Disclaimer: Yeah, I wish.
-/-
"Follow me." Riku had said. He and the twins weaved through the other students and around to the west side of the institute. He led them to a small window and after motioning to them to be quiet and checking to make sure no one else had followed Riku pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and unlocked it. "If you two never tell anyone about this we'll live to see graduation." He popped the window opened and slipped inside.
"Don't worry. Our lips are sealed." Sora replied as he and Roxas dropped into the room via the small window. "This some kind of storage room?" The place was cluttered with broken desks, gym equipment, and cleaning supplies. Cleaning supplies that he could tell was never used by looking at the dozens of cobwebs surrounding them and the layers of dust the covered everything.
"Yeah." Riku knocked the junk sitting on one of the unbroken desks on the floor and sat on the now cleaned surface. Roxas followed his example and Sora simply settled on an upturned bucket. "Here's the deal. The school boards have been fighting for decades on consolidation."
"Consolidation? What, you mean with the institute and Destiny?" It made some sense to Roxas.
"Yep, it's because the schools were built so closely together, but you know spoiled little rich boys have spoiled rich parents. They keep the pressure on the school boards to keep the schools separate. Probably because they don't want their future moguls mingling with lower and middle class kids, but they don't have the board completely in their pockets. As sort of a trial basis on consolidation the board created two electives that can be taken as coed only for the institute. You sign up for these classes and you take them with Destiny High students." Sora groaned.
"They're probably impossible to get in to too." He could just imagine the amount of boys who'd already signed up. The classes had to be filled by now. He might as well say goodbye to his chances of ever meeting her. Maybe if I sneak out after sunset I can jump the fence without worrying about these two stopping me. No, that won't work! She won't be at school after sunset, you retard… I just insulted myself.
"They are impossible to get in to, if you don't know the right people." Riku waved the clipboard in front of Sora's face and once he read what it said he snatched it out of the older teen's hand and bounced to his feet.
"Hell yeah! What are you waiting for? Sign us up!"
"Sora, can I see that?" Sora handed the clipboard to his brother and after Roxas cracked it over his head he immediately wished he hadn't. "What's the story on these classes?"
"Theatre Arts is taught by Mr. Skellington. Unless you like show tunes it's not a class I'd recommend; Home Economics is a good choice though. Mrs. Potts teaches that one."
"Sounds good. Sign us up." Sora childishly stuck his tongue out at Roxas while he nursed the growing lump on his head.
-/-
"You wanted to see me, Diz-er I mean, sir?" Ansem chuckled softly and closed his office door.
"It's all right, Riku. We're not among staff. You may call me Diz in private." Seven years ago Riku had picked up the habit of calling him that. Before he had used the name Mr. Wise for his adoptive parent. Despite the fact that Ansem was at one point in time his mother's husband, the man was not his father and Riku didn't feel comfortable referring to him as such. It was, however, at Ansem insistence of Riku calling him something other than Mr. Wise that the name Diz came about. "Have you finished your assignment?"
"Yes sir." Riku adverted his eyes after handing over the clipboard, but he had enough self control not to fidget while Ansem studied the names.
"And these boys are sincerely interested in taking the classes? No overactive hormones?"
"None that I know of." He said all but glaring at the many degrees and awards hanging on the walls in his determination to not look at the principal. This time Ansem didn't just chuckle, he laughed, loudly.
"You're a horrible liar, son. I think it's best that I add your name to this list as well so that you may keep an eye on the ones you snuck in. Theatre Arts, perhaps?" A look of absolute horror crossed Riku's face. "Home Economics it is then."
"Yippe." The Strife twins weren't the only ones he'd, as Ansem put it, snuck in.
-/-
"Let's see, our first class is Biology with Dr. Finkelstein. Second period is Phys Ed with Mr. Saytr, he sounds familiar doesn't he?"
"I think he used to be a famous boxing coach or something like that."
"Aa." Sora picked up where he left off. "Basic Computers with Mr. Bradly, okay I know I've heard of this guy before."
