Author's Note:
Whoo-hoo! It's time for another "Author's Note" where Sora, Riku and Kiyda complain and argue about the fanfic that you see before you!!
.........
-=crickets chirp=-
-=Riku kills crickets=-
Sora: That was mean.
Riku: They're crickets; they'll get over it.
-=awkward silence=-
Sora: Well, aren't you going to say anything?
Kiyda: What's there to talk about? This chapter is depressing to me. The fact that they almost forget the chocolates and Riku bites Sora's hand again.
Sora: I get bitten?!! Again!!? What are you having, writer's block or something?!
Riku: "Or something."
Kiyda: It's an "Or something" I can't stop. I don't know. I don't want Hikari to go to the blitzball game Saturday, and I want Yuffie and Leon to just get up and go fuck eachother already!!! I want Tidus to find his feelings in Selphie than in Hikari and I want Hikari to find someone too! And what about Cloud?! Where the hell is he? And how the hell did Sephiroth win the Nobel Peace Prize?! That's just... sickening!!!!
Riku: Hey. -=vein popping=-
Kiyda: And what about Riku and Sora!!? When are they gonna make love into the midnight hours! What about my needs?!
(I'm not Hikari. Whoever got the idea that I'm Hikari - forGET it. I'm too violent and clueless to be Hikari-chan)
Sora: Maybe you should just take a break and write another fanfiction for a while...
Kiyda: Well, I am kind of working on one called "The Vibrating Strings." Sora's a rock star and Riku's an actor! The entertainment industry is divided between music artists and entertainers, so when Sora and Riku get together, suspicions and sparks fly!
Sora: What sparks?
Kiyda: Well, Sora does get in a fight on a talkshow over who Riku belongs to. I think. Or maybe that's Riku.
Riku: Fighting? There's fighting? I'M IN!!
Sora: ME TOO!
Kiyda: ~_~ It's not like you would've had a choice. And I think I'll make Sora part bounty hunter. O.o Who knows? Spike vs. Sora! Wheee....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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Chapter 9. In Three Different Flavors
"Wow, that was terrible, Wakka," teased Tidus.
"Shut up, Tidus. At least I don't sing like a N'Sync loser," Wakka shot back.
"And don't ~ Forget it!" sang Tidus. The group chuckled a little laughter.
Sora and Riku were in the same positions for about half an hour already and the pizza was almost gone. Lulu's shift was over, so she was invited to relax with them by Hikari. But Hikari's mind wasn't on the little fun they were having. It was only on Riku and Sora.
'What's wrong with them? It's like they're made out of rock, only growling rocks, that shoot glares at you and think about chopping your head off...rocks. I don't get it. They were such good friends before. Why can't they be good friends again?' wondered Hikari.
"Why don't you go next, Hikari?" asked Kairi. Hikari awoke from her thoughts.
"Huh? What?" she wondered, glancing at Kairi. Kairi smiled delicately.
"It can't hurt, can it? Go next!" assured Kairi. Hikari game a nervous smile.
"Um, sure. Why not?" declared Hikari. She stood up from the table with the screech of her chair, slapping both Sora and Riku awake. They lifted there stares and barriers to see Hikari climb up to the stage. She picked up the microphone and flipped through the pages of the computer, then found the perfect song. She clicked, picked up the mike, and began.
She began to sing.
"{So far; Life has been torture; Without leaning; Toward your heart's beating}" sang Hikari. Instantly, she was noticed by her friends: Riku, Sora, Kairi, Wakka, Selphie, Tidus, and Lulu. And slowly...by everyone else at that club.
She opened her eyes and glanced around, hoping that someone would immediately stop her. No one did, and she continued.
"{So long; I have been dreaming; Of threads of fate; That entwine us}" Hikari continued.
Riku watched her.....listening. Thinking maybe, just maybe, he wasn't all that innocent either. Maybe he was just as blame worthy as Sora. And that thought....it made him want to apologize. It made him want to know what Sora thought of him, even thought it may have been bad, Riku was willing to risk it. 'Maybe I'm just as guilty as he is. Maybe I sounded a little stuck up and egotistical. I have to talk to him.'
'I never knew Hikari had such a beautiful voice....' thought Sora, burying his face in his arms. He smiled to himself, listening to the music and the sound of her voice. 'I wonder if Riku has the same....talent. Riku. Oh shit, I forgot about him. He's really such a...well, maybe I did something to make him act like a bastard. I mean, I guess I did sound a little full- of-myself and snobby. I didn't mean to, I mean..... okay, I guess I should apologize to him. I have to talk to him.'
By the time Hikari finished singing, everyone in the club had heard her beautiful voice and listened to her song. A pink blush ran to her cheeks as she bowed, accepting the applause. She got of the stage and joined her friends.
"WOW! I mean, WOW!"
"That was really cool, Hikari!"
"I loved it."
"Your voice is sooooo pretty!"
"It was da bomb, girl."
"Thanks. Thanks allot," appreciated Hikari, trying to hide her flattered blush.
"Yeah," Sora spoke up. All eyes were directed toward him. "That was very beautiful, Hikari. I love your voice."
"And nothing from you, Riku?" asked Kairi. Riku smirked, closing his eyes and propping his feet onto the table while leaning back.
"I've been living with this popstar for sixteen years! I guess I'm used to hearing her sing," exclaimed Riku.
"I never sing around you," Hikari stated. She blinked, then re-thought that last statement. "No, wait. Yeah, I do. I never mean to, but yeah, I guess I can see how you could get used to hearing my voice all the time."
"And I never grow tired of it! Except when you're buggin' the hell out of me," Riku scoffed. Hikari laughed as Riku rustled up her hair with one hand playfully.
"Wait - are two married or related?" asked Tidus, shaking a finger from Hikari to Riku. Both of them blinked at Tidus then burst into elegant laughter. Their laugh was the same, gentle but playful. The only difference was Riku's was a deer and Hikari's was a fawn. Hikari threw her arms around Riku's neck.
