Chapter 10 - Subordinate

Chapter 10 – Subordinate

“You have GOT to be kidding me…” Roxas denied.

“But I’m not.” Drake grinned, a glint in her eyes. “But, guessing how you are, I’ll make it fair for you. Just a few rules. They’re easy, even you can understand their simplicity.” She added a mocking tone to the last statement, closely mirroring the line he said before their fight.

He shot a dirty scowl at her. “And those rules would be…?”

“A lot like yours were. Except we aren’t going to fight this time.”

“Afraid?”

“Don’t push that button, smart-guy. We’ll ask each other questions, one at a time.”

“I’ll ask the first question.”

“What? I don’t think so.” Drake retorted hotly, her stubbornness beginning to show. “I’ll ask the first question this time, buster.”

“I’ll refuse to answer if you ask the first question.” Roxas replied, putting on a poker face.

“Oh really? You think I won’t?”

“Yes. You’re too curious not to.” He smirked.

Drake froze. He’s right. What’s with this guy? He’s more stubborn than me, and he’s reading me like a goddamned book! “Fine.” She growled.

“I thought you’d give in.” Roxas said with suppressed triumph.

“Tch.” Drake hissed, looking away from him. She had a habit of doing that when she was mad, or anything related to the emotion.

“What made you leave Radiant Garden?” Roxas asked, starting the ‘game’.

“I wasn’t kicked out, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Drake said, slightly undaunted. “I left on my own free will. Not like I’m going to tell you why.”

“Mm-hnn...” Roxas hummed, a hint of skepticism on his face.

“What about you?” Drake asked, looking at him. “Did you grow up in Twilight Town and then just join a gang at some point?”

Roxas paused, his face thoughtful. Drake raised an eyebrow, waiting for his answer.

“I…I don’t really know. All I can remember is…” he trailed off slightly, mumbling. Then returned to the subject. “Let’s just say I can’t remember any years before 14. Sorry, I can’t answer your question.”

Wow, no smart comeback. Drake thought, surprised. Can’t remember his life before 14? Maybe he got amnesia? That must really suck…

Woah, hold on. Possible sympathy? Who had messed with her mind while she was out?

Roxas tried to leave the subject. “Is your hair naturally that color? Or did you fall into a vat of caramel when you were a baby?”

“Ha ha, I’m guessing you’re the comic of this place.” Drake said dryly.

“Well?”

“It’s natural. What a stupid question…”

“Better I asked you before Axel did.” Roxas pointed out.

“Lucky me. What ‘s with the dress code around here? Anyone ever heard of casual Friday?”

“And you thought my question was stupid.”

“I’m serious!”

“Well, I can’t answer that question either. I’m not a girl.”

Drake growled. “Sexist.”

“Am not.”

“Are too!” Great, we sound like 5-year-olds.

Roxas sighed. “Okay, I guess that was uncalled for. I’m sorry if I insulted you.”

Drake huffed madly, making it look like she didn’t accept the apology. She glared at him through the corner of her eye. “I guess you don’t talk to girls much.”

Roxas laughed behind his hand. “It’s impossible to have a conversation with Larxene without getting killed at the end.” He smiled a small, crooked smile at Drake. “That’s why talking to you, even if you are a nosey pain in the @$$, is strangely relieving.”

Drake’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, then looked away, a small hint of red on her cheeks. She hugged her arms, in a cradle-like position. For a second, she thought she saw…

No, that was impossible.

“Back to our game.” Roxas said, his face hardening again, but not completely frozen. “My next question… Oh.” He looked back up at the balcony, where dark clouds were starting to form. He looked back at her. “I guess we’re out of time. That’s… too bad.”

Drake bit her lip. What were they going to do if they didn’t need her?

“Hey, just to let you know,” Roxas’ voice caused her to look up. His face was hard again. “If they let you join, I will personally make the rest of your life a living hell.”

Nothing like the guy you hate to get your mind off your troubles.

“Take your own advice.” She hissed. The poison in her threat was visible.

Roxas opened another portal, walked through, and reappeared on the balcony next to the redhead. They talked together for a few minutes in a low whisper, so Drake couldn’t hear what they were saying. Without warning, Roxas’ head seemed to snap up – Surprise or shock, Drake couldn’t tell – and the redhead stepped back, looking nervous and possibly scared. Don’t blame ya, spiky. Key-bearers can get pretty scary. She thought. I’m just sorry you have to live with this one. She added with toxic distaste.

After what felt like decades, the members left, one-by-one, until Roxas and the redhead were the only ones left. Drake watched as the redhead tried to convince Roxas something with a pleading look in his green eyes, but she couldn’t tell what, for his lips seemed to be barely moving, as if he was talking in mumbles rather than full sentences. He then grinned – for some reason it made her feel like it could melt ice into water – and placed a hand on Roxas’ shoulder, nodding slightly as he spoke. From what Drake could tell, he said something along the lines of “I’ll make sure she stays in place.”

A portal opened next to Drake, causing her to jump in alarm.

“Go ahead.” The redhead grinned warmly down at her. “It’ll lead you up here.”

Drake hesitated, the darkness reaching for her with some invisible force. Could she trust him? He just asked her to go through a freakin’ portal made out of darkness. DARKNESS.[/u] She has it close enough to darkness, she didn’t want to add to the load.

A light in her mind sparked. Oh, holy SH*T! she thought, her eyes widening in horror. Do these guys know what they could do?!

My, it’s been so long since you last though of me.[/b] The voice, smooth as poison, laughed in Drake’s mind. She winced, fighting the urge to curl in a ball on the ground and cry herself to comfort. This curse is unbearable…

“HEY! We haven’t got all day! What’s the holdup?!”

Drake glared at the – somehow TOO familiar – voice above her head. Roxas returned her glare, the corners of his mouth twitching impatiently.

Drake took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and ran into the portal. She kept them closed with no clue when it was safe to open them.

“Woah! Woah! WOAH!” An arm caught her in the stomach, making her stop. She opened her eyes and saw at least a 20-foot drop.

“Sweet mercy of-!” She yelped, jumping back and landing on her behind.

“I didn’t expect you to do THAT…” The redhead stated, offering a hand to help her up.

Roxas muttered something about Drake turning into a pancake.

“Well, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” The redhead gave a friendly grin and thumbs up. “The name’s Axel.”

“Axel…” She repeated. “Nice name. I’m Drake.”

“Drake? Isn’t that a boy’s name?”

Icy crystals drifted through the room.

“A-anyway, before we go any farther…” Axel nervously stuttered, realizing he touched a delicate nerve. “The organization came to an agreement. We don’t need any more members, but the organization’s number III, Xaldin, has requested you stay as his subordinate.”

“A subordinate?” Drake asked in amazement. So they weren’t going to get rid of her. She had thought over the horrors in her mind of how they’d make sure she’d never give away their secret. She even thought of some medieval tactics, showing how wide her imagination could get.

The downside was she was going to have to stay here, and for who knows how long. She was most likely going to have to do whatever this Xaldin guy wanted her to do, and she probably won’t even have time to breathe. She might have to do what ALL of them wanted her to do. Drake had a quick vision of laundry in the nearby future.

And, possibly the worst part of all, she’d see Roxas every day.

She looked over at him to see what face of doom she was receiving from Roxas now. His face was colder and bitterer, stinging her insides. She tried to look brave, but that was as easy as staring down a bull. Or a huge heartless.

“I’ll open a portal to his room.” Axel informed Drake, breaking her concentration on over-freezing Roxas. “And this time, don’t close you eyes and run into a wall.” He added with a laugh.

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