One of my friends (who I've decided to call my plot ninjas) decided I needed a sequel to one of my other fics, The Mechanic's Apprentice. I, however, couldn't think of a plot. But, with that idea nagging at me, I decided to make something, and this came up. Enjoy!
High school seniors are the top dogs of their schools. They know the school's layout inside and out, where the best vending machines are located, and even which teachers are the easiest. Nothing could destroy this feeling of power and knowledge...well, except for one thing: Moving.
And that's exactly what happened to Aldrick Kiel. He stood in front of Bastion High School, looking up at the building with a small sense of dread. A senior, he had moved over the summer, got a job at a nearby grocery store as a cashier, and made only one friend. He was waiting for her now as other students passed by, giving him weird looks as he just stood there.
/Maybe I can run away now and hope no one realizes I'm gone...\ The teen, whose short, sandy blonde hair was sticking out in all directions like he had woken up and did nothing with it, was having second thoughts. Grabbing the straps of his book bag, he silently counted to five. Once done, and with no indication that his friend had showed up, the seventeen year old turned and started to leave, only to fall backwards after running into someone.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." Aldrick really hadn't been paying attention, and was brushing off his jeans, only to have a large, dark hand grab the front of his white t-shirt and lift him. As his sneakers barely touched the ground, Aldrick could hear the threads and seams of his shirt stretch and snap. He looked up, and came face to face with a tan and very large teenager, whose face showed very little signs of intelligence.
"Hey, Boss! We gots a troublemaker, ya know?" Aldrick started to panic, and struggled to get away, but couldn't get loose from the vice-like grip. Finally giving up, he noticed two people approaching; a short girl with red eyes and short silver hair, and a somewhat tall guy, whose orange-tinted blonde hair barely poked out from beneath a beanie, wearing a long, sleeveless white coat. The blonde's shirt showed his midriff, and the six-pack abs on his midriff, which made Aldrick worry even more. /Oh, shit! These guys will slaughter me!\
"Well, well. What have we here? Fresh meat, it looks like." The 'Boss' spoke with a sneer, but suddenly sniffed the air and smiled a malicious grin. "I smell something...I know what it is, but I can't put my finger on it. Fujin, what is it I'm smelling?"
"Fear!" One word, simple and loud, came from the girl, which made the 'Boss' grin wider.
"You know, I think you're right. It's such a nice smell, too." Walking forward, the blonde came closer to Aldrick, one of his hands clenching into a fist. "Consider us, the Disciplinary Committee of Bastion High, as your welcoming committee. And what welcome comes without a 'present?'" Drawing his fist back, the blonde was about to strike, but stopped mid-swing as a girl's voice broke through the crowd that had gathered to watch the upcoming beat down.
"Seifer! Stop it!"
"Tch! You got lucky, chicken-wuss(1). Fujin, Raijin, come on." As Aldrick was dropped to the ground, the 'Disciplinary Committee' left, heading into the bowels of the school, along with the crowd that had gathered around the event. The girl who yelled out before helped Aldrick up, her brown eyes filled with worry.
"What were you thinking?! They could have beaten the crap out of you!"
"Yuffie...I'm fine. Plus, it was an accident. I'm sure it'll just blow over..." The teen's gray eyes betrayed his words, and were filled with the same concern Yuffie had.
"...Alright, if you say so. Just try to avoid them, anyway. Otherwise, we might be a cashier down at Food Mart."
Nodding, Aldrick went into the school, the chipper girl following him and pointing him in the direction of his first class.
His first period was ICM(2), taught by Ms. Gainsborough. She was a kind woman, offering to help with whatever problems that might rear their ugly heads. Aldrick chose a seat in the back of the class, and listened intently, glad that nobody really noticed his presence.
The teen's second period, taught by Professor Ansem, was Chemistry(3). According to Yuffie, he was originally a college professor, and despised people who called him 'mister' instead of professor. He was also strict, but, once again, Aldrick sat in the back and avoided attention.
Third period, History, was taught by Mr. Strife. With his blonde hair, unusually bright blue eyes, and his athletic physique, most of the girls in the school fantasized about him. Aldrick sat by a window and just stared out of it, carefully listening to the teacher's words in case the teen should write something down.
Finally, the time came that Aldrick had been dying for: Lunch. The cafeteria was huge and filled almost to the brim with students. Pulling a few crumpled dollars out of his pocket, he grabbed some snacks from the vending machines and headed outside.
Once outside, the teen let a cool autumn breeze blow by him, moving his hair around slightly. Remembering the directions Yuffie had given him for a quiet place that's usually devoid of people, he set out.
It was a small courtyard, filled mainly with dead and dying bushes. However, in the center of the tiny haven stood a tall Japanese cherry tree. Half it's leaves were on the ground, but the other half clung on like falling would end the world. The teen, awed by this sight, sat at the base of the tree, opened a bag of chips, and quietly ate his meal with his eyes closed, enjoying the solitude.
Getting ready to start on his second bag after finishing the first, he stopped as he heard a flick of something. He heard it twice, then it stopped, so he shrugged it off and continued eating in peace. However, that peace was shortened by a loud coughing, which startled Aldrick. He looked around to see where it was coming from, when he noticed a lit cigarette fall from above. Instinctively putting it out, he looked up, only to notice a black boot.
