Sorry I haven't updated in a while, to busy with end of the year projects. This chapter is a doosy, REALLY long. Its one of those chapters that isn't that interesting, but you have to get it over with anyway to go on to the next part. But I tried to make it as enjoyable as possible! Oh before I forget: ANTHROPRINCESS HELPED ME WITH THE LAST CHAPTER. She would like everyone to know that the SPEED DIAL was her idea. OKAY, on with the show...

Tetsuya Namora was walking down the street when all of a sudden he was shoved into a dark street corner. No one ever saw him again.
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Chapter 5- Rivalry and the Idiots Duel

Sora awoke the next to a shrill ringing piercing the air, pretty close to his ears. He screeched, clutching his ears of his. Jumping to his feet, that were still tangled in the blankets, he fell off his bed for the third time in two days. Sora peered up from his position on the floor, glaring at Cloud's alarm clock that cruelly assaulted his eardrums. "CLOUDSHUTTHATTHINGOFF!!" Sora yelled incoherently. And yet the blond still slept soundly, burying his face into the pillow, making cute squeaking noises.

"Don't wake him up, it makes for good blackmail," Sephiroth was already up, straitening the tie on his uniform. He was sickeningly awake for this hour of the morning.

"But he'll be late for class!" Sora said, pouting. Sephiroth shrugged.

"That, is not my problem" he paused and grinned evilly. "I have a feeling that will have a visitor, a scary visitor, who finds the obligation...to wake Strife every morning" He snickered glancing at his watch. "Six-five-four-three-two-one".

"CLOUDY-KUN!!" and as quick as lightening, barely seeable, a bouncy teen bounced her way on the end of Cloud's bed. "Wakey Wakey! If you don't get up Sephy will blackmail you...again!" She held a plate out in front of her face. "I brought you some breakfast, cause I know you'll miss it, if things persist like this!"

Cloud moaned, rolling over. Ryoshu rolled her eyes. "Common, you know what will happen if you don't!" Not seeming to care, Cloud remained in his bed.

"You don't seem to care do you?" She sighed, stating the obvious. Sephiroth sat on Sora's bed, watching out of routine. As usual, a smirk crossed his lips.

"I hope you came up with something unique today, Ryoshu"

"Yes," she said smiling. "Of course. It would be a shame to disappoint his 'royal highness', depriving him of his morning entertainment" Ryoshu's voiced dripped with sarcasm. "Cloud-kun, I will give you till the count of three, before I start 'Routine Wake-up procedure', if you would like to spare yourself...one...two...three!"

With that Ryoshu stuck her finger in her mouth, then quickly jabbed it in his ear. For an actual moment, it looked like Cloud might have woken from his deep slumber. Instead he whimpered slightly, making some people wonder what was going on in his dreamy state of mind.

"Hmm, that didn't work. Plan B!" Ryoshu pointed at Sephiroth. "I have a plan"

"Yes?" Sephiroth leaned forward on his elbows. "And what exactly are you enlisting my help for?"

Ryoshu tapped her fingers together evilly. "I just need you to carry Cloudy-kun for me"

"Do I even want to know?" Sephiroth asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You'll find out soon enough. Just do what I say and carry him"

Sephiroth shrugged. "Fine. But I still don't follow" Sephiroth picked up sleeping beauty under his knees, resisting the urge to sneeze as a strand of the boy's feathery hair brushed by his nose. Unfortunately, resistance is futile.

"Achoo!" Sephiroth let off a surprisingly squeaky sneeze for such his overpowering demeanor. Everything in the room seemed to freeze. If Cloud woke up now, it would ruin the element of surprise, not to mention what Cloud might think if he realized that he was being held by his arch enemy. Imagine the chaos.

Cloud began to stir and everyone held their breath. But, he simply shifted and his head lolled back against Sephiroth's shoulder. At that moment, everyone exhaled. "He sleeps like a freakin rock!" Sora whispered loudly. (oxymoron! XD)

Ryoshu pointed toward the bathroom door mouthing something along the lines of "in there". Sephiroth complied and Sora decided, although it probably wasn't in his best interest, he should watch anyway. Smiling maniacally, Sephiroth began to understand Ryoshu's plot. "And so the great Sephiroth, last of the Centra race, finds the perfect way to execute his revenge," he announced, as if reading third-person text. Sephiroth laid the poor unwakable blonde in the basin of the shower, while Ryoshu turned the lever on the wall to a letter that said "C". "May I?" Sephiroth asked.

