Thank you all for your nice reviews. 15 in two chapters. That must be a record for me or something…so without further ado...
I may not legally own Kingdom Hearts, but I own it. -points at closet- Shut up in there! They'll find you!
The door slowly began to swing open…
Chapter 3: Of Showers and the Effects of Toilets Upon Them.
Sora drew a breath. This was it.
"Welcome!" said a deep, smooth voice. Before they realized it. Both Sora and Riku were swept up into an unavoidable grizzly bear hug. Riku groaned, very much liking his personal space, and tried to release himself from the assaulting person. However, though Riku had strength and agility beyond the abilities of most fifteen year olds, he found he could not escape.
"We are glad to have you attend our school," he said, dropping the soon-to-be students on the floor. The man had bright…amber... no, gold eyes that smiled inwardly like a courageous but self-seeking man. His lips curled themselves into an overjoyed smile as well. Sure it was happy, but more like "I'm so happy that you're here, because your mother is paying your tuition!"
Sora rubbed his forearms to restore the feeling in them. He blinked. This school was as weird as it comes, and not only because they were there. "Um, we're here to see the headmaster," he stuttered.
The man opened the door wider. "Well?" he asked. "Are you going to come in or are you waiting for the draft?" Sora jumped to his feet, followed by Riku who was brushing non-existent dust off of his cloths. The man closed the door behind him, taking a seat behind a large desk, propping his feet on it. Sora's mother would have had a fit. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"You…are the headmaster?" Riku asked raising an eyebrow questioningly. He hardly looked old enough to be a studnet teacher. Those gold eyes were framed by honey-brown skin on his angular face, with long silver hair that was slicked back at the front and tied back at the base of his neck. If it weren't for his older twenties look, someone could have mistaken him for a rebel student. So naturally the thought that he was in charge around here was rather amusing.
"Yes," he replied simply. "My name Ansem. Not Mr. Ansem, nor Professor Ansem, simply Ansem."
Riku choked visibly, but in a good way. "Are you serious!"
Ansem started to rummage through some papers absentmindedly. He crumbled up two of the papers, tossing them behind his head. One managed to make it into the waste basket and a small, fidgety blue creature scurried in and disposed of the other one "Quite serious Mr. Nusai."
Wrinkling his nose Riku replied, "Mr. Nusai was my father." Which, he really didn't care to be associated with.
"So I will not call you by your last name as I expect not to be."
"What is your last name?" Sora asked. Ansem laced his fingers and leaned forward on his desk.
"How did the Egyptians line up the pyramids astronomically? Is there intelligent life on Mars? How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?"
Riku smiled slightly. "The world may never know."
Ansem, seeming to have proved is point said, "Exactly". Finding what he needed, Ansem slid two pieces of paper across the table. "You will need to sign these; it's a letter that we send to your parents to insure them that you made it here alive."
Riku took the pen and hastily scribbled his signature at the bottom.
Ansem looked at Riku with a curious stare that vaguely reminded Sora of cat that was deciding if it wanted to play with its food. It was defiantly odd, but he decided it was best to brush it off.
"Most students use this as an opportunity to write a short letter to their parents," the dark-skinned man commented as Riku slid the paper back without looking at it. That weird, analyzing look still shimmered in his eyes.
Riku shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "They wouldn't read it if I did."
Instead of looking concerned or even sympathetic, the headmaster cocked his head slightly, the same smile playing on his lips as if he was interested. However, he didn't say anything as he tucked Riku's paper into a peach-colored folder.
Sora looked over at his friend while signing the papers. He knew what Riku was thinking, not like a psychic or something, but a glimpse of empathy. All of Riku's life, his parents had been less than supportive. Most of the time they worked or were too stressed to spend time with their only son. Riku acted as if he didn't care. Sora thought that a new school was a huge drag, but for Riku, it might be a second chance. Riku had said it was for the best. He was somewhere far away from them and they wouldn't be around to cause trouble for them anymore.
Ansem took the paper from Sora's hands and handed each of them a schedule, a flyer for recreational activities, a guide book, a map, and lastly their dorm assignments. "Thank god you've come," Ansem mumbled. "I finally have someone to keep those two alive. Looks like your boarding with Black and Strife. Good students, they just don't…get along very well". Neither of them knew how much of an understatement that was. Ansem stood up, waving one hand towards the door. "You are dismissed."
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I observed their habits the whole time. The brunette, "Sora", may prove to be more trouble than he is worth. It may prove difficult in dealing with him. His personality is far to light-hearted.
