A/N: Dun-dun-dun-dun! Haha. Let's see how long before I finish this story. Anyone wanna place bets? XD It's amazing though. I finally got out of my writing depression. (Probably because I got my own laptop now and it's easier to convince my mom to stay on the computer longer without consuming electricity…thank God for laptop batteries.)
Disclaimer: If I did, Kairi would have her own game where she's the main character, and Naminé can wield dual keyblades as well.
Act III Scene II Part V – Explosion
Part 1
"I hope you understand what I'm saying, Riku." Mickey said seriously as he and the silver-haired boy sat together talking at his table, some of the other staff members starting to enter the faculty room and greeting each other.
"But, sir—oh, thanks…" Riku drifted off as Professor Minnie placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of them, and he smiled at her gratefully before continuing. "I just want what's best for her. I mean, I'm practically the only family she has left—"
"That may be true." Mickey said, taking a sip from his own cup and motioning Riku to help himself, to which the boy gladly did so. "Minnie makes the best chocolate. Anyway, here's something I thought about. You may be her only family, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to face the burden alone."
"I-I don't understand what you mean…sir." Riku confessed, drowning a marshmallow in his drink and watching it sink into the brown liquid.
"You're her brother, Riku. Not her father. You're still young. You don't have to control her life like that. Besides, don't you think that dictating her love life like that is a little bit too much?" the wise teacher continued, and Riku drowned another marshmallow, suddenly feeling the urge to follow it and go drown in a body of liquid somewhere. A full minute of silence followed between them (the faculty room was an entirely different story, seeing that Professor Goof had broken the coffee machine again) before Riku had the courage to talk again.
"I guess…ever since our parents died, I took the responsibility a little too much." He admitted, and the mouse's eyes visibly softened. He gave a shuddering breath before continuing. "It's been hard for me too, but…I want her to still live a comfortable life."
Mickey smiled, before turning in his seat and gesturing for his wife to come over. As Minnie walked away from the other staff members who were debating ("Does anyone know what time Horace will come?"), Riku blinked and stared at his professor questioningly.
"Me and Minnie were talking about something. Gosh, Riku. We were good friends of your parents. And you almost grew up with us, right?" At these words, Riku nodded. He remembered his teacher's astonishingly many nephews. He and Kairi were amazed to find at least a dozen little mouse kids when they were invited to a birthday party before.
"Welp. We were thinking." His teacher continued (raising his voice slightly to be heard above Mr. Goof's yells as the coffee machine gave the klutzy professor a caffeine shower he'll never forget). Mrs. Minnie came over and smiled at Riku, and he felt warmth spread all over his body at the gesture. The couple exchanged knowing glances before facing him again.
"Whaddya say about you and Kairi living with us?"
Part 2
Keyblade masters.
Known for their inhumane moves, amazing battle skills and stubbornness. Try pitting one against another, and be prepared to duck for cover.
This was what Kairi, Naminé, Axel and Demyx were actually doing right now.
CLANG!
The two boys were almost a blur now as they clashed blades, their movements so quick it was almost invisible.
"Oh, you gotta be kidding me." Roxas muttered, high-jumping on the second floor railing and picking up the Oathkeeper that he had chucked at Sora at the inappropriate time (and that the brunette had easily dodge rolled).
Sora quick-ran towards him, swiping Ultima weapon at his feet. The blonde dodged it, then jumped on to the blade itself and swung Oblivion at his attacker in a vertical slash. The black keyblade nearly missed Sora's hair, and he grunted as he threw Roxas off, aiming a kick in the process. With a grace of a ninja, Roxas jumped off, landing at the opposite railing and spinning both blades in impatience.
The tension had risen so fast in the last few moments during the emotional debate they had earlier, and any form of negative emotion was now being channeled to physical blows. What words? Actions speak louder than words, don't they?
"I usually don't fight people that aren't well armed, Sora, but this time I'll make an exception!" Roxas yelled, vaulting off and charging at Sora again. He threw one keyblade in the air, and as his opponent was held by the momentary distraction, he seized the opportunity and swung Oathkeeper. Caught unawares, Sora had to block the attack with both hands, and for several moments, the two struggled, trying to disarm each other. Eventually, Roxas' strength won and Sora lost his balance, jumping off the second floor and landing with little grace on his feet at the ground below.
"Oh, it's on NOW." Sora gritted his teeth. He pointed his keyblade at Roxas and smirked.
Screw school rules. No one was around anyway.
"Freeze!"
CRAP.
Roxas saw the ice block heading towards him, and he jumped off the railing, cold ice shards pelting him as it hit solid concrete. So Sora was using elements, huh? He gripped both blades in preparation before crossing them in the air. Light crackled between the two metals as he summoned his own magick power. It was forbidden in school rules, but hey, he'd already broken a lot of rules anyway. Besides, Sora was the first one to use it.
