A Transvestite Romance

Chapter 15: Pre_Show

It was the end of August. School would start in two weeks. The weather had climbed into the triple digits for a couple of days. Then Riku suggested something.

"Drammatcia tour?" Sora asked, excitedly. Riku nodded.

"My brothers got me tickets, as they are performing alongside Bad Luck, Nittle Grasper, and Shibuya. Everyone can come."

"For real?" Roxas demanded, as Sora was jumping up and down on his bed.

"Yes! Three of Japan's best bands and America's sexiest band of brothers is playing in Twilight Town, Kansas! Can you believe it?"

Zexion simply smirked while Demyx danced around the room, playing on his sitar. The mulhawk teen showed enough emotion for both of them.

Kairi squealed and started spinning. Naminé started a new collection of art.

Axel couldn't believe it. The bands he had never really listened to, but he was excited that Roxie was excited.

Cloud sighed, kissing Leon's cheek as he left for Wall Street. It was time to go back to work. That meant leaving the triplets alone for weeks on end. They could relay on Shera and Cid and Leon would be there. But he always hated leaving.

"Be safe, Spiky," Leon said, watching his recorded General Hospital.

"Thanks, Squall."

The eldest Strife got on Fenrir, kicked it on, and pulled away.

"How is our work?" Genesis demanded. He was the leader of the Organization. He had a fondness for dressing in red and black, his hair was a bright red-brown color, and he was a sort of radical in the mob.

"Just fine," Xemnas smirked. "The day of the Drammatcia concert, a big shipment of Materia will be moved. The police will be on guard because of so many people in a tiny town. We will slip through their fingers."

"Excellent."

The top members of the Organization were there: Genesis and Xemnas, of course, plus Cloud, Zack, Xigber, Vexen, and Kuja. More of the gang were on Skype, listening to the meeting.

Cloud mentally went through the list.

Genesis: Co-Leader. Redish hair, blue eyes. Old friend of Sephiroth.

Xemnas: Co-Leader. Silver hair, orange eyes. Emotionless, has business connections.

Xigbir: Assassian. Black hair streaked with gray. Yellow (?) eyes. Wears eye patch. Thinks he is funny.

Vexen: Scientist. Blond hair, green eyes. Creates Materia to make the drugs stronger.

Kuja: Arms dealer. Silver hair, dark eyes. Somewhat my Uncle. Called my Dad "brother…" Not much is known about him.

So what were Zack and Cloud doing there? It was simple. Zack had removed his mentor, Angeal, from the Organization, taking his seat. Cloud was the mercenary. "Cowgirl" and "T," ran the Seventh Heaven bar down the street and picked up useful information, despite the fact that they were also undercover cops.

Cloud ran a hand through his tidy spikes and glanced at the silver Nobody tattoo on his left wrist-the tattoo that kept him from getting any other job.

Not that he would choose any other job in the world. He got a flexible work schedule (surprisingly), great health care (also surprisingly), an adrenaline rush, and a great feel of accomplishment.

Marluxia se Fleurir was known to be a charmer as well as known across the nation as a botanist at the "tender" age of seventeen. He liked Naminé-she was different than any other girl he met. Usually, he would go for loud, blonde, rich, and older (than him) women.

Take that Larxene ShinRa, for example. Crazy. Extremely smart and business savvy. But crazy all the same; she also couldn't understand any flower symbolism. The pinkette gave Naminé pink and white roses (grace and purity respectively), while Larxene received white rosebuds.

"Oh, Marluxia, these are so pretty!" she gushed. "I'll get a vase right away. You're the best." As she vanished into her penthouse kitchen, Marluxia sighed, adjusting his bowtie. Heiress nymph or not, she should realize that white rosebuds mean "the heart that knows no love."

Naminé replied to the pink and white bouquet with white jonquil and sunflowers (affection returned, adoration and pure thoughts).

Axel wandered in to Naminé's room one day. How did he do that? The redhead fell against the door. Sora pushed him jokingly; Naminé whipped her head out and dragged Axel into the room.

White. That's all Axel saw for a moment before he got his bearings. White bed, white bookcase, white desk. Clean, too, except for the large blotches of color that stained the pure carpet. A mural was started on the wall: the Town's famous Clock Tower, lines being projected from the ceiling, and slowly painted over. "It helps me create realistic geometric shapes; geometry's not my strong point," a voice murmered. Naminé shut the door behind him, blending into the white of the wall in her white sundress.

