Juukai saaaaayz: Sorry for the long wait! Seriously, so, so sorry! I kind of had a few person issues going on that absolutely killed my motivation to do anything. And then to top it off, I was having a bit of indecision about what I was going to do with the story when I started wanting to write again. God, I'm turning into such a bad person when it comes to meeting deadlines for myself. 3 But hopefully it will get better now. Thank you to the band Metro Station for giving me some inspiration back. XD
Disclaimer: I OWN NOT THE CHARACTERS YOU SEE, ONLY THE ORDER THE WORDS ARE IN AND THE IDEA BEHIND THEM. Thanks.
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Chapter 6
Getting the Larxene stamp of approval was the highlight for the few days before the pre-classes party for Riku. Axel ended up dragging him around the dorm halls a lot of the time after their own room was deemed complete. First they helped make sure that Demyx was situated in his room with Xigbar. Axel had told Demyx that Xigbar wasn't really that bad, and it had taken a little time for that realization to set in. Part of that time was spent with Axel and Riku keeping Demyx from just running away from "Xiggles".
"They're roommates," Axel had said when neither of the parties were paying attention, "they have to spend at least a little time getting to know each other. I love the kid, but I don't want him in our room all the time getting away from the one-eyed-wonder."
Xigbar, Riku soon found out, was a tall man. He looked a little bit older than the rest of the students that Riku had seen around campus thus far, except maybe for Xaldin. He had graying black hair, which he explained was just premature gray and that his family was known for it, that was always tied in a low ponytail whenever the visitors showed up. The ponytail went down nearly to the small of his back. He was tanned enough to make Riku believe that he was well accustomed to beach life. (That, and he liked to use the term "dude" a lot, and his general accent just screamed surfer-junky.) He had a nasty scar on the left side of his face, and on the other side was his missing eye. Demyx said that he slept without his patch but, just like the hair tie, it was always on by the time they got there.
Xigbar was a strange character, but no stranger than any of the others in Axel and Demyx's main group, Riku thought. Through all this, Riku couldn't really understand why Demyx had been so afraid of the man. Sure, the first time or three that Riku saw him he had to try to keep himself from staring at the scar and eye patch, but he wasn't really that creepy. He was pretty nice, and he had a good sense of humor. Riku preferred his to Larxene's, and maybe a little of Axel's, even.
Riku and Axel soon saw that Xigbar had a couple other scars littering his body. There was one on his left arm, a long one on his chest, and a grisly one on his back. They never found out exactly where he got all the scars from or what had happened to his eye simply because Riku was too polite to ask, and he elbowed Axel every time he went to. But otherwise, he should have seemed completely normal to Dem. He was a far more "stable" (as Axel phrased it) person than Demyx himself, and hadn't shown any signs of being a mass murderer yet.
As far as unpacking went, they were mostly helping Demyx. The bouncy brunette had his side of the room mostly built of blues and greens that reminded Riku a little of the ocean , just like Xigbar's speech. Axel explained that the boy had a fondness for all things water, and all creatures water related. He was a firm believer of going out in the rain and puddle hopping or having water fights in the middle of the summer. They helped him get everything set up and organized to his heart's content. Axel even went out with him and, against his better judgment, bought him two small fish and proceeded to help Demyx set up their new home. He named them Spooky, a tiny little black moor, and Sparkles Jr., a pretty little shimmery gold fish.
Xigbar really didn't need their
help except for someone to hold a few ends of posters to make sure
they weren't crooked or anything while they got hung. His shelves
for his books almost appeared over night and were basically made up
of crates.
"It's not fair," Demyx pouted, "all he did
was put the crates on their sides and he was done!"
"Sorry, little dude," Xigbar cut in, grinning broadly. "You learn tricks like that over the years. Maybe I'll give 'em to you at the end of the year." He clapped Demyx on the back and went back to making his bed in a series of ashy grey and blue sheets.
The rest of the free time they had was spent in Zexions room, oddly enough. His room looked almost bare in comparison to Demyx and Xigbar's. Where Xigbar and Demyx had been quick to brand their walls with band and movie posters and a few random pictures of family and friends, Zexion had nothing, so far. He had been given permission to paint his room as long as he painted it back to its old color before he left, or his deposit would be forfeit. Axel helped out with the painting, Riku just watched and made sure that they didn't start to get high from the paint fumes. Sure, Axel called him a lazy bastard on more than one account for it, but he didn't hold too many ties with Zexion just yet, and the guy only had two paint brushes. He wasn't going to kick one of the other two out of work. And it kept him mostly out of the way, because every once in a while when Axel would grow bored, he'd make sure to coat someone in the off blue, almost purple, paint.