"Of course," Ryoshu replied, stepping out of the way. Ryoshu looked regretful for a moment. "Sorry Cloudy-kun, but this was the only way".

Grinning like a madman on pot, Sephiroth quickly turned the knob on the shower wall, so the water came pouring out.

Seconds later, an inhuman scream, one that made Cloud's alarm clock seem like the chirping of birds, echoed throughout that level of the castle. "C-COLD!!" Ryoshu, Sora, and Sephiroth briskly walked out of the bathroom. Followed by Cloud Strife, whose wet cloths were dripping on the carpet. "Thanks Ryo," he mumbled.

Ryoshu smiled. "Anytime Cloudy-kun". Cloud mumbled something about 'sarcasm' under his breath, then began pick out his cloths.

As a reaction to the tremendous amount of noise, Riku sat up in bed, finally waking up. "W-wher'es the fire...?" he mumbled stupidly. Ryoshu, took one look in Riku's direction and stifled her laughter.

"In your hair," she giggled.

"What?" Riku asked. "What are you talking about?"

Sephiroth found this an opportune moment to leave the room for breakfast. Ryoshu decided to follow him as well. Being in one room with two people that Sephiroth had gotten his revenge on was just not good for your health. "What are they talking about, Sora," Riku was looking like the face of death itself as her glared. "And I expect to know the truth".

Sora, unlike most times, was scared out of his wits entirely. "R- riku, why d-don't you just l-look for y-yourself".

"I will," he got out of bed, and made a bee-line for the next possible mirror. Carefully Sora shuffled up next to him. Calmly, Riku inspected his hair.

"So, what's the diagnosis Dr. Riku?" Sora asked, just a little amused at the fact that someone had actually pulled a prank on his best friend. Riku the jester, Riku the King of Practical Jokes.

"Well," Riku sighed. "From experience, I'd say that the orange paint will come out with a shower. But the red paint, will be there for at least a week" Riku stepped away from the mirror. "I'm gonna go take a shower kay?"

"You're not mad?" Sora asked. Of course not. He should have known better.

Riku shook his head. "Don't be stupid, Sora. You know what I always say..."

"Kill the Pharaoh?" Sora asked raising an eyebrow.

Riku smiled. "The other saying. Don't get mad, get even".
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While Riku decided to rid himself of orange paint, Sora ventured downstairs to the common area, were people were eating breakfast. The room was loud and congested, with talk from gossip to politics. 'First days really suck,' Sora thought. 'You don't know anyone, and you're totally lost'. Then he saw someone waving at him.

"HEY! New kid!" they shouted. Soar instantly recognized the voice that he had heard just that morning, Ryoshu.

Soar approached the table. "Hi," he said. "Can I sit here?" Ryoshu nodded her head eagerly.

"Sure, if you don't mind a dumb-ass bunch of outcasts like us!"

"Hey, Ryo, speak for yourself," said a giggly voice, that Sora could have sworn he'd heard before. Actually, he knew he had heard it before. He craned his neck so he could see.

'Shit!' he thought, as he spotted the certain brown-haired girl. 'I- its Selphie!' Quickly, he ducked under the table, as not to be seen. But not quick enough.

"Sora! Is that you?!" Selphie squealed girlishly. "Omigosh, I haven't seen you in like forever!" She captured him in an inescapable hug/death grip.

"Sel...phie...need...air," Sora gasped, trying to pry the bouncy-child-of- death's arms off his neck.

"Sorry!" She replied, dropping poor Sora to the floor with a sheepish smile. "I haven't seen you since sixth grade! I mean, I almost didn't recognize you cause you're not short anymore!"

"Yep, restraining orders work wonders don't they?" Sora mumbled under his breath. "Jeez, I wonder why everyone wanted you to leave?" he said loudly.

"I know!" she shrieked. "Why did they sign the petition, to kick me outta Destiny Elementary!" A scary type of flames twinkled in her eyes. "I mean, like I talk too much! Whatever!"

"Seriously though," Sora rolled his eyes as Selphie began to talk about whatever came into her mind.

"So you and Selphie know eachother?" a red-haired girl said, finding a reason to strike up a conversation.

Sora picked out an orange out of a bowl and began to peel it. "Yeah, unfortunately. She talks like a furby on energizer batteries".

She giggled slightly. "You look familiar, have I met you before?"

