Author's Note: Well, what the hell do I need a note for besides saying that I don't own KH or anything I stick in here owned by Disney and Squaresoft, and only my own characters, Roz and Aya and who else knows what? Really, there isn't a reason to type a notice... Well, Another chapter's been uploaded, so that means I'm satisfied--at the very least, at least...--with what you have given me, so I feel that I must put up another chapter... XP Nah! Actually, I didn't want my dedicated readers to suffer, and... well, a bunch of other reasons, so... Yeah. Another Chappie is up, so shut up, sit tight, read, enjoy,a nd you better as hell review or I'm gonna make sure someone pays. I want at least five reviews or something... I dont' care if one or two is made by the same person... I just want reviews, damnit! (Notice my language here ties in with the rating: PG-13... I hate putting in stuff that may be G or PG... I'm totally a PG13 to R to maybe even NC17 writer... trust me... no one's seen my worst and totally JUICY writings yet... and I don't think the site would allow it, sooo..... yeah... On with the story... And I damn hope my email service will work... damn thing hasn't worked in a while... so if anyone wants to make personal reviews or comments, well... for hte time being... probably from now until January whatever, 2003 or something, use duch_of_darkness@yahoo.com okay? I always have spare emails... lol ^_~ Anyway... On with the story...
Chapter Ten
Riku put Roz down after she flicked the top of his ear with her middle finger, making a loud snapping noise. "What the hell was that for?!" he yelled at her when she flicked him.
Roz narrowed her eyes. "Well, you were so gawky and stupid that I had to get your stupid attention by flicking your ear! And anyway... it always gets peoples' attention that way..." she said, smirking when Riku put her down. She brushed herself off and stood up. "Alright... Um..." She looked around for anyone who might be of some good use with information. She was pushed out of the way after a moment, and she glared at who pushed her. She saw a blond girl just like herself and Riku with a really short red skirt and top with a ragged white shirt underneath the red one that was more like a mini jacket.
"What the bloody hell are ya standing around like a nicker, mate?" she said with an unusual accent, her hands on her hips.
Roz stood up quickly but wobbled and felt Riku's gloved hands supporting her at her shoulders. She thanked him briefly before narrowing her eyes at the girl. "Well, EX-CUSE ME, but I'm not hte one pushing around like a cow, now am I?" She eyed the girl up and down, taking in the dagger that hung at the girl's waist.
Riku gaze a light squeeze on Roz's shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Don't attract attention. The next thing we need is some of hte villagers questioning us or beating the crap out of us or something we'll regret. Okay?"
Roz turned her head to see that Riku had a serious expression on his face. She rolled her eyes and her shoulders sagged. "Alright... Alright..."
The blond girl looked at Zidane and Blank, seeing them for hte first time. "And who're you? WHAT're you? Are you some demi-human?" she asked Zidane, noting the monkey tail.
Zidane furrowed his brows. "What? I'm not some demi-human. Whatever that is..." he added under his breath.
"Whatever, mate... If ya ain't one, then what are ya?"
"Kid. What're you doing?" came a voice from not far off.
The blond girl turned to see a boy her age and height smirking at her. He wore a red bandana on his head. "Oy! Serge! How's it goin'?"
"Kid... Is she bothering you?" the boy, Serge asked Riku and hte others.
Riku raised his eyesbrows. "Who?"
The blond girl turned to him and stuck her hand out. "Me. name's Kid."
Riku shook her hand, not knowing what else to do. "Um... 'S Riku. This's Roz." He gaze another light squeeze to Roz's shoulders. The girls exchanged dirty looks at each other before Riku went on introducing everyone. "The one you called a demi-human is Zidane, and the other is Blank."
"Nice ta meet ya, mate. Strange group ya got, though," she said, shaking hands with Zidane and Blank.
Serge walked up to them and smiled, not bothering to shake hands. "As you know from Kid, I'm Serge. Welcome to Arni Village. You new around the place or what?"
Riku and the group exchanged looks. Roz coughed, looking off to the side. "Um... you COULD say that..."
Serge shrugged. "Well, welcome anyway. We could give you a tour if you want. But this place isn't much of a site seer. You should go to Termina if you're looking for some good attractions or a place to relax and enjoy your stay at."
Riku shook his head. "Um... That's okay... We can start in this place if that's alright."
Serge nodded. "Fine by me."
Kid grinned. "Righto! Let's go visit yer Ma!"
"My mom? Why so?" Serge looked at Kid, confused on why she would want them to go to his house.
Kid shrugged and clapped Serge on the shoulder. "Just 'cuz! Wouldn't hurt to start there! Anyway, didn't she say to be back in time for some food?"
Serge laughed before gesturing the others to follow them. "Yeah... Haha. I suppose."
Riku smiled at them gratefully, glad all was well so far, until... "Roz!"
Kid and Serge stopped and turned around, looking questioningly at Riku. Kid's brows rose in a high arch when she saw Riku crouching down with Roz in his lap. Serge, on the otherhand, went up to Riku immediately, kneeling down in front of him.
"What's wrong?" came Zidane's voice as he stood from the side, looking down at them.
Riku bit him lip and looked up at his friends sheepishly. "She fell unconscious. The journey must've wiped her out."
Blank shook his head, his hands on his hips. "And she said she wanted to come here... Oh boy... She's really gonna be pissed when she wakes up."
Serge looked from one male to another. "How so? How far did you travel?"
Riku looked up at the sky, the corner of his mouth tugging to curve upwards. "Umm... Well... A very very long way..."
Serge's eyebrows rose in question, but he stayed silent. After a long moment, he cleared his throat and stood up. "Let's get her to my house. She can rest there."
Riku nooded and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. He and the rest follwed Serge and Kid in the short distance across the village to Serge's house. There, they met a kind woman who was pacing back and forth with the house pets following her or watching her. When she saw them, she approached her son first with a welcoming hug before smiling at the others and greeting them kindly.
"Serge... You've brought friends! How wonderful... Now... what about that girl right there? Is she alright?" Serge's mother asked, indicating Roz who rested her head on Riku's chest as he held her close in his arms.
Riku blinked, looked down at Roz, then blinked at the woman. "Um... Oh. She's okay. Just... exhausted."
"My! What happened?"
"Um... Long journey. Um... Too long to explain, so... uh... yeah." Riku looked at Serge for a little help.
Serge laid a gentle hand on his mother's arm. "Mother."
She blinked down at him before sensing what he meant of her. "Oh! Um... I believe it will be best if I get out of your way and continue with my thinking somewhere else... Oh, don't feel offended. I need quiet and space to myself anyway..." she added when she saw the look of Riku's face that said that he didn't mean to a bother for them. She smiled and left them to themselves, hugging Serge on her way out.
Serge grimaced when she did this and was glad to be without her for the moment before something embarrassing happened. He led Riku to his room and let him lay Roz in his bed, tucking her in. Riku was grateful and glad he could get Roz to a place where she could rest. It may take a while for her to fully or at least, mostly, recover since she did not rest from her flight with Feng before the recent one. WHen they left Roz at Serge's, Serge and Kid showed the three around the village, visiting Leena, Serge's old girlfriend.
"Hi, Serge! Who're these fine people? You playing around with demi-humans and visiters again, Serge? Nothing's wrong, is there?" Leena said when Serge found her babysitting at the dock.
