I have a lot of explaining to do, so I'll make it as brief as I can. I've changed a few things, and I've actually corrected mistakes that I hadn't picked up on the first time around (which I am very ashamed of. I'm very sorry about it too.) so I hope it isn't too confusing. And the reason I haven't updated for a while is because my exams were just on (and I just received a copy of the Wii version of Twilight Princess from my brother after almost finishing it on the Gamecube version). But now I have loads of free time, and I shouldn't be too distracted by my own fiction to not write this one. Oh, chapter 13 is now a part of chapter twelve, because that was so shamefully short. And this will be copy and pasted into every chapter up until 12 so that people will definitely read it.

xo Delta

10. Storm

"Can I ask you something Kadaj?" Turning his attention to Lloyd, he gave a small nod to show he could proceed. "What happened to your eyes? They went kind of… weird just now, like a cat's eyes," he said, bringing everyone in the small group to look at him. He looked around them all cautiously, slowly stepping back. He had no explanation to give them; it was something that had always happened naturally to him and his brothers, only when they were fighting someone or something. It improved his sight, and that was about all he knew.

"It just happens… I don't know how," he replied awkwardly, having no better way to phrase it.

"It happened yesterday too. Freaked me out a little, but I guess it doesn't matter," he said with an airy wave of his hand, before looking around the beach. "So… what should we do now?"

One of the people on the beach cursed loudly, making the small group turn to look with interest at the two that had been sat on the rock. They were looking up towards the top cliffs, where something blue was caught in between the rocks.

"Man, talk about aim. That looks lodged pretty deep," commented Simon, bringing a hand to shield his eyes as they all looked up. The sky blue and navy disk was obvious against the dark grey stone, a small ledge a short distance above it making it accessible to reach, but the climb didn't seem to be safe as there didn't appear to be any firm areas for footing.

Pulling his tie over his head, Lloyd handed it to Sophie as he looked up at the Frisbee.

"I'll go and get it!"

"With a busted wrist? I don't think so—" Claudia began, but he started towards the rocks without a second glance. "Stupid ass…" she muttered, watching him as he started making his way up the side of the cliff.

"Don't worry about it Lloyd, we'll get it later!" said the owner of the Frisbee, but the teen continued without hesitation.

Kadaj sighed as he watched him, crossing his arms as he stood with the others. He had to admit though: for an immature teenager Lloyd was a decent climber, even with an injured wrist. A gasp ran through the others when he slipped a fair distance up the cliff, but he easily regained his footing and continued climbing once again. It didn't take more than five minutes to reach the correct ledge, and as he looked down towards the disk he soon swung his leg over and stood on a smaller ledge underneath, before reaching towards it and keeping a firm hold on the edge of the rock. Leaning further, it brushed his fingertips, forcing him to try and reach once again as he heard a distinct cracking from beneath him. There was a yell from the beach, before his footing fell slack underneath him and he began to fall. Holding the edge even tighter than before, his feet could find nowhere new to support his weight, and he could feel his fingers beginning to slip as the earth came loose. Forced to drop the Frisbee, he brought his other hand to the edge but almost fell again as the pain from his wrist shot down his arm, keeping his hand from the ledge.

Looking down, he instantly regretted his action as the world spun around him, and as he looked up again he found Kadaj reaching down and grabbing his arm. He started pulling him back up, his hand catching the collar of his shirt to pull him up a little better.

"This would be much easier if you'd kept your tie on!"

"Just pull me up!" Reaching up and holding Kadaj's arm tightly, he eventually pulled himself high enough to hoist his legs back up onto the ledge, where he lay down on his side tiredly and shut his eyes.

"Okay, now you can just leave me here until lunch time…" he breathed heavily, rubbing his sore arm as Kadaj sat down and leant back on his arms.

"I agree with Claudia: you really are a stupid ass…" he replied, brushing his hair out of his face with a heavy sigh.

"At least I got the Frisbee down!"
"And don't think about going down yourself for a while. The two of them want to 'whoop your ass', as they put it, for coming up here to start with. Simon left a few minutes after you started climbing, and he owes Sophie lunch."

"What? Why?"

"They made a bet: Simon said if you fell, he'd buy Sophie lunch."
"Damn him! I'll fry his ass for ruining my luck!"
"Why do you all keep saying 'ass'? It's getting on my nerves!"

Climbing back down the rocks, Lloyd kept his gaze from the two girls stood on the sand with the owners of the Frisbee, but the moment he was back on the beach he had no choice. Rushing towards him, he was surprised by Claudia as she suddenly wrapped her arms around his shoulders and almost knocked him over, but he merely bumped lightly into Kadaj instead as he stepped off the rocks behind him.

