~Day 3~

Xarki returned to Round Room after a solo mission. Saïx had recognised her talents and decided that it was pointless to send her with a partner from now on because she was more than capable of completing missions by herself. Xarki didn't mind it too much, but it was still quite tiring for her.
She sighed as she ran a hand through her short purple curls and flopped down on one of the sofas. A Nobody she hadn't met before was sitting on the sofa opposite her. His eyes were narrow and bright green and his long red hair was spiked in all directions. He leaned over and rested his elbow on his knee.

"So, you're Xarki? Huh, you're kinda-"

"Young? In-experienced? Short?" Xarki tried to help finish his sentence.

"I was actually gonna say 'cute'. For a Nobody, I mean," the red-haired man laughed awkwardly.
"Cause, y'know…Nobodies generally aren't all that cute. Anyway, the name's Axel."

Xarki smiled politely, "Nice to meet you."

It was only the third day, but already Xarki was feeling a lot more comfortable around these strange Nobodies.
In her exhaustion after having just returned from a hard mission, Xarki had failed to notice the chessboard that was set upon the table in-between the two sofas.

Axel saw her stare at it in confusion and laughed.
"I was kinda hoping someone would play with me. But I guess everyone's too busy."

Xarki stared at it a little while longer. The pieces were already set up; the black ones were on Xarki's side.
"Well, it's been a while since I've played chess, but I think I still remember all the rules and stuff. I'll play, if you want?" she smiled.

Axel clapped his hands together, "Perfect! I'll admit, I'm not much of a chess player either, so I'd say we're equally matched."

"Let's play to win, anyway," Xarki had her game face on.

Axel gestured for her to move first and she picked a pawn at random to move forwards one square. Axel did the same with one of his own white pawns.
"So, how are you finding the Organization life?" he tried to start a friendly conversation.

Xarki made her second move. "It's alright, I guess. I can't exactly say it makes me either happy or sad, can I?"

"Well, you're right about that. But…how else can I word it? Are you glad to be here?" Axel moved again.

"Isn't 'glad' a feeling?" Xarki moved one of her black knights.

"Well it's such a tiny feeling, it's more like a thought. Yes, that's a good way to put it! What do you think of all this Organization stuff?" Axel pushed his rook forward a couple of spaces with two fingers.

Xarki paused for a second before moving a bishop. "Well, I think that the Organization's goal is good and understandable…"

"But…?" Axel could tell that there was a second part to that statement.

He careless moved one of his pawns too close to one of Xarki's and she seized the opportunity to take it out with a diagonal move. Replacing it with her own pawn, she took the white piece off the board and set it down on the table.

"But we're kinda going about it the wrong way, don't you think?"

Axel mourned the loss of his pawn for a second before moving a knight. "Well, how else do you suggest we get hearts?"

Xarki stayed silent for a few turns as she thought about her reply.
"I don't…I mean…" she still couldn't find the right words to say as she moved a rook a few spaces across the board and took out one of his knights.

"Ooh, good move. Now, let's just think about it like this. We're collecting the hearts we obtain from defeating Heartless. So in the process of creating our Kingdom Hearts, we're also decreasing the population of Heartless. That's a good thing, right?" Axel took out Xarki's rook with one of his pawns.

A few more turns passed before Xarki found an answer to his question.
"Well, yeah, when you put it that way. But still…there's something about the way this Organization runs. The fact that they're willing to do absolutely anything to achieve their goal. Even take someone's life. Are you really glad to be a part of an Organization like that?" She moved a bishop to the space diagonal to her king's space, ready to shield it from any of Axel's attacks.

This time it was Axel who waited a few turns before replying.

"Okay, so we're not exactly good guys, but…I don't know."

Neither of them had anything to say for a while. By the time Xarki spoke up again, she only had her king, her bishops, a rook and a couple of pawns left on the board.

"So what happens once everyone gets hearts? Do you stay as Organization XIII or do you all go your separate ways?"