But the other, silver haired one, is full of conflict. I see that he could be easily persuaded and confused. His heart could be broken. He suffers neglect and perhaps…unrequited love. He could easily become what I've planned for him. Becoming a heartless isn't that hard when you're weak of heart.
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Riku hurtled down the flight of stairs, sprinted down a hall and skidded to a stop in front of a door. Sora whipped around the same corner, nearly slamming into his best friend from the behind, courtesy of the forces of inertia. Sora slumped to the floor. "Awe man…what's the score now?"
Riku shrugged. "I dunno. Zero to some rather large number."
"Dammit!"
Riku smiled weakly, ruffling Sora's hair teasingly. "You wouldn't lose if you hadn't challenged me you know?"
Sora merely stared at the ground in defeat, tracing a circle on the floor with one of his fingers. 'Why are you so much better than me!' his mind yelled at Riku. He could imagine his friend surrounded by flames, laughing his evil ass off, and pointing a pitchfork in his direction. Life was so not fair.
Riku watched as Sora's face contorted with displeasure. Riku waited…and there and behold. The "Sora" pout. He keeled into laughter. It was like watching Old Faithful. It was as dependable as the sun shining. And he got a kick out of it every time.
Wiping the tears of mirth away from eyes, Riku extended a hand and helped Sora off the floor. "You shouldn't try so hard at something hopeless."
"I will beat you some day!" Sora proclaimed, jabbing a finger in Riku's general direction. "Just as you will find a girl that doesn't think your homo-"
Riku tackled Sora to the ground. "Not funny," he hissed. Then a comical look crossed Riku's eyes. Sora was scared. Very. Scared.
A playful smirk crossed his lips. "How do you know I'm not?" Sora's eyes grew the size of dinner plates. He heart began to beat at an irrational pace at the mere awkwardness of that statement. He couldn't be…could he? I mean he was Riku the lady killer. He had more girlfriends then could possibly be considered sane for a man of any age. But...what if...
"B-because! You're not!" Sora stuttered quickly.
"Your right," Riku said, the smirk still lingering. "So…off with the wisecrack!" Riku got off his friend and flicked him in the forehead. "You smartass." Sora made a loud whiny noise that made him sound as though he'd been shot in the butt.
The door of their dormitory swung open about a foot. Out popped a mop of blond hair that defied gravity as much as Sora's did, followed by a face with a startled look upon it. "W-hat the hell is happening out here?" he demanded. "It sounds like someone was dying, or someone had strangled a cat…" Both Riku and Sora pointed at each other. The boy raised a blond eyebrow.
"Are you guys new or something?"
"Yeah," Riku said. Sora nodded too. "Are you… Black?"
The blond snorted, obviously amused, and shook his head. "Nope, Strife." He extended his hand for a friendly shake. "That's Cloud Strife to anyone who wants to know". Sora shook his hand, wondering faintly why Cloud seemed a bit surprised.
"I'm Sora."
"You are one of the first people who have done that," Cloud said slightly amused. It was at that moment that Sora realized that there wasn't any flesh touching his fingertips. Only cold, hard metal. Sora gently pulled his hand away although he was startled enough to run away like a little girl.
Cloud laughed. "It was a gift from a friend," he explained, referring to a gold mechanical looking claw that covered his right hand. "Are you gonna be our roommates?" Cloud asked, maybe a little too hopefully. Sora hated to think that this might suggest what the other roommate was like.
"That's what we're here for," Riku sighed, picking up one of his many bags that had been conveniently delivered to the door. "I'm Riku, by the way". Sora did the same, walking into the room that would be their home for the months ahead.
Once they entered, there was a distinct line of who lived on which side of the room. There were four beds, two on either side. The first side, closest to the door, was the side on which the owner liked to sleep in a pile of clutter, never finding the time to put things away. Things such as a gameboy advance and magazines lined the head of the bead. It was like stepping into a normal fourteen year old boy's room. The other side however, was eerily tidy. The bed was actually made, and everything was sorted into even piles. A small one-person T.V. with its PS2 occupied small table in the corner. Everything was neat and in place. Riku decided he liked it better, plopping himself on the untaken bed.
Sora on the other hand, chose not to live with the walking male version of Martha Stewart, finding that the cluttered side felt homey.
Cloud followed them in, sitting on the bed that was assumed to be his own on the cluttered side of the room. He flipped through one of the magazines while talking to them. "So, Riku got the short end of the stick?"
Sora gave his a questioning look and Riku shook his head. As far as he was concerned, cleaner was better. Sora shrugged. As if he knew.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Cloud chuckled. "You may have got the clean part, but you also got the most rotten part of it all."
