Hello to everyone reading this, it's been ages since I last posted a chapter. All those who have been reading through must really wanna kill me now. So sorrie!! I guess I was just really sad at not being able to get reviews. Actually, I still am. So please do review. Great big thank you to all those who have so far though. Reading thru your opinions are what made me go on with this part.
______________________________________________
In the previous chapter : Go was confronted in his dojo by the rest of his friends and they proceeded to fight with him, yet he did not fight back. Ultimately, through his care and concern for his friends, he managed to break out of the illusion, but will Kei be able to do the same?
______________________________________________
Kei woke up and stared at his computer screen. Had he fallen asleep at work again last night? Probably so. It wasn't that surprising since he had been working till late each night trying to perfect the CGI for his new game while he waited for his reply from SquareEnix about his application for the company.
It was quite a prestigious company, having published games such as the popular Final Fantasy Series, Kingdom Hearts and The Bouncer, to name a few, and Kei wanted to be a part of the company. With his computer knowledge and background, a man of his caliber was almost certainly assured a place in the company.
Suddenly his computer let out a sound, indicating that he had new mail. It was from SquareEnix. Scanning it briefly, he looked for the good news but there was none. Shocked, he read on. The company had rejected his application, saying that his graphics looked too rough and the animation he had sent in, jerky. They also commented that his knowledge of the field was inadequate.
Kei was shocked. He knew as well as anyone did that his work was always of a good standard and that his knowledge was profound. Not once in his whole life had he ever failed at something like this. Something he had set his whole heart and mind to. Yet he failed. He thought it must have been a mistake on their part...and yet it wasn't; they had distinctively mentioned his name in the email and blatantly stated that they felt that he wouldn't be able to cut it.
He didn't feel like looking at the computer anymore. Shutting it down, he left the office. It was almost 7 in the morning.
The Knight of Light headed straight for the Leafé Garden. A place he could relax and clear his mind. He arrived in a second and took in the fresh air, trying his best to forget the email. He sighed, letting it all out. He had tried his utmost best and yet it wasn't enough.
Silently, he sat down by the edge of the lake in the garden and fell deep into a depression. Suddenly, he heard a sound behind him. Turning around sharply, he saw the rest of the Knights approaching him, along with the Princess Prétear. He smiled slightly, at least they would be able to get his rejected application out of his mind.
As they approached, he noticed that they were smiling somewhat cynically, all of them, like as if they were mocking his depression. 'What am I thinking? They don't even know about it. The way they are smiling though.. its so unnerving.. almost.. unnatural.' He thought, but his line of thought was interrupted as the group stood behind him.
"Hey Kei, what's up?" Go asked in a cheery tone. Too cheery.
"Oh, nothing.." Kei said, his semi emotionless look covering his sadness.
"..You deserved it, you know." Hajime suddenly burst out. 'Huh? Deserved what?' Kei thought to himself.
"SquareEnix rejecting you." Sasame stated coldly.
"Wha-" Kei said abruptly but didn't get to finish his sentence.
"Yeah, its not like as if they hire idiots like you." Mannen said, looking towards Kei in disgust.
"You think too highly of yourself Kei." Hayate stated, his arms folded infront of him.
Were they really the friends he knew? What were they saying? Was this all really true? Was he really incapable of landing such a job? Maybe they were right. Maybe he couldn't handle it. After all, SquareEnix was too prestigious a company for the likes of him. It was evident in the fact that getting into such a company was more difficult than getting into Disney. Kei's hands shot up to his face to hide the tears that were already threatening to fall. On the outside, he was always the cold strong one, but suddenly, that facade had just slipped away.
They were right. He couldn't take it. Behind him, he heard them start to snigger. As he looked away towards the lake, he noticed his reflection in the water. His eyes had become smaller in the short time he had begun to cry. It was like staring down into an empty shell of himself.
'This.. this isn't me.' He thought to himself. 'I've never been weak like this, and I don't intend to start. I don't care if I can't get into SquareEnix, its not like its the only game company around.'
Suddenly, it all came back to him in flashes. Him at his computer. Then the sudden pain. Then seeing Himeno lying on the bed unconcious. And finally that black abyss.
That explained everything. The weird behaviour of his friends especially. He was too distraught to think about it earlier but now he was certain. Drying his eyes, he stood up and turned to them, a smile etched across his face; he finally understood.
"You know, for illusions, you're all pretty irritating." He said, matter-of-factly.
Their faces cringed and shattered into a million pieces, as did the scenery around him.
"Ahh, smart you are, little one, but will your intelligence serve you well enough for the final battle? We shall see." A voice echoed through his mind. The same one from before! But he didn't have time to react.
Suddenly, his world went black once more.
_____________________________________________
In the next chapter : The four older Knights wake up to what seems like the ultimate nightmare. The mysterious voice tells them that Himeno is dead and they are to face three deadly opponents. Will they make it out alive, or are they destined to die?