Axel only had his king, his queen, a couple of pawns and a rook left on the board.
"It seems way too simple, but still, that sounds about right. I can't exactly see myself 'keeping in touch' with any of the other members once we all split up," he made finger quotation marks as he smirked. He took out one of her bishops with his rook.

"You don't have any friends here?" Xarki attacked Axel's rook with her last bishop, leaving his king vulnerable.
"Check."

Axel paused as he moved his king diagonally out of the rooks' path.
"Nah, I'm a bit of a loner here. But Xigbar's alright, I guess. Roxas is pretty cool, too. And there's always Saïx. I like to give him a hard time," he laughed as he rubbed the back of his head.

Xarki moved her rook forwards, determined to chase his king down.
"Check. What about Larxene?"

Axel was quick to defend his king by sending his queen after Xarki's rook. She gave a disappointed sigh as she was forced to take on another strategy.

"Larxene? Heh. It's kinda hard to take her seriously when she's got a major crush on me," Axel said it like he couldn't really believe it.

Xarki wasn't really sure what to do, so she just moved one of her pawns.
"She likes you? Are you sure that's actually…possible?"

"Well you kinda just answered your own question, there. Like is a lot different to love. She might like what she sees, but I wouldn't go as far as to say she's in love with me," Axel moved his queen.

"Alright, but what if she could love you? How would you react?" Xarki was only asking out of curiosity as she moved her bishop closer to his king.

Axel sighed into a laugh, "It wouldn't work out. She's not really my type."

Xarki moved another pawn. "And what is your type?" She immediately blushed after asking that. If she had come across flirty, she hadn't meant to. She was only trying to make conversation.

Axel paused as he chuckled to himself.

"Men."

Xarki had lost her train of thought when she was trying to hide her blush. She ran over the last couple of statements that were made in the conversation to make sure she was following it correctly. She's not really my type. And what is your type? Men.

"W-what?!"

Axel made eye-contact with Xarki, a sly grin on his face.

"Check mate."

The last couple of moves that Xarki had made had consequently left her king undefended and vulnerable to Axel's queen's attack. He slowly moved the white piece across the board and knocked the king over. It landed with a small tap.

Xarki hardly cared about her loss, however. She was still trying to make sure she'd heard Axel properly. The red-haired Nobody stood up from the sofa.

"And Axel triumphs over his fierce and crafty opponent! Good game, Xarki," he held out his hand for her to shake it, a winning smile on his face.

Xarki just stared at him with her mouth open.
"Wh-wh-wh…"

"Huh? Oh that! Sorry, I was just messing with you. I just couldn't resist! But, geez, I didn't expect it to traumatize you!"

"What? Really? Grr…that was mean," Xarki shot her best glare in Axel's direction.

"Why would it have bothered you so much if I swung that way?" Axel wondered as he started picking the chess pieces up. He shoved them into his pockets.

"Oh, well I guess it wouldn't have, really. You just kinda took me by surprise there, that's all," Xarki said honestly.

Axel picked up the chess board. "Well, don't you worry. This Flurry of Dancing Flames is all for the ladies!" he gave Xarki a mischievous wink.

Xarki giggled at his silliness.

"Well, this was fun! And it was nice to finally meet you. I better be off to bed now, so see you tomorrow!" Axel waved as he summoned a Dark Corridor.

"Nu-night, Axel," Xarki smiled as she pushed herself off the sofa and summoned her own portal.

The two of them gave each other one more wave as they disappeared.

...

This time Xarki found both Zexion and Larxene in her room. Zexion was sitting on the bed as usual and Larxene was standing over him with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, welcome back, Xarki," Zexion was quick to give her a friendly greeting.

"Hi. Now, what trouble are you here to cause for me this time?" Xarki asked as she pulled her feet out of her boots.

"This creep won't get out of your room! No matter how much I scream and shove him, he just won't move!" Larxene attempted to push Zexion's arm, but the strong Nobody hardly moved at all.

"I'm just here to visit my dear friend Xarki, that's all," Zexion put on a serious expression.

"Well I came here to talk to her first, so get out!" Larxene shoved him again.
She passed a jolt of lightning into him, making his body convulse, but his expression was completely unfazed.

