Saix inwardly cursed himself.
Honestly, he had no idea what the Superior was thinking! The ten neophytes created havoc everywhere they went! In the three days they had been there, the pyros had started three fires in the kitchen, Xemnas' room, and Marluxia's garden; Larxene and Xiyak had caused seven black-outs when the two lightning-wielders sparred; and worst of all...
BOOM!
Saix dropped the stack of papers he had been holding in shock. The papers fluttered to the ground as the loud, obnoxious whine of one hundred fire alarms set off and the unmistakeable scent of smoke drifted into the Grey Area.
"Knexedy blew up the lab again." Xigbar commented from his spot on the couch.
"I am well aware of that, II." Saix said bad-temperedly as he bent down to gather up the documents. To his greatest displeasure, it was discovered that XIX's element was—ironically—explosions. Of the chemical brand. And worse yet, the teenager had little control over her ability, and so it resulted in a series of eruptions that could be triggered by anything. Especially her fear of spiders, which were common in that dusty old basement laboratory.
"Hehe..." Demyx snickered as he and Leixym walked in, "Do you think Knexedy enjoyed that gift we left her, Ly?"
Leixym nodded, smiling, "I don't get what her deal is though—it was just a rubber spider, after all."
Demyx stopped suddenly.
"Ohhh...you said rubber spider?" he asked sheepishly.
Saix, having gathered up the papers, glared daggers at the two pranksters before disappearing through a dark corridor. Like them or not, the Superior had a strict "No Killing the Neophytes" policy—unless they were traitors. Then he could eat them, if he wanted.
Xigbar laughed to himself.
"Heh...good one, you two." he said. He looked around at the sound of two dark corridors, and raised a brow as Axel and Axbrem stepped through.
"Well, hi!" Demyx smiled.
"Hey." Axbrem greeted him. Axel just nodded.
"You guys, we have a meeting later—Mansex says it's important." the redhead informed them.
"Another meeting? Aw, I was hoping we'd be able to go do something fun." Demyx said, crossing his arms in a mock-pout.
"You're such a little kid!" Leixym exclaimed.
"You're a littler one!" Demyx retorted.
"'Cause I'm younger than you! What's your excuse?" the girl answered with a sly smirk.
"Err..."
"She has you pegged there, doesn't she, Demyx?"
They all turned around.
Marluxia and Xavier had appeared, along with Xaldin and Amenxtthe.
"Hey, guys!" Axbrem waved.
"Hey, Axbrem!" Xavier returned, walking over to her. Amenxtthe went to join them, her loyal cockatoo, Belxeo, flying behind her.
"So, what've you guys been up to?" Xavier asked.
Axbrem answered, "Not much. Axel's been showing me around, messing up Marly's garden, the works."
"Oh yeah, he was pretty steamed at that. Good job." Xavier snickered."And what about you, Amen?" she asked, turning to the blue-haired girl.
"Xaldin's been showing me the basics of combat—maneuvering weapons, using my element in battle, etcetera, etcetera." Amen replied nonchalantly. "By the way, did you hear about the meeting later?"
Xavier smacked herself on the forehead.
"Aw, no, there's a meeting tonight? We didn't hear a thing!" she groaned.
"Wonder what it could be this time?" Axbrem wondered.
"Guess we'll find out later, eh?" Amen chuckled.
Leixym and Demyx drifted over to join in the idle chatter as the older members exchanged a few words as well.
"What do you make of the neophytes so far, Xigbar?" Xaldin asked his friend, who was currently standing upside down on the ceiling—again.
"They're okay; a few of them are way too annoying or quiet for my liking, though." the gunner admitted.
"Better to have quiet neophytes than noisy ones, though, right?" Axel asked philosophically.
"Or best to have some in-between." Marluxia said, "Xavier never ceases in calling me a 'hair stylist' or 'Marly'! And she did nothing to help when you and your wretched protege burned down my garden!"
"Well, to reply to your first comment, it's easy to call you a hair stylist, Marly. You have pink hair, it's fluffy, and spiky at the same time—what do you expect? And to answer your second comment...it's a garden, and we pyros get bored easily. You do the math." Axel grinned.
"I ought to take a Venus flytrap to your head and see how much it can swallow, Axel." Marluxia growled.
"Nah, no thanks. Besides, I don't think flytraps like their meals spicy..."
"Alright, put a cork in it." Xigbar cut in, "The other ones, Kyrox, Syaxsal, Xiyak, and the rest, are all quiet and annoying in their own way. But as long as they get their work done when they start, I don't have a reason to complain."
"The only one I really have issues with, is that child, Axille. I've never even seen her weapon, and she shies from combat like it's a poison! Honestly, the Superior must not have been thinking clearly when he let her join—she can't do anything!" Xaldin said, exasperated.
"Actually—I've seen her weapon," Axel said, "it's weirder than Xisel's...she uses theater masks kinda similar to the way Zexion uses his book. Hitting stuff."
"Fun, fun, fun." Marluxia said sarcastically.
Axel retorted, "Stuff it, hair stylist!"
They were interrupted by Luxord, who was standing in the doorway.
