Disclaimer: Okay, I'm really getting sick of this. I DO NOT own Kingdom
Hearts, any of their characters, or settings. I do not own Pikachu, or any
affiliated Pokemon characters. I also do not own Barbara Streisand or Bob
the Builder (trust me, I would kill myself if I did). Okies? Okies. Just
wanted to make sure you weren't going to sue me or anything, cause then
Pikachu would go psycho on your ass(es).
A/N: I'm sooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated for a while. I've had so much to do and life is hectic, so please forgive me. If you feel like sending me a vulgar review/e-mail/whatever cussing me out I totally understand. But as most of my readers are kind, I doubt that'll happen. But then again, when the "calm" readers read this chapter, they might stone me to death. So, in advance, I'm sorry about how Leon reacts to his little roundabout with certain people in his tent the other night. Forgive him, he's simply a video game character. *looks around scared, people holding large boulders are surrounding her about to attack because she called Leon "just" a video game character* Ummmm, I'm sorry? Anyway, I appreciate all the reviews from past/current readers, and I would love to get even more! On with the fic - enjoy!
~~~~~
The sun had risen just enough to cast a dewy light through the trees. The sound of birds could occasionally be heard and the stream trickled slowly nearby. Leon opened his heavy eyes and peered at the peaceful scene before him.
"What a beautiful day," he mumbled sleepily. He slowly turned on his right side to go back to his peaceful slumber when he faced the person he least expected (who was thankfully sleeping). Yuffie.
Both shocked and terrified, but too tired to actually do anything, Leon's mouth dropped - but only for a second for soon he had fainted.
Yuffie stirred shortly after Leon had passed out in grief. She too gaped at the stunning day that had just begun.
"Ahhhh," she yawned while stretching her arms above her head. She was lying beneath a quilt and to Leon's right. How did she get there exactly? Well Leon had a sudden urge to make out with her and he dragged Yuffie to his tent.
This was all understandable to the ditzy ninja (a.k.a. novice), she figured the following: Who wouldn't want to make out with a beautiful, graceful, and intelligent ninja?
*author starts to laugh wildly, but Yuffie doesn't seen to notice*
She looked down at the fully dressed man who appeared to be sleeping.
But why did he keep calling me Sam? she wondered. She soon shrugged it off and stood up to stretch her legs. Once Yuffie was fully stretched she pulled a small compact out of her pocket and examined herself in it. She ran her hands through her hair and occasionally tried to tame the bed pressed locks. She inspected her skin now making sure that it was still smooth and unblotched - and it was. But then she looked further down and caught sight of -
"What in holy hell is that?!" she whispered in an air as if she was screaming, she didn't want to wake Squall.
Yuffie was referring to a reddish mark on her neck that was slightly swollen. She ran her fingers over the irritated flesh and her eyes grew large with realization.
"Oh no," she muttered. "I've got - LEPROSY!!!" Now in a fit of full blown terror, she fled the tent and scurried into the forest. But you're thinking, 'Wait, this is Yuffie we're talking about, right? So there has to be more to it.' Well my friends, you are unmistakingly correct.
Because Yuffie can barely put two and two together, she obviously didn't realize that she did not have leprosy, but it was merely a hickey. I guess I could tell her, but it'll be more fun this way. . .
Sam woke up just in time to see a woman flailing her arms run by her tent.
"Strange. . . it must be the quisoni juice still talkin'," Quickly she stood up and stepped into the luminous sunshine and breathed in the exotic smell of the jungle.
She loved it here. She didn't really understand where she was, but she didn't care. It was beautiful, an absolutely mesmerizing place where anything could happen, and she was happy.
I'm in a place that's the exact opposite of home, no haggis, no Michael, no eerie swamps. . . Sam smiled to think that she was away from it all and here with her new friends, Sora and Leon. Speaking of which. . .
Sam tip-toed by Sora and prepared herself to peek into Leon's tent when she heard a low pop followed by a shriek that came from the jungle. Unsure of what to think or do, she proceeded to sneak a glance at Leon who had woke from his dormant state.
"Good morning," she chirped.
Scrambled or otherwise. . .
~~~~~
"Okay, so I've had bad luck lately," stated Yuffie as she paced back and forth between two particularly tall trees. "First, I lose Leon, the love of my life. Then I get malaria and leprosy. Just when things can't get worse, they always do. . ."
~ flashback ~
I opened the refrigerator and took out a tray that I keep my eggs in. Then I filled a pan with water - enough for a dozen eggs. Setting it on the top left burner of the stove, I turned the heat up to high and waited for it to boil.
When it started to bubble I slipped the eggs in and started to write a letter to Squally-poo:
Oh my dearest Leon, I love you with all my heart. I cannot live another day without you. You are my sun, and without you I am likely to perish. . .
~ end flashback ~
"I didn't turn the heat off. Idiot!" Yuffie slapped her forehead and scrunched her eyes shut. "The eggs exploded!!!"