"Oh yes! Sephy is my wonderful dragonslayer!" exclaimed Hikari.
"And Quistis-chan is my darling loveslave!" exclaimed Riku, taking Hikari into his lap.
"We were married at birth, and have been in love since the ages have passed!" exclaimed Hikari.
"And every night, we have hot, passionate-"
"No, they're twins. Identical, sorta," answered Sora, clamping a hand over Riku's mouth.
"That's good to know," commented Tidus, resting back in his chair.
Glancing side ways at him, Riku bit his hand again, and Sora yelped, snapping it back. Hikari laughed.
"Sora, you're no fun," Hikari joked. Sora glanced back at her, then to Riku who gave him a confident smile. Sora grinned.
"Sure, whatever," Sora answered. He began to check over his hand as Hikari returned to her seat. She sat there, smiling at Sora as he looked at his hand and Riku as he leaned back and kicked his feet back up onto the table. The two were bound to notice, and yet, they did.
"What?" They both wondered, looking at her. She only smiled even more.
"You two made up! Now you're friends again!" Hikari declared. Sora and Riku looked at each other, and Riku held out a hand.
"Truce?" invited Riku. Sora smiled an d bawled his hand into a fist.
"Truce," he answered. Riku replied with a smirk as he balled up his hand and they slammed fists together in a "manly teenager shake." Hikari rolled her eyes and checked her watch.
"Well, it's about 7:00 PM. I think, we should hit home, Riku. Mom'll be worried if we don't. She'll send out dad, and you know how he-"
"Okay, guys! Nice knowin' ya! Tidus. Selphie. Wakka. Lulu," called off Riku, saluting them shortly as he got onto his feet. He threw some cash onto the table, and grabbed Sora and Hikari by the shirt and hand.
"Hey, my pizza!" yelped Sora, being dragged by the back of his shirt.
"You forgot Kairi, Riku," spoke Hikari, being led by the hand instead.
"Yeah, bai, Kairi!" called back Riku.
"Bai, guys!" exclaimed Kairi, then took the two brown bags from the table and rushed toward the door to which they were exiting. "Wait, you forgot your chocolates!"
"Sora: fetch," declared Riku, throwing Sora back as he stalked off with Hikari.
"Yeah! Thanks, Kairi!" declared Sora at the front of the club, scratching the back of his head as he took the bags from Kairi's arms.
"Your welcome," she received. But before he could leave she clasped her fingers on the hem of his shirt. "Uhm, Sora?"
Glancing back at her, Sora stopped. That expression on her face. It was different. The mask was shattering. She looked at him, soberly.
"I... I've come to a decision," Kairi began. "And I'm...I'm going to leave the gang. I like this world...that you've shown me. Y'know, outside of the clique. It's nice. It's fresh. It's not as secure as the group but not as uncomfortable either. I don't feel judged or prejudged. I just feel....free. And I like it. I like not having to cling to someone or have someone cling to me."
Surprised at first, Sora blinked until he smiled cheerfully and gave her a "thumb's up." "See? Now you know why I quit," Sora said. "I got tired of giving a commitment. Of having the same friends, of living the same life. Popularity, adoration, favoritism. That's all great, but what I love more than anything is three things: freedom, love, and justice."
Sora counted off three things to her on his fingers. She blinked.
"Huh? I don't... I don't understand," Kairi confessed.
"Sora, c'mon!" urged Riku from outside.
"In a minute!" Sora called back. He turned to Kairi, not smiling anymore. This look was called 'Sober Sora.' "Well, you see.... I guess it started when Yuffie, my cousin, first came to Zanarkand. Remember? I was still in the popular kids division then when she first came. That's when it first hit me. One of the girls.... stole her undergarments... and hung them like a pirate's flag around a volleyball pole. Remember? It was Meleni."
Kairi recalled the event. It was foggy, but she remembered. She laughed so hard that day, watching Yuffie try to get her undergarments down. Finally, Sora came and helped her get them since she was only a few inches shorter than him and couldn't reach them. Then she and her friends went out for shakes and talked about it for an hour before changing the subject. Kairi blushed fiercely. She suddenly regretted every action.
"That...that was injustice. It first hit me that those were the kind of people I was hanging out with everyday. People who humiliated other people...just because it was fun. I felt like I was slowly awakening. I didn't want to, even when I was comforting Yuffie that day, I was telling myself inside my head all the excuses why I had dated that girl, why I had liked her, and why she was still my friend. But none of those excuses were good enough. In the end, I just told Yuffie the truth: they were stupid little girls looking for cheap laughs. She took that better than anything I could've said. For some reason, I liked that."
Sora ran a hand over his eyes, dipping his fingers tips into his hair as his palm pressed over his eyelids to close. He lifted his head to the air and began again.
"Then there was that time when... well... it was Vince that got me to thinking about it more and more. About where I stood. You remember him, too, don't you? Vince the Great? Vince the Mighty Viking Lord? Vince and all that and a Bag of Chips, baby?" Sora chuckled nervously as he thought about it. "Man. He was a great guy. Always surrounded by girls who laughed at his jokes and teased him a bit. One look at him, and you knew instantly that he'd be able to accept you. He didn't mind anyone or anything. He was never seen sober though. Not too sober so that it looked like he was on a argument talk show. No, he was always too fun and loving for that. But the thing is..... THAT Vince was accepted. It was the other Vince... that.. that you didn't like."
Kairi's eyes widened. Sora was hitting something. Something they hadn't talked about or thought about in months. She wanted him to stop. She wanted to scream at him not to mention it. But her voice...she couldn't find it. That courage she wanted very badly.... she needed it right now. At that moment.
"That morning.... changed everything. Everything that Vince was seen to be. And it was only one kiss. Just one. One of the girls of the group saw Vince outside behind the school. He was standing around, probably with a backpack on, waiting. A guy came along. Jin, I think. He came along and they began talking like normal guys do. Then before he left, Jin kissed him. On the lips. And that girl? Emi? She saw the whole thing."
