Chapter 2
Magicians and Creatures
Roxas pulled up outside Reno's semi-detached house, his breaks screeching to a steady stop down the silent street. His fingers fumbled with his seatbelt and there was a quick click. The belt unravelled. In a second he was slouched in his seat, his knees squashed against the steering wheel and his eyes closed. His muscles ached and his bones popped, his entire frame drooping inwards like a dying flower.
Behind him, shuffling around in a state of delirium on the back seat, Axel took a deep breath and moaned a bunch of gibberish. The redhead's spiky hair was flat, frizzy, and plastered to his sweaty forehead. The collar of his shirt was drenched and there were dark circles of sweat under both his arms. Every breath was ragged and rattled from his chest like an old man. When he gulped there was a strained squeak in his throat, as if his airways were too tight, and his eyes were scrunched painfully shut.
Roxas took the keys out of the ignition and the engine cut out. Deafening silence surrounded him as he got out of the car. He attempted to look through the darkness, but it was a vain and fruitless idea that just wasted time.
The night was still pitch black, with only grey streetlamps illuminating the area in a fuzzy yellow glow. Moths circled and bumped into the light, their wings pinging off the glass as they buzzed away. Somewhere on Roxas's right an owl hooted loudly in a tree, trying to wake the neighborhood, but the houses on all sides of the street remained in darkness. There were no cars on the road, but Roxas could hear them occasionally in the distance, rushing up and down on the motorway. It settled his nerves a little. Knowing somebody was out there, that he could get help, it comforted him. He wasn't alone, and that was a good thing. He didn't like being alone.
He opened Axel's door and hunched inside, trying to ease the redhead into a sitting position.
"No… No, I won't… ngh…" He tried to push Roxas away, but his blurry vision sent his aim spiraling to the floor and he choked back a mouthful of sick. "Never…" he gasped, "I'll never… never be…"
"Absolutely wasted," Roxas muttered under his breath. "Come on, let's get you inside."
Gently easing Axel's arm around his shoulder, he crouched awkwardly in the car and hoisted him out. He staggered under the redhead's weight, swaying backwards and almost toppling over the curb. He reached out blindly and balanced himself against a tree. Cursing under his breath, he shimmied Axel further up and dragged him towards the house, nudging the car door shut with his foot.
SLAM!
He flinched. The sound echoed and rebounded down the street and a light flickered on in a neighbor's house at the far end of the road.
Roxas quickly pulled Axel away, but it wasn't easy. The redhead staggered and swayed, lurching forward and dragging his weight with him until they almost toppled to the ground and got a face full of mud. Roxas yanked him up with a loud grunt. The weight on his shoulders was beginning to leave a dull ache that throbbed down his spine and pulled his lower back. He grit his teeth together and carried on, his arms shaking under Axel's heavy frame.
"Why do you weigh so much?" he muttered, propping Axel against the side of the house whilst he searched for the right key. "Skinny bastard."
The front door opened and Roxas took the chance to lock the car door before he helped Axel stagger inside. With both hands busy he couldn't reach the light switch, so he was forced to fumble through an open archway in the dark, into what he presumed was the living room.
Moonlight streamed in through the open blinds and illuminated the room in a silver glow. White light and shadows were cast over every item, and Roxas's sharp eyes saw everything clearly in the half-light.
It was a square room, with a pair of closed double doors that led to the front room and an archway that provided a clear view of the kitchen. In the corner of the living room was a fifty inch Samsung TV and a rich oak mantelpiece with a log burning fire that was the centerpiece of the room. The coffee table had a white bowl filled with fresh fruit and a few old TV guides scattered on its surface, and the three-seater couch was made of chocolate-coloured fabric, so thick and bouncy that you could sink into the cushions. Near the front door was a collection of shoes, two pairs of slippers, and a green plant in a large blue pot that looked like it was in desperate need of water.
Axel sagged further down Roxas's side, physically panting with exhaustion. "Fairy… On the roof…"
Roxas stared at him blankly, not sure how to process the words. "Okay… if you say so. C'mon, let's get you settled."
He half-carried and half-dragged Axel into the living room and eased him down on the couch. The redhead groaned and buried his face into the soft cushions, his back arched and every muscle stretched and tense. Slowly, with a deep moan, he relaxed and curled inwards, dragging a cushion to his chest and wrapping around it like a kid with belly ache.
Roxas walked back to the front door and locked it, leaving the key on the side. He flicked the living room light on and pulled the curtains too, shutting out the moonlight. When he walked past Axel and into the kitchen he heard the redhead's soft mutterings, but he couldn't make any sense of them so he ignored it.
