Chapter 36: Defection
" I was unable to get much on our side." Sephiroth said as he stood at a Dollet shop window beside a boy garbed in a black cloak with his hood covered far over his face.
" That's a real let down Sephy boy." The cloaked boy said with a shrug. " Balamb Garden is just full of talent, it'd be a shame to just crush them."
" Hm." Sephiroth said crossing his arms to his chest. " So what are the orders?"
" The big guy said just to lay low, you can expose yourself for the traitor you are when the time comes." The cloaked boy said. Sephiroth turned to look at him but he was already gone. He smirked then turned to leave.
(Back at the garden)
" What am I gonna do with you?" Selphie said punching Irvine in his eye. He collapsed on the ground the Selphie dragged him away from the floak of girls that surrounded him. " Ah love is in the air." Irvine said with anime swirl like eyes. And yes he was correct for some reason there was more affection between the couples. They were all in the cafeteria, Tifa and Cloud, Paine and Aerith, Zelos and Garnet, even Tidus and Yuna who broke up more times than they can count.
" Man I am hungry as hell." Fira said walking into the cafeteria with Llyod and Genis.
" Uh...what's going on?" Llyod asked watching as almost everyone was making out.
" I have no clue." Genis replied. They spotted Colette and Persea standing against the wall and decided to walk over and see what was happening. " Uh hey guys what's going on here."
" Oh Genis hi." Persea said walking up to him.
" And Llyod too how nice." Colette said also stepping up.
" Um what about me?" Fira said resting his hands behind his head. They didn't give him an answer they merely grabbed Genis and Llyod and took off to a table with them. " oook." Fira said with a big anime like sweatdrop running down the side of his head. " For some reason I lost my appetite." Fira said sacastically as he left. He stepped out of the cafeteria and into the marble carved hallway where multiple students were asking eachother out and talking.
" What the hell is this date central?" Fira asked rubbing behind his head confused.
" Maybe it's mating season." A calm voice said. Fira turned around fast to see a lazy faced instuctor Kakashi standing behind him reading a book.
" Um... maybe." Fira said scratching his cheek.
" I feel so sorry for you." Kakashi said staring down at him.
" What do you mean?" Fira asked.
" You don't have a special lady friend do you?" Kakashi asked in a somewhat caring and unusual tone.
" Uh...yea I do. I have lots of them." Fira replied.
" Wait what? Your not a pimp are you?" Kakashi asked laughing alittle.
" No." Fira said.
" Man your a dense kid. Perhaps even denser than Naruto." Kakashi said looking up as Naruto speak of the devil was coming there way. Hinata was standing on a corner waiting for him and Kakashi saw. He tapped Fira's shoulder then pointed to the scene. " Watch, this is you." Kakashi said as Fira watched to see what would happen.
Hinata stepped out into the hall with a lunchbox. " Hello Naruto kun." She said blushing wildly.
" Oh hi Hinata." Naruto waved walking past her. Hinata paused then lowered her head as he walked by.
"I don't get it." Fira said shrugging.
" Of course you don't." Kakashi sighed then closed his book shut. " Some men just have straight up no clue how to talk to women. Or even notice when their loved."
" So... your saying I'm one of those guys." Fira said pointing to himself.
" Most likely." Kakashi said. " It's not just you either, Zell has the same problem apparently and so does Amarant, Fayt, HoroHoro, Hao and Sesshoumaru. Here... Professor Sage has a class for dense guys like you." Kakashi said handing him a sheet of paper with Professor Sage's name, a room number and a time.
" Why would Professor Sage have a class on this sorta stuff?" Fira asked.
" Kid this is Balamb Garden anything happens here." Kakashi said walking off reading a book.
" Hm odd." Fira said with a shrug then put the piece of paper in his pocket. Fira turned around to bump into a boy with long orange colored hair, he wore a brown cargo vest with a beige heavy like jumpsuit and a pilot's hat on his head. His eyes were closed and he stared at Fira with a somewhat odd smile. " Uh hey?" Fira said.
" Hi I'm alittle lost. Can you help me out, I'm trying to find this girl." He said holding up a picture of Kiako and him on the beach.
"Hey that's Kiako." Fira said pointing at the picture.
" You know her?" The mysterious samurai asked.
" Yeah she's a good friend of mine, I'm Fira." He said holding his hand out. He shook Fira's hand and nodded.
" My name is Hei it's nice to meet you." He said shaking his hand.
" Come on I'll show you to her dorm." Fira said starting towards the elevator.
" Thanks." Hei said following behind him. They both stood in the elevator a began to trail down to the 1st floor. Once it landed the doors opened and the two walked through the doors.