Kairi felt like crying. Although, she didn't want to, she felt like it. So she stood there, staring at the ground with wide eyes, hoping Sora would just leave and forget Kairi mentioned anything about leaving the group.
"Emi was a stupid. I know that now. Actually, I think she approved of it, but she just liked it so much she wanted to spread the news like a virus. The rumors sped quickly before school even started. I didn't hear it until Vince came to me during lunch. He dragged me out into the hallway and spilled his guts. He told me.... he told me how he had been harassed by the boys in the locker room. Teenagers in the hallways. Even one of the teachers... called him a faggot. He didn't know what to do. And I didn't know either. You'd think his closest friends would help. Heh. You'd think that, wouldn't you? There to depend on? There to lean on? There to lend a hand?"
Sora swallowed his gut.
"No. No that didn't happen his case."
"We.... or to put it bluntly, THEM, they either shunned him... or harassed him. Finally.... Vince just moved away. That was it. And that was that. Did anyone care how I felt? My best friend. One of my only true friends..... was being driven away...just because he loved? What was wrong with that? Was love forbidden to take place at our school, in our group? When I helped Vince pack up and leave.... I was left to take care of my own guilt. That I couldn't protect my best friend. That I couldn't protect his rare love. Was I as much to blame as the everyone else that couldn't accept him. What... what made it so wrong for Vince to love another man? Why was I with these people? Why, even after Vince left, did I keep hanging out with these discriminating losers I called 'buddies' and 'girlfriends.?' And after Vince left, the thoughts consumed me even more. Suddenly, I didn't want to be with those people anymore. Just the idea of sitting with them and eating with them drove me insane. But I did it anyway. That's why I was always so tense or why I always slept during lunch. Didn't want to talk, didn't want to mingle with those people anymore. I only hung out with the few that didn't hurt Vince. And even those I grew tired of. Remember?"
Kairi glanced up to him. "You're missing the last one: freedom," declared Kairi, raising one finger. Sora uncovered his eyes and smiled at her, gently.
"Heh. We'll leave that for a rainy day," Sora declared, and with that, he left. Leaving Kairi to think about what he said. Then she clasped her hands together and enfolded the fingers before turning themselves out and cracking them.
"Well then! That settles it! I'm an official outcast! So ends the Princess Kairi Era!" Kairi confessed to herself. "Ow, my eyes... hurt..."
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"You have part time job here?"
"You have a death wish?"
"I'll take that as a yes."
"I'll take that as a yes."
Yuffie and Prof. Leon glared at each other, then sighed and returned to what they were supposed to be doing.
"Sot what would you like to drink?" asked Yuffie.
"Just water."
"And an as an appetizer?"
"Nothing, thanks."
"Okie dokie then. I'll just leave now."
But Yuffie didn't move. She just stood there, glancing from him to the seat infront of him. Then she coughed up the nerve.
"Um, Professor Leon? You don't mind me asking if there will be anyone joining you, do you? I mean, just in case so I know I can bring another glass of water just in case if someone else is coming-"
"Yeah. My little sister," he stated, plainly, gazing out the window. Yuffie smiled.
"I didn't know you had a little sister!" Yuffie exclaimed.
"I'd be surprised if you did," he muttered. "But it looks like she forgot again."
"Forgot what?" asked Yuffie. Professor Leon glanced back at her sideways and she blinked, until realizing the obviousness. "Oh, you mean she forgot to meet you here for dinner! Uhm sorry."
Yuffie fit her notebook into the apron pocket and the pencil behind an ear. She clasped her hands together and smiled. She had an idea. One that she liked very well, indeed.
"Okay! Once I get your drink and your food, I'll come and have dinner with you, myself!" declared Yuffie. Professor Leon's eyes widened and stood up abruptly.
"Why?!" snapped Leon.
"Because no one should eat alone. Especially not you, Mr. Moody pants," professed Yuffie.
"You don't have to. I as your teacher order you NOT to have dinner with me," snapped Leon.
"And I, as your waitress, order you to have company," persisted Yuffie, putting her hands on her hips.
"Is there a problem, Yuffie?" asked a pleasant voice. The two turned to see Aerith standing before them in a pink shirt and jeans and apron. She was wiping a bloody knife with her apron cloth. Both Yuffie and Leon flinched at the sight of blood, yet Aerith continued to smile delicately. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing, Aunt Aerith. Just my Professor won't let me have dinner with him," Yuffie explained. Aerith raised a brow at her Professor.
"Your Professor?" wondered Aerith.
"Yeah, he says his little sister won't be turning up for dinner tonight with him, and he's going to have supper all alone," Yuffie explained.
"Well, that settles it! For a minute there, I thought you were trying something silly, Yuffie, but now I'm certain that it's a great idea!" declared Aerith, grinning.
"What?" questioned Prof. Leon, raising a brow. Surely, she wasn't agreeing with-
"You shouldn't eat dinner alone, you know? Especially in a restaurant of couples and families. And an educator is always a welcome guest in my restaurant!" exclaimed Aerith. Prof. Leon's eyes widened as he attempted to concur, but Aerith insisted. "Yuffie? You wanted to eat dinner with him, right? Do so."
"Oh, that reminds me, Aunt Aerith. Where's Sora?" asked Yuffie.
"He's been locked up in his room for the entire day. OMG!! He hasn't eaten a thing since breakfast!! ACK, my baby must be starving!!!" shrieked Aerith, running off. About five minutes later, there was a scream, sounds of crashing dishes, and the cry of their chef who was cursing like mad along with Aerith (but for other reasons).
"DAMMIT, AERITH, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU???!!! Coming into my kitchen like that - WHY THE HELL DO I EVEN WORK FOR YOU!!???" shouted a familiar voice.
"SHUT IT, CID!!! My youngest son is gone. He's escaped his dungeon to go off, pick fights, and sleep under bridges - I'M NOT ALL THAT HAPPY."
So after Yuffie fetched all of her clients their food and their drinks, she slid into the both across from Professor Leon. She set her food down and began to much on left over sushi from the night before.