"It's still amazing. You are an awesome person, Nami."

A blush to color those pale cheeks. "Thanks. I have plans for that one. Every time when muse strikes, I paint on my walls. That's why it's white."

He touched her shoulder; she smiled at his bony warm hand. "I'll let you see it when it's done."

"I'd like it." An aura of a soft friendship permeated the air.

"Sit," she pointed at the desk.

"Wha?" But he did as the artist demanded. It's not wise to disobey one with the power of paint.

"Your face…It'll be interesting to paint. It's so pointed…And your eyes."

"I was actually here for…" He trailed off, seeing her expression.

"Roxas is in the shower. He takes forever. You should see our water bills."

When the work was done for the day, Roxas joined them along with Sora and a deck of cards. Until Axel left for dinner, a ferocious bout of blackjack and poker commenced, teens munching on Leon's cookies, Nittle Grasper blaring from the iHome, and the smell of home in the air.

Cloud entered McDonald's with faint loathing. French fries reminded him of the time he was a junkie on the poor side of Town, fixing and eating packages of small fries and apple pies from the Golden Arches.

"Hi, welcome to McDonald's, how may I help you?" asked the hyper eighteen year old. She was Japanese and her hair was in a bob behind her visor.

"Number two, no pickles."

"For here or to go?" The Spiky Wolf hesitated; the girl's name was Yuffie, she looked familiar, but on the other hand, he didn't want to be here longer than necessary.

"For here." If memory served from the countless gang members on this side of the Town that worked here, they got a small break. He would stay and wait until she ate her dinner.

Less than a half an hour later, Yuffie came out from behind the register with a mocha frappe with tons of whipped cream piled on top, a quarter pounder, and a large fry.

"You still here?" she asked curiously, sitting across from him in the booth.

"Yup. You're Godo Kisaragi's daughter." It was a statement from cold lips with even frostier blue eyes.

The girl's bubbly brown eyes glazed over. "Yeah. He wasn't a good father.:

"I figured that. Nobody in this town has good parents."

"You run with the Nobodies. They are financed by the Organization. You're Spiky Wolf, Number VII." There was no fear in those warm eyes, just sadness.

Cloud nodded. "That would be correct."

"Have you come for me? Kidnapping, trying to press-gang me into the Nobodies?" She dipped a fry into the mocha, checked to make sure that it had whipped cream, and popped it into her mouth. The man shuddered.

"Nope. In fact, I have a secret for you, if you'll hear it." He scooted around, put an arm around the girl and drew her close. The blonde put his lips to her ears, as if to kiss it. "I'm an undercover cop. I can help." Those brown eyes widened.

"Help me do what?"

"A new life, O great ninja Yuffie, the single white rose of Wutai."

"Impressive. You even know the online game I visit."

Dear Zex,

I hope everything's going well in Kansas. Everything here is going well, too. Tidus and Waaka aided our school's blitzball team to victory. Do you have a boyfriend? I miss you. Mom's the same as always, big surprise. Maybe you could visit soon. We could go to the beach and eat hotdogs and smores like we used to. You could help Mom.

Love,

Xion (XOXOXO)

P.S.: I hope you like the seashell inside. It reminded me of you.

Zexion stared at the letter for a long time, clutching the blue seashell in his hand. Part of him wanted to chuck the seashell at the wall. Slowly, he unclenched his white knuckled fingers from it. Put it up to his ear and listened to the sea. The sea brought up good times. The water brought up bad times.

The sounds of the ocean mixed with the sound of water running from a tap and his head being shoved under it, the lady screaming for him to drown. He shivered and brought the quilt from his bed around his shoulders.

"You okay, Zexion?" asked the red-haired woman in the kitchen.

"Just fine, Ariel," he replied, tilting his head so the slate-blue-purple hair covered the tears in his eyes. The line of his mouth might be a smile or it might be a grimace.

"What do you want for dinner? Eric's coming home tonight."

Dear Sis,

I'm good. Demyx, my foster "brother" is good, too. He plays the sitar and is on the school swim team. His hair is crazy-I cannot decide if it is a mullet or a Mohawk. I'll give you a picture too.

Sorry I missed your birthday. Fifteen's a good age. Hope you ate a big tub of frosting for me.

Have you been reading Shakespeare still? My copy of 'A Midsummer Night's dream is in the ceiling tile above my bed. It is my favorite, and therefore, battered. Please be careful. Do not let Tidus coax you into the water while you are reading it on the beach.