The kitchen was simple, with white cupboards, a small four-seater table, and basic utilities. Roxas searched the cupboards for a small white bowl and filled it will cool water. He looked around for a blanket and spotted the dryer, where he found a fluffy red fleece that was still warm.
"That's lucky," he mumbled, untangling it from jeans and t-shirts before folding it over his arm and dunking a clean cloth into the white bowl.
He returned to the living room and knelt in front of the couch, placing the bowl carefully on the floor in front of him. Unfolding the blanket, he tucked it around Axel, making sure he was evenly covered and warm.
Axel's eyes opened half-way and he stared at Roxas, his eyebrows furrowed and one eye squinted. "What are you?"
Roxas stiffened, his eyes wide with shock. He scowled, his heart thrum-thump-ing so fast that he could hear it in his ears. He swallowed difficultly and spoke with a cold, flat tone, trying to seem indifferent.
"What do you mean?"
A cold drop of sweat rolled down Axel's neck and landed on his back, making him shiver. His head pounded and his blurry vision swayed like he was drunk. He tried to focus on the blob of blond, the pale skin, and the blue eyes, but the bright white aura was blinding him. "What… are you?" he asked again, his voice cracking mid-sentence.
"You're not making sense," Roxas whispered. He dunked the cloth into the bowl of water, wrung it out, and dropped it on Axel's head.
"Fuck!" Axel yelped, his voice strained and high pitched. Turning round, he squirmed closer to the back of the couch and flung the cloth away with a quick shake of his head.
Thwap. It landed on the edge of the table and sagged onto the floor, creating a soggy puddle.
Roxas stared at the wet patch with an unimpressed sigh. "Just go to sleep."
There was a comfy armchair in the corner of the room, made from faded brown leather that was patchy and well-worn. The chair croaked as Roxas sank into it, and hegroaned with it as every muscle in his body relaxed.
Across from him, Axel pulled the blanket further up his body. Roxas watched and listened for five minutes until he heard the redhead's steady breathing. He thought about getting up to turn off the light, but he was too comfy. Instead he rested his head back and tucked his knees up to his chest. His tired eyes slipped shut and he curled into the chair, tucking his hands under his armpits to keep warm and promising himself he would only nap for ten minutes.
"Roxas…?"
"Ngh…" Something poked him, but he batted it away.
"Roxas. Hey, wake up."
It nudged him harder, grabbing his clothes and shaking him.
"Wake up, Roxas."
"Five more minutes, Cloud…"
Someone laughed. "Roxas, if you don't wake up you're fired."
"Huh?" He struggled to open his eyes and blinked groggily. In front of him was a tuft of red hair, blue eyes, and a smirking mouth. He took a deep breath and leaned his head back. "Time 's it, Reno?"
Reno's smirk widened into a smile and Roxas got a clear look at him. He was crouched over Roxas, his hands on his knees and his shoulders hunched up. There was a purpling bruise on his left cheek and a scratch on the other; someone's nails had dug deep in his skin and left three clear scratches with crusty blood trails. His shirt was untucked, ruffled, and he smelled like a bonfire.
"Reno…" Roxas sat up, his mouth open in shock. "What happened?"
"I found you here fast asleep with a blanket hanging over you, that's what's happened. I thought you was supposed to be looking after him?" He thumbed over his shoulder at Axel, who was still sprawled out on the couch and fast asleep.
"Blanket? No, I…" He looked down and saw an expensive red blanket with fine gold stitching pooled in his lap. He frowned and thumbed the warm fabric, trying to wake up and remember what had happened. "I guess, maybe I—"
"Roxas, I don't think you should work at the club anymore."
"Huh?" Roxas looked up at his battered boss. "What? Why? My trial period's over, you said I did great!"
"And you did," Reno said, patting the blond's knee. "But you clearly can't hack the night shift."
Roxas scowled at him. "I can do it. I know I can, Reno."
"We're not talking about this now. Drop by the club later and we'll see. Half seven should be ok," he said, the dull tone in his voice ending the topic. "Don't you think you should go home already?"
Blinking dumbly, Roxas stared at the bright light that was flooding in behind the curtains. His heart dropped into his stomach and a large lump formed in his throat. "What, er… What time is it?"
