* = Author's Note – please see bottom of chapter for explanation.

=13=

"No, this is ridiculous. Lord Xemnas assured me that there were only supposed to be thirteen members in this Organization, and as such, we are just that! I do not see any reason why he is bringing a child into our ranks!"

You awoke quickly to the sound of Vexen's voice from down the hallway in the gathering area. You threw off your covers, quickly undressing yourself of your sleep attire and throwing on your coat in order to look at least somewhat presentable, then hastily made your way over to your door and pulled it open. In an effort to quickly see what was going on, you ran into Zexion, who happened to be heading towards the gathering area as well.

"Ah, I see you were rudely awoken as well, yes?"

"Yeah… what's going on? Why is Vexen so upset?"

"You missed something rather important last night whilst you were within your slumber. Lord Xemnas brought another into our ranks- a young boy with the power to wield the Keyblade. His name is Roxas."

Now you understood why Vexen was so upset. Lord Xemnas had made mention of the Organization being complete a few days ago with the number of members being a solid thirteen, and as such, Vexen felt as though he was finally finished with his data collection duties. Now that another had been introduced to the ranks, there was more work left for him to do alongside his field missions that Xemnas was still assigning. It was rather selfish of him, you thought, since all of this work was going towards earning you back your hearts, but you understood his frustration. You were tired enough each day from doing your field missions- you could only imagine how tired the blonde scientist was with his duty of both field missions and data collection and monitorization.

"In light of this, his rather annoying outburst goes to further prove my point."

You looked up at the blue-haired man, whose hair was slightly more disheveled than normal due to Vexen's noise awaking him before he was ready. He still had not told anyone else other than you about his ideology, and the two of you had almost made a game out of commenting to one another when a member of the Organization displayed evidence of his hypothesis. Both of you knew by now that his assumption and hypothesis was correct, but of course, you could never reveal this information to anyone else within the Organization. If such information reached the ever-listening ears of Xemnas, there would be hell to pay for it.

As the two of you walked out into the gathering area, your eyes immediately fell upon a blonde-haired boy that seemed to be staring at Vexen, who was still continuing to express his displeasure. You tilted your head slightly, and noticed that his gaze happened to fall upon you for only a moment before returning to Vexen.

"I work far longer than any of the rest of you do, I'll have you know. I believe I have a right to be displeased with this event, Xigbar. Even if I already have gathered all his vital information, since I'm simply that brilliant of a scientist, the fact that I had to do such a thing after being told the Organization was complete is ridiculous."

"As if, Vexen. Maybe if ya wouldn't take up all the work alone you could have some more time to yourself. Zexion is always around to help ya, not to mention the kiddo probably knows enough from him to help ya, too."

You saw Xigbar look over at you, and Vexen's gaze soon followed. He scoffed, folding his arms across his chest as a scowl appeared upon his lips. If push came to shove, you were sure that you could help Vexen in his labs with whatever he needed.

"Ya know what? Yeah- that sounds like a good idea. Kiddo, you're gonna help Vexen in his lab work today. Screw goin' out on your field mission. I'll explain it to Xemnas."

Vexen stared at the Freeshooter with wide eyes, not believing what his ears had just heard. It wasn't like (Name) was trained or experienced working in a laboratory setting, nor had any idea of what work he was tasked with doing in there. Eventually, however, he simply gave up and stormed off down the hallway towards his lab once again. Xigbar rolled his visible eye at this, and then plopped down on one of the couches in the room.

"That guy has to learn to chill out… that shouldn't be an issue for him, considerin' he has the power of ice. Anyway, (Name), this is Roxas. Our new member. He's pretty important around here, especially since he's the only one that can use the weapon we need to complete Kingdom Hearts."

You walked over to the new boy, earning his attention for a little while. You gave a small wave of your hand, but got nearly nothing in response from him.

"Hello there, Roxas. I'm (Name). Welcome to the Organization."

Apparently, you didn't even warrant a hello from this new member- he simply kept staring at you, not saying anything at all. Xigbar took notice of this, and cleared his throat.

"Oh yeah, the kid doesn't seem to know how to speak yet. It's not like he's not hearin' ya, he just doesn't know what to say. Hopefully Axel can change that, seeing as how the kid has been placed under his care."

You nodded your head, and then gave Roxas as welcoming of a smile as you could muster before turning around and beginning to head back down the hallway towards Vexen's lab. You had to admit, you wondered whether or not he would accept your help, but this was your assignment for the day and you would do it.

"Don't fret, (Name). I can help wherever you might need it."

