OblivionX

-6-

Galborath's Revenge

Demyx groaned quietly as he sat up. His arms hurt from falling asleep against the table, and there was a red mark in his forehead. How had he managed to fall asleep in the kitchen, of all places...? He shook his head and moved to stand, the pile of crackers on his lap pattering to the floor. Goodness...

He rubbed his arms as he exited the kitchen, noting the red marks that looked as if they might turn into bruises later. Oww...

The entire band including Dulor and two guys he didn't know looked up from the living room table.

Demyx stared at them.

Axel wore a wizard's hat.

This was not all they were wearing- he also had a ludicrous set of red and yellow-starred robes on and sported a tall staff. Zexion, who sat next to him bereft of Yazoo, wore a set of daggers and a jaunty, yes, jaunty, black hat and cape. He shuffled awkwardly as Demyx's eyes went over him. Xaldin was in full plastic armor, his helm sitting next to him on the table and a real lance behind him on the couch- they had all scooted onto the floor. Roxas had a sword in his lap, was wearing real leather armor, and had his hand poised to throw something onto the table.

Dulor was also in wizard's robes, and long fake pointed ears poked up from his head. He coughed, tapping a wand on the table.

The two men he'd never seen before stared at him quietly. One had an 'X' scar on his face, between his eyes, and hair dyed a curious cerulean color. An intricate and quite real claymore stood against the wall next to him, and he wore plastic chain mail next to Xaldin. Next to him, quite close, sat a huge, auburn haired man. This man wore only fake leathers and a plastic bow.

Roxas dropped his dice on the table.

Demyx continued to stare while this information slowly sunk into his head. They weren't. They couldn't be. They WERE. His band mates were playing dungeons and dragons. He burst out laughing. "Oh my GOD," he said excitedly, running over. "Can I play?"

"No-" said Axel, cut off as Roxas kicked him under the table. "Shut up, Galborath." Everyone else was too embarrassed to break the silence, but Dulor made an elf pose on the table by making a steeple of his fingers, resting his chin on them, and saying logically, "Have you ever played before?"

The scarred man next to Xaldin frowned and growled.

"Galborath?" He laughed for a second, then pursed his lips when the table fell silent. The awkward pause set him on edge, and he wasn't sure he wanted to answer when Dulor finally cleared the air. "...No. Not once in my life. But it /looks/ fun." He fidgeted.

"Then go sit over there, by Axel and Aeleus." He ignored Axel's protests, ducking Galborath's staff as it whirled toward him, and continued while Xaldin snickered, "Aeleus is new as well, and Axel's been playing the longest. Have him explain it to you and we'll drop your character into the campaign."

"But we're too far along! And he'll never be able to keep up, this is a level 20 mission." The scarred man spoke up then, glaring at Demyx. "Who is he, anyways?"

To which Dulor replied from behind his Dungeon Master's board, "Why Ais, don't you read the news? That would be your new charge."

Demyx nodded and sat down, glancing warily at the two unfamiliar people. Aeleus seemed friendly enough, but he wasn't so sure about Ais. He gulped as the man glared at him, golden eyes glinting with an animalistic glow. It was kind of creepy... "Uhh... Hi."

Ais blinked, seemingly abashed. His eyes glanced away and then back, more tame this time. "That's Demyx? Ahem... Your pardon, sir."

"Dem, this is your personal bodyguard. He used to be Marluxia's, but he has agreed to stay and guard you instead. I do hope you'll be getting along, as he'll be with you nearly every second. It took us a while to pry him away from Mar, you see," he said apologetically. "He's very dedicated to his job." Dulor watched Ais carefully out of the corner of his eye as he said this, but the bodyguard was expressionless. "Go on, sit down. Aeleus is Zexion's bodyguard, as he seems to have more- ahem -dedicated fans."

Zexion shrugged and moved aside as everyone scooted over.

Demyx shrugged and sat next to Axel, eying him curiously. "So, uh, how do I play?"

"It's complicated," said Axel contemptuously as everyone else started slowly playing again.

Dulor threw a spare dice at him before Roxas could. "Explain properly," he said.

Meanwhile, Ais was saying dramatically to Zexion, "But if we go up into the tower, Telldren, regardless of whether the ring's there your uncle WILL be, and we'll be turned to ashes."

