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The Night	By : mewsomniac Category: Kingdom Hearts > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1695 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: NO profit is being made off this work. Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, and Disney belong to their rightful owners, and I do not claim ANY ownership over their properties. FULL DISCLAIMER BELOW.

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The Night
Chapter IX: The Witched and the Welcome
June 13th, 2025
            “I'll go to the coven directly and find out where your brother is myself!”
            It takes Roxas good minute before he realizes exactly what Sora is saying. “Wait… you don't really mean what I think you mean.”
            Despite his smiling face, Sora can't hide the obvious discomfort in his features. “Well it seems like a straightforward statement to me. I'm happy to clarify, but I'm also trying real hard not to think about it too much...”
            “No, I think I get it… but, no way. I cannot ask you to do that for me—”
            “Good thing you're not asking me, then.”
            “What about Riku?”
            “He'll be delighted, I'm sure.”
            They both grimace a little at the statement.
            “You spent all that time avoiding your covenant, though… why go back now?”
            “I guess you gave me a pretty compelling reason to. Besides, I think you said it best yourself… I'm sick of wasting time. 'Dilly dally shilly shally,' right?”
            Dejected, Roxas casts his eyes elsewhere, “You can't just do all this for me…”
            “It'll be okay, Roxas. I promise.” Attempting to lighten the mood, Sora boops Roxas on the nose. “Eternally indebted, remember?”
            Though Roxas isn't sure he'll be able to forgive himself for putting the vampire through all this trouble, he also can't deny this incredible wave of relief washing over him feels pretty amazing. Tears sting his eyes and he finds himself hugging Sora without hesitation. He doesn't believe his life's mystery is worth anyone's freedom, but he's happy to have faith in his companion's incredible sacrifice.
            “Sora,” He says, voice somewhat muffled in the vampire's neck, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
            As Sora returns the hug, he responds, “And hey! Look at it this way: now you know for sure I'm not doing it just to try and get laid!”
            Pulling away just a bit, Roxas chuckles. “You know, I was warned about you bargaining vampire types and your strange fuckery.” A thought flickers across Roxas' mind: Speaking of… “I should probably text one of my roommates and let them know I'm still safe.”
            Sora nods, “Please do. I kind of need to be alive to help find your brother.”
            Removing himself from the bed, Roxas crosses the room to his backpack and retrieves his phone from an outer pocket. His heart leaps into his throat when he sees a wall of notifications and quickly opens his message window to read them. All but two texts are from Demyx.
           [Roxas are you actually eating food right now, or should we make an extra serving of dinner for you?]
           [Since you haven't responded I'm gonna go with yes?????]
           [Well then again if you're getting laid I hope you were wined and dined first]
           [Wait no that was last night wasn't it?]
           [ROXAS HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU GOTTEN LAID SINCE WEDNESDAY]
           [Roxas what sounds better: fang-playa or vamp-tramp? I like vamp-tramp]
           [ROXAS ARE YOU GETTING LAID]
           [ROXAS]
           [ROXAS MAKE HIM BUY YOU DINNER CUZ WE'RE EATING YOUR SERVING ANYWAY YOU VAMP-TRAMP]
           [ROXAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS]
           [REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU]
           [DON'T FORGET TO USE PROTECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
            Then, from Axel: [Hey Rox, I'm sorry. I just found out Demyx has been blowing up your phone and while I find it hilarious I hope it doesn't scare ya.]
            Roxas rolls his eyes. Too late .
            From Axel, again: [Please just call or text with an update so we know you're safe. Love ya.]
            Finally, there's the last one from Demyx: [I got my phone back! Hey don't forget you're going to be a spark on Sunday so we're having a full day of partying you're not allowed to opt out of tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
            A thrill of excitement fires up Roxas' chest upon reading this.
           This Sunday?! His brain searches desperately for remembrance. Of course… how could I forget?
            He thinks about his roommates coming back home carrying their cloaks, and something Xigbar said while juggling a rifle suddenly rings clear as a bell in his head: “And on Sunday, you better be ready for some crazy shit!”
            Turning to Sora, Roxas says, “I'm going to become a spark in like… a day. ”
            Sora sits up on an elbow. “A what?”
            “It's what they call you after the novice stage is over and actual training begins. It's means I'll be officially full-blooded Organization.” Roxas approaches the bed again as he fires off an update text to Axel, coming to sit on the edge of the mattress. “I might even get some kind of magical power out of it.”
            It seemed like so much was happening over the course of a few days, but part of the reason he had to do so much courier stuff in so little time was because of Marluxia and Zexion. They had been out of the country for quite some time on “official business” supposedly, so they were gone when Roxas was initially supposed to meet them. They'd only returned a couple weeks prior.
            “Hey, congrats! You're moving up in the world! Maybe you can set Riku on fire with your mind for me or something if he gives me a hard time.” Sora moves to sit next to Roxas, and grows concerned when he sees the blond looks despondent. “Roxas? You don't seem very happy about this.”
            “Apparently once you enter the spark phase, they keep you at the Organization headquarters until training is over… so I might not see you for a really long time.”
            Sora frowns, “Well, if I'm honest with myself, once I'm back in the coven I don't think the King will let me leave for a while either. So I guess this is the best timing we can possibly have in this situation.”
            They gaze at one another, their forlorn expressions almost perfectly matching. Unbeknownst to either of them, they're both thinking the same thing: they'll miss the hell out of eachother. These last few days have felt more like years, and it's been the most fun either of them have had in ages. They don't want to stop seeing one another if they can help it.
            Just then, Sora has an idea.
            “Roxas, how long does this training of yours usually last?”
            The blond thinks about this, “They haven't told me much, but it sounds like no more than a year at the very most.”
            “How about this: you can come see me on Saturday—”
            “Uh, wait,” Roxas politely interjects, “Sorry… apparently I'm being detained by my roommates on Saturday. I actually just found out.” He would show the message to the vampire, but that would risk Sora seeing the string of embarrassing texts that preceded it.
            “That's completely fine. Let's make it Monday morning so I can check out of the room afterwards, and we'll see eachother one last time. Then, we'll just stay in contact over the coming months—obviously—and once it's all over, pick right back where we left off with... you know…    us … but also finding your brother.”
            Smiling, Roxas responds, “I really like this plan.”
            “Think you'll be able to get away for the morning after your initiation? Check-out is at 11 am.”
            “I can certainly try.”
            “Excellent. We'll play everything by ear, though. It doesn't seem fair to risk your job just to see me. You shouldn't rush your training either.”
            “Yeah, that's probably for the best.” The blond can't help but glance sheepishly away. “So… 'us', huh?”
            Suddenly, Sora cups Roxas cheeks and pulls him deep into a kiss.
            “ Absolutely   'us'. I know it hasn't been long but… fuck it, why not? Life is too fucking crazy. The future is uncertain and blah blah, whatever else you wanna say about it.”
            “You might not even like me when I'm officially a monster hunter.”
            “Oh, and you'll like me when I'm all regal? The way things are looking, I might officially be a prince after Monday, you know.”
            Roxas laughs, “My boyfriend, the vampire prince! I guess we're both going to have an interesting change of pace pretty soon here, huh?” He throws his arms around Sora and their lips meet again. Between kisses, he says. “I guess we should take advantage of the time we dohave. Round two?”
            Upon opening his front door the next morning, Roxas prepares himself to be bombarded by Axel and Demyx in search of marks, which should already be healing since Sora treated them before he left. His clothes were also returned to him with nary a stain, so all told, he probably entered the apartment looking the same as he'd left.
            However, even after stepping inside, nobody moved to grope his body for clues. In fact, Axel and Demyx were staring at him very intently from the couch, as if they were wild cats ready to pounce. Meanwhile, Naminé was poised daintily in the armchair, beaming at him.
            “Welcome home, Roxas.” She says, “Don't worry about the guys, they're not allowed to check you for marks. And you don't have to tell them about your day if you don't want to either.”
            He looks apologetically at the men, and though they seem like they have a lot to say, they remain silent. He decides to offer the best consolation he can come up with: “...day drunk?”
            Their faces light up, and without wasting a breath, they rush to the kitchen to make a loud clamor. When they return, they have four shot glasses full of inky-looking liquid. They distribute the chilled glasses to Roxas and Naminé and instruct everyone to stand in a semicircle.
            “A toast!” Axel shouts, gallantly, “To my little brother! Whom my love knows no bounds, and who is yet another step closer to achieving his ultimate destiny!”
