Sorry about the long delay; I have summer chemistry classes. *shudder*
Anyway, king of hope, Lovely In'Sanity, here's you guys' belated cookies! *tosses baskets full of cookies*
By the way, Curtiss was a company that designed warplanes for the US during WW2. That's why I chose the siblings' last names to be that.
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING MENTIONED IN THIS STORY.
Just this story. Enjoy!
Xxx XXX xxX
Chapter 3: Namine and Oblivion
Shade Hunter.
What the fuck was that?
It was lunch now. Kairi and I had Honors Pre-Cal together, so that meant we usually walked together to the cafeteria.
"You okay?" Kairi asked concernedly. "I know that may be a stupid question, but you're never quite this spacey."
I glared at her out of the corner of my eye. "And what's that supposed to mean!"
She laughed, that tinkling peal of amusement that made every guy in the vicinity, barring yours truly, want to laugh with her.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Never mind," I muttered. "That guy was probably just some random creep…"
"What guy?" she inquired, leaning around to look me in the eye.
"That guy in Chinese class," I replied. "The one who punched me."
"Somebody tried to punch you?" Kairi gasped.
I stared at her in total shock. "You—you don't remember?"
"I guess not," she admitted. "Want to tell me why he punched you?"
"Never mind," I muttered again.
"C'mon, tell me," she pleaded, bouncing up and down in front of me.
"No."
"Please?"
"Kairi, if it didn't happen, it didn't happen. End of story," I growled. Kairi wasn't usually this nosey. "And why do you even want to know?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Hello? You're my friend?"
"Friends need their privacy, too, you know." My tone was deadpanned but teasing nonetheless.
"What happened to good old immature Roxas?"
My jaw tightened. She instantly realized her mistake and started backing away, but it was too late.
"OW-OW-OW-OW-OW—" Kairi yelped as I grabbed her in a headlock and started grinding my knuckles across her scalp. "Okay, okay, uncle! I'm sorry!"
I smirked and released her. If it had been anyone else who'd given her that noogie, Kairi wouldn't have waited for Riku to arrive. She would've pulverized the offending person herself; her fighting abilities weren't too shabby, thanks to a few sparring rounds between me and her.
"You're a horrible best friend," she muttered, gently massaging her clearly aching scalp. "Why do you always have to go for my hair?"
"Because I know that you're the only person more obsessed with hair than Riku," I replied.
Even as I said that, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled as a shadow fell over me.
"Wanna say that again, runt?"
And then it was my turn to suffer a noogie, this time at the hands of an irate Riku. He didn't listen to my cries for mercy, either.
"I'll let the comments about my hair in Chinese pass," he scowled, glaring at me when he finally released me.
"Because I'm too hot?" I responded, grinning cheekily at him even as I rubbed my aching scalp. "Come on, you know you want me…"
"Why, you little—!"
We were at it again, me running through the corridors, weaving and dodging through passersby while laughing my head off. Riku was hot on my heels, screaming for me to face my fate like a man.
"Like a man? Men don't have long hair, dude!"
"Don't piss him off, you moron!" Kairi yelled from behind Riku.
I just laughed and sped up, knowing that my friends couldn't hope to match my speed.
CRAAAASH!
I slammed onto the floor with a stinging impact on my behind, but the girl I had accidentally run over was a lot worse for wear. I scrambled to my feet and hurried over to her, gently sitting her up.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked worriedly, shaking her.
Her eyes slowly flickered open. She moaned in pain, reaching up to her noggin. "Oh, my head…"
I winced. "Sorry I crashed into you."
"No, no it's okay," she murmured. She got up; using her hands to support her body as she slowly rose to her feet.
It was at this point that I noted that damn was this girl hot.
Her heart-shaped face was framed by long, silky bleached blonde hair that curled over her shoulders and spilled down to her elbows. Two bleary and yet stunning ice-blue irises looked into my own lapis eyes. Full, pale pink lips were just below a long, slim nose.
Oh yeah, and she had all the curves in all the right places. Her turtleneck didn't show any cleavage, but it hugged her figure, making her medium-sized chest, probably a B- or C-cup, seem fuller than Power Girl's enormous bust. Her hips weren't too wide, either, but that only seemed to enhance her lithe silhouette. I will not talk about just how attractive her legs were, because then I'd be stuck here staring and drooling all fucking day.
You know what, hot was not what I'd describe this girl as; that would be disrespectful to her. Beautiful was more like it.
The bombshell must have noticed me staring anyways, because she gave me a concerned look. "What's wrong?" she asked. Her voice was a soft, sweet soprano.
Cue the chorus of angels.
"Nothing," I said, shaking myself out of my trance and getting to my feet. "Nothing, I'm fine."
"Okay," she replied, obviously not convinced. She turned and began to walk away.