"Axel, for the last time," Riku growled, wiping off a streak of paint from above his eyebrow, "if you paint me and not the walls, I'm going to take one of your lighters to those brand new, tender tattoos when you fall asleep tonight."
Axel snickered at him, not even bothering to feign innocence anymore as he turned back to the walls. Zexion had already done most of the walls on his own by then, but Axel had done his fair share, and he hadn't even made much of a mess besides what he'd flung at Riku or when he'd walked by and "accidently" swiped him with his brush. He was finishing up the closet doors, which happened to be next to the chair Riku was inhabiting, while Zexion was taking a breather out in the hall to get some fresher air going through his system.
"Always with the threats, never with the action." He turned to grin back at Riku, his own face smudged with the not-quite purple paint. The color almost matched his tattoos. "So," he leaned one bony hip against the bed post that had been moved out away from the walls for the painting, "you coming to the party tomorrow night?"
Riku cocked his head slightly to the side, eyeing Axel. He still remembered the last hangover he got partying with him. "What party?"
He received a sigh for that. "THE party. The one that Demyx and I were talking about last time we were in his room." Axel groaned at the blank look he got. "You're supposed to pay attention to what I say all day, every day."
Riku almost wanted to slap that arrogant smile off of his face, but Zexion made his entrance and distracted him. "When Xigbar and Xaldin were freshman one of their friends started the tradition of having a party before the semester starts, and they passed it along to our group."
Riku held up a hand to stop him. "Wait. I thought no one but Axel really knew Xigbar, and he didn't even know him that well before he was stuck in a room with Demyx."
"None of us knew him personally," Zexion explained, beginning to remove some of the painters tape from the doorframe, "but most of us have known Xaldin since our first week. He has a thing for taking freshmen under his wing and making sure they understand the campus and how things work."
This came as a mild shock to Riku. The big wall of flesh and dreads was a little intimidating and he didn't seem the kind to be so nice. Although that seemed to be kind of a consistency, considering he knew from meal time experiences that Lexeaus was a gentle giant.
"Demyx and I are playing for the party. Hence my disappearance every night after dinner," Axel said over his shoulder, preparing a tape ball of his own that would most likely be launched Riku's way before they left.
"And here I thought I was just lucky enough that you would be a social butterfly and leave me alone every night until it's your bed time." Riku smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, not bothering to move and help. Zexion didn't seem to care, and he wasn't about to go near Axel when there was still wet paint on the walls and he had a sticky ball in his hands.
"Ha, ha," Axel retorted, sarcasm plentiful and deep in his voice. "Demyx always helps me practice. Whether it's for a play, or singing, both, or just some jam time. And I always pay him back by going out with him whenever he feels like playing that silly sitar of his in the rain, or when he decides one of his songs would be better if part of it was done by me."
Riku stared for a moment, internally smiling at the sound of the depth of the friendship that the two had, even though Axel seemed to pick on the poor kid so ruthlessly. "Can't wait to hear you two at the party… Maybe if I get you drunk enough again it could be truly amusing."
"Lighter. Sleep. It won't be pretty," Axel growled, glaring evilly at Riku with zero effect and no intention to follow it through. "We're pretty damn good on our own, ya know." He stood up, looking as overly confident as usual. "And I don't know if it stuck the last time you were told, but I play a mean guitar."
"They were a big hit last year," Zexion threw in quietly, watching them banter between the clumps of his bangs.
"Well, yeah. Demyx is going here for music, after all," Axel trailed off, using one short fingernail to try and pry loose a long strip of tape from the wall. "He would have a good ear for that kinda thing."
Riku looked between the two, then sighed. "I'll go. Since we don't have any schoolwork yet I really don't have anything better to do anyway."
Axel smirked broadly; his canine's looking longer and giving the grin a wolfish appearance. "You know, we could ditch the party and find something better to do."
Zexion snorted as Riku spluttered, finding great amusement in the comment and reaction. It was clear that there was the potential for something there, or it had already begun.
"Axel, keep your delusional fantasies to yourself!" Riku finally managed to retort, his voice pitched just slightly higher than normal. It only made Axel's smirk grow.
