Albus studied the box curiously before handing them back to his friend, his face twisting in disgust. "All yours."
The Malfoy snorted in amusement and took the box to look over himself, a smirk dancing across his lips. "Thanks Al."
"You're welcome."
Chapter 11 – Finding Old Friends
Cloud, Leon and Harry walked into the Great Hall just in time for the feast to begin. "They decided they had to meet you when I mentioned you after I got back yesterday. They're completely insane, drive me completely bonkers, but they're damn good at what they do so I can't really complain," Harry was explaining as they walked down the space between the tables.
Cloud froze when they reached the end of the tables and spotted a familiar red head with long red hair laughing and chatting with one of the other teachers, the space beside him empty.
"Cloud?" Leon asked as he turned back with a frown, taking in the blonde's deer-caught-in-the-headlights look. He got no answer.
Harry looked confused as well as he glanced between Cloud and Reno, who had spotted the blond and was grinning as he jumped over the table.
"Spike! It's been forever! How've you been? It's been completely rough since ShinRa disappeared, but I managed to learn magic. Magic! Do you know what sort of shit I can get into now? No offence boss."
"None taken," Harry muttered under his breath and frowned as Cloud still didn't move.
"Hey, look, Cloud's frozen," Yuffie whispered to Sora from the Gryffindor table. "I wonder what's up?" She suddenly frowned. "Hey… is that Reno?"
Sora curiously turned to face the front of the hall, the rest of Gryffindor catching on that something wasn't right and pausing in their actions to watch the unfolding events.
"Cloud?" Leon asked and tapped the blond on the shoulder.
Cloud jerked and blinked rapidly, his entire body tense as he glanced around, almost hyperventilating.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked before shooting a suspicious glare in the red head's direction. "What did you do to him? He's completely traumatised."
The door to the side suddenly opened and closed and Cloud's eyes focused on the person coming out. Blue eyes met blue and the other man smiled as the blonde's jaw dropped, his mind going blank. "Hey Cloud, long time no see."
Faster than even Leon could see, Cloud had torn out of his grip and tackled the black haired man across the room in a hug, shudders racking his body as sobs began to make themselves known.
"Who's that?" Leon asked Harry, frowning slightly as he watched the man shake his head and wrap his arms around the blond familiarly and rub them up and down in a soothing motion, jealousy beginning to curl in his gut.
"Zack Fair. He has amazing reflexes, and he's the strongest person I know. Aside from Reno you can feed him pretty much anything and it'll wear off almost instantaneously."
"Zack?" He asked, eyes wide as they shot back to the two in the corner.
"Shh, shh," Zack hushed as he met Leon's gaze and nodded a greeting.
Yuffie was suddenly standing beside Leon and she was glaring at Reno murderously. "YOU!" she shrieked and stormed forward. "YOU! I've been waiting so long to get back at you. How DARE you destroy part of my hometown with a vodka bomb! Just so you know it took us WEEKS to restore all the damage you did and get rid of all the confetti! How the fuck did you manage to get that drunk anyway?! And what the HELL have you done to Cloud?! Do you know how traumatised he was when I first met him?! He's STILL fucking traumatised! Every time I pulled out a bottle of juice from the fridge he'd watch me until I put it away! I couldn't even land a prank on him for months when we first met! You owe me BIG TIME! And I want an apology!"
Cloud had stopped sniffling halfway through Yuffie's rant and lifted his head to look over at the furious ninja, who was standing with her hands planted on her hips and ranting in Reno's face.
"Okay, first of all, it was a Molotov cocktail, not a vodka bomb. There's a difference," Reno answered with a pout. "Second, you've seen me before. Why didn't you rant at me then?"
"We were kind of in the middle of a life or death battle in case you don't remember," Yuffie grumbled, her eyebrow twitching as she folded her arms, lower lip sticking out in a pout.
Reno snickered at the memory. "Yeah… that was fun." He suddenly looked at Zack and grinned. "Speaking of pranks…"
Zack grinned back and they both focused on Cloud, who paled.
"No," he began and tried to push himself out of his best friend's arms, who just tightened them. "No."
"Come on Spike, it'll be fun. Just like old times, right Reno?"
"Right you are duck head."
Cloud began struggling as Reno approached with a leering grin and Zack quickly flipped him around so he had a better grip on his wrists. Gritting his teeth, Cloud slammed his foot down into Zack's ankle and tumbled forward as the other SOLDIER member yelped and clutched his foot on reflex, letting him go.