"Hey! Leena! Sergy! Watch this!" said one of the boys Leena was babysitting, diving under hte water and swimming like a dolphin.
"Don't go too far, now!" Leena shouted to them.
"Okay!" the boys said in unison.
Leena smiled and turned back to Serge. Serge smiled back and Kid introduced Riku, Zidane, and Blank. Leena smiled brightly at all three of them. But, again, Zidane had to explain that he wasn't some 'demi-human' that they think he is; but he didn't know what the heck a 'demi-human' was. After a quick chat with Leena, Serge introduced the three to the elder of the village and the a very energetic pink dog. Serge gave the dog something that he pulled out of his pocket.
"Gath-ped! A prethenth for I? To acthept or not to acthept... Hmmm... I acthept! Thank you Sergie-poo!" the dog eclaimed, taking the object gratefully.
Riku had a expression on his face when Serge turned around to explain who the dog was. "It talks...?" O_o
Kid laughed. "Yup. That's right, mate. This montrosity in front of you help Serge and me and many others on our adventure to destroy Lnyx."
"Um... Isn't that a cat?" Riku asked, looking down at the dog with the same expression on his face.
Kid nodded. "Yup. He's a demi-human."
Zidane cleared his throat. "What exactly is a 'demi-human'? So far, I've been called one, but what the heck is it?"
Kid put a hand on her hip and exchanged a look with Serge. "Well, where have YOU been? A demi-human is a mix of an animal form and a human. You have a tail, and since that's unsusual for a human, you must be a demi-human."
Zidane clutched his tail unconsciously. Blank placed a gentle hand on his arm to reassure him. Zidane bit his lip, trying to understand this all. Riku, on the otherhand, wasn't even paying attention. The weird pink dog caught all of his attention. Zidane laughed nervously.
"Um... Well... I'm not a demi-human..." Zidane said nervously.
Kid cocked an eyebrow. "Then what are ya? Ya have to be a demi-human. There's no other explanation for yer appearance, mate."
Zidane paniced and felt Blanks hand give a quick squeeze to his arm. When he turned to his friend, he saw Blank shaking his head and wording "no" with his lips. Zidane laughed nervously and turned back to Serge and Kid.
"Um... Let's move... Shall we? This is getting um... Boring?" Zidane stuttered.
Kid cocked the other brow now, shifting her weight from one leg to another. "Whatever, mate."
Riku shook his head, finally pulling out of his trance in staring and staring at the stupid animal that was cursed with such a sickly color as pink. "Um... Hey. What's in that building or house or whatever over there?" Riku pointed to a small house looking place over by the entrance to the section they were in.
Serge looked over his shoulder and shrugged. "Wanna see?"
Riku srugged. "Sure. Whatever."
Inside, there was a green glowy thingie in the shape of a pyramid. It was a light transparent green with a ball inside. Riku and the others didn't know what it was, but Serge and Kid knew exactly what is was. They explained that you could record things there. Sort of like a record book, but only a bit different. You could rewrite over what you've already saved in there. It was almost like a diary for the public too. When Riku and the other two expressed that they didn't get it exactly, Serge and Kid gave up and retreated back to Serge's house to check up on Roz, ending the tour with unvisited places still to look at. Riku was reluctant that they went back, but guessed it was probably best if they stopped and rested for the day, wait until later to start up agai. He only hoped that the others at the ship would be fine by themyselves in the miniture forest where who knows what crawled or roamed there to accompany them. He told himself that he'd go back and notify them of what they've learned tomorrow if Roz has not waken yet.
The next day, that's exactly what he did. When Riku came back to Arni Village, he went to the miniture resturant across from from Serge's house. He went there in search of food for did not want to bother Serge or his mother in requesting food. When he entered the place, the aroma of delicious food put him in a trance, ready to eat anything on the menu and pile it up like a horse. But apparently, he wasn't the only one who thought of not wanting to bother Serge's mother. It seemed that Roz and Kid thought the same. Wait- Roz?! Riku blinked then ran up to Roz, pinning her around in her twirly chair in front of the counter.
"Roz?! What are you--" Riku exclaimed, looking down at the girl.
Roz blinked, a fork in her hand. "Um... Huh? Wha?"
Riku let go of Roz's shoulder and shook his head. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?"
Roz shrugged. "I did. So?"
Riku blinked and stared at her with wide eyes. "Um... Wouldn't it take you longer to fully recover because of the..." His voice trailed.
Kid, who was right next to Roz, swallowed an egg and smiled. "You mean your journey through space?"
Riku turned to her, seeing her for the first time. "Yeah. I mean--" he shook his head. "Wait! How do YOU know about that?"
Kid half smiled and pointed to Roz with her own fork. "She told me all about it."
Riku looked down at Roz with narrowed eyes. "Reeeaaally now...?"
Roz smiled sheepishly. "Well, they're good people. She told me all about what she a Serge did, and I could tell if she was lying or not. And they did honest-to-God good things."
"Yeah! We're the 'good-guys'! Roz said yer and others, besides the ones back at Serge's house, are here only because you got lost. She said that over night, she found ya talking in yer sleep! And yer a LOUD sleeper!"
Riku narrowed his eyes and cuffed Roz. "Sora! Damnit!"
Roz rubbed her head. "I'm not Sora! I'm Roz!"
Riku gave a quick shake to his head and sputtered. "Weell- Roz! You-! AAARRGGHH! How did you come across me sleeping and just 'happen to hear me?!"
"What! I was going through the rooms to make sure that everyone was alright and I happened to just stop by yours and peek in! I heard mumbling behind the door so I looked! I peeked in and saw you sleeping, but also, you were talking in your sleep! I inched up close to you to hear exactly what you were saying, but then, suddenly, you grabbed my foot. I had to kick you off and scoot away so that you wouldn't do it again." Roz said, blushing at the last part. "Okay?!"
Riku growled and cuffed Roz again, making her yelp. "What was that for?!" she yelled up at Riku, wrapping her arms around her head, protecting it from further assult.
"You're just like him..." Riku muttered.
Roz dared a peek under her arms and stared questioningly at Riku. "Who?"
Riku rolled his eyes and scooted Roz over a chair to the left and sat in her spot. "Sora, of course."
"How?"
Riku sighed and pushed her food to her. "Your idiocy. It reminds me of Sora."
Roz lowered her arms and crossed them on the counter in front of her. "He really means a lot to you, doesn't he?"
Riku nodded and signaled for the chef. "Yup. Well, at least... When he was nicer and not how he is now."
Kid furrowed her brows, quiet through almost all of the conversation. She looked sideways at Riku. "What do you mean?"
Riku cocked an eyebrow at her. "Didn't Roz tell you?"
Kid shook her head. "No. She only told me that you and yer friends got lost on to finding some place called... um... Traveserey Town? Or something like that."
Riku nodded as he ordered his food. "Yeah. But it's Traverse Town, not whatever the heck you said. But anyway, yeah. We were supposed to go there, but we landed here."
"Wow... From another world... Amazing... Never been off this world before, but I don't think I plan to soon. Still hafta clean up the mess Lnyx and all that left behind. Too bad though. I wish we could go to the other dimension too. We could fix that place too, but..." Kid shrugged. "Ah well... That's okay. Best to stay in yer own time, I guess."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Riku said. He stabbed the food that newly appeared in front of him.
"Oh... Oops... I wasn't to say that. Serge wouldn't like it if I started spilling EVERYTHING without his notice."