"Damn. I was hoping you wouldn't look up." came from the boot, followed by "You should move so I don't nail ya when I come down."
Picking up his stuff and moving out of the way, he just barely missed getting hit by a large duffel bag, which was shortly followed by a lacrosse stick. Getting a little further away, Aldrick watched as a large teen jumped down and landed on his feet with ease.
His bright blonde hair was sticking straight up due to the goggles on his forehead, and his body was muscular and large, which Aldrick could tell because of the slightly tight t-shirt the other teen wore. Combat boots, cargo pants, and a hooded sweatshirt tied around his waist, the gray-eyed teen wondered what kind of personality the guy had, because he definitely wasn't dressed like any average jock. Aldrick finally looked at the guy's face, and noticed the stubble that formed on his chin and the bandage on his left temple, but that wasn't what really got him staring. The eyes of the smoker were as clear and bright blue as the sky itself, and Aldrick could swear he could get lost in them if he stared long enough. Shaking himself out of his little trance, he tried to calmly say "You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for you."
With a hearty chuckle, the other teen responded with "I know that. Otherwise they wouldn't make me cough like that. Besides, I got a question for ya. How did you find out about this place?"
Aldrick stared at the ground, shuffling his foot. "Well...I didn't know you were here, and when Yuffie told me about this place..."
"Ah. That girl can't remember a thing. She knew I smoke here..." With that, he bent down and picked up the cigarette, which was now covered with dirt. "What a waste."
"Well...I should probably go. The bell's probably about to ring. Maybe...I'll see you later, or something." Aldrick, slightly embarrassed, started to head back, stopping only when the guy called out "Cid."
Turning with a confused look, Aldrick stood there for a minute before letting out a "What?"
"My name. It's Cid."
Registering it into his mind, the gray-eyed teen smiled and said "I'm...Aldrick...," then quickly walked away to his fourth period.
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"My name is Mr. Palazzo, and I will not be your friend." English, Aldrick's fourth period, was taught by Mr. Palazzo(4), who was basically an enigma. No one ever knew anything about him, except the fact that he was hard, strict, and didn't like people who were 'too good.' "I will not be your buddy, your partner, nor your savior. I am your teacher, and you will treat me like such."
All the students were standing in the back of the room, with Aldrick in the very back near Yuffie. This was the only class they had together, and were already dispelling thoughts of being able to just chat away in here. Looking at the teacher, Aldrick made a mental note that he didn't look that scary, but his eyes were cold.
"Now, I will call your last names, and you will sit at the groupings of desks I have assigned you to. No ifs, ands, or buts. Deal with it."
Aldrick started to tune the teacher out now, only keeping an ear open for his name, which came up shortly. "Highwind, Kiel, Kisaragi, and Tilmitt."
Sitting down next to Yuffie, he looked at the other girl, who introduced herself as Selphie. Aldrick had to admit she was cute, but had a hyperness to her that made Aldrick want to stay at a safe distance away. Finally looking to the other person, his jaw dropped as he realized who 'Highwind' really was.
"Cid?!"
With a small smirk, Cid thumbed his nose. "Yep. Looks like we not only have the same lunch(5), but fourth period as well."
Aldrick was about to say something else, but was interrupted by the teacher. "Highwind. I suggest you take those goggles off your head."
"Oh. Sorry." With that, he brought his goggles down around his neck, letting his hair fall slightly. Then, once everyone had been seated, class began.
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By the end of the class, the students had taken down two pages of notes and were assigned a paper that was due in one week. The subject? A report on any book they read over the summer. Most complained, but Aldrick stayed quiet, already planning out his paper.
The bell rang, and everyone left the room, with Yuffie and Aldrick coming out last. "Oh, I almost forgot. You're off today. Setzer told me last night." Yuffie said, then skipped away.
Sighing, Aldrick left the school and walked home. It was a fifteen minute walk, and the scenery was nice, so teen didn't mind walking.
Getting to the front door of his home, apartment 120 in the Radiant Garden developments, he pulled out his key from his book bag and opened the door. Closing the door behind himself, the smell of cheap booze assaulted his nostrils. A voice, which had a slight slur to it, called "Where the hell were you?" from the living room.
"School, Stahn. I started today, remember?" Aldrick's voice became cold and emotionless, and deeply contrasted his earlier mood. Passing through the kitchen and grabbing a leftover Chinese take-out box, he headed into his room before the man could say anything else.
Setting the box on his nightstand, he pulled out some paper and started writing his paper, occasionally staring at either his bathroom door or the corner of his bed, shaking his head after each glance. Finally, talking to himself, he said "Not today...just...not today..."
To be continued...
(1): I couldn't put seifer in my story without making him say that.
(2): Introduction to College Math. Mainly trigonometry.
(3): In my school (cause I'm not sure about other schools) A person can take either Chemistry or Physics their junior year, and be done with science. Some will take one their junior year and the other their senior year.
(4): If you know who I'm referring to, I'll love you forever...maybe...(hint: he's not from KH, but is from FF)
(5): My school has two lunches. Depending on what third period you have, you would either have lunch before the third period or after it.
I like where this story is going, so it might take more priority than my other one I'm working on now, but I tend to still work on both. Also, I haven't gotten a notice from on adding my chapter five to The Past, so I'm letting some of my other reader who see this know about the fact that yes, I did update the story.
Anyway, R&R please!