            “Blessed be!” Demyx says, and they all repeat it; tapping the bottom of their glasses on the coffee table before taking their shots. The intense flavor of black licorice fills Roxas' mouth and he gulps down as best he can without gagging.
            And so it begins.
            They spend the rest of the day, night, and some of the following morning drinking liberally from all varieties of alcohol. More shots, mixed drinks, beer, wine, straight scotch… you name it. Roxas feels like he's on a tilt all day, as if the air is water and he's swimming through it with every movement. They play fighting games to pass the time, even get out a deck of cards and gamble their clothing. Naminé beats them, every single time, of course. Then, Axel cooks them a massive meal full of all the zesty, sugary, savory carbs any drunk person could ever want—and they can barely eat it because of the lingering nausea that comes with over-drinking. At one point Demyx gets out his sitar and plays them song after song, each of which they sing along to as best as they can. Eventually they move on to talking about everything. For hours, and hours, and hours, they just talk. Roxas even tells them a little bit about Sora, though in this state he's wise enough to choose his divulged information carefully. At one point, Axel shows him a trick: sending a fireball shooting out of his whiskey glass. Naminé is scolding Axel as she reaches for Roxas' face… but then she looks at her youngest roommate with a thoughtful expression, shrugs, and pulls her wavering hand back before muttering something about “soon enough” as she takes another drink. Roxas doesn't know what this all means, he just knows he can barely focus on the drifting walls, and licorice is burning in the back of his throat.
            What joyous company this is.
            “Roxas… time to wake up.”
            Displeased, Roxas curls himself into his comforter a little deeper. Albeit Naminé's voice is wonderful to be awoken by, the intrusion isn't welcome and he'd still rather sleep.
            “Come on Roxas, your ceremony is only in a few hours.”
            Though a dry mouth, he croaks, “Water?” He opens his crusty eyes to see Naminé already has a tall, ice-filled glass of it ready for him, along with a couple antacids in her palm. He takes them both happily.
            “You probably don't remember, and I'm not telling you this to keep score or anything, but I was in the bathroom with you while you were puking your guts out all this morning.”
            He grimaces, “Sorry… you didn't have to do that for me.”
            “And let you choke or die of alcohol poisoning right before your initiation? That would be just cruel!” She gives him a pat on the shoulder, “Axel and Demyx are just about ready to go, but take as much time as you need to get ready, okay? Don't overexert yourself.”
            She leaves, and as Roxas is chugging the water he feels the nausea surging inside him. That might be easier said than done.
            His cloak is still as lovely and sleek as it was when he first got it. Roxas gives himself another good look in the mirror. It'd been so long since he'd worn it last, it surprised him to feel how well it still clung to his features. In remembrance of a time long past, he does a little twirl and watches the material spin around him. He's often ruminated upon how far he's come since a year ago, but it still feels strange for him to think about. Standing cloak-clad in his room at Twilight Town, ready to leave under the cover of night… and now he's going to be living under that same cover. Though it hasn't been much more than a year, it's felt like ages have gone by. Part of him wants to wonder how the old town has been in his absence, but it's a part he's buried so deep inside that the thought passes like a blink of the eye.
            He finishes gathering the things he'd like to bring to the Orgainzation headquarters and makes them into a little pile on his bed, leaving his phone on the top of it like he was instructed. When he's satisfied, he leaves to stand with his roommates, who are waiting in the living room. When he gets there, only Axel and Demyx are waiting for him and they're both wearing their cloaks as well.
            “Hey! Look at you!” Axel coos, and they both give Roxas high-fives. “You now, I just realized… I don't think the three of us have ever worn our uniforms all at the same time until now.”
            “Wow! I think you're right! How awesome is this?” Says Demyx.
            “Pretty awesome,” Roxas replies, then asks, “Where's Naminé?”
            “She went on ahead to help with preparations. Are you ready to go?”
            “Yeah, I think so. Are we taking the train?”
            Demyx and Axel grin at each other.
            “Can I do it?” Demyx asks Axel, who nods in response. Demyx waves his arm and mutters something, and a sudden black void roils forth from the air between them. Roxas stares in awe and slight terror as Demyx steps through, waving avidly as he does, before his form fully disappears into the living shadow.
            “What just—Did he—Where did—How—” As Roxas continues to spew confused sentence fragments, Axel comes over to put a reassuring arm over his shoulder.
            “Come on, Roxas, it's totally safe. Well, as safe as a gaping maw of darkness can be, anyway.” This very clearly doesn't quell Roxas' fear… at all… so Axel quickly backpedals. “I promise you it's fine ! Let's go together.”
            The blond gulps hard, and allows Axel to inch him toward the dark mass. Before he knows it, he's stepping inside and is surprised to find it doesn't feel like anything special; it's almost like entering a dark room through a hole in the wall. They take a few more steps and another portal, this time a little oval of light, appears only a few feet away from them. They approach it, and Roxas wants to say something witty about “walking toward the light”, but he's too afraid to even breathe in this unknown space. In a few blinks, Roxas finds his vision is suddenly filled with bright white.
            “We're here!” Axel says, triumphantly.
            Demyx is standing before them, and he spreads his arms wide in a showcasing pose, “Welcome to the Organization headquarters, Roxas!”
            Once Roxas' eyes adjust to the scenery, he takes in the sight around him: they're standing in the lobby of what appears to be an corporate high-rise. Behind them are massive windows, and the gorgeous marble floors beneath their feet have been shined and waxed so studiously that you could check your reflection in them. There are two geometric fountains before them, plus a long red carpet that stretches down between two behemoth pillars that are holding up a ceiling. They venture forth and he realizes these pillars are actually four elevator shafts, once again similar to a corporate building. Demyx calls one, and they step inside; the interior of the small box is as ornate as a nice hotel elevator.
            When the doors open on the next floor, they're greeted by white walls and a short hallway that leads to a large entrance with a peculiar symbol over it. The symbol looks like a skinny, upside-down heart with three points coming out of it, and Roxas finds there's a creepy sort of elegance to it. Axel and Demyx lead him down the hall and enter the doorway to see what looks to be a meeting room, as there are a variety of plush white chairs sitting around an ornate white table. It's surprisingly empty.
            “This is the general meeting area. This is where we usually come to discuss official business.”
            “Where is everyone?”
            “They're in the initiation area. We'll get there, don't you worry.”
            They go through yet another door on the opposite end of the meeting room, where a massive lounge area resides amongst towering windows.
            Axel says, “This is the break room for periods between missions. You'll probably end up here pretty often for report management and stuff. The senior members are rarely here, so it might be a little barren.”
            “It also gives you a safe place to hang out when you're wearing your cloak so you don't have to worry about drawing too much attention to yourself.” Demyx adds.
            Roxas goes to look out the window, and sees they're surrounded by Dusk City. “This is just about in the middle of the city, right?” He asks.
            “Yup! We're hiding in plain sight!” Demyx says.
            The next floor up looks more like that of a minimalist hospital than an office building, and Roxas' roommates explain that it's the Organization's personal infirmary.
            “You know,” Axel says, “Just in case anything happens, you probably don't want to go to a real hospital for the kind of care you would need. Most of us generally avoid getting hurt since nobody wants to deal with getting poked and prodded by Vexen.”
            Roxas grimaces, having forgotten the unsettling man specializes in all things science-based, including medicine.
            His roommates show him the next few levels of the building, which range from nothing out of the ordinary to extremely peculiar. Temporary living quarters, bathrooms, research spaces, artifact storage, summoning chambers, and rooms stuffed to the brim with paperwork. Some floors are even completely empty. When Roxas asks what the point of all the wasted space is, his roommates explain they just couldn't find anything else to put in it. The building was chosen simply because it helps them blend into the scenery; to those on the outside, this looks like a regular office building. Roxas finds the most striking area is the floor where the library resides. It's the size of three whole floors surrounding a great atrium with a lounge at the bottom, and all the levels are linked by staircases. At the top of it all is Number I's office; the elevator leads directly there, but his roommates skip showing it to him.
            Finally, they reach the top level: the initiation floor. When the elevator doors open, Roxas is suddenly met with a blast of confetti to the face and cheering. When he manages to clear the offending stuff away from his vision, he sees it's Marluxia and Zexion holding confetti guns, but only Marluxia is actually cheering.
            “Woo hoo!” Marluxia continues to exclaim. “Yay, Roxas! Welcome to the Organization!”
