NOTE: CHAPTERS 2-4 HAVE ALL BEEN EITHER REVISED OR REWRITTEN, THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ THESE CHANGES PLEASE DO SO NOW,
THANK YOU.
(If you don't, you'll be horribly confused!)
DISCLAIMER: The following characters are property and hither-to made-em' up by Disney and Square-Enix…and I don't work in either…so…in a round about way…I don't own any of them (not that Tetsuya Nomura does if ya think really about it either…)
--And a great big thankies to my friend Steffie, for always being my make-shift beta! You'll always be my favorite Yuffie cosplayer!--
Keep Tryin'
+-- Sisters, Bookshops, and Re-incarnation --+
a.k.a. It was almost a date…except he was there…damn…
Riku leered at Sora from the corner of his eye. Adorable as always, with his bright cerulean orbs glistening in wonder as he took in more of the landscape. He was so absorbed in the splendor of uptown, he didn't (or at least Riku assumed he didn't) notice that their hands were dangerously close to one another, just enough that he could reach over and grab his han—
WHAM
Roxas shoved his way between the two and laid an arm around his brother's shoulder, all the while casting a superior glance at Riku, daring once more to do something about it.
Riku's eye twitched, but to the casual observer he remained calm. However, if said observer was a certain female friend/adopted sister of his, she would've given him hell, it was practically billboard obvious how frustrated Riku was getting with Roxas.
Damn it, I almost thought it would've just been the two of us… Riku swore vengeance as he recounted exactly whose fault it was that it didn't turn out as he had hoped…
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-FLASHBACK-
Tidus and Yuna interestingly enough were able to mimic each other's panicked expressions perfectly right to the hyperventilating, even though one was dead and one was alive, but the group decided to marvel at that later (over coffee and donuts but that's later on…).
Right now, Tidus looked a heart-beat away from just keeling over, and Yuna looked like she was going to follow suit ironically.
THUMP
Tidus almost hit the floor, almost, yet Yuna had recovered enough of her senses to phase right beside him, breaking his fall in a sense (he was actually just levitating in mid-air, with Yuna's see-thru arms holding him) and causing certain others to faint.
Wakka hit the floor with a thud, Kairi sighed and kicked the nearest of her male underlings…ahem, friends, and shot them a rather perturbed look.
Zidane shot her a look back, no way he was going to hold any other boy, besides his sweet ViVi, if she didn't want him to get hurt, why didn't she catch him?
In hindsight, he really should've remembered why Kairi was the queen of the play-ground (and their little group) when they were little (and to this day), but alas, Zidane didn't have enough to think much less react, as Kairi sighed with the same tired way as a un-amused battle captain—and kicked her ungrateful little subordinate('friend') right between the knees.
While Zidane rolled by, red-faced and in agony, Naminé efficiently and quickly informed the only conscious ones left(ViVi) about the circumstances of their house.
"And, what's so special about Tidus?" Kairi pressed as the remaining group huddle closer together, "he's an alright guy, but why are you mooning over him like that?"
Yuna began to study the scenery outside the nearby window.
"I think," she paused as if unsure of what to say herself, " I think, he maybe the re-incarnation of my fiancée."
Silence.
"WHAT?!"
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And so here they were, it turns out, Yuna couldn't remember the exact details of what had transpired in the house itself either(or so she claimed, Riku wouldn't blame her if she just did not want to talk about it), so it was decided—mostly by Kairi and Namine, that since they had enough help (Wakka and Zidane both 'miraculously recovered', while Tidus still remained somewhat comatose, and had been re-located to the couch) with the boxes, why not go and get some books on the history of the house for later, so that maybe they could at least have some clue as to what at least caused the three women's' deaths.
Everyone (once again Kairi and Naminé) had agreed that Riku and Sora should both go since the both of them seemed to be finished with their share of un-packing.
Just the two of them alone.
Like a date.
