Okay. Er...this chapter deals with a lot of time-changes and to help you cope, for tis chapter (and maybe the next) The solid border line means place to place, past to present, present to past. Sounds confusing I know, but I'm sure you can handle it.
For time skips while in the past I'll do...this: --Break-- Allrighty. Sorry about this.
And also!
To Chillywilly: Its usually the eye that gets me whenever it feels like twitching.
Mikol: ...Ssshhh!
Aramer: Damn! And I thought I was being so clever with that name...
Leon walked several paces away from the teenager he was training. "This will be a reflexive exercise!" He called from across the room. "Merlin has given me control over some of his things, and I'll be hurling them at you from all angles."
Sora nodded. "No problem! Bring it on!" Leon laughed. "You haven't even heard what makes this fun!" Leon said, giving Sora a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "You'll be doing this exercise…blindfolded."
"What! How am I supposed to hit anything if I can't see it!" Sora asked, confused. "You must be losing it to think that I can do that!" Leon frowned. "No, Sora. You must be out of your mind to believe that you can't." Leon gestured at his feet. "Put the blindfold on, and let us se what you can do."
Scowling, Sora reached down and picked up the cloth at his feet. He tied it tightly behind his head, feeling a slight pressure on his eyes. The folded material let no light shine through at all. Even when Sora lifted it so his eyes would have met the edge, still darkness.
"What the-?" He heard himself say. He could hear Leon laughing loudly ahead of him. "That comes straight from Merlin. There won't be any cheating in this exercise. The only time you'll be able to see again is when you untie it from the back, and you'll have no time to do that my friend."
Despite Leon's words, Sora tugged savagely at the material, but to no avail. The blindfold refuse to go any higher than his eyebrows, nor any lower than the bridge of his nose.
He gave up, allowing the darkness to keep his eyes unaware. He closed them, feeling it useless to strain them for nothing.
THWACK!
Something crashed into the back of Sora's head, forcing him to his knees in pain. "#!$#$&(!(!$&$)!" Sora saw spots of light flare and die before his closed eyes. "WHY THE HECK DID YOU DO THAT! I WASN"T EVEN READY!" Sora bellowed in anger. His words seemed to be absorbed into the darkness.
Leon was laughing harder than ever now. "Well, Sora, you never know when the heartless are going to attack. That, plus, now you know what happens when you get hit in this training. If you don't want it to happen again, then do not get hit."
Sora muttered empty threats under his breath as he stood up. "Ready?" Leon called. "As I'll ever be" came the grudging reply.
Sora strained all of his remaining senses, thoug he doubted taste would help much, or touch considering you had to be up close for them. Sora tried to stop breathing so loudly, he thought he had heard something move….
He raised his Keyblade, and something rammed into him from the side, bowling him over. From the way he was hurting when he stood up next, it seemed to had been a table.
"This is impossible!" Sora yelled into the darkness. "Try harder then!" Yuffie shouted from somewhere behind him. Apparently, she had stopped in to watch. Sora heard the tinkling of china somewhere close to him.
He dropped low, and felt a rush of wind breeze through his hair, what ever it was had just missed. Sora heard it come back for another run, and raised his Keyblade. In one slash, heshattered the oncomingteapot.
"I Did IT! I-AARRGH!" Sora roared as another table smashed into him, knocking him to his back. He could hear Yuffie cracking up. "Stand up, Sora" Leon told him. "We haven't even reached the hard part yet."
Meanwhile, back in Twilight Town, Aros was walking close behing Rinoa, as Verde led them all through a maze of twisting streets and corners. Aros didn't mind, he barely cared about anything at all.
Eventually they came to an old worn-down shack. Tiles were missing from its roof, the door hinges were rusted over, and vines covered almost every inch. "Inside. come on." Verde ordered, and he slowly forced the creaking door open.
The inside was dusty, yet strangely comfortable. Benches and chairs had been scattered around the room and in the front of them all, a blonde girl was silently reading a book. As soon as Aros entered, she looked up from her reading.
"Who's this?" she asked, looking at Aros with mild interest. Rinoa beamed. "New guy, found him on the hill outside of town." She told her. Verde snapped a finger near Aros' ear. Aros caught himself staring, and then his body and mind seemed to thaw. In a few moments, Aros looked around the room with renewed wonder.
His eyes were completely clear now, it was like finally awakening from a long slumber. The girl raised her eyebrows at him as if she had noticed this, but didn't say anything.
Aros looked at them all with curiousity. "Who are you?" Aros asked the blonde. Verde, however, answered the question. "Her name's Namine," he whispered in Aros' ear. "She's going to be giving you your test."
Aros' looked skeptical. "What test? And why are you whispering so much? What's with the secrecy?"
"Looks like we've got a live one!" Zach exclaimed. "Oooooo. I bet you're going to be fun."
"We are the Children of Twilight." Verde told him, waving toward his three other friends. "We are the best club in Twilight Town."
"Gang is a better word," Zach said from the sidelines. "We don't really do any 'club' stuff."
Verde ignored him. "For short, we are the Cots!" Aros snorted, and they all looked at him. "What?" Verde asked him.