"Like now, Kid?" came a voice behind them.
Kid jumped and slowly turned around. "Uh oh..." A tiny sweat drop rolled down her head when she saw who stood there. "S- Serge! Um... Hiya mate!"
Serge sighed and rolled his eyes he sat down on the other side of Kid and helped himself to his usual that the chef plunked down in front of him. "You really should know how and when to shut up."
Riku and Roz laughed as Kid pouted and furiously poked at her food, embarrassed so much her face was turning bright red. She changed the subject to her stupidity by telling Riku to continue his story. Riku smiled at her and stared down at his food. "Well... Yeah... We came here when really, we were to be at Traverse Town. Sooo... I guess this is a good time for a break and to ask directions or something and then get on our way again."
Kid nodded, agreeing. "Yeah, I get ya."
Riku poked at some green thing on his plate and pointed with his fork, with the green thing on it, at Roz. "Buuut, she, here, should be getting rest! Not up and about as she is now."
Roz stuck out her tongue and ate the gren thing right off the fork. "Hmph! Well, ehcushe meh, bi' bro!" Chomp! She bit into the green thing and grimaced. She immediately spat it out in her napkin, her face pale with sickness. "Eyuck! Eugghhh... What the hell was that?" She opened the napkin and looked down at the green thing to see that it resembled some kind of bug. Roz grimaced and called for another napkin which she used to wipe her tongue with. "Eh- Eh- Eh- Eh- Eeeewwwwww!!"
Riku laughed loudly, holding his stomach as if it hurt. Kid giggled behind her hand and Serge had to turn away so that he could desguise his laughter. After a few odd stares and some hushes and rolls nad rolls of laughter, they calmed down.
Riku wiped away a tear that escaped him from his laughing. "Oh! I know now not to eat THAT one..." he said through quieted laughed.
Roz lifted her head from a sickening feeling and glared at Riku. "You-- You-- Oh! Damnit! Riku!"
Riku laughed as Roz jumped him, knocking him off his chair and onto the floor. Roz sat on Riku's stomach, one hand next to his head and the other in the form of a fist, ready to strike him. Riku laughed, not having a care in the world that Roz was going to grind him into the floor. Roz's arm rose, ready and just about to bring it down on Riku when someone caught her hand. Roz looked up to see that Zidane was grinning down at her, shaking his head.
"Nope, not today, Roz. We need him, thank you." Zidane help lifted Roz up off of Riku who smiled gratefully at Zidane.
"Thanks, Zidane. I thought she'd kill me right then and there."
Zidane chuckled and helped him up as well. "Really? You seemed to be having a good time down there." Zidane winked.
Roz blushed when she heard this, her mind clicking to Zidan'es sick ways, and her her eyes widening. She turned to Zidane and punched him in the shoulder. "Perve!"
Riku, dense at the moment, didn't get what was wrong. He turned to Serge and Kid who were snickering in their chairs, hiding their faces as they bent down really lower over their food. When Riku asked them what was wrong, Roz mistook it and punched Riku in the shoulder too. She screamed his name and got a few stares from other costumers.
Later that hearty day, Riku and the others went back to Serge's house where they found Blank sitting down with Serge's pets, playing with them while his back rested on the wall where the window with all the sun coming through it was.
After a healthy meal, Riku went to his space and lied down. Just as he was to close his eyes, someone popped up and hovered over him. Riku had a feeling they wouldn't go away so he opened one of his eyes. He opened the other one before narrowing both in annoyance of who wanted to bother him. Riku rolled on his side, not wanting to bother with them, but apparently, they followed and appeared at his side. Riku tried again on the other side, but again, failed. When he looked up again, he growled at his pest.
"Roz... What do you want?" he said coldly.
Roz smiled and sat down next to him. "I wuz'a wonderin' if you could talk with your mind. You know, psychic talk."
Riku groaned and turned ot the other side, having his back face Roz. "Roz, go to sleep."
"But do you?"
"Roz, go to sleep..." Riku repeated.
"But can you? Can ya, Riku?"
Riku looked over his shoulder, rolled his eyes, then turned back on his side, facing away from Roz. "No. Now go to sleep."
Roz smiled. "I can teach you!"
Riku quickly sat up, flinging off the blankets and turned to Roz. He grabbed her by the collar and jerked her forward so that their face were only a foot apart. "Roz?"
Roz smiled innocently. "Yeah?"
"Do you want me to duck-tape you to the floor?"
"Now why would you go and do that?" she said sweetly, smiling agian.
Riku exhaled heavily, bowing his head. When he looked up, he found Roz smiling as brightly as ever. //I need some serious duck-tape or glue for this girl... I think the bug ate at her brain...\\ he thought. "Roz?"
"Yeah?"
"No."
"No what?"
"No, as in, I'm not gonna let you teach me to talk with my mind... Now... GO TO SLEEP!!!"
"Why?"
Riku's eye twitched. He sighed and got up. Roz watched him with interest, innocent and sweet at her small figure. "Roz? Get up."
"Okay." She did as she was told without hesitation. "Where are we going?" she said when Riku started pushing her outside Serge's house.
"Somewhere," was all Riku said. Outside, he had Roz sit down on the steps. "Okay... Sit here, okay?" he said, leaving her outside to sleep the night out outside and freeze her ass off for all he cared.
"Why?"
A sweatdropped formed on Riku's head. "Um... Because I say so. Not until tomorrow will I let you try something on me, okay? And also, the only way I can let you do that is if you stay out here all night, okay?"
Roz blinked, looking up at him with a sweet smile on her lips. "Okay."
Riku sighed and slouched back to his bed and crawled in. Sure, that was a dirty move, but he didn't care. He wanted sleep! But what troubled him was how easily he got Roz to do that. Either, something bad was wrong with Roz, or something wrong tha happened to be good and that was that Roz was either drunk or just really really easy to manipulate. Riku couldn't seem to figure out which it was. Pushing it aside, he shifted his position and fell right to sleep.
~*~
It was all hard to understand, hard to keep control over. Why didn't he kill him? Why did he keep him alive for the others to get? Tears trailed down his face as confusion flooded through. He sat on a wall, looking at the outskirts of a large city. Sighing, he got up and walked on the hard surface of the gate that surrounded the whole city that crumbled at that very moment. How sad that one day, it will all die and disappear. He played with his weapon, swinging it to and fro from side to side, dangerously close to his own skin. He only stopped his play when a familiar fellow crossed his path. How familiar in appearance and in expression he wore that made him such an interesting subject. He watched the older male with interest, noting the sorrow in his eyes, and creased look of his face.
He looked in his direction, surprised by his pressence. Shock overcame him, putting on a new face for the older male. A name the older one worded, a name that set the younger one on edge. That name... that name that a one person uttered so many times... The name that he wanted to erase. The name that went along with another's; one that was owned by the one he wanted to get rid of. Why hadn't he when he had the chance? Questions and emotions resurfaced in the his mind, confosing him as they clashed together inside him.
The older one came to him, slow and gracful on the gate wall. He stopped just in front of the younger one, looking down at him with questioning eyes. He sat down in front of the him, placing a hand on the younger one's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.
"Sora..." was that the older one whispered. The younger one, Sora, looked away in distaste. He felt his face grow hot as anger bubbled inside him for reasons he knew not. "Sora..." the older one said again, looking up at him from his position.