"Wait!" I called, hurrying towards her. "Can—can I a-ask you…um…what's—what's your name?"
Stuttering and stammering. Smooth, Roxas.
She smiled slightly in a way that made my heart jump through my throat. "My name is Naminé," she answered.
"That's a beautiful name," I remarked, smothering the urge to add, But not as beautiful as you. "My name's Roxas."
"Roxas," she repeated with another smile. "Well, Roxas, it was nice meeting you."
With that she strode away. I gave her back a smile of my own. "Naminé, huh?"
A wet noise made me turn around to see Riku making kissy-kissy motions while Kairi pretended ogling someone, her mouth open and a small trickle of drool coming out of her mouth.
I just glared at them. "And I thought you two weren't complete perverts."
"Says the one who was checking that girl out," Kairi teased. "Naminé, right? I can get her number for you if you want."
"Just shut up…"
"You sure you don't want it?"
Now I was the one chasing my friends through the halls.
Xxx XXX xxX
Classes were two hours long; lunch was forty-five minutes. The three of us usually ate near the edge of the concrete, sitting down on the gray tiles and resting our feet on the grass.
"So how was The Bitch today?" Riku inquired after swallowing a bite of his turkey sandwich.
Kairi groaned. "Riku, Mrs. Harris isn't that bad…"
"To you, at least," I said. My lunch was the leftovers of last night's spaghetti. "You're the only person I know with a 100% in her class."
Before Kairi could respond, my attention was drawn away by yelling and laughing.
"Go away, asshole!"
I twisted around to see a group of bullies harassing my brother. Remember how Sora and I split up? Yeah, it was because neither of us were part of the same groups.
It wasn't Sora's looks; both of us had inherited our dad's good looks. It wasn't my brother's physical abilities; he was quite the athlete on a track. No, it was the people he hung out with.
Hayner was a juvenile delinquent, Olette was an aspiring poet, and Pence was an obese, socially awkward boy. Sora defended every one of them when they were bullied, and as such he became an outcast.
I still wonder why he did it.
"Still hanging out with the losers, Mr. Sora?" Seifer sneered. Behind him, Rai grinned his signature clueless grin and Fuu scowled her signature cold scowl.
Seifer Almasy and his two minions or *cough cough* bitches *cough* Rai and Fuu were the absolute biggest jerks at Kingdom Key High. They attacked everyone who couldn't kick their collective arse in an attempt to move up the social ladder.
"I'd take a look at yourself before calling my friends losers, jackass," Sora replied icily. But I noticed that he was looking past Seifer, directly at a certain redheaded girl. Wow, even now my brother focuses on his crush...
"Oh, the porcupine has a temper now, does he?" Seifer chuckled.
"Shut up, Seifer," Hayner growled.
"Just leave us alone!" Olette pleaded.
"I'd do as the lady says," I said, walking up from behind them. Riku and Kairi were right behind me.
Now, I bet you're wondering why, if I actively distance myself from Sora, I'm defending him now. Simple, I have a heart; I may be a jackass at times, but I'm human and I'll defend a person in trouble.
"Piss off, Curtiss," Seifer snarled, before turning back to my brother. "Now, where were we…?"
And then Riku lunged forward and grabbed Seifer in what was a clearly painful headlock. "Apologize to Roxas, Almasy," he said softly.
"Hey—!"
Kairi shoved Rai away. Fuu received a punch from Riku's girlfriend when she tried to interfere, too.
To his credit, Seifer lasted another five seconds before giving in. I was honestly impressed; my record was three seconds. As I've said, Riku was ripped.
"Okay, okay, sorry!" Seifer rasped, struggling in my friend's iron grip.
"I couldn't hear you…"
Riku chuckled in amusement and tightened his stranglehold on the other guy.
"Alright, SORRY!" Seifer cried, managing to move Riku's forearm a centimeter from his throat. "Now let me go, you big ox!"
One green eye twitched ever so slightly, and the headlock tightened. Again.
"Well, it looks like you'll have to apologize to Riku now," I said cheerfully. "Good luck!"
As I walked away, I caught Sora's gaze. We nodded towards each other in recognition before I exited the scene.
Xxx XXX xxX
I was headed…I don't know why I was walking towards the gym.
But just as I turned around to rejoin my friends, I heard a cry of fear.
"HEEELLLP!"
Who…? The sound was coming from just around the corner. I rushed around it to see a very familiar blonde girl, with a terrified expression on her face, running towards me.
"Naminé!" I shouted, dashing forwards and catching her shoulders. "What's wrong?"
Her ice-blue eyes were wide and she couldn't speak without a stutter. "Th-th-that!" she yelped, pointing at the thing.
"What the hell is…?"
It was like nothing I'd ever seen. Its head was a curvy block of light grey, and its unnaturally skinny body twisted and contorted every few seconds. Its arms and legs were stubby and even thinner than its torso, and it twitched and moved like liquid lightning. Claws tipped the thing's fingers and toes. Its forehead had a strange cross and upside down heart symbol.