Aros was trying desperately not to laugh. "It's…nothing. That's just a really stupid name." He blurted. Rinoa and Zach laughed, Verde looked offended and he quickly looked to Namine, who had herself managed a smile.
"Sorry," Aros said, calming down. Namine smile grew. "He's in." She said. Verde's jaw dropped. "What! He didn't even take his test!" Namine shrugged. "Take that as his test. He had to tell us what he thought of our name, and he passed."
Verde crossed his arms, but said "Fine then. You're in." Aros smiled, but didn't exactly know what "being in" meant. "Alright!" Zach yelled, clapping his hands. "Pick your name."
Aros looked at him blankly. "What?"
"All newcomers pick a new nickname when they join, since most of the time, their real names are stupid. So, what's your's going to be?"
Aros shrugged, he didn't tell anyone, but he rater liked his real name. "Well then, I hereby dub you…" Rinoa said, pausing for thought. But hen her eyes lit up as she came to the conclusion. "BHK!"Behind her,Zach groaned.
Aros thought about it, then decided he liked BHK as well. "What does it mean?" he asked. Rinoa laughed while Zach and Verde's frowns deepened. "It's a long story," Rinoa said, "but I'll tell you a secret about your real name if you're good!"
"It's a deal. BHK it is." BHK said happily. Rinoa and Zach went back out through the door, motioning for BHK to come. "Here, let us show you around." Zach told him. BHK looked behind them, Verde had stayed with Namine.
"You know, you are really special." Rinoa began. "You are the first recruit we've had in a long time. Verde and Namine started the 'club'. Zach came next, and I was the most recent before you. I've been with them for about two years now."
"3 years for me." Zach told him. "Verde usually picks the new potentials, then Namine gives them a test. If they pass, then they can join and get their new name." BHK didn't quite know how to respond to this, so he didn't.
Kairi and Yuna watched with a slightly worried look on their faces as BHK was pulled back into the present. He shook his and rolled his neck. "Well, that explains how I got this name….Though to tell you the truth, its stupider than my real one."
Kairi and Yuna were lost, but Namine gave her normal smile. "You want a break, or are you ready for another go?"
"That wasn't so bad, I want to see what I can dig up next. Have another go." Namines hands returned to their previous postion, and BHK was flung through a white fog.
They were back in the old shack. Namine was reading, Verde seemed to be just watching her, Zach and Rinoa were playing Blackjack, and BHK was loung simply lounging around, looking through the holes in the celing at the clear blue sky. A shadow passed over him; Verde had come over.
"You never really had a test, you know." He said. BhK sighed. "Are you still bringin' that up, Verde? Namine said I could stay."
"Well I don't. I'll only really believe you're a member when you pass your test." Zach and Rinoa were listening in, althoughthey were still pretending to play their game. It was rather obvious that they couldn't do two things at once.
"Should I bother asking what this test would be?" Verde quickly looked around the room, thinking about something hard to give BHK.
A shingle fell from the roof and clattered onto the floor. At first, nobody except for BHK seemed to notice, but then Verde snapped his fingers. "I've got it. You are hereby charged with finding us a new hangout place."
BHK pondered whether he would accept this or not, he didn't really care if Verde acknowledged him, everyone else did. But, he sat up anyway. It sounded like fun. "Do I get help?"
"Normally no. But since you don't know your way around, Rinoa or Zach could show you if they wanted to. But only you can find the next place." Verde told him.
"Fine." BHK said standing up. "I accept." Verde stretched out his hand. "Give me your key" he said. BHK gave Verde his key to the shack.
"You won't get this back until you've found us a new place." Verde told him.
"But if I find a new place, will it even matter?"
Verde didn't say anything, so BHK (laughing at the look on Verde's face) walked out of the shack and set out to find a new hangout. He heard the door slam againbehind him, and Zach and Rinoa took up his pace on either side.
"So? Where to?"
Zach and Rinoa spent the next hour and a half showing BHK the major sights of Twilight Town, though none of it seemed to be any good for a hideaway. Finally, a tall building caught his eye and he moved toward it to inspect it. Zach and Rinoa stayed a few yards behind him.
"You shouldn't go near that place." Zach told him. "Most people think its haunted." BHK was busy running his finger along the outer wall of the clock-tower. "Why?" He asked.
"Well for one, nobody takes care of it anymore, but the hands still move."
BHK shrugged. "Did you ever think its just good engineering?"
"..Er…uh….."
"That's beside the point!" Rinoa yelled. "Nobody ever goes in that place! Its haunted!" BHK found a large hole near the ground. "Sounds perfect." He said, already halfway through. He turned back to look at them. "You coming?" Zach and Rinoa looked at each other, before finally deciding to follow.
BHK was already inside when they got through. He laughed at the sight of them. Rinoa was visibly shaking, and Zach's eyes kept darting all over the place as if he expected some sort of spirit to leap out of the walls and grab him.
BHK stepped onto the first stair, and Rinoa jumped when it groaned under his weight. BHK laughed again and made his way up stairs. A few minutes later, he came to a door. He pulled at the latch, but it wouldn't open.
"What's wrong?" Rinoa asked as they appeared.