"Sora..." the younger one repeated with venom. "That name..."
The older one was conserned, offering an ear for the troubled one to share his thought in. Sora shook his head, declining this offer of help to express his thoughts that burned him so. The older one again tried to comfort the young boy, conserned as a friend. Again, Sora declined the kind offer.
"No... Sora... Sora is... Riku... I..." Sora's voice trailed as he stared down at nothing in particular.
"Sora... If you need to talk things out..." the older one said.
Sora shook his head violently, pulling away from him. "No. I dont need to, and I don't want to. No way, Cloud... No..." His voice was soft and barely audible on his final word as he continued to back up.
"At least tell me what's wrong! If you don't want to explain it, or anything else on your mind, then just tell me what's wrong that's gotten you so down."
Sora shook his head before drawing his weapon and pointing it at the blond-haired fellow. "Then that would be telling... I'm not stupid... I'm not as dense and childish as people take me on appearance, you know. They think I'm stupid and dumb. They think I don't know or understand, but they're wrong. I listen, I hear things, I've seen things; most that I didn't want to or was forced to see, but I still saw them. Death... hatred... sadness... sorrow... sickness... negative things, good things, but... More were bad then good. I've expreienced pain, Cloud. Am I supposed to? Tell me. Is it normal for someone at me age to expreience such pain and sorrow and sadness all at once and in such a short time? Sure, I had my perks, but still... It never was enough to drown out all those negative things inside me." He paused, waiting for a comment from the older fellow, but recieved none.
Cloud only shook his head sadly, unsure of what to say. He let Sora continue this unexpected flow of thoughts that he had no idea was bottled up inside the heart and mind of this brave heart. "I never really liked fighting, I only liked it becuase it was something to do with my friends. But then I had to use these skills to defend myself from death and kill others, heartless as they are, just to get my way around, then I started to hate it all together," Sora continued. "To think that we used to like it and thought of it as a game, when really, others out there used it as a way to protect themselves and... and... kill each other! Cloud! People kill each other with these things," he said and waved his weapon in the older one's face. "I hate killing things that are only attacking for the same reason as me... You know... Only attacking because they see me as an enemy or someone to defend themselved from... Don't you understand, Cloud? Do you?" A tear slid down Sora's cheek, catching Cloud by surprise.
"Sora, it's not always like that. Sometimes you actually have to use force to right the wrong."
Cloud reached out for Sora, but Sora shook his head and swiped his weapon at Cloud, cutting his hand. Cloud yanked his hand back, staring up at Sora in bewilderment. Eyes that carried sorrow and confusion looked back at him, holding their gaze. "No... I'm not... No..." Sora stepped back and continued to walk backwards until he was far enough to make a break for it and run. And he ran and ran until he was well out of Cloud's site and well into the city.
Cloud frowned, knowing where that alley that led out here led to. Hopefully, he'd meet some of his friends so that they could take care of him while he, Cloud, continued his search he had started long before Sora ever popped up in front of him. Sighing, Cloud got up and continued to walk on the gate walls of the city.
"Fare thee well then, my brave friend... How I hope that you'll be al right for now..." he whispered, bowing his head as he walked on, silent and solemnly.
~*~
Riku opened his eyes, the soft rays of the sun warming his pale skin and all of his body. Lashes so pale, almost like that of his skin, fluttered as his vision stayed blurred. Once clear, he gracefully, and rather slowly sat up, fatigue still in control of his body. Gazing around the room, he found that someone was absent from their bed. Scenes of last night returning to him, he sat up, a wave of panic flowing over him. He scrambled up, his feet leading him out front where he had last left Roz. To his surprise, she wasn't there.
/So maybe she ISN'T a complete ditz... maybe she ISN'T on crack or was drunk last night... But if she's not here, then...\ Riku thought as he looked from right to left, seeking the pressence of the girl. /Hmm... Where's--\
A hand laid down gently on the shoulder, causing him to jump in fright. Turning around immediately, he saw Blank smiling down at him. Sighing in relief, he returned the smile and turned back to look for Roz.
"What are you doing up, Blank? I thought you were asleep," Riku said over his shoulder, still turning his head from side to side.
Blank clapped Riku's shoulder once more, making the boy turn around to him in wonder. "If you're looking for her, she's in Serge's room. Just there..." Blank pointedin the direction Serge's room lay wait.
Riku, some-what confused yet grateful, nodded and gave Blank a quick smile. "Um... Thanks..." he said, heading in that direction.
Just before he could reach it htought, Blank stopped him. Riku looked back to see the man shaking his head. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you..."
"Why?" Riku asked, glancing at Serge's room then back at Blank, confused. "Why shouldn't I?"
Blank shook his head. "Just don't... Trust me..."
Fearing what Blank may mean, Riku immediately jerked back from the man, glanced at Serge's room, back at Blank, then almost broke into a run for outside if someone didn't stop him by grabbing him from behind. Yelping, Riku looked over his shoulder to see...
"Z- Zidane?" Riku stuttered.
Zidane smiled and let go of Riku, patting him on the shoulder in reassurance. "Don't trust ol' Blank, Riku. He's just messing with your brain... Hey, I didn't know a boy your age could think such dirty thoughts!"
Riku's eyes went wide and his cheeks flushed. "What?!!" he exclaimed.
Zidane laughed heartily, almost too heartily. Riku, frightened to death and confused took the man by the collar and shook him as he burst with laughter. Riku demanded what Zidane was putting in his head, but soon, he heard Blank laughing quietly. Turning his head, he saw Blank laughing quietly behind his hand out of the corner of his eye. Shouting the man's name in horror, Riku dropped Zidane and turned to his other friend, demanding from him as well.
After several useless minutes of pleading and demanding and begging, Riku plopped into a cahir, a gloved hand on his face, showing his embarrassment and shame. Zidane was on the floor, laughing like a mad man, while Blank, somehow more polite, leaned against the wall, laughing behind his hand, looking away as he avoided Riku's gaze. When Zidane was done alughing his head off and gasping for air, Riku again tried to gain an answer from him. Yetm he failed again, only to recieve a riddle such as a "think about it" from Zidane. Sighing, Riku chose not to do such a thing and left the residence to reside at the docks.
There he laid back on the slick rows of wood, staring up at the sky, thinking of home, of Destiny Islands, of everyone there, of... Sora. Tears crept up in Riku's eyes, forcing him to close them to prevent their flow. When he opened them he saw a girl looking down at him with curiosity; with her were several boys. Sitting up, Riku recognized her for Leena, Serge's old girlfriend.
"Oh... Hi there," Riku voiced quietly, afraid that his voice was cracked as an after-effect from the previous tears that were now gone.
Leena smiled. "Hello. I'm Leena. I think we met yesterday or the day before, I think?"
Riku nodded. "Yeah. You babysitting?"
One of the boys shook a fist in his face, pouting. "We're not babies!"
The other boys shouted same responces to his comment, causing both him and Leena to smile.
"Now boys..." She shooed them off to swim and looked down at Riku, the same smile upon her delicate face. "Boys... Hmm... What's Serge's doing? Who're you friends with him?"
Riku looked off out at the boys who swam in the sea, feeling the girl's eyes on him as he explained that they were lost and Serge happened to be around and help them. After so, he and Leena continued their conversation in peace, both shouting at the boys to be careful out in the waters as they swam. Riku only helped in watching the boys for they reminded him of himself and his friends on Destiny Islands when they were so careless and always getting hurt or in trouble, but still repeated such careless acts just to have fun.