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Riku tugged lightly at the hem of his shirt, feeling very much the out of place stranger. The crowd was surprisingly big for the party, and he had excused himself to a nearly empty corner of the auditorium they were inhabiting. Larxene had passed by at some point before the official start of the party and had tried to drag him out of his seclusion, but he refused to be forced from his spot. There had been a muttered rude name or two when she finally left him alone, but at that point he knew her well enough to know that she really didn't mean them. Xaldin had passed by at some point, playing the good host although he didn't say more than three words to him, and Xigbar could be heard over most of the crowd telling some rambunctious story or another to whoever would listen. A couple of times he caught a glimpse of the one-eyed man, and Riku could tell that he was really in his element in the big turnout.
Some other members that he'd met at meals were seen in small breaks of the crowd, but key members that he knew a little better than the others were missing. Like Zexion. The quiet youth hadn't been seen at all yet in the hustle and bustle of the festivities, which struck Riku as kind of odd. He sounded like one of the ones that was interested in this particular party for whatever personal reasons. His dunce of a roommate was also missing, but he supposed it had something to do with the fact that the band wasn't even on yet. People were starting to get a little anxious to hear some music, though, so Riku knew that it wouldn't be long before Demyx, Axel, and whoever else would be helping them play came on.
As he was getting his third soda, some ice cream flavor-gone traitor and turned beverage, sea salt or something, the lights dimmed a bit. There was a stage tucked away opposite of where Riku was hiding away as best as he could and there seemed to be mist pouring out from beneath the still closed curtains. One spotlight flickered into life, brightening the one spot Demyx just happened to be checking the crowd from, blinding the poor boy and sending him reeling back where he belonged behind stage. If the whole room hadn't have been laughing, Riku was sure that he could have probably heard Axel laughing hysterically at the blonde.
The curtains parted after a moment, and neither Demyx or Axel were anywhere to be seen, though their fog machine was still going strong and adding an eerie background to Xaldin, who was standing directly in the center of the stage. Some of the crowd looked curious, while others just shook their head and went back to previous conversations. Obviously they knew what was happening and didn't care.
"Alright everyone, shut the hell up," Xaldin growled into the mic, looking out expectantly into the throng. A couple people refused to follow directions, and Xaldin silenced them when he shouted their names and reminded them that he knew all their dirty secrets, being a bar tender to the drunk and loose tongued.
"Now I know a few of you don't like this part," he continued when he had his sought after silence, "but you were all newbies once, too, so shut the hell up and let me do to them what I did to you."
Riku didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but listened obediently as he sipped on his soda.
"I want you all to treat these guys nicely, got it? If I hear about trash-canning the half-pints, or duct taping them to the walls or any of that nonsense, I'll make your life a living hell, because I got ways of figuring out who did what on this campus." Riku grinned, knowing that Xaldin would never really be all the rough unless someone really pissed him off. He'd heard enough from the gang to know a lot better. And from the smiles on most of the faces of the people there, Riku also knew that it was common knowledge. "You know the drill, Larx. Shine the light on the new guys."
And Xaldin was off and running with the names of new freshman, and each terrified individual, or overconfident one, and there was no in between, had the light shone on them. It picked each out expertly in the swarm of students, causing Riku to think that Larxene was truly enjoying her job and that she had been introduced to everyone at some point in time. He was actually zoning out a bit, feeling sorry for the poor saps who were basically getting embarrassed in Xaldin's attempt to both protect them and get other people to notice and make friends with them. That was until he was blinded by the spotlight himself. He froze, staring stiffly in horror out at the crowd for being singled out.
"And last, Riku Staley. He's not a Freshman, but still new to Traverse Town none-the-less." He was interrupted when Xigbar suddenly crawled up onto the stage, pushing his friend aside with gentle force.
"Stop boring the kids and let them have some fun already, Fuzzy Face," the scarred man ordered cheerfully into his partner's microphone before he turned back to the mass of bodies. "You guys wanna hear some music, right?"
The general consensus was a yes, or so the deafening roar signaled. Xigbar threw an arm around Xaldin's neck, much to the others apparent dislike, and dragged him out of the light, but the curtains closed before Riku could see if they were heading backstage or to a way back down to the main floor of the party. There was a few moments where there were a few murmurings of the crowd, but now with the promise of music, they were mostly waiting for the blast of noise instead of starting up old interrupted conversations. The lights changed from white to red and blue before the curtains opened again. Demyx and Axel were on stage, both bent over their instruments in a way that implied lifelessness or sleep.