"Twelve thirty —"
"Twelve thirty?! Crap!" He leapt up and flung the blanket back, using Reno's shoulder to propel himself forward in one flustered movement. He stood in the centre of the living room, yanking his hair with his hands. "Cloud's gonna kill me," he muttered. "I am so dead. So, so dead."
"I came by here earlier," Reno said, ignoring Roxas's meltdown and stealing a seat in the now-vacant chair. He crossed his legs and picked at the dirt under his fingernails. "You were fast asleep."
"Why didn't you wake me up?!"
"I tried. You was dead to the world. So, being the great guy I am, I gave Cloud a lift to work."
"You… you did? That's awesome! Thank god."
"You need to pick him up at eight tonight."
"Eight?" He frowned and stopped tugging at his hair, trying to ignore the small pending headache he had caused himself. "But you said I need to be at the club at half seven."
"I did, didn't I." Reno grinned, the scratches on his cheek pulling upwards.
"Well how am I supposed to do that? It's impossible. How could I—"
"You know what, kiddo? I have no idea. All I know is that I have a business to run and if you're serious about being able to manage this job, then I need you there unloading stock at half seven sharp."
An annoying twitch hounded Roxas's left eye. "You're not making my life easy."
"Who said life's easy? Tut tut, Roxas, I thought you were smarter than that." He stood and wrapped an arm loosely around Roxas's shoulders, tugging him close. "And with that, I think you should be going. Thanks for taking care of Axel, I appreciate it, but I can take it from here."
"That's it? But—"
"No buts." He wagged a finger in the blond's face and ushered him to the front door. "I'll see you at half seven tonight and not a second later, ok?" He opened the front door and a cold gust of wind blasted them in the face. "Have a fun day kiddo."
Roxas turned around just in time to watch the front door slam in his face. He waited, glaring at the door for a moment, but when Reno didn't return and nothing happened he gave up and walked away.
The wind picked up and rustled the brown leaves in the trees, blowing some to the floor where they landed in puddles and made make-shift boats for small insects. The air felt damp and the floor was coated with a thin sheen of water, as if it had rained hard for an hour and then given up.
Looking around, the neighborhood was much brighter in the day, but hardly livelier. Leaves were mushed into the path to create a brown overcoat, cars had been drenched, the road was still deserted, and the curtains in each house remained drawn. Police sirens roared in the distance and a car skidded. Cold wind buffeted Roxas's pink cheeks and stole his misty breath, leaving him shivering. He dunked his hands into his pockets and glanced back at Reno's house.
Nothing. No movement whatsoever. Just drawn curtains and silence, like the rest of the street.
Roxas's keys clattered and the car opened. He scuffed his feet as he walked, digging up as many leaves as possible before he sank into the driver's seat and started the engine. It spluttered and bellowed into life, eager to pull away. The radio was broken, but he could still hear the wind and the faint crackle of breaking leaves free-falling from the trees.
He was about to pull away, one foot down on the clutch and the other hovering over the accelerator, but he paused. He slipped the car back into neutral and released the clutch.
'Cloud…' he thought, reaching into his pocket for his phone. 'He never called?'
His thumb glided across the lock screen and he waited with baited breath.
He couldn't believe it. There was nothing… No call, no text, no message, not even an inbox. He checked his settings.
"Aeroplane mode? What the hell?"
He changed the setting from on to off and waited. After a minute of constant vibrations in his hand, the phone stilled. Seven voicemails, nineteen texts, four Facebook messages, and, surprisingly, one email.
Not wanting to deal with Cloud's angry voice, he read his texts first.
(06:31) Hayner: So… Next week is the full moon again, dude. You think you can help me out?
(06:55) Ventus: Do you know where the laptop charger is? I can't find it.
(07:09) Hayner: I mean, it's ok if you're busy. But we both know you're the best guy for the job :D
(07:10) Ventus: NVM. Found it. Please clean your room, I can't find anything.
(08:00) Riku: Hey, you ok? You looked pale last night. And that's coming from me.
(08:30) Namine: Hi, I know it's early, but can we talk? I feel like there's something weird going on and I need someone smart to double check with to make sure I'm not going insane.
(10:22) Cloud: Roxas, where are you? It's half ten!
(10: 31) Cloud: Are you on your way?
(10:34) Cloud: Roxas, turn your phone on and pick up!
(10:39) Sora: Hi Rox! Cloud called. You have his car, right? He wants to know where you are and he's really mad. Rather you than me : - )
(10:42) Cloud: Roxas, this isn't funny. I'm going to be late.
(10:45) Cloud: This is the last time you are borrowing my car. If you do not get your butt here in the next five minutes we are going to have big problems, Roxas!