            “Sorry about the confetti,” Zexion says as Marluxia sweeps the blond into a squeezing hug. “Marlu insisted and quite frankly I wasn't in the mood to argue.”
            Roxas squeaks out through the crushing embrace, “No worries!” He's honestly elated to have such a warm welcome, as it eases his nervousness just a little.
            Marluxia releases him, and the four of them lead him to his fellow Organization members waiting in the distance. When they reach them, everyone exchanges greetings, but Naminé is still nowhere in sight. In fact, neither are Xigbar and Saïx.
            Larxene, who Roxas hasn't seen in many months, lets her signature snark show with her icy words. “Took you long enough. Seriously, I didn't realize getting a new member means having to wait around for so long before they get dunked.”
            Roxas raises an eyebrow. Dunked?
            Vexen, who is standing near her, scoffs. “It's always been easier to round us up before bringing the recruit rather than after, but I still have important work to do and there’s really no time to dawdle.”
            “Come now, lovelies,” Luxord interjects, and Roxas is happy to see another friendly face willing to cut the tension, “This is a momentous occasion! Roxas is officially the youngest member to be inducted, after all!”
            Marluxia claps a hand on Roxas shoulder. “You're stealing the title from none other than Zexion!”
            Roxas turns a bewildered gaze to said member, “Is that true?”
            Zexion shrugs, obviously indifferent to the fact. “I suppose it is. Time really flies.”
            Luxord snaps a finger and points at Zexion, “That it does, my friend!”
            Zexion glowers at Luxord in a way that Roxas isn't quite keen to yet, but he can't help but smile at the silly interaction anyway.
            The massive door behind all of them creaks open, and Roxas can see Saïx poking his head out.
            He speaks in his usual dull tone, “I see Roxas is here. Are you all ready?” and most of the Organization answer in exasperation. He pushes the door fully open and everyone moves toward it without hesitation. Roxas follows the crowd reluctantly, unable to swallow down the tightness in his throat or the tension in his chest. A hand ruffles his hair, and he looks up to see Axel is still standing by his side.
            “I can't believe we've made it all this way. If we took one wrong step a couple years ago, you never would have ended up here.”
            Roxas chuckles nervously, “I honestly don't want to imagine the possibility.”
            Before he knows it, the crowd is parting and suddenly he's standing before a man with copper skin, golden eyes, and silver hair. Axel gives the blond a thumbs up, whispering “Be professional. Got it memorized?”, before moving away to join Demyx wherever he went off to. Roxas gazes up at the looming man, noticing that he's standing before a shallow pool in the floor, and takes a deep breath.
            “I take it you’re Number I?”
            The man cracks a smile, “That I am. My name is Xemnas, and I am the Organization’s leader, known as the Superior. I will ask you kindly to refer to me as such from here on.”
            Roxas bows slightly. “It's a pleasure to be of service, Superior.”
            “Excellent. It's good to finally meet you, Roxas. I'm certain you have many questions about who we are and what we do.” Roxas simply nods respectfully, so Xemnas continues. “The Organization is a league of spellcasters that protect the balance between all beings the great Goddess has created. We, and the other branches of our league, exist to keep the peace amongst nightwalkers as a vigilante force of justice, protecting the weak and innocent across the globe. It was only recently that our particular chapter was welcomed as an official police force in this city, which has been a fantastic development for our worldwide efforts. Our Organization has existed for many centuries, and though we've had many names, we've always been known as ‘The Nobodies’. Our founders are Ansem the Wise and the White Witch…” He eyes drift upward and he smiles. “Well, how about you officially introduce yourself?”
            Xemnas motions for Roxas to turn around, and when he does, he sees Naminé standing behind him wearing a pristine white version of the Organization's signature cloak; practically blending into the room around them. She comes up to him and pulls him into a hug, and despite his shock he hugs her back.
            “Naminé?” He can't believe it, “There's no way.”
            She steps back and a gives a humble curtsey. “Sorry if this is a bit of a shock.”
            “You founded the Organization?”
            She nods solemnly, “Once the Witch War was over, Ansem the Wise and I both realized humans and nightwalkers needed someone to protect them from one another. So we started to create branches of gifted spellcasters to uphold the Trinity Alliance.” She explains the Trinity Alliance and the Witch Wars, both things Roxas has prior knowledge of thanks to Sora. “When this city was created as a haven for nightwalkers, I knew we would be needed. So I found a suitable leader, Xemnas, and we created a chapter here specifically to look over this part of the continent.”
            “That's great and all, but I'm mostly confused about you. If you're an almighty witch, why live with Axel and Demyx?”
            “You can actually thank Axel for that. It was his idea that I come live with him and Demyx to live a normal life. You see, my powers have been fading, and maintaining my immortality uses up most of the magick I have. By giving the reins to Xemnas and living with you three, I can save my strength to make sure I'll be around for many more decades to come.” She giggles, “I didn't have to take Axel under my wing when he joined, we were already seven strong then... but something drew me to him. And here I am now.”
            “Wow. This is… a lot to take in.”
            Naminé walks forward and takes Roxas by the hand, leading him stand next to Number I at the pool. “Don't worry about any of that right now, we can discuss more later. Let's get started.”
            Seemingly from nowhere, Xemnas brandishes a clipboard and pen and hands them to Roxas. “This is your official contract and nondisclosure agreement. Sorry if it seems rather bureaucratic, but even we have red tape we must abide by.”
            “I understand.”
            Xemnas spends the next few minutes helping him find the places to sign, and when they're finished, Naminé takes the clipboard from them. Xemnas instructs Roxas to turn to and face the pool, and when he does, Roxas looks deep into the clear water before them. In it, he can see the rest of the Organization standing in a circle around the perimeter of the pool, staring at him. He notices just then that Larxene is now a little more than arms length from him, and Marluxia the same distance from her. Next to Xemnas is Xigbar, who's standing next to Xaldin, an so on in even spacing around the pool. It's eerily quiet as they all wait for the Superior's words, and Roxas almost feels like he's standing at a grave.
            Number I lays a hand on Roxas' shoulder as he speaks, “By swearing into us, you become part of a spellcaster bloodline that has been in existence for many a millennia. You become a link in a chain that helps bind the universe, that conducts the energy of the lifestream that flows within us—that will create a spark inside of you. When this spark has burned into a raging flame, you will become a Nobody.” Xemnas looks him in the eye using the water's reflection. “Roxas, will you shed your given name, accept the Goddess' great gift, and become one of us?”
            “Yes,” Roxas dutifully replies.
            “Will you harness the gift given to you as a force of righteous fury, but also extraordinary kindness?”
            “Yes.”
            “Will you stand with your brothers and sisters in unity on this day and all others?”
            “Yes.”
            “Then, it is time for you to see.”
            Xemnas holds out his other hand, and like clockwork, all the other members follow suit. Roxas scans each of them carefully, waiting in desperate anxiety for what might be next. Most of the members are smiling in anticipation, watching him very carefully for his reaction.
            Then, he hears it.
            He turns his head to see a ball of red light floating above Xemnas' hand, crackling with some kind of unknown electrical current. A few tendrils of the static zip up his wrist, and Roxas has to will himself not to flinch away.
            “Number I.” Xemnas says, “The Superior of the In-Between.”
            “Number II.” He hears Xigbar say, and watches as a ball of blackness materializes above his hand. “The Freeshooter.”
            They continue through the circle to Xaldin, The Whirlwind Lancer, and his cloak begins to rustle as if a violent breeze is shaking his body. Soon, everyone is holding some kind of element as they sound off their number and titles—all except for Zexion, who floats in place, and Luxord, who is holding a stack of cards. Axel and Demyx are grinning happily at him from across the pool, holding a flame and ball of water respectively. Roxas can't help but smile back at Axel especially, the two of them knowing full well Roxas was always conscious of the redhead's element. As he looks at each person, their element seems to reflect them perfectly, and it makes him even more eager to find out what's in store for him.
            Suddenly, all the magic in the air vanishes in an instant. Everyone lowers their hands as Xemnas speaks again. “Roxas, step into the pool.” Confused, Roxas looks up at the Superior, but sees reassurance in the older man's gaze. Slowly, he lowers his foot into the chilly water, and he finds a step about as deep as his ankle. He takes another step forward, Xemnas following his pace and holding him steady, as his other foot submerges up to his calf. One last step, and he's halfway up to his thighs in cold water, his body shivering slightly.
