Crowned Hearts Chapter Nine

By Blue Dragon

Riku woke up the next day in his bed, this time his alarm was working. He groaned as he looked at the calendar, knowing that today was the day that he had to return to school. The only thing to look forward to was.

His heart leaped up out of his chest as he imagined what it would be like. He had never really done anything like he knew would be in the big prom. As a matter of fact, it would be his first time slow dancing. He could never get closer to Kairi these days with that damn Sora always sticking his spiky hair into everything.

No he thought. Sora's my friend. He never did anything wrong.

Riku sluggishly took his shower and put on all of his clothing. Grabbed a random book and hoped it was the right one.

He climbed down the stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs.

Sephiroth was at the table reading the newspaper, Rikku finishing up breakfast.

"Will you be eating at school?" she asked without looking up

"Yeah, I guess" he responded, turning the knob of the door and taking one last look at his beloved home.

"Okay. I'll see you this evening then."

"Bye mom, bye dad. I love you"

"Later son"

"I love you too, honey, have a safe trip"

Riku closed the door and began the long miserable trip to school. He hadn't ever seen Lisa at his, so he knew that she wasn't enrolled in that school. Which was strange seeing as there weren't many other schools around.

I'm getting upset over nothing. School won't be that bad, I have my friends with me. Besides, it's a beautiful day outside, and Sora's dad is released from prison.

After walking on the concrete and then the sands, the Destiny Islands High School was visible over the horizon where kids rampaged around the front courtyard waiting for the first bell to ring. He found Sora at one corner walking towards him with an expectant look on his face.

"Riku, have you heard? Today just happens to be career day!" Sora said worriedly.

"Why do you sound so worried?"

"Don't you remember? The guys are always loony! Psychopaths! Crazy! Nuts! A few cards short of a full deck!"

"Geez man, I get the picture" Riku remembered that all of the speakers in all seven classes were never really that sane for whatever reason.

The bell rang, and most of the students ground as the slouched all the way to the main building.

Riku noticed that the gym was decorated for the prom, and there were posters everywhere. Everyone was talking about it, as well. He sighed as he went through his locker. First and second period he didn't have with anyone that he knew.

His first class was Algebra. DA DA DA DUM!

Probably the biggest fear of all the students that ever went to that particular class.

Regardless, however, Riku kept the composure that earned him respect school- wide, and walked in and took his seat. The students chattered noisily until the teacher came in and told everyone to quiet down.

"Students, today the guest speaker for this class is a marine. He will talk for his fifty-five minutes and then you move on to your next class. Any questions?"

He looked to see the class was silent.

"Good. Now lets welcome him, shall we?"

Weak claps echoed as a marine in standard dim uniform came in.

"Hello students, my name is Commandant Jackson. I work for the Marine Corps"

Riku raised his hand.

"Do you have any projects your working on?"

The commandant looked thoughtful.

"Not at the moment, but contrary to popular belief, we are NOT working on Metal Gear of any kind!"

Everyone looked around.

"I repeat we are NOT working on Metal Gear. If anyone told you, then they are only spreading rumors."

"I have a question," another kid said, raising his hand.

"Yes?"

"How come I saw marines loading a big mech-looking thing being loaded into a tanker by the Destiny Islands Marine Corps navy dock last night?"

The commandant gave a forced cough.

"That's really none of your business," he said, giving him a look. The room got silent, as everyone grew suspicious of his crazy attitude.

"Sir?"

The teacher put a hand on his shoulder.

"AHH!" The commandant practically jumped through the roof.

"THAT'S IT! Stop it already! So what if we have a new type of Metal Gear ready for transport? So what if we're on the look out for espionage? So what if I'm unusually suspicious and like to hide things? And so what if I have relationships with a bisexual vampire! It's none of your damn business already! Leave me be!"

"Actually, I was just going to ask you if you wanted a cookie"

".I hate you all"

The commandant ran out at full speed, opened the doors to discover they were to the closet, and then sheepishly left through the other one.

"Class, I'll give you all twenty munny each to forget what just happened"

Riku happily felt the twenty munny in his pocket as he went to his next class. On the way he found Selphie and Tidus.

"Hey guys"

He said to them, stopping among the sea of students moving on to their classes.

"How were your speakers?"

"They were crazy!" Tidus and Selphie said simultaneously.

"It was just this cross-dresser with silver hair that kept talking about Terra" Tidus explained.

Riku's eyes widened.

"Do you think we should ask the school where they find all these guys?" he wondered aloud.

"That's a great idea! Lets go to the principal." Selphie began the walk and the two followed her.

Lisa's "school" wasn't a normal kind of school, so she got to go freely for a few hours before and after noon in the mall to see the dress that she liked the best.

It would have to look good because she would be going with Riku, who she really liked. She then found the perfect one, sitting in the display area behind glass. The fabric was a pure white; sparkling around the neck area with a matching sashes and gloves just her size.

"Okay" she said to herself "There's just one thing missing"

She closed her eyes and imagined how her apparel would look.

After school had ended, there had been chaos. People were run over in the melee to get out of school, teachers included. Tables had been turned over; lockers had been left open, windows broken, and doors knocked off of the hinges. It had been the biggest disaster since the candy guy said that he'd pay them to take his merchandise.

The only part that wasn't untouched and still perfect was the gym, ready for Crowned Hearts to take place in three hours.

Wakka, Kairi and Sora stood around near the front of the school at the base of the steps waiting for their other three friends who soon emerged.

After everyone else had sprinted; Riku, Selphie, and Tidus had returned from wherever they had been.

"What were you guys doing?" asked Sora.

"We tried to complain to the principal about the speakers and where they got them from, but he just said that we were a bunch of nosy kids and we'd be suspended if we complained again." Tidus explained looking down.

"Oh. Hey guys, I'd hang out with you more, but I gotta go home and rest a bit, maybe try on my outfit"

"Hey that's right!" Kairi said, as if just remembering"

"Same goes for me," said Wakka.

"Me too, later" Tidus walked home.

Selphie turned to face Riku.

"I guess we'll finally get to meet the Lisa you're so crazy about. I'm glad you won't be going alone." She ran off in her own direction to home.

Riku looked along the sand and concrete that led to his house. All that was left was for him to rest up a bit, try out his outfit, and meet Lisa at Crowned Hearts. He had already given her the details, so now his only worry was if she would really show up.