"Um," Sora took the time to look at her. She looked familiar too, except he had a feeling that the last time they had met, it hadn't been a pleasant experience. "I don't know"

She smiled again. "Anyway, I'm Kairi"

Sora grinned. Things were going well. "Kairi, that's a nice name. I'm So-

Kairi shot out of her seat like the school was on fire, which could have happened. Her eyes pasted themselves onto two boys in the corner, laughing like mad. The she looked as furious as a raging dragon as she stomped over to them, pulling a note-pad and a pencil out of her bag. "TIDUS! WAKKA! Forks are not for sticking in toasters!!"

"Crap! It's Kairi, ya!" one of them yelled, and both of them bolted out into the hall, leaving Kairi in their dust.

Sora had a habit of falling out of his bed, when he was startled, so what difference does it make if he falls out of his chair instead? Blinking slightly, he had finally remembered where he had seen Kairi from before...

---flashback---

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" said an unfamiliar voice, but a familiar tone. A reprimanding tone, that Sora got whenever he was with Riku.

A girl stood in front of them with a notepad and pen behind her ear, glaring as if to say "how dare you!" Wagging her finger back and forth she said. "Running in the halls is not allowed".

Riku frowned and tried to move past her, but she stepped in his was. Riku smirked. "And who are you to tell me so?"

She looked at Riku like he was some type of lunatic, shaking her short red hair back and forth. "For your information, I am a SeED: Student, Edu-

"Yeah, you're a hall monitor, I got it," Riku said. "Let's go Sora" eh said yanking Sora's hand, and sprinting up the stairs.

"Wait!" The girl shrieked. "I have to take down your names!"

"Sorry!" Sora yelled back. "It won't happen again!" Riku yanked his hand harder.

"You're such a kiss-up Sora".

---end flashback---

Kairi scowled, coming back to her seat. "I'm sorry about those two idiots, what where you saying?" she asked, extending a hand to help Sora off of the floor.

He took her hand, careful not to tip the pixie girl over. "Oh, just that my names Sora, and that I never want to see that side of Kairi ever again..." he said, quite nervous.

"Well, you'll never have to," she said letting a smile slowly ease back onto her face," unless, you make trouble?"

"No, no, of course not," Sora lied quickly, quickly stuffing a piece of orange in his mouth, he figured, before he could say anything stupid.

Kairi nodded her head, smiling again. "That's good to hear" A group of giggling girls suddenly let out a loud squeal. Even Selphie quit her incoherent chattering, to look up.

"Omigosh, he's so hott"

"Totally, like Orlando Bloom"

"Dude, no one's prettier than Orli...shit, he is!"

Sora rolled his eyes as he turned his head. Who could possibly be... "Riku!"

Kairi turned around, but only she scowled, as a dark look of utter loathing settled in her eyes. "It's HIM".

"Huh?" Sora said confused until he realized. Riku had made a very bad first impression with Kairi. "Kairi, Riku really isn't that bad, you know. Just calm down" Luckily, she hadn't remembered him from that little incident.

"Trouble maker, on his first day, idiot, arrogant, sonova..." Sora clamped his hand over her mouth as Riku drew near.

"Hey, Sora," Riku said lazily, his silver mane still wet from his shower. Pointing to his hair he said, "See? No orange".

Sora laughed. "I see that". Kairi huffed, probably sticking to idiot theory, especially since he had mumbled something totally random, as far as she knew.

Riku looked over the table, and its audience of giddy fan-girls, along with Selphie (at which his eyes widened considerably), and Kairi who rolled her eyes. "Make any friends?" The question seemed generic enough, although he was gaze was piercing Kairi like knives.

Sora nodded, not noticing the look on Riku's face, nor Kairi's. "Yeah, this is Kairi".

"Hi, I'm Riku. I'm Sora's best friend," Riku said, a small look of triumph glittered his eyes. He extended his hand to shake hers.

She gripped his hand roughly, squeezing it like a python. "Well...Riku," Kairi said, putting on the façade of friendliness, "It was a pleasure, to finally meet you in person" and she let go of his hand promptly and waltzed out the door.

'Oh, yeah. It's on now,' Riku thought rubbing his fingers. 'Nasty skank'

"Riku?" Sora said.

"Yeah?"

"You'd better eat, we have Sparring class soon"

Riku picked up a piece of toast and quickly scarfed it. "Oh, joy," Riku coughed sarcastically with his mouth half full. "To spend an hour with Squallie, the human glacier and get both mentally and physically abused".
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"Wake up," Squall snapped. Riku's head snapped up, from his slumber...in the middle of Squall Leonhart's sparring class. "Tired?" he asked sarcastically. "Cause I'm sure there's nap time at the Kindergarten down the street". Riku glared at him.

"I wasn't sleeping" he hissed, obviously lying badly.