"You should have. He had diner at our house two weeks ago." Roxas rapped his knuckles on his brother's head. "ENCOM? Tron? Big contract and partnership with Strife Enterprise? Any of this ringing a bell for you?"
"Shut up." Sora remembered him now, but why was such an important man working for the institute? "Anyway after that we have Geometry, yuck, with Mr. Porter. Then there's lunch, Language with Ms. Porter, must be related, History with Mr. Sid, and finally Home Ec with Mrs. Potts. Man, it's the last class of the day."
"Look at it this way Sora. You'll have plenty of time to practice what you'll say to her." Roxas was only joking, but by the panicked expression on his brother's face he knew Sora was taking him seriously.
"Crap! I haven't even thought of that! I don't even know what I'm going to wear! Ahh! What did Mom pack for us?" He was pacing the length of the hallway, pulling at his hair and babbling like a lunatic. "What if I open my mouth and nothing comes out or worse? Oh God, what if I stutter or have bad breath?"
"Okay little bro, you're officially starting to scare me." Doesn't know what he's going to wear? Either he's forgotten that we wear our uniforms in every class or he's completely lost it.
"I don't know what I was thinking. I can't do this! I can't-Omfp!" He apparently couldn't walk and ramble insanely at the same time without bumping into someone. "Sorry, man, didn't see you there." He reached a hand down to help up the guy he'd laid flat.
"Man? Look pal, just because I work here and have short hair doesn't mean I'm a guy. I'll have you know I-Sora?"
"Yeah, that's my name." He pulled the lady to her feet and took a good look at her. "Yuffie? Whoa!" It was amazing how such a small woman could give such bone crushing hugs. "Yuffie? Yuffie, Sora can't breathe, dear." He gasped. She released him and caught Roxas in a headlock before he could get away.
"I can't believe this." She said while grinding her fist into Roxas's head. She really missed giving him noogies. "The last time I saw you guys you barely reached my waist." Looking at them now she didn't know if they were just very short for their age or if she was really tall. They were roughly the same height.
"Yuffie, stop! I'm not a little kid anymore. You can't do this!"
"Hah! As long as I can still get you in a headlock Roxy, I can give you a noogie." Yuffie let him go anyway and he would have fell to the ground had Sora not caught him by the arm. "I should have known you two would be here. I mean Institute 13 is where all the fabulous wealthy send their sons."
"What are you doing here? Last I checked you're neither the latter nor the former." The day after she'd help him find his father he and Roxas had run over to her house to tell her the good news about their parents. Mr. Kisaragi had answered the door and told them that she'd gone ahead with her mother and brother. Sora hadn't even known that her family was moving away.
"Very funny. It's like I said, I work here. I'm Mr. Saytr's aid."
"I thought you said you were going to work at your father's dojo when you were old enough? Change of plans? Yikes!" If looks could kill-Well Roxas was grateful he wasn't that poor water fountain Yuffie was glaring at.
"If it wasn't for Shang I would be."
"Your brother?" Sora barely remembered him. Shang was much older than the there of them so he hadn't been around much whenever he and his brother were with Yuffie, but he did remember enough about him. He took after his father a lot; tall, dark, serious, strong and with a face that could frighten small children under the right circumstances. He and his father, Auron Kisaragi, had certainly scared Sora and Roxas plenty when they were little.
"The one and only. Chauvinistic pig with a keyblade up his ass, but let's not talk about him." Or talk about how badly he made her want to shove a shuriken down his throat. "I need to get going anyway. Mr. Saytr will kill me if I'm late again. I'll see you guys around." With that Yuffie was gone, but this time they knew they would be seeing her again.
-/-
"What's up with your brother's face?" Selphie asked Tidus.
"He's disappointed." Tidus snickered. Hayner was slouched down in his chair, sulking and looking like he'd rather be anywhere but where he was right now. Actually it was not just a look, he really wanted to be somewhere else. "He didn't find out Olette wasn't taking Home Ec this year until after he signed up for it."