"Should I ask?"
The blond shrugged indifferently. "You'll find out sooner or later. Just hope that it's later."
Sora thought he could hear the trickle of running water in the bathroom. Obviously, the occupant of the cleaner side of the room was taking a shower. 'He couldn't possibly be that bad' Sora thought.
Sora cocked his head, thinking of something he was supposed to remember. "Oh yeah, is there anything we should know. Like, who not to mess with, and rules and stuff?"
"Yeah," Cloud said immediately, pausing briefly to recall anything important . "Never mess with Squall Leonhart. He's the sparring teacher. Even if he's not allowed to kill you, you still might end up out cold for a couple of hours."
Riku gulped audibly.
"Second, don't eat the chicken nuggets, unless you feel like mutating," Cloud said wrinkling his nose. "Chickens don't have nuggets anyway. Third, don't try to kiss up to Miss Jenova. She only has one favorite". Cloud rolled his eyes sky high. "Lastly, if you're going to prank, don't get caught by a SEED. In general, if they don't see, they don't care."
"That's all?" Riku asked. "At our old school, there were cliques and bullies who would beat the crap out of us if we mouthed off." Or planted stink bombs in their backpacks, what's the difference?
Cloud waved his mechanical hand back and forth. "No, no. We have those too, but are bullies are more…refined," Cloud said, remembering a time that his roommate and a friend of his surrounded him and cast Blizzaga and Firaga at the same time. Being frozen and burnt at the same time was not exactly a pleasant experience. "As more cliques, there are more than I can count. I can translate for you. Basically, SOLDIER equals a jock, blackmage equals a goth, and whitemage and SeEDs lean toward the preppy side. Oh, and also, if you are a class clown you are a Cheshire. As in the cat."
"Great!" Sora said throwing his hands behind his head. "I feel enlightened."
"One more thing," Cloud said, suddenly remembering something that made him smile insanely. Sora suddenly felt as if he'd rather be at Ansem's disposal right now than be on the receiving end of whatever that smile meant. "If someone is on the same floor of the school as you, and they flush the toilet, your shower water goes cold. Ice cold," he said as mischievous grin began to form on his face. "Which reminds me…"
Cloud picked up the phone from the side table, hitting a button on speed dial. "Hello? Hey Tidus. Yeah it's me. Do me a favor, would you?..." Cloud paused. "What makes you think I'd do that? I was asking you if you'd flush the toilet… I dunno, five times…Uh-huh…of course, yes…yes he is in the shower. I know, I know, I owe you. Thanks Tidus," Cloud hung up the phone, happy with a touch of satisfaction.
Riku chuckled slightly. Sora did also. "What was that about?" Sora asked amused.
"You'll find out soon enough," Cloud said shrugging.
A few seconds later, a loud exclamation of discomfort, otherwise known as yell, rang from inside the washroom. Two seconds later, the threat came. "STRIFE, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU! "
thekatgrl: Thanx so much for the review. At least I'm "saving someone from bad fanfiction hell". Lmao!
Anthroprincess: Thanx. You need to update the Sunblade fic girl! Or I shall hurt you.
Sapphire of Serenity: you're really hooked? Wow! Thanx!
Tyson Foxflame: who r u and why are you glomping me? sweatdrops That's ok tho, I know I'm…appreciated now. You send hella nice reviews! gloms Tyson back so nice! Thanx for the chocolate rose! Well, you asked for Cloud, you got him!
Leann-chan: I read one like this too. I actually started thinking of this one a while back tho. But, thank you for the compliment! As for the pairing, you'll have to wait and see. But I do luv Shounen Ai, a lot…
CLOUD-FANATIK88: Whoa…Slow down on the sugar intake. Sure, I'll read your stories. The only KH Yoai couple I like is r/s. Well, maybe a little Cloud/Seph, but I probably shouldn't say that to a Cloud fan girl…runs and hides
Riyoji Jeremishou: Well, here's Ansem! Thanx for the review!
Raven: Awe, don't say that! No fanfic is a piece of crap, unless it is sickingly lemony. (I can stand Lemon, but not LEMON) Thank you so much, to the girl from Denmark!
DragonRose13: Finally appreciating my work eh? Well, I downloaded the whole first Kingdom Hearts manga in English. Do you want me to send it to you? It's really a lot different from the game, but it's good. If you ever wanna learn the story of the game, ask.
This chapter has been edited, and reposted, due to a certain author's inability to use good grammar. There has been no change in the story plot, so for those of you that have read this chapter before, there really isn't anything different about it, except for the correction of some errors and a couple of lines added.
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