But it was hard for her to eat, because she was always wondering, thinking: what was he thinking. Professor Leon didn't talk much and when he did, it was lecturing or just blunt explanations. She liked his voice, despite it's thick icy layer; it was quite warm when it was meant to be. She smiled to herself, remember his warm laughter. Then she awoke, remembering the picture frame. The woman. The child. And him.
"Professor Squall?" began Yuffie, picking up a sushi tire roll with her chopsticks.
"It's Leon," he replied quietly and sternly.
"Yeah. Uh.... I was wondering... what's your little sister like?" asked Yuffie. Professor Leon glanced up to her, surprised at first, but he closed his eyes and provoked his food with a fork.
"Her name is Selphie. And if you look up the word 'perky' in the dictionary, you'll find her picture beside it-" Prof. Leon confessed. Yuffie lightly giggled at the idea. He paused for a moment, not looking at her, then continued. "And if you look up the phrase 'wonderful', you'll find her picture there as well. She's kind, happy, and slightly air headed for her age. However, when you're talking to her, it feels like she's lived a long life. She has decided what's frightening and what's not; what's good and what's bad; what's wrong and what's right. That's exactly how Selphie is."
With wide blinking eyes, Yuffie expressed her amazement. She didn't know he had such vocabulary! "Wow. She sounds like a wonderful person," complimented Yuffie, spreading a smile across her lips.
"That, and she annoys the hell out of me when she constantly forgets things - like eating out tonight - and always so sugar high. You tell her one thing; she does another. Giving her advice is like giving a rock tickets to a blitzball game - its no use..." sighed Leon slumping back into his seat. Yuffie blinked, confused of how to react.
"Well....uh..."
"Just forget it."
"Huh?"
She watched him as his bangs covered his eyes as he leaned against the booth seat. He laid an arm across his abdomen and took a deep breath then let it all out.
"Nothing... Just be quiet. That's the least you can do..." he mummurred. Yuffie continued to observe him as she provoked her wasabi with his chop sticks. She realized her professor was wearing an odd jacket... long sleeve, black leather, fuzzy collar. The white t-shit clung to his muscular body and around his waist he added another two belts. Then there was that silver Lion pendant of his. It was roughened and some of the chain locks were rusted. It seemed to be very important to Professor Leon which seemed weird considering he didn't seem to be the type of person who believed in material value. Then again, Yuffie wouldn't give up her headband for anything. But she remembered the frame again, and wondered if she could inquire him of it. 'Um, maybe that isn't such a good idea after all. I mean, I wasn't supposed to touch anything on his desk, and I did. I invaded his privacy, and if I asked, he would know, too,' considered Yuffie in her thoughts.
"Um, Professor? Aren't you going to eat the rest of your food?" asked Yuffie. No response. "Professor?"
Yuffie leaned forward, and she realized yet another amazing fact. Her professor could sleep! 'I mean, I didn't think he _didn't _ sleep, just that - you know - not around other people. But he does look cute though. Some people just look so calm and cute when they're sleeping. They really do....' thought Yuffie to herself, smiling at him. Slowly, she received this idea. It was a stupid, crazy, and spur of the moment kind of things, but she shrugged to herself, leaned over, and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Yuffie sat back down in her seat feeling pleased with herself and continued to eat her dinner, hoping he'd wake up eventually. And "eventually" wasn't so far away.
"Surprise! I made it!" exclaimed a female voice. Yuffie glanced up to a see a girl with light brown hair and brilliant green eyes. She blinked at her while the girl let her arms fall and lower her eyes to Yuffie's Professor. She placed her hands on her hips and lowered her lids at the young man dozing.
"Hey. I'm not that late. SQUALLY-CHAN!!!" echoed Selphie into his ear with a grin. Professor Leon clasped a hand over his ear and jolted at the cry.
"SELPHIE!!! Dammit ALL!" shouted Prof. Leon. Yuffie chuckled and got up from her seat, taking her food and drink.
"Well, I guess I should be leaving then. It was nice having dinner with you, Professor," Yuffie said as her farewell. Prof. Leon watched her, surprised .
"Wait-" he began to say before Selphie hugged Prof. Leon, cutting him off.
"Hi, Squally-chan! I just had a really kewl day with a really cute boy!" explained Selphie, shortly then plopping herself down in front of her older brother. Prof. Leon glanced from her to the direction Yuffie went and sighed, holding his head with one hand.
"Dammit all....." he murmured. He glanced up at Selphie and leaned back into the booth seat. "Really?"
"YEP! His name is Tidus! Oh and I got to hang out with a silver haired boy named Riku and a silver haired girl named Hikari! They're twins - then there's Wakka, he's on the blitzball team too, and his girlfriend, Lulu. Then there was Sora. He didn't seem nice at first, but he had a great smile. He was cute, too! I can just tell he's going to be a hero, someday," confessed Selphie. Leon gazed at her and smirked.
"Heh. Sora. Sora means 'sky', doesn't it?" asked Leon. Selphie nodded, smiling.
"Sora the Sky."
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Author's ending note:
Well.... what'd ya think? Sora's past just gets wider and wider. I think theres a reason why everyone is the way they are. Sora's sense of justice, Riku's ego or care of his younger twin, Hikari's kindness, Yuffie's curiosity in Squa- er -=sensing Leon's evil glare=- LEON, Leon's cold reality, Selphie's intuition, Tidus's observant nature and Wakka's carefree nature. Plus Lulu, and why she curses and acts like she's a bad waitress.
I like Lulu; she's probably my favorite babe next to Yuna and Rikku. She knows she's not that great of a waitress and makes good, simple decisions. She plays along and makes life threats every so now and then. Hikari likes her and so does Riku but Sora is a little scared the fact she gothic.
Thanks for everything, the reviews, the compliments, the critiques. I LUV critiques. It proves how BAD I am at writing. But people think it's good, and if my exboyfriend likes it - YOURS CAN TOO! ^_^ ^_^ ^_^
Now be kind to your neighbor hood pyscho and REVIEW.
