AN: Konnichiwa, minna-san! You know, wrestling is really, really violent...o.o;; Heh heh...uhm...GO READ THE STORY! AND STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! (Throws honeybun at you) Annnnyways, I'm extremely hyper and listening to a transformation theme, which is making me want to actually watch this violent wrestling crap! Then again, we could always make our own scenes...uwehehehehehehe...!

Raine: (Coughs) Get on with the story! Italics is dream sequences, while regular type is the regular story.

Running.

Escape.

Words pounded through my mind as I ran, the rain pouring above distinctly reminding me of the reason I ran in the first place - a rain of darkness was spreading fast over me, shady clouds nearly stalking me as I raced along the flat, seemingly endless plain - I couldn't escape, and I couldn't find the light. I could see these eyes...eyes watching me, jeering me from the shadows, laughing at me as I made my pitiful attempt to stray from the darkness' side, a pitiful attempt to run away from all that I had known - like abandoning my past.

I'm not alone here, not at all...

The Heartless pursue soundlessly as I approached a high cliff, looking frantically behind me as they neared. Something rose before me - it had to be a Heartless - the blazing emblem on it's chest told me otherwise. Taking slow steps back, I felt my eyes widen as a horn pressed flat to the skin of where my heart was - and I froze, falling backwards onto my behind. With a roar, the creature shoved me backwards off of the cliff, and with a gasp, I turned to stop myself but only found myself ready to fall into an abyss so deep that I could see nothing but darkness. Ah...I knew what they planned to do. Drive me deep into the darkness...and have my bond to it grow once more.

I feel myself slipping off of the edge, reaching for something, anything as a loose, hoarse cry flew from my lips. Someone, break my fall... It was almost as if something heard my plea to the heavens, and a hand reached out blindly, catching my arm, another hand coming to grasp my other arm, to jerk my entire body upwards into an embrace that seemed so familiar...yet different. I found myself looking up into clouded green eyes, reaching up delicate hands to cup his face, to make him look down at me...and the voice that murmured from my own lips - one of relief, almost as if I would break down and start to weep.

"Sephiroth..."

Unsheathing a sword, he stepped back onto the cliff, shifting me to one arm, and with one swipe, destroyed the Heartless gathered there, even the large one that had pushed me. He watched as they dissolved into that familiar black mist, then

gazed impassively down at me. Those clouded green eyes? Relief. Maybe because I have seen the emotions in my own eyes, I can tell what emotions lie beneath that stoic mask...a handsome mask at that, but a stoic one. Silver hair caressed my cheek and I looked up in wonder, reaching for the tendril that had done so. Sephiroth watched silently, setting me back down onto the ground.

"I've been searching for you." A deep voice came from his own lips as he gazed down at me.

"Y-You have?"

"Yes. Now come back to me...away from them, away from it all. You know where you belong. Not with these people...you belong with me."

I woke late at night, gasping for breath, shirt hanging loose to my body as I tried to make sense of the strange sensation, albeit the dream, that I just had. Who was Sephiroth? Did I know those green eyes? With a sigh, I hid my face in my hands, letting my dark tresses fall through the gaps between each finger. It soothed me slightly, to know that no one could see the look of utter concentration, utter meditation mixed with a fear that I wasn't accustomed to feeling.

"I don't fear." I assured myself, then brushed my hair out of my eyes, getting out of bed and discarding the blanket flaccidly wrapped around myself, padding into the bathroom.

A face written with fear stared back at me once I met my own eyes in the mirror. Studying myself, I willed the fear away silently, my eyes seemingly blazing to life at my own pitiful attempts to rid myself of the stupid emotion. An emotion that I wasn't going to grow used to, no, an emotion that I would never show again, unless staring in the face of great peril. I let a soft breath out when the fear disappeared from my eyes, turned on the sink, and then ran my hands under it. I raised my wet hands to my face, brushing away the perspiration-soaked tendrils to rub them along my forehead. It was much, much too hot in this room. Maybe I should open all the windows.

Travelling back out into the room, I found that I had a visitor. Leon, I think his name was - he didn't talk very much about himself, but he didn't seem very happy when Aerith had told him that I had a Keyblade. The brunette was settled very plaintively in the chair in the corner of the room, and looked up when I came out of the bathroom, face soaked with water.

"Can I help you?" I gave him a furtive look. He seemed rather relaxed.

"I came to ask you a few questions that I want answered if your going to stay here." Leon said simply, giving me a deep stare with his dark blue eyes. Walking over to gather my blanket from the floor, I glanced up at him.

"Fine. Ask your questions." I then sprang up onto the bed, sitting down with the blanket gathered in my lap. Leon straightened himself, folding his arms over his chest.

"What abilities or skills do you possess?"