And, oh darn, it was a Sunday, the local library was closed, no where else to go but maybe the new bookshop that had just opened, seeing as even the mall closed early on Sunday too. Really, they would have to go all the way across town, just the two of us and that could take hours…
Kairi couldn't hide the smirk that made its way across her face as those exact thoughts trailed through Riku's head, she could practically see the diabolical plans of innocent groping, seduction by spaghetti and other weird cheesy chick-flick tricks flash through his mind at warp speed.
It was actually sorta scary, that this once proud narcissist was becoming such a pansy.
Of course, Riku never got to try said plans (yet), Kairi's smirk eventually died down, because of course fate still wanted to have its way with Riku.
Roxas almost immediately interjected that he would be chaperoning the two, under the guise that he 'wanted to see what that store may have to offer', all the while he practically sent pure looks of venom at Riku.
Naminé, God bless her soul, tried to get her brother to stay and help, and almost succeeded if not for Cloud's quick and suspiciously sudden addition that he woiuld help in Roxas's stead, freeing the other boy and almost reducing Riku to tears.
He knew, gosh darn it, he knew somehow that Cloud was following Roxas's orders.
He was dangerously close to a date…almost inhumanely close, even though Cloud Strife was his beloved's cousin, he had just made a powerful enemy…ok fine, a new incredible prickly thorn in his side. He would not let the guy forget it! Roxas, that little son-of-a…wait, that didn't work…
Riku frowned as he tried to come up with another comeback and came up with the same results…of course the only persons he ever traded jabs with were Tidus and Zidane, masters-of-wit they were not.
"Riku?" the other boy's head shot up at Sora's beckoning, Roxas was tempted to smack him silly just for that.
"Yes, Sora?" he would've leaned in closer, if not for Roxas being so pointedly in the way, "what is it?"
"—we're here." Roxas finished, and getting his other hand on Riku's shoulder, he pushed the two into the open door of what seemed like a fairly small, cozy bookshop…
The inside of the bookstore was something right out of a fantasy book, many shelves squeezed in amongst each other, books piled upon more books, dusty volumes rammed against the new, crisp abridged versions of said volumes.
Even the décor of the store seemed to replicate old-world noir, as old vintage movie posters and ads for long-since closed night-clubs and musicals were tapes unceremoniously with silver duck tape. There was a little round table squeezed between the front desk and the shelves, on the desk was a train-shaped lamp.
Behind the front desk, stood a occupied teenage girl with flipped brown hair, and surprisingly energetic emerald eyes for someone, who under normal situations, would've been falling asleep at their posts. She held in one newly-manicured hand, a model wooden train and in another she grasped a Barbie with suspiciously burnt hair.
As if it was completely normal for someone as old as them to be playing 'commando' with toys, she placed them down on the counter in front of her and chirped: "Welcome to Demxion's Den, how can I help you?"
Sora and Roxas paused looked from one another to the girl, to one another again.
"You don't think—" Sora began, glancing almost nervously back at the girl, "that they—
"No, it can't be them…" Roxas wasn't even convinced himself, Riku watched the exchange between the two, horribly utterly lost, did he just totally miss something here?
"What are you two talking—"
There was a loud throaty tenor moan that suddenly erupted from behind the girl. A little sign that read very clearly:
"STAY OUT—OPERATIONS AND BUISNESS. (Watch the Front Desk…this means YOU, Selphie!)
The girl (it was pretty obvious that she was probably this Selphie) just shrugged at the noise, not even embarrassed in the slightest and rapped the door behind her with the back of her hands, without even bothering to turn around she muttered: "Hey keep it down you two, we have customers!"
This seemed to bring about even louder moans, followed by almost rhythmic thumping.
Selphie looked nonchalant as she easily reached behind her, and opened the door: "I said: KNOCK IT OFF!"
The sudden loss of the door as support had thrown off the two men in the cramped space and they fell into a partially naked heap that almost landed on the girl at the counter, luckily she was able to sidestep just in time.
Sora's eyes grew as wide-as-saucers, he screamed loudly pointing at the fallen couple behind the counter:
"Demyx!"
"Zexion!" Apparently Roxas had joined in.