"CATCH HIM!" Zack yelled and Cloud dived out of the way as Reno leapt. Rolling, he darted down the space between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables at a sprint, Reno hot on his heels. Zack dived down the other corridor and sprinted for the main doors.
Halfway down, Cloud's instincts screamed at him to move and he did, the floor exploding behind him just as he leapt up and over the table, skidding down the Ravenclaw table as he landed and flipped again, making a sprint for the main doors, ducking under Zacks spell attack and dodging the wall as it exploded just above his head.
Darting out the doors, Zack and Reno followed barely a second later.
Sighing, Harry gave McGonagall an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, if I'd known that was going to happen I would have given them a warning beforehand, or stopped them from coming."
"You were better off coming with them. Reno in particular tends to get what he wants, and manages to do things that defy logic," Yuffie replied with a shrug.
"You know them?" Harry asked curiously.
"Boy do I. I pity you so much. They drove their previous boss insane."
Harry frowned. "Who was that?"
Yuffie met Leon's gaze and smirked. "Sephiroth."
Leon blinked in surprise. "Sephiroth was Reno and Zack's boss?"
Yuffie shrugged. "Well, he was Zack and Cloud's. Reno was a Turk, but SOLDIER's and Turks often crossed paths."
They all jumped as there was suddenly an explosion outside from somewhere that lit up the windows behind the teachers, and then a crackle of blue light and another explosion. Teachers were suddenly crowding at the windows to see what was happening and students were standing on the bench chairs to see over them.
Leon frowned as his senses tingled and eyes widened as a shadow flew towards the windows in another explosion. "GET DOWN!" He yelled and a few teachers followed the orders and dropped like rocks as something smashed through the windows, shattering glass everywhere, and the brunette put his hand out to stop Harry from flicking a spell at the dark shape. "It's Cloud."
Sure enough, the blond flipped himself, sword drawn, and Leon frowned as he noticed a section missing from it. Barely a second later, Zack smashed through another window with a grin and Reno jumped through an already made hole barely five seconds later, avoiding the sword battle that was taking place between the two ex-SOLDIER's.
Harry blinked and watched as they both leapt into the air, Cloud firing a black light at Zack, who dodged in mid-air, somehow, and pouted. "Hey! No fair using materia!"
"Deal," Cloud grinned and fired another light shot, this one green as he landed on a wall and pushed back in his best friend's direction.
Harry, McGonagall and everyone else froze as Reno, who had been about to go and join them stopped moving. Harry crept forward and poked the red head with his wand. "What the… what kind of magic makes a person stop moving? What sort of spell is that? It doesn't have any of the normal characteristics of a motion spell."
"It's not a spell, its mako infused magic," Leon explained as he watched the battle above him rage on. "Don't worry. It'll wear off in a few minutes."
Zack met Cloud blade for blade and laughed at the serious light in his friend's eyes. "Lighten up Spike. You've been fighting seriously for too long." They disengaged and finally fell, Cloud landing on the Slytherin table, who all jerked back, along with the Ravenclaw's, while Zack landed on the staff table, grinning like a maniac.
"Fair, that's enough. Cut it out," Harry barked angrily. "You're in enough trouble right now as it is. Both you and Tarshil."
"Sorry boss, but I don't think Spike's going to back down from this one."
Leon's stomach dropped as he noticed the blonde's eyes begin glowing. "You'd better clear the students out," he muttered as he unhooked his own weapon from his belt, just in case. "Things are about to get messy."
"What?" Harry asked in alarm. He looked back at his Auror and noticed how the black haired man's eyes suddenly started glowing green, matching Cloud's.
Reno suddenly unfroze and staggered, shaking his head. "What…? Hooooly shit. EVERYBODY RUN!" He yelled and darted down the pathway towards the main doors, Yuffie not far behind him as she grabbed Sora and tugged him along.
"What's going on?" Sora yelled as the rest of the school swarmed after them, screaming loudly.
"You don't want to be around when Cloud activates his Mako," Yuffie yelled back in his ear and they stopped just as there was a loud explosion and the walls and ceiling released a rain of stone dust. Looking back while the rest of the students swarmed out around them, Sora and Yuffie found Zack and Cloud in a stalemate, swords crossed while the air around them rippled with power.
Leon had jumped in front of Harry, swiping through a chunk of stone that came flying at them. It split and landed harmlessly behind them.