Swiftly she dashed away, back towards her house.
Maybe I was dreaming. . .
~~~~~
"Hi Sam," Leon sat up and Sam lowered herself next to him.
"How'd you sleep? That quisoni juice got you reeeeally drunk."
"Well, I guess I slept all right, but I had this horrible dream that I was making out with someone who looked like Yuffie. And then I dreamed that I woke up next to her. It's possibly the most horrifying thing that's ever happened to me - how about you?"
"I dreamt about home. . ."
*~ Sam's Dream ~*
Agnes: Ay! Sam, go get the haggis, will ye? Sam: Yeah, sure mom (A/N: Note that Sam does not have a Scottish accent) *walks to the lake - it's filled with haggis* *brings a handful of haggis to her mother, but it turns into quisoni fruits* Agnes: *takes fruit and puts it into a pot of water* Leon: Hello Sam. Sam: Hello love *kisses Leon on the cheek* Leon: Morning Agnes. Agnes: Mornin' Leon *when she says this Leon turns into a cat and starts to sing*
*~ End of Dream ~*
Sam didn't tell Leon about the 'love' or kiss part, but otherwise was true to her word. And she still got a disturbed expression from the puzzled warrior.
Leon: O____o "Oookay. That was, bizarre. To say the least. I really turned into cat?" Sam smiled and nodded her head. "And what the heck are haggis?"
"A mixture of sheep heart, liver, and lungs with oatmeal." Leon: O.O "Wow, that's disgusting. You really must be tough." It was funny that Leon said that, Sam was 5'8" (as tall as him) which was pretty tall for a girl.
"Oh, and you didn't think I was before?" Sam gave Leon a pensive grin.
"No, that's not it at all. It's just that you look so delicate and pretty -"
Pretty, he thinks I'm pretty! Sam couldn't help but beam at the comment.
" - and I figured, well, that since you're so graceful that you'd be more about speed and cunning." Sam was smiling brightly at him. "What?"
She liked the flattery, but it was actually very silly that she had challenged him. "Stop, it's not that big of a deal."
"But it is, and I mean it." Although he had never said anything before, Leon felt he had a special connection with the elegant girl before him. There was something special about her, she was so different and new. She was sly, but funny. And absolutely stunning.
He gazed into her eyes.
Sam had always felt that she could talk to Leon, even though they met just one day ago. She could tell he was kind and meant well. She had never met anyone like him, he was adventurous and daring, but he was childish sometimes - in a cute way of course. He was handsome, but the scar that ran down his forehead to his nose made him look dangerous. She could tell he wasn't.
She gazed back.
Their breathing became slow and calm from the gaze they shared. And ever so slightly they leaned in. Closer, and closer, and closer. . .
"HEY! Whatcha doin'?"
Sam and Leon were inches apart but they broke away with a start when Sora greeted them.
"What?! Who?! No one!!!" sputtered Leon, panicked.
"We were just, uhhh, just - "
"Talking!"
"Yes! Talking! That's all we were doing - all." Both smiled nervously hoping that Sora was gullible enough to go along with it.
Apparently he was.
"Ummmmmmm, ooookay," he slipped away from Leon's tent suspicious of the two, but still walking away none the less.
There was an awkward silence between Sam and Leon and for several minutes they simply stared at their hands.
"So," Sam started, trying to achieve their comfortableness with each other once again. "Want some breakfast?"
Leon looked up and nodded. "Sure."
So alone. . .
~~~~~
"Hey, where'd everybody go?" *Kairi looks around the empty clearing*
"I'm so alone - no one loves me!"
// That's right //
*pouts and marches back to the beach*
Yummm. . .
~~~~~
Yuffie walks into her house to find egg yolk splattered on the ceiling, egg whites on the walls, and a mixture of both everywhere else.
O.O "Oh crap."
// You said it. that's gonna take a while to clean up *mumbles* Sam will have a lot off time to get to know Leon. . . //
"What did you say?"
// Nothing. ^___^ //
Meanwhile. . .
~~~~~
Sam managed to make a decent breakfast with the selective resources available and now Leon was chowing down.
"This is great! What do you call these?" he pointed down at a slightly burnt clump of, well, something.
"Blood pudding." Once again Leon went quiet and his eyes widened. "I was just kidding," she said apologetically when she saw he was traumatized. "It's just hash browns, you know, potatoes. You've never had it before?"
"No, something similar but it wasn't as good as this," Sam blushed.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
Once again they stared into each others' eyes, one captivating the other. They stayed silent for awhile simply transfixed when -
"Oooo! Hash browns! Can I have some?" Sora picked the pan up and helped himself. Leon jumped at the sudden break of silence.
"Uhhh, sure," Sam was still partially dazed but watched as Sora piled his plate with the minced potatoes and smothered half a bottle of ketchup on top.
"You brought ketchup?" mused Leon.
