Warning, implied spanking in this chapter

Chapter 38

Calixa just walked into the Gray area after breakfast, to see if she had a mission assignment. Neox was sitting on the couch in Xion's lap. She was holding him while he slept, and looked up when Calixa entered. "Hi," she greeted with a smile.

"What's up?" Calixa asked.

"Neox is sleeping, Roxas and Axel are gone and almost everyone is off today."

This surprised Calixa, that was the first time hearing this. "Really, how come?" she asked.

"Not sure. I think Axel and Roxas know but they won't tell me."

Calixa nodded, looking around for the two. Maybe she could blackmail Roxas into telling her... "Where did they go?"

"They wouldn't tell me that either," Xion replied, pouting.

"Well should we go look for them?" Calixa suggested smirking.

"I can't. The baby is asleep." Xion said, looking at Neox.

"Oh who cares," Calixa said grabbing Neox's leg and pulling it enough to wake him up.

Neox's response was slamming her with a large hand made of Dark energy, which knocked her back. He then snuggled into Xion again. Xion looked at Calixa, "That's the same thing he did to Axel, Luxord and Xaldin."

"Well he needs to stop being a baby, and get over himself," Calixa said angrily, getting up with a wince and grabbed Neox's underwear intending to give him a massive wedgie. In turn to this, as soon as she grabbed his underpants, a loud noise and a horrible smell accompanying it, nearly knocked Calixa out. It was almost as if he knew she was there and was messing with her. Xion was laughing silently, tears going down her face.

Neox who was awake now, laughed at her, "Sorry Cali. Gas y'know?" he said, sitting up.

The girl just mumbled incoherently. "So, what's all the noise for?" he asked Xion.

"We were just wondering why no one had missions today."

"Oh. Not sure about that."

"Well Axel and Roxas are supposed to know, and I think we should go and find them and make them tell us," Calixa suggested.

"Sounds good," Neox agreed.

The three stood up and Calixa created a portal. They walked in and then looked around. Calixa had taken them to the stations tower in twilight town. That was a hangout for Roxas and Axel. Xion looked up at the tower, but didn't see anyone up there. "Where else do you think they would go?" she asked.

"Right here," Axel said whispering in her ear from behind.

Xion screamed at the top of her lungs, and turned around fast summoning her keyblade but not attacking. Neox and Calixa jumped, and summoned their weapons too. Axel stood there laughing with Roxas standing next to him, "You jerk!" Xion yelled.

"What are you guys doing here?" Axel laughed.

"We came to find you," Neox explained. "We wanted to know something."

"What's that?" Axel asked.

"Well, why is everyone off today?"

"Like I told Xion, I can't tell you that," Axel replied.

"Why not?" Calixa asked.

"Cant tell you that either."

"Why not?" Neox asked.

"You know that Xero's supposed to return today," Axel changed the subject. "He's been gone for while, and don't you want to go see him?" This seemed to work, for both Xion and Neox looked delighted as they had forgotten about this.

"No. We want to know why nobody has missions!" Calixa said stubbornly.

"Well you're not going to find out from us so you might as well clear off."

"Don't make me pull rank on you, Axel!" Calixa said saying the first thing that came to her mind, crossing her arms.

"You, pull rank on me? I think you're confused as to who's high rank here little one," Axel said as if he were addressing a three year old.

Neox stepped up, "Then I will. I'm superior rank to you and you know it."

"How?" Axel asked.

"Because I'm fourth to Saïx, Luxord and Marluxia. You're after me," Neox replied

"Only in your dreams kid," Axel rolled his eyes.

"Oh really? Want to try me?"

"How good we can fight doesn't affect your rank. You could beat me a thousand times and I still wouldn't be obligated to tell you. Now stop now before I pull rank."

"Try it, you peon!" Neox scoffed. Everyone's eyes widened.

