Bronze Toast: Inspired by and loosely based on Chasing Liberty with twists of my own added to the mix concerning our rambunctious Kingdom Hearts characters. Inspirited by Utada Hikari's song Kremlin Dusk from her new album Exodus.
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts developed by SQUARE ENIX. Characters from FINAL FANTASY video game series: © 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. Disney characters is a trademark of Disney and Disney Interactive. Kremlin Dusk written by Utada Hikari. © Batongirl Music Publishing (ASCAP). Produced by Utada & Teruzane skingg U. Recorded by Goh Hotoda at The Hit Factory, NYC and by Yamamoto and Matsui at Bunkamura, Tokyo. Mixed by Goh Hotoda at The Hit Factory, NYC. Programmed by Utada. Additional programming by Pete Davis. Drum: Jon Theodore.
Hunting Ninja-
(Full Summary)Princess Yuffie is tired of being overprotected by her father seeking freedom ever since she found out she was royalty of an ancient ninja clan in Japan. Once Yuffie sets out for Prague to a banquet for an art museum exibit, she meets up with her close rebellious friend, Kairi, leaving the museum for a much better place to party. As soon as Kairi has an idea, she helps her friend live and experience the freedom that she wanted. She, (Yuffie),encounters a stranger on the street of Prague pleading for a getaway ride from her father's secret service. Reluctantly he agrees accompanying the royal ninja on a European adventure. What she didn't realize that she would be falling in love with one of her father's undercover agents, waking up to the stranger in bed with no recollection of their wedding.
All along I was searching for my Lenore
In the words of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe
Now I'm sober and "Nevermore"
Will the Raven come to bother me at home
Calling you, calling you home
You…calling you, calling you home
By the door you said you had to go
Couldn't help me anymore
This I saw coming, long before
So I kept on staring out the window
Calling you, calling you home
You…calling you, calling you home
I am a natural entertainer, aren't we all
Holding pieces of dying ember
I'm just trying to remember who I can call
Who I can call
Home…calling you, calling you
I run a secret propaganda
Aren't we all hiding places of broken anger
I'm just trying to remember who I can call
Can I call
Born in a war of opposite attraction
It isn't, or is it a natural conception
Torn by the arms in opposite directions
It isn't, or is it a Modernist reaction
(Repeat) Born in a war of opposite attraction
It isn't, or is it a natural conception
Torn by the arms in opposite directions
It isn't, or is it a Modernist reaction
Is it like this
Is it always the same
When a heartache begins, is it like this
Do you like this
Is it always the same
Will you come back again
Do you like this
Is it always the same
Will you come back again
Do you like this
Do you like this
Is it like this
Is it always the same
If you change your phone number, will you tell me
Is it like this
Is it always the same
When a heartache begins, it like this
If you like this
Will you remember my name
Will you play it again, if you like this
He walked outside carrying his sling bag, meeting up with Aerith Gainsborough and Cloud Strife. "Why did you runaway Agent Leonhart?" Strife stood at his full height, glaring at his co-agent.
Agent Leonhart rolled his eyes, sighing. "It's part of my job that she not know who I am, correct? I'm the backup net, remember?"
"Yes, Leonhart, we remember by orders of Lord Godo. Why did you take off? We are the ones supposed to watch her?" Agent Gainsborough gave him a stern look, her long plaited hair falling off her shoulders.
"Well, my job is done. She's hiding out in the loo and piss drunk so she'll be easy. Check up on me later. See ya," he waved strolling toward his motorcycle.
Strife immediately phoned Lord Godo. "We have the princess, Lord Godo."
The ancient lord of the ninja tribe nodded, "Good. Good." His wife listened to her husband's conversation on the second phone.
"You promised her, Godo," she reminded, quickly chiding of his promise to their daughter.
"Yes, I know. But I cannot believe she went with a stranger running away from secret service!" he exclaimed.
"I thought you said he was an agent."
"He is. But your daughter is too out of control. Like girls gone wild," he compared.
"She wants freedom. And you promised her only two agents."
"I'll give her freedom alright. Wallace, what is some information on Leon Leonhart?" he asked glancing at Barret.
"Leon Leonhart, actual name Squall Leonhart. Son of Laguna Leonhart who marched in Balamb Garden, strongest military enforcement in Japan. Leonhart attended B-Garden like his father, top ranking as captain." Wallace quickly elucidated.