"Sure, why not? It's an essential condiment and non perishable - for a while at least."
"Really? Because I would have preferred mustard, you can use it on sandwiches."
Sam started to giggle because Leon looked so cute as he said this. Here was a grown man talking to a teenager about condiments and completely serious about it. Rather amusing, don't you think?
Both Sora and Leon turned to the beaming beauty as she continued to snicker.
"What?"
"Oh, uh, nothing. . ." she paused for a second. "So, you guys never told me what you're doing in the forest."
"Well, Sora has a girlfriend, Susie. And Susie has a duck named Bob. And that duck was stolen. So we're looking for it. It's pretty simple except for the fact that we have no idea who stole him.
"That would be a key factor."
"Yeah, it is. So we're going to walk aimlessly around the forest hoping to suddenly find him. It's not the greatest plan, but at least we're not rooted in one spot where Kairi and Yuffie can get us."
"Speaking of which, are we actually gonna look for him, or just stand here?"
"Yeah, you're right, we should go. You can come too Sam, if you want."
"Of course! Sounds like fun, and well, I rather not be left in here alone," Secretly Sam knew that she wanted to come along just to be close to Leon.
"Okay then, we'll pack up and head past the stream. Hopefully we'll find a place to set up camp before nightfall."
The three started to take down the tents and put everything else away, eager to explore the unknown.
Long time no see. . .
~~~~~
"You think they'll come?"
"Of course they will, otherwise the author would have no story -"
" - or plot."
"She doesn't have a plot. So how could she not not have a plot?"
"What?"
"Never mind."
"Good, cause we need to find something to do with this duck."
"Like what? He's stuck to a friggin' table!!!"
"Maybe he likes carrots."
"What does THAT have to do with anything?!"
"I don't know, but I feel like having a carrot."
*Barbara: evil growl*
"At least it won't be like this for long, I've got a surprise waiting for Leon and Sora. . .
Missed a spot. . .
~~~~~
Yuffie had been cleaning for a very, VERY long time. And all during this time the narrator has been laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.
// *Finally takes a breath but is still purple in the face* Need. . . some. . . help? //
"That'd be great!"
// Oh, it's too bad that I have to go. . . MUAHAHAHAHA!!! //
*sighs and frowns*
"Fine, I'll just keep scrubbing the floor by myself."
// You do that *leaves* //
*continues to scour the carpet*
"Who'd of thought egg would be so hard to get out of a shag carpet?"
A Clue. . .
~~~~~
Sora, Leon and Sam had been walking - or stumbling I should say - through the forest. The trees were taller, the grasses and vines thicker, and the fact that it was day, less apparent. In fact, the foliage was so thick that anyone would have sworn it was dusk.
And as if eternal night wasn't scary enough in a foreign place, it was eerily quiet. There was not a sound of the exotic birds once heard, and they were too far in to still hear the trickle of the steam.
"Leon," Sam whispered. "Where are we going?"
"I'm not sure. We've never been here before."
"Hey, why are you guys whispering?" (of all things) whispered Sora noisily.
"I don't know, it's just so silent. It don't want to disturb the peace."
"What's the big deal?" Sora asked, now talking regularly. "It's not like we're going to be in danger or something."
Why does Sora even open his mouth? *author hangs head and shakes it disappointedly*
There was a loud growl, and the floor of the jungle began to shake.
"What's happening?!" cried Sam, holding on to Leon's arm. It was a moment of anxiety, but she couldn't help but notice that he had wrapped his other arm around her shoulder and held her a little closer.
Sora was clasped onto one of the narrower trees and scanned the area for whatever might have made the noise or caused the tremors.
He didn't have to look very long or very far to find himself face to face with the most grotesque thing you've ever seen. No, it wasn't Kairi. Something much worse. . .
It was black, with three horns and two glistening yellow eyes that seemed to stare straight into Sora's soul. It opened its mouth to bare its decaying teeth and slowly stood up getting steadily taller. He had reached his final height, which was about as tall as the trees. Quickly he swung his arms about in an attempt to hit Sora.
"Whoa!!"
"Where the hell did that come from?!" Leon yelled as he pulled out his Gunblade and stood ready in position.
"I don't know! It just appeared from he ground. . ."
"Do you think it's a heartless?"
"Don't know, but let's find out!"
Sora drew his Keyblade and charged at the brute and attacked. He swung with all his weight and force trying desperately to destroy the monster. He hadn't noticed, but Leon had joined him and was attacking the right side of the monster.
Assaulting the legs wasn't very effective, but both could tell that the monster was yielding.
The intruder soon fell to his knees and the warriors attacked his torso with vigor.
We're gonna make it, we'll be fine. . .
God! Will this thing ever die? Sam -
Leon looked to see if Sam was all right, but she wasn't there. "Sam - ?" he voiced, but it could not be heard over the loud clamor omitted from the monster.