But what really got to me was its mouth. It was huge, too big for a creature of that size, the teeth needlelike and hidden by what appeared to be a zipper. I could see down its maw, down its throat, to see black saliva coalescing in that monstrous pit.
It leaped at us, snarling and slashing the air. I immediately blitzed to the side, protectively hugging Naminé.
"Shit—!"
The thing turned from its failed attack and faced us, grinning maniacally. It pounced.
Naminé screamed again, but I crouched down, shielding her body with my own. That monster would have to tear through me to get at her.
I closed my eyes, knowing that I was probably going to die—
But I never felt its claws raking down the skin of my back. I cautiously opened my eyes to see a shimmering dome at least five feet in radius and composed of silvery-blue energy surrounding me and Naminé. The thing had been apparently been thrown into the gym wall by the field's sudden appearance.
"Holy hell," I murmured, as I got to my feet. "A shield, nice…"
"Roxas?" Naminé asked. She had assumed a crash position, head between her knees, and was only now peeking up at me. "What the hell was that thing?"
"How should I know—HOLY SHIT—!"
I cried out as the thing lunged at me again, even as the shield collapsed. I flung out my hands to protect my face and head—
A plume of dark smoke and a flash of purple static erupted from my hand.
The thing howled in pain, a grating, screeching noise that had the same effect as nails on a blackboard.
I just stared at the object that had materialized in my right hand and had knocked the monster away. It was a long black sword, with silver highlights, with a chain running down the length of the blade. The guard was composed of a pair of bat wings curving around to meet at the pommel of the light grey, segmented handle. There was a large, trapezoidal extension at the tip of the blade that resembled the head of an ax or the teeth of a key.
A single word echoed through my mind. Oblivion.
Was that what this sword was called? Oblivion?
I interpreted a sudden tingle of energy through my arm at the thought of the name as a 'yes'.
"Damn…" I murmured, looking the weapon up and down.
The thing slowly got to its feet. I noted that it had a large gash on its forearm, and the injury was crisped like a burn.
"Keyblade," it hissed in a pained and fearful tone.
"Damn straight," I growled, raising the Oblivion/Keyblade with both hands. I didn't really know how to swordfight, but Riku had once taken a kendo class and he'd showed me a few basic stances and strikes.
I pulled the Oblivion diagonally across my front, the ax-head tip of the weapon angled towards the monster. It snarled and raised its claws in preparation to meet the challenge.
For a moment we just stared at each other, it into my eyes and me into the empty patches of its skin where its eyes should have been.
I charged.
"YAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" I screamed, bringing the sword down in a decapitating slash.
It leaped back, avoiding my blow, and darted forward to counterattack, swiping its claws at my face.
Knowing I was too committed to dodge back, I used what momentum I had left to circle around behind the thing—and slashed.
It screamed in pain as Oblivion's tip carved into its back, leaving a huge, blackened furrow just below where its shoulder blades would be.
I knew it was hurt and I intended to take advantage of that. I raised Oblivion and brought its ax head down onto the thing's head, cleaving its skull in two.
It collapsed with smoke pouring from the massive hole in its head.
"Oh my god," Naminé whispered as she slowly got up from her position on the floor. "What—how—what the hell is going on?"
I had completely forgotten about her. Guilt stabbed through me; what if another of these monsters had appeared and attacked her while she was occupied?
"I don't know," I admitted, making to leave. "But let's go. I don't want to be around that thing anymore."
But something rooted my feet to the floor, and then began forcing my legs to walk towards the defeated monster.
Naminé blinked in surprise. "Roxas…?" she asked, reaching for my hand.
I gently moved her hand away, and I spoke. It was my voice, and yet it was many others'; it was toneless, and yet had many pitches—the voice of ages past and ages to come.
Wait, what?
"So ends your long nightmare, shade. May you find the peace you never had here in the world beyond."
And then the monster's face relaxed, if that were possible, and it began disintegrating into the air, its dust dissolving as well.
I knew Naminé was staring at me in shock, but I couldn't blame her. I was in shock myself. How had I said that, and why? What was that voice that came out of my mouth?
"I was creeped out before, but this—"
She was cut off by the sound of somebody clapping.
Xxx XXX xxX
Long chapter, hurray! Keyblades, hurray! Namine, hurray! Yes, that monster was a Dusk Nobody. Yes, I based the benediction off of Assassin's Creed.
And if you flame me for making Namine a damsel in distress, you're going to regret ever opening your mouth later on.
So how'd you like it? Review? :3
Credits:
king of hope: You got your wish! Namine's here!
LovelyIn'Sanity: I sincerely hope that Xion's presence won't prevent you from enjoying Shade Hunters.