Sunset Angels

Chapter 1: The Arrival


The soft sunlight shone onto a big rectangular ocean blue car as the tree leaves around the car rustled and rhymed with the birds' chirping in sweet harmony. A certain black-haired girl leaned on the car's upper right car door, which is open to the driver's seat. She checked her sea blue watch, it was almost 3.00 pm. How long do Wren and Ivy are going to take just to buy some 'last minute supplies'? They had been inside for a good hour for god's sake! The girl lifted up her face, revealing her azure orbs and delicate pinkish lips, and stared at the small shopping shop doors just about a meter away from her.

"Xi! What is taking those two sea hags so long!? Why can't we just leave them here and go to the mountain ourselves?" A loud female voice boomed into the girl's ears. The girl turned and faced an angry-looking redhead girl, who has her arms crossed in front of her chest. It looked like she got pissed-off by those two witches. "I believe I can't do that. And how should I know, Kairi?" the black haired girl said to the redhead, Kairi. "Maybe they don't want to "waste" their energy to carry their stupid groceries bags." As if on cue, an annoying high-pitched voice cried out from the shop's door, "Hey Xion Lockhart! Carry these bags! Hurry up, you lazy-and-good-for-nothing nanny!"

The dark headed girl, named Xion gave out a big sigh before turned to face one super skinny blond girl and a brunette who has buck teeth and looked like an egg from a distance. Beside their feet are FIFTEEN large plastic bags of groceries. Xion stared at the bags with wide eyes before advanced towards them. 'Great….'

Her name is Xion Lockhart; 19 years old, going 20; part time job as a nurse in a small but nice hospital in a small town called Twilight Town and a student in Twilight College. When she didn't have shift in the hospital, she went to Dr. Vexen's (a doctor that she worked along with) house to do housework and taking care of his two daughters, Ivy and Wren. But she was always been boss around those two annoying and ugly imps. Sometimes they told her to do a lot of extra works and they used her salary to threaten her. It was a tough job for everyone, even for god.

It was the starting of April, there were a long summer holiday from school and the hospital had also granted her this three months holiday as thanks for taking care of the patients. With no school and work for three months, her two best friends had planned to go to a far out mountain called Devil's Mount. It got the name from a deep and dark cave called Devil's Gut at the top of the mountain, which some people said they swore they saw a few unidentified medium-sized creatures in the dark.

Kairi, Xion's best redhead friend, said that she had been to that place and it would be the perfect place to relax themselves from the all the stress they got from school and jobs. It was good news for Xion; she always wanted to get away from those two wicked children as far as possible. Xion's sister, Tifa, had called her the other night and asked if she could take care of her daughter (Xion's niece), Mai, for two months as she and her husband, Leon went for a second honeymoon on the cruise ship around the world. With no reason to protest, Xion had agreed. After all, they can go to the mountain and have some fun together. It had been 2 years since they last met.

However, just two days before they are going to the mountain, Dr. Vexen somehow found out that they were going for a holiday trip. So, he insisted that they should bring along his daughters with them. Xion swore the moment she heard that, lightnings strikes and thunders roared above them. 'There goes my relaxing vacation…' Xion thought as she loaded the last groceries bag into the back trunk. She shut the lid tightly close and advanced towards the driver's door. She went in, sat down, fastened her seatbelt and turned around to see her passengers. Her blonde cousin, Namine, was sitting in the car seat beside her, or some others people called it 'death seat'. The car was big, so there were six backseats. Three at the middle of the car and the other three at the back, near the rear. Kairi and Mai sat at the middle backseat and Ivy and Wren sat at the back. They said they wanted to keep a distance from them.

Mai and Kairi were laughing as they tried tickled each others' side. Ivy was checking her manicured nails while Wren was gobbling up a bag of potato chips they brought in the store just a few minutes ago.

"Do we have everything we need?" Xion asked as she started up the engine. After everyone nodded their head, Xion pulled up the hand break, set the car to second gear, stepped on the accelerator panel and drove towards their destination.

