A.N.) This is the part where things start to decline for Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately. I hope you enjoy it at least.

Disclaimer) I do not own Kingdom Hearts. (I've been doing this disclaimer. Always will do it.)

At First Sight

Chapter 7: Civil Blood

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

-William Shakespeare

Pence and Hayner were waiting patiently by the railing of Sunset Terrance for Olette to finish talking with some other girls and rejoin them. Sora and his group went back to the Tram Common determined to have Roxas and Lea reconcile with them. They were all friends and even family to some extent, and Sora lamented over how they'd spent little to no time with them the whole night so far. Hayner Pence, finally deciding to just leave him be, stayed behind, resulting in Olette staying as well.

The night was showing it was closing in on its great capstone. From the ledge, the boys could see the workers setting up the explosive fireworks for an anti-climactic grand event before the actual grand event to be in the Station Plaza. The fireworks was the city's best attempt for the night, but whatever was going to happen at the Station was probably just going to be a dance party; it was funded by the people of Twilight Town. Not very unique, but it would indeed be fun. Everyone was going to be there.

After that, everyone was expected to keep playing at booths, eating, and dancing until the sun came up and the celebratory Struggle match would go underway. And that would wrap everything up. The festival would officially be concluded, then naptime.

Hayner drummed his fingers to the brick wall beside him while Pence stared ahead, both of them wondering what could be taking Olette so long to say to some girls she never talked to outside of class.

And out of the crowd, Pence sighted something that made his muscles tense and his mind pause. A tall, beige witch-like hat slumping at the tip ambitiously roamed all over the crowd, from one corner to another, almost aimlessly charging into walls. It didn't take a genius to recognize that was Vivi, and he was scouting the area. Pence lost his breath when he saw Vivi had finished his recon mission. The short-statured being was taking the path to the Tunnelway, where Seifer and the rest of his posse were most likely waiting for the analysis.

"Hayner," Pence called over, getting his group's leader's attention. "We better leave, Seifer and his crew are around and with the word out that he's looking for Roxas, that probably means he's looking for us to. Plus, nobody's slept, so we're all bound to act pretty irresponsible and cranky."

Instead of being distressed like Pence was, Hayner kept relatively calm, with a knowing smirk creaking up his lips.

"Telling me that is like whipping out a Struggle bat, saying 'I don't want to use this!' only to start a fight with the guy right next to you two minutes later for no reason! If Seifer wants a piece of us, I'll take him on!"

"I wasn't telling you that to egg you on," Pence panicked.

"Yeah, but we both know what its like to get your blood going. You can be just as unrestraint as me too! I mean, remember how raved you were when we fought with Seifer and Rai last week? You probably want to get at them just as much as I because they threated Roxas, our friend."

To some degree, Pence had to admit that was true. But they'd end up in a pretty bad situation if he let Hayner have his encouragement. "If I even become as uncontrolled as you or Seifer, then my life is for sale."

"That's ridiculous," Hayner laughed.

"You getting my point?"

"Hey! Losers!"

Just like that Hayner's eyebrow twitched, taking notice of his rival and his posse approaching fast.

"It's Seifer," Pence whispered.

"Oh no, I don't care!" Hayner slurred, deadpan, refusing to blink as his glare engaged the blonder, taller, face-scarred boy before them. Fuu, Rai, and Vivi took a stance behind their leader, yet Pence noticed that Fuu was the only one that wasn't standing as high as the others, like she wasn't sure what Seifer was there for but because it was for Seifer, she'd go along with it.

And Rai was holding two Struggle bats. Both Hayner and Pence saw that.

"Stay close. I'll do the talking," Seifer order to his friends.

Fuu was caught looking away for a moment, gritting her fists.

Seifer, for the first time since the previous week, looked to be trying to hold his urges to insult them again. Pence could only assume that Seifer was becoming very desperate for something. It wasn't going to get under Hayner's good graces but maybe they could avoid a fight.

"I need to have a word with you," losers. Everyone knew he wanted to say it, but Seifer bit his tongue.

"Just one word? How about a word and a swing?" Hayner answered, testing how peaceful Seifer was really feeling. Pence gasped, turning to his friend, then turned back, clearly nervous.

"I can take you up on that. If you give me a reason," Seifer edged, his eyes darkening.

"Do you really need one?" Hayner smirked.

"Hayner, you play with Roxas right? I need to talk to him."

Pence saw her! Fuu shook.

"Play? Do you take us for? Kids?" Hayner frowned. "And if you want a fight, why not have it with me?" he exclaimed, raising a fist.

Losing all patience and self-control, Seifer ordered Rai to give him and Hayner a bat. Fuu and the rest backed away as Hayner took a pose with both hands at the bat, Seifer pointing his own to the very heart of his rival, single-handed.

