1The Fourth Key
Chapter 4
"We're beginning it now?" Michi asked, surprised.
"Why not? Or are you too scared, or too weak to begin?" Axel smirked and she got really angry.
"I'm not either of those things. I just wasn't expecting to be starting so soon. Besides, I'll be the judge of whether it's really hell or not," Michi retorted, giving him an equally evil smile.
"Good. You'll spend some time with each of us, learning a bit of our style, and the skills you should learn and watch out for. Training ends at sundown, and then you'll have a test. The test will be to fight all four of us at once. You pass, and we won't have to have hell tomorrow. We meet at sundown," Axel said, as he began to walk away. He suddenly stopped and turned back around, with another menacing grin on his face, "Oh, and by the way, you have to deal with me first, then Zexion, then Roxas, and at the end, Demyx. So, get moving, we have a lot to cover in half an hour."
"What? Only half an hour? How do you expect me to learn all you have to teach me in just half an hour?" Michi said, as she slowly followed him into the sandlot.
"Well, it'll move a lot faster if you stop complaining. Well, here we are," Axel stopped as they reached the middle of the sandlot, "Pull out your Keyblade."
"Fine. Now what?" Michi asked, waiting impatiently.
"Now, we fight. I want to see just how much help you need," Axel said, as he pulled out his chakrams and began to charge at her.
Michi dodged and blocked most of his swings, but spent so much time blocking all of his attacks, that she couldn't put in any of her own. She had to back up so far, that she tripped over the ending of the tile platform. She fell, and was unable to defend herself. Axel took advantage of her fall and held her to the ground, chakram stabbed into the ground, right next to her head. To outsiders, it would definitely look weird. And, unfortunately, Roxas happened to be right on top of one of the buildings, watching.
"Damn, Axel, if you're going to do that, go get a room. Don't do it in public, its not courteous," Roxas said, staying on top of the building.
"Shut up, Roxas!" Axel yelled as he chucked a chakram at Roxas. Roxas easily whipped out his Keyblade and shot it straight back at Axel, making it hit him straight in the head.
"See ya later!" Roxas yelled, jumping off the building, most likely going back to where Zexion and Demyx were.
"Well, anyway," Axel said, as he helped Michi stand up, "You seem pretty well prepared in the defense section. Just keep your defense a little tighter, and use your senses to be able to tell where things are without having to look."
"You mean like my five senses that I use for everyday things?"
"No. There is another sense that I know you can use. It's a psychic sense, one where if you concentrate on where you are at, you can see everything around you, any crevices, pits, anything. You just have to focus on it. But, more than telling you what it is, I can't help, sorry. That's how I knew that you were going to trip without ever looking or letting my defense down. You'll get it sooner or later. We best be going to your next class, Zexion hates it when someone is late."
They began to walk back to the group, when Michi asked a question.
"Umm, Axel, Why do you want me training so hard? What do you guys think that I'm going to need this for, I'm not planning to fight anyone that difficult."
"Well, it's so you won't hurt your pretty face," He stifled a laugh as she blushed, "But, really, you should be able to protect yourself, if and when the rest of us guys won't be able to help you fight somebody and protect yourself. Even though you don't want to fight anyone that major, someone does want to fight you, and win, so that he will be able to have you, and your power at his disposal. We don't want that to happen, because if it does, he will most likely try to rule the worlds and cover them in darkness. You really should be able to fight multiple enemies at once, and win without a scratch on you. With your current potential, you should soon be able to fight and beat all of us at once. That's why you are training so hard. Now, you have to deal with Zexy's class," Axel said as he left her with Zexion, to complete his class.
Michi walked over to Zexion and stood in front of him, waiting.
"So, teacher, what are we to do in your class?"
"From our battle, I found that you aren't fast on your feet at all. Not just that, but you have no dodging skills whatsoever. We will need to work on that," Zexion said as he slowly walked away form her, " You need to be able to dodge at least me when in a battle, considering if you can do that, you should be able to dodge anyone else that you fight. But, you'll have to learn that on your own, at least before you fight all of us. Well, here's your next teacher," Zexion said, leaving her behind with Demyx.
"So, what are you going to teach me?" Michi asked, tapping the Keyblade on her shoulder.
"I'm going to teach you how to fight many enemies at once."
"Kay, how're you planning on doing that?" Michi asked, lowering her keyblade.
"Well, first, I'm gonna do this," He said as he summoned his sitar, " Then I'm gonna say 'Dance Water, Dance!" He said as many water replicas of him came out.
"So? Water, ooh scary." Michi said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.
"Now that's just rude. My water is too powerful, don't be mad. Just, use it as practice, okay?"
"Whatever."
