Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Except Mina.
Sora opened his locker, grabbing his math book and folder. Sure, he had his least favorite class next, but at least he wouldn't be alone. The school year had just begun, but he was already anxious for summer. Kingdom Hearts Middle School wasn't the best school on the Destiny Islands-although it was said to be the best boarding school in the world-and he, in truth, couldn't stand it sometimes. Nevertheless, he enjoyed hanging with his friends at least.
Speaking of friends, he noticed the redhead attempting to sneak up on him and grinned. "C'mon Kairi, you can do better!" The girl giggled and ran over to Sora. They were both in the 7th grade this year and were almost the same age. While he was already 13, she was still 12 and would stay that way for another month.
"I just got done talking to Riku; turns out he has the same lunch period we do. He wants us all to sit at the table closest to the podium in the cafeteria. That okay with you?" Sora nodded eagerly, his trademark grin coming out.
"Okay. See you in science next period, M'kay?"
"Of course, if I live through math that is." Kairi socked him lightly in the arm and shook her head. "Well who knows, I might not make it!"
"I highly doubt that!" Kairi had already grabbed her stuff for writing and left for her class. Sora watched her leave, but the bell signaling his math period went off and he shoved his locker closed, dashing through the halls to his class.
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Mina sighed as she walked to her next class with her best friend, Yuffie Kisaragi. "So, are you gonna talk to Leon today?" She teased, nudging the ninja with her elbow. Yuffie giggled and shoved Mina away, saying something like 'as if'. The crimson-eyed girl stumbled to the side and tripped, hitting her head on someone's open locker door. Stumbling, she fell backwards until a hand grasped hers.
Her wide eyes met blue-green ones as the hand pulled her up. He had silver hair, pretty long for a boy's, and surprisingly pale skin.
The boy, in turn, was surprised at her. She had crimson red eyes and short lavender hair with bangs framing her delicate facial features. At the same time, she had an aura about her and a grip that told him she wasn't a weakling and a presence not to be ignored.
"Are you alright?" She was using her free hand to run the top of her head where she'd hit the metal.
"Yeah, thanks for the hand." At the mention of said body part, both parties realized theirs' were still holding the others. They separated abruptly and Mina nodded.
"My name's Mina, yours?"
"Riku." She suddenly recognized him. Yuffie had informed her he was the hottest guy in 8th grade (Besides Leon whom, in Mina's opinion, was clearly second place.) A blush stained her cheeks even as a third student approached.
"Are you coming to class Riku?" There stood the infamous Squall Leonhart. I heard Yuffie behind me-when the hell had she gotten there?-pushing past and tackling the male.
"Hey Squallie!" Those two, along with Aerith and Cloud, went way back. Speaking of Aerith and Cloud, they were both here as well. They all had recently befriended Mina, as she and Yuffie were long-time friends.
"Get off!" Before Yuffie could deny the order, he pushed her off and stood, dusting himself off. He gave her a venomous glare but she only stuck her tongue out. Aerith covered her mouth with her hand to keep back the giggle threatening to come out.
"Yuffie," she finally managed to say, "You better hurry to class. The rest of us too." The bell rang and the young people made quick good-byes.
"Hey, Kairi, Sora, and I are sitting near the podium at lunch. Wanna sit with us?" Riku invited. The others agreed, some with an enthusiastic "Yes!" and others with a curt nod. Either way, the group agreed to meet then and split up to their own classes.
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Lunch
"So then Ms. Brownell told me if I wanted to make paper airplanes I could do it on my own time and I told her my whole life was my time! Then she started to look like she would crush her dumb ole' glasses 'cause her eyes were so scrunched together so I stopped, but her face was as red as Mina's eyes!" Yuffie was laughing hard as she told of the events of her science class.
"Yuffie, that's not very nice!" Aerith said, trying to keep a smile from her face. The hyperactive ninja pouted and looked at the ground.
"No, its not," Cloud agreed, "But even you don't like Ms. B." There were nods from around the table.
"You know Yufs; you should have taken that paper airplane and thrown it right in her face!" Sora encouraged her antics, being just as immature. Kairi giggled helplessly as he looked to her for approval.
"Oh great…" Riku muttered. The rest of the lunch period would undoubtedly be spent plotting war on the mean teachers. So busy was he, he almost didn't notice the hand on his right sneaking to the sour cream and onion chips on his tray. He seized Yuffie's wrist and shoved it away, careful not to hurt her. "Watch it…" he warned her. Yuffie pouted, but continued devouring her apple.
"Hey, did anyone sign up for the Teacher's Aid program but me?" Aerith asked. It was a program for 8th graders where smart kids could skip one class during the week and go to one of the younger grades to help a teacher for the period. Most just used it to get out of class, but Aerith was very intelligent and really wanted to help the younger students.
"I did," Riku muttered, "And I fully plan to use it to skip history whenever possible." History was Riku's worst class, although he passed it each trimester. Everyone grinned at this and the silver-haired teen just shrugged.
"Sounds like a blast, but I prefer my own choice of extra-curricular."
"So then," Squall asked, "What is your choice of extra-curriculars Mina? Ballet?" She looked at him with a gaze that clearly insinuated hate.
"Actually, I made the soccer team." Mina smiled proudly as many faces turned to look at her. Very few girls made the soccer team, and the ones who did were almost always 8th graders. As this thought lingered in the air, a presence behind Mina made itself known.
"Oh, so this is the little wench that snuck onto the soccer team, eh? Well, I suppose the team needs something to do in the locker room." Everyone noticed the suggestive tone in the boy's voice. Looking back, they saw it was Xemnas. He was the same age as Riku and Leon, but had a completely different persona. Xemnas had a big mouth and hated everyone but his lackey, Siefer. They were both jocks and had made the soccer team since 5th grade, when they'd first come to this school. Mina had been one of the biggest thorns in their sides since she came, but she wasn't the only one.
Another girl came from behind and tapped Xemnas on the shoulder. She had sky blue locks with crimson eyes not unlike Mina's. Although she was slim, she was also muscular enough to pose a definite threat. Beside her stood another girl who looked as fierce as her friend did.
The first girl smirked with satisfaction at the pissed-off look on Xemnas' face. "What, is Siefer still putting on his little shows for you all?" Both of the boys were glaring at her now. Siefer punched at her, but she grabbed his hand in midair. A second fist came and she dealt with it in a similar fashion.
"You look a little tied up!" He laughed cruelly at her, but the smirk never left her face. Her leg flew up and connected perfectly with his happy place.
"Ugh!" Siefer backed off and Xemnas pulled him away, muttering something about settling the score later.
"Kiko! Tifa!" Mina jumped up and put her arms around the blue-haired teen. Kiko embraced Mina as well.
"Hey little sister, I wondered when we would meet today. Just coming back from gym, thought I'd give you a hand." Tifa walked over to her friends and engaged in a polite conversation with Cloud about the P.E instructor.
These friends were all close, and together they will brave the harsh challenges of Middle School. With all their strengths and weakness' they shall band together to ride the stormy seas. But will they make it to shore? Or drown on the journey?