As Cloud and Zack traded blows, Leon watched and backed the Auror back towards the main doors, watching the battle raging, trying think of a solution. When he caught sight of the brunette keyblade wielder, he got an idea. "Sora, you've fought Cloud before, haven't you?"
"And won? Maybe…" Sora looked a little wary.
"Good. I want you to stop Zack. I'll tackle Cloud. If they keep going like this," another tremor shook the room, "we'll end up with a ruined room."
"Alright," Sora nodded in agreement, summoning the keyblade. It appeared in his hand, black and creatively designed. He twisted a few times and quickly shed his robes, determining that they were just going to get in the way.
Leon took the keyblade in curiously for the barest moment. He found the fact that the keyblade changed forms depending on its keychain fascinating. He hadn't seen this one.
"You can't be serious," Harry said as he threw his hands up to protect his face from another shockwave as he stumbled back a step. "He's a student! What can Sora do?"
"He's more than a kid," Leon replied and grabbed the keyblader's arm, dragging him forward. "Come on." They made a run for the two swordsmen, Sora heading for Zack while Leon ran for Cloud, gunblade held ready just in case he needed to block to avoid getting cleaved in half.
Just as the two ex-SOLDIER made to go for each other again, both brunette's leapt in between them, Sora clashing blades with Zack and pushing hard to force him into a stalemate, while Leon blocked Cloud's sword from coming down on himself and Sora before tackling his lover, sending them both crashing to the ground, swords being flung to the side with a loud crash.
As the two Restoration Committee members struggled on the ground, Leon trying to pin the blond, Zack and Sora, who had stopped fighting, watched in amusement as Cloud snapped and snarled angrily, his sword lying forgotten.
By the time Leon managed to pin the blond in a way that he couldn't get up, they were both breathing heavily, Leon sitting on his lovers lower back, knees pinning Cloud's arms to his sides while he pushed his palms down on the SOLDIER's shoulders.
"Calm down," Leon murmured in the blonde's ear. "You're going to end up killing someone."
Cloud closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, and when he opened his eyes again, the green light had faded, leaving them blue and clear with only their usual faint streaks of green.
Getting up slowly, Leon held out a hand for his boyfriend to grip. Cloud did so and Leon pulled him up. Cloud gave him a small embarrassed smile and quickly let go, turning to pick his sword up before turning to Zack and holding a hand out.
Zack chuckled nervously and handed the sword piece back over. "You know we were only joking, didn't you Spike?"
"I know," Cloud murmured with a smile as he put his Buster sword back together, slinging it back into its carry sling on his back. "But it's been a while since I've fought with another SOLDIER. It brought back memories."
"Good ones I hope," Zack laughed as he slung an arm around his best friend's shoulders.
"Yeah, I think so," Cloud agreed with a smile as he blushed a little and hugged his friend back. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Same here Spike. Now, are you going to introduce me to your very cute friend?"
Leon blushed uncomfortably and Sora grinned wickedly.
"Zack, this is Leon," Cloud introduced, also grinning. "Leon, this is Zack, my best friend from when we were in SOLDIER. I've told you about him a few times."
"I remember," Leon replied and held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Zack shook it. "It's good to meet you too. I'm glad Cloudster's got someone he can rely on."
Leon nodded.
"You know, I would have thought scar face would have been more jealous," Reno was heard from the doorway. They all turned to find him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed and talking to a laughing Yuffie and a smirking Riku.
Leon and Cloud both sighed while Zack laughed, slinging a familiar arm around the blonde's neck again. "Come on you lot, let's finish eating. I'm starved."
"It's your fault in the first place," Cloud grumbled, allowing himself to be led to the staff table, snagging Leon's hand as he was dragged away.
The others took that as a sign that they could and the staff and students began to warily creep back into the Great Hall.
Minerva fixed Harry with an unimpressed look, and he flinched, giving her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea they would do this. I'll talk to them both and make sure the proper actions are taken."
She sighed and shook her head, looking back at Cloud, Leon and Zack all settling back at the staff table, Zack already having Cloud laughing about something and Leon smiling slightly. Reno quickly joined them and Cloud did introductions. They both shook hands, Reno sitting in his seat again as he joined the conversation with a smirk and a cocky comment. "They're certainly an interesting bunch."
Sora was fiddling with his key charms that night before bed. Albus watched him curiously, as did most of the dorm when Sora unclipped one that looked like a ghost and put them on the bed.