"You moron! If you didn't die when you fell—"
"I know, I know! But I didn't, right?" he replied, but she smacked him head none the less.

"Don't sound so pleased with yourself! You could've died!"

"Stop doing that!"
"I bet you haven't thanked Kadaj yet for saving your hide either!" said Sophie, crossing her arms as she glared at him, Claudia soon standing by her in the same fashion. He glared back, before turning dejectedly towards Kadaj.

"Thanks, I guess…" Claudia kicked his back side. "Ow!"

"Say it properly!" she ordered, and he sighed agitatedly as he turned back again.
"'It properly'!" Sophie kicked him instead. "Ow! What are you: donkeys?"

"You're the ass around here! Now say it, or we'll be here all day!" she ordered in a more threatening tone than Claudia had before her. Growling angered profanities, he turned back to Kadaj with a less-than-happy look.

"Thanks for… ugh, saving me. Damn, it sounds so corny!" Claudia flicked his arm. "What the hell was that for?"
"You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Turning to Kadaj with a much brighter look on her features, Sophie smiled at Kadaj.

"That was so cool! I've never seen anyone climb the rocks so fast!" she said in amazement. Kadaj merely smirked smugly, and remained silent. This was enough of an ego trip without his comments making it worse. Claudia turned to him with a large smile as well.

"Thanks so much! I don't know what we would've done if he fell!" She hugged his arm like Lloyd had done that morning. "That was really amazing, how you managed to lift him up so easily! Lloyd was right: you really are strong!"
"Wow, second day here and he already has fangirls!" the Frisbee owner joked, before holding up the Frisbee itself. "Who wants to play with us? Just don't aim for any rocks!"

The girls seemed enthusiastic, but Lloyd turned away in a quiet demeanour.

"Lloyd?" Claudia asked, concern in her voice as she watched him walk away slowly. He lifted a hand half heartedly.

"I'm going to sit down…" Suddenly forgetting about the Frisbee, the brunette went after him, followed closely by Sophie whilst Kadaj took his time behind them. They were only going to their bags, so there was no need to rush.

"What's up Lloyd?" his emerald eyed friend asked cautiously, sitting down beside him with her legs crossed.

"Nothing…" he muttered, arms crossed over his knees as he rested his head upon them.

"…Would you like to borrow my jumper?" As Kadaj stood beside him, he turned his head slightly at her bemusing question.

"What?" he asked, and she gestured to the front and right arm of his shirt, which were covered in a dark mud and even torn where it had caught on the rock. "Oh…" Laughing lightly, she pulled off the dark jumper before holding it out to him, and as he took it his tie landed on his head.

"Stop giving me your tie! I swear I'll shred it one day!" said Sophie, and he looked up at her incredulously before pulling it down and tidying his collar once again.

"I'm just glad you didn't fall!" Claudia exclaimed ecstatically, tackling him to the ground before he had a chance to pull on the jumper.

"So what should we do now?" asked Sophie, sitting beside Claudia as Lloyd sat up again. But a shrug was all she received in reply. "Man, don't any of you plan for the future?"

"Nope. But I didn't think I'd be down here at the moment, so that's my excuse," said the brunette, brushing the sand from herself and her friend's black hair. So Sophie looked up at Kadaj' instead.

"Any ideas or sugg—"
"Hey, you didn't ask me!" Lloyd butted in rudely, sitting up a little straighter to get noticed. Sophie frowned and waved him out of the way.

"Let our new friend decide something for once!"
With a severely annoyed look, he turned away and looked out across the ocean instead, so both girls looked up at Kadaj again.

"So, is there anything in particular that you want to do?" asked Claudia, but he shook his head.

"It's probably better to ask Lloyd."
"Fine, your funeral," sighed Sophie, but Claudia merely looked at her friend with a smile.

"What did you have in mind Lloyd?"
"Nothing." Her smile turned to a frown.

"Huh? Then why—"

"I just didn't like the fact that you left me 'till last. I'm normally the first person you ask!"
"You selfish little git!" Sophie exclaimed with a laugh, but Claudia leant forward and whispered something quickly into her ear, which made her sigh as she nodded. Claudia turned back to look at the scarlet eyed young man.

"Don't worry Lloyd, you'll be the first person we ask next time!"

"Humph…"

"Stop being a selfish tick and cheer up!" Sophie huffed, hands on her hips as she looked over at him. He glared again, before the brunette nudged him gently.

"Come on Lizzie! Or I'll take my jumper back and let you get a row for getting dirty." Quickly, Lloyd pulled the black piece of clothing on properly.

"Fine, but stop calling me 'Lizzie' in public!"