Whereas Riku had expected Demyx to be playing a guitar or his sitar, he was hunched over a keyboard instead. Riku couldn't exactly see his clothes, but they looked dramatic and outlandish, like they belonged to a rocker in the '70s or '80s, even from the small glimpses he was getting. He thought he saw a corset kind of shirt with silver lacing or straps going around his chest and arms that caught the light and reflected it beautifully. Axel was the one bent over a guitar, wearing a tank top that exposed much of his flat stomach. He had fingerless gloves on his hands, and he was slowly strumming out the beginning of a throbbing tune. Somewhere in the background, in the dark where the lights didn't touch and the smoke poured thickly from the dry ice machines someone played a dull, slow beat to match Axel's guitar. As the tempo picked up, Demyx began to add a few key strokes here and there. As the song picked up more and more, they began to straighten back up, dull and dead expressions on their faces.
As the song finally was getting fast paced and very techno, and the crowd was starting to break into dance, they finally grinned and Demyx leaned forward to start singing into the mic that was positioned in front of his keyboard perfectly to catch his voice. Axel had one, too, in front of where he had started off the playing, but he was now moving around, standing over next to or behind his mullet-haired friend, moving back closer to the invisible drummer, though being careful to stay in the light, and back by his microphone by the time Demyx and he were into the next song and he needed to move in to provide backup vocals.
Even more surprising than their outfits, which were precisely what they had appeared to be even when the redhead and blonde had been bent over, was that they were doing an amazing job at performing. Their voices were a perfect harmony, as was their playing. From Riku's memory of their party night, he knew that they had been good, but the alcohol must have caused them a little trouble that night, because they were doing much better now.
While the two played and sung their hearts out on the stage, Riku began to move around. He found that Naminé had forced Xaldin into dancing with her, though he looked a little uncomfortable. To spectators it just looked like if he wasn't careful he might break her, which could have been why he looked so awkward. When Axel and Demyx calmed down a bit and Axel slung his guitar over his shoulder so that it rested upside down behind his back, grabbed the microphone set up for him, and started singing in a low, amazingly seductively yet sweet voice that Riku never would have thought could come from that mouth . He saw couples form and get in close to dance to the slow lulling notes of Demyx's keys and Axel's voice. Riku even saw Vincent give in to Cid's pouts and held him close while rocking slowly back and forth. It was all very cute, but it made Riku feel a twinge of loneliness and brought to mind images of Sora that made him wince and excuse himself outside for a moment, where he waited with the smokers until the song was over. He preferred not to think of Sora when he could help it.
When it was finally time for the band to take a break, he was finally managing to mingle with some people he knew who weren't trying to dance, or refusing the big eyed girls who were asking him to join them when the time came. Without any warning from Lexeaus he was jumped from behind by Demyx, who latched his arms tightly around his neck and wrapped his legs loosely around him for a brief second before he let go.
"Riku! You came!" The fact was mysteriously a surprise.
"Yeah… Didn't Axel tell you I would?"
"Nah, wanted to surprise the shrimp," the redhead's voice informed over the filler music that was filtering through the room's speaker systems while they took a breather. He was grinning evilly as he reached over and ruffled the blonde's hair lightly.
"Hey, knock that off," Demyx screeched, reaching up to protect the precious locks. "We still have to go back on, you know, and you're messing it all up!"
"Yeah, yeah. Like it doesn't already look like a rat's nest," Axel sighed, before flashing Riku an arrogant smirk. "So, about ready to drop on your knees before our greatness and ask us to sign your forhead?"
The silverette snorted, crossing his arms. It was definitely his Axel. "From that little show? Please. It takes a lot more to get me to worship you. Give me another hour of music and a few good opportunities to get some blackmail pictures of you in these outfits, and I might consider it."
Demyx looked slightly, yet comically, offended. "I'll have you know I made these!"
"Out of things he found at the thrift store," Axel snickered. "He won't admit it, but he worship's this weird guy that's a bigger flaming homo than I could ever hope to be that wears the weirdest clothes whenever he performs. Name of Setzer or something like that…"
"He is not a flaming homo! Shut up Axel!" Demyx screeched, stomping his foot. Before either could even laugh at him for such a silly display, he turned on his heel and walked away, stopping only to speak with Naminé.
"Did you just insult his favorite teddy bear or something?" Riku asked, confused.