Riku sighed after some time, believing, and somewhat hoping, that it'll be one of those days where everything was nice, slow, and smooth... Little did he know, it would be just the opposite...
~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: enjoy? long enough? hmmmm??? please, i'd like a poll on which couple you think is the best/cutest/etc. okay? you've read, now review, or i won't write anymore, and tell me what y'all think, okay? and no talk show this time... i've run out of ideas... ^^''' well, until next time! if there is one... hopefully, yes... XD :D ;D
Chapter Ten
Riku put Roz down after she flicked the top of his ear with her middle finger, making a loud snapping noise. "What the hell was that for?!" he yelled at her when she flicked him.
Roz narrowed her eyes. "Well, you were so gawky and stupid that I had to get your stupid attention by flicking your ear! And anyway... it always gets peoples' attention that way..." she said, smirking when Riku put her down. She brushed herself off and stood up. "Alright... Um..." She looked around for anyone who might be of some good use with information. She was pushed out of the way after a moment, and she glared at who pushed her. She saw a blond girl just like herself and Riku with a really short red skirt and top with a ragged white shirt underneath the red one that was more like a mini jacket.
"What the bloody hell are ya standing around like a nicker, mate?" she said with an unusual accent, her hands on her hips.
Roz stood up quickly but wobbled and felt Riku's gloved hands supporting her at her shoulders. She thanked him briefly before narrowing her eyes at the girl. "Well, EX-CUSE ME, but I'm not hte one pushing around like a cow, now am I?" She eyed the girl up and down, taking in the dagger that hung at the girl's waist.
Riku gaze a light squeeze on Roz's shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Don't attract attention. The next thing we need is some of hte villagers questioning us or beating the crap out of us or something we'll regret. Okay?"
Roz turned her head to see that Riku had a serious expression on his face. She rolled her eyes and her shoulders sagged. "Alright... Alright..."
The blond girl looked at Zidane and Blank, seeing them for hte first time. "And who're you? WHAT're you? Are you some demi-human?" she asked Zidane, noting the monkey tail.
Zidane furrowed his brows. "What? I'm not some demi-human. Whatever that is..." he added under his breath.
"Whatever, mate... If ya ain't one, then what are ya?"
"Kid. What're you doing?" came a voice from not far off.
The blond girl turned to see a boy her age and height smirking at her. He wore a red bandana on his head. "Oy! Serge! How's it goin'?"
"Kid... Is she bothering you?" the boy, Serge asked Riku and hte others.
Riku raised his eyesbrows. "Who?"
The blond girl turned to him and stuck her hand out. "Me. name's Kid."
Riku shook her hand, not knowing what else to do. "Um... 'S Riku. This's Roz." He gaze another light squeeze to Roz's shoulders. The girls exchanged dirty looks at each other before Riku went on introducing everyone. "The one you called a demi-human is Zidane, and the other is Blank."
"Nice ta meet ya, mate. Strange group ya got, though," she said, shaking hands with Zidane and Blank.
Serge walked up to them and smiled, not bothering to shake hands. "As you know from Kid, I'm Serge. Welcome to Arni Village. You new around the place or what?"
Riku and the group exchanged looks. Roz coughed, looking off to the side. "Um... you COULD say that..."
Serge shrugged. "Well, welcome anyway. We could give you a tour if you want. But this place isn't much of a site seer. You should go to Termina if you're looking for some good attractions or a place to relax and enjoy your stay at."
Riku shook his head. "Um... That's okay... We can start in this place if that's alright."
Serge nodded. "Fine by me."
Kid grinned. "Righto! Let's go visit yer Ma!"
"My mom? Why so?" Serge looked at Kid, confused on why she would want them to go to his house.
Kid shrugged and clapped Serge on the shoulder. "Just 'cuz! Wouldn't hurt to start there! Anyway, didn't she say to be back in time for some food?"
Serge laughed before gesturing the others to follow them. "Yeah... Haha. I suppose."
Riku smiled at them gratefully, glad all was well so far, until... "Roz!"
Kid and Serge stopped and turned around, looking questioningly at Riku. Kid's brows rose in a high arch when she saw Riku crouching down with Roz in his lap. Serge, on the otherhand, went up to Riku immediately, kneeling down in front of him.
"What's wrong?" came Zidane's voice as he stood from the side, looking down at them.
Riku bit him lip and looked up at his friends sheepishly. "She fell unconscious. The journey must've wiped her out."
Blank shook his head, his hands on his hips. "And she said she wanted to come here... Oh boy... She's really gonna be pissed when she wakes up."
Serge looked from one male to another. "How so? How far did you travel?"
Riku looked up at the sky, the corner of his mouth tugging to curve upwards. "Umm... Well... A very very long way..."
Serge's eyebrows rose in question, but he stayed silent. After a long moment, he cleared his throat and stood up. "Let's get her to my house. She can rest there."
Riku nooded and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. He and the rest follwed Serge and Kid in the short distance across the village to Serge's house. There, they met a kind woman who was pacing back and forth with the house pets following her or watching her. When she saw them, she approached her son first with a welcoming hug before smiling at the others and greeting them kindly.
"Serge... You've brought friends! How wonderful... Now... what about that girl right there? Is she alright?" Serge's mother asked, indicating Roz who rested her head on Riku's chest as he held her close in his arms.
Riku blinked, looked down at Roz, then blinked at the woman. "Um... Oh. She's okay. Just... exhausted."
"My! What happened?"
"Um... Long journey. Um... Too long to explain, so... uh... yeah." Riku looked at Serge for a little help.
Serge laid a gentle hand on his mother's arm. "Mother."
She blinked down at him before sensing what he meant of her. "Oh! Um... I believe it will be best if I get out of your way and continue with my thinking somewhere else... Oh, don't feel offended. I need quiet and space to myself anyway..." she added when she saw the look of Riku's face that said that he didn't mean to a bother for them. She smiled and left them to themselves, hugging Serge on her way out.
Serge grimaced when she did this and was glad to be without her for the moment before something embarrassing happened. He led Riku to his room and let him lay Roz in his bed, tucking her in. Riku was grateful and glad he could get Roz to a place where she could rest. It may take a while for her to fully or at least, mostly, recover since she did not rest from her flight with Feng before the recent one. WHen they left Roz at Serge's, Serge and Kid showed the three around the village, visiting Leena, Serge's old girlfriend.
"Hi, Serge! Who're these fine people? You playing around with demi-humans and visiters again, Serge? Nothing's wrong, is there?" Leena said when Serge found her babysitting at the dock.
"Hey! Leena! Sergy! Watch this!" said one of the boys Leena was babysitting, diving under hte water and swimming like a dolphin.
"Don't go too far, now!" Leena shouted to them.
"Okay!" the boys said in unison.
Leena smiled and turned back to Serge. Serge smiled back and Kid introduced Riku, Zidane, and Blank. Leena smiled brightly at all three of them. But, again, Zidane had to explain that he wasn't some 'demi-human' that they think he is; but he didn't know what the heck a 'demi-human' was. After a quick chat with Leena, Serge introduced the three to the elder of the village and the a very energetic pink dog. Serge gave the dog something that he pulled out of his pocket.