"I have a limited control over first level magic spell counterparts, exemplified as Dark Blizzard, Dark Fire, etcetera. I can also make barriers to protect others, or myself. My attack power and skill will increase once I have become fatigued." I said, excluding my...darker powers, such as Darkness Marionette and Darkness Afflict...one of which was a controlling spell, while the other could inflict serious pain on you.

"You seem tough." Leon gazed at me, studying me. "But your not telling the entire truth."

"I'm not going to tell you this 'entire truth' until I am ready. I'm sure you understand why I'm not."

"Yeah, whatever. Have a good sleep, kid."

"It's Raine."

"Raine?"

"Yeah. G'night, Squall."

"It's Leon."

'Why would you use that name if you have a REAL name? What are you trying to hide from?'

'Ah, I get it. Then, g'night, Leon.'

'Yeah, whatever.'

I watched him as he left the room, a small smile on his face. It was always nice to see a smile, whatever it was. I tried to smile for a moment, though it felt very awkward and I ended up letting my features assume their natural stoic look, a smooth, pale mask I hid behind when I felt confused...or just so emotion-filled that I'd explode. I think I like Leon. He's quiet and introverted - quiet like me, not willing to tell about his own past - like me. Which only reminds me of the person that I miss the most.

Haze.

Lying down in bed after locking the door, I stared up at the ceiling. Hmmm. The shadows seemed to shift in a comforting way above me, so I directed my gaze only at those shadows, toying with them. Distracting my thoughts from my brother, I wondered where that man went - the man from that strange dream that I had. It began to irritate me more than the Whisperer who resided in my dreams as I wondered soundlessly who and where Sephiroth was.

'Who is Sephiroth?' I asked aloud. 'And why is he in my dreams, but no one else's?'

'Sephiroth is in your dreams?'

Aerith. I turned on my side to face her, to find that she had that same calm, gentle smile on her face. It reminded me distinctly of someone I thought I knew, but I don't remember who it was. I just gazed at her, and then slowly sat up.

'What is up with you people? Haven't you heard of knocking? I could have been undressing.' I then asked her, getting over the initial shock of her just appearing in my room.

'I'm sorry...I knocked, but you must've not heard me.' Aerith apologized, and I sat up.

'Do you know who Sephiroth is?' I questioned her, red eyes surveying her as if she was ready to attack me. Indeed, I didn't trust these new 'friends' yet, but I was on my way to trusting them.

'Sephiroth...yes, I know of him. He used to live in Hallow Bastion with Leon, Yuffie, Cid, and I. He was mortal enemies with one of my closest friends, Cloud Strife...and once Cloud and him disappeared, I hadn't heard or seen anything of him since. It very strange, though...Sephiroth doesn't usually appear in people's dreams at all, unless they dream of death. Which all the more confuses me.' Aerith replied. I bent my head down, thinking. Hallow Bastion? The name sounded familiar. 'Which reminds me to ask...do you have any family?'

'Yeah.' I nodded slowly. She just had to remind me of Haze...to make me think of him again. My thoughts focused on him. 'He's the boy that I asked you about when we first met. Haze's his name. He's my older brother...'

'Haze? What a nice name...how did you get seperated?'

'It's a long story.' I replied simply to her question.

'I'd hear it.' She offered.

'I'd rather not tell you.'

Aerith fell silent, then rose to her feet with a sigh. I watched her mutely as she made a small bow and left the room with a smile. Finally...alone. I half-thought that Yuffie would come into the room - she'd probably end up bouncing up and down on my bed and repeatedly asking what happened. Yes. I got annoyed with her the first time I met her and told her to shut up. Leon's eyes had crinkled at the edges as he let a rare smile out...yeah. That was only two hours ago. Distinctly, I wondered if I'd end up staying with them in this town...if the darkness didn't decide that for me. I liked Leon...he seemed nice, if not a bit quiet. Quiet is good. Now Yuffie and Aerith...are another subject...

I yawned lazily, my eyes shifting closed as I smiled, curled up in the warm blankets, safe and warm in bed - for now.

AN: Everyone, I've been procrastinating! I know it's not good for me...but I can't help it. Why can't I just be an organized person? Who knows. Well, if I was an organized person, you most likely wouldn't have gotten this story to you at all - I probably would have never ever played Kingdom Hearts and regretted my decision for the rest of my poor miserable life.

Raine: You dramatize everything much too much.

Me: Oh, be quiet.

Haze: Well, she's right, you know. Making her think all this crap when you could get straight to the action and the other Keybl-

Me: OSUWARI!

Haze: GAH! (Falls) WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT TO ME, WOMAN!

Me: Nope, I won't.

Haze: I swear to God once I get these stupid beads off of me I'm gonna-

Me: OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI!

Haze: Omph!

Raine: Should I step in? You know what, naaaaah... (Walks off)

Haze: Raine? RAINE! Get back heeeere!