Chapter 3

Unknown

Some people think MP3 players are for losers. I disagree- iPods, those titans of music-playing hardware, are for losers. So leave me and my four-year-old MP3 player alone. Hah.

Heavy rock pulsed in my ears (Ars Arcanum, for all you Axel-fanatics) as I lay, an hour early, in Stokes Cemetery. I guess you could say the place was a hang-out of sorts, sometimes for just me and sometimes for everyone in the Organization.

Now, the Organization is a funny thing. It's basically a gang, created by our Lord and Master Mansex (aka Xemnas, aka Superior) and absolutely as stupid as it sounds. I mean, seriously- it's called the Organization. But Xemnas is rich as fuck, and sometimes our 'missions' are plain awesome. There was this one time involving me, a lighter, and an HBU class building (Magruder Hall, if memory serves)… but I digress. Stupid forensics people even found out I was the one who tried to torch it (and came pretty close, too), but Xemnas just bought them all off, and his family already the police under their thumb, so there was no one left to prosecute. Heh. Nights like those made being Xemnas's lackey worth it, not to mention initiations. Those were always good nights.

I'd left the room around sunset. Stokes was a decent walk from Ryle, through the Bailey (downtown Hollow Bastion) and just to the west off the main part of the town. I liked it though, so pretty anyone who knew me well (basically the other Org. members) knew to find me here. Grinning, I slipped into a memory, the night I first started coming here.

It was dark, but I always had liked the night better anyway. My mom and her boyfriend were already stoned off their asses so they couldn't care less if I stayed out all night, even though I was a junior in high school. Sometimes being 'raised' by addicts was pretty fucking awesome.

I wasn't doing anything illegal though, if you don't count breaking curfew. But none of the cops around here cared about curfew. There were plenty of worse things going on than renegade kids. So I wandered, not even giving a crap about where I was going as I flicked the lid of my lighter open and shut, open and shut, open and-

Shut.

I could hear a guy talking, and he didn't sound that much older than me. A college kid maybe? Curiosity got the better of me, and I strode forward. I got to the edge of Stokes Cemetery before I could clearly make out what he was saying.

"We are the Organization- all incomplete people, searching for a way to become whole. Tonight another Nobody will join our ranks. Do any object to Saix's presence among us?"

For a few moments, no one spoke. From my vantage point near the entrance of the cemetery I could see a circle of six people, all in black trenchcoats with hoods shrouding their faces, surrounding a long-haired guy. From what I'd heard, it wasn't like the guy was in any immediate danger or anything. Or, at least, none that he hadn't asked for herself.

"Then let us commence. Saix, you know what happens next?"

"Yes. I allow you to show me what it means to be a Nobody."

"Good. Now then-" the guy stopped speaking as he turned to look in my direction. Belatedly, I realized I'd shifted my weight and snapped a twig. How ridiculously cliché. Even in the dark I swear I could see his amber eyes boring directly into my green pair. Shitshitshitshit…

"Yes?" His voice drawled, some weird mixture of annoyance and amusement. Well, too late for being discreet. I swaggered forward like I owned the place, keeping my eyes on the guy who'd been speaking.

"Yo." Was by brilliant greeting.

"What do you think you're doing?"

That stumped me for all of, oh, a second. "Passing by, and then listening to your riveting sermon." I swore then that I could see his eyes glint, but when he spoke, his voice was subdued, his words deliberate.

"Then we'll just have to have a double initiation, won't we, my fellow Nobodies?" A wave of hushed, bone-chilling laugher swept through the group of hooded group. Well… shit. There was no getting out of this. That much was obvious. So I just nodded, figuring that if worse came to worse I could always burn someone's gear off. A tough hide built up over the years was useful, it turned out, and I only felt the first few blows.

Dramatic, no? I always thought that night made a great story for parties. The only thing that would have made it more interesting would be if I'd been gang-raped, but I wasn't. Which is just fine with me. Fine, fine, don't appreciate my humor.

The sound of steady footsteps completely messed up my almost-pouting (because real sexy beasts don't pout, except to get what they want). "Hey Dem." I called. Before you ask, no I didn't need to look and see who it was to know it was Demyx.