(10:50) Zack: Roxas, Cloud just called, where are you? Why is your phone even off?
(10:51) Hayner: Cloud called. Don't go home dude, he is super pissed off with you XD Oh, and btw, are we good with next week?
(10:53) Cloud: Your boss picked me up. Wait till you get home.
(11:00) Zack: You should really tell people if you're staying out, you know. I thought you was the responsible kid?
(12:00) Sora: You do know today's the nineteenth, right? Did you forget about college? What a way to start the semester haha Get yourself here as soon as, ok? It's weird not having you in class : - )
(12:11) Ventus: Going out, hope you remembered to take your key : - )
(12:23) Namine: So, coffee…?
Roxas ran a hand through his spiky hair and looked at the keys dangling just under the steering wheel. He still had Cloud's key so he wasn't locked out, but he wasn't ready to go home yet.
He opened Namine's thread and messaged her back: Coffee sounds great. Meet at half one in Station Café?
Dropping his phone into his pocket, he changed into first gear, checked his mirrors and drove off.
Station Café was in the centre of town, squished between Royal Mary's Shoe Shop and a rundown charity shop that raised money for the blind. The mix left the café smelling of new leather and mothballs, with the sound of the radio booming through the bricks on the left and damp crawling in on the right.
It was a small café, with only one smudge-stained window you could see through. It was long rather than tall or wide, with a pathway leading to the back where the kitchen was, and a series of tables on either side. The counter was at the back, so if you wanted food you had to scooch between tables and chairs, excusing yourself and sucking in your stomach to try and fit between the squished spaces and reach the till. Energy saving bulbs drowned the café in a soft warm light that was darker at the edges and a little too bright in the middle, but several odd and misshaped lamps placed randomly in different corners made sure that nobody sat in complete darkness.
Today was Monday, the first day of college, and it was half one. Everyone was at work or school, but somehow the café was still overwhelmed by the sound of chatter and clattering plates.
Roxas pushed the door open and a small bell tinkled above the door. A few people looked up at him before deciding he was unimportant and continuing their conversations with the people next to them.
The blond shook some of the rain off his shoulders and wiped his feet on the brown welcome mat. Rain drops dripped off his wet hair and landed on his cheeks, slipping down his jaw and onto the brown coat he had found and stolen from the back of Cloud's car. The beads of water chilled him instantly and his numb fingers fiddled with his coat buttons whilst he searched the café, looking over bald heads, bobble hats, curled hair, past old ladies faces, youngsters skipping school, and tired mums feeding their fussy babies. Waiters and waitresses shimmied between the tables with steaming hot mugs and delicious dishes, and in the back Roxas heard a plate smash followed by the busboys whimper and the stamping feet of his boss.
"Roxas!"
"Huh?" He glanced at the seat by the window. It was a small corner and hard to get, you had to come in extra early and beat the rush. The tiny corner was accompanied by two leather chairs, a stool, a round table that just about fit two plates on, and a baby's high chair that was folded up and squished into the corner.
Namine was sat in one of the chairs with her back facing the wall. She smiled at him and waved. She was small, petite, with beautiful blue eyes, blond hair flowing over one shoulder and tied in a loose bobble, her makeup simple but highlighting her eyes and cheeks. Her jacket was folded over the back of her chair and she wore a cream skater dress that nipped in at her waist with a pattern of white birds chasing each other around the hem. She wore small ankle boots to match her dress, multiple silver bracelets on each wrist, and one ear pierced with a chain that looped from the top of her ear to the lobe.
She pushed her hair back behind her ear and pushed the chair opposite her out with her foot.
Roxas smiled and headed towards her, turning sideways to fit through the tables and apologizing as he brushed shoulders and bumped chairs. Some people muttered under their breath, others smiled awkwardly at him, but he pushed past and ignored them, grinning at his friend. He took a deep breath as he made it past the last table, laughing lightly.
"You pick the most awkward spots."
"I like the view," she said, shrugging with a half-smile.
"Damn sphinxes," he muttered playfully, bending down and wrapping her in a strong hug. "I forget how nimble you are."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "You know it bird-brain." She laughed, burying her face in the side of his neck where his wet collar soaked her cheek and dripped onto her dress. "You're wet."
"Soaked." He pulled away and took the seat opposite her, shaking his coat off and dropping it on the floor. "Didn't you see the rain? It's started chucking it down."