"Sora!" A shirtless tall man with dirty blonde hair pointed at Sora in the same fashion.
"Roxas?" a slightly shorter man with unruly platinum hair blinked.
"Herbert Noodleman!" Selphie suddenly shrieked and gestured wildly at Riku.
Riku just blinked and all attention went to the only girl present, she looked at them with un-ashamed countace: "Err…what? Everyone else got to say a name!"…
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"Hello, Hello, Helloooo?" Rikku greeted as she grabbed the phone right from the cradle, phasing through Cloud's out-stretched hand, a triumphant leer upon her face, she placed a hand over the receiver, unaware/ignoring the fact that she wasn't really blocking the sound, "haha! Beat that Blondie!"
"What the—why 'Blondie'? You're blond too!" Cloud scowled, feeling childish yet justified at the same time—he was expecting an important phone call about the whereabouts for his beloved bike (he had a inkling Yuffie pawned it to the then resident prick…God, how come Seifer always seemed to be more financially well endowed than someone ten years his senior?).
"I was blonde, but not anymore!" Rikku crowed, waving her hands through Cloud for extra fun, she was about to tease him more when a voice on the phone shouted: "CLOUD! EMERGENCY! THIS IS BAD! THIS IS SO BAD! OMIGAWD-VINCENT'S-GUNNA-KILL-ME!"
Rikku blinked at the contraption in her hand, what was the deal? Was this a new type of phone?
Cloud used her momentary confusion to his advantage and made a mad grab for the phone, dashing up the stairs and into his room, he slammed the door behind him.
Rikku crossed her arms with a pout. Like he was getting away from her that easil—
"Rikku. No." Behind her, Paine shimmered as she appeared quickly, a harsh glare upon her obsidian orbs, "that sounded serious. Leave him for now. We need your help anyways," she pointed a finger idly up, "the boys have a lot more to unpack and they need all the help they can get, so get your butt in gear and hop to it."
Rikku let out a sullen 'hmph!' at her game being spoiled, but nevertheless, fazed along with her friend up stairs…
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In the comfort and safety of his room, Cloud finally responded to the now hysteric person on the other line.
"Reno, what is it? What happened?" he pressed, worried about the sudden urgency of the usually laid back red-head, "are the kids alright? Has Rufus gotten you all into trouble? Again?"
"I-it…Ku-Kudaj…O-oh G-god!" If the bodyguard seemed hysterical earlier, he was just plain losing it now, after hearing some groaning, he heard some more light bumping noise, with a sigh, he rubbed at his temples, "Reno, quit hitting your head against the wall and just tell me what happened."
"God, Vincent's going to suspend me from sex for a week! Or maybe even more! I won't be able to make it, I'll kill myself," it was disturbing how more and more resolved Reno seemed to be with his newfound idea, "it'd be really simple. I'm sure that Barrett could take the kids in instead—"
"Reno," Cloud interrupted using the same type of tone in his voice that people usually reserved for crying children, patient yet affirmative, "Barrett's a worse parent than you are. Quit angsting and tell me what the hell happened already."
"Well, I sent Denzel to pick up the boys from school since I needed to get the groceries," Reno's breath grew shakier and he began to take big gulps of air, "and, and, I thought it was wired cause when they got home, I could've sworn I only saw three people through the window, and then," Reno gulped even louder (if that was somehow possible), "Denzel told me that," yet another panicked gulp of air, "Kudaj left! He-he went off with some guy with spiky red-hair—that wasn't me—and Yazoo said that they're looking for you guys!"
Cloud's heart temporarily stopped, the connections already clicking in his mind. Of course, no way would Axel have left them—particularly his cousin Roxas, alone forever, but, how did he know about Kudaj?
Roxas had almost made it a point not to introduce him to Sephiroth's over-obsessive little brother…and how did Kudaj know to trust him, he was as paranoid as he was crazy.
Either way, he still would have to go and prepare the guest rooms or something, at least calm the other man down.