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"No fate but what we make."
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Whoo-hoo! It's time for another "Author's Note" where Sora, Riku and Kiyda complain and argue about the fanfic that you see before you!!
.........
-=crickets chirp=-
-=Riku kills crickets=-
Sora: That was mean.
Riku: They're crickets; they'll get over it.
-=awkward silence=-
Sora: Well, aren't you going to say anything?
Kiyda: What's there to talk about? This chapter is depressing to me. The fact that they almost forget the chocolates and Riku bites Sora's hand again.
Sora: I get bitten?!! Again!!? What are you having, writer's block or something?!
Riku: "Or something."
Kiyda: It's an "Or something" I can't stop. I don't know. I don't want Hikari to go to the blitzball game Saturday, and I want Yuffie and Leon to just get up and go fuck eachother already!!! I want Tidus to find his feelings in Selphie than in Hikari and I want Hikari to find someone too! And what about Cloud?! Where the hell is he? And how the hell did Sephiroth win the Nobel Peace Prize?! That's just... sickening!!!!
Riku: Hey. -=vein popping=-
Kiyda: And what about Riku and Sora!!? When are they gonna make love into the midnight hours! What about my needs?!
(I'm not Hikari. Whoever got the idea that I'm Hikari - forGET it. I'm too violent and clueless to be Hikari-chan)
Sora: Maybe you should just take a break and write another fanfiction for a while...
Kiyda: Well, I am kind of working on one called "The Vibrating Strings." Sora's a rock star and Riku's an actor! The entertainment industry is divided between music artists and entertainers, so when Sora and Riku get together, suspicions and sparks fly!
Sora: What sparks?
Kiyda: Well, Sora does get in a fight on a talkshow over who Riku belongs to. I think. Or maybe that's Riku.
Riku: Fighting? There's fighting? I'M IN!!
Sora: ME TOO!
Kiyda: ~_~ It's not like you would've had a choice. And I think I'll make Sora part bounty hunter. O.o Who knows? Spike vs. Sora! Wheee....
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Chapter 9. In Three Different Flavors
"Wow, that was terrible, Wakka," teased Tidus.
"Shut up, Tidus. At least I don't sing like a N'Sync loser," Wakka shot back.
"And don't ~ Forget it!" sang Tidus. The group chuckled a little laughter.
Sora and Riku were in the same positions for about half an hour already and the pizza was almost gone. Lulu's shift was over, so she was invited to relax with them by Hikari. But Hikari's mind wasn't on the little fun they were having. It was only on Riku and Sora.
'What's wrong with them? It's like they're made out of rock, only growling rocks, that shoot glares at you and think about chopping your head off...rocks. I don't get it. They were such good friends before. Why can't they be good friends again?' wondered Hikari.
"Why don't you go next, Hikari?" asked Kairi. Hikari awoke from her thoughts.
"Huh? What?" she wondered, glancing at Kairi. Kairi smiled delicately.
"It can't hurt, can it? Go next!" assured Kairi. Hikari game a nervous smile.
"Um, sure. Why not?" declared Hikari. She stood up from the table with the screech of her chair, slapping both Sora and Riku awake. They lifted there stares and barriers to see Hikari climb up to the stage. She picked up the microphone and flipped through the pages of the computer, then found the perfect song. She clicked, picked up the mike, and began.
She began to sing.
"{So far; Life has been torture; Without leaning; Toward your heart's beating}" sang Hikari. Instantly, she was noticed by her friends: Riku, Sora, Kairi, Wakka, Selphie, Tidus, and Lulu. And slowly...by everyone else at that club.
She opened her eyes and glanced around, hoping that someone would immediately stop her. No one did, and she continued.
"{So long; I have been dreaming; Of threads of fate; That entwine us}" Hikari continued.
Riku watched her.....listening. Thinking maybe, just maybe, he wasn't all that innocent either. Maybe he was just as blame worthy as Sora. And that thought....it made him want to apologize. It made him want to know what Sora thought of him, even thought it may have been bad, Riku was willing to risk it. 'Maybe I'm just as guilty as he is. Maybe I sounded a little stuck up and egotistical. I have to talk to him.'
'I never knew Hikari had such a beautiful voice....' thought Sora, burying his face in his arms. He smiled to himself, listening to the music and the sound of her voice. 'I wonder if Riku has the same....talent. Riku. Oh shit, I forgot about him. He's really such a...well, maybe I did something to make him act like a bastard. I mean, I guess I did sound a little full- of-myself and snobby. I didn't mean to, I mean..... okay, I guess I should apologize to him. I have to talk to him.'
By the time Hikari finished singing, everyone in the club had heard her beautiful voice and listened to her song. A pink blush ran to her cheeks as she bowed, accepting the applause. She got of the stage and joined her friends.
"WOW! I mean, WOW!"
"That was really cool, Hikari!"
"I loved it."
"Your voice is sooooo pretty!"
"It was da bomb, girl."
"Thanks. Thanks allot," appreciated Hikari, trying to hide her flattered blush.
"Yeah," Sora spoke up. All eyes were directed toward him. "That was very beautiful, Hikari. I love your voice."
"And nothing from you, Riku?" asked Kairi. Riku smirked, closing his eyes and propping his feet onto the table while leaning back.
"I've been living with this popstar for sixteen years! I guess I'm used to hearing her sing," exclaimed Riku.
"I never sing around you," Hikari stated. She blinked, then re-thought that last statement. "No, wait. Yeah, I do. I never mean to, but yeah, I guess I can see how you could get used to hearing my voice all the time."
"And I never grow tired of it! Except when you're buggin' the hell out of me," Riku scoffed. Hikari laughed as Riku rustled up her hair with one hand playfully.
"Wait - are two married or related?" asked Tidus, shaking a finger from Hikari to Riku. Both of them blinked at Tidus then burst into elegant laughter. Their laugh was the same, gentle but playful. The only difference was Riku's was a deer and Hikari's was a fawn. Hikari threw her arms around Riku's neck.