"Leon! Watch out!!!" He turned and saw a large, black arm coming at him at an alarming speed.
Sam watched in silent terror as Leon fell lifelessly to the ground.
No, this can't be happening, not Leon. . .
She leapt from the Durian tree that she had been hiding in and stood firmly in front of the fiend.
"Sam! What are you doing?! I can handle this myself, you might get hurt!" She ignored Sora's warning and walked unshakably closer to the writhing creature, intent on defeating it.
She reached for the shurikens hidden in her sash and flung them mercilessly into its eyes. The black figure flinched and covered its injured orbs with its huge, deadly hands. He was already blinded by the ebony blood that seeped from his eyelids.
"Run!" she screamed at Sora who was still assailing the blinded beast.
"But Leon -" From the corner of his eye he saw Sam hoist Leon onto her shoulder.
"Come on," They sped off into the western part of the jungle hoping to find safer grounds.
Finally. . .
~~~~~
Yuffie had finally finished cleaning all traces of egg off of everything. Almost. She was having a little trouble with a picture of Leon she had blown up and hung above her chimney mantle.
"Oh, come on, come OFF!"
// I don't think you can talk it into coming off //
"I'm not trying to convince it , I'm willing it to come off."
// There probably isn't enough will in the world to take super glued eggs off a picture //
O.O "Super glued?! You SUPER glued it?!?!?!"
// Well, not me personally, but a good friend. . . //
"You're lucky I can't see you, or else I'd have Pikachu and all his little friends eat you alive!!!"
// *mock voice* NOOOOO!!! Not PIKACHU!!! //
"Go to hell."
// I'm torturing you, aren't I?//
"That's not hell."
// No, it's fun, but you're in hell ^_____^ //
Meanwhile. . .
~~~~~
Sam sat next to Leon, gently stroking his hair and patting his forehead with a cool, damp washcloth. She watched him sleep, his chest rising slightly as he inhaled the humid air.
They had set up a rough camp underneath the suffocating trees of the western jungle. It was so muggy in this area that bits of water collected on the leaves and would roll off causing a light, constant raining effect. Sora managed to find a way to attach a tarp to the surrounding trees to form a sort of roof from the warm droplets of rain. Sam had fared to build a fire at the edge of their campground with the tropical wood.
Little light came through the large leaves of the tropical foliage. But it rained, little droplets of happiness that poured into the dark, bleak premises from the bright sky.
"This is what Scotland is like," she whispered softly to Leon. "Well, without all the trees," She smiled and held the man's hand. His quiet expression seemed to switch to the slightest smile, but Sam figured she must have been imagining things.
"How's he doing?" Sora ducked underneath a branch and walked underneath the tarp. Drops of rain tapped the roof, creating a slow, rhythmic beat.
"He'll be fine, he just needs to sleep," she stood and approached Sora, who was soaked to the bone. "Did you find anything?"
"No, not yet. I'll go later though." He had been out searching for some sort of clearing so they could get out of the "rain". And if he could find fresh water, that would be even better. "When will he wake up?"
"Soon, I hope. He wasn't bruised too badly, just his side. It should heal soon."
"Good, cause he's a little ornery. He'll keep pushing himself as if he wasn't hurt. He doesn't have much patience."
"Don't worry, I have a special remedy that helps bruises heal. I have everything - except for bearberry."
"Bearberry?"
"I don't suppose that you have bearberry here, do you?"
"I've never heard of it before. What does it look like?"
"It has a small red berries. Pretty simple."
Sora paused to think. "Ummmm, there are raisins."
"Raisins? But those are dried grapes."
"Grapes? Uh, sure. . ." Sora threw Sam a disordered look. "Raisins are red, and I have no idea what grapes are. I would run and get you some, but they grow in water. And, well, if I had found water we wouldn't be collecting the stuff that falls off of the trees in bowls.
"But if I find water later, I'll bring some back to you."
"Thanks." There was a long silence as the two stared into the trees, watching droplets of water trickle down. And then, there was a hushed moan.
Sam turned around hurriedly and ran to Leon's side. He opened his eyes unreadily to see her waiting expectantly, but very concerned.
"What happened?" he said groggily.
"You were attacked by that thing and got knocked out. Your side is bruised but it shouldn't be that bad. Just - be careful," Leon eased himself into sitting position and took a look around.
"Where are we?"
"The western jungle."
"Why is there a tarp tied to the trees?"
"To keep the rain out."
"It's raining?"
Well not really, but - let me show you."
She grasped his hand and pulled him up careful not to hurt him. Then, she led Leon to the edge of the tarp roof and guided his hand out into the warm rain.
"It's not raining, it's just that it's so humid that it collects on the tree leaves and rolls off," Leon looked spellbound as he turned his hand in the tranquil shower. He looked back at Sam, she was looking at him. They became lost in each others' eyes and came closer, just enough to hold hands.