Leon was a good friend of one of the teachers in a driving school. Xion had taken lessons there, so she was able to receive her driving license quickly since she was a quick learner. Since she was the oldest of the group and the only one with a driving license, she is the only one who can bring them to the mountain. The sun was beating hot onto them and the air-conditioners were not helping at all. So, she winded down a few windows, letting the cool wind entered the car. A few refreshing sighs was heard from Namine, Kairi and Mai. While the other two just complaining the wind messing up their 'beautiful hair'. Xion would have told them to shut up, if they weren't using their father's name to threaten her. She needed the money. Ivy and Wren were Dr. Vexen's favourite girls, if they told him she treated badly towards them. She will lose the job for sure. Xion just softly sighed and drive silently throughout the rest of the two hours journey.

Along the trip, Mai, Kairi and Namine were planning some activities they will do tomorrow, because they were sure when they reached the camp site, it would be almost evening. Xion flashed a few smile, seeing her niece having such a good time and Namine was noting down the activities in her notepad/sketchbook. Xion tried to focus on the conversation between Ivy and Wren. She heard them saying something like, flirt with some 'work boys' and having a one day long spa. Xion tried her best not to laugh. She was sure that all the boys will run away from them at first sight and even with a one day long spa, they will look as hideous as always. Not even a million spas will make them pretty. Two hours passed and Xion pulled the car to a halt in front of the main office building of Devil's Mount. It was almost sunset and the mountain breeze is getting colder than before.

"We'll wait here, Ms. Lockhart. Go inside and get things settled," Ivy decided, holding her manicured nails up for inspection through the sky's dim lighting. "And be quick about it! God knows this has been the journey from hell." She drew her eyes up to scan meaningfully over to the other three people in front of her, but her eyes stayed onto the black-haired Mai, who was laughing with Kairi.

"Hey! Don't look at my niece like that! If you don't like to be with us, then you should have walked on foot hours ago!" Xion raised her voice and glared at Ivy Jones, who winced by her sudden anger. Xion was infuriated by her and her annoying voice. How she wanted to smack her across the face. Xion cooled down and looked warmly at her niece, "Now aunt is going to get us registered okay? Be a good girl with Namine and Kairi. I'll be right back." Mai smiled and nodded to her like an innocent little angel. Xion smiled back and opened the car door. She exited the ocean blue car and walking towards the large building. She gazed at the sunset, which was flaming red and slowly disappearing in the distance. The sunset was even more beautiful than the one in Twilight Town that she loves so much. It seems appropriate when she heard Namine was humming the melody 'Lazy Afternoon' to Mai. It was a family tradition sound in her big family, and she loves it ever since she was just a toddler. Xion hummed a little to herself as she stepped into the building.

The office was beautiful, the walls and flooring crafted in hew-out timber. The entryway was lined with delicate paintings framed in gold. As she entered the area surrounding the main desk, the motif changed.

Small and large photos, appearing to be previous guests of the recreational area/camp, seemed to be pasted everywhere. Xion was studying one in particular, a handsome blond teenage laughing, showing his perfect pearl white teeth. He was frozen in time, a large fish included in the pose, obviously his prized catch and a great one for a boy around his age. Another boy was next to him, with chocolate brown hair and was helping the blond holding the heavy-looking fish. Xion was caught up by the picture that she didn't notice a teenage boy stood beside her.

"Miss, can I be of assistance?"

Xion jumped and swung around to meet a teenage boy older than her with blue eyes and very spiky chocolate brown hair. She looked at the boy in shock, then looked back to the picture, then looked back to the boy. They were the same person. Oh~ She must be looking pretty dumb looking right now.

The boy smiled friendly and pointed to himself who was in the photo, "I believe you found out that that boy was me, huh?" Xion only nodded. "Are you Ms. Lockhart?" Xion nodded again.