"Nah, it's one of the rock stars that was really only known on the main islands when he was popular. It was like… back a couple decades." Axel was looking out over the crowd, not even really paying attention to Riku that much at that point. "So, were they enjoying the show? With those lights on we can't really see out into the audience."
Riku stared at him for a moment, not really wanting to feed that monstrous ego before he realized that Axel really needed the encouragement, that he really needed that boost, because that ego was mostly just a show. On the outside, Axel looked perfectly at ease just eyeing the crowd, but he caught a hint of fear in those bright green eyes. His sarcastic retort stopped in his throat, and he coughed it unconvincingly away. Axel turned a skeptical look on him, fearing that it was a polite cough to indicate that they hadn't done so well perhaps, but Riku went on before his low esteem in his show could run away with him.
"You guys were great," he managed to keep his face unreadable, not wanting to give the tattooed redhead too much to play off of. It was hard enough complimenting him after that bowing comment as it was. "Everyone was dancing, and they were cheering loud enough even for your deaf ass to hear."
Axel grinned from ear to ear, slinging an arm around Riku's shoulders. "Awesome! Nah, I really couldn't hear over the music, and I was trying to concentrate mostly on playing. I'm still a little new to some of Demyx's latest creations, so I didn't want to screw it up and get an earful from that small fry later. He can be a pissant where his music is concerned."
Riku looked out through the crowd, ignoring the lengthy limb invading his personal space. He spied Demyx, still bothering Naminé, though he was beginning to drag her off closer to the stage, Xaldin and Xigbar following in his wake. "Seeing how excited he is about this, I would believe it." The kid was absolutely glowing, even without Larxene's expert lighting effects.
Axel sighed dramatically, plucking the soda from Riku's grasp and taking a long drink. "You should see the kid when he's got his hands on some studio time and he wants me to help in a recording. You think he jumps around and chatters like a chipmunk when you give him sugar, you should really see him then."
Riku grabbed his soda back from Axel as he was in the middle of his second drink, making him splutter and cough. "You want something to drink, get your own, you mooch." He shook the can, sighing heavily when he discovered that Axel had finished it off in that simple drink and a half. "Jerk."
Axel cackled, ruffling his hair. "Nah, I gotta get my skinny ass back on stage, anyway. We're almost done, anyway. Xaldin plays Daddy and doesn't let the party last too long since school's about to start up. He knows that if we really want, we'll party in our own rooms or our buddy's, but at least he doesn't have to listen to his conscience if someone that was here misses classes."
Sending Axel a scathing glare, he grumbled, "then get back up there, idiot, and leave me and my drinks alone."
In less than ten minutes Axel was gone, and he'd managed to track down Demyx and drag him back on stage enthusiastically. The music that had been pouring through the speakers through some hidden stereo stopped, and an orange light now shown through onto the curtain. Somewhere along the line in the few minutes they had back stage before the curtains opened, their outfits had changed to something equally as outdated and theatrical. Larxene must have practiced with them at some point, because the colors she used and the timing she had with the music was impeccable, and it had Riku staring. At one point Naminé herself came and asked him to dance, and he just couldn't seem to refuse her as he could the others.
It wasn't as awkward as he would have predicted, and after the first dance, he was actually enjoying himself. A couple of the other group members, including some of the new students that had also been singled out that he didn't really know, joined them after a while and they all formed a circle. The night passed quickly after that, and soon the last dance was called, a slow, smooth melody where Demyx sung gently in his sweet, almost child-like voice he got when he was trying to sing low and soft. Axel treated his guitar like an old lover, playing it perfectly and gently with tender experience.
When the party ended and Xaldin shooed every attendee out of the auditorium, Demyx and Axel stayed behind to get all their equipment together. Riku and Xigbar stayed behind with Xaldin since they were roommates and buddies with the people working, so they lent a hand in the cleanup to give them something to do while they waited for the others. Everyone still had a bit of an excitement buzz going, so the work didn't take long to complete, and soon they were minus one side-burned man and on their way back to their rooms. Classes started the next day, although they were all the later classes. Classes that started earlier in the day wouldn't begin until the day after, just to get teachers and students back into the way of things. All the students who partied to bring in the new year would be able to sleep in a little, though not as much some, such as Axel, would have liked. And of course, this also meant that Axel would have to wake up Riku, which he had learned could be a very dangerous affair. After the incident of their first morning, Axel had felt confident that he could wake his roomie without incident, especially since he had managed to fall asleep alone in his own bed. This was not so, he found out as he nearly got his hand bit off.