"Light!" he yelled.
Light beams showered from mid-air, and he watched with some satisfaction as Sora high jumped and glided to avoid the beams. He quick ran to meet the boy with an attack, but had to cross his keyblades in defense as Sora threw a fire spell at him. Choking slightly at the smoke, he squinted then jumped back as Sora swung Ultima again at him.
His vision was suddenly seized by silver, and he clutched his head, slightly dazed before focusing his powers on the ground at Sora's feet. It burst into rays of light, and Sora backed away.
Damnit, Sora also brought Kingdom Key today!
"You're not the only one who can double wield." Sora smirked, Ultima in left, Kingdom Key on his right hand.
"I hate you." Roxas glowered, before Sora rushed at him again. This time he was ready, and the four blades danced in the air, once or twice finding their intended mark. The blonde spun around, Oathkeeper aimed high, and Sora ducked, but he didn't see Oblivion that was aimed below and he was swept off his feet. He eagerly returned the head blow Sora gave him earlier…with slight interest.
"Thunder!" Sora managed to choke out.
Roxas leapt back as bolts of lightning cackled around him, and Sora got up groggily, muttering something. An image of a blooming flower appeared over his head, and Roxas knew what that meant. Pft, whatever.
He whipped out his hands and light rays shot out horizontally from all directions. That'd drain him from his magick, he thought.
"Gather!" came the shout from the center of the light rays.
Roxas felt his body move forward on its own accord, and he knew that Sora wanted to drag him in into his own attack. He dug both blades into the ground, resisting it. Sora suddenly leapt out of nowhere and Roxas clashed his blades against his, light spilling everywhere and crashing into everything.
They broke off and Roxas grunted as he brought down Oblivion and Oathkeeper hard on the ground, causing razor sharp blades of light to shoot from both keyblades and head straight for Sora. The brunette quick ran, and after gaining momentum, started to run up the wall to avoid being sliced by the light beams. Roxas rolled his eyes before following, running towards the opposite wall to gain momentum before leaping from a pile of broken wood and running up the wall altogether.
Surely anyone who was watching would've thought that gravity was taking the day off.
"Ha!" Roxas cried out as he and Sora exchanged blows in mid-air. Friction between the blades caused sparks, and the heat of the battle seem to hold both warriors in mid-air before gravity started to act again.
"Back off!" Sora yelled, suddenly spinning both Ultima and Kingdom Key and delivering a powerful blow at Roxas' overhead, the skaterboy crossing both white and black blades to deflect it. Sora followed it up with a barrage of drumming attacks, causing Roxas to lose control and to land on the ground with a large crash, his keyblades digging themselves in the ground beside him.
"It's over!" Roxas looked up in dazed alarm as Sora landed and rushed at him, both blades intent on pinning the blonde to the ground.
Yeah, right.
Mustering all his strength, Roxas raised his two, sneaker-wearing feet and planted them onto Sora's stomach just as the boy reached him, and with a grunt, kicked the other wielder backwards. In the split second, he reclaimed his keyblades and crossed them once again. Sora regained his balance, before pointing Kingdom Key at the blonde. Light gathered at the end, and Roxas knew what the boy was doing.
Damn keywielders. Oh, wait. He was one. Never mind.
"Shield!" Roxas yelled, crossing Oblivion and Oathkeeper before him just as the beam left Sora's blade. It shot towards him, but was blocked by the hexagonal blocks of light that Roxas had surrounded himself with. After a moment, he dismissed the shield, before pointing Oathkeeper upwards and calling the image of the blooming flower onto himself this time. Sora poised again, ready.
"Geez, you're stubborn." Roxas growled, spinning his blades in anticipation again.
"So are you." Sora huffed, brandishing Ultima and Kingdom key with force.
They charged at each other again.
Part 3
Physical battle though, was nothing compared to verbal and emotional battle.
Which the two girls were doing right now (from the safe location that is the corner of the gym that connected to the shower rooms. They had tried running out of the gym through the shower rooms but found the door blocked by a lot of equipment they presumed was going to be used for the dance. As for the main entrance and the second floor landings? Don't even try to get there.)
"Naminé, why did Sora suddenly become like this?! What happened that night? Why did he leave me?!" Kairi asked breathlessly, holding Naminé's wrist in a death-grip. The flaxen-haired blonde girl struggled gamely to wrench it away from her childhood friend's hold, succeeding somewhat.
"I told you Kairi! I don't know!" Naminé said tearfully, looking like she might have another breakdown again, and causing Kairi to visibly flinch with guilt. "I didn't do anything to Sora, I never stole him from you, I don't know!! I just don't know!"
At these words, she burst into fresh tears, causing Kairi to hesitatingly place a hand tenderly on the girl's shoulder.