"Oh yes! Sephy is my wonderful dragonslayer!" exclaimed Hikari.
"And Quistis-chan is my darling loveslave!" exclaimed Riku, taking Hikari into his lap.
"We were married at birth, and have been in love since the ages have passed!" exclaimed Hikari.
"And every night, we have hot, passionate-"
"No, they're twins. Identical, sorta," answered Sora, clamping a hand over Riku's mouth.
"That's good to know," commented Tidus, resting back in his chair.
Glancing side ways at him, Riku bit his hand again, and Sora yelped, snapping it back. Hikari laughed.
"Sora, you're no fun," Hikari joked. Sora glanced back at her, then to Riku who gave him a confident smile. Sora grinned.
"Sure, whatever," Sora answered. He began to check over his hand as Hikari returned to her seat. She sat there, smiling at Sora as he looked at his hand and Riku as he leaned back and kicked his feet back up onto the table. The two were bound to notice, and yet, they did.
"What?" They both wondered, looking at her. She only smiled even more.
"You two made up! Now you're friends again!" Hikari declared. Sora and Riku looked at each other, and Riku held out a hand.
"Truce?" invited Riku. Sora smiled an d bawled his hand into a fist.
"Truce," he answered. Riku replied with a smirk as he balled up his hand and they slammed fists together in a "manly teenager shake." Hikari rolled her eyes and checked her watch.
"Well, it's about 7:00 PM. I think, we should hit home, Riku. Mom'll be worried if we don't. She'll send out dad, and you know how he-"
"Okay, guys! Nice knowin' ya! Tidus. Selphie. Wakka. Lulu," called off Riku, saluting them shortly as he got onto his feet. He threw some cash onto the table, and grabbed Sora and Hikari by the shirt and hand.
"Hey, my pizza!" yelped Sora, being dragged by the back of his shirt.
"You forgot Kairi, Riku," spoke Hikari, being led by the hand instead.
"Yeah, bai, Kairi!" called back Riku.
"Bai, guys!" exclaimed Kairi, then took the two brown bags from the table and rushed toward the door to which they were exiting. "Wait, you forgot your chocolates!"
"Sora: fetch," declared Riku, throwing Sora back as he stalked off with Hikari.
"Yeah! Thanks, Kairi!" declared Sora at the front of the club, scratching the back of his head as he took the bags from Kairi's arms.
"Your welcome," she received. But before he could leave she clasped her fingers on the hem of his shirt. "Uhm, Sora?"
Glancing back at her, Sora stopped. That expression on her face. It was different. The mask was shattering. She looked at him, soberly.
"I... I've come to a decision," Kairi began. "And I'm...I'm going to leave the gang. I like this world...that you've shown me. Y'know, outside of the clique. It's nice. It's fresh. It's not as secure as the group but not as uncomfortable either. I don't feel judged or prejudged. I just feel....free. And I like it. I like not having to cling to someone or have someone cling to me."
Surprised at first, Sora blinked until he smiled cheerfully and gave her a "thumb's up." "See? Now you know why I quit," Sora said. "I got tired of giving a commitment. Of having the same friends, of living the same life. Popularity, adoration, favoritism. That's all great, but what I love more than anything is three things: freedom, love, and justice."
Sora counted off three things to her on his fingers. She blinked.
"Huh? I don't... I don't understand," Kairi confessed.
"Sora, c'mon!" urged Riku from outside.
"In a minute!" Sora called back. He turned to Kairi, not smiling anymore. This look was called 'Sober Sora.' "Well, you see.... I guess it started when Yuffie, my cousin, first came to Zanarkand. Remember? I was still in the popular kids division then when she first came. That's when it first hit me. One of the girls.... stole her undergarments... and hung them like a pirate's flag around a volleyball pole. Remember? It was Meleni."
Kairi recalled the event. It was foggy, but she remembered. She laughed so hard that day, watching Yuffie try to get her undergarments down. Finally, Sora came and helped her get them since she was only a few inches shorter than him and couldn't reach them. Then she and her friends went out for shakes and talked about it for an hour before changing the subject. Kairi blushed fiercely. She suddenly regretted every action.
"That...that was injustice. It first hit me that those were the kind of people I was hanging out with everyday. People who humiliated other people...just because it was fun. I felt like I was slowly awakening. I didn't want to, even when I was comforting Yuffie that day, I was telling myself inside my head all the excuses why I had dated that girl, why I had liked her, and why she was still my friend. But none of those excuses were good enough. In the end, I just told Yuffie the truth: they were stupid little girls looking for cheap laughs. She took that better than anything I could've said. For some reason, I liked that."
Sora ran a hand over his eyes, dipping his fingers tips into his hair as his palm pressed over his eyelids to close. He lifted his head to the air and began again.
"Then there was that time when... well... it was Vince that got me to thinking about it more and more. About where I stood. You remember him, too, don't you? Vince the Great? Vince the Mighty Viking Lord? Vince and all that and a Bag of Chips, baby?" Sora chuckled nervously as he thought about it. "Man. He was a great guy. Always surrounded by girls who laughed at his jokes and teased him a bit. One look at him, and you knew instantly that he'd be able to accept you. He didn't mind anyone or anything. He was never seen sober though. Not too sober so that it looked like he was on a argument talk show. No, he was always too fun and loving for that. But the thing is..... THAT Vince was accepted. It was the other Vince... that.. that you didn't like."
Kairi's eyes widened. Sora was hitting something. Something they hadn't talked about or thought about in months. She wanted him to stop. She wanted to scream at him not to mention it. But her voice...she couldn't find it. That courage she wanted very badly.... she needed it right now. At that moment.
"That morning.... changed everything. Everything that Vince was seen to be. And it was only one kiss. Just one. One of the girls of the group saw Vince outside behind the school. He was standing around, probably with a backpack on, waiting. A guy came along. Jin, I think. He came along and they began talking like normal guys do. Then before he left, Jin kissed him. On the lips. And that girl? Emi? She saw the whole thing."