~~~~~
A/N: *squeals* I hope you like how, um, close Leon and Sam are becoming. Please review, it's always admired!!! And I swear I'll update next Monday because I can't over the holiday. You'll really like what happens in the next chapter *stifles giggle* Okay, thanks so much!
A/N: I'm sooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated for a while. I've had so much to do and life is hectic, so please forgive me. If you feel like sending me a vulgar review/e-mail/whatever cussing me out I totally understand. But as most of my readers are kind, I doubt that'll happen. But then again, when the "calm" readers read this chapter, they might stone me to death. So, in advance, I'm sorry about how Leon reacts to his little roundabout with certain people in his tent the other night. Forgive him, he's simply a video game character. *looks around scared, people holding large boulders are surrounding her about to attack because she called Leon "just" a video game character* Ummmm, I'm sorry? Anyway, I appreciate all the reviews from past/current readers, and I would love to get even more! On with the fic - enjoy!
~~~~~
The sun had risen just enough to cast a dewy light through the trees. The sound of birds could occasionally be heard and the stream trickled slowly nearby. Leon opened his heavy eyes and peered at the peaceful scene before him.
"What a beautiful day," he mumbled sleepily. He slowly turned on his right side to go back to his peaceful slumber when he faced the person he least expected (who was thankfully sleeping). Yuffie.
Both shocked and terrified, but too tired to actually do anything, Leon's mouth dropped - but only for a second for soon he had fainted.
Yuffie stirred shortly after Leon had passed out in grief. She too gaped at the stunning day that had just begun.
"Ahhhh," she yawned while stretching her arms above her head. She was lying beneath a quilt and to Leon's right. How did she get there exactly? Well Leon had a sudden urge to make out with her and he dragged Yuffie to his tent.
This was all understandable to the ditzy ninja (a.k.a. novice), she figured the following: Who wouldn't want to make out with a beautiful, graceful, and intelligent ninja?
*author starts to laugh wildly, but Yuffie doesn't seen to notice*
She looked down at the fully dressed man who appeared to be sleeping.
But why did he keep calling me Sam? she wondered. She soon shrugged it off and stood up to stretch her legs. Once Yuffie was fully stretched she pulled a small compact out of her pocket and examined herself in it. She ran her hands through her hair and occasionally tried to tame the bed pressed locks. She inspected her skin now making sure that it was still smooth and unblotched - and it was. But then she looked further down and caught sight of -
"What in holy hell is that?!" she whispered in an air as if she was screaming, she didn't want to wake Squall.
Yuffie was referring to a reddish mark on her neck that was slightly swollen. She ran her fingers over the irritated flesh and her eyes grew large with realization.
"Oh no," she muttered. "I've got - LEPROSY!!!" Now in a fit of full blown terror, she fled the tent and scurried into the forest. But you're thinking, 'Wait, this is Yuffie we're talking about, right? So there has to be more to it.' Well my friends, you are unmistakingly correct.
Because Yuffie can barely put two and two together, she obviously didn't realize that she did not have leprosy, but it was merely a hickey. I guess I could tell her, but it'll be more fun this way. . .
Sam woke up just in time to see a woman flailing her arms run by her tent.
"Strange. . . it must be the quisoni juice still talkin'," Quickly she stood up and stepped into the luminous sunshine and breathed in the exotic smell of the jungle.
She loved it here. She didn't really understand where she was, but she didn't care. It was beautiful, an absolutely mesmerizing place where anything could happen, and she was happy.
I'm in a place that's the exact opposite of home, no haggis, no Michael, no eerie swamps. . . Sam smiled to think that she was away from it all and here with her new friends, Sora and Leon. Speaking of which. . .
Sam tip-toed by Sora and prepared herself to peek into Leon's tent when she heard a low pop followed by a shriek that came from the jungle. Unsure of what to think or do, she proceeded to sneak a glance at Leon who had woke from his dormant state.
"Good morning," she chirped.
Scrambled or otherwise. . .
~~~~~
"Okay, so I've had bad luck lately," stated Yuffie as she paced back and forth between two particularly tall trees. "First, I lose Leon, the love of my life. Then I get malaria and leprosy. Just when things can't get worse, they always do. . ."
~ flashback ~
I opened the refrigerator and took out a tray that I keep my eggs in. Then I filled a pan with water - enough for a dozen eggs. Setting it on the top left burner of the stove, I turned the heat up to high and waited for it to boil.
When it started to bubble I slipped the eggs in and started to write a letter to Squally-poo:
Oh my dearest Leon, I love you with all my heart. I cannot live another day without you. You are my sun, and without you I am likely to perish. . .
~ end flashback ~
"I didn't turn the heat off. Idiot!" Yuffie slapped her forehead and scrunched her eyes shut. "The eggs exploded!!!"
Swiftly she dashed away, back towards her house.
Maybe I was dreaming. . .
~~~~~
"Hi Sam," Leon sat up and Sam lowered herself next to him.