_____________________________________________
Please do review!!~
______________________________________________
In the previous chapter : Go was confronted in his dojo by the rest of his friends and they proceeded to fight with him, yet he did not fight back. Ultimately, through his care and concern for his friends, he managed to break out of the illusion, but will Kei be able to do the same?
______________________________________________
Kei woke up and stared at his computer screen. Had he fallen asleep at work again last night? Probably so. It wasn't that surprising since he had been working till late each night trying to perfect the CGI for his new game while he waited for his reply from SquareEnix about his application for the company.
It was quite a prestigious company, having published games such as the popular Final Fantasy Series, Kingdom Hearts and The Bouncer, to name a few, and Kei wanted to be a part of the company. With his computer knowledge and background, a man of his caliber was almost certainly assured a place in the company.
Suddenly his computer let out a sound, indicating that he had new mail. It was from SquareEnix. Scanning it briefly, he looked for the good news but there was none. Shocked, he read on. The company had rejected his application, saying that his graphics looked too rough and the animation he had sent in, jerky. They also commented that his knowledge of the field was inadequate.
Kei was shocked. He knew as well as anyone did that his work was always of a good standard and that his knowledge was profound. Not once in his whole life had he ever failed at something like this. Something he had set his whole heart and mind to. Yet he failed. He thought it must have been a mistake on their part...and yet it wasn't; they had distinctively mentioned his name in the email and blatantly stated that they felt that he wouldn't be able to cut it.
He didn't feel like looking at the computer anymore. Shutting it down, he left the office. It was almost 7 in the morning.
The Knight of Light headed straight for the Leafé Garden. A place he could relax and clear his mind. He arrived in a second and took in the fresh air, trying his best to forget the email. He sighed, letting it all out. He had tried his utmost best and yet it wasn't enough.
Silently, he sat down by the edge of the lake in the garden and fell deep into a depression. Suddenly, he heard a sound behind him. Turning around sharply, he saw the rest of the Knights approaching him, along with the Princess Prétear. He smiled slightly, at least they would be able to get his rejected application out of his mind.
As they approached, he noticed that they were smiling somewhat cynically, all of them, like as if they were mocking his depression. 'What am I thinking? They don't even know about it. The way they are smiling though.. its so unnerving.. almost.. unnatural.' He thought, but his line of thought was interrupted as the group stood behind him.
"Hey Kei, what's up?" Go asked in a cheery tone. Too cheery.
"Oh, nothing.." Kei said, his semi emotionless look covering his sadness.
"..You deserved it, you know." Hajime suddenly burst out. 'Huh? Deserved what?' Kei thought to himself.
"SquareEnix rejecting you." Sasame stated coldly.
"Wha-" Kei said abruptly but didn't get to finish his sentence.
"Yeah, its not like as if they hire idiots like you." Mannen said, looking towards Kei in disgust.
"You think too highly of yourself Kei." Hayate stated, his arms folded infront of him.
Were they really the friends he knew? What were they saying? Was this all really true? Was he really incapable of landing such a job? Maybe they were right. Maybe he couldn't handle it. After all, SquareEnix was too prestigious a company for the likes of him. It was evident in the fact that getting into such a company was more difficult than getting into Disney. Kei's hands shot up to his face to hide the tears that were already threatening to fall. On the outside, he was always the cold strong one, but suddenly, that facade had just slipped away.
They were right. He couldn't take it. Behind him, he heard them start to snigger. As he looked away towards the lake, he noticed his reflection in the water. His eyes had become smaller in the short time he had begun to cry. It was like staring down into an empty shell of himself.
'This.. this isn't me.' He thought to himself. 'I've never been weak like this, and I don't intend to start. I don't care if I can't get into SquareEnix, its not like its the only game company around.'
Suddenly, it all came back to him in flashes. Him at his computer. Then the sudden pain. Then seeing Himeno lying on the bed unconcious. And finally that black abyss.
That explained everything. The weird behaviour of his friends especially. He was too distraught to think about it earlier but now he was certain. Drying his eyes, he stood up and turned to them, a smile etched across his face; he finally understood.
"You know, for illusions, you're all pretty irritating." He said, matter-of-factly.
Their faces cringed and shattered into a million pieces, as did the scenery around him.
"Ahh, smart you are, little one, but will your intelligence serve you well enough for the final battle? We shall see." A voice echoed through his mind. The same one from before! But he didn't have time to react.
Suddenly, his world went black once more.
_____________________________________________
In the next chapter : The four older Knights wake up to what seems like the ultimate nightmare. The mysterious voice tells them that Himeno is dead and they are to face three deadly opponents. Will they make it out alive, or are they destined to die?
_____________________________________________
Please do review!!~