"Well… Er, yes. Do you have reservations for the Jones/Minami group?" She asked as she followed the brunette to the register desk.

The boy scanned the register, his brows lifting as they scrolled the names. "Yes, here it is. Two cabins, one with two bedrooms – each with king-sized bed, one with three bedrooms with double bed in each." Xion nodded to him. It was exactly what had been rearranged by Ivy. She and Wren will share the one with king size beds and Xion and the others will share the other one. "Yup. That's right." Xion softly replied.

The boy stretched out his hand to her and said, "The name Sora Strife. But just call me Sora. Nice to meet you." Xion smiled and shook his hand. "I'm Xion Lockhart. But you have to call me Xion if you want me to call you by your name, Mr. Strife."

Sora chuckled softly, "Please don't call me that. I might mistake that you are calling my brother or father. Call me Sora, Ms. Lo– I mean, Xion." Xion smiled again. "That's much better. Do you mind show us the way to the cabin, Sora?"

Sora shook his head, "Nop. I can drive you all there if you want." Xion tried to protest but Sora said it was fine. She accepted defeat and allowed him afterward. Sora smiled and collected the proper keys for the cabins. "It will better I bring you there. Your cabin was around the back and it was a bit tricky to locate, especially when night falls." Sora followed Xion outside and saw Kairi was chasing Mai around. Maybe Mai was tired of sitting in the car for the whole day. "Come on, Mai, Kairi. Let's get back to the car." Xion said when the two of them was coming towards their direction in great speed. Mai made a sudden left turn in front of Sora. Kairi, however, was not fast enough to make a turn and ended up bumped into Sora. Both of them lose their footing and fell onto the ground. Xion, Namine and Mai were shocked by their fall and also the awkward position they were in. Kairi's hands were rested on Sora's chest, pinning him down. Sora's arms were kind of warped around Kairi's waist, and their face was only a few centimeters from each other. A little push will make them ended up kissing. Kairi was absorbed into Sora's beautiful blue eyes and so was Sora. They stayed in that position for awhile before Kairi snapped out from her mind and quickly got off him. That's also when she realized she had landed on him.

"So-so- So sorry!" Kairi stammered and apologized to Sora as he got himself up from the ground. "It's okay. It was an accident anyway." He said and dusted off a few dust from his clothes. Xion looked at Kairi to make sure that she's alright, but instead, she caught a hint of pink on her cheeks. It seems like Mr. Brunette here had made Ms. Redhead blushed. She looked at Namine to see her expression and it looks like she had the same thought in her mind.

"You're okay, lady?" Sora asked as he walked neared to Kairi. Kairi shook her head quickly, trying to hide her blush. 'Why am I like this? It must be the heat just now…' Kairi thought as she turned and ran back to the car, feeling embarrassed. Xion, Mai, Namine and Sora followed behind. Xion sat beside Sora and Namine sat with Kairi and Mai at the backseat. Xion had to know the way, so Namine insisted that she should seat beside Sora while he drive.

Sora pulled up the hand break and set to second gear and drove towards their cabin. Xion concentrated on the layout of the area. Tiny cabins were silhouetted in the shadow of the fading sun, looking quaint and inviting. If not for Evy Johns and Wren Johns, this trip could have been a slice of paradise - which it was originally intended to be. Sora made a sharp right turn and arrived at their cabins. Xion realized that their cabins was surrounded by the woods in a circle, have total privacy from other tourists and cabins. Just right after Sora pulled the car to a stop, the girls exited the car in lightning speed. Xion and Sora got off the car afterwards. "Here's the key." Sora said and passed two cabins keys to her. "Thank you, So-" Xion was about to thanks Sora when she suddenly felt something sharp scratched her palm. She flinched and let the keys fell to the ground. "Hey! Don't do that again next time!" She heard Sora's angry voice. But he wasn't angry at her. Xion opened her eyes and saw the one that Sora was talking to was Ivy. In her hand was her cabin's key. It seems like it was Ivy's nails that had scratched her just now when she tried to snatch the key from her hand. Xion checked her palm and realized that there was a thin cut and was oozing a little blood. Xion took no more attention to her cut and picked up her cabin's key that had dropped to the ground.