"How'd you sleep? That quisoni juice got you reeeeally drunk."
"Well, I guess I slept all right, but I had this horrible dream that I was making out with someone who looked like Yuffie. And then I dreamed that I woke up next to her. It's possibly the most horrifying thing that's ever happened to me - how about you?"
"I dreamt about home. . ."
*~ Sam's Dream ~*
Agnes: Ay! Sam, go get the haggis, will ye? Sam: Yeah, sure mom (A/N: Note that Sam does not have a Scottish accent) *walks to the lake - it's filled with haggis* *brings a handful of haggis to her mother, but it turns into quisoni fruits* Agnes: *takes fruit and puts it into a pot of water* Leon: Hello Sam. Sam: Hello love *kisses Leon on the cheek* Leon: Morning Agnes. Agnes: Mornin' Leon *when she says this Leon turns into a cat and starts to sing*
*~ End of Dream ~*
Sam didn't tell Leon about the 'love' or kiss part, but otherwise was true to her word. And she still got a disturbed expression from the puzzled warrior.
Leon: O____o "Oookay. That was, bizarre. To say the least. I really turned into cat?" Sam smiled and nodded her head. "And what the heck are haggis?"
"A mixture of sheep heart, liver, and lungs with oatmeal." Leon: O.O "Wow, that's disgusting. You really must be tough." It was funny that Leon said that, Sam was 5'8" (as tall as him) which was pretty tall for a girl.
"Oh, and you didn't think I was before?" Sam gave Leon a pensive grin.
"No, that's not it at all. It's just that you look so delicate and pretty -"
Pretty, he thinks I'm pretty! Sam couldn't help but beam at the comment.
" - and I figured, well, that since you're so graceful that you'd be more about speed and cunning." Sam was smiling brightly at him. "What?"
She liked the flattery, but it was actually very silly that she had challenged him. "Stop, it's not that big of a deal."
"But it is, and I mean it." Although he had never said anything before, Leon felt he had a special connection with the elegant girl before him. There was something special about her, she was so different and new. She was sly, but funny. And absolutely stunning.
He gazed into her eyes.
Sam had always felt that she could talk to Leon, even though they met just one day ago. She could tell he was kind and meant well. She had never met anyone like him, he was adventurous and daring, but he was childish sometimes - in a cute way of course. He was handsome, but the scar that ran down his forehead to his nose made him look dangerous. She could tell he wasn't.
She gazed back.
Their breathing became slow and calm from the gaze they shared. And ever so slightly they leaned in. Closer, and closer, and closer. . .
"HEY! Whatcha doin'?"
Sam and Leon were inches apart but they broke away with a start when Sora greeted them.
"What?! Who?! No one!!!" sputtered Leon, panicked.
"We were just, uhhh, just - "
"Talking!"
"Yes! Talking! That's all we were doing - all." Both smiled nervously hoping that Sora was gullible enough to go along with it.
Apparently he was.
"Ummmmmmm, ooookay," he slipped away from Leon's tent suspicious of the two, but still walking away none the less.
There was an awkward silence between Sam and Leon and for several minutes they simply stared at their hands.
"So," Sam started, trying to achieve their comfortableness with each other once again. "Want some breakfast?"
Leon looked up and nodded. "Sure."
So alone. . .
~~~~~
"Hey, where'd everybody go?" *Kairi looks around the empty clearing*
"I'm so alone - no one loves me!"
// That's right //
*pouts and marches back to the beach*
Yummm. . .
~~~~~
Yuffie walks into her house to find egg yolk splattered on the ceiling, egg whites on the walls, and a mixture of both everywhere else.
O.O "Oh crap."
// You said it. that's gonna take a while to clean up *mumbles* Sam will have a lot off time to get to know Leon. . . //
"What did you say?"
// Nothing. ^___^ //
Meanwhile. . .
~~~~~
Sam managed to make a decent breakfast with the selective resources available and now Leon was chowing down.
"This is great! What do you call these?" he pointed down at a slightly burnt clump of, well, something.
"Blood pudding." Once again Leon went quiet and his eyes widened. "I was just kidding," she said apologetically when she saw he was traumatized. "It's just hash browns, you know, potatoes. You've never had it before?"
"No, something similar but it wasn't as good as this," Sam blushed.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
Once again they stared into each others' eyes, one captivating the other. They stayed silent for awhile simply transfixed when -
"Oooo! Hash browns! Can I have some?" Sora picked the pan up and helped himself. Leon jumped at the sudden break of silence.
"Uhhh, sure," Sam was still partially dazed but watched as Sora piled his plate with the minced potatoes and smothered half a bottle of ketchup on top.
"You brought ketchup?" mused Leon.
"Sure, why not? It's an essential condiment and non perishable - for a while at least."
"Really? Because I would have preferred mustard, you can use it on sandwiches."
