"One and, two and, three and-- C'mon Riku!"

Long hairs wriggled free from their captivity, choosing to poke and prickle Riku's squinting eyes and bright pink cheeks.

The silverette grunted in annoyance; Sora was all too happy about the, as he called it, "Pre-training-Training".

According to Sora, Riku couldn't stay as a lazy gimp forever, and recruiting was going to start in two months, with hundreds of potential warriors from all about the globe coming in to be tested, ranked, and drafted to sectors.

It happened once or twice a year, and was highly recommended ("from the higher-ups") Riku join it as soon as it became possible.

Also, because of such a short training window, with the elder's general lack of knowledge about the world, waking up became a double-whammy; information was shoved down his throat while his muscles quivered and strained, attempting to keep up with the brunette's break-neck training pace.

Yesterday, the basics were covered.

No, school didn't rule the world anymore- that was a war between man and an enemy Sora referred to as 'The Heartless.' (One thing Riku noticed, if anything at all, was that his friend didn't like to mention Heartless or the war, or that leader, Vanitus.)
But everyone was still very well educated (literate, armed with sarcastic-smart humor), whether it was self-teaching or with help from the neighbor-egghead Zexion.

Today Sora decided to, while watching Riku push himself up and down, up and down, from the earth, explain the basics of a soldier. (It wasn't nearly as easy for Riku; occasionally Sora would push his foot on the elder's back, which would both keep him in the correct push-up position, and add weight.)

"Riku, what do you think of when I say 'soldier'?"

Between pants, the thinking process began,

"I know... guys in camouflage, right? With guns... and stuff... Oh... I'm pretty sure there used to be this country song about one-"

"Riku, there were loads of songs about soldiers, but anyway, that's not the right soldier. I'm actually talking about SOLDIER."

"And the- watch your foot!- difference is?"

"Soldiers are...Well... I guess there isn't too much a difference...just who you're fighting and what the qualifications are."

Panting, Riku's arms quivered and tingled, feeling a little like pudding in a bag.

"Humor me."

"When you were alive, what is now called 'before the shadows', BTS, you know how pretty much all the countries had an army?"

"Yeah."

"To be in the army, you were usually young, had to go through lots of 'training'- pfft." Sora began to laugh, shaking his head.

Arching an eyebrow, Riku took the chance while Sora was distracted to stop the aching torture that was push-ups. He sat, leaning back on his forearms.

"What's so funny? Wasn't that training horrible?"

Grinning with pearly whites, the brunette shook his head again,

"That's just the funny part. Nowadays, that stuff is kickball."

Smirking, Riku threw a look that said 'don't go over the top, there.'

"Oh really?"

"Yeah! I'm bein' serious! The Marines, the Green Berets, the SEALS, Delta force-- Potatoes compared to the stuff we go through!"

The older rolled his eyes,

"Suure Sora. I'll believe you." The sarcasm was all too familiar for Sora.

"Ugh! We do! Wait, why did you stop? You've got lots of catching up to do, why are you-?" Realization crossed his face, before anger, "You little devil. Get to work now!"

Riku groaned, and it was Sora's turn to have the look of the devil.

"Oh no, Riku, you aren't gettin' away with just push-ups." He clicked his tongue, pulling Riku from the ground with a strong bicep, "Uh uh. You're gonna' work on your endurance now. Running. We'll start with a warm-up of a mile, then we'll get to the hard stuff. And of course, you'll have to pay attention, because I've got a lot of things to tell you about SOLDIER."

Groaning again, the silverette wondered if there was still a mysterious black market to sell off the younger to.

June 13th

Zexion told me today that it's pretty much necessary to keep track of thoughts, processes, feelings I'm going to be going through, for future generations of science and what not.

At least, that's what Sora translated through the thick accent of scien-ese.

So I supose I'm going to have to write...for a while. Only until Zex stops cheking.

I apalagize for any horrid grammer or anything else. Sora taught me how to function again, not to spell, so I'll be winging it.

Today's training was kinda hard.

Scratch that-- it was downright exsausting. It's funny how I can be dead for ten years, and when I come back to life I'm worked to the point where I want to be dead again.

Anyway, Sora's been cramming my head with a bunch of knowledge...it's a little overwhelming.

Like firstly, he told me that SOLDIERs fight things called heartless. I've heard the name a lot, but he didn't tell what they were until the very end.

SOLDIERs protect the remaining human beings left on earth, and have to go through a series of tests. It's like this thing that was called the Olympics, except you don't get a medal. The real prize is being drafted.

It could be anywhere in the world… but you really find yourself crossing your fingers to be drafted to this sector. (By the way, this sector is called Sector DI.)

After you go through the tests, and are assigned a sector, they do things to you. To show you're a true SOLDIER.

Sora showed me this glass thing on his chest, something I saw the first day I woke up.

It glows a light, deep blue...if that makes any sense.

He says that everyone has a heart. Not that thing that pumps blood around your body, but one that's made of energy and light- located around the same place.

It's where all of your emotions are, and a majority of your personality.

Apparently that little piece of glass is actually six inches thick, and not glass at all. It's made from extracts of diamond to made it extremely strong. It does two things.

Indicates the signs of a heart, and protects it.