You figured that Zexion was going to come along with you, especially since you really didn't know much about lab work like Xigbar seemed to think you did. Just because you were under Zexion as an apprentice didn't mean that he shared what working in the laboratory was like. Upon reaching the door to Vexen's lab, you slowly opened the door and wandered inside.

"I will say this once, and once only. You do not touch anything without my permission."

Without looking up from his computer, Vexen had made his orders extremely clear. Everyone already knew that Vexen was extremely protective and precise with his data, so you knew better than to go around messing things up.

"Get over here and file these things for me, (Name). This is all information on the new boy, and I need every single bit of it in the correct spot, do you understand? It is imperative that you do this correctly."

The tone in his voice alone was more than enough to chill your body to the bone- it was no wonder why his title was The Chilly Academic. You sighed quietly, moving yourself over to his computer where he had previously been standing. Zexion, taking an interest in this, came to your side and looked at the screen in front of him. The files that you saw were all named precisely, such as 'weight,' 'height,' and ones that described the physical traits that this new member possessed, such as his blue eyes and blonde hair. These were placed in a folder that Vexen had created entitled 'physical form.' However, there were others that you weren't quite certain what to do with; these were files that, when opened, showed nothing but long lines of data that you had no idea how to decode.

"Vexen, what do you want me to do with these files? I honestly don't know where to put them, seeing as how they're just lines of code."

"Ah yes, I neglected to tell you about those. Should you happen to find files of that type, put them in the file labeled 'RP.' This is a special folder meant specifically for those types of files."

You glanced up at Zexion, who was still focused on the different files floating around on the screen.

"Do you know what that folder is, Zexion?"

He stayed silent for a while, and then shook his head.

"No."

The two of you continued to sort through the various files on Vexen's computer, and you were now much more aware of just how difficult his job truly was as data-gatherer for the Organization. Not only did he have to make each and every one of these files, but he had to sort them accordingly as well. You honestly couldn't imagine doing this for thirteen individual members of the Organization, let alone doing it once again when someone new came about like Roxas.

"Ah. It seems as though Lord Xemnas finally gave you his information, Vexen."

"Yes, yes. He came to me about a month ago and allowed me to collect his data. For what reason, I am unsure, but I am not going to argue against it. Now, keep doing what you've been doing and leave the other files alone."

Once again, you turned your attention to Zexion, making sure to speak under your breath so Vexen wouldn't become interested in what you were talking about.

"Lord Xemnas never let him have his data?"

"No. From the beginning, Lord Xemnas refused to have his data collected, whilst the rest of us were required to give up ours. I simply found it odd that Vexen had his data is all."

That was when your eyes fell upon the main file labeled "Xemnas" in the bottom right corner of the screen where the other member's information files were located as well. You scanned each one of them, stopping when you finally came upon your name. You gave a quick glance over your shoulder to see if Vexen was paying attention, and then opened it to see what was inside. A data chart was immediately brought up, holding your height, your weight, and detailed observations about your physical appearance.

'Subject has been in a state of comatose for three days now. Vital signs are still normal, and all appears well. When she will awaken is unknown.'

You sighed quietly as you read over these words. Though the thought of you being so different from the others was now gone from your mind, it still struck you as odd since you were the only one in the Organization to be in a state of comatose and be unable to speak properly upon waking up. Demyx, as you had seen when you and Zexion found him all those months ago, was able to speak perfectly fine even though he had only just come into existence. In all honesty, your scenario reminded you slightly of this new boy, Roxas.

'Subject, now addressed by (Name), has the ability of the Nether. Three distinct abilities have been observed thus far: amassing small parties of slain Pureblood Heartless by controlling their dark energy, increasing the rate of degeneration in objects, such as making trees rot within moments, and stealing the life force out of small creatures, such as fish and crabs.'

"You were the one that wrote these entries, weren't you, Zexion?"

You saw him give a small nod of his head. You figured it had to have been him, since he had been the only one to truly witness what you had done on the day you discovered your powers. Since you had been under his tutelage, he had been working with Vexen a lot less, but you found it rather interesting to read whatever Zexion had written about you in your files.

'(Name) still shows significant progress in her growth. Her powers grow more and more each day, and she shows great potential as a member within this Organization. I'm certain Xemnas approves of her.'

"What are you two doing over here?"

You hastily closed your file, then stood upright as to allow Vexen to see your handiwork. He gave you a distrusting glance, then looked over his computer to make sure that the two of you hadn't done the exact opposite of what he had commanded you to do. Once he had observed Roxas's file, he huffed quietly and moved away from the computer once again.

"Good. At least I know that you're capable of following basic instructions."

You wanted to respond to his rather rude remark, but you held your tongue. You knew it wouldn't be beneficial for you if you retorted with a comment of your own, and you certainly weren't in the mood to fight with another member of the Organization. Now you knew what Zexion had to deal with all the time.

