Genre: General/humour
Paring/s: -Line: "Level with me chickie. What's this 'Struggle' thing?"
It was snowing in Twilight Town. The sun was at its highest point, but it was obscured by billowing clouds. The clock tower in the distance was white tipped like a mountain. It chimed. I lent on the railings on SunSet hill. Twilight Town attracted me. There was something about it.
The snow covered gravel crunched under foot as someone ran up behind me. "Special delivery."
Demyx handed me a cup of soup. It was hardly out of his hand when I drank deeply from it. A small purple train chugged into view. As it drew closer, I noticed it had no driver. It was gone when I lent over the hills edge.
"Did you see that?"
"See what?"
"Nevermind."
I crunched the cup in my gloves, and tossed it at the bin. It hit the brim, and toppled in. "Ice cream," I demanded at Demyx, pulling out a few pieces of munny. Steam washed in front of Demyx from his soup cup.
"It's the middle of winter," he complained as we left the hilltop. A stray dog sniffed at out heels.
"Twilight Town has the best ice cream. You can't leave without trying it," I insisted. We walked slowly along the Terrace. A few kids were playing out on the streets. No one drove in Twilight Town. It was either by motor bike, tram of train. The best thing about being on Twilight duty is that you had to blend in. Off came the Organisation coats and into something better. I'd been with the group so long I hadn't wondered much from the colour scheme. Black jeans. Black top. Black jacket. The only bit of colour I had was a red scarf, and an assortment of belts and buckles on my jeans.
Demyx was a little more creative than me. Our choice on pants didn't differ, but he was wearing blue, not black. He had a few pieces of jewellery looped round his neck.
"And the beach. We can't leave without seeing that too," I added.
"Axel! Have you seen the weather?"
"So."
Demyx dropped it, finishing off his soup. The dog finally gave up on us, seeing us as greedy little buggers. A ball bounced pass by, and a group of five kids ran pass, laughing. We entered the main Twilight tunnel. Inside was gloomy, but voices bounced off the walls, remining us we wouldn't be alone. The sound of rushing water was underneath us.
Every time our sneakers clanked over the iron gates, the water bubbled up.
"How do these tunnels work?" Demyx wanted to know, as I stopped to inspect a map.
"Twilight Town is like a busy little bee hive," I mused, tracing our path with a finger. "The tunnels are like sewers, we're below the main town. The tunnels lead up to the surface."
"Brr," Demyx rubbed his arms. "Hate it if the tunnel caved in."
"I don't think they're that poorly built," I slapped the cold bricks. "Okay, just a little further. We should come out in Market Street."
The sun was started to peak out from the clouds as we resurfaced. The roads and footpaths were cleared of snow. On the corner of the street was a small ice cream stand. The man selling them looked like he'd rather be doing dentistry. Him being the patient, mind.
He shook his head when I asked for two. "Your crazy," but he handed them over. He was the one getting money.
Demyx looked at the blue Popsicle suspiciously. "It's good, trust me," I pocketing my change. Demyx took a lick, and pulled a face.
"It's… sweet?" he looked confused. "But it's tangy as well." Utterly confused.
"It's called seasalt ice cream. Twilight Town is famous for it."
I wondered aimlessly over to a corkboard. A large poster was pinned up on it. It had bright lettering printed on it. "Struggle? What the hell is that?"
"What rock have you been hiding under?"
An arrogant voice said from behind me. A boy with sandy hair was standing between a black hared boy, and a girl with bright green eyes.
"Go on," I said, crossing my arms, not rising to his bait.
"It's only the best game of this century. Two people with special bats face off, and, uh… struggle," he answered, like I was an idiot. I stared at him. I turned to the green-eyed girl. She seemed the smartest of the group.
"Okay. Level with me chickie. What's this 'Struggle' thing?"
"My name's not, 'chickie'," she said indignantly. "Struggle is a game Twilight Town invented. Two people, mostly boys, acquire specially made bats and face off. The word Struggle comes from how they fight until they are worn out, or loose all their orbs. You wear a special struggle suit with attached orbs. You have to get as many orbs as you can to win."
"Thankyou," I lent back, taking another bite from my ice cream. "That is how to properly explain something," I said to the older boy.
"I'd remember someone with your personality. Or hair. New?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"We're on vacation. Boss let us off the leash for once," I nodded at Demyx. "Leaving in a few days."
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Planning on asking me out on a date."
Demyx choked on his ice cream. The boy brushed it off. "Any one can Struggle," he tapped the poster. "How about we do it tomorrow?"
"What's in it for me?" I asked.
"If you challenge Seifer you can win the Struggle Trophy."