"Early again?" He asked, his voice tinged with amusement. Damn, a non-hyper Demyx was creepy, I kept forgetting that. Not like I let my slight creeped-out-ness show. Nah, that'd look weak, and no one in the Organization would ever let themselves look weak. Well, except for Demyx, but I'm pretty sure that was entirely on purpose.

"Hell yeah, you know this is my favorite spot in all of Hollow Bastion." It was at that point when I actually sat up (I'd previously been lying on top of one of those metal coffin things that they don't bury like they do regular coffins) and grinned at Dem. He grinned back, but I got the feeling it was just as fake as mine. Ah well, that's Demyx for you. "Ready for another initiation?" I asked, loading my voice with as much bravado as was humanly possible- which was typical for me, now that I thought about it…

Demyx's grin turned lopsided, changing into a smirk. "You know I don't actually participate in this kind of thing. The Superior just wants everyone to be here so we look intimidating." I snorted, but it was completely true.

"Whatever." I told him airily. See, Dem wasn't violent like the rest of the Orgy (heh). I'm not even really sure why he ever sold his soul to his royal Pain-in-the-Ass-ness in the first place, since the only thing about being in the Organization was the vandalism missions (Dem liked to, as he put it, "stick it to the Man"). Probably because of me, if I had to guess. We've been friends practically since I moved here, so it really wouldn't surprise me if he was looking out for me by being number IX.

Apparently I'd been spacing out again, because Demyx poked my shoulder, asking, "What are you thinking about?"

I smirked at him. "Your sexy ass." I replied automatically. It was what I said every time anyone asked me that stupid question, no matter who they were. Dem rolled his eyes.

"Cant you ever give a serious answer?" He muttered, not really annoyed.

"Ask a better question." I shot back.

"Answer the one I already asked and I might."

"Shut up, Dem."

"Not a physical possibility."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "And you say I use the same lines all the time. You've been saying- and I quote- 'Not a physical possibility' since middle school." Ah, there we go- my wiggling Dem-imitation finally got Demyx to laugh, turning him back into the guy was I was more used to.

"You're a dork, I don't sound like that." He admonished, waggling a finger at me.

"I don't sound like that, Axel, you annoying but alluring sexy beast." I mocked, wiggling more.

"Really, Axel? Wiggling? Demyx doesn't wiggle." Commented a soft but confident voice behind me. I almost fell off my new favorite metal coffin thing (I really should figure out what those things are called) I whirled around so fast.

"Zexion you ass, don't do that." I snapped, not happy at all. Zex always snuck up on me, but I could never retaliate! He always knew I was there! I never could figure out how. It annoyed me.

"He didn't mean to, right Zexy?" Demyx looked hopefully at the newcomer, a sophomore who was almost as short as Roxas with slate-colored emo-hair (seriously, it's emo-hair). He raised a single visible eyebrow (the over being covered with the previously-mentioned hair).

"Zexion." He corrected tonelessly. To my credit, I didn't roll my eyes or show any of my amusement when Demyx's smile visibly faltered. Demyx-smiles never faltered. Can you say 'serious crush'? What a school-girl.

"I'm sure he didn't, Dem." I told him dryly, the barest hint of a smirk tugging at my lips.

"Right!" Chirped Demyx brightly, his good mood (or at least façade, I couldn't tell which at this point) restored. "So what brings you here, Zexy?"

"The new member is being initiated tonight, in maybe half an hour. I expect the others will be getting here soon as well. This is also why you're here, correct?"

"I- I mean, yeah. The new guy- or is it a girl this time?" Nice, I thought, excellent recovery Dem. I'm sure he didn't even notice the stutter. Hurr.

"A freshman, Larxene. She's majoring in physics."

"Holy crap Zex, how do you know all that?" I exclaimed, cutting off whatever Dem was about to say. The shortie didn't answer, just stared off into the distance. I twisted around, following his gaze, and was absolutely overjoyed (note the sarcasm) to see a head of pink hair approaching.

"Marluxia." Was my bland greeting.

"Axel, nice to see you again."

"Likewise." I drawled mockingly. What can I say, Marluxia had a stupid, formal way of talking.