"Yeah, I just thought you'd be smart enough to wear a coat with a hood. Or take an umbrella." Her eyes glanced up and down his wet clothes and she shook her head, her fringe falling in front of her eyes. "You're gonna catch a cold you know."
"I'll be fine." He leaned back in his seat and tried to wring some of the water from his shirt, listening to the patter of water hitting the wooden floor. "I like your dress."
"Huh? Oh." She pulled at her dress and looked at the white birds soaring through the cream fabric. "Yeah. It reminded me of you."
He raised a curious eyebrow and left his creased t-shirt alone. "Really? I don't look anything like that."
She shrugged playfully. "Same colour."
"I guess. Did you order?"
"Yeah. I got you a drink too."
"Really?"
"Of course!" She reached over and grabbed his cold hand in both of hers, intertwining their fingers. "I can't have a drink without you. And besides, it means I can talk to you for longer."
"Uh-huh." He squeezed her fingers and leaned in close, dropping his voice to a whisper. "So, what's up?"
"I don't know if it's nothing," she said doubtfully, scooching closer and leaning over the table to be near him. Tilting her head to the side, her earing glistened in the light, and she nibbled her bottom lip. "It's… it's a few things, I guess. Weird things. I don't know how to explain it."
"Must be hard if you can't explain it."
"I noticed it a while ago. Things just started to disappear."
"Disappear?"
"Yeah. Like…" Her eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully. "Like you know how in legend there were Magicians. Real Magicians. You know, the ones who wielded elements and illusions."
"You brought me here to talk about Magicians?" Roxas shook his head. "Namine, they died out."
"But Creatures survived," she insisted. "We survived—"
"Shh!" he hissed, glancing nervously over his shoulder.
"Oh, nobody's listening, Roxas. Just think about it, okay? How did we survive when the Magicians faded away? What made them disappear?"
"Namine—"
"Think about it, Roxas. It's important."
"It was just the plague. The A04 Bacteria, you know it wiped them out. It drove the best of us Creatures insane, too." He shrugged his shoulders and leaned back. "Survival of the fittest, we won."
She shook her head. "What if we didn't win?"
"I'm not following you..."
A tired sigh escaped her lips and she rubbed her forehead. "I remember things, Roxas. Sometimes I remember them so well it's like I was actually there."
"That's impossible. Namine, the plague was over a thousand years ago. You're only twenty."
"No. It's like… When I sleep, I don't dream anymore. I think something's been warning me."
"You're not making a lick of sense."
"I go to sleep," she whispered, tapping the table impatiently with one finger. "I go to sleep and I hate it because when I dream, there's a voice, Roxas. And it takes me back there and I'm in a house, or a forest, or by a river, or in the mountains." She stopped to take a breath, slowing her words. "And I see a Magician. An actual Magician, Roxas, and they're dying. There's nothing I can do, I can't even move, but I see them die and something tells me their name and suddenly… suddenly I wake up and this Magician… Roxas, they definitely existed because I've been through the old records and found they're names. These aren't just dreams. Something is showing me the plague."
"Something's in your head?"
"It's more than that," she said desperately, her face contort with worry. "I've been through the records with Ansem. He's worried too."
"Why is Ansem worried?" Roxas mumbled. "It sounds like someone's just playing games with you."
"Roxas, every time I've had this dream something terrible has happened."
"Such as?"
"I can't prove it's directly related, but—"
"Excuse me, I have a pumpkin latte and a mocha," a waitress chirped in, holding two warm drinks.
Namine jumped, pulling her hands away from Roxas and smoothing out the folds in her dress. "Oh, um, yes, the mocha's mine."
"There you go, and you're the pumpkin latte, sir?"
"I guess so," Roxas said. "Thank you."
The two cups clattered when they were placed on the table and the waitress wiped her hands on her apron. "Anything else I can get you?"
"No, we're fine thank you," Namine said.
"Alright then. Enjoy your drinks."
She walked off and Roxas picked up a spoon and dunked three sugars into his latte.
"Thanks, Namine."
"It's alright, it's one of your favourites, right?"
He took a gulp of the hot frothy liquid, licking the milk moustache off his upper lip. "It is my favourite. So, what can't you prove is directly related to these dreams."
"I think they're more like visions," she mumbled, stirring a spoon absentmindedly around her drink. "Or revelations. But I'm pretty sure they're not dream-dreams. I just said that to make it less confusing for you."
"Thanks."
"Ansem has had a flood of reports from different families in the past three months. Creatures have gone missing and nobody knows where."
"Gone missing? First I've heard about it."
