Chapter 1 – The beginning
"Happy Birthday Sora, Roxas," Aerith said with a smile, brilliant pink hued wings fluffing out, letting a stray feather float on the wind.
Eight-year-old Sora and Roxas beamed at each other from their bed. They were eight today. Their parents had promised to take them out for their first time flying outside.
"Roxas, we get to fly. Fly!" Sora squealed, his bright blue wings stretching out behind him.
"I know!" came the excited squeal before the blond turned to face their nursemaid, Aerith. "When do we get to go?"
"After breakfast," she informed with a smile.
"Let's go!"
Quickly changing, the two young angels raced each other through the long corridors towards the dining hall, giggling all the way and dodging other angles coming the other way.
They burst through the dining room doors with loud squeals, their eyes landing on Cloud first. "Cloud!" came the loud cries only seconds before the older blond angel was tackled, leaving him laughing on the floor.
"Morning you two. Happy Birthday."
"Are you coming with us today, Cloud? Are you?" Roxas asked with wide eyes and a big grin as he peered into their older brother's face.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I? This is a big day for everyone."
"Yay!" Sora cheered, laughing as he was suddenly picked up by the waist and hoisted up to head level of a familiar black haired angel. "Zack!" Sora giggled and reached out to hug the older man.
"Hey, Squirts! Ready to make your big debut in the Angel City?"
"Yes!" They both cheered while laughing.
"Good! Because it's going to be fun," he said with a wink.
Roxas and Sora both giggled as the brunette was put down and Zack pulled Cloud up by the hand.
"Still uncoordinated Spike?"
"Shut it…" the blond grumbled with a smile.
"Morning Sweets," Zack greeted brightly, drawing Aerith into a kiss.
"Ewww!" Came the twin protests from Sora and Roxas, leaving all three adults laughing.
The doors opened again, and the two more angels entered the room. "Mum! Dad!" Sora and Roxas cheered, running to hug the two angels.
The woman had long red curly hair that tumbled down her back to just above her waist and had brilliant emerald green wings that matched her eyes. Her gown was made up of a light blue sheen fabric and glistened when it caught the light.
The man had black hair and brown eyes, his wings a dark speckled chocolate colour. His clothing consisted of a red shirt and brown pants, and as he bent to hug Roxas, Sora flew into their mother's arms. The twins grinned at each other.
"Let's go flying! Let's go flying!" They chanted with a laugh.
"Breakfast first," their father decided with a smile.
"Awww…."
"You're going to need your energy, boys."
"So? We'll be fine," Sora puffed proudly, sticking his chest out.
"We're eating," Their mother repeated firmly with a smile, leaving Sora pouting.
"Awww…"
"If we eat fast we can leave sooner," Roxas whispered as he gripped the brunette's hand and led him to the table, where the others had seated themselves.
They sat, ignored the conversation going on around them and ate their breakfast of fruits and flowers as quickly as they could, earning Roxas a reprimand from Aerith as the blond almost choked.
About ten minutes later Sora and Roxas jumped out of their seats. "We're done!" They both took off laughing for their rooms and Aerith sighed, standing up with a smile.
"It's probably a good thing I ate earlier." This earned a few chuckles from the other occupants at the table. "I'll get them dressed and we'll meet you by the front gates."
"Thank you. We'll see you there."
Nodding, she hurried out after the twins and took to the air once she was through the doors, swooping through the large corridors with ease.
Overtaking the laughing twins, she landed by their bedroom doors and waited while they raced around the corner and stopped when they saw her, blue eyes wide.
"Come on boys, let's get you dressed," she decided after contemplating whether she should reprimand them or not. It was their birthday after all. It only made sense that they'd be excited.
Turning, she walked into their room and they followed her with unsure looks.
Aerith handed both boys the clothes she'd picked out this morning before she woke them up and assisted them with the buckles, buttons and ribbons they couldn't do themselves.
Pretty soon they were walking down to the front gates, Sora and Roxas warming their wings up by gliding down the stairs in short stints, and one big long stint when they reached the last long one before the front door.
Zack, Cloud, Leon and Reno met them outside the double doors, the twins squealing and tackling the red headed angel the moment they saw him.
The group of seven them walked over to the larger group of armed angels near the front gates, and to where their parents were waiting.
"Are you two ready?" Reno asked with a grin once they'd calmed down a bit.
"Yes!" They replied together, nodding vigorously.
"Do you remember your warm up exercises?"
Roxas nodded and Sora just squinted as though he was trying to remember.
"Okay, let's go through them again, just to be sure," Reno said with a sigh and shot a suffering look at Cloud, who smothered a smile with his hand.
"Wings stretched out, and up, and out again, then down, then forward, and back, and forward, and back, and forward, and back, and up, and down, and fold, and unfold, and forward, and back, and spin!"
Reno spun, laughing, and Sora and Roxas followed him, laughing as their wings banged together.
Bending down in front of them, he beckoned them in closer. "Do you remember how to take off?"
"We've been practising," Sora boasted proudly and puffed his chest out.
"Good boy," Reno said with a grin and ruffled the brunette spikes affectionately.
"Ready to go?" Leon asked.
"We're ready," Reno replied.
"Good. Open the gates!" He ordered, double-checking the latch holding his gunblade to his belt was secure.
Sora and Roxas watched, wide eyed, as the large golden gates in front of them swung outwards, the shimmering rainbow shield that the twins had always seen disappearing, leaving the world beyond visible to their curious minds.
As buildings appeared amongst the many clouds and sunset colours, movement caught Sora's gaze and he gasped as he noticed the movement was other angels, all flying trough the city, starting their day.
