Chapter 12:

Controversy

Cloud was in his room putting his clothes in his closet. Kyksae stood in the doorway, fiddling with the end of her white dress and every occasionally looking up at Cloud.

"I... I'm sorry Cloud." Cloud looked up, he didn't even know she was there.

"What are you talking about? I got mad because I got jealous. I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that." She looked at the floor and let

the end of her white dress fall,

"I was trying to be nice..." Came her reply.

"I know... That's why I hate myself, because I overreacted. Kyksae, you didn't do anything wrong." He placed another layer of shirts in the drawers and sat down on the bed

looking at the ground. "I'm sorry for scaring you like that, I should not have acted the way I did." She took a step forward but remembered Steve's words and stepped back out.

"I... Don't think Jyn meant it that way."

"Kyksae" He reached out to her, he wanted to hug her, and didn't want to let go. "I'm sorry." The green-eyed-girl smiled,

"It's ok."

"Dinner" Steve's voice came from the kitchen. She turned and began walking down the hallway. Clouds arms where lost in mid air. He got up, walked slowly into the dining room, and saw Cid already chewing the food.

"Who will you fight first, father" Kai said after swallowing the food in her mouth. Cid 's cheeks were full and he didn't say anything. Cloud sat down silently, his mind on

Kyksae. He knew she would fight, but she didn't know. Steve thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure, but it's preliminary rounds so it could be anyone."

"You let Kyksae enter, didn't you" Clouds voice was quiet barely heard. Steve nodded,

"I was getting to that. Kyksae, tomorrow morning we'll warm up, nothing serious 'cause I don't want you hurt and fighting if I can help it." The girl nodded and raised the fork to her mouth.

"You let her fight and you'll get her hurt."

"If she gets hurt, it's her own fault. I've trained her to fight back and she'll use it. Are you really that faithless in her" Cloud looked at his father for the first time with what looked like hatred.

"NO. IT WOULD BE YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU LET HER IN. I have faith in her, but when she gets hurt badly I won't forgive you" Kai looked at her brother, she would ever be able to stand up to her father. Cid was paralyzed he couldn't even swallow his food. Steve didn't flinch.

"You forget your place, Cloud." His voice was threateningly deep. His eyes watched Cloud's every breath. The room was silent. Kyksae looked down at her plate, then with a small 'clink' set the fork down and left the table, knocking down the chair with a thud and leaving it on the floor.

"Why are you letting her go? Because mother asked you too? If you let her go... I'll never forgive you." Cloud stood up so fast that his chair fell back; he wasn't scared of his father. If he raised his hand, he'd block it simply. Steve just stared at his son.

"I am letting her go 'cause she needs to let go of her anger."

"What anger" Cloud nearly knocked over the glasses of milk on the table. The blonde man opened his mouth to replay but the front door slamming shut interrupted him.

She ran. She just ran. Kyksae turned the corner fast and ran into what felt like a brick wall. She fell backwards and didn't try to get up. The green-eyed girl looked at the wet cement and tried to ignore the pain shooting up her leg from the fall.

"Father" That voice was very familiar to her. "Kyksae, are you ok" She looked up slightly to see Kazaa kneeling down. Kyksae tried to smile, tears welling up in her green

eyes.

"I'm... I'm ok..." She looked up when a shadow enveloped Kazaa and her.

"Father, I think she hurt her leg. It looks swollen and there's a little bit of blood." The tall man nodded and bent down, Jyn running up from the shop, to see what was going on. "Hey, here, I'll help you up." Kazaa reached down and helped the girl to her feet. Kyksae couldn't ignore the pain any longer, and looked down. Almost all of her right pants leg looked like it was stained red. She figured she must have skidded.

"Can you walk" The tall man's deep and accented voice spoke to her. Kyksae looked up.

"I... I think so."

"Take her to the car, I'll be there in a moment." The two boys did as they were told, and helped Kyksae into the car. She didn't know them very well, but the tall man had something different to him. Something that was different from the one with the sunglasses.

Cloud turned around and ran out after her. Kai followed him closely. Cid was still seated with the food in his mouth looking at his father. Outside, Kai and Cloud split up. Cloud was much better at remembering streets and directions, but he wouldn't begin to know where to find her.

"KYKSAE..." His call was not answered. 'I'm so sorry.' Cloud stopped and leaned against a streetlight to catch is breath. His mind was spinning and his eyes burned. Cloud leaned against the wall, looking out at the horizon, his only thoughts were on Kyksae.

"It would be much easier if she had lime green hair instead of lime green eyes. Ugh..." She spoke to herself, trying to find her way through the streets. She ran down the sidewalks dodging people and fell backwards, after colliding with something. "Ouch." She reached to her head as she looked up, her face turned as red as the boy's hair in front of her. The redhead looked at her for a moment then,

"Why are you running" Kai looked shocked and unbelievably embarrassed.

"Uhh... I was trying to find a friend of mine." She got up, and dusted off her pants. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you like that." The redheaded boy, who clicked in

her mind as Sean, watched her for a moment.

"Who're you looking for" Kai looked at him as her eyes narrowed.

"None of your business. Sorry." She walked past him.

"Hey! You're lookin' for that black girl, aren't you? Well, I just saw the Kazama twins leave with her in a car. Looks like she was bleeding." Sean scoffed"Not that you'd know where their house is." He started to walk off, hands in his pockets. Kai stopped and turned.

"Hey! Wait" She ran in step beside him. "You think you could show me where it is"

"Eh" He turned slightly"It's not my business remember"

"Never mind that crap I said." She looked at him, seeing that he looked a lot like his father. "Please, can you show me where they are" He was taller then her and it was bit intimidating. He sighed,

"Ok. Seeing as I am a sucker for pretty girls." He winked at her and continued"I hope you can keep up." He flashed her a smirk before running off swiftly like a hawk. Kai quickly realized that Sean's legs where the strongest part of him and mentally kicked herself for asking for his help. Her legs kept pace with his, running beside him. It almost looked like the two were racing.

Cloud reluctantly entered the doorway to find his father not in sight and Cid sitting on the couch. Cid said nothing but stared at the Japanese soap operas, bored-like and yawning. The room was awfully quiet. Even the Japanese girls on the television were speaking low. Steve was nowhere in sight.

"Where is father" Cid turned at Clouds voice not seeing Kyksae made him frown.

"You didn't find her" Cloud frowned deeper,

"I asked a question."

"So? Why should you care where father is"

"None of your business where is he" Cid stared at his brother and the latter stared back. Cid looked back at the television before talking to the extremely annoyed Cloud.

"Where's Kai? Thought you two were together."

"We split up." Cloud said sitting down at the table.

"YOU TWO DID WHAT" Cid stood up, looking at his older brother.

"Well we both thought we could find her easier that way." Cid gawked at him.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! KAI COULD BE OUT THERE ALONE WITH SOME RANDOM GUY! OR WORSE! THAT REDHEAD GUY! AHHH" Cid was by now pulling his hair out.