Crossing his arms thoughtfully, he was sat in silence for a moment whilst they all watched him expectantly, before he suddenly stood up and brushed himself off.

"Well?" asked Sophie. He was still for a few more seconds, before turning quickly and tapping Kadaj's arm.

"Tag, you're it!" he exclaimed cheerfully before dashing away across the sand. Rushing to their feet and moving away as quickly as possible, both girls were laughing as they ran in two separate directions. Confused, Kadaj looked from his arm to Lloyd, who was watching him smugly.

"Come on Kadaj! Catch us if you can!" he yelled from across the beach to mock him. Looking from one to another, he soon started after Sophie since she was the closest to him, and she gave a comic squeal as she tried to escape.

"Hey, maybe we should go to lunch." Looking at his phone, Lloyd was out of breath after racing Claudia back to their bags near the rocks. Most of their time had been spent playing tag, but once the brunette in glasses fell over they settled to playing Frisbee with Helena and Jack instead. Pulling her bag closer to herself, Claudia pulled out her own phone to check the screen.

"Hey, I have a message!... Weird, Tabby'll be waiting for us at the train station later. I wonder why…"
"Stop wondering and pick up your bag! I want lunch today, thank you very much." Sophie said before Lloyd could think of a reply as she picked up her own bag, before starting after Jack and Helena as they started climbing the rocks back to the path. Kadaj picked up his bag and the Souba beside it before doing the same as Claudia, though he already assumed that he wouldn't have any messages. The only people who had ever texted him more than once a week were his brothers, and even then they hadn't done so very often.

"We'll leave you behind if you don't join the land of the living soon, Kadaj." He looked up when Lloyd spoke to him, and found him turning back to follow Claudia towards the rocks.

The area outside the gym was clear as they made their way back, and as they walked towards the corridor Claudia flipped her phone open once again. She stopped dead in her tracks, causing Kadaj to step to the side to narrowly avoid her.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed dramatically, causing Lloyd to stop in the doorway as the door swung shut.

"Ow!"

"What?" Kadaj asked her since he was stood beside her, but she showed him the screen instead of replying verbally.

"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked as he rubbed the back of his head sorely. He turned her hand so the screen faced him, and smiled in a sinister fashion. "Ha! Sucks to be you!"

"What's so bad about going to the shopping district? I thought she was your sister," said Kadaj, blissfully unaware of what was going on until the words came from Claudia's mouth.

"It's her wedding next week, so she's going to go and check up on things now." She pointed at the two of them, a disturbing smile coming to her lips as it vanished from Lloyd's. "She wants you two to come too."
"W-what? You can't be serious!" exclaimed Lloyd, and she nodded as she laughed lightly.

"She's going to the tailor to check on her dress in case she wants any changes, so she wants you to get fitted for something. She's being real specific about this, so be warned!"
"Damn!"

"What about me?" Kadaj asked, confused by what was going on. He didn't know what a wedding was.

"Oh, she said last night that she wouldn't mind getting to know you if you're my friend. She's really nice, so don't worry about a thing."
"Humph, nice my ass," scoffed Lloyd, and he was promptly flicked on the back of the head. "Ow! That area's tender!"
"She is nice. She just knows Lloyd too well after ten years."
"She's evil!" the black haired teen whined, elongating the first syllable of 'evil' as he covered his head with his arms and walked oddly towards the door to the main corridor.

"You took your time! Come on, Si and Dizzy already went down when I told them you were coming," Sophie explained, standing next to her hook in the cloak rooms. They were as empty as they had been when they had passed through earlier, only a staff member from the office walking briskly with a letter in hand as the remaining three hung their bags as well. The woman sent a dark look towards them, but disappeared beyond the corner before Kadaj could shoot back a glare of his own. Sophie tugged his shirt sleeve to get his attention, and he followed them down to the canteen with his money in his pocket, vowing to get his pointless revenge.

There were two sections to the canteen: one a calming light lavender whilst the other was a soft powder blue, but the same type of tables dominated both. They were white and made up of two separate sections, six seats along both sides, giving twelve seats for each complete table, though the round black seats were fitted in place. The lavender coloured section served a wide variety of food on traditional ceramic plates with silver cutlery, whilst everything was disposable in the powder blue area since the food was a lot simpler.

Waiting in the queue in the purple canteen, Daisy waved brightly at them as they entered, before Kadaj spotted Simon already sat at one table with a glass of water.