"Forget it. I won't be around long enough to enjoy it," I turned my back on them. "Thanks, but no thanks." The boy looked sour at being blown off.
"Hah, I knew a green horn like your self would never have the guts to challenge me," the other two were making wild hand gestures to stop him.
"What was that?" I growled, snapping the Popsicle stick in half.
"I said;" he raised his voice a notch. "That the baby wittle mousy is too scared to take on the mean kitty cat," he taunted in a mock baby voice. A small ticking time bomb went off in my head.
"You're on, you little shit," I said, smiling through gritted teeth. I heard Demyx heave a heavy sigh.
"Awesome. When the cloak tower strikes once tomorrow after noon, be at the sand lot."
"I can tell time, thanks."
"Really? I thought all that hair would take up too much of your brain space. My name's Hayner, by the way."
"Axel. Memorise it. It'll be on your head stone. 'Here lies, Hayner. Killed by a Struggle bat shoved up his a-"
"Axel!" Demyx cut me off.
"Better listen to your, boyfriend, hothead. You might end up in the emergency room."
I was so mad, it took all my self-control not to jump on him and pound him flat to the ground. I composed my self, and turned to leave. "Sandlot. Got it."
"Well that was smart," Demyx said dryly, attacking the dishes with a tablecloth. We were so used to the Dusks cleaning up after us we weren't used to doing manual labour. "We're not supposed to get involved."
"Live dangerous," I said, turning down my I-pod to listen to him. "I thought Struggle sounded familiar. Zexion gave them the idea." I picked the side of the couch.
"Is that the only reason why you joined? To test his game."
"Hell no. I gonna beat the snot outa that kid," I punched my fit into my hand.
"Your not used to handling bats, or swords. Your disadvantaged."
"Thankyou little ray of sunshine," I said sarcastically, and turned up the volume again, drowning out his words. I slowly rolled the broken seasalt ice cream stick in between my fingers. There were numbers etched along the timber. They must have been having a competition.
I began to think about Namine's memories again.
Funny how something can trigger off your memory. The Island they lived on seemed really empty. The sea enclosed them. No wonder Riku wanted to get off the Island. I brought the single picture she had shown me of the three boys. The boy with the up swing of golden hair immediately caught my attention. There was something about him. He and the other nameless boy were too similar. I'd considered they were twins, but it was something else-
My music had stopped playing five minutes ago. I had spaced out. Demyx was sitting with me on the couch.
"What were you thinking about?" He asked, drawing up his sitar.
"Riku," I said, not thinking about it. Demyx rolled his eyes. He knew that once I had a bone to gnaw on, I wouldn't let it go. "The memories Namine' gave me. The blond boy keeps bugging me… there's defiantly something about him."
"Please stop. You sound like a love sick puppy," Demyx groaned in good humour. I gave him a thump.
"He's out of place. Like he's not part of the group. And he's all fuzzy round the edges," I hadn't meant to say that. But as I said it, I knew that it was true. When I thought about him, he was out of focus.
"Well… maybe he's the boys Nobody?" Demyx shrugged.
"So Namine' can see other Nobodies? Wait...then why doesn't Riku have one? That doesn't make sense."
"Okay, then how about this. That boy is going to loose his heart soon, so Namine' can sense him coming closer. So that's why she can see him."
"Or, Riku already has a Nobody out there. Or the boy and Namine' are more strongly connected."
"Or or or! Get a boat so you can paddle!" Demyx broke off the conversation defiantly. He struck at his sitar, landing a few harsher notes. I got the message and shut up, sinking back into the arm of the chair. Demyx was frightened at the changes the Organisation was facing.
Demyx finally disentangled his fried nerves, and played better. He started to sing quietly to himself. He was a lot better than some of the other members I'd heard. I caught a few of the words. "Gimme all your poison… gimme all your pills.. and gimme all your hopeless hearts and make me ill. You're running after something that you'll never kill."
I smirked. "That reminds me of Xemnas."
"There's a song for everyone."
"What's my song?"
Demyx shrugged, hiding his face. I frowned. "Fine," I grumbled, stretching over the arm of the chair. "Can I have a try?" I asked. I'd never been great at playing the guitar, so playing a sitar would probably be even worse. Demyx looked very hesitant about letting me touch his precious instrument. "I won't damage it. Again," I added, guilty. Finally he let me have it. It was heavier than I thought, and had to prop it up on my leg. I picked a random key, which I was pretty sure was an A. Well it was an A on the guitar. When I strummed it, it spat out a very high pitched note.
Demyx was caught between amusement, and a grimace at his instrument being used so God awfully.