Hayner suddenly sneezed. Someone's talking about me. Probably Tidus.
"You could at least act like you want to be in this class." Kairi said.
"For your information I'm not here for me or Olette, who could have told me she was taking art this year. I'm here for you and Namine." The sisters shared a look that clearly said, 'Yeah Right!' "I serious! Everyone knows that Home Ec and Theatre Arts are the only coed classes Institute 13 have and there's no way I'm leaving my little sisters alone so they can get jumped by some horny rich boy."
"Tidus is taking this class too, you know." Hayner scoffed and waved off what Namine said.
"Okay, our little brother can't even keep track of his pet chipmunks, let alone you two. Besides," he leaned in close to his sisters to whisper, "we all know he only took this class because Selphie is taking it. He'll be too busy hitting on her to help."
"I heard that, Hayner!" Tidus yelled from across the room.
"What I say?" He asked skeptically.
"I don't know, but I know you were whispering about me so shut up!"
"Quiet before I tape freshmen to your back and send a bunch of juniors and seniors after you!" He turned back to Kairi and Namine. "Plus the kid's fresh meat. No upperclassmen is going to take him seriously." Namine sighed and Kairi groaned while massaging her temples. Something told her today was not going to be a good day.
-/-
"Move it, you damn shrimps." A boy, probably in his third year, with wild red hair that put the twins' hair to shame and green eyes shoved Sora and Roxas out of the way. He walked into Home Ec, dropped into the closest empty chair, and propped his feet up on the desk.
"Axel." Riku answered the unasked question.
"So what's Axel's damage?" And where did he get off calling him and Sora shrimps? Sure Axel was real tall and he and his brother were.. Okay maybe shrimps was what they were, but he didn't have the right to call them that.
"Nothing. He's just an asshole." Riku said with a shrug as if it were common knowledge. "Today he's picking on short people and tomorrow he'll set a chemistry lab on fire."
"Why?"
"Because he's an asshole. Just ask him and he'll tell you himself. He's pretty proud of it." He pointed out a few empty desk towards the back of the classroom and they quickly settled into them.
"Didn't think you'd be taking Home Ec too, Riku." The silver haired teen snorted and looked away from Sora.
"Hadn't planned too either, but Diz knew I'd snuck a few names onto the list and this is his way of punishing me." Before he could ask who Diz was the tardy bell rang and the last class of the day began.
"Good afternoon, class!"
-/-
Their first assignment was something easy. "We'll start at a slow pace today just so you all can get a feel of the class. Be prepared for next week because it shall be much harder. It's a little unorthodox, but they've changed the curriculum and what would have been a midyear project is now our first. I believe the board plans to weed out the ones who don't honestly want to take Home Economics before it's too late for them to get a schedule change and they lose a credit." Mrs. Potts had said. "And Axel," she picked up a wooden spoon, "your feet do not belong on my desk!" She hit him over the head with the spoon and Axel's feet met the floor.
Sora found that she was right. Today's assignment was to bake a simple one layer cake. The students were allowed to pick any flavor they wanted and they didn't have to decorate it or put any type of icing on it if they didn't feel like doing so. The only requirement was that the cake be edible. Mrs. Potts even allowed them to work in groups. Which was a very fortunate thing for the lovesick brunette who was too busy staring across the room at one particular auburn haired girl to pay any real attention to what he was doing.
-/-
"Kairi, is my imagination or is that guy staring at you?" It was almost creepy the way the brunette on the other side of the room stared at her friend. Every once in a while the blond or the silver haired one sitting next to him would prod him with something sharp and he'd jerk his attention back to their cake batter. Seconds later though he'd be back to staring at Kairi.
"Selphie that's the tenth guy you've said that about in the last twenty minutes. I'm starting to think it's your imagination."
"Those other nine guys don't count." How was she to know that the girls track team was practicing right outside the window behind them? "Hey the blond's looking over here too." The blond said something to the brunette and both boys turned back to their work. "I swear I've seen him somewhere before-Oh my God! That's our busboy." Selphie whispered harshly. "Our busboy goes to the institute."