Kairi felt like crying. Although, she didn't want to, she felt like it. So she stood there, staring at the ground with wide eyes, hoping Sora would just leave and forget Kairi mentioned anything about leaving the group.
"Emi was a stupid. I know that now. Actually, I think she approved of it, but she just liked it so much she wanted to spread the news like a virus. The rumors sped quickly before school even started. I didn't hear it until Vince came to me during lunch. He dragged me out into the hallway and spilled his guts. He told me.... he told me how he had been harassed by the boys in the locker room. Teenagers in the hallways. Even one of the teachers... called him a faggot. He didn't know what to do. And I didn't know either. You'd think his closest friends would help. Heh. You'd think that, wouldn't you? There to depend on? There to lean on? There to lend a hand?"
Sora swallowed his gut.
"No. No that didn't happen his case."
"We.... or to put it bluntly, THEM, they either shunned him... or harassed him. Finally.... Vince just moved away. That was it. And that was that. Did anyone care how I felt? My best friend. One of my only true friends..... was being driven away...just because he loved? What was wrong with that? Was love forbidden to take place at our school, in our group? When I helped Vince pack up and leave.... I was left to take care of my own guilt. That I couldn't protect my best friend. That I couldn't protect his rare love. Was I as much to blame as the everyone else that couldn't accept him. What... what made it so wrong for Vince to love another man? Why was I with these people? Why, even after Vince left, did I keep hanging out with these discriminating losers I called 'buddies' and 'girlfriends.?' And after Vince left, the thoughts consumed me even more. Suddenly, I didn't want to be with those people anymore. Just the idea of sitting with them and eating with them drove me insane. But I did it anyway. That's why I was always so tense or why I always slept during lunch. Didn't want to talk, didn't want to mingle with those people anymore. I only hung out with the few that didn't hurt Vince. And even those I grew tired of. Remember?"
Kairi glanced up to him. "You're missing the last one: freedom," declared Kairi, raising one finger. Sora uncovered his eyes and smiled at her, gently.
"Heh. We'll leave that for a rainy day," Sora declared, and with that, he left. Leaving Kairi to think about what he said. Then she clasped her hands together and enfolded the fingers before turning themselves out and cracking them.
"Well then! That settles it! I'm an official outcast! So ends the Princess Kairi Era!" Kairi confessed to herself. "Ow, my eyes... hurt..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You have part time job here?"
"You have a death wish?"
"I'll take that as a yes."
"I'll take that as a yes."
Yuffie and Prof. Leon glared at each other, then sighed and returned to what they were supposed to be doing.
"Sot what would you like to drink?" asked Yuffie.
"Just water."
"And an as an appetizer?"
"Nothing, thanks."
"Okie dokie then. I'll just leave now."
But Yuffie didn't move. She just stood there, glancing from him to the seat infront of him. Then she coughed up the nerve.
"Um, Professor Leon? You don't mind me asking if there will be anyone joining you, do you? I mean, just in case so I know I can bring another glass of water just in case if someone else is coming-"
"Yeah. My little sister," he stated, plainly, gazing out the window. Yuffie smiled.
"I didn't know you had a little sister!" Yuffie exclaimed.
"I'd be surprised if you did," he muttered. "But it looks like she forgot again."
"Forgot what?" asked Yuffie. Professor Leon glanced back at her sideways and she blinked, until realizing the obviousness. "Oh, you mean she forgot to meet you here for dinner! Uhm sorry."
Yuffie fit her notebook into the apron pocket and the pencil behind an ear. She clasped her hands together and smiled. She had an idea. One that she liked very well, indeed.
"Okay! Once I get your drink and your food, I'll come and have dinner with you, myself!" declared Yuffie. Professor Leon's eyes widened and stood up abruptly.
"Why?!" snapped Leon.
"Because no one should eat alone. Especially not you, Mr. Moody pants," professed Yuffie.
"You don't have to. I as your teacher order you NOT to have dinner with me," snapped Leon.
"And I, as your waitress, order you to have company," persisted Yuffie, putting her hands on her hips.
"Is there a problem, Yuffie?" asked a pleasant voice. The two turned to see Aerith standing before them in a pink shirt and jeans and apron. She was wiping a bloody knife with her apron cloth. Both Yuffie and Leon flinched at the sight of blood, yet Aerith continued to smile delicately. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing, Aunt Aerith. Just my Professor won't let me have dinner with him," Yuffie explained. Aerith raised a brow at her Professor.
"Your Professor?" wondered Aerith.
"Yeah, he says his little sister won't be turning up for dinner tonight with him, and he's going to have supper all alone," Yuffie explained.
"Well, that settles it! For a minute there, I thought you were trying something silly, Yuffie, but now I'm certain that it's a great idea!" declared Aerith, grinning.
"What?" questioned Prof. Leon, raising a brow. Surely, she wasn't agreeing with-
"You shouldn't eat dinner alone, you know? Especially in a restaurant of couples and families. And an educator is always a welcome guest in my restaurant!" exclaimed Aerith. Prof. Leon's eyes widened as he attempted to concur, but Aerith insisted. "Yuffie? You wanted to eat dinner with him, right? Do so."
"Oh, that reminds me, Aunt Aerith. Where's Sora?" asked Yuffie.
"He's been locked up in his room for the entire day. OMG!! He hasn't eaten a thing since breakfast!! ACK, my baby must be starving!!!" shrieked Aerith, running off. About five minutes later, there was a scream, sounds of crashing dishes, and the cry of their chef who was cursing like mad along with Aerith (but for other reasons).
"DAMMIT, AERITH, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU???!!! Coming into my kitchen like that - WHY THE HELL DO I EVEN WORK FOR YOU!!???" shouted a familiar voice.
"SHUT IT, CID!!! My youngest son is gone. He's escaped his dungeon to go off, pick fights, and sleep under bridges - I'M NOT ALL THAT HAPPY."
So after Yuffie fetched all of her clients their food and their drinks, she slid into the both across from Professor Leon. She set her food down and began to much on left over sushi from the night before.