"Now, try destroying all ten of them in just ten seconds. Ready, go!"
Michi attacked. She had to use one to get rid of all the rest, just to finish within the time limit. As she finished, Demyx smiled, looking at the clock. She had only two seconds left, although it was a much better time than Sora could have ever done. Great, at this rate, if I bring her in to the Superior, I'll get a major promotion! Demyx though to himself, as she came over, keyblade slung over her shoulder.
"So, anything else, Mr. Copies are my specialty?" Michi asked in a teasing tone.
"Nope, that's it, no hints or anything else for you. We had better get going, its time for your final exam," Demyx said, walking her back to where the rest of the group was.
She waited, as everyone else was in a group, devising a strategy to see if she was truly ready or not. Those jerks, they're going to take it easy on me. Fine I'll show them just how strong I am. Now who's the weak ones? She planned what she was going to do to them. It was really basic. Use all of the skills she had learned to beat them in their own game. Pretty simple plot.
The guys finished their plotting, nodded, and turned back to her. She smiled right back at them and whipped out her mighty Keyblade. Too bad that pretty black key of hers would have to get scratched on them. Oh well.
Michi waited for them to make the first move. A minute passed, and then, Zexion and Demyx charged at her. She waited until the last possible moment, and dodged them, reflecting Demyx's sitar back at him (yes, that means that he can swing it) and shoving Zexion away, all at the same time. The other two waited a minute, then charged at her, with their chakrams (Axel) and Keyblades (Roxas). They tried to hit her at the same time, but she blocked both of them, and stepped a few steps backwards. She realized that she was at the end of the area, and pushed them both back, not hard enough to make them trip, but enough so that she could jump over them. Not just that, but land on both of their heads, and push them forward so that they would trip. She landed fairly gracefully on her feet and took a bow, just for the fun of it. The four guys got back up and she turned back around. She smiled and sped towards them. In the shortest way possible, she won in the next few minutes. The guys were lying on the floor, huffing and puffing, exhausted after the fight. She sat down and gave off a heavy sigh, only slightly tired because of all the running.
After a few minutes, Axel got up and moved over to where she was. He looked at her for a minute while she looked at the sunset. He waited for her to notice, and then looked at the sunset as well.
"So, did I pass?" Michi asked, smiling.
"Well, you were sloppy, over confident, and you hit like a girl, but you pass. But only barely. Don't let it go to your head, or you'll have to go through another hell when you lose horribly again."
"So, that's what you think? Well, thanks for the information, but you guys should take your own. It's your egos that killed you, not to mention that you guys hit like sissies." Michi retorted, not moving her eyes from the descending sun.
"Oh, so now you're the teacher, huh? Well, you better get some rest, or else you'll really be hurting tomorrow," Axel said as he lightly pushed her, and went to pull Zexion off the ground. Zexion got up, and Demyx followed them, leaving her in the Sandlot.
Michi sighed. "Damn girl, what are you doing out here? Why make friends, they're only going to dump you just like everyone else you've ever known," Michi said to herself, watching the sun disappear behind the buildings, "what makes you think you deserve friends? Heh, Keyblade wielder. Me, the Keyblade wielder, what a joke. I don't get how I could ever be such a thing," Michi began to cry as she looked at her Keyblade, " Funny. Even my Keyblade matches how I am, broken heart, half angel, half dark. Matches me perfectly. How is it that after so many years of being alone, I get people shoved on me out of nowhere. God, I haven't cried in forever. I can't let the others see me like this, they'll laugh. Hey, maybe they'd leave me too, just like everyone else. Maybe I deserve this" Michi laughed at herself, wiped her tears off, and walked towards the inn where the guys were staying.
Unknown to her, Axel was around the corner, in the shadows. He was waiting for her to catch up, and walk her to the inn, just a gentlemanly thing he thought he should do. But instead, he heard he talking to herself. Wow, I didn't know all that happened to her. No wonder she was so hesitant about accepting others. Maybe she thought that if we were to battle her, we would just go away, not wanting to bother with her. She really doesn't want us knowing about her weakness; how could she think that we'd leave her? I would have never guessed she felt so. That really sucks. Axel thought to himself, warping back to the inn, so that he could get there before her. He figured he wouldn't tell anyone else. If she wanted them to know, she could always tell them later, when she was ready.
A few minutes later, they all laid in bed, asleep.
The next morning, they were up at dawn (well everyone but Zexion), gathered outside to plan just what they were going to do next. They had a map out and were arguing about what world they wanted to go to next. Just then, only a few feet away from where the group of three stood, a black figure appeared.
The figure took off his hood, for the group to find that it was Lexaeus. Lexaeus walked but a few steps from the group and gave a very ugly scowl.