            Xemnas says, “Hundreds of years ago, our spellcaster siblings of days long passed were given their greatest power when they were brought to the brink of death. Often, this very unfortunately happened at the stake… but we have perfected the process through a baptism of sorts.” Gently, he turns Roxas in the pool to face him. “We allowed you to be part of the Organization because we sensed immense power in you. It will be painful, perhaps even excruciatingly so… but you will be imbued with the Goddess' glorious gift for it. It is but a small sacrifice for the amazing gains you will receive. Are you ready, Roxas?”
            Feeling the chill amplifying his nervousness, Roxas allows himself one last glance around the white room; taking in his final moments as a normal person. He will no longer be shackled by his weaknesses, no longer held back by the simplicity of the world he once knew. He locks eyes with Axel, and when he sees the determination in his friends' gaze, he finally feels brave enough to turn back to Xemnas.
            “I'm ready.”
            Xemnas instructs him, “Lay on your back.”
            Roxas complies, moving a little awkwardly as Xemnas assists so he's floating on his back in the water. He stares up at the ceiling, noticing it's emblazoned with the same heart emblem as before. He tries to ignore the cold of the water as he waits nervously for the next step; doing his best to reassure himself. He waits for Xemnas to say another long-winded thing, but the man just places a tender hand on his head and pushes him gently underneath the water, saying “Goddess be with you.”
            The cold rushes quickly over Roxas' face, and he shuts his eyes tight against it. Of course, he holds his breath, and he can't help but ponder if he's better off just attempting to breathe the water in to hurry the process. When he goes to try, his lungs (and likely also his unconscious mind) refuse to let him take in any water, so he allows himself to wait. He's just about to wonder what to think of to pass them time when a looming sense of panic very slowly begins to creep into him, like warm venom filling his veins. He figures this is his instinctual brain noticing the deprivation of oxygen, and soon he'll be sucking in water whether he wants to or not.
            He can hear his own heartbeat start to thump erratically in his ears. There's a sort of tranquility in this place, dancing between the line of rebirth and normalcy; where he'll emerge, reborn, from this achingly chilled womb. Soon, it's becoming harder and harder to focus on the many spiritual interpretations of this moment as he can sense his body is starving for oxygen. Without warning, his mouth tries to gather an involuntary gasp of air, and he immediately gags on water. His lungs, frantic for air, take it in desperately and his windpipe fills quickly with fluid. Even though he knows he must suffer like this, he still begins to thrash for survival... but Xemnas holds him down with relative ease. The water burns in Roxas' nose, throat and chest, an unimaginable agony wracking his body. He opens his eyes to see the figures of the Organization standing around him on the perimeter of the pool, Xemnas situated over him; looking for comfort in all the somber faces of everyone as they gawk at his flailing form. The water obscures his vision, the figures of his peers becoming a messy blur the further down his consciousness slips. Thoughts are turbulent in his skull, but he finally settles on something tangible.
           Accept it.
            He forces himself to let up on his thrashing, even a little bit, as the panic is making the process that much more painful. He watches the ceiling as a cloud of blackness creeps over him, wondering if it will rain, and if the rain will be warm. He drifts, suspended in air—
                        drifts—
                                    drift—
            His head splits in two.
            The smiling face of a woman—
            His own face.
            The edge of everything.
            Black.
            A scream, eternal, echoing across every cell in his body.
            A never ending spiral.
            He is everything.
            He is nothing.
            Horrifyingly simple.
            Bizarrely complex.
            T e a sw r w s al ay her , b t o ly n w yo h v th eye t se t.
            It falls away.
            A single pinprick of light.
            He reaches for it, but it reaches him first.
            A woman's face—
            Black.
            Air floods Roxas' lungs.
            His eyes fly open as he gasps desperately for oxygen. His vision swims as he returns from the depths of unconsciousness, searching with his eyes for something—anything—familiar, but his eyesight is foggy and unhelpful. His head is on something soft and warm, and familiar shapes loom in the haze above him.
            “Hold on, Roxas,” He hears Demyx say, “There's still some in you. This will hurt.”
            A sensation similar to feeling like he needs to vomit becomes apparent in his body, but instead, there's a sudden pain as he feels the water exiting his body; burning up through his chest and out his windpipe. The liquid comes pouring from his lips, but instead of soaking his chin, the evacuating fluid forms into balls before his very eyes, floating away to some unknown destination. He feels immensely better after this, and lets himself collapse against whoever is holding him. There are a dozen concerned voices around him and he watches in a daze as more water hovers up around him, only to bob away on an uncertain journey through the air. In no time, his clothes and the ground beneath him feel dry, and the chill that was gripping him down to his bones has dissipated. When he's finally lucid, he realizes he's laying in Axel's lap, with Demyx on one side of him and Vexen on the other, checking his vitals. He can also see Xemnas and Naminé kneeling as close as they can to him.
            When Axel notices Roxas is fully conscious, he speaks to him in a wavering voice, “Hey kiddo. Did you have a nice nap? Because you scared the ever loving shit out of us, got it memorized?”
            Roxas' throat still hurts a little too much to speak, so he responds by cocking his head a little in a questioning manner.
            Demyx chimes in, “There was a big flash of light, and suddenly we were all blown back… and you were invisible! There was just a you-shaped space in the pool! And a second later you were back, but you’d passed out...”
            Axel adds, “You should have seen Demyx. He used his power to lift you out of the pool and get the water out of your lungs as soon as you blinked back into existence.”
            Still unable to speak, Roxas tries to convey his gratitude by grabbing Demyx's hand and making a thankful face.
            “It's no problem, little dude. That's what family is for.”
            Just then, Xemnas brings himself closer to them. “Thank you both for your immediate action. Roxas, my sincerest apologies. We've never had such an extreme reaction to the imbuement process before. The powers that have been awakened in you… we know not the gifts you were given just yet.”
            Roxas nods in understanding, and Vexen says, “He seems stable enough, but I'd like to make sure his brain hasn't received any damage from the prolonged oxygen deprivation.”
            Zexion chimes in from somewhere, “I'll levitate him to the infirmary. Someone open a portal so we don't have to bother with the elevator.”
            Coughing a little, Roxas finally finds his voice again, “You don't have to… I think I can walk.” In just a few more seconds, he feels completely normal. He goes to stand up, and does it just fine despite the concern of the people around him.
            “Superior,” Comes Naminé's gentle voice, “Before he goes, why don't you give him his number and new name?”
            Xemnas nods wholesomely. “Yes, I believe that's the least I can do for our newest spark.”
            “Everyone!” Naminé shouts, and her kind voice is somehow enough to silence the chatter filling the room. “Your attention please!” She gives a knowing look to Xemnas, who beckons Roxas to him. Roxas comes to stand in front of the tall man, and he gently turns him to face his colleagues.
            “It is upon my honor, under the Goddess' guiding light and comforting darkness, to introduce you to the newest member of our Organization: Number XIII, The Key of Destiny.”
            The other members applaud him, and their expressions are a decent smattering of impressed. Marluxia, Demyx, and Axel, of course, start whooping in delight. Sheepish from the attention, Roxas smiles crookedly and gives them all a little beauty queen wave.
           What does “Key of Destiny” even mean, anyway?
            Vexen breaks the fold by coming up to Roxas and quickly opening a portal behind him. “Well then, XIII. Let us get you examined.”
            Although Roxas is thrilled to officially be called “XIII” by a peer, he can't help but feel annoyed it had to be Vexen who said it first. Instinctively, he turns to look at Axel and Demyx who seem to be on their way to join them.
            “Wait, VIII and IX.” The Superior stops them, “My apologies, but I must request that you both help us clean the initiation room, as you will both be most effective for the job.”
            “Sorry, Rox.” Axel sighs, “Duty calls.”
            Unable to stifle his disappointment, Roxas frowns. He's about to step into the portal with Vexen when suddenly, Zexion and Marluxia appear on either side of him.
            “We'll go with you.” XI says, smiling, and Roxas immediately feels relieved. He mutters a thank you, and they walk through the brief blackness until they reach the infirmary.
            IV leads him to one of the beds and begins retrieving equipment from various hiding places while Marluxia and Zexion pull up chairs beside him.
            “So,” Roxas says as he turns to look at his colleagues, trying to act as genuinely intrigued as possible, “Plants? And floating?”
            They both smile knowingly at him.
            Marluxia says, “VI will send a book flying straight at your head if you're not careful,” and Roxas has to bite his lip to stifle a laugh while Zexion elbows the taller man playfully.