-/-
Roxas put down the butter knife he'd used to stab his brother's shoulder several times and grabbed him by his cloak. In his twin's defense the girl was attractive though he didn't think she had anything on the blond girl next to her. When Roxas had walked into class and seen her only one word went through his mind. Damn! "Sora, stop staring before she notices."
"Hey could one of you pass me the eggs?"
-/-
"I still think it's the track team he's interested in and that can't be our busboy. Institute boys don't have jobs." Selphie huffed.
"Well if he isn't our busboy then who is he, because I know I've seen him somewhere? Him and that blond boy and he is looking at you!"
"Kairi, flip your hair." Namine received 'Are You Crazy?' stares. "Trust me. Just look in their direction and flip it."
-/-
"Huh? Oh yeah I'll get them." Sora grabbed three eggs and stood up so he could pass them over Roxas. At that exact moment Kairi did as Namine told her and flipped her hair while facing him. He felt his chest tighten and so did his hands. His hands holding the eggs. The eggs which were not only fragile but were also being held right over Riku's lap. The yoke was on the silver haired teen within seconds.
"Sora!"
"Aw man, I'm so sorry Riku!" Green eyes narrowed into a furious glare Riku grabbed the unfinished bowl of cake batter. "Really I am!"
"No you're not. You're not sorry at all, but," he stood and Roxas scooted his chair back. "You are now." Riku dumped the bowl on Sora's head and twirled it around to really work the cake batter in the brunette's hair. "And I mean that in the most pitiful sense of the word." Roxas fell out his chair laughing. Sora glared down at him before a scheming smirk crossed his face. He looked at Riku through the dripping batter and the teen stared back passed his bangs. In a silent agreement they grabbed the half empty bag of flour and turned it over on Roxas.
"Strife! Yasutora!" Mrs. Potts screamed.
"Which one?" The twins asked.
"The both of you! And I expected better from you, Riku."
-/-
"And that proves that he was looking at you, Kairi." It also proved that he was unbelievable clumsy or that he had it bad.
"Namine."
-/-
Sora left Home Ec wearing his assignment and without completing his true objective. Actually having a real conversation with her. At least thanks to the roll call he now knew what her name was. "Kairi." Even her name was beautiful. "I made a fool out of myself." He didn't doubt that she'd noticed him gaping at her like an idiot. "There's always tomorrow."
Unfortunately for Sora tomorrow wasn't his day either. Axel found some way to sneak into the institute's cafeteria and stole an extra long weenie from one of the refrigerators. He tucked the weenie in his pants and then used it to flash every girl in Home Economics until he flashed Kairi and Namine. Hayner grabbed the nearest sharp object, a very large cleaver which was ridiculously easy for him to get, and chopped Axel's extra long out of his pants.
"Unless you want him to use that cleaver on your meat you should probably stay away from her." Roxas had advised when it became clear that Hayner was going to spend the rest of the period guarding over his sisters.
"Riku's right. Axel is an asshole."
-/-
"Okay class," Mrs. Potts was holding an ice pack to her brow. The last period was the most stressful. "After yesterday's fiasco," she glared at Axel, "I've decided to move next week's project to today." Because she really needed to drop the testosterone level and this was a sure fire way to send a lot of these boys packing. "You can bring them in now Ms. Kisaragi." The door flew open and Yuffie walked in wheeling a large cart. "Thank you again, for helping."
"Phil doesn't have a class this period. It's not like I was doing anything." Yuffie faced the class and winked at the Strife twins.
"Now before I tell you what's in the cart I need everyone to pair up. No, remain seated," she said when people began moving, "I've picked your partners. Move to sit besides them after I've called their name." Mrs. Potts straightened her reading glasses and then read the first name. "Axel, you'll be paired with Larxene."
"Why am I paired with the psycho chick? She tried to stab me in the neck with a spork yesterday!" Mrs. Potts continued reading names as if she hadn't heard him.
