To Bittersweet Reality
Struggle Tournament
Chapter 4
The crowd cheered as they gathered for the annual struggle tournament. Hayner, Pence and Olette stood with Roxas looking around to spot Sora. The brunet would most likely hide himself apart from the crowd. Happily watching from somewhere high to avoid any form of his energy being drained. For as long as he could and most likely the only one with the headset to block out any sounds.
They already went over the rules. Haynes and Roxas had to deal with being reminded of the rules but then again. No one, not even Fuu or Rai suspected Vivi to enter and get to the semi-finals. Yet they also could only congratulate him for trying so hard to win. Roxas eyed the crowd again as he shook of his thoughts. He had to focus. His match against Hayner would be soon so where was Sora?
"Have you found your special friend yet?" Hayner asked him, slinging one arm over the blond's shoulders. "Or did he skip out like I said he would."
"He said he'd be here. He probably lost track of time," Roxas stated coldly to his friend. "So leave me be Hayner."
Hayner backed away with arms up. A grin telling Roxas that he was thinking he was right. The blond went back to looking. Only to smile as he finally spotted Sora. The brunet was across the ring an looked tired but waved at him. He waved back before him and Hayner entered the ring. Both standing ready to fight as they or handed the struggle bats.
"Alright...first to go down and claim their opponents only orb wins. Let the match..."
Roxas and Hayner stood ready for battle and the crowd watched with excitement.
"BEGIN!"
Both charged at the other. Roxas knew Hayner would try to win but for once he wanted to show off. So he dodged and smacked his friend on the back. Making him stumble away and turn. A look that said he knew what Roxas was doing. Then smirked to show he wasn't gonna let Roxas have the match.
The blond accepted the challenge and waited as Hayner charged towards him. Struggle bat in hand and pointed at him like a spear. With a side step, he dodged and smacked Hayner towards the ring's edge. Before Hayner could recover though, the blond pushed him out of the ring and saw the single red orb fall out of his pocket. He didn't have to claim it with a ring out.
"And the winner is Roxas!"
The crowd cheered as Hayner shoved him onto his behind. Calling him a show off playfully as he walked away. Roxas could only laugh as he agreed. Crush or not though, he wanted to show off to Sora. It was probably considered low of him to do but when he saw Sora clapping for him with a warm smile. It was suddenly worth it.
He got out of the ring as Vivi got in and called for a break. Getting a drink of water as his friend walked over to his side.
"Y'know, future reference," Sora spoke up as Roxas looked at him. "I hate show offs."
"Really? Do you ever show off?" Roxas asked him after a swallow of water.
Sora shrugged, "as far as I know. I haven't. To me, it's kinda rude. So, if you want that date to happen. Not saying it will or will not, don't show off, okay?"
He went to respond but Sora turned him and gently pushed him towards the ring.
"Now go fight and win. I will only date you then."
Roxas chuckled a bit as he threw his empty cup at Sora. The brunet caught it like a pro as he got into the ring.
"No show boating it is then," Roxas mumbled as he held the struggle bat in a tight grip.
Vivi looked ready as Hayner started to speak from outside the ring.
"Get Ready!" He shouted.
Vivi and Roxas stood still.
"Struggle!" He shouted.
The blond didn't have time to attack first. Vivi was on him seconds after the match officially started. Making him dodge both mid and low attacks from the short kid. He jumped over Vivi, barely missing the next attack and slammed his own bat hard against Vivi's back. Sending the younger sliding across the ring. He stopped near the edge and flipped onto his feet.
"Okay, that's new," Roxas muttered.
Vivi ran at him but he dodged again and hit him on the back again. Vivi skidded to halt near the edge again. The blond's attention was diverted else where though. The crowd had gone silent suddenly and froze even. Only him, Sora and Vivi could move now.
"Sora, are you..." He spoke towards his friend.
"Yeah," Sora replied getting into the ring and running to his side. "I am seeing it."
"What's going on?"
Sora nudged Roxas roughly, "you expect me to know that?!"
A glow got their attention. Vivi was gone and in his place white creatures swaying as they stood in place. Both watched as they stepped closer. The blond threw the struggle bat and hopping it would hit. Sadly, the pair watched it go right through the creature.
"...okay...that didn't work," Roxas commented. "Now what?"