"Yeah, right." Ivy said emotionless and walked towards her cabin with Wren to settle for the night. Xion then realized they didn't bring their luggage along with them. Huh~ It seems like she had to bring their luggage to them, plus the fifteen groceries bag they had brought. Xion turned towards Namine and passed the key to her. "Here's the key to our cabin. We all should rest first, before carry out any activities. Please bring along your luggage." Namine nodded and went to get the luggage out from the back trunk. Kairi and Mai helped her too.

Sora was telling Xion as she looked Namine and the other two went into their cabin, "If you happen to need anything, here is a number where assistance can be reached twenty-four seven. I think that should about do it. Oh," he added, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully. "Your cabin does not have a kitchen as the cabin with the kings does, but there is a cantina about a quarter of a mile down the road." He reached up and pointed to the west, Xion catching the flickering lights in the distance.

'Yes,' Xion thought in silence, 'King beds for queen bees. And who says that queens are sting-free? One of them just stung me. How I wish she had perished by now.' She nodded and let Sora continued, "It's open twenty-four hours a day. I think that Zexion is on duty tonight and he'll be happy to conjure up anything he got and read from his recipe books. That usually includes squirrels and his special dish of fried grasshopper."

Xion swallowed hard, suddenly felt ill.

She recovered a little as he added, "Of course, you can have ordinary hamburgers or pizzas if you're not up to the challenge. Zexion won't mind anyway. Any questions, Xion?"

Xion shook her head, tucking the number into her jeans pocket. "No. That sounds like everything I need to know, and some unexpected one too." She smiled, and a flying grasshopper appeared in her mind.

Suddenly, Sora asked her the most unexpected question, "Em… What's the name of the redhead girl?" Xion eyes were wide opened. Does he have a feeling to Kairi already? Surely, she caught a little faint of red on his face when Kairi fell onto him and both of them staring at each others for a good minute. Well, since they both got attracted to each other, she had to help them. She wanted them to be happy, and Sora seems to be a good guy. Better than Demyx, that's for sure. "Kairi. Kairi Minami is her name." Sora mouthed her name and smiled like a happy fool, bigger than the one he gave her in the building just now.

"Well Xion. Since there's nothing else you need now. I'll be going then. I hate to be scolded by my own brother again. Bye!" Sora said and advanced downhill back to the main office. Xion inspected the sky. Only a faint of red is notice at the far west horizon. 'I better bring those two witches' luggage to their cabin before they turned into hideous monsters by sunset.

Xion walked to the car's back trunk and found out that the luggage had already taken out and placed on the ground. Xion smiled. That's the old, kind Namine she knew. To save up time, she picked up a large luggage in each hand and used her last two fingers to pick up the two lightest plastic bags. Xion hurried walked towards the two wicked 17 years old girls' cabin and knocked their door with her leg. Hoping they will at least opened the door for her to put in the luggage. For god's sake, Wren opened the door a little and walked back to watch the television in the small living room. With another soft kick with her leg, the door opened wide enough for her to pass through. She placed the luggage down and went back to her car to get the remaining bags. After making two more shifts, she finally brought all their items into their cabin. Knowing Ivy and Wren will not give thanks; Xion just walked out the door and closed it without saying anything.

Her luggage wasn't in the car, so it must have been brought in by either Namine or Kairi. Feeling exhausted from the driving journey, Xion decided to retreat to her room and took a good nice rest. After making sure that her car was locked up, she watched the last sun ray disappeared behind the far mountains before went into her cabin.

Unknown to her, a pair of eyes were watching her from a nearby tree.


That's it for this chapter. So who is the mysterious person? You're found out in the later chapters. Review Plz! Thx!