Axel's eyes darkened. He walked over picked Neox up by the hood of his coat and walked though a portal with the boy, closing it behind him. Calixa opened a portal and they all ran through, "Where are we going now Calixa?" Xion asked.

"To find Axel before he turns Neox into kid toast," Calixa said, running.

"It may already be too late," Roxas said worriedly.

Calixa just ran faster at that. They reached Axel's room after a moment, and Roxas turned the knob and shoved the door open. There was no one in there, "Dammit, where'd they go?" Calixa swore.

"I don't know..." Xion replied anxiety deep in her voice.

"Who are you looking for mates?" a voice asked from behind them.

They all turned around, "XERO!"

Calixa and Xion ran over and gave the orange haired teen a friendly hug. He hugged them back, smiling. "What's happening', mates?"

"We're trying to save Neox from Axel," Calixa replied.

"Neox from Axel? How long was I gone?" Xero asked confused as to why Neox would need to be saved from a member of the organization.

"We'll explain later, Neox may already be a crisp by now."

"Well I saw them when I was coming here," Xero said in thought.

"Was Neox ok?" Xion asked worriedly.

"Not sure, his hood was up. But he was walking a bit funny."

The three looked at each other and ran toward Neox's room. "NEOX!" Calixa shouted, bursting in followed by the others.

The boy was lying on his stomach on his bed, the trace of tears still staining his face. "Neox!" Xion barreled through them and picked him up. "You're alive!"

"Yeah..." the boy sniffed.

"What happened?" Roxas asked.

"... Stupid pyro..." Neox muttered, and they all knew what had happened when the boy reached a hand back to rub his backside.

Xion sighed and hugged Neox, picking him up. The silver haired boy snuggled into her and then noticed Xero standing by Roxas and Calixa, "Xero!" he cried out happily.

"Hey Mate" he greeted, laughing.

Neox laughed also, despite himself. "We missed you."

"So how's that play of your going? The Wizard of Oz one?" Xero asked.

They all laughed, "That was dropped a long time ago. Xemnas couldn't get order, so he finally gave up," Calixa replied.

A frown suddenly slipped on Neox's face as he remembered something. "You seen Bàli yet?"

"Not yet, why?" Xero asked with raised eyebrows.

"Come with me. The rest of you stay here," Neox wiggled out of Xion's arms and lead Xero through a portal.

Xero followed Neox confused, and they appeared in front of Bàli's door. "Did something happen?" Xero asked now looking concerned.

"Yeah. It's just a suspicion though," Neox knocked on the door.

After a few moments Bàli answered the door. "Hello babe," Xero greeted with a smile.

"Xero yer bak!" Bàli greeted happily, giving him a hug.

Neox stared in shock, did Xero not notice how thin and bony her face was. He had a suspicion that if Bàli was shirtless he could see her ribs popping out some. Xero hugged her back, and felt her sides. He wouldn't say it in front of Neox but he defiantly noticed all of it. He gently pushed her away, and gave her a critical look, "Have you been doing all right?" he asked.

"Of course I 'ave," she replied with a smile.

He nodded eyes narrowing, but didn't want to start questioning her with Neox standing right there. "Neox, I think Xion might want to see you," he said.

Neox took the hint, and for some odd reason he felt relief. He waved it off as he was relieved that he didn't have to bother looking after the Scott now. He opened a portal and left the two alone. Xero walked into her room and sat on the bed; Bali sat on her desk chair across from him looking nervous. Did he know?

"Um, Bàli. I got a question."

"Shor hun, wat did ye need tae know?" she asked trying to smile but she didn't think that she was successful.

"Is there any reason you're as boney as a skeleton?" he asked, giving her a look.

Bàli looked down at herself, she couldn't be that boney. He must have been exaggerating. "Well, I 'ave been tryin this new diet."

"Oh really? What did it consist of?" he pressed, lying back on the bed.

"Um... just cutting back on how much food you eat."

"What'd ya eat this morning?"

