A/N: Oof this took a long time. I ran into some trouble IRL and was unable to work on this (or anything) at all for at least a week due to that specific issue. The rest of the time I just felt uninspired and in a slump. Anyway, for more frequent updates on the status of this fic, other stories and exclusive artwork please LIKE my facebook fanpage (link in profile)! Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy!
Chapter VI: Turn To Stone
There is something I see in you
It might kill me
I want it to be true
Xirena pranced out of the dark corridor and back into the Gray Area, and her mission partner – Zexion – wasn't too far behind her. She giggled as she passed by her co-workers who were lazing around, having already completed their work for the day. Rex and Luxord were there, and the king of lazing around himself: Xigbar. Axel gives him a run for his money for being the most lazy asshole in the Organization though, perhaps they are even equals. Either way, the freeshooter heard the familiar sounds of a dark corridor and the emergent footsteps that followed, raising his head to see which of his coworkers were back. He had a feeling it was Xirena, based on the prancing rather than normal walking. Seeing he was right, he grinned with huge amounts of arrogance and villainy.
"Ay Bubbles, what are you so happy about?" Xigbar, who was seated next to Rex, asked dryly as Xirena moved by him, "Someone butter your muffin or something?"
Rex shrieked with his mouth shut tight and kicked the freeshooter in the shin – he knew what "buttering someones muffin" meant – he picked it up from 'Mean Girls.' Rex was also slightly – just slightly – appalled by the nickname Xigbar had chosen for her, as he is the one who inspired it in a roundabout way. See, Rex was having his daily bitch-fit and Xigbar was the only victim in the vicinity to absorb what Rex was saying. Xigbar didn't catch much of the early tidbits, but his pointed ears perked up when he heard Rex start to unleash his frustrations with Xirena, specifically when he said 'ugh and her butt is too big for fashion, she needs to diet so I can actually USE her.' Now, Xigbar never saw her with her coat off so he couldn't be sure if the bubble butt was real or just Rex being a dramatic homo who was incredibly petty. Regardless, he decided to call her Bubbles because everything else he came up with – Idiot, Dumbass, Stupid, Airhead, Dingus – weren't very creative... and insulting her with an ambiguous yet innocent and cute-sounding nickname felt so much more rewarding than calling things as he seems em 100% of the time. In fact, Xirena herself quite liked the sound of 'Bubbles,' and her blind acceptance of the name made it even BETTER. Ignorance truly is bliss.
"No, but I found a pig!" She exclaimed with no tact whatsoever.
Xirena shrugged her right shoulder twice with a pleased look on her face. The single shoulder double-shrug turned out to be a cue; a cue for the outlandish pig to emerge from her hood. The pig wiggled over her shoulder, and she positioned herself on it... as if she were a parrot or some other animal that perches. But instead of standing, the pig just laid on it's stomach as it hung over the front of her shoulder, while keeping the rest of herself in Xirena's hood – kind of like how you'd hang a wet towel over a bannister to let it dry. This provided a great way to quickly hide, all the pig would have to do is squiggle backwards and let gravity tuck her completely into Xirena's hood.
The other present members – Rex, Xigbar, Luxord and Zexion – all had such unique reactions.
Rex looked disgusted.
Zexion was apathetic, considering this was old news to him at this point.
Luxord stroked his chin and looked rather baffled.
… and Xigbar looked hungry.
"Ohh I bet that thing would be delicious with some sunny-side up eggs..." He murmured. He licked his lips and rubbed his hands together comically, earning him a nasty sneer and a quiet 'ew' from Rex, but what did Xigbar care?