"I'm going to my room. Good luck with whatever you have left to do, Vexen."

With those words, you turned on your heel and hastily walked out of the laboratory. Zexion gave a heavy sigh, then folded his arms across his chest as his blue eyes stared at the blonde across the room. He eventually took notice of this, and cocked his eyebrow.

"Why are you staring at me like some sort of lost puppy, Zexion?"

"I truly cannot understand why you act so egotistical, Vexen. Need I remind you that you didn't use to be like that? (Name) does not deserve your unjust disrespect; she does quite a lot for the Organization."

"You wish for me to sugar-coat everything then, Zexion?"

"No, I simply believe that you shouldn't treat those around you like nothing more than pawns under your fingers. You're rather lucky that you have people around you that are willing to put up with that ridiculous attitude of yours. I'd much rather be around the Vexen that cared about his colleagues and didn't treat them with such disrespect. I'd much rather be around *Even."

Zexion's words brought a scowl to the scientist's lips, and he glanced over at the door.

"Leave, Zexion. Now."

"Why? Are you that afraid to look back upon your past and realize that my words are correct? You and I both know that you were nothing like this in your former life."

"I am a Nobody now, Zexion! I cannot feel anything!"

Hearing the outburst from the blonde signaled Zexion to finally take his leave. He said nothing as he walked back to the entrance of the laboratory, and then pulled open the door as he readied to leave Vexen behind within.

"Perhaps you should analyze how you just reacted to my words, Vexen. Then perhaps you'll realize how wrong you are."

With that, the Schemer walked out of the lab, leaving the Academic by his lonesome once more.

=13=

A knock on your door made a soft hum pass your lips as you shifted slightly beneath your blanket. You didn't open your eyes, but you knew who had entered your room by how gently they shut your door whenever they came in. The only person who would let themselves into your room willingly and of their own accord was none other than your mentor.

"Before you ask, yes, I am fine. I simply needed to get away from him for a while."

You felt your bed shift a little, and you opened one eye slightly to see that Zexion had taken a seat at the end of it.

"He can be a little out of hand- no. He can be very out of hand at times. However, I took it upon myself to put him in his place before I left him in his laboratory. Should he bother you again, simply tell me and I shan't hesitate to take care of it."

You nodded, but didn't verbally answer him. Your eyes stared at the grey ceiling above your head, a soft and quiet sigh escaping your lips in the process of doing so. This caught Zexion's attention, and before he could inquire about it, you interrupted him.

"Zexion… you and I are friends, right?"

"Of course we are, (Name). The time we've known each other would show that we are far beyond the limit of being able to call each other that."

Why did hearing the word 'friend' make him tense? It's not like it was something that was new to him- he had considered you a friend for a very long time now. You and Lexaeus were the only two he called friends, so why, then, did it make his body react like this when he heard you say it?

"I've been thinking a lot about what you told me a long time ago- you know, about that 'love' emotion. I remember that you told me about some of the symptoms someone could have if they were in love…"

"Yes, I remember this conversation."

Once more, he could feel his body tensing up without any known reason. What was this odd reaction, and what was the cause of it?

"I think that… maybe… never mind. You know what? Let's go to the islands again, Zexion. That seems to be the one place we can go to get away from all the people in here, so let's go. Maybe we can swim for a bit again."

Hearing you make this suggestion allowed his body to relax once more. He still wasn't sure why he had felt himself tense up whenever you mentioned love or called him a friend. This was the first time that such a thing had happened, and you had called him 'friend' many-a-time before. In an attempt to force the thoughts out of his mind, Zexion rose to his feet and summoned a portal for the two of you to traverse through.

"Perhaps not the islands, because I'd like to take you somewhere else today, (Name). It's a world that I recently discovered myself, and I'm not quite sure how many other members know about it. However, this world is a bit… special. You must take great care not to interact with any of the inhabitants there, lest they find out about the Organization."

You gave a nod of your head, and then followed him through the portal into this new world. However, the first thing that entered your vision upon leaving the void was the sight of countless twinkling stars. You felt your lips open slightly as you stared in wonder at this new world, or, the lack thereof.

"Ye got the makings of greatness in ye, but ye got to take the helm and chart yer own course! Stick to it, no matter the squalls!"

Your attention was drawn below you, to where you could see two men standing upon the wooden deck of the ship Zexion had brought you onto. One was a larger man, the entire right side of his body seemingly made of metal- it was quite a sight to see his robotic arm and leg, but what caught your attention the most was his gleaming, mechanical eye. The boy he was talking to was a bit younger, his messy, brown hair tied back into a tiny ponytail atop the back of his head.