"Get him on the line," Lord Godo commanded.
"I told you I'm done!" Leonhart yelled into his cellular phone.
"Leonhart." Godo's voice rang through his ears.
"Lord Godo?"
"Yes. Leonhart, I want you to take this assignment and guard my daughter with your life. Agent Strife and Gainsborough are being informed of this plan as we speak. Got it?" he ordered.
"But, sir."
"I want you to break my daughter's teenage rebellion and bring her back home safely as quiet as possible. I know my daughter. Without MTV and clean sheets, she'll be begging to come home. I don't want a large commotion about my daughter's revolt to her father. Understand?"
"With all do respect, sir-"
"I want this done as quickly as possible. That's an order," he hanged up.
"It's all you, Leonhart," Strife laughed going back to the SUV. Agent Leonhart groaned putting his phone in his pocket.
In Front of Marques de Sa
Once the street was empty, I sat on the bench that stood in front of the club. "They left? Already?"
Leon sighed and nodded. "Yes, your resistance to them was no match for you."
"I'm finally free?" I asked myself. "I'm finally free! I want to taste freedom! I want to smell freedom!" I shouted standing on top of the bench. I waved my arms in the air. "So what do we do now?" I asked jumping down onto the cobblestones.
"Make sure you smell it before you taste it," he warned. My face screwed up in disgust.
"I want to find passion!" I walked over to Leon's bike uneasily, immediately tripping over the bike. A guy from the club tramped out to where we were, staring at Leon and I strangely.
Leon made a fist to show power. "We're only finding passion. How about we ditch the bike and just walk?" He pulled me up. I looped my arm in his, skipping down the stones.
I finally got my freedom I've been hoping for! Isn't it great? Just me and…Leon. Need I mention his gorgeous face. Damn he's prettier than Kelso from That 70's Show. And that means business because Michael Kelso is pretty DAMN pretty. I wonder if the governor of California would consider him a girly man? Hmm, never know. But Leon…Leon…What is his last name? Ohmigosh! I don't even know the guy's last name for Godo's sake and I've spent oh three hours with him in Prague. For three hours I STILL don't even know his last name. He could be a serial killer for all I know just because I don't know his last name! Maybe I should have stayed with Aerith and Cloud. I…I…No! This is what they want me to think. They want me to come home like a good princess should. Not this time.
"It's so beautiful, Leon." I kicked a pebble on the dirt path, glancing around finding a river shining brightly in the moonlight. "I have a great plan!" I ran up to the small waves that made ripples in the nightly glow. "I want to swim naked in the danue!" I yelled. I threw down the drunken girl's black leather jacket and my purse. I unzipped the drunken girl's green sparkled tank slowly sliding it down to my legs, kicking it in back of me. Leon caught the top.
"Are you daft? What the bloody hell are you doing?"
I tried to unhook MY bra. "Skinny dipping, smart one. What do you think? Hey, can you help me with this?" He just stood there, gaping like a lone fish. "Never mind. I got it." I threw the bra back to him, the article of clothing landing in his face. I undid the tipsy drunken girl's jeans and MY underwear, throwing the garments in back of me. Leon closed his eyes, a small crimson blush around his cheeks. I ran into the water without a care in the world.
"I'm a deadman. A complete deadman," he mumbled.
(Away from Yuffie Kisaragi)
Strife and Gainsborough walked up to the table where a man continued to shoot photographs of the princess. "Sir, may I purchase that camera?" his dark demeanor stood out as well as his blonde spiked hair.
The man at the table laughed turning to the two agents. "Why would I go and do that?" Strife and Gainsborough took out their badges revealing their true identities. "Oh." He handed over his new camera when Strife paid him $250 in return. Gainsborough was about to walk away toward Princess Yuffie when Strife pulled her back.
"A picture for the kids back home," he gave the camera back to the diner for a photograph. Gainsborough sighed as Strife put an arm around her waist.
I dove into the water, splashing the river water all over my body. "Aren't you going to swim in the danue?" I grinned, motioning him to come into the water.
He unzipped his coat, throwing down his bag. "No, because it's called a rivulet- contaminated, unclean, filthy, squalid, polluted river water." Leon defined jogging in after me.
"Who calls the danue a rivulet?" I uttered, rolling my eyes.
"We English do."
I waved my hands as if a party were starting. "Whoopee," I said cynically. He wrapped his jacket around me as he pulled me out of the water. "Hey, I wasn't done yet!" He ignored my cries of protest trudging out onto the bank.