Sam started to giggle because Leon looked so cute as he said this. Here was a grown man talking to a teenager about condiments and completely serious about it. Rather amusing, don't you think?
Both Sora and Leon turned to the beaming beauty as she continued to snicker.
"What?"
"Oh, uh, nothing. . ." she paused for a second. "So, you guys never told me what you're doing in the forest."
"Well, Sora has a girlfriend, Susie. And Susie has a duck named Bob. And that duck was stolen. So we're looking for it. It's pretty simple except for the fact that we have no idea who stole him.
"That would be a key factor."
"Yeah, it is. So we're going to walk aimlessly around the forest hoping to suddenly find him. It's not the greatest plan, but at least we're not rooted in one spot where Kairi and Yuffie can get us."
"Speaking of which, are we actually gonna look for him, or just stand here?"
"Yeah, you're right, we should go. You can come too Sam, if you want."
"Of course! Sounds like fun, and well, I rather not be left in here alone," Secretly Sam knew that she wanted to come along just to be close to Leon.
"Okay then, we'll pack up and head past the stream. Hopefully we'll find a place to set up camp before nightfall."
The three started to take down the tents and put everything else away, eager to explore the unknown.
Long time no see. . .
~~~~~
"You think they'll come?"
"Of course they will, otherwise the author would have no story -"
" - or plot."
"She doesn't have a plot. So how could she not not have a plot?"
"What?"
"Never mind."
"Good, cause we need to find something to do with this duck."
"Like what? He's stuck to a friggin' table!!!"
"Maybe he likes carrots."
"What does THAT have to do with anything?!"
"I don't know, but I feel like having a carrot."
*Barbara: evil growl*
"At least it won't be like this for long, I've got a surprise waiting for Leon and Sora. . .
Missed a spot. . .
~~~~~
Yuffie had been cleaning for a very, VERY long time. And all during this time the narrator has been laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.
// *Finally takes a breath but is still purple in the face* Need. . . some. . . help? //
"That'd be great!"
// Oh, it's too bad that I have to go. . . MUAHAHAHAHA!!! //
*sighs and frowns*
"Fine, I'll just keep scrubbing the floor by myself."
// You do that *leaves* //
*continues to scour the carpet*
"Who'd of thought egg would be so hard to get out of a shag carpet?"
A Clue. . .
~~~~~
Sora, Leon and Sam had been walking - or stumbling I should say - through the forest. The trees were taller, the grasses and vines thicker, and the fact that it was day, less apparent. In fact, the foliage was so thick that anyone would have sworn it was dusk.
And as if eternal night wasn't scary enough in a foreign place, it was eerily quiet. There was not a sound of the exotic birds once heard, and they were too far in to still hear the trickle of the steam.
"Leon," Sam whispered. "Where are we going?"
"I'm not sure. We've never been here before."
"Hey, why are you guys whispering?" (of all things) whispered Sora noisily.
"I don't know, it's just so silent. It don't want to disturb the peace."
"What's the big deal?" Sora asked, now talking regularly. "It's not like we're going to be in danger or something."
Why does Sora even open his mouth? *author hangs head and shakes it disappointedly*
There was a loud growl, and the floor of the jungle began to shake.
"What's happening?!" cried Sam, holding on to Leon's arm. It was a moment of anxiety, but she couldn't help but notice that he had wrapped his other arm around her shoulder and held her a little closer.
Sora was clasped onto one of the narrower trees and scanned the area for whatever might have made the noise or caused the tremors.
He didn't have to look very long or very far to find himself face to face with the most grotesque thing you've ever seen. No, it wasn't Kairi. Something much worse. . .
It was black, with three horns and two glistening yellow eyes that seemed to stare straight into Sora's soul. It opened its mouth to bare its decaying teeth and slowly stood up getting steadily taller. He had reached his final height, which was about as tall as the trees. Quickly he swung his arms about in an attempt to hit Sora.
"Whoa!!"
"Where the hell did that come from?!" Leon yelled as he pulled out his Gunblade and stood ready in position.
"I don't know! It just appeared from he ground. . ."
"Do you think it's a heartless?"
"Don't know, but let's find out!"
Sora drew his Keyblade and charged at the brute and attacked. He swung with all his weight and force trying desperately to destroy the monster. He hadn't noticed, but Leon had joined him and was attacking the right side of the monster.
Assaulting the legs wasn't very effective, but both could tell that the monster was yielding.
The intruder soon fell to his knees and the warriors attacked his torso with vigor.
We're gonna make it, we'll be fine. . .
God! Will this thing ever die? Sam -
Leon looked to see if Sam was all right, but she wasn't there. "Sam - ?" he voiced, but it could not be heard over the loud clamor omitted from the monster.
"Leon! Watch out!!!" He turned and saw a large, black arm coming at him at an alarming speed.
Sam watched in silent terror as Leon fell lifelessly to the ground.
No, this can't be happening, not Leon. . .
