease, bending them and releasing their tension, flinging them over his back, making them disappear and reappear from his sleeve.

"Hey, I never said I was careless, Lux," he answered, flinging an errant card his way.

Luxord received the card with a slight humph as he added the card back into the deck. "Your loss, mate." He ended his display as he flourished the deck, receiving a standing ovation from the seated members.

"So," Nathaniel queried, "any idea when your Superior will show up?"

As if someone had been listening, a black oval of darkness erupted on the highest throne in the room. Out stepped a similarly cloaked figure, promptly sitting down.

The entire room went silent.

"Has everyone arrived?"

More silence.

"Then let this meeting commence."