"Ready?" Cloud asked, taking Roxas' hand.
Nodding, the twins gripped each other's hands nervously and Sora took Aerith's hand.
As half the armed guards took to the skies, their mother and father went next, Reno and Zack swooping down as they jumped off the pathway and back up in a twist around each other.
Sora and Roxas gaped as they watched the aerobatics, not noticing Leon take off, and were only drawn back to reality when Cloud and Aerith tugged them forward and took off at a run for the edge of the pathway, wings beating to keep themselves from dropping like rocks.
Sora and Roxas beat their wings as strongly as they could and cried out happily when they found themselves going up, wind whistling through their hair and clothes, the feeling almost second nature.
Once the adults were sure the twins could hold their own, they let go of their hands and both boys squealed happily when they found themselves still flying.
Roxas, quickly getting the hang of the flying thing, laughed and flapped with sure, quick strokes. "Race to you to the tower Sora!"
They both took off, squealing and laughing happily, Roxas swooping around the tower shakily while Sora crashed into one of the windows, only to be caught by Reno as he fell.
"Owie…" he groaned and rubbed his head, where a red mark was making itself known.
"You're okay," Reno soothed with a laugh as he flew them just above the tower. "Why don't you go and get him back? Just remember to tilt when you want to turn."
"Okay!" Sora agreed and gave the red head a quick hug in thanks before darting off after his twin with a yell of anger.
Roxas, who had been drifting aimlessly for a bit, heard the yell, saw Sora on his tail and yelped, taking off as quickly as he could, looping and turning as much as he could to lose his twin while the two of them laughed the whole way.
"Doesn't this remind you of how we met?" Zack asked Cloud with a grin.
"As I recall, you crashed into me on my second flight and we both went plummeting to the town square. I only just managed to save myself from crashing into the fountain," Cloud grumbled as he crossed his arms and watched his brothers chase one another.
"Yeah well, I got wet," Zack replied with a grin.
"And I thought you were insane when you started laughing."
"We all know Zack is insane," Reno added as he swooped closer. "They're doing well."
"Yeah, they are," Cloud murmured with a smile. "Hey look, people are starting to come out."
Sure enough, the town's people were emerging from their homes to watch the twins as they looped and twirled.
Roxas suddenly dropped like a rock and Sora screamed as Leon swooped down and caught the blond before he was in any real danger.
"Are you alright Roxas?" Sora asked loudly as he tackled Leon and sent the brunette sliding backwards a few meters.
Cloud, Zack and Reno moved closer just to see Roxas nodding, looking a bit shaken by the drop. Both boys were breathing heavily.
"We should head back," Leon decided, meeting Cloud's gaze.
Their parents swept in, took one look at the twins and their father tugged Sora off Leon while Cloud took Roxas. "Come on."
"But I don't wanna go back," Sora whined and wiggled to get free. "I wanna fly some more."
"Alright," he agreed and let the brunette go.
Sora flapped, steadied himself and pushed himself higher so he was flying above the group, dipping and weaving, humming contentedly to himself.
They were almost back at the gates when a flash of light shot out of nowhere and hit Sora, making him drop like a rock with a scream.
"SORA!" Came the collective scream and Leon shot towards him at full speed, weapon drawn as a black shape swooped up and enveloped the brunette.
Reno and Zack fell in beside him, the red head pushing himself angrily as he ducked and swerved dark figures, the air around them filling with black smoke.
Leon suddenly flipped and jerked back, just managing to block the weapon that lunged at him out of the black smoke. Zack and Reno shot past him, and moments later, Cloud. "Cloud, no!"
Not listening, Cloud caught up with Zack, who swept to the side to avoid hitting a building. Reno had hands out stretched before him, hoping to catch Sora before he crashed into the clouds.
Swearing loudly as a black tendril snapped past and clipped his wing, Reno swung out of control as his wing drew itself in on reflex and Zack blasted the other one with magic as it flew towards them.
"Zack, cover me!" Cloud yelled as he flew even faster, dodging and weaving through black smoky tendrils of darkness, his blue gaze focused on Sora as he dropped lower faster and faster.
Reaching out for his brother, Cloud suddenly recoiled as a blue light surrounded the brunette, and Cloud jerked to a stop as he noticed a seal form, just before Sora dropped through the clouds.
"Sora!" he yelled and took off again, hitting the clouds and bouncing back as he smashed into them. Screaming in frustration, he pushed against the barriers again, but couldn't get through.
"Cloud, look out!" Leon yelled and the blond turned, shielding his eyes as the tendril above him exploded and became enveloped in flames – Leon's magic. "Come on, we have to get back," he said gently as he landed beside the blond.
"But… Sora!"
"There's nothing we can do. He's fallen through – how I don't know, but Reno and Zack are both injured and this thing is quickly overwhelming us. We need to get inside," Leon informed firmly, grey eyes softening as he reached forward to wipe away the tears that had started falling. "Please Cloud."
Looking one last time at the clouds he was kneeling on, Cloud nodded and felt his heart break. "Alright," he consented quietly.
Leon smiled sadly and gripped the other's hand tightly. "Come on, let's go. We can get permission from the council to search earth when we get back."
I love Sora and Roxas in this chapter. They're so cute! *squeals and then coughs into hand*
Anyway... I hope you enjoy it. I've finished this story (the first chapter story i've actually finished I think. OMG!), so hopefully it shouldn't take me too long to get the other chapters up. I finished this last year while I was in the UK and never got around to posting it. Sorry everyone.
Tell me what you think.