"The door's jammed. It-won't-open!" BHK grunted as he pushed heavily.
"Well then!" Rinoa said (with joy) "That means, we should probably go!" BHK's shoulders dropped. "Yeah…let's go." Rinoa and Zach started back down the stairs, but BHK decided to give the door one last try. This time, he slammed his entire body into it. The door flung open, and BHK was greeted by the endless sky.
"Wooww…" Rinoa and Zach said, joining him. "Guys, I think we've found our new hang." BHK declared proudly.
Later, when Namine and Verde had been brought along, BHK found a door at the top of a ladder, and a higher ledge. It was locked.
Break--
Verde and BHK were sparring again. Rinoa and Zach were watching, but Namine wasn't anywhere to be seen. Verde was using a long staff for his weapon of choice, but BHK placed his faith in the swords. And though he was good with one, he excelled at the double-blades.
Verde swung a low sweeping blow, BHK hopped over it, then charged toward Verde before he could get his weapon into a defensive stance. Verde brought his staff up just at the last second, forcing BHK to perform a limbo-like slide to avoid being smacked in the face.
But he was close now. With every step BHK made toward Verde, the use of the staff diminished. That may be why BHK preferred the swords. Though they were close-range fighting tools, it all came down to skill in the end. The better fighter wins. But with a staff or a spear, if your opponent is quick enough-!
BHK spun and side-stepped away from the next blow, and rushed again. He was in! BHK brought up his twin wooden swords. Verde aimed a kick at him, but missed as BHK ducked under it.
He smacked the flat of one blade into Verde's stomach, and made the other blade an inch away from Verde's face. "I win." BHK said.
"You draw." Verde said. BHK's eyes widened as he felt something scrape against his abdomen. Verde was holding a long wooden dagger in a free hand. "Cheater" BHK said.
"So?"
BHK backed off, and placed his swords on the wall, and Verde mounted his staff, but kept the wooden dagger in his back pocket. In all the times BHK and Verde had sparred, not once had their been a decisive victory for either of them.
Truth told, BHK never really tried his best, but Verde only held back enough to make it seem as if they were just playing, like Rinoa and Zach thought. But when they sparred, BHK could often see a fire in Verde's eyes. Something lurked behind Verde's eyes that was frightening. Even to BHK.
Break--
It didn't take long for BHK to figure out that there was a chain of romance that had been formed inside the Cots. It was obvious really. Zach liked Rinoa, Rinoa unfortunately liked Verde, who liked Namine, who in turn seemed not to show any interest at all.
But Verde didn't seem to notice, or did he? Either way, BHK would often catch him sitting down doing nothing except stare at her slyly when she wasn't looking. BHK wasn't quite sure what he felt about any of them, but he wouldn't mind if Namine….
Yet on the flip side, he wasn't obsessed. Just like Rinoa and Zach weren't about their catches. So subtle were they in showing their signs of affection that their finds didn't even notice. Only BHK, (who did nothing but lounge around and observe these type of things,) happily followed the flow of it all.
But the tide shifted during one moonlit night. BHK was wandering aimlessly through the streets, none of the children in Twilight Town had parents, so what the leaders did to deal with the problem was set up large foster homes all over the city until the young grew old enough to work. BHK couldn't stand the places, and spent more time on top of the clock-tower then anyplace else.
BHK picked up the sound of crying, and changed his course to find the source. (AN: Hey! That rhymed!) After a minute or so of walking, he entered the town square. In the moonlight, BHK could make out the form of a girl his height softly sobbing.
"What's wrong, Namine?" BHK asked with concern. This was the first time he had seen anyone of his friends cry; it was unsettling for him. "What are you crying about?"
Namine quickly brushed at her eyes before turning to face him. "Its nothing, don't worry about it." She said, putting on a false smile. BHK frowned. "Don't bother, Namine you can't fool me."
"I know…" Namine told him. "But you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
BHK shrugged. "It's good to try though, right?"
"I was crying…for the people of this world. They are so unhappy. It hurts to see them live like they do."
"Well that's stupid." BHK stated matter-of-factly. Namine looked up in surprise. "If they are so miserable, then they don't show it very well. And you feeling miserable about their misery doesn't help anything. If you really wanted to help them, then set an example, and show them what happiness is."
Namine gave a small laugh. "That almost made sense, for you anyway."
"What does that mean?" BHK asked, acting offended.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Namine started smiling despite herself.
"There you go!" BHK shouted into the night. "That's a new standard for everyone to meet. A real smile, once a day."
Namine shook her head, her smile widening. "You've always been able to cheer me up, Aros."
BHK grinned back. "That's my job. Its what I do best…." His voice trailed off as he saw Namine leaning towards him, eyes half-closed. He felt himself start to lean too. Closer…closer….then his thoughts evaporated into the night sky.
When BHK woke up in the present, he still couldn't form thoughts, or words to express what he was feeling. All he did was pull Namine into a tight embrace while she whispered softly in his ear; "Welcome back"
I seriouly tried to wrap it up this chapter, but it ended up too long. This part will all be completed by the end of next chapter. So...yeah.
Review.