"Oy, you lot are late for the meeting. Best get a jump on it 'fore it's too late." he warned them before he disappeared through a dark corridor, undoubtedly on his way to the meeting.
"Oh yeah!" Demyx exclaimed, "The meeting! C'mon, Lei, let's go!"
The Nobodies collected their students and vanished to the Round Room with them, their dark corridors swallowing them up as they went through.
Xemnas was calmly waiting for the rest of the members to assemble in the meeting room. When they had, he swiftly brought their attention to him, a sly smile resting on his features.
"Good tidings, friends, today I have some wonderful news. We have finally found the last four members we needed to completely double our ranks—I expect you all to treat them with respect." he said.
Axel, on his chair with Axbrem, adopted a frozen look of horror. Four more neophytes?
"We welcome Darte, Elly, Vace, and Ian into our ranks. Today, we give them new identities under which they will live by, and a mentor who will teach them about this Organization."
"Ian, from now on, you are known as Anix. Saix has agreed to mentor you, and your number is XXV, welcome." the Superior continued.
Anix nodded and looked up at Saix, who was quietly observing the scene.
Xemnas went on. "Elly, from now on, you are known as Xylle, number XXVI. Xion has agreed to be your teacher."
Xylle swept her dark green hair away from lighter green eyes and sent a glance in Xion's direction. The girl in question was seated on the left armrest of Roxas' chair, as Axille was occupying the right.
"We're running out of seats here..." Xigbar commented in a quiet, sing-song fashion. He fell silent at the fiery glare Xemnas pierced him with, and leaned into his chair, eying the show below.
"Vace, you are now Cavex. Organization XIII welcomes you as its number XXVII, and Luxord will be your teacher." the lead Nobody said. Luxord blinked in surprise.
"Uh...what?" he asked.
Cavex just nodded without looking up at Luxord.
"And, this brings us to number XXVIII. Darte, from henceforth, you are called Darxet, and Xigbar shall be your teacher." Xemnas said.
Xigbar choked.
"Say what?!" he questioned sharply.
"You heard me, Xigbar. Everyone else, including myself, have taken on an apprentice, and I see no reason why you should feel left out." the Superior replied.
The Freeshooter blinked down at Darxet, who just returned the look through light brown eyes.
"Neophytes, you all have fourteen days to become adjusted to your new surroundings, before your work begins. And as for the original fourteen members...no, we will not be getting more members after this. I daresay fourteen is enough." Xemnas said.
There was a collective sigh of relief as the original fourteen relaxed. Thank goodness!
"Dismissed."
The Neophytes, all fourteen of them, were seated on the Altar of Naught a few hours later, simply for the purpose of getting to know each other.
"You have a bird?" Xylle asked Amenxtthe, as Belxeo flew up to settle on her shoulder.
Amen nodded. "Yes, his name is Belxeo. It used to be Ebelo, but of course, his name was changed when we joined." she smiled.
"Interesting." Anix said, crossing his arms across his chest as he leaned back onto the partition that divided the altar from a hard plunge onto a marble stairway.
"And, hey, how about you?" Darxet asked Xisel.
Her doll spoke up.
"Nothing, really. Oh—don't be alarmed, it's only a doll." it said. "By the way, this doll's name is Oz."
Darxet gawked at the talking doll for a moment before turning his attention to one of the others—Kyrox, who had been sitting quietly in the background.
"You're...Kyrox, right?" Darxet asked.
Kyrox nodded. "That I am."
"Dude...is it hard being Xemnas' apprentice?" Leixym asked. Kyrox looked at her and grimaced slightly.
"You could say that. Half of the time, he lectures me about so-and-so, and the other half we're in the Training Room." he made a face, "Of course, sometimes I'm being his little intern for him—getting him coffee and the likes."
"That sounds like Saix would be." Axbrem snickered, "I feel bad for you, Anix."
"Why? Is Saix that bad?" Anix asked.
"He's a nightmare!" Xavier exclaimed, "An old fuddy-duddy who wouldn't know the meaning of fun if it attacked him and bit his pointy elf ears off!"
They all laughed at that—even stoic Anix.
"Then wish me luck." he said.
"Good luck!" Axille piped up. She brushed a lock of hair away from her face and smiled, her quiet, timid facade melting away at an instant.
"Hey! You can talk!" Leixym exclaimed, poking the girl's head.
"Of course she talks! She talked the day we got here, Ly." Xiyak said.
"Yeah but that was all stutter-y! Only when she became Xigbar-Axille did she actually talk." Leixym answered.
"I'm right here!" Axille said loudly.
Everyone laughed.
The neophytes spent the rest of the night chatting amiably, comfortable in each others' presence. It was clear they were all going to become very close friends.
And here we go, chapter 3! The first chapter with all fourteen Neophytes together! ^_^ Remember: this story has no definite plotline yet, it will mostly be about how the Organization adjusts to having literally twice as many in their number :)
I want to thank the following people for their wonderful Ocs and their help in making this story real:
Zexiontwo, Chewan, Sonicdisney, Infinite Eyes, Gambler of fate22, Sun and Moon Entity, Beckster411, Leixym, Bond of Flame08, emmausgirl94, and last but certainly not least—Witch of Tragedies! This story wouldn't have ever been written without all of you. :D