He looked towards Sora who seemed to be thinking. Like he was trying to figure out what to do as fast as he could.
"I have a weapon..." He blinked. "I have one! I can't...remember how to bring it forth but I got one!"
"Okay, what is this...weapon you speak of?" Roxas asked. "Any ideas on HOW to summon it before we possibly die?"
"Um," the brunet mused then made some strange incoherent sounds. "...unless I do this..."
He raised his hands as if reaching for two weapons attached to his back and both blinked when two weapons actually appeared. Sora pulled two Katanas from their sheaths and stared at them. They felt familiar and the weight in his hands felt right.
"Kay...weapons. Question 2: know how to wield them?" The blond asked.
"Stay back," The brunet demanded as he put his earbuds in.
He ran at the first and swung one katana. Hitting his mark like a master then twirling and slicing through the other. The last one charged at him but he cut right down the middle of it. Roxas could only clap as the brunet took out the earbuds.
Sora looked at the two swords in his hands, "okay, I like this. Easy and somehow I can actually use them."
"Don't ruin your headset though. Those blades came close to cuttin that wire," The blond commented as he started to walk towards him.
"They'll be fine. It's not like I haven't done this before. Yeesh, nagger much."
Roxas looked put out as he grumbled out a few choice words, "This is the first time I have said anything towards your headset. So I why give me attitude?!"
"I am not! I just got it covered Donald!" Sora yelled.
Both went quiet. Sora's irritation replaced with confusion of the name he yelled, well called Roxas. While the blond figured Sora remembered something from long ago that irritated him that had to deal with whoever this Donald was.
"...that's a first," Commented Roxas. "...never been called someone else's name before. Mind me asking what that was about it or are you still confused as I am?"
Sora bite his lip first and then answered after making some weird sound. His tone mixed with confusion, "I don't know where that came from but I know that name from somewhere."
"Oh well at least you got that. Why me yelling at you got that fizzling back to you is odd but hey. You got a memory back I guess."
Sora nodded. Slightly, worried about yelling at him but also happy to know he got a few memories back on his own. Not that Roxas helping him wasn't bad, just made him fell horrible. He was hoping they would eventually return to him and not after years but at least sooner.
Both heard clapping and looked over to see a blacked cloaked figure standing among the crowd of people. He wasn't the other one because this guy was bony and thin. He or she had less meat on her than the previous black cloaked figure Roxas had met.
"I was hoping to see Roxas here fight. Guess it would useless though seeing as he doesn't remember how to even summon the keyblade," The figure stated, walking towards the ring. "Heck, he looks confused as to who I am even. Talk about memory issues."
"What do you mean by that?" Roxas cautiously asked.
The figure jumped into the ring and pulled the hood down. Revealing some serious spiked redhair and emerald green eyes with what looked like tattoo marks under them. The blond made his friend stay behind him, despite the weapons he still had.
"Not even dusks can make you remember me, that really hurts Roxy. You don't remember me, your best friend Axel?"
"I think I would remember an odd name like that but I don't. Sorry," He shrugged.
"Doesn't matter I suppose," Axel said suddenly having fire in his hands that turned into weapons.
"Okay...that's defiantly new," Sora commented.
"I don't have time for Q&A today. So I'll just nab ya, awake or not and leave. Sound good?"
Roxas went to reply but Sora stood between him and Axel nervously.
"I won't let that happen," He said, gulping. "Not without a fight."
"Cute...fine then. Fight it is."
"What did you do?" Roxas grumbled to the brunet.
"Something stupid..." The reply was.
Sora charged as soon as Axel ran at them. Blocking one and then the other weird throwing weapon from hitting him. The red head jumped back and away. Creating fire around his respective weapons and then throwing them. The brunet jumped over one and blocked the other.
"You move like you did before," Axel commented. "Memories coming back or just reflexes."
"Not sure yet," Sora replied.
Axel's weapons returned to his hands like boomerangs but he threw one again at Sora as he ran at him. Blocking the first one, he flipped the sword in his left hand and blocked the other and held firm in his stance as Axel put pressure on the blade.
"You sure it's not reflex?" Axel asked him.
"Okay...I have had enough of this already!" Sora yelled shoving Axel away from him.