"Gath-ped! A prethenth for I? To acthept or not to acthept... Hmmm... I acthept! Thank you Sergie-poo!" the dog eclaimed, taking the object gratefully.
Riku had a expression on his face when Serge turned around to explain who the dog was. "It talks...?" O_o
Kid laughed. "Yup. That's right, mate. This montrosity in front of you help Serge and me and many others on our adventure to destroy Lnyx."
"Um... Isn't that a cat?" Riku asked, looking down at the dog with the same expression on his face.
Kid nodded. "Yup. He's a demi-human."
Zidane cleared his throat. "What exactly is a 'demi-human'? So far, I've been called one, but what the heck is it?"
Kid put a hand on her hip and exchanged a look with Serge. "Well, where have YOU been? A demi-human is a mix of an animal form and a human. You have a tail, and since that's unsusual for a human, you must be a demi-human."
Zidane clutched his tail unconsciously. Blank placed a gentle hand on his arm to reassure him. Zidane bit his lip, trying to understand this all. Riku, on the otherhand, wasn't even paying attention. The weird pink dog caught all of his attention. Zidane laughed nervously.
"Um... Well... I'm not a demi-human..." Zidane said nervously.
Kid cocked an eyebrow. "Then what are ya? Ya have to be a demi-human. There's no other explanation for yer appearance, mate."
Zidane paniced and felt Blanks hand give a quick squeeze to his arm. When he turned to his friend, he saw Blank shaking his head and wording "no" with his lips. Zidane laughed nervously and turned back to Serge and Kid.
"Um... Let's move... Shall we? This is getting um... Boring?" Zidane stuttered.
Kid cocked the other brow now, shifting her weight from one leg to another. "Whatever, mate."
Riku shook his head, finally pulling out of his trance in staring and staring at the stupid animal that was cursed with such a sickly color as pink. "Um... Hey. What's in that building or house or whatever over there?" Riku pointed to a small house looking place over by the entrance to the section they were in.
Serge looked over his shoulder and shrugged. "Wanna see?"
Riku srugged. "Sure. Whatever."
Inside, there was a green glowy thingie in the shape of a pyramid. It was a light transparent green with a ball inside. Riku and the others didn't know what it was, but Serge and Kid knew exactly what is was. They explained that you could record things there. Sort of like a record book, but only a bit different. You could rewrite over what you've already saved in there. It was almost like a diary for the public too. When Riku and the other two expressed that they didn't get it exactly, Serge and Kid gave up and retreated back to Serge's house to check up on Roz, ending the tour with unvisited places still to look at. Riku was reluctant that they went back, but guessed it was probably best if they stopped and rested for the day, wait until later to start up agai. He only hoped that the others at the ship would be fine by themyselves in the miniture forest where who knows what crawled or roamed there to accompany them. He told himself that he'd go back and notify them of what they've learned tomorrow if Roz has not waken yet.
The next day, that's exactly what he did. When Riku came back to Arni Village, he went to the miniture resturant across from from Serge's house. He went there in search of food for did not want to bother Serge or his mother in requesting food. When he entered the place, the aroma of delicious food put him in a trance, ready to eat anything on the menu and pile it up like a horse. But apparently, he wasn't the only one who thought of not wanting to bother Serge's mother. It seemed that Roz and Kid thought the same. Wait- Roz?! Riku blinked then ran up to Roz, pinning her around in her twirly chair in front of the counter.
"Roz?! What are you--" Riku exclaimed, looking down at the girl.
Roz blinked, a fork in her hand. "Um... Huh? Wha?"
Riku let go of Roz's shoulder and shook his head. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?"
Roz shrugged. "I did. So?"
Riku blinked and stared at her with wide eyes. "Um... Wouldn't it take you longer to fully recover because of the..." His voice trailed.
Kid, who was right next to Roz, swallowed an egg and smiled. "You mean your journey through space?"
Riku turned to her, seeing her for the first time. "Yeah. I mean--" he shook his head. "Wait! How do YOU know about that?"
Kid half smiled and pointed to Roz with her own fork. "She told me all about it."
Riku looked down at Roz with narrowed eyes. "Reeeaaally now...?"
Roz smiled sheepishly. "Well, they're good people. She told me all about what she a Serge did, and I could tell if she was lying or not. And they did honest-to-God good things."
"Yeah! We're the 'good-guys'! Roz said yer and others, besides the ones back at Serge's house, are here only because you got lost. She said that over night, she found ya talking in yer sleep! And yer a LOUD sleeper!"
Riku narrowed his eyes and cuffed Roz. "Sora! Damnit!"
Roz rubbed her head. "I'm not Sora! I'm Roz!"
Riku gave a quick shake to his head and sputtered. "Weell- Roz! You-! AAARRGGHH! How did you come across me sleeping and just 'happen to hear me?!"
"What! I was going through the rooms to make sure that everyone was alright and I happened to just stop by yours and peek in! I heard mumbling behind the door so I looked! I peeked in and saw you sleeping, but also, you were talking in your sleep! I inched up close to you to hear exactly what you were saying, but then, suddenly, you grabbed my foot. I had to kick you off and scoot away so that you wouldn't do it again." Roz said, blushing at the last part. "Okay?!"
Riku growled and cuffed Roz again, making her yelp. "What was that for?!" she yelled up at Riku, wrapping her arms around her head, protecting it from further assult.
"You're just like him..." Riku muttered.
Roz dared a peek under her arms and stared questioningly at Riku. "Who?"
Riku rolled his eyes and scooted Roz over a chair to the left and sat in her spot. "Sora, of course."
"How?"
Riku sighed and pushed her food to her. "Your idiocy. It reminds me of Sora."
Roz lowered her arms and crossed them on the counter in front of her. "He really means a lot to you, doesn't he?"
Riku nodded and signaled for the chef. "Yup. Well, at least... When he was nicer and not how he is now."
Kid furrowed her brows, quiet through almost all of the conversation. She looked sideways at Riku. "What do you mean?"
Riku cocked an eyebrow at her. "Didn't Roz tell you?"
Kid shook her head. "No. She only told me that you and yer friends got lost on to finding some place called... um... Traveserey Town? Or something like that."
Riku nodded as he ordered his food. "Yeah. But it's Traverse Town, not whatever the heck you said. But anyway, yeah. We were supposed to go there, but we landed here."
"Wow... From another world... Amazing... Never been off this world before, but I don't think I plan to soon. Still hafta clean up the mess Lnyx and all that left behind. Too bad though. I wish we could go to the other dimension too. We could fix that place too, but..." Kid shrugged. "Ah well... That's okay. Best to stay in yer own time, I guess."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Riku said. He stabbed the food that newly appeared in front of him.
"Oh... Oops... I wasn't to say that. Serge wouldn't like it if I started spilling EVERYTHING without his notice."
"Like now, Kid?" came a voice behind them.
Kid jumped and slowly turned around. "Uh oh..." A tiny sweat drop rolled down her head when she saw who stood there. "S- Serge! Um... Hiya mate!"
Serge sighed and rolled his eyes he sat down on the other side of Kid and helped himself to his usual that the chef plunked down in front of him. "You really should know how and when to shut up."
Riku and Roz laughed as Kid pouted and furiously poked at her food, embarrassed so much her face was turning bright red. She changed the subject to her stupidity by telling Riku to continue his story. Riku smiled at her and stared down at his food. "Well... Yeah... We came here when really, we were to be at Traverse Town. Sooo... I guess this is a good time for a break and to ask directions or something and then get on our way again."