Zexion/Telldren argued back in a sly voice, "Ah, but that is where our two wizards come in..."

Axel sulkily pushed a pile of dice at Demyx and told him to pick out one of each.

Aeleus blinked at him sympathetically.

"Fardin can't keep your uncle from making us explode, you idiot. He's a sun elf for, Lolth's sake."

Dulor abruptly broke into character as he swung around to reply. "Do not utter that name in my presence, filthy drow."

Demyx fidgeted in his seat as Axel explained rules which went in one ear and right out the other. That was okay. He wasn't sure he wanted to /play/ as much as he wanted to watch them. "How long have you guys been playing?" He said, with a giggle.

Axel muttered, "For a long time-" but Dulor cut him off, sitting between him and Demyx. He was moving away from Ais and Zexion, who were now rolling dice to make hit-checks as Ais tried to force Telldren back onto his horse. Roxas giggled at Zexion's indignant snort as Ais succeeded.

"About a week into forming the band Zexion found Roxas and Axel playing with Xaldin and insisted on playing as well. He was their DM- that's the Dungeon Master -until I found out about it."

"Little geek already knew how to play."

Abruptly Aeleus spoke for the first time. "You should talk, Flurry."

Indignant at the use of his last name, Axel switched into character and helped Xaldin's warrior try and convince Ais' character to go into the tower.

Dulor let the others role play for a while, adding, "So, pretty much since the band was formed. We're debating on whether or not to tell Yazoo."

"A band who plays D&D... What would the press think?" He laughed, playing with one of the dice in his hand. "Are most bands this silly, or is it just this one?"

"We had a magnificent campaign with Avalanche during the Squenix tour. Aeris is a surprisingly good DM."

Dulor winked as Axel chucked his six-sided di at Roxas. "Who do you think we were before we were in bands, Demyx? What? You weren't in choir or band when you were in high school? We're all just geeks."

"Come to think of it, what DID all of you do before OblivionX?"

The entire table fell silent.

Ais shifted uncomfortably.

And then Axel started laughing.

Demyx smiled and waited.

Axel stopped laughing after a minute and smirked. "Well, we all know Yazoo was a fucking stripper. After all the clubs he's shown us and all the people who come up and ask him-"

Zexion abruptly stood up from the table, and Axel was startled enough to cut off in mid-sentence.

The bassist spat out coldly, "Why don't we talk about your childhood, Lae? Like, for instance, what happened to your high school. Don't you think Demyx deserves to know he's living with a murderer?" Zexion was shaking slightly, and the entire room took on a different, more tense atmosphere.

Demyx bit his bottom lip, expression falling into that of worry. "I- um... Sorry." He shifted. "Didn't mean to, uh, bring up a bad topic of conversation..."

"Axel is NOT a murderer." Roxas had stood as well, glaring at Zexion.

"He's still a fucking pyromaniac."

"He didn't mean for the fire to get out of control!"

"He didn't mean to kill all those people. He just did."

"HE IS NOT A MURDERER! I was there! I saw it!"

"But I am a murderer, Roxas."

Axel looked down at the dice in his hands, red and orange ones, rolling them in his fingers. "You know it wasn't an accident. I burned it down on purpose."

Roxas shook his head violently. "You-you said... you swore-"

"Yeah, to the fucking cops. I thought you'd know better. I wanted those people to die. I fucking hated those people. I burned down my high school on purpose- Yeah, I admit it." He didn't look up. Even Zexion looked a little shocked.

Demyx sat down the die he had been holding in one hand, and subconsciously reached over to pinch his arm. He had a habit of doing that, without even realizing he was doing it. "Axel..." He said, helplessly. "Zexion... Roxas... Guys..."

Xaldin looked away, and so did everyone else. Axel looked a little ashamed, and Zexion just looked blank as he sat back down. He did not gloat.

Roxas had a shocked look on his face as he stared at Axel.

Demyx glanced at Dulor, waiting for him to sort everything out. To calm everything down. It was upsetting him.

Dulor was silent, watching Axel and Roxas. After a few more moments of awkward silence and gay babies being born, he stood up. "Axel, Roxas, follow me. Everyone else, listen checks."