Putting in his ear buds, he blasted his music and saw Axel looked put out at the move. He ran at him again but Sora blocked it and attacked this time. Axel blocked his attack though and shoved Sora off. Attacking only to miss and then barely dodge the brunet's blade.
"A reverse blade eh? Quite a combination. A normal katana and a reverse blade sword. Hate to kill already?" He spoke, disregarding that Sora couldn't hear him.
Axel ran at him again but skidded as Sora used threw one at him. Dodging it and then blocking the other sword. He soon fell and then had a blade at his throat.
Sora removed an ear bud, glaring at him, "give up."
The redhead held up his hands to show he surrendered. The blade moved but Sora looked ready to strike any second should Axel prove to be a trickster. Once Axel was on his feet though, he glared. It wasn't at Sora or Roxas though. He was looking passed them.
Both looked to see a man in all red with one gold eye visible among the red bandages on his face. Clearly angry yet calm as he spoke.
"Roxas, do not let that man deceive you," He spoke. "He speaks nothing but nonsense."
Roxas didn't say anything. He just grabbed Sora and pulled him behind him yet again. He wasn't sure why but he felt as if he would be separated from the brunet.
"Don't let him deceive you Roxas! He is the liar!" Axel shouted jumping back and then grabbing his weapons from where they had fallen.
He charged the two with fire and then threw them at the man. Growling when both merely hit a barrier and flew back to him. Catching them easily as the man spoke once more.
"I speak nonsense? When he sees a boy who wasn't meant to be in here and you, a blabbering fool?" He commented with a light scoff.
Roxas glared and kept Sora close to him as Sora was spoken to next.
"And you, ruining all my plans. You weren't supposed to meet him. Ansem clearly failed in stopping you. So I must do so myself," He stated.
"I don't care what happens with that Axel but if you lay a finger on Sora, you'll regret it!" Roxas shouted.
This man started to laugh at the threat. As if Roxas wasn't in control and that only made the blond's anger grow a bit. He was being mocked. Treated like a child who could do nothing but watch as his life was decided for him.
"Sora was never meant to be here Roxas. You meeting him was a fluke. A mistake on my part I can easily fix but I am willing to let you have your...struggle match with him as a present to you. After though, I can't allow him to wander freely."
The blond growled and kept Sora behind him. Making sure Sora was as close as he could get as this man and Axel started to yell at the two of them. He felt Sora lean against his back as if this was already draining him. Making that final nerve snap.
"ENOUGH!" Roxas yelled.
A bright light blinded him instantly. Making him cover Sora's own eyes and his. Seconds later, he heard cheering. Snapping his eyes open and sighing as he saw Sora next to him still. The crowd confused as to why Sora was there yet happy Roxas won the match. Vivi walked away, mumbling a question to himself but Roxas didn't care. He ran out of the ring with Sora next to him.
Once away from the crowd, he looked to his friend. Worried about that threat he was given. Even if Sora probably needed some serious alone time with how drained he looked currently. He wanted to treat Sora once he won. Something he felt was earned and needed with how little their time was becoming.
"Are you okay?" He asked. "You look exhausted right now."
"I am. Between the crowd, whatever happened a moment ago and...the fight...I am but I want to stick around because I promised you," Sora told him. "That I would be here and even agreed that if you won. I would go on that date. I don't care what that...man said. He won't stop it."
The brunet walked a little away from him as he fidgeted with his fingers, "I don't even know what went down there either. So don't ask."
"I don't either. I wanted to ask you if you were okay. I honestly don't want to think about what happened there," He sighed.
Sora looked at him and took the glasses off to clean the lenses. Thinking even as he finished and put them back on. As if he was trying to wrap his head around all that was said and went down. Yet unsure of where to even start on his own theories or thoughts.
Roxas looked happy that he was okay. Thinking wasn't something he was worried about on Sora's end but he was glad to see the brunet still here and stubborn about staying. If he couldn't, it would be depressing but he was sure Sora would try to see him again no matter what.
"We'll let's head back. I have the final match to fight and then. We'll go from there okay?" Roxas smiled lightly, holding his hand out to Sora.
The brunet smiled. Walking over and putting his hand on Roxas's.
"Sounds good. No showboating," He told Roxas as they headed back to the crowd and ring for the final round.