            “Levitation comes naturally, but lifting certain objects at a distance takes a Voice. Meaning, I have to cast spells for it. My true specialty, however, is illusion.”
            Vexen returns to check Roxas' blood pressure in silence, so Roxas asks, “What does that have to do with your title?”
            Zexion sighs, “The Superior isn't amazing at coming up with the names on occasion.”
          XI adds, “Yeah, he named you the 'Cloaked Schemer'... but I mean, we all wear cloaks!”
            “See, that's exactly what I thought about it!”
            Quietly, Vexen mutters, “I think my name is perfect.”
            Ignoring him, Marluxia says, “I suppose the names only really feel like they fit later in your career. After all, I ended up being the Organization's top-ranking assassin before Larxene showed up.”
            Unintentionally, Roxas balks at this. That's right, Marluxia is the 'Graceful Assassin'.
            Though he was ready to hear about such a thing from his coworkers — this is brutal work after all — he still wasn't expecting XI of all people to be a master assassin. Although, he can absolutely picture Larxene stealing the title away without a moment's hesitation.
            Tapping his chin, VI thinks aloud, “I suppose I'm exceptional when it comes to my work in the field as well, setting traps or gaining insight.”
            “Don't sell yourself short, Zexion!” Marluxia demands, gripping the smaller man by the metal tassels of his cloak, “You've single-handedly taken down several crime syndicates with what you do! And you helped propel the work we did with the necromancer problem! Not to mention how much knowledge of magick and spellcasting you've found for us.”
            Swatting Marluxia's hands away, Zexion responds, “I feel as though you're more proud of my achievements than I am. It's just my job.”
            They start to bicker as Vexen comes to examine Roxas’ skull with a strange-looking device, and as he follows IV's instructions, he begins to feel increasingly more sleepy. He figures it's the day's stress and residual hangover wearing him down, so he tries to keep himself awake by speculating what powers he has, and what purposes are behind The Organization's titles and numbers.
            Roxas wonders aloud, “'The Key of Destiny', huh? I wonder how he came up with that.” He turns to Vexen, “Do you have any idea how the Superior decides our titles?”
            Without skipping a beat, IV responds rather bluntly, “Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you.”
            Roxas rolls his eyes, Well that's real fucking helpful.
            Marluxia suddenly cuts in, “They say the Superior has the power to see the future , and the ability to spy on us from wherever he wants…” He wiggles his fingers in the air to amplify the mysticism, “That's supposedly how he comes up with our names.”
            “Please,” Zexion scoffs, “All he would really need is a scrying glass, but nobody's seen one since the Witch Wars. Either way, only Naminé would know… and even if we found out, she'd fix that straight away.”
            “I hope it wouldn't have to come to that.” Comes a voice from around the corner, “The Superior has his methods, I can assure you.”
            “Miss Naminé,” Vexen greets the white figure with a friendly tone, though he does not smile. “What perfect timing you have. I was just about to give Roxas a clean bill of health.”
            She strides over to the bed, coming to stand next to Vexen. “What excellent news! We were all so worried, Roxas. Like Axel said, you really scared us back there.”
            “Yeah,” Roxas responds, “I wish I could tell you what happened…”
            “Don't worry about it for now, we'll find out what your power is soon enough.” She reaches forward to grab his hand comfortingly, “How are you feeling? You were up and walking pretty fast after all that.”
            “Honestly, I feel completely fine. Just really tired, I guess.”
            “Let me take you to your room, then.” Roxas nods in response, so Naminé helps him out of bed as she regards her other colleagues. “Thank you all for the help!”
            Roxas adds, “Y-yeah! Thank you guys.”
            Vexen scoffs, “Like those two helped at all.”
            VI and XI both make a face at Vexen, Marluxia going as far to stick his tongue out.
            Naminé says, “Everyone is free to go today if they'd like. The Superior and I decided we'll have our first official meeting as thirteen members once Roxas has had a chance to rest, so please expect to be back by tomorrow at the earliest.” They all make little noises of understanding as Roxas and Naminé turn to leave, and Roxas can hear the portals opening behind them. “We'll take the scenic route so we can talk a little more.” She leads him out of the infirmary, “Sorry if it's been an overwhelming day, Roxas.”
            Roxas gives a little shrug, “Hey, it's no big deal. It's what I signed up for, I wasn't expecting anything less. Well, then again… I definitely wasn't expecting you to be the immortal founder of this whole business.”
            “About that, Roxas…” She presses the button to call the elevator, “If it really is too much for your comfort… well, I suppose I should tell you what my greatest power is.” She pauses, visibly nervous as he takes a small gulp, “I can manipulate memories. I can look at them, change them, rewrite them, or completely destroy them. If I really wanted to, I could strip someone's mind down to absolutely nothing, leaving them a shell of what they once were.” This unsettles Roxas deeply, and perhaps even more so when Naminé turns to him with a weary smile, “They call me the White Witch because I simply choose not to.”
            They stand in silence for a few seconds, but it's broken by the little ding of the elevator's arrival. They enter it, standing side-by-side, and Naminé presses one of the buttons on the panel.
            She continues, “I guess what I'm saying is, if who I really am is too frightening for you, I can make you forget all about it. In fact, if you'd like me to, I could take away any memory you don't want if it causes you any pain.”
            A strange sentiment encloses XIII’s mind as he considers this. Everything from Twilight Town… it could all be gone in an instant if he asked. Nothing would hold him back any longer, and he could truly become a brand-new person. But Roxas realizes it's exactly the events of Twilight Town that made him want to move forward. All the good and the bad, it all contributed to the person he would one day become. It was the very foundation of his motivation, and taking it away could destroy who he is as a person. It would leave him empty .
            Even in the stillness, he can tell Naminé is terribly worried. She's stiff as a board, unable to face him, waiting for an answer that might break her heart.
            “Naminé, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't accept you fully for who you are?” She relaxes considerably at this, “It'll take some getting used to, but there's no way I'd ever ask you to make me forget about something like that.”
            She sighs in relief as the elevator stops and the doors open, “Good. I'm glad.”
            They start to walk through the grey halls of the Organization's temporary lodging, “As for my other memories, I'd prefer keeping them. They kind of make me who I am, you know?”
            “I think that's the best way to look at them.”
            They turn and reach another hallway with a line of doors on the right side, and a single set of gigantic french doors on the left. Roxas wonders how powerful Naminé's ability is; although it's not a physically strong power, it's incredibly terrifying in it's own unique way. However, he imagines all the people she could help with it… and has an idea.
            “Weird question, Naminé… say someone lost their memories somehow. Could you get them back?”
            “It's a little complicated, Roxas… but depending on the person, I might be able to. People with amnesia, absolutely. People with degenerative brain disorders… not so much, unfortunately. I can also give back any memory I've taken, as well. Only the person who stole or destroyed a memory can really give it back, though. So, unless I personally took them, I wouldn't be able to.”
            Still, this makes Roxas feel a little better. Maybe he can help find Sora's brother this way, while they attempt to locate Cloud. It might take a little convincing on his part, but it'd be worth asking Naminé to help. It's also interesting, Roxas finds, how many odd coincidences are lining up between him and Sora.
            They make it to the very last door in the hallway, and Naminé opens it. Inside is a simple bedroom and, since it's the corner room, there are two massive glass windows overlooking the city.
            Naminé grins, “Best room on the floor. And don't worry about being exposed, no one will see you.”
            XIII is amazed, “Really? Does this building have a magick shroud, or an invisibility enchantment, or something?”
            “Nope. Just two-way glass. Let this be your first lesson, Roxas: not all problems need to be solved by magick!”
            He laughs, and notices the room is pretty barren.
            “Since we aren't quite sure what your power is yet, we need to monitor you closely for the next few weeks while you start training as a spark. Axel is going to bring your stuff tomorrow morning, so focus on getting some rest for now. The bathroom and shower are in the center of this floor, where the big french doors are.”
            He nods in response and Naminé gives him a final hug and wave before leaving. Just then, the exhaustion completely washes over him. He'd been fatigued earlier, but now he's ready to absolutely crash despite the day not even being over. Using what little energy he has left, Roxas strips himself down to his boxers and crawls into the bed. It's definitely not as comfortable as his own, but it's not awful… and he passes out.
            He's having a dream about floating through space, touching little beams of starlight. They blink, and he blinks back as he glides passed them. He holds his breath as if he's underwater, and begins swimming languidly through the universe. Somehow, he can see the Milky Way, and he grows thirsty. He swims toward it, wanting to drink the light from it, as a woman's face peers at him from the back of his skull—
            Roxas feels himself being gently shaken awake, and he cracks his eyes open to see Axel standing over him.