"You dudes did awesome tonight!" Xigbar congratulated, clapping Axel on the back as they walked slowly back up their stairs. Axel had his guitar and one amp in hand, while Demyx had already dropped off all of his gear in one of the music rooms. He'd left early to accomplish it and still catch up, but Xigbar wasn't about to let anyone complain since it kept his room from getting too cluttered with his roomies stuff. "Seriously, you have to have a concert sometime before the years up so I can drag ol' Fuzzy Face along. That would make a pretty radical send off fer all us seniors, ya know."
"Yeah, yeah, Patchy,' Axel sighed, rubbing his eyes while he balanced his guitar case precariously against the wall to wait for someone to open the hall door. "Ask me when I'm not completely wiped, 'kay? That gig exhausted me."
"Aww, c'mon Ax!" Demyx piped up, ushering the spikey haired youth through. "You can't be serious? I thought you were the partier of the group. Even last year you would have been looking for a drink or two and some more laughs after a lot more playing than that."
"Don't call me Ax," he growled, forcing himself up the stairs. "And that was when we didn't have all those friggen lights and a live crowd in those days, Dem. So shut up and let me be old and tired."
Riku snorted, doubting that Axel even knew how to even act old, let alone be old.
"Alright, kiddies. To your separate corners," Xigbar interjected, grabbing Demyx lightly by the back of his neck and dragging him towards their side of the hallway. "See you runts tomorrow at classes. Be good now!"
Axel didn't even look back over his shoulder; he just waved sluggishly with his guitar case, trudging off to their door. "See ya."
Riku gave a short wave, unlocking and opening the door for a truly exhausted looking Axel. He was staring off into space, moving only after Riku had given up holding the door open for him and had entered himself. The redhead kicked the door shut, dumped his instruments carefully but lazily at the foot of his bed, managed to get his shoes off without even touching them, and landed on his bed. He moved only once then to put his cell phone on the floor next to him and pull his blankets up to cover his gangly form. Riku took the time to strip down to his boxers and put his wallet and phone where they belonged before he crawled into his own bed, and while he burrowed in to his own sheets and blankets because their air conditioning unit was set low enough to call for it, he heard a muffled goodnight emanate from the maroon and black mass across from him. Smiling softly, Riku murmured a response before turning over and relaxing so that sleep could take him away.
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And there you have it! All done and ready for your eyez. Enjoy it, yes? Those other shorts will be coming up soon, I promise. In the meantime, I thank all of you who have stuck along with me up till now, especially since it's been 3 months or over since the last chapter update. Coming up in the next chapter are classes and a little surprise since our boys are acting students, after all! But in the meantime here are the review replies! -
ToraYashaChan- Lol, thank you very much. I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so much! Especially the banter, which I try hard to keep funny but not forced. w; You'll just have to stick with me and find out if they ever actually realize they want each other a little more than either lets on. :D
Avi den Kanashimi- Sorry about the distracting missing characters. I have a beta, but we both tend to miss stuff every once in a while. But thank you for reviewing. I appreciate it very much. And my campus was like this, but you just have to find those people that make it this amazing, I guess. Lol.
Rulisu- Where to start? I've never gotten such a long review before! It made me want to cry with joy, and I will fully admit that I was rearing to write after reading it. It was so flattering, yet I could tell that you were being honest all at the same time. Thank you so much! Seriously! And yes, that would be Goddess, even though I don't tend to agree ; But thanks again for the compliments. I've tried so hard with this story, and that people love it is amazing and nearly worth tears for me. I do want to be an author one day, and so I see this as practice, and it helps to broaden my writing abilities. I try to make the characters talk as I know real people do today; a lot of the dialogue style is based off of how my own friends and I talked to one another while I was in school. And yet with all that I also wanted to make sure I stayed true with how Disney and Squeenix designed these simply divine characters. Promise that you'll see where all that foreshadowing was going, please? I swear, I do have somewhere I'm going with all of this, and I would like to hit 20 chapters at least! :3
And special thanks to ILoveNumber8- Hope, XXAkurokuXXLoveXX, Marlin Lette, Favrite of Chaos, and namikun masaki for the lovely reviews. Really, if it wasn't for all of you guys, I wouldn't even want to finish this as quickly! Love you all! w