" This is a shabby garden you guys got here." Hei said rubbing his chin while looking at the craftsmanship of all the fountains and gargoyles.
'Shabby?' Fira thought rubbing his chin trying to figure out what it meant.
" Hey you okay, look like your thinkin pretty hard on somethin." Hei replied nudging him alittle.
" It's nothing." Fira said as they began up the stairs that led to the doors. They walked down the marble halls past Yuffie and...Vincent...holding hands? Fira paused and stared for awhile with Hei beside him. They both looked on and sort of twitched alittle at the incestation.
" Well uh...to...let's just go I don't wanna ask." Fira said patting Hei on the shoulder they both walked up to the last room on the right and stared at the door. " Here we are." Fira said knocking afew times. After about thirty seconds the door opened, Kuro was standing in her pajamas rubbing her eyes under her glasses. Her face was red and it seemed she was working out on account of the sweat on her face. " Kuro?" Fira said.
" What?" She asked her voice sounded like her nose was clogged.
" Are you ok?" He asked.
" Just alittle cold I'll be fine, who is this guy?" Kuro asked pointing to Hei.
" Oh this is Hei, he's apparently a friend of Kiako's." Fira said shrugging.
" Hello." Hei bowed his head alittle.
" Hi... Kiako isn't here she's at the Fire Cavern," Kuro replied sniffing.
" For what?" Fira asked.
" What's the Fire Cavern it sounds dangerous." Hei said.
" It's a test area for SeeDs. Kiako went with Rikku and Utada to acquire Ifrit." Kuro said. " We're gonna need him for the Garden Games."
"I see... well we're goin after em." Fira said punching into his palm.
" Then I'm coming too it's boring here." Kuro said walking back into her side of the dorm.
" Wait Kuro your sick." Fira said.
" I learned how to cast Esauna it helps with the sickness for about an hour or two." Kuro said replied. She came back in like three minutes dressed in her blackmage garment.
" But still your..." Fira started.
" Fira! I appreciate your concern but I'll be fine." Kuro said almost about to shout at him.
" Um ok if your sure." Fira nodded.
" Let's hit the road." Hei said with a jagged smile.
They exited the dorm area and started down the stairs to the main area. They walked around the elevator and straight through the front gates of the Garden. They stood on the driveway just at the edge of the Garden. They progessed walking on the dirt path that led to the far west of the island.
" Hey Kuro how do you catch a cold in the summer?" Fira asked with a slight smile.
" I don't know how do you live without a brain?" Kuro replied curtly.
" I... I dunno." Fira said stopping and rubbing behind his head. He then ran to catch up with them again.
" Hahahaha. You guys are holarious." Hei laughed.
Just as they were finished talking abunch of Neo Shadows popped out nowhere surrounding them in a circle.
" Holy well funs over." Fira said as the Keyblade appeared in his right hand.
" Heartless." Hei said as he slowly drew his sword from the sheath on his back. One of them snuck and dropped into a dark pubble on the ground then jumped out attempting to take out Kuro first. She raised her staffed and ejecting a scythe blade from it she sliced the Heartless out of the air. One of the Neo Shadows flipped through the air jumping at Fira, he leap up at it striking it with a three hit combo ending in a vertical slash front flip causing it to blast back into black smog. Hei slashed horizontally with a wind like gust following after clearing out three neo shadows. He then leap through the air and slammed his sword into the ground making a slicing wind shockwave clearing out any remains.
Fira immediatly ran over to Kuro. " Hey you okay pheonix girl?" He asked kneeling down beside her.
" I'm fine I told you." She said raising her staff and casting Esuana on herself. Fira stilled helped her onto her feet much to her dismay.
" Hm maybe we should rest." Hei suggested as he stared at Kuro.
" Yeah." Fira responded.
" No, I said I'm fine I casted Esuana already. I'll be okay for another two hours." Kuro said. With that they continued walking but Hei and Fira kept a close eye on her just in case she falls out or anything. It bothered Fira more than any because this was certainly out of character for someone as intellectual as Kuro. He tried to think on why she was pushing herself but just as his second string of thoughts came they were already before the Fire Cavern.
" This is the Fire Cavern?" Hei asked.
" Yes." Kuro replied.
" Let's head in." Fira said being the first to step through the dark cave. On the inside was a blacken dark path leading to another cave, around the dark path was multiple lava pits. " Watch your step." Fira said as they walked on the tar like path. Just as they were going to enter the next room in the cave abunch of hookbat heartless appeared out nowhere.