            “Hey, Roxas. How are you feeling?”
            As Roxas stretches a bit, he wipes the sleep away from his eyes. “I feel better now that I've slept.” Then, he bolts upright in bed, gasping, “What time is it?!”
            Startled, Axel jumps back slightly. “Uh—it's like, 8am. Why?”
            He's slept for over 19 hours. “Did you bring my phone?” Nodding, Axel gingerly hands him the device, which Roxas snatches and immediately checks for missed messages from Sora. There's only one, and it's from last night.
           [There's a key waiting for you at the front desk if you can make it.]
            He texts back: [Just woke up, heading over there as soon as I can.]
            “Clothes?” He asks, so Axel dutifully hands him clothes, and he starts scrambling to put them on.
            “Where do you think you're going?”
            “I'm going to see Sora.”
            “Roxas, you realize you're not allowed to leave, right? We're supposed to be monitoring you here.”
            All of Roxas' movement comes to an immediate halt. Turning to Axel, he asks with pleading eyes, “Please, please tell them I'll be back by noon at the very, very latest.”
            “How do you think you'll get out of here then? We're all under strict orders to keep you on premises while your powers stabilize.”
            “What's there to stabilize? I feel fine.”
            “Do you remember floating out of bed last night?”
            XIII's confused silence is enough of an answer for him.
            “Axel, please… this might be the last chance I have to see him in a very long time.”
            With resolute intensity, Axel stares down at him, completely unwilling to budge. But then... he completely relaxes, groaning, “Where's the hotel?” Roxas looks it up on his phone and shows it to him. “What a coincidence!” The redhead says in a voice laced with fake surprise, “Xigbar has a Graviga ward nearby. It would be quite the conundrum if I were to open a portal and…” He pokes a finger at his lower lip as he summons some twisting blackness from the ether, “Whoops! I forgot something! Better turn my back on this nice portal here. I hope nobody goes through it, and if they do I hope they text me when they're finished so I can bring them back.” He turns away from the portal, whistling a tune.
            “Thanks Axel,” Roxas mutters, stepping through the dark doorway without a second thought. In only a few steps, he's in an empty, dead-end alleyway. He checks his phone for directions and finds he's a ten-minute walk from the hotel.
            In the elevator, he taps the keycard and goes to press the button for the corresponding floor, only to find it's already lit. Though this seems a little odd, he disregards it. It's not long before the elevator has reached Sora's floor, and he's standing before the same door as Friday. He doesn't waste time knocking, he only taps his card and hurries in.
            Inside, Sora is on the opposite side of the room lounging in one of the armchairs. He starts in his seat, getting up to stand quickly.
            “Roxas! You scared the shit out of me—”
            But he stops when he looks into the blond's eyes, noticing a wild look in them.
            Without considering what he's doing, Roxas lifts his hand.
           Come to me. He thinks, and suddenly Sora is quickly gliding towards him along the floor as if it were slick ice. Before either of them can register it, Roxas is gripping the front of Sora's shirt.
            “How did you—”
            Pulling the vampire forward, Roxas kisses him forcefully.
            Roxas imagines Sora shirt coming off, and just like that it's being pulled up without him needing to move a finger.
            Sora is about to halt the other man in search of answers, but their tongues collide, Roxas touching Sora over his pants, and common sense goes flying out of his skull like a roman candle in the summer sky. Something about being with Roxas tends to strangle the life out of any logic still breathing in his head.
            Sora grips the hem of Roxas' shirt, stripping it off in a fluid motion before sliding his hands up the pale arch of the blond's back. Unbuttoning and unzipping Sora's pants, Roxas reaches inside to tease the vampire's hardening member over his boxers. They break away for little more than a second to tear off their pants and underwear, before coming back together again.
            Between kisses, Roxas whispers, “Bed.”
            In a whisk of air, Sora is laying back on the bed with Roxas straddling him. XIII’s gaze finds the lube on the table, and he reaches a hand out to it. The bottle sails through the air and into his grasp. There’s really no time for adequate foreplay, so he hastily slicks Sora's erect member up and positions himself over it, ready to take it in bare. Sora is about to protest, but Roxas starts sliding his cock inside—the tight, raw warmth drags any words straight back down the vampire's throat. Closely watching the man below him, Roxas continues to slowly lower his hips… before stopping halfways.
            In a sultry tone, XIII says, “Beg me for it.”
            In the morning light, Roxas's eyes glint with an unknown mischief—a sense of newfound confidence—that sends heat pooling into Sora's groin, straight into his twitching dick.
            The vampire responds, groaning, “Please…” Roxas tilts his head silently, raising an eyebrow. Sora continues, “Please, please, please let me fuck you.”
            That's enough for Roxas, and with one heavy motion, he drops his hips the rest of the way; slipping the rest of Sora's member inside of him in one go. There's a quick shock of pain that tingles up his spine and grips his throat, but it doesn't linger long. A happy gasp escapes Sora and he grips onto the blond's thighs, as if holding on for dear life. Then, Roxas lifts his hips, Sora's dick gliding out, before settling himself back down again. Since this is brand new territory for him, he experiments a little with the position; arching himself to find new and exquisite ways to stir all the special places inside. Sora's hands slip up Roxas' thighs, onto his pale stomach; the vampire's eyes watching in amazement as the muscles flex with each movement. One hand trails up across his ribs, a thumb sliding over his nipple. Eventually, Sora starts to carefully thrust himself up in rhythm with the blond's movements, and this amplifies the pleasure for both of them. They eventually manage to reach a pitch where they come together perfectly every single time, the contact creating a variety of lewd noises from either man. Roxas takes the opportunity to look down at the vampire, breathing hard and loving the plastered look on Sora's face. The vampire is biting his lip, one of his fangs leaving a little cut where it's pinching the skin, and his eyes roll back a little more every time Roxas comes back down on his cock. Roxas lets his own eyes drift closed, tosses his head back, and revels the pleasure building up inside of him. It feels like he's drifting, far way, up into the air, flying away…
            Sora suddenly stops thrusting, “Uh, Roxas…”
            The blond's eyes blink back open to look down at Sora and see what the problem is—when he realizes they're up in the air, as if gravity has momentarily given up on them. He gasps, and they collapse back onto the bed, Roxas managing to fortunately slip off of Sora's member before sustaining any possible damage. Roxas is lying on Sora's chest, breathing heavily, not quite sure what just happened but conflicted by still being on his way to release.
            “We should probably talk about this.” The vampire says through his own panting.
            “Yeah, but first, can we, uh—”
            “Yes, absolutely.”
            Sora flips them over, sliding back into Roxas with one easy push. He begins pumping fast and hard, Roxas gripping his own cock and trying to match the pace. Sora leans down, their lips locking in a wet kiss. Roxas flicks his tongue over the small puncture under Sora’s lip; Sora notices the tang and is reminded of the sweetness in Roxas’ veins. His head creeps back down to yesterday’s marks, which are healed, and scrapes his teeth across them. He takes Roxas’ eager moaning as consent, his teeth stabbing back into the flesh like they belong there.
            Sora doesn’t expect the flavor to be different… but it is. It’s tart and sugary like the paopu fruit of his native island, yet acidic and bitter like MDMA on the tongue. It tastes like carbon, and caramel, and brackish water, and sunshine. It’s the flavor of sex and pain, of dirt and nectar. He didn’t think it could get any better, but the way it tastes is better than any drug could ever possibly feel. Motherfucking ambrosia . He’s worried he may not ever be able to stop, the mix of savory and saccharine blocking out all sanity in his brain—
            “I'm close…!” Roxas gasps, just barely snapping the vampire out of his daze. XIII is trying to focus on the pricking feeling of orgasm and not the floating sensation still lingering. Sora rips himself from the mortal’s neck, surprised he managed to keep thrusting all that time, and props himself up to look into Roxas’ eyes. He’s at his own limit when Roxas says, “Come inside me.”
            The taste of infinite pleasure on his tongue, Roxas’ face, and hearing those words sends Sora flying off the edge. The orgasm comes plowing through him, and he fills the blond up with his pulsating cock—but he keeps thrusting past his limit to make sure Roxas can come too. When the blond does, he howls in delight as his face makes that insatiably lewd expression from Friday, his cum once again gushing out onto his torso.