"We've tried to keep it hush-hush. We don't have any clues or leads or even any idea as to where these Creatures went. They're all normal Creatures that were fitting well into a Human-focused world. They hid themselves well from people, so we know the Creature's Council didn't assassinate them. They just got up one day and left. But every time I have one of these visions Ansem gets another report of a missing Creature."
"That is weird… Is it a specific type of Creature? An animagus, vampire, omen, merman?"
She shook her head sadly. "They're all so varied. We can't find a pattern between any of them."
"So Creatures are just randomly going missing? That doesn't make any sense. But if you're keeping it hush-hush why are you telling me?"
"Because you're my friend, Roxas, and I'd hate it if anything happened to you or Ventus or Cloud."
He frowned. "You're warning me?"
She sighed, struggling to find words. "Not in a bad way. We don't know why these Creatures are going missing, but we're almost positive that they can't be of a sane mind when they do disappear. Why else would they leave their family and friends, their homes and their jobs, just to wander off and never return?"
Roxas's mind raced back to the night before, to Axel drunk and spewing over the railings. He took another sip of his drink and looked out of the smudged window at the people walking past in the rain. "You think they were drugged?"
"We don't know. They could have been drugged, lured, threatened, abducted… We don't know, Rox."
He tapped his spoon on the side of his drink and watched the rain patter against the window. "I have a… an acquaintance, I guess you could call him. I met him last night and he was drugged off his face, could hardly walk or speak."
"Was he a Creature?"
"I'm not sure. His uncle definitely is, though. I dunno what kind of Creature, before you ask, but Ren—I mean, er, this uncle, he's a Creature. Anyway, this guy I met, he was off his face on something crazy, talking about fairies on the roof and other weird stuff. You don't think Creatures are attacking other Creatures, do you?"
"I never thought of it. Not from fairies anyway, they're such a cute humble group. And why would they want to drug somebody?"
"No idea." There was the road, too, Roxas thought. Something didn't feel right. "I think we're just scaring ourselves," he said, offering her a confident smile. "I'm sure this is all nothing and it'll blow over soon."
"I hope you're right, Rox." She turned one of the bracelets around on her wrist to reveal a small dainty clock face. The small hand was almost on the two. "I have to go."
"Already?"
"Yeah." She downed her mocha and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I have a class."
"Fuck, I forgot about that," he groaned. "Think I'm going to skip today."
She stood, swinging her jacket round her shoulders and buttoning up the front. "Great way to start the semester, Rox."
"Yeah yeah, I know." He reached up to give her a hug. "I'll see you in a few days, I guess. Try not to scare yourself anymore."
"No promises." She ruffled his wet hair and laughed. "Say hi to Ven and Cloud for me. Oh, and Zack too, if you see him."
"Will do."
The bell rang above the café door and he watched her pass by the window with her hood up and her face buffeted by the wind. Outside the crowd was beginning to thin out and people were taking shelter from the relentless autumn rain inside shops. The café was becoming increasingly crowded as people pushed their way in and the chatter was becoming deafening.
Feeling like a rat crowded onto a drowning ship, Roxas downed the last of his drink and picked up his wet coat. Putting on a damp coat was never fun, and he felt the chills shiver down his spine as he headed to the door. No sooner did he stand up then a young couple pushed past him and snatched his table, sinking exhaustedly into the seats he and Namine had warmed for them.
Outside was muggy. It wasn't a cold day, but when the wind and the rain attacked it sliced right through him and his wet clothes, leaving him bitter about venturing out. Cloud's car was parked a few streets away, behind a group of shops just outside of the city centre. The perk of parking here was the parking itself, for two fifty he could park for twenty four hours without needing to worry about his car, the con was that he had to walk through some of the busiest streets of town just to reach the car park.
Cloud's car was parked at the back of a fish shop, between a red Ford and a white Nissan. Roxas unlocked the car and sank into the driver's seat, peeling off his wet jacket and turning on the engine. The windscreen wipers burst into life, pushing the pattering rain away. Inside the glove box was Roxas's phone. He'd left it before he met Namine because he didn't want to deal with anymore grief, but after meeting his friend he felt a sudden need to stay in touch.
I hope all who read this chapter enjoyed!
I know there's not a lot of Axel in this yet, but he makes a sane appearance in the next chapter and Roxas will not be happy :) Also, there'll be more clarity between the Magicians and the Creatures in the next few chapters and Cloud and Ventus will make an appearance! :)
Any and all reviews are adored! :3