While the rest of the band threw down their dice, Dulor herded the two guitarists out of the room. In a second he came back and announced that Aeleus, the only one who'd gotten a high enough listen check, turned around to see the gryphon before it swooped down onto the party.

Under cover of everyone cursing, gathering their dice, and roleplaying, Dulor said to Demyx, "Axel apologizes. He didn't want to bring it up. But, you see... not all of us came from happy families. Ask Zexion sometime. Or Xaldin. Axel's lucky to have a friend like Roxas- he'd be dead without him."

There came the faint sound of angry words from the hallway, which everyone ignored, and an almost unheard sobbing.

"I'm sorry..." Demyx whispered. "I didn't mean..."

"It's not your fault at all, Demy dear." Dulor put an arm around his vocalist.

Demyx's arm was bruised where he had been pinching himself. He cursed, silently. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

Dulor noticed the way Demyx shifted and grabbed his arm, pushing up the sleeve. "What happened here?"

"Huh? Oh." He shrugged, like it was nothing. "Just a bad habit I have... Some people bite their nails."

Dulor poked it and frowned.

"Ow." Demyx stared at him.

Abruptly, they realized that everyone was staring at them.

"Ahem. Oh. Ah... Who rolled what again?"

"21," said Xaldin.

"17," said Zexion.

"15," said Aeleus.

"... Six," muttered Ais.

Dulor winced. "That'll be seventy-five damage, Elthes." Ais cursed and said, "I'm unconscious. Damnit, we need our mage..."

Dulor rolled and said, "Fardin heals you for sixty damage. Keep fighting. The gryphon swoops down on Telldren."

He turned back to Demyx and glared at him. "Don't hurt yourself, silly."

"I don't do it on purpose~" He whined, rubbing his arm.

Dulor paused, giving Demyx a look through his sunglasses. After a moment he dropped it, making a mental note for later.

"... How do you like your new bodyguard?"

He inclined his head to Ais, who was gesturing enthusiastically with his claymore, drawing alarmed looks from Zexion.

"He has pretty hair." Demyx noted wisely. "I wonder what kind of shampoo he uses."

Dulor raised his eyebrows. "That's the only compliment you can give him?" The manager laughed. "I can relate."

"I think we can get along." Demyx smiled. "Why's his hair blue, do you know?"

"Not through with asking awkward questions, are you?"

"Ohsorry. Nevermind..." He glanced away.

"... Have you finished that song yet?"

In the background, Xaldin cursed as he was taken out by the gryphon, Zexion having taken over DMing the battle while Dulor was obviously busy.

"Uh- Um- No. Uh- no. Not yet." A faint rose color grew in his cheeks, and he lowered his head in an attempt to hide it. "A-almost. But not yet."

Dulor smiled. "Can't I just see it a little?"

"No!" He whined. "I said I'd show you when its /done/. Not a second before that."

"I'll make you a deal. If you show me the song, I'll stop wearing my sunglasses." Dulor smiled, telling himself he wasn't flirting. He was just a businessman.

"I..." Demyx considered this, carefully. "/Now/? But..."

"You can show me when it's finished, but... I just want you to know I have some leverage."

"I still don't see why you can't just take them off, now..." He reached out to grab them.

Dulor ducked out of the way and crawled under the table, back to his position next to Xaldin

Demyx frowned. He watched the man carefully out of the corner of his eye, then sighed, resigning himself. Crafty British...

For the next few hours they played, and Axel and Roxas did not come back. The adventurers did indeed enter the tower, and Fardin was indeed pressed to keep them from exploding. But due to some heroic lock picking from Telldren they all escaped and as the evil uncle was flying through the skies after them, a beam of sunlight struck Demyx in the eye. It was eight a.m., and the sun was coming up.

"Time to crash, duckies."

Ais groaned, but he was the only one. Zexion was already napping ontop of his dice and Aeleus was blinking sleepily.

Demyx yawned dramatically. "Night, everyone~" He chimed. "...Or morning. Whatever." He waved as he reached the door, gaze pausing on Dulor for a split second longer than everyone else. He smiled, and walked through the doorway.

And almost tripped over Roxas and Axel, curled up against one wall. He hopped to catch himself, covering his mouth with one hand to keep from waking them.

Demyx had always dreamed of being a member of a band, his whole life. OblivionX was nothing like he had dreamed.

It was better.

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