"Look, don't worry, they're probably on their way here, that other red-haired guy is probably Axel, you know, the one I told you about, so he should be safe until he gets here, just tell Vincent that Kudaj went to go find me again, you know how he likes to do this almost every other week—" Reno was about to point out (out of sheer habit) that it was more than just 'every other week' but instead took solace in his words, " Vincent will most likely just come over here with Denzel to pick up Kudaj."
"This is the first time he's just gone off on his own though, usually he tricks someone into bringing him to your place, how am I going to explain that?" Reno interjected, looking over his shoulder to make sure that it was just him in the kitchen, "I'm not exactly that good at lying—"
"Just do as I say and you'll be fine, I'll go and get some rooms ready—"
"Whoa, rooms? As in more than one? How big is that house?"
"Focus Reno, just tell Vincent what I told you alright? I have to go," honestly sometimes Cloud couldn't tell who was more childish, Reno's charges or the red-haired man himself, he seemed to have the attention span of an three year old and the libido of a teenager.
"Uh, right, Thanks man." Reno sounded distracted now, as if he was trying to hide their conversation, "later."
There was a tell-tale click, and Cloud just stared at the cordless receiver, knowing that Vincent had probably just returned home.
With a shrug he set out to find some empty rooms to accommodate his incoming guests….
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"What are you guys doing here?" Sora inquired as Zexion and Demyx re-appeared from the closet, this time fully clothed, even though it was painfully obvious they were wearing the other's shirts, Sora's usually chipper eyes grew ice-like, "or should I rephrase the question: who sent you here?"
It would've been a silent awkward moment, however, Demyx just gave an easy grin. Slinging an arm around Zexion's shoulders, he leaned in as if revealing some huge secret: "We're MIA. We hatched a plan with Marluxia—" Sora shuddered at the mention of that name, he talked to the guy once and the prissy man seemed to think that they were destined to be together, "to trick the higher-ups into letting us escape."
"Escape?" Roxas repeated, still unsure of whether or not to believe that Zexion, one of the most trusted, would've left so easily, "and why would you two do such a foolish thing like that? You both seemed comfortable…enough."
"Seemed, is the keyword," Zexion let out what could've counted as an idle yawn, yet it was still Zexion, so…it was cut short, "we've been planning for months. We were all getting antsy, we couldn't very well stay there forever."
"Then, who is she?" Selphie frowned at Roxas blatantly avoided addressing her directly.
"Oh, right?" Demyx glanced back at the girl who now looked like she was considering throwing her doll at the now occupied brunette brother (Riku had easily placed his hand dangerously close to Sora's and as usual Roxas wasn't going to stand for it a second longer), "she's my sister, Selphie."
"You actually have a family?" Sora and Roxas (whose impending argument with Riku was forgotten—or at least placed on hold) once more in unison demanded, they blinked owlishly at each other, Sora gave a wry grin and continued, "You never mentioned that before."
"What did you think we were some weird test tube babies or something?" Roxas pointedly looked at Sora, who just whistled a little ditty totally innocent, Demyx blaunched at that: "Seriously?"
Sora sheepishly rubbed the back of his head: "Well, you all were freakishly good at back-flips…"
"What does that have to—" Demyx spluttered, caught between being flattered and being offended, Zexion coughed loudly, informing wearily: "Then obviously he's not a test tube baby—because he can't do anything gymnastic-related to save his life…"
"But that's because you're the one who eagerly does the stretching and the—"
Selphie cleared her throat with enough force to make those around her wonder if she pulled some thing, the two men in front of her ceased their conversation…for the time being…
"Since these two keep getting side-tracked, I'll introduce myself properly," She leered at Roxas, who sat unfazed, she took a deep breath and let out a wide grin, "my name's Selphie! Like my stupid, perverted, no-good brother of mine, I'm an assassin! Although, I'm more of a free lancer than these two—"
"Assassin, are you joking?" Riku cut in, putting a dashing halt on the slightly skewed reunion of the Strife siblings and the two men in front, a little voice of rationality, in a very, very, un-rational world.