Marluxia decided to ignore me then (which pissed me off- I hated being ignored), preferring to stand annoyingly close to Demyx. "Is it just going to be us tonight, then?" He asked Dem, leaning forward just a little. I growled softly in my throat. Now I know what you're thinking- why was I getting working up over Dem? Well, if you weren't thinking it, you are now. So let me explain.

I'm a possessive bitch.

Yep, that's pretty much it.

And Marluxia was straight (I'd seen him making out with some blond chick earlier that day), and even more importantly an ass. So he was not going to hit on my best friend. Not when it was just going to be some damn game for him.

"The original six were going to make an entrance." Zexion commented, taking a single step from behind me.

I smirked. "Then why didn't you wait for them, Zex?" I pointed out. The shortie shot me a quick glare before wiping his face of an expression again. O… kay. That was different. Oh well. I turned my attention back to Dem, noting the distance the bastard- Marluxia- had put between himself and my faux-hawked friend. Heh, even bastards were afraid of Zexion-glares. A smart bastard then, I amended mentally. "He probably didn't want to take away from the effect- a bunch of giants and a midget? How sad would that look?" I "whispered" conspiratorially. Dem snorted, tried hastily to hide it behind a hand, and failed. Epicly (it's a word if I say it is). Ha! Triumph! Yeah, so I liked to piss Zexion off sometimes. He needed to get ticked off once in a while or he'd probably keel over from lack of emotion.

He was even worse than Roxas.

I was considering saying something else to piss Emo-shortie off when I heard a quiet, "They're here." (Poltergeist, Dem? Really? Wow.) Approaching te four of us were 7 hooded figures wearing the same trenchcoats that were the trademark of the Organization. My smirk widened as I pulled my own hood over my head, shadowing my face. Well, I mused, they did made an entrance, even if there were two of the newer Org. members instead of just the Original Six (the "original six" ad all known each other from childhood, according to Zexion). But their wordless approach, stopping just a few feet away from mu tomb-thing, could only mean- ah. That must be her. A blonde, human-bug (holy crap, it was the chic the Bastard had been making out with!) swaggered up a few more feet behind the hooded (Satanist-looking) group. This was the new member? Our number XII? The token female of the group (besides the Bastard. And Saix. And Man- er, Xemnas)?

Xemnas raised one hand above his head and snapped his fingers. Like well-trained dogs the other ten of us moved to circle around Human-bug who was grinning acid (don't ask me how that works, I have no idea). My smirk was probably barely visible underneath my hood as I waited, mute, for Xemnas to start. I didn't have to wait long.

"Tonight is a very special night. We are the Organization- all incomplete people, searching for a way to become whole. Tonight another Nobody will join our ranks. Do any object to Larxene's presence among us?"

It was almost exactly the same as that fateful (heh) night. The only differences were that one, I wasn't getting initiated, and two, this was Larxene. Instead of looking all somber like Saix had, or freaked, like Dem had, she just leered at us, looking from one Nobody to another. After those first initial seconds of quiet (like anyone was going to object), she barked out a laugh.

"Trying to become whole? You're interested in hearts, then?" She asked Xemnas (since he was the only one who'd spoken so far), giggling a little.

"Isn't the goal of the Organization…" I paused for dramatic effect, "to understand the mysteries of the heart?"

Beside me, Dem sniggered quietly. Xemnas raised a hand again (I'm pretty sure he thought he was a preacher), effectively silencing us all. "Then it's time." A small click seemed to echo in the silence: I'd flicked open my lighter.

Let the fun begin.

((A/N: -dodges rotten fruit- Soooo sorry for the ridiculous delay! I'm horrible, I know! But look on the bright side: the chapter was Axel-centric! Cause, really, who can resist? And because the chappie was going to be twice as long (the other half with Roxas) but I thought I should get this posted). But what do you guys think- should I keep the half-and-half thing? I'm enjoying it, and I hope you guys are, too! But let me know what you think, okay?

And Love-sama, I'm pretty sure you were the first person to reply, so even though you offered a few months ago (eep!) do you still have time to beta from here on? If so, I'll just… message you with my e-mail? Yep, I'll do that.

Don't forget to review! It might make me write faster! xDDD Kida, signing off!))