"And when the time comes when ye really get to test the cut of yer sails and show what yer made of… well… I hope I'm there… catchin' some of the light comin' off ye that day…"

You continued watching the pair, and saw that the younger boy had leaned forward into the larger man's middle- it was quite obvious the boy was upset, and it seemed as though the larger man wasn't quite sure how to react to the boy's actions. However, you watched as he eventually embraced the younger boy, which was something you took interest in. You remained quiet until both men left the deck, and then saw the light in the underside of the cabin eventually darken.

"As I said, (Name)… this world is special. *I have come to learn that this ship is called The Legacy, and the crew upon it are searching for another planet that contains monumental amounts of treasure. This world is not simply one world, it is many worlds all intertwined together. I found the sights here to be quite mesmerizing, and I believed that you would enjoy them, as well."

You gave a nod of your head, then glanced up to see a large net that lined both sides of the crow's nest you two were currently standing upon. On the upper level was a yardarm- one which you figured you could sit upon for an even better view of the never-ending stars. You hopped out from the crow's nest, grabbing hold of the netting and allowing yourself to get some secure footing before beginning to ascend up the crisscrossed rope. Once at the top, you carefully made your way to the end of the yardarm, then took a seat up it- this was a much better view, just as you'd hoped it would be. You saw Zexion eventually made his way beside you, and the two of you sat quietly, watching the wonders of space slowly glide past you as the ship drifted along.

"What you saw that man doing was something called a 'hug,' (Name). It's supposedly a sign of affection that can cause much comfort. I saw you give a look of confusion, so I figured I would elaborate a bit for you. There are also other signs of affection as well, such as kisses, that provide a sense of comfort, too."

"I know what the actions of intimacy are, Zexion. I… was just watching everything unfold, is all. You don't see Organization members hug each other, so it was something I wanted to watch."

Once again, the two of you were silent as you stared at the dark space all around you- the only light coming from the twinkling balls of light that were scattered and littered about the darkness. As nonchalantly as you could, you attempted to scoot yourself a bit closer to Zexion on the yardarm; thankfully, he didn't notice anything. After a few more minutes of silence, you cleared your throat and began to speak.

"There's something that I need to speak with you about, Zexion. It's been nagging at me for quite a while now, and I feel if I don't speak about it soon, it will continue to eat away at me."

"Feel free to speak freely about me, (Name). You should know by now that you are allowed to speak to me about anything at all."

You inhaled deeply, giving yourself a quick mental preparation for what you were about to say. However, when you opened your mouth to speak, you simply couldn't find it within yourself to say the words that you had so desperately wished to say. Instead, you thought of a slightly better way to convey exactly what you needed to.

"Give me your hand, Zexion."

Zexion seemed slightly confused at your command, but obeyed it nonetheless. Once you had your fingers wrapped around his hand, you sighed quietly and then gave him a slight smile.

"Now, do me another favor, and close your eyes. I'm… testing a hypothesis with a small experiment, per se."

Now that Zexion fully understood, or so he thought, he no longer felt confused by your commands and followed them immediately. Once his eyes had been closed, you used your free hand to brush the dangling strands of hair slightly out of his face. You then placed his hand right on the center of his chest, leaving it there for a moment- you then performed the final action that would complete your little experiment. The space between the two of you had been closed, and your lips had been tenderly pressed against his own.

And, underneath where Zexion's hand was currently pressed, moments after you had pressed your lips against his own, there was a light pulse.

=13=

Author's Note (1): In case my readers weren't aware, Even is the name that Vexen used before he was turned into a Nobody. It is his original, human name.

Author's Note (2): The world that Zexion and (Name) arrive in is from the 2002 Disney film, Treasure Planet. If you haven't seen/heard of this movie, I beg of you to watch it. It's a lesser-known animated Disney film, but I assure you that it will be worth your while.

Author's Note (3): Gentle reminder that (Name) has been with the Organization for months now- approximately 10, in my mind. She and Zexion have spent nearly every day together as well, so it's not like this process happened quickly. The timeline of Kingdom Hearts is rather difficult to work with at times, especially since the events of the original Kingdom Hearts apparently managed to take place all in less than a year, and I'm taking into consideration the amount of time it would have really taken for Organization XIII to form. I simply can't believe the members simply appeared in a matter of weeks, so I'm bending time a bit. Currently, the timeline is nearing the beginning of the Castle Oblivion arc. More will be said about this in coming chapters.

Author's Note (4): Some might notice Zexion's speaking is becoming less 'nerdy' sounding, per se. This is because he is growing more and more comfortable talking casually around (Name), just like a typical friendship would go in real life.