"Sora, Roxas," Sora gave a nervous giggle, while Roxas made sure that Riku was well in front of him (if someone was going to die, why not the most obvious candidate?), Zexion ignored their antics as he continued his voice never rising an octave, yet still causing the same effect, "why did you bring a civilian with you?"
"We weren't expecting to run into you guys, it just sort of happened!" Sora argued, immediately gathering courage to stick up for his new found companion, "plus Riku is my friend, we can trust him—I know it! He would never do anything bad!"
Roxas made his disbelief vocal with a very loud and pronounced snort, to which his brother ignored.
Demyx knew better than to ask, so he just continued where his boyfriend left off, trusting Sora's judgement (he, after all, had the good sense to have left before all the shit hit the proverbial fan) and yet, he also understood what the hidden meaning was behind Zexion's dismay: "Sora, what Zexion means is…we all can handle their wrath. But can he? You know how they are—even just an inkling of a hint will seal his fate forever—your intentions may be good, but what happens when and if they find us? Don't you remember why you left?"
Riku was expecting Sora to interrupt with a retort, but instead, he glanced up to see the shorter boy frozen. Expression unreadable as his head sank, and his motions stilled.
Riku opened his mouth to say something, but he felt a tug on his shoulder, for once Roxas didn't hold as much as animosity as he usually did, in fact he looked torn as he shook his head, muttering feebly, a small and hopeless: "Don't…please…"
Zexion sent a sharp look at his lover for upsetting the boy, but Demyx just avoided his gaze and mumbled staring off to the side: "Zex, I know…it's happened to all of us…that's why— wait, Sora!"
The aforementioned brunette just ran out of the store…
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"Hey, where do I put this?" Naminé cast her sapphire eyes on the box in Zidane's grasp, strangely out-of-character, she reached over and swiped it from him, a set expression on her face and a stern and steady anger in her voice: "Please never touch this."
The others halted their jobs in the make-shift unloading service.
Talk about weird, what was with the sudden change?
"Um, please, that, was my—our parents' things, I really would appreciate it." Her tone was still somewhat unreadable, as she stooped down to place it ever so gently on her bed, almost afraid the shoe box was going to give at any moment, her face turned from the others, she hastily added: "I'm sorry, I must sound so selfish, but that's all we have left of them."
Then just as suddenly as the gloomy mood appeared it dispersed as she turned, a bright grin on her face, chirping with ease: "We should be almost done, so let's speed up the pace, ok?"
While the group continued it's own working tempo, Paine emerged, expression thoughtful and mouth drawn into a thin line.
Something was off, something about this situation just screamed déjà vu…almost as if a memento to just before she was murdered…
She had no idea how similar fate would be for the only female of the triplets…
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"Just leave him alone, we need to talk anyways..." Roxas sounded oddly mechanical for such an dramatic moment, then his expression changed faster than a lion when its just found its new prey sitting with a broken leg surrounded by all its favorite spices, Riku swore he saw fangs when the other sibling smiled, "about my dear, precious, innocent, and above all, totally straight brother of mine."
For some strange reason, Riku suddenly saw his life flash before his eyes.
Behind him, Zexion crossed his arms and Demyx flinched…
He was so glad he wasn't that kid right now.
--TBC—
So, yeah…:wipes sweat from forehead:…sorry I was late with this chapter, I just got back yesterday from Anime Fest and for the past few weeks had been cramming finishing my cosplay to no avail (my wig was crap and my hat was too small—I ended up having to go with out both…I was the most ghetto Gum ever…).
This chapter was supposed to be tacked onto the last part of the previous but what the hey, it grew a mind of its own…I guess I'll have to combine chapters earlier or something like that…
Why was that specific 'Herbert Noodleman' and the following after in bold? They're direct from the Fairly Odd Parents and Jimmy Neutron movie…it happened to be playing while I was writing that part of the movie/ painting my shirt for cosplay(Darn neon green almost got on my keyboard). Other than that its pretty much self explanatory. I hope to get the next chapter up by Friday or something cause I have work that day and Saturday…so see ya guys soon. Remember authors live on feedback, let me live another day…