Kid nodded, agreeing. "Yeah, I get ya."
Riku poked at some green thing on his plate and pointed with his fork, with the green thing on it, at Roz. "Buuut, she, here, should be getting rest! Not up and about as she is now."
Roz stuck out her tongue and ate the gren thing right off the fork. "Hmph! Well, ehcushe meh, bi' bro!" Chomp! She bit into the green thing and grimaced. She immediately spat it out in her napkin, her face pale with sickness. "Eyuck! Eugghhh... What the hell was that?" She opened the napkin and looked down at the green thing to see that it resembled some kind of bug. Roz grimaced and called for another napkin which she used to wipe her tongue with. "Eh- Eh- Eh- Eh- Eeeewwwwww!!"
Riku laughed loudly, holding his stomach as if it hurt. Kid giggled behind her hand and Serge had to turn away so that he could desguise his laughter. After a few odd stares and some hushes and rolls nad rolls of laughter, they calmed down.
Riku wiped away a tear that escaped him from his laughing. "Oh! I know now not to eat THAT one..." he said through quieted laughed.
Roz lifted her head from a sickening feeling and glared at Riku. "You-- You-- Oh! Damnit! Riku!"
Riku laughed as Roz jumped him, knocking him off his chair and onto the floor. Roz sat on Riku's stomach, one hand next to his head and the other in the form of a fist, ready to strike him. Riku laughed, not having a care in the world that Roz was going to grind him into the floor. Roz's arm rose, ready and just about to bring it down on Riku when someone caught her hand. Roz looked up to see that Zidane was grinning down at her, shaking his head.
"Nope, not today, Roz. We need him, thank you." Zidane help lifted Roz up off of Riku who smiled gratefully at Zidane.
"Thanks, Zidane. I thought she'd kill me right then and there."
Zidane chuckled and helped him up as well. "Really? You seemed to be having a good time down there." Zidane winked.
Roz blushed when she heard this, her mind clicking to Zidan'es sick ways, and her her eyes widening. She turned to Zidane and punched him in the shoulder. "Perve!"
Riku, dense at the moment, didn't get what was wrong. He turned to Serge and Kid who were snickering in their chairs, hiding their faces as they bent down really lower over their food. When Riku asked them what was wrong, Roz mistook it and punched Riku in the shoulder too. She screamed his name and got a few stares from other costumers.
Later that hearty day, Riku and the others went back to Serge's house where they found Blank sitting down with Serge's pets, playing with them while his back rested on the wall where the window with all the sun coming through it was.
After a healthy meal, Riku went to his space and lied down. Just as he was to close his eyes, someone popped up and hovered over him. Riku had a feeling they wouldn't go away so he opened one of his eyes. He opened the other one before narrowing both in annoyance of who wanted to bother him. Riku rolled on his side, not wanting to bother with them, but apparently, they followed and appeared at his side. Riku tried again on the other side, but again, failed. When he looked up again, he growled at his pest.
"Roz... What do you want?" he said coldly.
Roz smiled and sat down next to him. "I wuz'a wonderin' if you could talk with your mind. You know, psychic talk."
Riku groaned and turned ot the other side, having his back face Roz. "Roz, go to sleep."
"But do you?"
"Roz, go to sleep..." Riku repeated.
"But can you? Can ya, Riku?"
Riku looked over his shoulder, rolled his eyes, then turned back on his side, facing away from Roz. "No. Now go to sleep."
Roz smiled. "I can teach you!"
Riku quickly sat up, flinging off the blankets and turned to Roz. He grabbed her by the collar and jerked her forward so that their face were only a foot apart. "Roz?"
Roz smiled innocently. "Yeah?"
"Do you want me to duck-tape you to the floor?"
"Now why would you go and do that?" she said sweetly, smiling agian.
Riku exhaled heavily, bowing his head. When he looked up, he found Roz smiling as brightly as ever. //I need some serious duck-tape or glue for this girl... I think the bug ate at her brain...\\ he thought. "Roz?"
"Yeah?"
"No."
"No what?"
"No, as in, I'm not gonna let you teach me to talk with my mind... Now... GO TO SLEEP!!!"
"Why?"
Riku's eye twitched. He sighed and got up. Roz watched him with interest, innocent and sweet at her small figure. "Roz? Get up."
"Okay." She did as she was told without hesitation. "Where are we going?" she said when Riku started pushing her outside Serge's house.
"Somewhere," was all Riku said. Outside, he had Roz sit down on the steps. "Okay... Sit here, okay?" he said, leaving her outside to sleep the night out outside and freeze her ass off for all he cared.
"Why?"
A sweatdropped formed on Riku's head. "Um... Because I say so. Not until tomorrow will I let you try something on me, okay? And also, the only way I can let you do that is if you stay out here all night, okay?"
Roz blinked, looking up at him with a sweet smile on her lips. "Okay."
Riku sighed and slouched back to his bed and crawled in. Sure, that was a dirty move, but he didn't care. He wanted sleep! But what troubled him was how easily he got Roz to do that. Either, something bad was wrong with Roz, or something wrong tha happened to be good and that was that Roz was either drunk or just really really easy to manipulate. Riku couldn't seem to figure out which it was. Pushing it aside, he shifted his position and fell right to sleep.
~*~
It was all hard to understand, hard to keep control over. Why didn't he kill him? Why did he keep him alive for the others to get? Tears trailed down his face as confusion flooded through. He sat on a wall, looking at the outskirts of a large city. Sighing, he got up and walked on the hard surface of the gate that surrounded the whole city that crumbled at that very moment. How sad that one day, it will all die and disappear. He played with his weapon, swinging it to and fro from side to side, dangerously close to his own skin. He only stopped his play when a familiar fellow crossed his path. How familiar in appearance and in expression he wore that made him such an interesting subject. He watched the older male with interest, noting the sorrow in his eyes, and creased look of his face.
He looked in his direction, surprised by his pressence. Shock overcame him, putting on a new face for the older male. A name the older one worded, a name that set the younger one on edge. That name... that name that a one person uttered so many times... The name that he wanted to erase. The name that went along with another's; one that was owned by the one he wanted to get rid of. Why hadn't he when he had the chance? Questions and emotions resurfaced in the his mind, confosing him as they clashed together inside him.
The older one came to him, slow and gracful on the gate wall. He stopped just in front of the younger one, looking down at him with questioning eyes. He sat down in front of the him, placing a hand on the younger one's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.
"Sora..." was that the older one whispered. The younger one, Sora, looked away in distaste. He felt his face grow hot as anger bubbled inside him for reasons he knew not. "Sora..." the older one said again, looking up at him from his position.
"Sora..." the younger one repeated with venom. "That name..."
The older one was conserned, offering an ear for the troubled one to share his thought in. Sora shook his head, declining this offer of help to express his thoughts that burned him so. The older one again tried to comfort the young boy, conserned as a friend. Again, Sora declined the kind offer.
"No... Sora... Sora is... Riku... I..." Sora's voice trailed as he stared down at nothing in particular.
"Sora... If you need to talk things out..." the older one said.
Sora shook his head violently, pulling away from him. "No. I dont need to, and I don't want to. No way, Cloud... No..." His voice was soft and barely audible on his final word as he continued to back up.