"Embarrassment," he muttered under his breath. I frowned.
"Great, I'm soaked. Watch I'll catch an pneumonia by the time I reach a place to dry off," he moped, dousing his shirt as we walked up the dirt path. "Now, I'm starting to wrinkle."
"That's your fault," I mused, shrugging at his brooding, now FULLY clothed. "You know, who swims in the danue fully clothed?"
"It's not called the danue. It's called the rivulet," he corrected twisting his brown locks. "How about a nice bubble bath back at your hotel?"
"No, I want to experience freedom! Whatever. Anyway, Leon, I was just wondering…what's your last name?"
"What's yours?" he asked.
"No, this is really important," I said. I'm only making sure I have a good glimpse of him incase I'm kidnapped
"It's Leonhart," he answered.
"Wow, your parents really had a hard time choosing baby names when you were born," I muttered. I ceased my tracks, taking a glimpse at the large cinema screen that played a musical. Citizens watched the wall, happily enjoying the show. "Where is that music coming from?" My mouth gaped open astonished at the large production. I smiled brightly to Leon pointing to a tall clock tower building "You know what? I want to watch it from up there!" He stared at me as if I were crazy. I raced to the door of the building.
"Are you insane?" he asked as I climbed the steps to the crème stone balcony. "This is dangerous, you know. We could get caught," he worried tightening his hold on his sling bag.
"It's not dangerous," I spat mounting the blue tile shingles on the tower.
"Unless you grab the pipe," he said. Instantly I grabbed the pipe on instinct, instantaneously sliding down the roof. I screamed trying to take grasp of an object to save me. Leon captured my thin body, pulling me close as my legs were wrapped around his waist. My face imperatively flushed, burning a scarlet red.
"Wow!" To break the silence I said what came to mind. "We almost died! Let's do it again!"
We finally reached the top of the clock tower, leaning toward the movie. Leon spoke explaining the movie to me. "The woman there," he pointed to the wall screen, "She thinks she is dreaming when really she's not. The man next to her is actually deceiving her."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why is he seducing the woman if he knows that she is dreaming?"
"Well, he thinks that the bad he is doing is going to turn out good."
"See, this is historic for me. I never get to do this," I mentioned. "Anyway, he's sort of right in a twisted confusing way."
"How?"
"Sometimes lying could turn out good when you think it's bad. But really it's not if you're trying hard not to hurt that someone. If you tell that someone the truth you will possibly hurt them in the process because you hurt his or her feelings by telling the truth. Life is confusing that way."
After the film ended, Leon and I trekked down to a lower balcony sitting down to gaze at the beautiful structures and the stars. I sloped on the railing watching the bright twinkling stars. "Back home, I never got to see the stars." He nodded listening intently. "I did but not so many. All the towers and buildings, including the shining lights of technology, got in the way from any star gazing. Don't laugh, but…I always wondered if there were any…any other worlds out there…with other people like us doing the same thing, questioning if we were out star gazing too. I always believed I wasn't from my hometown. I wished when I was younger as I closed my eyes…so badly that I was what my ancestors were! They protected their people in their era of time. I always thought I was part of that time, saving my people too. But when I opened my eyes...I found myself as me…in…the 21st century. I…feel like I'm not home. Do you find that weird? Do you ever feel that way?"
His head lay against his arms in back of his head. "Sometimes you feel out of place like you don't belong. Even though you're trying to make someone proud of you for doing something right for a change."
I turned my head to him. "Do you ever feel that way?"
"Sometimes. It's not as if I were depressed with my life."
"I know. Actually, I don't know, but when you feel something there…you feel you should prevent close ones from knowing your secrets…to save them from your burden of hurting them. You never know because you're scared of telling them. So the only resort is to lie to them when you really want to tell them the truth. You're thinking your secret will hurt them when in reality it's really hurting you the most."
"Do you hate your life?"
"I never said it was bad. It's just that I'm lonely." I shut my eyes still talking.
"Lonely?"
"Yeah…but the funny thing is," I chortled, smiling at the thought. "I'm never alone." I leaned on his shoulder taking deep breath, falling fast asleep. I felt Leon's coat cover some warmth over me.
(Away from Yuffie Kisaragi)
Strife leaned on the ancient stone wall, staring down at his hands once in a while taking in the beauty of his partner. "This romantic. It's like we're on a date, Gainsborough."