But it was hard for her to eat, because she was always wondering, thinking: what was he thinking. Professor Leon didn't talk much and when he did, it was lecturing or just blunt explanations. She liked his voice, despite it's thick icy layer; it was quite warm when it was meant to be. She smiled to herself, remember his warm laughter. Then she awoke, remembering the picture frame. The woman. The child. And him.
"Professor Squall?" began Yuffie, picking up a sushi tire roll with her chopsticks.
"It's Leon," he replied quietly and sternly.
"Yeah. Uh.... I was wondering... what's your little sister like?" asked Yuffie. Professor Leon glanced up to her, surprised at first, but he closed his eyes and provoked his food with a fork.
"Her name is Selphie. And if you look up the word 'perky' in the dictionary, you'll find her picture beside it-" Prof. Leon confessed. Yuffie lightly giggled at the idea. He paused for a moment, not looking at her, then continued. "And if you look up the phrase 'wonderful', you'll find her picture there as well. She's kind, happy, and slightly air headed for her age. However, when you're talking to her, it feels like she's lived a long life. She has decided what's frightening and what's not; what's good and what's bad; what's wrong and what's right. That's exactly how Selphie is."
With wide blinking eyes, Yuffie expressed her amazement. She didn't know he had such vocabulary! "Wow. She sounds like a wonderful person," complimented Yuffie, spreading a smile across her lips.
"That, and she annoys the hell out of me when she constantly forgets things - like eating out tonight - and always so sugar high. You tell her one thing; she does another. Giving her advice is like giving a rock tickets to a blitzball game - its no use..." sighed Leon slumping back into his seat. Yuffie blinked, confused of how to react.
"Well....uh..."
"Just forget it."
"Huh?"
She watched him as his bangs covered his eyes as he leaned against the booth seat. He laid an arm across his abdomen and took a deep breath then let it all out.
"Nothing... Just be quiet. That's the least you can do..." he mummurred. Yuffie continued to observe him as she provoked her wasabi with his chop sticks. She realized her professor was wearing an odd jacket... long sleeve, black leather, fuzzy collar. The white t-shit clung to his muscular body and around his waist he added another two belts. Then there was that silver Lion pendant of his. It was roughened and some of the chain locks were rusted. It seemed to be very important to Professor Leon which seemed weird considering he didn't seem to be the type of person who believed in material value. Then again, Yuffie wouldn't give up her headband for anything. But she remembered the frame again, and wondered if she could inquire him of it. 'Um, maybe that isn't such a good idea after all. I mean, I wasn't supposed to touch anything on his desk, and I did. I invaded his privacy, and if I asked, he would know, too,' considered Yuffie in her thoughts.
"Um, Professor? Aren't you going to eat the rest of your food?" asked Yuffie. No response. "Professor?"
Yuffie leaned forward, and she realized yet another amazing fact. Her professor could sleep! 'I mean, I didn't think he _didn't _ sleep, just that - you know - not around other people. But he does look cute though. Some people just look so calm and cute when they're sleeping. They really do....' thought Yuffie to herself, smiling at him. Slowly, she received this idea. It was a stupid, crazy, and spur of the moment kind of things, but she shrugged to herself, leaned over, and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Yuffie sat back down in her seat feeling pleased with herself and continued to eat her dinner, hoping he'd wake up eventually. And "eventually" wasn't so far away.
"Surprise! I made it!" exclaimed a female voice. Yuffie glanced up to a see a girl with light brown hair and brilliant green eyes. She blinked at her while the girl let her arms fall and lower her eyes to Yuffie's Professor. She placed her hands on her hips and lowered her lids at the young man dozing.
"Hey. I'm not that late. SQUALLY-CHAN!!!" echoed Selphie into his ear with a grin. Professor Leon clasped a hand over his ear and jolted at the cry.
"SELPHIE!!! Dammit ALL!" shouted Prof. Leon. Yuffie chuckled and got up from her seat, taking her food and drink.
"Well, I guess I should be leaving then. It was nice having dinner with you, Professor," Yuffie said as her farewell. Prof. Leon watched her, surprised .
"Wait-" he began to say before Selphie hugged Prof. Leon, cutting him off.
"Hi, Squally-chan! I just had a really kewl day with a really cute boy!" explained Selphie, shortly then plopping herself down in front of her older brother. Prof. Leon glanced from her to the direction Yuffie went and sighed, holding his head with one hand.
"Dammit all....." he murmured. He glanced up at Selphie and leaned back into the booth seat. "Really?"
"YEP! His name is Tidus! Oh and I got to hang out with a silver haired boy named Riku and a silver haired girl named Hikari! They're twins - then there's Wakka, he's on the blitzball team too, and his girlfriend, Lulu. Then there was Sora. He didn't seem nice at first, but he had a great smile. He was cute, too! I can just tell he's going to be a hero, someday," confessed Selphie. Leon gazed at her and smirked.
"Heh. Sora. Sora means 'sky', doesn't it?" asked Leon. Selphie nodded, smiling.
"Sora the Sky."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's ending note:
Well.... what'd ya think? Sora's past just gets wider and wider. I think theres a reason why everyone is the way they are. Sora's sense of justice, Riku's ego or care of his younger twin, Hikari's kindness, Yuffie's curiosity in Squa- er -=sensing Leon's evil glare=- LEON, Leon's cold reality, Selphie's intuition, Tidus's observant nature and Wakka's carefree nature. Plus Lulu, and why she curses and acts like she's a bad waitress.
I like Lulu; she's probably my favorite babe next to Yuna and Rikku. She knows she's not that great of a waitress and makes good, simple decisions. She plays along and makes life threats every so now and then. Hikari likes her and so does Riku but Sora is a little scared the fact she gothic.
Thanks for everything, the reviews, the compliments, the critiques. I LUV critiques. It proves how BAD I am at writing. But people think it's good, and if my exboyfriend likes it - YOURS CAN TOO! ^_^ ^_^ ^_^
Now be kind to your neighbor hood pyscho and REVIEW.
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"No fate but what we make."
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