"Xig-gy! The vending machine isn't working!" Demyx whined.
II promptly appeared behind him. "Hmm, let me try, little dude."
He jabbed the select button. Nothing happened.
"See?" IX pouted.
"Okay, move out of the way, don't want you getting hit…"
Xigbar flashed out his weapon and took aim. Squinting with his good eye, he squeezed the double trigger.
There was a series of explosions. The dust settled.
"Wow…" said Demyx.
The machine was completely intact.
Xigbar frowned. "Well that's strange…"
"Uh, maybe we should ask someone."
"Yeah , I'll go get Xaldin."
III stared at the vending machine, sizing it up.
"You're about the same size!" Demyx giggled.
Xaldin threw one of his spears.
It glanced off, not even leaving a dent.
He threw again two more, both glancing off with dull thuds. He raised an eyebrow at Xigbar.
II shrugged "Any ideas?"
III thought for a moment. "Vexen's smart, ask him."
Vexen strode over to the machine, taking a tape measure from his cloak pocket.
"I'll need Zexion to take notes for me."
Xigbar rolled his eyes. "Bossy, crazy man."
IV turned and gave him an icy glare.
"Uh…I'll go get him" Demyx opened a portal.
He was back in seconds.
There was a moment of silence as Zexion's and Vexen's eyes met. They weren't staring each other down; their eyes were soft. No-one really understood their relationship- Zexion was just strange.
They began measuring the vending machine. After a few minutes of them murmuring numbers to each other, Zexion took out a piece of wire and a ruler. He bent the wire in places, and jabbed it into the coin slot. There was a crunching, hissing sound. VI frowned slightly, and took out the wire.
"Oh." He said, his visible eye widening.
The wire had disintegrated.
"Xaldin's spears are sharp, maybe brute force will break it." Vexen suggested to Lexaeus. V nodded. "Worth a try."
II, III, IV, VI, and IX backed away, mostly out of personal experience.
Lex lined himself up and stared down the machine. Suddenly, he threw himself at it.
THUD
"Ow…"
V lay on the ground.
"Lexy! Are you okay?" Demyx fluttered.
"Mmm…I think I dented it…try Saix."
Xigbar shuddered. "You really think we're that desperate?"
Saix thought of every word, thought, and deed that had ever made him the slightest bit irritated. He tensed up, felt the rage rolling down in waves in his mind.
"Watch it, he's gonna blow!" X yelled, motioning at the others to get down on the floor.
With a roar, VII launched himself at the vending machine.
Al the bangs and clashes melded into each other after the first few seconds, then eventually tapered out as Saix calmed down. Vexen and Xaldin called out the damage, while Zexion took note.
"Four more dents and two holes. Nice one VII." Xaldin admired the handiwork.
"But not enough." Saix growled. "The sooner this is over with the sooner this commotion will stop. I never thought I'd say this, but we may need Axel's help."
"Well well well…" Axel entered the room in a rush of flames. He looked out the corner of his eye at Saix. "Someone needed by help?"
"Axel the vending machine's broken and we can't open it so can you please set it on fire?"
Axel laughed. "Who kid, that was a lot in one mouthful. Wanna try that again?"
"Please set it on fire." IX pointed at the machine.
VIII shrugged. "Okay!"
He clicked, and with a sudden increase of heat, the machine was alight.
Xigbar rolled his eyes. "It's not doing anything."
Axel glared. "I can see that."
He clicked again, and the fire shrank back on itself.
"It's just turned black."
"I can see that too."
A portal opened next to him, and Luxord stepped out.
"Hello loves. Heard a bit of a commotion, thought I'd see what's going on."
"The vending machine's broken." Zexion stated.
"Ah. Wish I could help, but I don't think challenging it to a bloody game of strip poker'll do much…speaking of which, any of y-"
"NO!"
"Well then, I'll just sit here."
He sat on the floor.