" More of em." Fira said making the keyblade appear.
" Kuro sama." Hei said turning back they both turned around to see Kuro sprawled out on the ground. They stood around her and Hei casted Reflect while Fira casted Thundaga. The electricity shot onto the shield and bounced off firing multiple little shock bolts through the room killing off one heartless at a time. Once all of the heartless were taken out they stopped to attend to Kuro.
" Man she's burning up. Hei." Fira said as he felt her forehead.
" Yes?" Hei replied.
" You go and find Kiako and the rest, I'm taking her back to the Garden." Fira said picking Kuro up and holding her horizontally in his arms.
" Right." Hei said nodding. With that he ran off deeper into the Fire Cavern. Fira ran off out of the Fire Cavern, as he carried her he felt guilt hammering him in his side for letting her come along in such a condition. He ran along the same path they came through on and abunch of Neo Shadows and three Large Body heartless appeared attempting to attack. " Not good." Fira said coming to a sliding stop. He placed Kuro on his shoulder and drew the keyblade with his right hand. Just as they jumped to attack and Fira was gonna defend a giant red claw slammed onto the heartless destroying all of them. " Fira, what are you doing?" It was Hao standing atop the Spirit of Fire. He jumped down and walked over to them.
" Oh Hao, Kuro's sick we've gotta get back to Infirmary." Fira said. Hao just stared at him for asecond with a blank expression then sort of shrugged it off and held his hands out.
" I'll take her." Hao said. Fira nodded then handed Kuro to him he, fixed her up onto his back and began to walk off towards the Garden without summoning the Fire Spirit for assistance. He walked after Hao, following him all the way to the infirmary in the Garden.
(Later that day)
Hei walked into the Infirmary with Kiako beside him.
" Ah so you found her." Fira said walking over to them.
" Thanks Fira san for taking care of Kuro." Kiako said bowing alittle.
" No prob." Fira said looking up at the clock. " Uh I gotta get to class..."
" Huh but it's seven thirty." Kiako said looking down at her watch.
" Special class." Fira said shrugging. " I'll see you guys tomorrow!" He started to run for the door when Kiako called out.
" Fira remember the train in Balamb is leaving for the Garden Games tomorrow at seven." Kiako said.
" Gotchya." He said giving thumbs up then running off.
(In class)
Fira sat around in one of the desks in the circles, Zell, Amarant, Naruto, Fayt and Horohoro sat down in desks around in a circle as well. Professor Sage came in and sat in the chair in the center of the circle. " Okay gentlemen let's begin."
" Hey um what's this class for again?" Fira asked.
" It's for you whom need alittle help in noticing when your being loved by a certain someone." Sage replied.
" This is so lame." Naruto whispered to Fira.
" Tell me about it." Fira replied.
" If this isn't going to be on my reportcard then I'm outta here." Amarant said crossing his arms.
"What he said." Horohoro said pointing to Amarant.
" AHEM!" Sage coughed loudly so that they all shut up. "Now to begin, just ask questions and I'll answer them and give alittle suggestions." There was nothing in the air but cricket noises. Then just as Sage was going to call the class off Fira raised his hand.
" Ah yes Fira." Sage said with new enthusaisum.
" What exactly does it mean when a girl draws pictures about you in her spare time and turns into a tomato everytime you try to talk to her?" Fira asked thinking about Millie.
" Most likely she's obsessed and shy." Sage said with a straight face.
" Um right soo..." Fira said like a mental retard as he was so slow of catching onto things like this.
" So it means she's in love with you." Sage said.
" Oh okay... now what if she's 13 and I'm 17 and I wanna tell her to back off with the love stuff but I don't wanna hurt er feelings with it." Fira said. With that Zell, Fayt, Naruto, Horo even Amarant sat up alittle more into it. Sage spotted their new found interest and sort of smiled sweetly.
" Well Fira you calmly sit her down and tell her that it can't happen in a nice way." Sage said.
" Nice way." Horohoro said nodding. " How about no way jose... once ya tell em no they turn into serial killers."
" Yeah trust me I know from experience." Amarant said.
" Or they just kill themselves from the loss." Horo said. " As a shaman trust me I know these things."
" Well I don't want her to do that." Fira said looking down.
" Then say you love her back and pretend for awhile." Zell said.
" Noway if he did that it'll only be worse when he tells her no." Fayt replied.
" Um we're out of time for today gentlemen same time tomorrow." Sage said clapping then walking out with her coffee mug. The boys stood up and walked down the hall as a group.
" I still didn't get what that was all about." Naruto said walking beside Fira.