"Don't start something in the middle of a public area again! Let's just separate or go to a more secluded place to settle this!" Pence pleaded, holding his hands up at them. "People are watching!" Yes, just like about a week before, gory teens crowded behind Seifer's friends, along with Olette visibly struggling against others to make it to them.

"Come on! Don't start!" he could hear her screaming, but it was too late.

"I won't budge for anyone," Hayner declared.

Though, when a familiar "spiked bed-head" emerged from the crowd, Seifer turned his hostility and bat toward him.

"Here comes my friend," he snarled.

"He's no friend of yours!" Hayner snapped. "If you walked into a fight, he'd definitely follow you in, but only to get at you, not for you!"

"What are you guys fighting over?" Roxas asked, looking at both boys. Hayner got unconditional reasonable doubt, and while Seifer got an irritating twitch, he also received reasonable doubt. Or at least Roxas tried to grant him as much. He walked between the two with the stance of readiness and dignity, allowing Pence to back up.

"Roxas, you're a backstabbing chicken wuss!" Seifer roared, clenching his aimed bat tighter at the very thought of—

"I have reasons, so I'll let that insult go," Roxas responded, trying not to let the affront show in his features. He thought of Xion and how much he loved her. And she cared about Seifer, as he was a friend and had helped take care of her before he could find her. For her sake, he didn't want to hurt him.

"You'll let it go? That's not going to make me forgive you. Someone get him a bat!" Seifer continued to yell.

Olette stood stunned and afraid. Beside her, Pence noticed Fuu's breathing increased and her face slightly reddening with dread.

"I won't fight you. I've done nothing against you; I haven't even seen you in days," Roxas pushed with a halting hand up. "Trust me, I have every reason to care about you, so take that and calm down!"

"Don't even bother with your excuses, Roxas! You don't even have a bat! I'll take care of him," Hayner scolded, readied his bat again. "Think fast!"

With the charge of two mere steps that seem to glide him, Hayner swung up his weapon, aiming for the upper torso, but Seifer was quick to block. His bat had a hand supporting the handle and edge to make an effective shield.

"Hayner, don't!" Roxas, Olette and Pence seemed to all scream simultaneously.

Rai and the rest said nothing. Seifer was challenged and he had the right to answer. But it was noticed but a lot of others: Fuu fidgeted where she stood.

Both fighters jumped back, and Seifer was the first to try a passado. Hayner dodged and instantly countered, landing a smacking blow to Seifer's side. The sound of the bat hitting with that much force was enough to make Vivi and Fuu cringe. Even Rai seemed to have second thoughts. Strange how everyone who wasn't a friend of either opponent was eager to see these two brawl.

Grunting then recovering, Seifer strung his bat downright, striking Hayner in the head.

He was about to take advantage of Hayner's shock and hit again, but Roxas pulled Hayner back before he could raise his wrist. His hot-blooded rival didn't let Roxas hold him though before charging again, meeting Seifer's counter of block-push-swing.

"Knock it off! Now!" Roxas screamed at them, still trying to break them apart.

Why was Seifer wasting time fighting Hayner? It was Roxas he wanted anyway. He couldn't fight him unless he had a weapon but maybe he could take Hayner's and give it to him. Hayner was probably only trying to keep him away from Roxas; he did know him well. Rivals could learn a lot about each other in general from a fair draw.

He was fighting Hayner as it was only Struggle, but with Roxas, he wanted him to bleed.

"Rai told me who you were admiring, chicken wuss!" he yelled at Roxas while twisting to the side to avoid Hayner's swipe that cracked through the air like a whip.

Both Roxas and Fuu had a sinking feeling.

"Do you find her so beautiful you have to chase her? What have you done to her? After him, I'm gonna kill you, Roxas!"

Though shocked and confused for a second, Roxas resumed trying to get between them.

Everyone, even Hayner had no clue what his enemy was talking about. Even Rai, who apparently said something to fuel this!

But Seifer didn't care to elaborate. He wanted answers. Rai joked that Roxas was staring directly at Xion as he was dancing with her, and she had disappeared after that only to show up later more talkative, with an appetite, and a jitter in her movements. Seifer could tell she was anxious, even possibly embarrassed. And thinking more about it, it was noticed that Roxas had not been around Hayner's group while Xion disappeared. It wasn't a coincidence. Roxas had been with her.

From her behavior, Seifer concluded that—that—criminal must have threatened her or touched her or came on to her! What did he take her for? A floozy? Even if she wasn't technically his yet, she was still his friend, a part of his posse.

As a leader and friend, he had to avenge her.