            The man goes limp underneath Sora, eyes misty and chest heaving. Sora stays inside for a couple seconds, enjoying the wet warmth around his now-sensitive member, before pulling out. He collapses next to Roxas, also trying to catch his breath.
            “If you get any sexier, that will be the end of me.” The vampire says, “Can we talk about what happened, now?”
            Although Roxas didn’t have many definite answers for Sora, he did his best to explain what happened at the headquarters and what he did know as they got cleaned up. Sora theorized Roxas was imbued with some kind of telekinetic powers, since he’s able to lift objects with his mind, but it was only a possible third of an explanation for Roxas’ new gifts.
            Sora is getting his things packed as Roxas sits in the room’s armchair; considering telling the vampire about Twilight Town again. Now that he's reached this point, he feels as though part of him is finally free. He now has the capacity to confront what he was, even though he still isn't quite sure what that capacity is. It wouldn't feel right to go on without Sora knowing.
           Fuck it, He decides, Worrying about it is a waste of my time. “Sora, there's something I have to tell you. About me... about my past.”
            The brunet stops what he’s doing, looking at XIII quizzically, before coming to sit on the ottoman in front of the armchair. “Roxas, please don't feel like you have to tell me anything you're not comfortable with.”
            But that's not it: he wants to say it. It's been almost a year, and he's more ready to move on now than ever before since that he's no longer Roxas Highwind. Enmagicked and reborn, he is now Number XIII, the Key of Destiny. He's decided this will be his final sacrifice so he may carry the Organization's title with pride.
            Roxas takes a deep breath… and tells Sora what really happened in Twilight Town. About his original plan to move to Dusk City to make enough money to go to his dream college; about Hayner, Pence, and Olette; about his longtime crush on Seifer; about his fleeting romance with Hayner and Pence; and about how Seifer blackmailed him.
            “And I didn't know what he possibly had to gain from doing all this to me…” Roxas continues, “but it was because he wanted me . He wanted me to keep living my life as if nothing happened, and then… then fuck me whenever he wanted to. He—” The words catch in his throat, and tears well up in his eyes, “He… fucking raped me , Sora.” The horrified look on Sora's face is enough to push him over the edge. Sobs start to rattle in his chest, and his head drops into his hands. Even though it was horrendously painful to talk about, he somehow felt so much lighter now. He hadn't talked about it out loud since Axel picked him up nearly year ago. It was pure catharsis.
            Sora pulls Roxas into an embrace, and lets him cry until his eyes are sore and his throat hurts. When his sobs have died down to soft, shuddering breaths, Sora whispers, “Thank you for being brave enough to tell me all of that.” Then, he says something that lights an elated fire in Roxas' heart: “You're not alone anymore.”
            He lets Roxas cry into him some more, feeling like he himself is holding a piece back from his new lover. The blond’s bravery inspires him, so he decides it’d be best to tell Roxas the truth as well. He waits for his companion to compose himself, and swallows his own nervousness.
            “I hope this isn't poor timing on my part but… maybe I should let you know that part of my story is missing too.”
            Roxas nods, “I'm listening,”
            So then, it's Sora turn. He explains what happened at Destiny Islands to Roxas: how Kairi inadvertently stolen his and Riku's heart; how she almost died; how he felt like a terrible Sire to her after turning her; and how the pain followed him all the way to Dusk City. For him, there are no tears, just a solemn sense of acceptance.
            For once, Roxas is put in the position of comforting and he doesn't really know what to do or say. He runs his fingers though the vampire’s hair, “Thanks for being honest with me. How about we both bury all of that shit together?”
            “Hell yes. Let’s move the fuck on. It’s a new day!”
            They move to go lay in one another's arms on the bed, enjoying the comforting sense of release hanging in the air above them. Sora gently rubs little circles into Roxas' back, as Roxas trails his fingertips along Sora's shoulder and arm. They kiss, gently and tenderly, letting themselves get lost in the moment… hoping the time will be gracious enough to pass a little slower for today.
            After checking out of the hotel early, Sora walks Roxas back to the alley from whence he came. Pulling out his phone, Roxas calls Axel; within a moment of the man answering, a big black oval of darkness appears on the wall before them. Sora is amazed by the sight as Roxas nonchalantly hangs up.
            “I guess I'll see you around.” XIII murmurs.
            But before he can step into the blackness, the vampire grabs him, and their lips meet in one last, long kiss. Sora pulls away, smiling sadly. “Good luck, Roxas.”
            Roxas mirrors the expression, “You too, Sora.”
            The vampire watches him vanish through the mysterious portal, almost wishing he himself could conjure up such an escape if he needed it, and it vanishes. He starts walking back out the alley, and part of him wants to enjoy what's left of this bizarre chase he's created for himself. Maybe there’s a bar he'll visit, or a place he'd like to see before night falls. If he meets Riku, he might even feign letting himself get caught so the lycanthrope can have a little pride left at the end of the day.
            He turns out the alley, feeling the morning sun in his back, warm and comforting…
           Wait.
            He braces himself for the itching pain of the sunlight to leech into his skin… but it doesn't. He holds his arms out completely to the rays, watching closely to see if his skin will split and peel… but it doesn't.
           What the fuck ?
            While Sora isn't a miracle-believer himself, he isn't quite sure there's a better word for what he's experiencing right now. Of course, just in time for him to return to the Covenant, his body decides to let him live with the sun again. He throws his head back and laughs. He laughs and laughs, and wonders happily what will come next. With a newfound pep in his step, Sora strides off for the day's next task: coming up with a way to break into his home.
            The Covenant's security has been the same for years. Though the vampires rarely found themselves in need of it, it was still incredibly efficient and practically impenetrable for anything or anyone. However, Sora wasn't just anyone… he'd snuck out of this fortress, and he could very easily sneak back in if he wanted to. However, sneaking is likely exactly what the security forces would expect of anyone trying to break in. Not to mention the staff had grown pretty complacent in the last few years, and their wits are not nearly as sharp as they once were.
            The Covenant is surrounded by a massive, but beautifully ornate, iron gate. On each of the four corners is a skinny stone watchtower with one rifleman and two small spotlights. The inside has three massive spotlights, which sweep across the courtyard in a set path, and the courtyard is full of motion sensors dotting the lawn. At the front is the main entrance that can only be opened by the person in the security guard office, which is attached to the gate by it's own special doorway.
            Sora sits in the bushes and studies tonight's staff, whose roster has remained unchanged since he left. They've gotten sloppy: two different guards have sat down and are dozing off, another is on his phone, and Kev, the booth operator, has guzzled so many energy drinks that he's frequently stepping out of the booth to take a piss. The guards all jump a little bit every time he announces he's leaving the booth, before going straight back to what they were doing. Unfortunately for Kev, he also leaves the booth open and the walkie-talkie inside every single time he steps out.
            Sora waits patiently until Kev takes yet another pee break, watching until both front guards have looked away from the booth. He slithers up to it before slipping inside the open exterior door. In one fluid motion, he snags the walkie talkie while sliding his entire body under the desk—a perfect blind spot from the front watchtowers.
            Sora puts on his best Kev impression, muffling his voice to distort the sound of it.
            “I'm in pursuit of a suspect! Target traveling west to north… around the building!”
            The talkie crackles, “Copy. Watchtower Charlie and Delta, eyes north! Watchtower Bravo, eyes east!”
            Sora can hear the men fighting the sleep from their bodies as they each respond, “Copy, Alpha!”
            Sora peeks from under the table to see the towers visible from his position are swiveling their spotlights away from the center of courtyard. He peeks up to the control panel, clicking a button that unlocks the door on the wall side of the booth. The courtyard has remained unchanged: a grassy, flowering lawn surrounding a giant, quadruple-tiered fountain with a loop of road going around it. Big statues of mythical beasts dot smaller roads that fork off into various locations. Then, there's the mansion: a behemoth of a structure that looks more like a Gothic-era fortress disguised as a frumpy manor. He takes a deep breath, eyes trained on the massive front door… and sprints. His vision scans the ground, and he leaps over the first sensor. He dodges the path of an auto-spotlight, not risking a glance at the watchtowers as it might slow him down. A few seconds later, he hops over the next sensor. He's maybe 10 meters away from the door when an alarm goes off, and the dogs start barking… those are new. This alarm is not the same as the automatic sensor alarm, meaning Kev must have made it back to the booth to find the interior door open.