Axel sighed. "You know, Roxas is the Keybearer. He'll be able to open it."
"Appointment with the Superior this morning." Saix grunted.
"Ah…that explains why he wouldn't tell me. You know what it's about?"
"No."
Zexion smirked. "Well that's a surprise. Poor little werewolf doesn't know everything about his Superior."
Vexen snorted; Saix glowered at them, and clenched his hands into fists.
"YOUR BESERKER BAR IS SHOWING!" Demyx suddenly yelled. Saix' head snapped up and he growled aggressively before Xaldin shoved him hurriedly out the room. He shrugged at Lexaeus' raised eyebrows.
"Would've got messy."
The sound of Saix' furious stomping faded down the hallway.
"Hey gays!" Larxene waltzed through the door, Marluxia trailing elegantly behind her.
"What did you guys do? Saix was pretty mad!" XI giggled.
Demyx winced.
"Oh, so it was you!" XII mused
"Zexion started it! If I didn't say anything he would've been attacked!"
"Well, you're not going to sleep easy tonight, are you? VI will be fine, I'm sure." Larxene stated, her blue eyes sparkling in anticipation.
Vexen rolled his eyes.
"Drama."
"Well, you and emo-boy over there can't talk."
Zexion shifted slightly from behind Xaldin, so that he was in view of Larxene.
Their eyes locked.
The room was suddenly silent, all attention focused on the unspoken threat.
With a loud crack, vines suddenly broke through the tiled floor. All eyes shifted to Marluxia, who, by bending his fingers into claws, forced the vines to constrict and crush the vending machine.
Axel whistled. "Well, never seen pretty flower-boy do that much damage before."
"I'd summon my sythe, but the temptation to duel you would be too great."
"ooh, touché."
Xigbar barked a laugh, and Luxord smirked, avoiding XI's gaze.
The door slammed open, and a short cloaked figure stepped into the room.
"Roxy!" Axel exclaimed, almost bowling IX over in his attempt to reach him.
"Hey Axel." Roxas replied flatly, unamused, giving him a half-hearted hug.
Such was the nature of their relationship.
"Roxas the vending machine is being evil and wont work and you have a key so can you open it for me please?" Demyx blurted out.
Roxas was taken aback. He blinked, leaned against Axel, then raised an eyebrow.
"What's in it for me?"
Demyx pouted, and Larxene chuckled.
"Ooh, aren't we in a bad mood today? What did Mr Ma-…the Superior wanna talk to you about?"
Axel held Roxas closer protectively.
Xigbar smirked as XIII reddened. "Better hope he doesn't have any microphones set up in here, Larxene."
Xemnas was, to say the least, not very fond of his nickname. He was also known to be extremely paranoid at times. This particularly began the year before, when Axel joined the Organization. Go figure.
"Alright," Roxas began, "I'll unlock it if you don't-"
There was suddenly the sound of a huge crash, and dust was flowing everywhere.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT?" Luxord roared.
"Something fell through the ceiling." Zexion stated flatly, rolling his eyes. "Obviously."
The dust settled, and a pile of rubble was atop the now now battered vending machine.
"Hey!" Demyx exclaimed, rushing forward. Xigbar grabbed the hood of his cloak.
"Hold on mullet-boy. That could either be VII, or the Superior, you realise?"
Demyx backed away. "Oh…"
A low rumbling noise was heard.
"Duck!" II yelled as pieces of ceiling on the ground seemed to explode and flew like deadly missiles from the pile.
Saix emerged from the wreckage, his eyes flaming red and teeth bared, just like the werewolf he was nicknamed after.
"Oh crap." Axel grabbed Roxas' arm and pulled to the door. "Get out!"
VII's growling grew louder and he gave a roar, springing towards the group, of which almost all had begun screaming."
"WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THE COMMOTION?"
Everyone jumped and froze, even Saix.
Axel turned to Xigbar.
"He has an INTERCOM?"