"Um... an apple an some toast," she replied. Yes it was a lie, but she couldn't tell him the truth. He wouldn't understand.

"Now, one more question?" Xero asked, sitting up.

"Ok, what is it?"

"... Would you ever lie to me?" he asked, looking directly into her eyes.

Bàli gulped and deviated her eyes toward he left, "Nae of course not."

"... Okay," Xero said, then smiled at her. "Nice to know."

An extreme wave of guilt passed over Bàli, but she couldn't tell him. He would probably just yell at her, and make her feel even worse. She was actually starting to feel better about her herself. She had now reached to 105 and wasn't planning on going any farther but yesterday accidentally gained three pounds back on a binge.

Xero left a few minutes later, and headed straight for the kitchen. He was greeted by a wave of happy hello's upon entering, but didn't bother giving a greeting back and went straight to the fridge to get some food. When he was sure he got enough food, he headed back out. Later on during dinner, Xero and Bàli were nowhere to be seen. Xero took to large plates of food and just left through a portal. "Wonder where Xero is?" Calixa commented looking around.

Neox shrugged though he had a pretty good idea of where the Aussie went. Vexen kept giving the orange haired girl cold glares as she hadn't eaten a bite of food still being on her strike. Neox looked at her and snickered, "Looks like someone hates you."

"He deserves it," Calixa said, snitching a piece of bacon from the platter and ate it while Vexen was looking away.

Neox watched, and continued to eat his food. Meanwhile Xero was in front of Bàli's door with two plates of food in hand. He knocked on the door with his foot. "It's me hun!" he chimed. The door opened up after a moment. "Hey," he greeted, walking in with the plates carefully.

"Whoa, 'ats a lot of food," Bàli commented nervously.

"Yeah, I figured that we could eat together tonight."

"Oh well... I had a really big lunch so I'm not that hungry right now. But thanks for the thought."

"Really? I spent nearly all day in the kitchen. I didn't see you."

"It was before you got back," the blonde replied quickly.

"Oh? But I got back this morning," Xero pointed out.

Bàli sat there with her mouth hanging open. She was digging herself into a hole, "W-Well I..."

"Yes?" he asked, knowing he had her trapped now.

"L-Look Xero!" she glared at him. "I'm just not hungry right now, so just lay off will you!"

"Are you not hungry?" he asked. "Or are you just starving yourself?"

Bàli didn't know what to say now, he know. She should have known, he had known the entire time. She broke down into sobs, and Xero wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked her gently. She sniffled and mumbled something in Gaelic to him, "English hun."

She just cried more and held him tighter. Xero held her for awhile, until her sobs slowed then asked the same question. "I wanted to lose weight... I was fat and everyone knows... I just wanted to lose a bit of weight..." she sobbed.

Xero's eye's narrowed, "What do you mean everyone knows your fat? I never knew that, and I don't believe it."

"Even Calixa said it! Everyone knows..." Bàli then started sobbing harder again.

"You mean Calixa started this?" Xero asked a hint of anger in his voice. Bàli nodded slightly, "What did she tell you?"

Bali sniffled, "That I was fat because I ate too much..."

"Well you're not. Calixa's the fat one. I mean, she even HAS to go on a diet ordered by the higher ups!"

"She's only on that diet because of her high blood pressure problem. She's not fat at all..." Bàli sobbed.

"Oh yeah? Want me to prove you wrong?" Xero asked.

"Nae Xero, ye don need tae. I- I am fat, and I'm doin this for ye..."

"You're not fat! Have I ever lied to you before?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

Bàli sniffed, "Nae..."

"And I'm not lying now!" Bàli smiled at her "husband" and hugged him tighter.

Later on Xero was looking for Calixa, ready to give her a talking to. He eventually found her. He was on the upper level of the Hall of Empty Melodies while she was on the lower level. "Calixa!" he called down to her.