"J-just tell me everything. Please." Kairi whispered desperately, and Naminé wiped at her eyes again, taking deep breaths. Kairi waited for her friend to calm down…before they were forced to retreat into the shadows further as light beams started to dance on the Battlefield Formerly Known As The Kingdom High Gymnasium.
"I-I don't know what came over me, b-but I told Roxas about how you and Sora were planning to escape to Twilight Town. Well, you can imagine how he reacted to that." Naminé said with a bit of spite in her voice, and both of them cringed as crashes become more eminent from the other side of the barrier they were hiding in. "I had to follow him, and I—at that moment I—I told him my feelings."
An uncomfortable silence followed, and Kairi weighted the words of her friend, almost finally understanding the conflict raging within the young blonde.
CRASH.
They jumped in surprise at the sudden impact of breaking concrete, and Naminé seem to snap out of her emotional reverie before continuing.
"I couldn't stand the tension so I went ahead to the Secret Place, and found Sora already sprawled on the ground. He saw me crying and I told him about what happened, and that's when he started acting funny. Kairi, I swear that's the truth—" Naminé's frenzied words were cut off when the ground of the gym slightly shuddered, and they both held the wall for balance.
"Are you sure that's all?" Kairi murmured, not liking the situation. Naminé nodded, sobbing slightly.
"Please, trust me, Kairi. I don't know what's happening as much as you do. I hate everything that's happening right now, and I would've left this town if something wasn't holding me back!" Naminé shrieked, looking ready to pull out her hair.
"Hold you back? Who?" Kairi suddenly found herself asking, her heart now sinking terribly into her stomach. From Naminé's words, Sora did seem to have fallen for her childhood friend, and if Naminé, who was just heartbroken, found herself falling for Sora…
Kairi shut her own eyes, praying that the salt water wouldn't flow from them.
She reopened them and saw Naminé looking torn and glancing out of their hiding place. The blonde girl gasped and put up her hands in her face in apparent fear, and Kairi traced the other girl's line of vision. She saw Roxas' figure crashing to the ground, keyblades digging themselves on the ground next to him. Kairi glanced back at her childhood friend and saw the terror and worry etched on her face.
So that was it.
So overwhelmed was Kairi by this chain of events that she didn't say another word for a few moments, turning the facts over her head. Apparently Naminé still likes Roxas. And Kairi obviously still cares for Sora.
But then, the problem still remained unsolved on the boys' side of the equation.
"We need to stop this and set everything right." Kairi said determinedly, causing Naminé to look up at her in surprise. Kairi swallowed. Any hesitation and feeling of betrayal she harbored towards Naminé earlier had now fully disappeared, her doubts being put to rest by Naminé's actions. She held her hand out to Naminé, who hesitated for a bit but took it, and hand in hand, both girls rushed into the battlefield.
Part 4
"I am never pissing off Roxas again. Ever." Axel said, as Demyx stuttered like an idiot next to him. The light show before them was anything but fake, and Axel was intent on not getting on the bad side of any keyblade master.
"Genius, you better fix this up fast before they kill each other!" Demyx shouted out above the sounds of breaking concrete, clashes of metal against metal, and battle cries. The pyro suddenly rummaged his pocket, searching for something, before smacking his forehead and smacking Demyx upside in the head again.
"Idiot, where did you put my lighter?!" Axel demanded, hands closing in on something round in his pocket. The musician scratched his head before realization dawned upon him.
"Ah, I kinda threw it in the trash bin back there in the Janitor's closet." Demyx confessed quietly, and Axel felt the desire to bang his head against the wall. But he desisted, seeing that there was already a lot of violence going around.
"Well, since no one seem to mind that we're using elements… Demyx, unless you want to go beddy-bye very early, I suggest you try to keep yourself awake by any means possible. Holding your breath works." Axel said, pulling out Reno's smoke bomb. Demyx gave something like a strangled squeak at the sight of the little ball, before backing off into the shadows.
Here goes nothing. Sorry about this guys, Axel thought.
He threw the bomb high in the ceiling (and miraculously, it went unnoticed) before he drew back and summoned a ball of flame that engulfed his whole right hand. You can imagine how his family reacted when he showed that little talent when he was five years old.
Last night, he had tinkered with his brother's handiwork. Reno liked flashy stuff, but Axel knew how they could be rendered useful (a little something he had inherited from his Uncle Vexen).
A little sleeping powder can go a long way.
Chucking the flame at the small ball, he swallowed the maximum amount of fresh air that his lungs could possibly intake before shutting his eyes.
He briefly saw four pairs of blue eyes glance upwards, before everything flashed into white.
Exit
Hell yes, Axel finally moved. Writing that battle scene was a bit fun, I had to admit. :D Anyway, Reviews are very much appreciated. It makes me feel like I'm not actually writing random crap and people are interested at what I'm writing, whether they hate it or like it. Til next time then!