I tried again, but all I got was a series of squawks. "Stop laughing!" I yelled, embarrassed. I really wanted to throw the sitar across the room. "Ugh, how do you have the patience for it?" I asked.
"First off, you don't play it like a guitar," he growled out the last word. "It doesn't work like that. It plays off your emotions. I take it from that look, you're really mad. Oo-kay. Give me your fingers, and put them like this. That's better. Now channel all your emotion into the sitar. Just don't break it though," he added. I felt ridiculous, but I found that my fingering came naturally once I had the hang of it. It was like the sitar was leading my through some complicated dance steps. When every I tripped up, it stopped and helped me back up.
Once I'd calm down, the playing got a little lighter. "This is so weird," I said, my head full of different melodies. "I used to be terrible player at home." The sounds started to speed up, chasing around my head, until they started to crush my brain. I let go of the sitar, like it was burning hot.
"Head sore?" I nodded, giving it a rub. "The sitar stopped leading, and you had taken over. You'd have to practise for days to get used to all the noise."
I glanced across at the apartment clock. It was drawing close to eleven.
"I haven't had a good sleep in ages. Get off the couch, I'm sleeping here."
"What about the bed?"
"You take it for tonight."
Demyx nodded his thanks, and left the room.
My body was stiff and sore. Sleeping on the couch is not the best thing for your back. I rolled off the couch and onto the floor, groaning. Demyx stood over me.
"Glad I don't have to see this every morning," Demyx went over to the kitchen counter, grabbing his jacket. I looked up, hair sticking to the corners of my mouth. "Out for breakfast. I can't stand one more morning of you burning my corn flakes."
He was over reacting. I'd only toasted them a little. Only some had looked like shrivelled up raisins.
I hauled myself up, and started to smooth out the creases in my clothes. "Where to," I asked, flapping out my own fluff hooded jacket that I'd been using as a pillow.
"Brush your hair at least," he sounded exasperated, unlocking the apartment door.
I ran my hand through it once, just to spite him. I could see Demyx counting to ten slowly, raise his eyes up to the heavens, then tried again. "You look like a panda."
"Tattoos, Demyx. Not eye liner," I grudgingly assured him, jerking the door open, and pushed him out in front of me. I fumbled to lock the door, my hands already freezing up. It was so cold; my cheeks were turning red under the pressure.
"Axel, you're steaming."
"Why thankyou."
"No. Literally," he fanned his hand in front of his nose. A thick mist was slowly rising off me.
"Well hopefully it will pass. It happens sometimes. That is why, water and fire should never mix," I clapped him hard on the shoulder, making him lead the way. Once my body had adjusted to the coldness, I stopped creating the mist. I was very self consequence of how my feet burnt sizeable tracks into the snow.
Demyx showed me into a small café. The Twilight symbol was hanging over the door, and an invisible bell chimed when we entered. Inside it was toasty warm, and all different kinds of aromas played with my nose.
We sat at a small table, by the frost covered window.
A waitress dressed in a trademark uniform came to serve us. Her light silver hair was done up in a loose pony tail. "How can I help you?"
"Soup," Demyx rapped his knuckles on the table, shivering.
"Two donuts, and two hot drinks."
She looked at me, trying to prompt me. "Surprise me," I finally said, smiling. I just needed a boost, and badly. She tutted playfully, and bounced off. Once her back was turned, I reacted over and grabbed a packet of sugar.
Demyx raised his eyes skywards again as I dumped the whole lot into my mouth. "I hope you're paying," I said, stretching out for another.
"We have enough. Just. We can always send a Dusk for more," I was expecting Demyx to slap my wrist as I made for my third sugar rush. Unfortunately he had a bigger punishment in mind.
"Sir, we encourage our customers not to be bouncing off the walls after their meals," the tube was whisked away from my fingers. I grumbled for a bit, as the waitress set down our drinks.
As nine slowly snailed by, the café started to get busier. Our little waitress seemed to be the only worker. She was zipping around, her hair slowly coming undone from her pony tail. The bell rang out for the hundredth time, and what looked like twin girls entered. Under their thick jackets I could make out the waitress uniform. "Eva, Liila," the waitress came storming up. "If Mr Himmler hears about your tardiness again-"
Struggle bats are about two feet long. They are wrapped in blue hard plastic, and are in the shape of a baseball bat. The struggle suits are made for pure humiliation.
For the fifth time, my back hit the hard sand and I skidded for a couple of meters. Demyx adjusted his grip. "Back up," he ordered. I was seething that he'd somehow managed to reverse our roles. I scrambled up, and didn't wait for my pulse to simmer down. Demyx side stepped my lunge, and round house kicked me in the back. I teetered, and some how lashed my foot back round. Demyx blocked the blow with the Struggle bat. He pushed again, and I fell back onto my backside. A few orbs fell off my jacket.