The girl looked up but was grabbed by Xion, who ran in. "Xion what were you doing?" Calixa asked sounding nervous.

"Is it true that you gave Neox an atomic wedgie?" Xion asked, angrily.

"He was telling me how fat I was," she replied simply.

"Well I'll show you not to mess with the baby!" Xion said, turning Calixa around. Xero watched from the balcony.

"What are you doing?" Calixa yelled terror in her voice, as she struggled wildly. She was then given the biggest wedgie she had received to date, making her scream at the top of her lungs.

Xero snickered and kept walking. Calixa probably wouldn't be walking for awhile now. After a few minutes he made it to the bottom of the Hall of Empty Melodies. He walked over to Calixa, who was on the ground. She didn't really feel like her legs could move much. For a second Xero considered telling her off later when she felt better, but decided to do it now. "Calixa I need to talk to you," he said in stony voice.

"What do you want?" she groaned, trying to undo the wedgie still.

Xero crossed his arms over his chest, "Have you by any chance noticed anything different about Bàli?"

"No, Nothing out of the ordinary."

The teen took a slow deep breath to hold his temper, "She has been on a starvation diet..."

"What? Why?" she sounded more confused, then worried. Actually she didn't sound worried at all, it was probably more curiosity that made her ask.

"Because of something you said."

"What? I didn't o anything!"

"You told her that she was fat because of how much she ate!" Xero finally lost his tempter, and started yelling at her. He had half a mind to term her over and start skinning her backside.

Calixa started whimpering, "Well sorry, okay?" She suddenly remembered what she had said to Bàli on the day of that meeting. "She just needs to learn to get over herself and not take everything I say so seriously."

"You tell her that. Now!"

"I'm hurting..." she said in whiny voice.

"Too bad, on your feet or I'll drag you back!"

"You can't make me do anything, I'm higher ranking," she said stubbornly. She didn't care about Bàli, so what if the annoying scott wanted to have a temper tantrum over something she said. Xero suddenly lifted her up over his shoulder and walked to Bàli's room. "Let me go you (beep)hole!" she screamed.

Xero stopped for a second, and then Calixa felt a hard slap to her behind. "Ouch!" she cried out then shut her mouth. She figured that that was a warning and didn't want to push it. Xero returned to Bàli's room and knocked on the door. The door opened after a moment, to reveal Bàli still tear riddled.

"Who's 'at?" she asked.

"It's Calixa," Xero replied.

"What the ell is she doin' ere!"

"She has something to tell you," Xero replied setting her down on her feet.

Calixa looked at Bàli and grumbled something. Xero landed another swat to the younger girls backside, making her yelp. "I said I'M SORRY!" she yelled.

"What are you sorry about?" Xero asked.

"I'm sorry for saying your fat!" Calixa said not really sounding like she was sorry at all. "You should really get over yourself and not take everything I say seriously," she added remember that Xero told her to tell Bàli that.

"Yeah, she's a complete joke anyway," Neox's voice joined. All three turned to look at him. "Just like I thought, she was starving herself."

"Ye knew also..." Bali said sounding depressed and ashamed.

"Yes I did, don't take things that simpletons like Calixa say get to you. That's an order." Neox said in a bored voice.

"Hey!" Calixa glared at him, but Bàli actually smiled.

"Number seventeen, I order you to stop this dumb 'diet' of yours immediately. Come on Calixa, let's go get something to eat." Neox said, grabbing his best friend's hand and running through a portal.

"I can't eat anything with Vexen around..." they heard Calixa saying before the portal closed.

Xero looked at Bàli and kissed her, "See?"

"Yeah..." she smiled.

He smiled as well, "Now, how about we go eat the food I brought before? I'm starving!"

A loud growl from Bàli's stomach sounded and Bàli laughed, "I guess my stomach agrees with you." Xero kissed her softly and they went off to enjoy their meal.

Yay! New chappy and Bàli dropped her starvation diet ^^ what a good day