"At least tell me what's wrong! If you don't want to explain it, or anything else on your mind, then just tell me what's wrong that's gotten you so down."
Sora shook his head before drawing his weapon and pointing it at the blond-haired fellow. "Then that would be telling... I'm not stupid... I'm not as dense and childish as people take me on appearance, you know. They think I'm stupid and dumb. They think I don't know or understand, but they're wrong. I listen, I hear things, I've seen things; most that I didn't want to or was forced to see, but I still saw them. Death... hatred... sadness... sorrow... sickness... negative things, good things, but... More were bad then good. I've expreienced pain, Cloud. Am I supposed to? Tell me. Is it normal for someone at me age to expreience such pain and sorrow and sadness all at once and in such a short time? Sure, I had my perks, but still... It never was enough to drown out all those negative things inside me." He paused, waiting for a comment from the older fellow, but recieved none.
Cloud only shook his head sadly, unsure of what to say. He let Sora continue this unexpected flow of thoughts that he had no idea was bottled up inside the heart and mind of this brave heart. "I never really liked fighting, I only liked it becuase it was something to do with my friends. But then I had to use these skills to defend myself from death and kill others, heartless as they are, just to get my way around, then I started to hate it all together," Sora continued. "To think that we used to like it and thought of it as a game, when really, others out there used it as a way to protect themselves and... and... kill each other! Cloud! People kill each other with these things," he said and waved his weapon in the older one's face. "I hate killing things that are only attacking for the same reason as me... You know... Only attacking because they see me as an enemy or someone to defend themselved from... Don't you understand, Cloud? Do you?" A tear slid down Sora's cheek, catching Cloud by surprise.
"Sora, it's not always like that. Sometimes you actually have to use force to right the wrong."
Cloud reached out for Sora, but Sora shook his head and swiped his weapon at Cloud, cutting his hand. Cloud yanked his hand back, staring up at Sora in bewilderment. Eyes that carried sorrow and confusion looked back at him, holding their gaze. "No... I'm not... No..." Sora stepped back and continued to walk backwards until he was far enough to make a break for it and run. And he ran and ran until he was well out of Cloud's site and well into the city.
Cloud frowned, knowing where that alley that led out here led to. Hopefully, he'd meet some of his friends so that they could take care of him while he, Cloud, continued his search he had started long before Sora ever popped up in front of him. Sighing, Cloud got up and continued to walk on the gate walls of the city.
"Fare thee well then, my brave friend... How I hope that you'll be al right for now..." he whispered, bowing his head as he walked on, silent and solemnly.
~*~
Riku opened his eyes, the soft rays of the sun warming his pale skin and all of his body. Lashes so pale, almost like that of his skin, fluttered as his vision stayed blurred. Once clear, he gracefully, and rather slowly sat up, fatigue still in control of his body. Gazing around the room, he found that someone was absent from their bed. Scenes of last night returning to him, he sat up, a wave of panic flowing over him. He scrambled up, his feet leading him out front where he had last left Roz. To his surprise, she wasn't there.
/So maybe she ISN'T a complete ditz... maybe she ISN'T on crack or was drunk last night... But if she's not here, then...\ Riku thought as he looked from right to left, seeking the pressence of the girl. /Hmm... Where's--\
A hand laid down gently on the shoulder, causing him to jump in fright. Turning around immediately, he saw Blank smiling down at him. Sighing in relief, he returned the smile and turned back to look for Roz.
"What are you doing up, Blank? I thought you were asleep," Riku said over his shoulder, still turning his head from side to side.
Blank clapped Riku's shoulder once more, making the boy turn around to him in wonder. "If you're looking for her, she's in Serge's room. Just there..." Blank pointedin the direction Serge's room lay wait.
Riku, some-what confused yet grateful, nodded and gave Blank a quick smile. "Um... Thanks..." he said, heading in that direction.
Just before he could reach it htought, Blank stopped him. Riku looked back to see the man shaking his head. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you..."
"Why?" Riku asked, glancing at Serge's room then back at Blank, confused. "Why shouldn't I?"
Blank shook his head. "Just don't... Trust me..."
Fearing what Blank may mean, Riku immediately jerked back from the man, glanced at Serge's room, back at Blank, then almost broke into a run for outside if someone didn't stop him by grabbing him from behind. Yelping, Riku looked over his shoulder to see...
"Z- Zidane?" Riku stuttered.
Zidane smiled and let go of Riku, patting him on the shoulder in reassurance. "Don't trust ol' Blank, Riku. He's just messing with your brain... Hey, I didn't know a boy your age could think such dirty thoughts!"
Riku's eyes went wide and his cheeks flushed. "What?!!" he exclaimed.
Zidane laughed heartily, almost too heartily. Riku, frightened to death and confused took the man by the collar and shook him as he burst with laughter. Riku demanded what Zidane was putting in his head, but soon, he heard Blank laughing quietly. Turning his head, he saw Blank laughing quietly behind his hand out of the corner of his eye. Shouting the man's name in horror, Riku dropped Zidane and turned to his other friend, demanding from him as well.
After several useless minutes of pleading and demanding and begging, Riku plopped into a cahir, a gloved hand on his face, showing his embarrassment and shame. Zidane was on the floor, laughing like a mad man, while Blank, somehow more polite, leaned against the wall, laughing behind his hand, looking away as he avoided Riku's gaze. When Zidane was done alughing his head off and gasping for air, Riku again tried to gain an answer from him. Yetm he failed again, only to recieve a riddle such as a "think about it" from Zidane. Sighing, Riku chose not to do such a thing and left the residence to reside at the docks.
There he laid back on the slick rows of wood, staring up at the sky, thinking of home, of Destiny Islands, of everyone there, of... Sora. Tears crept up in Riku's eyes, forcing him to close them to prevent their flow. When he opened them he saw a girl looking down at him with curiosity; with her were several boys. Sitting up, Riku recognized her for Leena, Serge's old girlfriend.
"Oh... Hi there," Riku voiced quietly, afraid that his voice was cracked as an after-effect from the previous tears that were now gone.
Leena smiled. "Hello. I'm Leena. I think we met yesterday or the day before, I think?"
Riku nodded. "Yeah. You babysitting?"
One of the boys shook a fist in his face, pouting. "We're not babies!"
The other boys shouted same responces to his comment, causing both him and Leena to smile.
"Now boys..." She shooed them off to swim and looked down at Riku, the same smile upon her delicate face. "Boys... Hmm... What's Serge's doing? Who're you friends with him?"
Riku looked off out at the boys who swam in the sea, feeling the girl's eyes on him as he explained that they were lost and Serge happened to be around and help them. After so, he and Leena continued their conversation in peace, both shouting at the boys to be careful out in the waters as they swam. Riku only helped in watching the boys for they reminded him of himself and his friends on Destiny Islands when they were so careless and always getting hurt or in trouble, but still repeated such careless acts just to have fun.
Riku sighed after some time, believing, and somewhat hoping, that it'll be one of those days where everything was nice, slow, and smooth... Little did he know, it would be just the opposite...
~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: enjoy? long enough? hmmmm??? please, i'd like a poll on which couple you think is the best/cutest/etc. okay? you've read, now review, or i won't write anymore, and tell me what y'all think, okay? and no talk show this time... i've run out of ideas... ^^''' well, until next time! if there is one... hopefully, yes... XD :D ;D