            “Sorry Kev,” Sora whispers, reaching out for the touchpad by the door. He slams his hand onto it: the blue screen reading his handprint in less than a second and unlocking the entrance for him. Throwing the doors open, the sound of alarms flood into the banquet room and effectively halt the mass of people going about their business inside. All eyes snap to him, and he takes a heaving breath. “I'M HOME! ”
            And they all descend upon him.
            Sora can tell he's near the King's throne room when he hears the familiar door coming unlocked: one by one, in quick succession, each special bolt flicks from it's resting place. When the cacophony of locks seizes, he's pulled forward and within a few yards forced into a kneeling position on the cold floor.
            “Your majesty,” His escorts say in unison.
            “Fellas, come on. Is that really necessary? Take the blindfold off, please. And his restraints.”
            “My liege—” one starts, but Mickey is quick to hush him.
            “I promise he won't control you. Not while I'm here, anyway.”
            The black scarf made into a makeshift blindfold comes off Sora’s eyes, and he immediately locks eyes with Mickey for the first time in nearly a year. The short man is sitting on his throne, postured thoughtfully as he gazes happily down at the Lamb of Dracul.
            “Your majesty,” He mutters, bowing his head a little bit as someone unlocks the cuffs on his wrists.
            Mickey bows back, “Sora. It's good to see you home.” He waves at the men still holding Sora's arms. “You can let him go.”
            Reluctantly, they release their grips and Sora sighs happily as he relaxes his shoulders. “Much better. Thank you.”
            “You caused quite a fuss up there trying to get back. You didn't think of calling or maybe asking nicely to come in? Vampires used to be renowned for their politeness, you know.”
            “Figured I left too quietly, so I should come back as noisily as possible.”
            Then, he could hear it: heels, clicking on the marble with a very particular gait. One he'd involuntarily memorized the many times they'd walked the halls of this endless mansion. He fixes his eyes to the floor, staring intently at the shiny black marble beneath him. The heels come to a stop right next to him, and in the peep toes he can see the toenails are painted a light pink hue.
            Her voice drifts down to him, “Hi, Sora.”
            He refuses to look up, knowing those indigo eyes are the only thing powerful enough to control him. For the first time in ages, he doesn't have the desire to drag his gaze up those long, slender legs.
            “Hi, Kairi.”
            “I’m really glad you’re home.” She says, and the honesty in her voice stings his heart, “We were all worried you wouldn’t come back. I missed you.”
            Sora sucks in a breath, doing his best to ignore Kairi’s painful last comment, “I'm ready to take on my role.”
            Mickey sagely nods at him, “Figured that’s why you’d return, but nonetheless, it’s excellent news. To prove you're willing, I would ask you to stay in Covenant a day for each day you were gone...” Sora grimaces, but he knows there's no reason to refuse at this point. “However, I’ve seen the error in my own ways, as well.” Sora raises an eyebrow at his elder, and the King continues, “I heard you were searching for some information the other day at one of our bureaus.”
            Choosing to not give any information, Sora simply responds, “I was.”
            “Well, in an attempt to bring you back, we revoked all your bureaucratic privileges. If you allow me to train you, and accept responsibility as my heir, I’ll personally return your access once I deem you a proper scholomance. By the end of that time, you'll be a Prince in name, but also in power. Sora,” He extends a hand, clad in his favorite silky-white gloves, “Will you allow me the honor and patience of being your new Sire and mentor?”
            Completely dumbfounded, Sora can only gawk at the King. The man could throw him in the Covenant’s catacombs for his defiance, and the entire vampire population would be on His Majesty’s side. Did Mickey perhaps come to realize that the pressure was too much for Sora?
            He feels Kairi nudge him with her foot, and he blinks out of his daze to return the shake. He wonders if maybe Kairi was behind this bargain of mutual respect as he responds, “I dutifully accept, Sire.”
            Mickey releases his hand, flashing him a toothy smirk, “You know, this might have all been resolved a while ago if you picked up your phone when we called.”
            Sora is actually glad he didn’t answer the calls because it means he got to meet Roxas. And now, he has a burning reason to become stronger: he has someone precious to protect.
            There's a mad barrage of steps from behind them, and just as Sora turns his head, Riku's fist comes rocketing into his face. Kairi gasps, the blow hitting hard enough to strain Sora's neck—a back tooth flying out of his mouth. His eyes follow the little red trail left behind by his freed molar, and he swallows back the blood filling his mouth.
           That's gonna take a few weeks to grow back…
           “ Fucking prick!” Riku snarls, “Fucking time-wasting piece of shit! ”
            “Riku!” Kairi scolds him.
            “It's okay, Kairi. I deserve it.”
           I really am a time-waster, huh?
            Riku slams his fist into Sora's face again, and now blood is weeping out of his nostrils and mouth.
            “Riku! ” Kairi shrieks, finally coming over to intervene, “That is enough! ”
            Sora falls forward on his hands and hacks glistening red puddles onto the floor; apologizing to Mickey under his breath. Said King groans, silently ordering a clean-up from the men still standing by.
            Taking a wheezing breath, Sora gasps, “Riku...” He turns his head to look at his enraged friend, his eye swelling from the blow. “I'm sorry.” He knew it was going to take a lot more than that to fix this, but it's the least he can do in the meantime.
            The taller man looks down upon him, eyes blazing with fury. “You're sorry? That's all you have to say to me? That's all you have to say to any of us?”
            Dodging around Kairi, Riku comes at him again. Tensing up and squeezing his eyes shut, Sora waits for the next blow to land… but all he feels is a the air shifting around his face. He waits a moment longer, and there's still nothing. He opens his eyes to see the King is now standing; both His Majesty and Riku are staring at him in shock.
            “...what?” He asks, “Why didn't you hit me?”
            Gravely, Riku responds, “I did. My hand… went through you.”
            Sora reaches up to touch his tender cheek, and Mickey looks down at him in wonder.
            “Looks like you came back at just the right moment, Sora. It's about time we assess the full extend of your abilities.”
            Balling his fists, Riku turns on his heel and leaves. On his way out, he crushes Sora's tooth with a mighty stomp. Sora rises to his feet and watches Riku's back as he exits, noticing the werewolf's arm looks marred before recognizing the wound's X shape.
            “Has nobody healed that scar for him yet?”
            Kairi shakes her head, “Many of us have tried, but nothing worked.”
            A deep ache throbs in Sora's chest, wondering how such a thing is possible but knowing it's completely his fault. Sora and Kairi’s eyes involuntarily meet, and Sora feels fear flicker across his consciousness now that they’re making eye contact… but she says nothing, leaving to follow Riku out the door. He looks at the King, who is now stretching lazily where he stands.
            Sora sighs, willing away the numbing ache in his face, “So! When do we start, teach?”
            “Well, dearest Lamb of Dracul,” His Majesty responds, smiling, “You get some rest for now. We've got a lot of work to do, but we’ll make you a scholomancer yet.”
Exeunt
A/N: Happy Valentines Day!
'Kay, I lied. THIS is officially the longest chapter of The Night !
Hello my darling readers! My apologies for this chapter being so late. A lot of stuff happened over the year's end and it was hard for me to get this chapter done with any semblance of timeliness. Not to mention, I ended up writing two whole chapters worth of stuff since quite frankly I'm sick of dragging you all through a single week of this story's progression. Also, I'd been waiting to write this chapter for so long that once I got to it nothing really seemed to properly reflect the vision I had for it, so it was an arduous process trying to get it just right. I think part of it is that I'm having trouble incorporating tangible conflict in some areas, which really helps progress a story faster.
It didn’t help that I had a random side project pop up… which is now also available to read! It’s called “A Midsummer’s Sabotage”! Please go check it out!
Let me say, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR AMAZING COMMENTS! They were such a fantastic Christmas present, you have no idea how happy they made me. I appreciate you taking the time to leave some kind words for me!
I’ll probably start using my tumblr for updates and such when stuff like this happens and I'm off schedule. I have all the chapters currently (finally!) uploaded there too! Let me know what you think.
Also, all the links are fixed on my author profile so if you’re 18 or older and haven’t read the uncensored version of these chapters, I highly recommend checking them out. I’ve been working my smut muscles… smut-scles?! Mus-smuts?! IDFK dude, just go read it.
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Once more, Please please PLEASE favorite, follow, review, send kudos, add bookmarks… anything! They help me more than you can possibly know! Please keep sending them!
EDIT 3/19: Fixed a bunch of errors, some sentence issues, and other mistakes.
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The Night