"Really now, so you were snoring loudly on purpose," Squall said with a simpering smile. "So squirt, tell me what exactly evolving weapons are"

"Weapons that evolve, duh," Riku said smirking, like he was talking the teacher in circles.

"I believe the rest of us are aware of that. Why is it important that summon weapons are also evolving weapons?" Squall said, trying to pry a more specific answer from his new student.

Riku smiled. "So that you don't have an unevolving weapon, duh"

Squall Leonhart sighed exasperatingly. "I've had about enough out of you Riku'.

"Really?" Riku said, cocking his head to one side. "I've only just started"

Sora kicked Riku in the back, hissing. "Ontday ebay tupidsay" (XD Piglatin!)

Rubbing his temples out of frustration Squall slowly and forcingly said through clenched teeth, "Riku, answer my questions the right way, or a visit with Ansem can be arranged".

Riku remained silent, for this time, he amazingly had no smart comment this time.

Squall turned around, retaking his position at the front of the classroom. "Like I said, don't sleep in my class". Tapping his fingers on the desk he spun around again. "Back to the lesson. Today we will be practicing with our summon weapons, evolving them maybe, but practicing battles accurately. Have you two ever summoned before?" Riku nodded, but Sora just stared at the ground shaking his head.

'That's okay," Squall said. "You can catch up". That didn't make Sora feel any better. Cause he knew he was one of those helpless cases anyway. "Alright, we need a demonstration. How bout our best students? Cloud, Sephiroth, get your asses up here"

The blonde rose from the ground first, crouching in an offensive position. Sephiroth soon followed, but there was a noticeable difference in the way the two acted. Cloud's face was set in determination, ready and alert, while Sephiroth seemed cool and collected. It was like God had put the switch on those two.

"Let's do this," Cloud said seriously, almost completely out of character compared to outside of class.

"Of course, but only if you can make it worth my time this time, Strife," Sephiroth said calmly, smirking slightly. "But, have you really gotten any better?"

Cloud looked absolutely furious. He hated being taunted, and of course it was the equal and opposite effect of how he treated the evil angel outside of class, but...you know, it sucks. "Cut the crap".

"On my count," Squall said, "bring forth your summon weapon" He turned to Riku and Sora. "The trick is, will you summon quickly and attack immediately, or will you take the time to mentally sharpen and buff it well, its part of a strategy" Then he reverted his attention back to the two opponents. "One...two...three"

Cloud was the first to move, his weapon suddenly materializing in his hands. Sora found it amazing that Cloud didn't tip over. His weapon was huge; a rather large broadsword that was about two thirds his height. Clouds "get-out-of-my-face-or-I'll-bite-your-head-off" glare looked quite as deadly as his sword. "Whoo! Looking good!" Ryoshu shrieked, along with some other Cloud fan-girls.

Rolling his eyes, Sephiroth held out one hand and his sword materialized as well. There was only a slight difference that might suggest his fighting style. His sword was oversized as well, but in another way. It was like that of a samurai, forged long-style, and with steal extremely, extremely...sharp. "You too Seph!"

"Whose side are you on exactly?" Riku whispered. Ryoshu shrugged.

"I'm a bit of a mediator, guess, it's way to hard to pick sides," Ryoshu looked up. "Look! It's a stand still!"

Both Cloud and Sephiroth weren't moving, even blinking, not braking eye contact.

"What are they doing?" Sora asked, completely oblivious of any tactics, besides the ones he used while sparring with Riku on Play Island, in which his butt was kicked in a repetitive fashion.

"Waiting," Riku explained while watching the opponents like some kind of sick football game. "To see who will make the first move"

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a keyblade, but fortunately a buster blade sliced it first. Jumping high into the air, Cloud prepared to deliver a sharp blow to his rival, but came down only to meet empty air. "What the..."

"Surprise, surprise, you missed me by a mile Strife, by a mile," the voice said horribly teasing. The tone in his voice sounded so familiar to Sora, and it was then he realized. It was the same tone that Cloud had been using when Sephiroth was completely at his mercy. Except, for fallen angels, mercy is undeliverable.

Cloud spun around, just in time to meet the offending blade with accuracy. He jumped back, putting space between them. Sephiroth smiled, experienced in getting into the heads of his enemies. "Well now. Aren't you going to come and get me?" The smile darkened wickedly. "Or should I get you first?"

"This isn't a horror movie drama queen, shut up," Cloud said threateningly.