I didn't get back up. My face was flushed, and my right side was giving me trouble again.
"Come on, Axel," Demyx relaxed his shoulders. "A sword isn't that much different from your old weapons."
I cleared my throat, dusting away some sand. "You're my enemy," I pointed at his face. "Shut up and stand over there."
Amusement flickered over his weather beaten face, but he went anyway. He picked up a few of my red orbs.
I stood up, gave my ribs a quick rub, and lifted the bat. I silently crept closer to him. I'd learnt to not just charge in. He mimic me for a few passes, then swung the bat close to my face. I ducked, and brought the bat up to break his nose. He blocked the bat, jarring my arm. I hissed and nearly dropped it. He hit again and again, trying to dislodge my bat. I bent even lower. Balanced on one leg. And swept my other under his own. He wobbled, and I hit his side. A few blue balls hit my face.
A few people clapped appreciably. I turned around. Hayner and his little rag tag group were watching us. In his hands was a sleek bat. It was smaller, and slimmer than my rental. Obviously it was custom made. He hefted himself up onto the platform. He slipped on a helmet.
"Early," he said simply, as Demyx slid off behind him. Hayner ready himself opposite me. "First person to lose all their orbs. Or to get KO-ed."
"Sure," I took a few steps back.
"Go Hayner!" I heard the girl called out. I glared at him. He bent low, and ran at me. Predictable. I started to raise my bat to counter him. I blinked, and Hayner was right in front of me. His bat came just as quickly, hitting me hard across the cheat. I'd no idea how fast he got. My back hit the ground, and my bat went flying out of my hand. Orbs scattered everywhere.
There were a few well trained groans from the slowly growing crowd. I rolled to the left, as Hayner chopped again. My hand shot out, retching for my bat. Hayner kicked it a few more feet away. My face was flush to the cold sand, my pulse beating hard in my throat. He lifted the bat for a third time.
I kicked his feet out from under him. He stumbled, and landed on his hip. I jumped over him, and grabbed my bat, swinging it round. He blocked it with his trained speed, and pushed me back to my knees.
I threw myself at his feet, and he tripped over me. I grabbed his ankle. The crowd roared. I got up, keeping him on his leash. He wriggle around, failing with the bat. I went to dislodged all the orbs on his body.
The crowd started to catcall. Maybe I was playing a little dirty. Hayner threw his bat at me. It bounced off my jaw, and I let go of his leg. He got up, spinning around with his bat. It hit my rib cage, and I fell back down. Again my bat left my hand.
Mad, I lifted my free hand, summoning my fire powers. "Bur-"
"Axel! No!" Demyx yelled at me across the platform. I hesitated. Hayner jumped at the chance. He kicked me hard across the face, and I lost all of my orbs. I spat out a mouth full of sand.
The crowd went wild.
The sea slowly ate the sun. It dyed the water a brilliant blood red. It calmly lapped up the sides of the wharf. I dangled my legs over the side of the rotting wood. Snow and ice made the wood slick and wet.
Demyx sat behind me, adjusting the ice pack on my face. I was having enough trouble keeping my ice cream up. That's how sore my body was. Demyx sighed every so often. "Penny for your thoughts?"
Demyx hummed in the back of his throat, and reclined on the beams. "You got your wish."
I flicked my ice cream, watching the droplets dribble over my fingers. I started to sniff.
"Are you crying, Axel?" Demyx sounded bemused.
"No! I-I… A-CHOO!" I sneezed, my whole body falling forward. My ice cream feel into the sea. I cried out in exasperation, then sneezed again.
"I think you've got a cold," Demyx's fingers found my forehead. "You're getting a temperature."
I shrugged him off. "I'm fire. Who heard of a fire element getting a…a… a-CHOO!"
I snuffled, rubbing my nose with my sleeve. I brought back the picture of Riku and the boys. When it flashed up, I could only see one boy.
END
Four cameo appearances. The nameless girl is my character(yes she has a namexD). Liila and Eva are my joint characters with a friend. And Kahl Himmiler is her own character.
Hm, I wouldn't normally do this, but can somebody please drop a review ( because people actually read this crappy thing, so harhar you need to work for it! ) Even if you say 'Hey your writing makes my eyes bleed' I don't care XD it's just I'm not really very motivated to write up any more chapters. I have.. holy shit only one more after this, and the rest are just one-shotty 'random jokers'
So yes... give me reviews to make me work XD rawr. I mean it makes me annoyed that I've stopped working, so there you go
That. Ending. Sucked.
-Ixi