"Which canteen should we go for?" asked Claudia, looking from one to another. Lloyd walked to the powder blue canteen, where Sophie was already picking up a tray.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going this way with Sophie," he replied, taking a tray for himself. With a shrug Claudia followed, and Kadaj felt he had no other choice and eventually went with the majority. Taking a bottle of water from a fridge next to the trays, and eventually a ham salad sandwich, he found that lunch was much cheaper in school than in town, but at the cost of no taste. Once they sat down and the two from the other canteen had come to join them, Kadaj discovered that the tomatoes from the sandwich had turned the bread to mush, putting him off food as he paid more attention to his water instead. Luckily, Sophie was kind enough to share her chips.

"Double dose of Combat… man, I'd normally be happy, but he's making us write!" Lying on the grass between the Technology Block and the first corridor, Lloyd groaned as he covered his eyes with his arm. Simon kicked his feet in passing.

"Why are you complaining? You can't even write."

"Which means I'll be sat there for two hours doing nothing!"
"Cheer up, you'll have Kadaj with you!" Claudia chirruped, and Lloyd glanced at who she had mentioned. Kadaj seemed to be in a world of his own, staring blankly ahead of himself. Writing… for two hours? His hand would be cramped for days.

"Joy," came Lloyd's sarcastic reply, and whilst Kadaj seemed unable to reply the brunette with glasses frowned at him instead.

"What's wrong with a lesson with Kadaj?" she asked, before Daisy nudged her lightly. She turned and found her smiling brightly.

"You know he's only joking! He does it to all of us!"

Somehow, just by the look still lingering on his face, Kadaj could tell that Lloyd was not in a friendly mood.

Extending an arm, Sophie soon prodded Claudia to get her attention.

"Come on, Mr Gryff said he wanted to see us at lunch, remember?" she said, looking over at Daisy as well before standing up. "He should be back from lunch by now." Pulling her glasses up onto her head, Claudia groaned.

"Do I have to?"

"Come on, I'll go too!" said Lloyd, hooking his arms under hers and pulling her to her feet, laughing at the comic squeak of surprise that came from her lips. But Sophie shook her head.
"No. Sir said to make sure you three stay outside for now. Or you two, at least. I don't think he knows Kadaj well enough, but I'm afraid it's all three of you at the moment, just in case," she said in a firm tone, her hands on her hips. Lloyd pouted, but said nothing whilst Simon nodded with a light smile. Kadaj watched the girls link arms and walk off, leaving Lloyd to glare at them until they had vanished beyond the glass and metal double doors.

"Where are you going?" Kadaj found himself asking only a moment later. The moment the door had swung shut, Lloyd had hopped off the grass and jogged towards them, standing out of sight as he leant forward to look through the glass.

"Whoa!" He stumbled back in surprise, before Claudia pushed the door open and frowned at him, her hand on her hip as her shoulder held the door open.

"I am so disappointed Lloyd. I thought you were good at sneaking around!"
"Damn! I thought you'd gone in!"

"I'm not that stupid. I've known you for too long to fall for this one. Now go and sit with Si and Kadaj—whoa!" she exclaimed suddenly, a hand grabbing her arm before yanking her though the door.

"Stop talking to your lover boy—"
"Sophie! He's not my 'lover boy'!"
"Well that's definitely the impression that I get…"
Their voices faded to silence as the door closed, leaving Lloyd with a blank look as he stared at his reflection in the glass.

"Don't worry Lloyd, the two of you can snuggle later," Simon said loudly with a sly smile, bringing a glare upon himself.

"Shut up Simon." He stormed back towards them, and sat beside his bag once again.

"I think you'd make a really cute couple."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? We're friends!"

"What do you think Kadaj?" When his name was dragged into the conversation, he looked from one to another in momentary silence. He didn't care, but he knew that if he agreed with Simon that Lloyd would be in a worse mood than he was already in. Having two spiky haired swordsmen after him did not sound like fun, so he shrugged and looked back at his phone in his hands.

"They're friends," he mumbled, pressing in a message for Cloud.

If he wanted his bike, he realised he'd need his bike keys, which were hidden away somewhere by the blond man himself when he had taken Souba from him, forcing him to ask. He hated having to go so low as to beg, but first he needed an excuse to beg with.

Looking up when someone sat beside him, he was a little confused to see the black haired teenager looking at the screen of his phone.

"Who are you texting?" he asked curiously, as if his previous bad mood had never existed.

"Uh…"

"Wait, you have a bike?" he exclaimed in amazement, leaving Kadaj to nod awkwardly. What was so special about having a bike? "Funky! I have a chocobo, but that's about it. I have to save up my own money if I want one. You're so lucky!" Glancing back at Simon, Kadaj felt that he was back in Lloyd's good books by the amused smile on the silver and black haired teen's face. One comment had saved what little reputation he had gathered for himself over the past day and a half with this small group.

R&R