Sora tells me it's just procedure that they decided would be best- checking for hearts. I have a deep-gut feeling that, while it's true, there's something more to it, but I didn't want to bother him with that.

He looked distressed when he told me about it.

Another qualification for SOLDIER is a surgery. Aparently they do something with a chemical called Mako, and mess up your eyes so that they're blue. He says it's another security measure.

Why so much security?

Anyway, an interesting fact I learned today. Axel hated being the same as everyone else (typical Axel) and had an eye condition (stigmatism?) anyway, so he's allowed to wear contacts.

Lucky him.

God I'm tired.

Tomorrow, I'll explain what Heartless are... at least, I'll explain all that I've learned from Sora.

"A few more...let's go!"

Riku, cupping the back of his head, strained his stomach again as he raised his upper half to press against his knees.

Frowning, the brunette that stood over him shook his head slowly.

"I'm disappointed. More! Move it! Is this the mighty Riku I looked up to as a kid? I hope not."

Creasing his eyebrows in desperation and instinctive anger, he pushed harder.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

"...Try something else. Oh!"

Jumping to his feet, the brunette scanned the room, his eyes brightening upon something near Riku's bed. He grabbed something that shined for a brief moment in the light before being engulfed in a tan fist.

He approached the white wall, and proceeded to press what looked to be a scalpel against the wall, cutting away small lines.

When he was done, there were five circles, like an expanded target archers and guns men used.

Bullseye.

Sora reached, and pulled the enormous sword from his back. He held it to Riku, saying,

"Try to thrust my sword through one of the targets. Make it stick out from the wall on it's own."

The older stared at the gleaming metal for a few moments, then nodded. Riku took the blade, (almost falling to the ground under its weight) and raised it with shaky arms, while the younger stared closely.

Riku tried lifting the sword, and, after a few moments of trouble, got it to chest-height. With a weak grunt of attack, he pushed the blade through thick air, meeting the wall with a thump.

The impact threw him back a foot or two, pushing him to the floor on his bum. Sighing (while trying to hold back chuckles) the brunette ordered,

"Again."

After a few minutes, several tries, and a sore bum, Sora rolled his eyes, while his hands crossed each other on his chest.

"I can't believe this. I'm so ashamed...for you. This is pathetic! You should be better than this- you are better than this! Even at ten!...You were..."

He turned away from the older, towards the door of the infirmary. Sora kept his eyes away from Riku's crushed gaze. In a strong voice, the words he said next forced an eruption, a waterfall, of emotions that splayed across his face in bright colors.

"Just...stop. We can drop you off to a local village in a few hours. Maybe... maybe you can be of some use there. But this isn't the right place for you, Riku. Please prepare yourself; the next time you see me will be when I pick you up to leave."

And with that, he was gone.

"Riku, I'm back. You ready?"

It was in the junction of night and morning, a bit more than the promised few hours.

Sora, with a large duffel bag on his back, oxygen mask at his belt (along with the various weapons), was clothed in military-issued black turtleneck zip-up jacket with matching baggy pants. Waiting a moment in silence, he frowned a little, and peered about the room.

"Riku? C'mon, it's time to-..."

A gleam abruptly tore his focus from finding Riku to the blank white canvas of destruction.

There, amongst numerous gashes and dents in the layered plaster wall, stood perpendicular an enormous blade.

"Oh my god..."

Fascinated, the brunette came closer, cocking his head to the side, and daring to brush his fingertips across the smoothness.

Glancing once more, Sora called,

"Riku! Where-?"

His question was answered with a shifting of sheet on sheet.

An uncontrollable soft-smile popped upon his face. Riku was sprawled across the hospital bed, hair frumpled and disarray. He was clutching his pillow (in what, Sora thought, was a substitute for a teddy bear) and a small line of drool oozed from his lower lip.

Closing his eyes, Sora nodded in approval, whispering,

"That's the Riku I know."

"That's a little harsh there Sor. Did you really mean that?" Rolling his eyes, the brunette threw a glare to the scientist.

"Yeah Zex, because I really want my best friend in the whole world, who was taken away from me for about thirteen years, to go away so easily. Yeah. Brilliant deduction there Zexion."

"My, my, sarcasm isn't necessary, dear boy. I'm merely curious as to why you said such things to him, if he is your best friend."

"It wasn't me. Zack... he didn't think Riku had it in him to become SOLDIER, so he told me I had to give him a test."

"Ahh, yes. I believe the Draft is coming soon, isn't it?"

"Yeah...I'm real proud of Riku, too. I was surprised he was able to pick up that sword on the first try."

"Heh heh, I remember your first try."

"Shut up!"

July 1st

It's really late...but I suceeded in the task I was given.

I just hope Sora really didn't mean to say so coldly that he could send me away without a care...

I've been waiting for him, but I think I'll pass out any moment.

The "Draft" is coming soon...and there are a lot of things I want to ask Sora. I haven't gotten the chance yet because he keeps me so damned busy with working myself to the bone.

Ugh.

A/N

Sorry folks, I know it's slow. ^^; And I know I should update more. Finals, testing, the end of track season, it's taking a toll on me. I appreciate you sticking with me!

I'd like to ask you to leave your thoughts-- it makes my day!