"I heard that you have been training. What is the point? Why doesn't the girl just come with us to the superior, and the rest of you run. She could be very pleased at what he could give her. As for the rest of you, you might not be so pleased about what future the Superior has in plan for you," Lexaeus gained eye contact with Demyx, who just smiled and slightly nodded.
"Okay, for one, you just rudely interrupted our important discussion, and that makes me mad," Michi said, pointing at him, "And two, my names Michi, not 'girl' you big fat jerk. And I don't care what that Superior of yours has planned, I don't care, he can just go shove it up his--"
"Alright, Michi, we get the point," Axel said, looking at her as she stuck out her tongue at him.
This ruckus woke up Zexion. Now, Zexion isn't one of those people who like to get woken up early in the morning. Whoever wakes him up is sure to get killed. Unfortunately, Lexaeus didn't know that. He got out of his bed and walked down to where they were, angry.
He got to the group and, totally ignoring Lexaeus, interrupted their little conversation.
"Who woke me up?" He asked, with an evil aura around him, that everyone shivered at.
"Sorry, Zexy, it wasn't us; it was your old friend Lexaeus,"Axel said, pointing.
Zexion looked over there and said, " Oh, its Lexaeus. The idiot who lost to the weakling Riku with ease."
"You mean the Riku with the bad attitude?" Michi asked, trying to remember.
Now, this struck a nerve in Lexaeus (very few things do).
"I challenge the Keyblade wielder to a fight."
"What? You mean me? Fine, I guess I have to, but I'm a little rusty," Roxas said, pulling out a Keyblade.
"Not you, you idiot," Axel said pulling on his collar.
"Aww, but I wanted to," Roxas whined, looking at Axel with puppy dog eyes (hoping that it could get him out of the collar)
"Maybe next time."
"Anyway. Sure, I accept. Give it your best shot," Michi said, stepping forward.
"Careful. He's the strongest of all of us, at least, physically. Do what you have to," Zexion said.
"Yeah, whatever,' Michi retorted.
In respect of Lexaeus' terrible loss (he was crushed), we'll make it blunt. He was defeated in only one hit, demolished.
Michi walked away, upset that he was so easy. She walked back to the group mumbling about how lame and easy that was as Lexaeus faded away.
"That was surprisingly fast," Axel said, " He must have let himself go."
"You just can't accept that I'm really strong, can you? You just won't admit that I'm a lot stronger than you," Michi argued with Axel.
While their argument continued, Demyx quietly slipped away into an alley. Zexion noticed, and followed behind him, just far away enough so that Demyx wouldn't notice him.
Zexion hid behind a corner, as he saw Demyx wait by a black portal. Out of the black portal came Xigbar, smiling at Demyx.
What is he doing here? Just what is going on? I thought we were against them. Zexion wondered as Demyx nodded a greeting. Zexion tried to listen closely to what was being said, before expecting anything.
"So, how did you enjoy Lexaeus' fight?" Xigbar asked.
"It went by too fast. He was finished in only a few minutes."
"She's become that powerful, huh? The Superior will be glad to hear that."
"Yes, our plan is going perfectly. She becomes stronger, and we get rid of the traitors one by one, her thinking that they were against her from the beginning. Then, we convince her that she was on the wrong side, and that they were planning on her destruction all along, trying to start by crushing her feelings. She'd be so crushed by what happened, she'd accept anyone readily." Demyx said.
"It's perfect, considering her life's a train wreck already. Everyone that she knows has left her for something else. She's been heartbroken as long as she can remember. Which is just perfect for what we have planned; she will be putty in our hands."
What? She's a train wreck? She's been repeatedly abandoned. They are planning some way to control her through her emotions. I'm going to have to fix this myself, I could easily be the first one gone. I can't let her know that I know about her, that could be messy. I need to think of a plan. Zexion thought to himself, as he continued to listen to their plan.
"We should get rid of Zexion first, he's the only one who suspects the true me. He's also the only one who could suspect how I truly am. We need to kill him first. I have the perfect way of doing it too,' Demyx said.
"Okay then, how?"
"I'm going to frame him for a lot of Nobodies appearing, trying to get Michi. Then, they'll be so distrusting of him, that they'll be willing to get rid of him themselves."
"Perfect."
Okay, now that I know their plan, I can easily beat them at their own game. Not to mention about how right they are about me. I shouldn't forget that this tape player I have should really come in handy. I just have to be careful when I use it. Zexion put the tape player in his pocket and went back to the others just as Demyx was leaving.
Now, Zexion just needed to perfect his plan to outwit Demyx, but the question was:
Could he do it? And how would he make things fall in his favor?
end