She leapt from the Durian tree that she had been hiding in and stood firmly in front of the fiend.
"Sam! What are you doing?! I can handle this myself, you might get hurt!" She ignored Sora's warning and walked unshakably closer to the writhing creature, intent on defeating it.
She reached for the shurikens hidden in her sash and flung them mercilessly into its eyes. The black figure flinched and covered its injured orbs with its huge, deadly hands. He was already blinded by the ebony blood that seeped from his eyelids.
"Run!" she screamed at Sora who was still assailing the blinded beast.
"But Leon -" From the corner of his eye he saw Sam hoist Leon onto her shoulder.
"Come on," They sped off into the western part of the jungle hoping to find safer grounds.
Finally. . .
~~~~~
Yuffie had finally finished cleaning all traces of egg off of everything. Almost. She was having a little trouble with a picture of Leon she had blown up and hung above her chimney mantle.
"Oh, come on, come OFF!"
// I don't think you can talk it into coming off //
"I'm not trying to convince it , I'm willing it to come off."
// There probably isn't enough will in the world to take super glued eggs off a picture //
O.O "Super glued?! You SUPER glued it?!?!?!"
// Well, not me personally, but a good friend. . . //
"You're lucky I can't see you, or else I'd have Pikachu and all his little friends eat you alive!!!"
// *mock voice* NOOOOO!!! Not PIKACHU!!! //
"Go to hell."
// I'm torturing you, aren't I?//
"That's not hell."
// No, it's fun, but you're in hell ^_____^ //
Meanwhile. . .
~~~~~
Sam sat next to Leon, gently stroking his hair and patting his forehead with a cool, damp washcloth. She watched him sleep, his chest rising slightly as he inhaled the humid air.
They had set up a rough camp underneath the suffocating trees of the western jungle. It was so muggy in this area that bits of water collected on the leaves and would roll off causing a light, constant raining effect. Sora managed to find a way to attach a tarp to the surrounding trees to form a sort of roof from the warm droplets of rain. Sam had fared to build a fire at the edge of their campground with the tropical wood.
Little light came through the large leaves of the tropical foliage. But it rained, little droplets of happiness that poured into the dark, bleak premises from the bright sky.
"This is what Scotland is like," she whispered softly to Leon. "Well, without all the trees," She smiled and held the man's hand. His quiet expression seemed to switch to the slightest smile, but Sam figured she must have been imagining things.
"How's he doing?" Sora ducked underneath a branch and walked underneath the tarp. Drops of rain tapped the roof, creating a slow, rhythmic beat.
"He'll be fine, he just needs to sleep," she stood and approached Sora, who was soaked to the bone. "Did you find anything?"
"No, not yet. I'll go later though." He had been out searching for some sort of clearing so they could get out of the "rain". And if he could find fresh water, that would be even better. "When will he wake up?"
"Soon, I hope. He wasn't bruised too badly, just his side. It should heal soon."
"Good, cause he's a little ornery. He'll keep pushing himself as if he wasn't hurt. He doesn't have much patience."
"Don't worry, I have a special remedy that helps bruises heal. I have everything - except for bearberry."
"Bearberry?"
"I don't suppose that you have bearberry here, do you?"
"I've never heard of it before. What does it look like?"
"It has a small red berries. Pretty simple."
Sora paused to think. "Ummmm, there are raisins."
"Raisins? But those are dried grapes."
"Grapes? Uh, sure. . ." Sora threw Sam a disordered look. "Raisins are red, and I have no idea what grapes are. I would run and get you some, but they grow in water. And, well, if I had found water we wouldn't be collecting the stuff that falls off of the trees in bowls.
"But if I find water later, I'll bring some back to you."
"Thanks." There was a long silence as the two stared into the trees, watching droplets of water trickle down. And then, there was a hushed moan.
Sam turned around hurriedly and ran to Leon's side. He opened his eyes unreadily to see her waiting expectantly, but very concerned.
"What happened?" he said groggily.
"You were attacked by that thing and got knocked out. Your side is bruised but it shouldn't be that bad. Just - be careful," Leon eased himself into sitting position and took a look around.
"Where are we?"
"The western jungle."
"Why is there a tarp tied to the trees?"
"To keep the rain out."
"It's raining?"
Well not really, but - let me show you."
She grasped his hand and pulled him up careful not to hurt him. Then, she led Leon to the edge of the tarp roof and guided his hand out into the warm rain.
"It's not raining, it's just that it's so humid that it collects on the tree leaves and rolls off," Leon looked spellbound as he turned his hand in the tranquil shower. He looked back at Sam, she was looking at him. They became lost in each others' eyes and came closer, just enough to hold hands.
~~~~~
A/N: *squeals* I hope you like how, um, close Leon and Sam are becoming. Please review, it's always admired!!! And I swear I'll update next Monday because I can't over the holiday. You'll really like what happens in the next chapter *stifles giggle* Okay, thanks so much!