The very thought of what he might have done to her made him so angry, his body was working hard on adrenaline and raw power pouring from his heart and very gut.

His responsibilities to his buddies… He wanted to protect all of them. He wanted to protect Xion. He wanted to protect Fuu. He wanted protect Rai. He wanted to protect Vivi. He recalled when he and his friends were almost goners to those freaky squid things until Sora saved them. Then, he was helpless. Now, he couldn't let Xion down. He refused.

He dung deep into his heart, searching for the power it would take to eradicate his enemies and send them to oblivion. And as he looked, he received. His swung was sharper, and tingling warmth flowing in his hand.

"What the—?" Hayner gasped.

"What's happening?" Olette shrieked.

"Where'd he get that?" Vivi asked no one.

"Seifer, stop!" Roxas screamed.

What? Seifer clenched his bat and felt it was much heavier, stiffer, and had made a small clanking sound. And it didn't feel like he was holding a bat anymore but a—He gasped and pulled his weapon up to see he was no longer holding a Struggle bat but a gun—A blade-sword that curved on its edges like a cross with a pistol for a handle.

He had no idea what the hell was going on, but he did not care. A sword was a sword. It was a gift to fight evils. Evils like Roxas.

"I'll still take you on!" Hayner declared jumping with one foot to rush at his rival, readying to aim for the face.

Seifer raised his sword to block, but alas, Roxas slid between them as if shielding the determined boy. Out of forbearance, he stabbed straightforward, hoping to get Roxas through the chest, but he underestimated his ability to bear the weight of his new toy. The heaviness he wasn't accustomed to curved his aim, resulting in him missing Roxas to under his arm, cutting Hayner in the side.

Hayner dropped his bat and crouched, pressuring his wound that wasn't fatal but indeed bleed. "It is enough. I'm done for this fight…" he lamented. He felt a caring aura circle him as Olette was at his side, panicking to find something to cover the bleeding. "I'll be fine, Olette. It's only a scratch. It'll scar at most."

Pence and Roxas came with a blanket someone from the crowd offered. As the two patched him up, Hayner saw Rai and Fuu pulling Seifer back, saying, "I think you got him!" and "Enough!"

"Help me… find somewhere… to rest… guys… I'm feeling… light-headed…" the defeated boy panted, ready to clock-out from the shock of his injury. The two companions of his trio picked him up from under either arm and carried him away, but not before exchanging worried looks with Roxas.

Blood was where people had drawn the line; they quickly dispersed back to their business, to gossip about it or forget it ever happened. It was more deserted on the Sunset Terrance than before. Roxas and Seifer were alone on the battlefield, and Seifer's crew standing by.

Hayner is my friend, Roxas thought. And Seifer is the friend of my Xion. My Xion… My treasured Xion… I love you. He thought back to Hayner, bloody and frightened from an unfair fight. A Struggle bat against a blade? Please forgive me.

He glared at Seifer and let his Keyblade come to the darkness of the night.

"So you had a weapon all along," Seifer spat.

Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't, Fuu repeated, shaking her head.

"You wanna fight me so bad? Insult me again, because you lost all my clemency."

"You want to join him?"

Roxas stroked his Key forward, clashing steel and strength against Seifer. A test of precision, Roxas tried to swing at him, but Seifer kept a close defense, having his blade blocking every swing.

Frustrated, Seifer dung deep into his heart for more power and it manifested into a burst of fire charging in his blade.

Fire magic was wild and dangerous, as Roxas saw from Lea plenty of times. But Lea could control his magic and preserve power. Seifer was obviously working in blind emotion with no real idea what he was holding or doing, and how hazardous it was. If he released, then Roxas would have no choice but to take him down. Not just for Hayner, but also for the buildings he could burn, the people who could see, and the safety of those people. These weapons did have a tendency to attract Heartless.

Seifer swung downright with a lazy burst of fire flying in its path, straight at Roxas.

With no hesitation, Roxas engulfed his Keyblade in Light. Twirling it in a circular motion. Roxas had repelled Seifer's fire from touching him. Once the fire passed him, Roxas charged to Seifer.

"It's over!" he yelled before landing the final blow.

Seifer's gun-blade faded away; the loser staggered back slightly, overwhelmed and dazed. "Jerk…" he whispered before collapsing.

"Crap!" Rai shouted as he and Vivi instantly ran to their fallen leader.

"What have you done?" Fuu shrieked, staring at Roxas before rushing to Seifer.

"He's out!" Rai gaped.

Roxas put away his Key and was so surprised with himself. He was losing his nerve.

"Roxas!" a well-know voice called.