"If that's the way you want it". Sephiroth kicked off the back wall, building speed. Cloud rushed to, and prepared to hear the metallic cling of swords, but it never came. Sephiroth stuck one foot to the ground skidding to a stop on the left, but Cloud realized his mistake too late. As he passed Sephiroth he skidded to a stop also, and hoped to any deity, that Sephiroth would be moving slower than usual, trying to turn around, knowing that he would soon be feeling a sharp pain through his stomach.

Sephiroth's movements were like lightning as he used his sneak attack position to leave a long gash on the top of Clouds shoulder. His opponent muffled his hiss of pain, reaching to his shoulder to inspect the damage.

"K.O., the match is over," Squall said. He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the locker rooms. "Sephiroth, you know the drill". Sephiroth nodded, hoisting the defeated Cloud up by his uninjured arm, and leading him to a bench. "At this school, if you have pride enough to win, you have pride enough to have respect for the fallen. After the match, you heal your sparring partner. Being a good sport is key".

Sora nodded, understanding. It was fair treatment.

"Now," Squall continued, "I'll break you off into pairs and you will practice, and please, PLEASE, refrain from spell-casting". A gurgled bunch of replies broke forth, but for the most part, every one assumed it was an understanding. Squall read off his list of pairings and everyone broke off. Then he found his newest students still sitting down. "Hey," he said. "You two aren't on the attendance sheet yet, so for today, you guys'll be partners, alright?" It may have been phrased as a question, but it was more like "You're partners. Don't like it, then DEAL!" Sora and Riku got up to go to a separate space, but Squall caught Sora by his arm, almost making the poor boy get whiplash. "Didn't you say that you don't know how to summon right?"

"...yes," Sora said blinking.

"Then we'll have to teach you, now won't we," Squall said. Riku nodded.

"Squallie's right, I help too".

Squall glared. "That's Leon, punk, I don't think he needs any help from you"

"Fine then! I won't!"

"Close your eyes, Sora," Squall commanded. Sora obeyed. "Mmmkay, now what?"

"Okay, concentrate," Squall said. "You need to think, except differently. It's like thinking with your heart. You have to think of things, that make you happy, that make you strong" It was weird to hear Squall talk like this. It was like her was searching for words to explain it. "Think of what exactly you are fighting for".

Sora nodded, trying to think of whatever he was trying to think of. It was their somewhere deep in his mind, but he couldn't quite get it to surface. He opened his eyes. "I got nothing" Sora said staring at his empty palm.

"Common Sora, I thought you were better than that"

Sora lifted his head. "Riku?"

Riku blinked. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Riku," Sora repeated. "That's it..." Sora jumped to his feet, hugging the silver haired boy tightly. "Riku, you're a freakin genius!"

Blushing slightly, Riku managed to pry Sora away from him. "I know...but why am I a genius again?" he asked smiling cheekily.

Sora smiled, closing his eyes again. 'What makes me the most happy is...' A blinding light emitted around the boy, making people around him stare. As soon as light faded, a goofy expression played itself upon Sora's face. "Hey, Riku, watchu think?"

Sora's summon weapon was quite peculiar, one of a kind actually.

"What the hell?" Sephiroth said. "Is that...?"

"Well," Squall said raising an eyebrow. "It looks like we have a keyblade master".

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EpitaphDragoness: Thank you! I luv Sephiroth, and making him a maniacal spaz was just my style! hug

Camigirl4k3: clutches her face oh my! THAAANNKKK YYYOUUU!!! As for Cloud's sexual preference, only time will tell.

DragonRose13: whoa. Don't have an ulcer! Lol. Anyhoo, nice to see you laughing that hard. Hey, I don't think we can go to that Fanime Convention, but we're trying to get to AnimeExpo, down by LA!

Smiley-chan: -- Anthro, sign in under my name again and feel my wrath. I hope yur happy.

Anthroprincess: ahh, leave my ficcy alone!! You got your credit!

Tyson FoxFlame: ; cloud fangirl. Thanx! takes a bite out of choco rose

Vash-lover323: huggles spiffy and coolio award Yay!

CLOUD-FANATIK88: no worries! I love Shounen Ai, but no Cloud Leon...grins manically

Stealth Wolf: Yay! I the best huh? U so nice, eh?

Saesama: You reviewed for my fic! Kewl!! Update For Whom the bell Tolls soon, kay?

MysticKitty17: Double review! Way kewl...speed dial is very effective!

Marissa: I KNOW ALREADY!!

Riyoji Jeremishou: ; I've never heard a fanfic be called "pretty" before, but okay...sorry, no Ansem in this chappy, I'll try for later chapters, k?