"What are they for?" Albus asked curiously as he put the book away and crept over to his friend's bed to check out the charms.
"The keyblade," Sora replied as he summoned the keyblade, ignoring the squawks of surprise from his other dorm mates, and flipped the weapon around, changing the keychain. It grew a little misty when the black crown shaped keychain came off it, and when the ghost keychain was clipped on, Albus blinked in surprise as the Keyblade flashed and it's shape went from looking like a sharp looking key to a twisty one with candy cane colouring and a skeleton face.
"Whoa…"
Sora looked at the keyblade contemplatively before placing it beside him on the bed and flicking through the bundle of chains again. "Hmm…"
"Where did you get them all?" Hugo asked curiously as he crept over as well, most of the other boys taking that as the signal that they could approach as well.
Sora blinked and looked down at the bundle. "From various worlds."
"Which ones are your favourite?" Peter, a sandy blond haired boy asked curiously.
Sora smiled and picked out Hero's Crest, Bond of Flame, Oathkeeper, and Ultima. "This one, this one, and…. This one."
"How'd you get them?" Hugo asked curiously as he crawled onto Sora's bed to peer over his shoulder better.
"From friends, and some enemies," Sora replied with a shrug. "A couple just appeared. Others I made."
"Weird…"
"Does a normal keychain change the shape of the keyblade?" Albus asked curiously. "Or does it have to be something keyblade related?"
"Mmm…. Not sure," Sora replied thoughtfully. "I guess it would work the same way though with normal key chains. I'm not sure how effective they would be in a fight though."
"Why would you need to fight?" George, a dark haired boy asked curiously, glancing at the spikey haired teen.
Sora shrugged and unclipped the Zero shaped keychain off the keyblade, and replaced it with Ultima. "Lots of reasons." The keyblade flashed into the long colourful and delicate shape of his most powerful keyblade – the one he'd used to bring down Xemnas.
Nodding in satisfaction, he closed his eyes and summoned the second keyblade he owned, placing Ultima to the side.
"Whoa…."
The awe was ignored as Sora unclipped Oathkeeper and put Two Across on. He looked at it thoughtfully afterwards. Two across had the checker pattern he'd learnt Roxas favoured when he saw that photo from Twilight Town. Maybe that was why this particular keyblade appealed to him?
Sighing, he dismissed both the keyblades and placed the chains back onto their loop and placed them in his trunk.
"Where do they go?" Albus asked curiously.
Sora blinked curiously and sat back, looking at his friend in confusion. "Where does what go?"
"The keyblades, when they vanish? Where do they come from?"
The brunette smiled and closed the lid of his trunk. "They live in my heart. I just summon them when I need them."
That statement was met with silence.
"What?" Sora asked, blinking in confusion at his dorm mates. "It makes perfect sense."
"It makes no sense," Hugo retorted.
"It does too!"
"No, it doesn't," Hugo argued, frowning.
"It does!" Sora protested loudly, frowning.
"Alright, Hugo, enough," Albus interjected loudly with a sigh. "Come on, we both know Sora's strange. He could rival Aunty Luna."
Hugo narrowed his eyes before shaking his head. "Nah, he couldn't. Aunty Luna is verging on insane. Sora's just strange."
Sora pouted and crossed his arms. "I'm not strange."
"You are," Came the dorms reply, right before the door was heard swinging open. They all quickly scattered as the Gryffindor prefect stepped into the room, sunshine blond hair flashing in the lamplight and robes swishing around his legs.
"Come on, time for bed you lot. It's getting late."
There were grumbles and whines but they all complied, beginning to get changed or crawling into bed.
Sora yawned and crawled under his covers. Definitely time for sleep. Pulling the covers up to his chin, Sora yawned again and listened to the people around him getting ready for bed, talking quietly. He rolled over and smiled. The scuffle reminded him of the times he travelled with Donald and Goofy while looking for Riku and Kairi. It was a good noise.
He drifted right off.
Tbc~
Well, I hope you're all enjoying this so far. I know I'm enjoying writing it. ^_^ The next couple of chapters have been so much fun to write (still am writing them and getting a good laugh out of them) so when I get them up I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I have. *grins* To help me post faster though, reviews are always good. :p I seem to get inspired by reading all your comments, and thanks to everyone that's reviewed so far. You're all awesome!
Love ya all!
Vex