Aerith Gainsborough rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Do you always address girlfriends on a last name basis?" He quickly shut his mouth, loving every moment he had with his partner.
He tried out his nickname he use to call her when they were teenagers, before when he married his best friend, Tifa Lockheart. After about five years of marriage with his best friend, they separated long ways agreeing their marriage wasn't the best for them. Till this day, he realized his feelings for the mysterious flower from when he was an adolescent teen, still lingered within him. "Aeris," he simply said. Aerith stared at him, surprised that he would use her childhood nickname. "Nah, maybe I should stick with Gainsborough." Till this day, his stupidity still stayed in tact as well as his memory.
The sky turned an indigo hue matching the eyes of the ninja princess, stars scattered here and there. Sleep called to Cloud Strife pulling him in an endless slumber; his head slowly leaning on Aerith's should as she wrote in her journal. She stiffened at the sudden touch and closeness her partner for so many years was giving her. She smiled shaking her head lightly continuing to write in her journal.
My almond shaped eyes fluttered open, me awakening to the beeping sound of Leon's cellular phone. I stretched my arms, yawning rubbing the sandman's dust off of the corners of my eyes. "What's wrong?"
He smacked the phone against the palm of his hand. "Thanks to your skinny dipping charade my phone is destroyed. Thank you."
"Sorry, but it was your fault for coming into the danue with clothing on. Anyway, I need to call my parents. Tell them I'm alright."
"Fine. Whatever."
I slid the glass door shut in the phone booth. "Hi, dad. I just wanted to say I was sorry and that I am quite mad at you for breaking your promise. You lied to me saying only two agents! I did what I had to do. I'm your daughter and you have to trust me."
(On the other line)
Lord Godo Kisaragi's head rested in his palm eyes quite drowsy. He sipped his coffee, yawning. Barret Wallace, a close agent to the Kisaragi family for years, handed the nobleman the phone in which his daughter called. "Yuffie, are you alright?"
(On the other line)
"Fine, dad. But did you listen to what I just said?"
(On the other line)
He nodded. "Yes. Yes. I want to know if you are safe and…" Tidus Tame passed Lord Godo the photographs of Princess Yuffie swimming nude in the rivulet. His brows formed into one, his face beginning to turn stark red ashamed of his daughter's sudden actions. "What the hell? Yuffie Antoinette Kisaragi get your behind out of that phone booth and return back to the hotel. NOW!"
(On the other line)
"What? What happened to understanding and trust?"
(On the other line)
"I TRUST you to take the next train back to the hotel. IMMEDIATELY!" he bellowed with venomous rage.
(On the other line)
"You traced my call?! How dare you!"
(On the other line)
"How dare I? I am your father and YOU will do as I, the king of our household, says! I can trace your call because I can!" his fingers scanned the revealing exposure his daughter received in the photographs. The last final picture showed Cloud Strife and Aerith Gainsborough smiling and holding each other. "What is this?" he asked Barret Wallace. The close friend shrugged.
(On the other line)
"I have two things to say to you. 1) For one thing I hate you because YOU are my father. 2) Trace this!" I forcefully hung up. "When does the next train leave to Berlin?" I asked Leon as he checked his watch.
"In about ten minutes," he replied. I grabbed his arm pulling him toward the train station. I ran ahead of him searching for the correct train. "It's one of the green ones," Leon directed us toward the other side of the wooden deck.
"Uh, sir?" I asked one of the men by the hotdog stand. He stained his white shirt with mustard. "Which train leaves to Berlin?" his finger motioned us to the left hand side of the deck. "Thank you!" I ran up the step into the dining car, Leon following behind.
"Yuffie, slow down!"
(Away from Yuffie Kisaragi)
Aerith's green emerald eyes shined in the dawn light as her head relaxed on Cloud Strife's lap. She blinked twice trying to adjust to the brightness of the new day. "Aeris?" he called caressing her cheek.
"What?" she shook off his coat that hanged from her shoulders. He stood brushing some lint off his sweater and pants.
"I said we better hurry so we don't lose Yuffie," he repeated, gazing at his partner curiously. "Didn't you hear me?"
"Oh, I thought you said- Never mind. Let's go."
The two agents jogged into the large train station glancing at the unreadable signs. "Which train goes to Berlin?" Aerith asked a ticket taker.
"That one," he pointed to the opposite train from where Yuffie and Leon took…