Xarki sighed and placed her fingers to her forehead. "Zexion, please, for the love of…can you just get out?"

"What are you doing here so late, anyway?" Larxene stopped trying to move the silver-haired Nobody. "I bet you wanted to watch her while she slept, didn't you. I always knew you were a creepy little pervert! Makes me wonder exactly what kind of stuff your always reading, huh?"

"Now, now, there's no need to talk about such obscene things. I suppose I'll bid you both goodnight, then," Zexion brushed himself off and stood up.
"Xarki, I'm sure we'll have a chance to talk tomorrow. Larxene…a pleasure as always," Zexion left in a Corridor of Darkness.

Xarki thought that was odd because he usually left through the bedroom door. Larxene must have made feel pretty awkward. He was so quick to leave.Xarki smiled deviously to herself. Larxene broke the short silence with a sigh of relief.

"Finally. That took way too much effort," she flopped down on Xarki's bed, stretching her arms across it.

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Xarki walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it.

Larxene looked up at her, "Oh nothing, really. I don't feel like sleeping just yet, so I figured I'd just come and chat with you!"

"What is there to chat about?"

Larxene sprung up from her lying position and sat cross-legged on the top sheet.
"Shoes? Make-up? Boys?" she suggested.

"Shoes and make-up aren't exactly interests of mine. But…" Xarki giggled to herself.
"A little birdie told me you have a crush on Axel."

Larxene couldn't hide a giggle as well. "Well, come on. You gotta admit, he's pretty damn hot."

That made Xarki laugh and she covered her mouth so that it couldn't be heard by any of the other members who were only a couple of rooms away.

"Well, I'm right, aren't I?" Larxene pressed.

Xarki was still giggling as she pictured Axel's face in her mind. His eyes were pretty, she could admit that much.
"He's a little too old for me," she finally decided.

Larxene found that very amusing.
"So, do you have a crush on anyone?" she asked Xarki.

Xarki sighed absent-mindedly as she finally stopped laughing. She smiled to herself as she mused over Larxene's question. Do I have a crush on anyone? She was a little surprised when an image of Roka appeared in her mind. His soft blue eyes, his sweet smile. But still, she couldn't quite picture him in that kind of way.

"Well, not really. I mean, I have a guy friend, but I think that's all I want him to be," Xarki smiled.

Larxene gasped in excitement. "Go on, tell me all about him!"

Xarki laughed quietly, "His name's Roka. He's been one of my very best friends since, like, forever. He's so sweet and he's always there when I need him. He's perfect."

"Then there's no doubt about it! You're going to be together! Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Larxene leaned forward to hug Xarki.

"That's gonna be kind of hard considering the fact that it's physically impossible for me to love him," she reminded Larxene.

"But you will when you get a heart! Just you wait," Larxene laughed and she let go of Xarki and sat down on the bed again.

"If you say so," Xarki decided to just go along with what Larxene was saying, even though she didn't agree with it. She suddenly wanted to confess to Larxene that she actually had a heart, but she reminded herself that she needed to keep it a secret for as long as she could. Although it seemed as though she could trust her, she still had to be careful.

Larxene leaned over again and ruffled Xarki's purple hair. Then she pushed herself off the bed and took a couple of steps towards the door.
"Well, all this talking and stuff has made me pretty tired. I think I'll head off to bed now," she said with a yawn.

The yawn quickly found its way to Xarki and she let it out slowly, covering her mouth. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, "Alright, goodnight, Larxene."

Larxene strutted to the bedroom door and opened it. But before she left, she paused and looked back at Xarki over her shoulder.
"Hey…I can call you my friend, can't I?" she asked suddenly.

Xarki blinked, "Well sure, if I can call you mine?"

Larxene laughed and nodded. "Of course! Well, goodnight, Xar!" she turned and stepped outside the room, slowly closing the door behind her.

Xarki smiled to herself as she pushed back the covers, ready to climb into bed. She looked up quickly when her door opened again. Larxene popped her head around the corner.

"Axel is really hot. Just saying," she whispered as she flicked the light off and closed the door again.