Roxas, the boy I told you about, is dating Axel. Axel used to live across the hall, but now he lives with his mother and adopted father and his sister. It is a long story.

I have a crush-

"What'cha doing, Zexy?" a voice interrupted Zexion mid-sentence.

"Writing to Xion." A little smile showed on his face.

"Ahhh…" He noticed the last sentence. "Who's your crush? Tell me! Tell me!" the aqua-eyed musician begged. The adorable emo boy blushed.

"No."

"Why not-I'll bully it out of you!" Inspiration struck. "I will take you to the pool right now!"

Zexion's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

Demyx stuck out his chin, attempting to look bold, dangerous, but only looking adorable. "Try me." Zexion tried to lunge away, but Demyx grabbed the back of his T-Shirt. "Ariel, we'll be back soon! We're gonna walk to the pool!"

And the sandy haired mullet teen dragged the squirming Schemer out of the apartment.

"Now, then," Demyx said. They were sitting by the side of the neighborhood pool. Looking around, Zexion ascertained that everybody went home. Damn. "Tell me who your crush is or I will shove you into the pool."

Everything blurred, Zexion lunged away from the teen, but Demyx dived for the smaller boy, trapping Zexion with his body. It was an awkward position. Demyx was on top of Zexion, arms on the bottom's chest, legs intertwined. Zexion blushed.

"Is it me?" Demyx asked. He smelled like his ocean-scented body wash, clean and salty. Instantly, Zexion remembered the times he spent with Xion at the beach, meeting Lexaeus, the body-builder/lifeguard. His auburn hair. The day the older teen, almost a man, rescued him from drowning in the bathtub. The man who called him Ienzo, the teen who Zexion adored, his first kiss on the beach.

"Just tell him," rumbled Lexaeus, across the country and memory.

"Yes."

Demyx stood up. "I'm sorry, but uhh…" The boy seemed nervous. "I can't…I just can't Zexy." He looked sad. "But we can still be friends! Brothers! Right?"

Zexion looked so heartbroken, laying on the concrete, that Demyx wanted to hug him, but restrained himself. Mixed signals would be a bad thing.

"Yeah…"

When they got to the apartment, not looking at each other, Zexion brutally scribbled over "I have a crush" and wrote "he broke my heart."

"He broke my heart.

I don't think I can come home if Mom hasn't changed. I wouldn't help her, instead, just push her over the edge. Has Lexaeus written you anything? He hasn't written anything to me. I hope he has, but not send it because of the court.

You deserve someone who will treat you like a lady, Xion, a boy who will treat you like you are one in a million and will reveal his true self to you. Lexaeus was like that to me, a gentleman, and so was Demyx, even though in his clue headedness didn't realize it.

Love,

Zexion

On the envelope was the address: Xion Cloak, 659 W. Seaside Lane, Destiny Islands, California.

"Ready to go?" Axel asked, seeing his boyfriend in the doorframe. Roxas grinned, running a hand through his spiked hair.

"Yup." The boy that was going to the concert was a hybrid of Roxas and Roxanne. He was wearing beige and blue skinny capris, a black tank top, his star necklace, black-and-white checkered hoodie cut off at the elbows, and classic graffitied black Converse. Her face had Roxanne's makeup and her ears had Roxanne's piercings in both ears and the cartilage.

"You look nice," Axel said, pulling him into a kiss.

"C'mon you guys! Stop making it out and move it!" Sora yelled, appearing behind Roxas, Naminé trailing the baby of the family.

Axel jumped into Cid's white work van with Zexion and Demyx in the back, avoiding each others gaze. Sora sat next to Riku and wrapped him in a Dino-Sor hug. Kairi waved at Sora from the driver's seat. Roxas sat in-between Zexion and Demyx while Axel rode shotgun. Apparently, Axel or Kairi wouldn't get a car without a job and paying for part of the insurance and the car. In this economy, it would not happen for a long time.

"Have a good time," Shera called, waving from the front porch.

"And don't do anything stupid with that van!" Cid called. "Or I'll have both your asses!"

"Yes sir!" came the chorus in various forms of excitement.

And they were off to Dark City, Kansas, two hours down the road, Nirvana blaring.

A/N: Well, that was a quick update! Sorry about the lack of Zemyx. Enter reality in the form of a mega negation (Meh). And a little of Zexion's past was resolved. And Cloud goes back to work! And Yuffie shows up!

Nierx