"Sora," he crossed his fingers, "your partner is Kairi-" Sora jumped out his seat.
"Yes!" The blood rushed to his face and he sunk back into his chair. "Did-did I say that out loud?" Selphie giggled and nudged Kairi. The girl's face now matched her hair.
"Right.. Roxas, you're with Namine."
"Sweet." He was smart enough to not yell it out.
"Tidus you're with Selphie." The fourteen year old gave his partner an enthusiastic wave from his desk. "Riku, I'm pairing you with Hayner."
"What!" Both boys yelled.
"It doesn't normally happen but this class has more boys than girls. You two are the odd ones out. Deal with it. Now what are you all waiting for? Find your partner." Sora stood up to move. Roxas shoved him back down and inclined his head towards the girls. Kairi was coming to him.
"Good luck." He left to join his own partner and slammed into Hayner. "Hello."
"Don't think I don't know what you rich boys are after. I'm warning you now, don't mess with my sisters." The older boy said, scowling and emphasizing every word with a sharp poke to Roxas's chest.
"All right, I'll consider myself warned." Hayner bumped him hard with his shoulder as he passed.
"Sora, right?" The brunette's head shot up. Kairi gave him a friendly smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and sitting down.
Oh God, she's talking to me. Quick! Say something. "I'm Sora."
"Well Sora, this might sound kind of weird, but do you work at Food of Wonders?" He grinned a big and goofy smile.
"I'm Sora." Was his intelligent answer. Kairi couldn't help but laugh. You idiot! She knows that! "Uh, I mean yeah I work there. I'm a-a busboy." Before she could ask anything else Mrs. Potts tapped her wooden spoon on her desk, calling everyone's attention to the front.
"Now that I have everybody's attention. Ms. Kisaragi, open the cart please." Yuffie yanked the top off the cart, reached inside, and pulled out a giant egg. It looked like a giant egg at least. It was large, white, and oval shaped, but it also had a face and it's face was giggling softly. And was that a blanket it was wrapped in? "This will be your baby."
"Oh I'm not liking the sound of this." For some reason Roxas felt he had a great need to be very afraid.
Yuffie handed the giant egg over to Mrs. Potts. "As you can see they are very lifelike. The sleep, cry, laugh, eat, and soil their diapers." As she talked Yuffie walked around the classroom passing out papers. "Your assignment for the next two weeks is to take care of your baby. Each one is equipped with software that monitors your parenting skills. Your grade depends on how good a parent you are and if you should drop them," Mrs. Potts let the egg baby in her hands go and it hit the ground. Its giggling stopped abruptly and cracks spider webbed across its face. "You automatically fail." Sora sniffled and quickly adverted his face when Kairi glanced his way. The last thing he needed was for her to see him crying over a dead egg. "Institute students, the principal has granted you a pass for the duration of this project."
"And that means?"
"It means Mr. Strife that for the next ten school days you and your fellow classmates will be allowed to leave campus grounds. I expect that it is a privilege that you'll use wisely." Yuffie was back at the cart, pulling more eggs from it. "Once you have received your baby from Ms. Kisaragi fill out the form on your desk." Namine and Roxas, who were seated closer to the cart than the rest of the class, were given an egg baby first.
"So how do you tell what it is?" Roxas peeked inside the its diaper. It offered no clues, but it raised a question. How does this thing piss or take a dump? It doesn't have any parts down here. Namine plucked the baby out of his hands.
"He was wrapped in a blue blanket." The blond boy wrote the gender down. "And his name is Hikaru."
"So I don't get any say on his name?"
"Considering that you didn't even know we had a son? Nope."
Touché. Roxas stood up, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Hey Sora! Kairi! You guys want to be the godparents?"
-/-
That's all for now. The real romance will start in Chapter 4 so watch out for it. Especially since romance isn't really my forte, but I'm trying to improve my ability.
Digimon ruler. 9-If you finish it before the 12th I'd love to see it.