Sora. The Key of Destiny turned toward Sunset Station and saw his Other waving one hand back and forth like an SOS and best friend, Riku, charging toward the scene.

He didn't have time anymore. He came looking to tell his friends about his love for sweet Xion, and ended up defeating her friend-leader with his Keyblade.

Panicking, Roxas bolted to the Tunnelway, and blended into the darkness. As his two friends arrived to the flattened Seifer and his enraged posse, he made sure to listen closely.

"What happened?" Sora asked first.

"You're brother happened, y'know?"

"He attacked Seifer with a giant key after Seifer defeated Hayner!" Vivi explained.

"Where's Hayner now?" Riku joined.

"Resting after Seifer took him out, y'know?"

Fuu stared at the ground, looking defeated and tired.

"A giant key?" Sora asked rhetorically. To hear this was reprehensible. Roxas used his Keyblade against Seifer who did not have a weapon even close to that much strength. Something about that vexed him, and everyone knew it was not easy to make Sora so cross. "The Keyblade is the most sacred weapon of all worlds, meant to help protect people against darkness—not be used in street brawls."

Sora looked to Riku. "We need to find him and take him back to the Islands. Something's not right here."

Riku nodded.

Hearing enough to understand his situation, Roxas ran down the Tunnelway to the 2-opening to the Underground Passageway, knowing that he could use that as a more secluded route to the Usual Spot.

Xion ran through the Sandlot, where she last saw her friends, more eager by the second to proclaim her love for Roxas.

She originally imagined this time to be scary and spiteful, but the more she thought of how the sooner she confessed and take what was to come, the sooner it would all be off her conscience and she would be free to find Roxas and hold him in her arms. Despite the very darkness of this night, Xion was confident no matter how frightening the future could be and whatever lied beyond the morning, she would be as brave and honorable as Roxas and face it without dreaded procrastination.

She could feel her happiness radiating from the lips Roxas kissed.

She was determined to grow before the next she saw him. It was her wish that she break away from her seclusion and let go of any anxiety or shyness that stifled her expressions of love toward the boy who deserved every once she could offer.

"Where did you guys go? Come on out already so I can closer be guilt-free with my boyfriend," she muttered to herself, stopping to look around the people, hoping to spot them.

And she smiled, identifying a head of silver—Fuu—upcoming.

"Where are the others Fuu?" she enthusiastically asked, but as her friend made it close, she could see Fuu kept her head down with a slouch in her step. "What's… What's the matter? Did something happen?" she frowned.

Fuu shook her head. "Horrible…" she moaned.

"What happened?" Xion pressed.

"Roxas!" was forced.

"What about him? Is he hurt?" she tensed, holding her tightening hands together.

"Seifer…"

"Is Seifer hurt too?" Xion practically screeched. She couldn't believe the dismay this night was turning. "My love and my friend—oh no…"

Fuu, resorting to another one of those rare moments, decided short sentences wouldn't really convey what need to be told. "Seifer is hurt. Roxas fought him with a giant Key and struck his down, though he lives. Now Sora and his other friends are looking for him to take him back to the Destiny Islands."

"He used his Keyblade on Seifer?" Xion gasped, trying hard to refuse it. The strongest weapon Seifer has is his Struggle bat—against a Keyblade? "It can't be true! Not Roxas! There has to be a good reason for it! He's noble and good hearted! He—He… He deceived me…? How could he do something so terrible?" Xion cried as her heart ached with cracks.

"I saw him strike mercilessly. He knew it was a bad idea, but did it anyway. Shame…" Fuu said folding her arms.

"…No… No, I know Roxas. He's not to blame."

"He crushed Seifer," Fuu said, glancing at the girl, amazed at the change in attitude.

"He's my soul mate. My poor Roxas, I doubted you. I hope you forgive me… What did Seifer do against him? I know Seifer too; he can be so thoughtless and harsh, he probably attacked him first. There's a reason Roxas had to use his Keyblade…

"Roxas is unharmed, so I should be happy, but I still have this plummeting weight in my stomach as if I'm sinking to the very grave depths of the ocean. Sora is taking him back to the Islands… Who knows if I'll ever see him again after this night if he leaves now? I don't think my heart could take finding my love, only for it to leave with him."

"I suppose Seifer was asking for it, but it was so dumb of all of them," Fuu admitted.

"Where are the others now?"

"Rai and Vivi are trying to help Seifer's headache go away. He barely woke when I left to look for you. Do you want me to take you to them?"

Xion shook her head. "No… I… I need to see Roxas, and I think I might know where he'll be."

Fuu nodded. "With you."

"You're such a good friend, Fuu," Xion smiled again and sprinted away to the Back Alley.

She was very anxious to get to the Clock Tower.

A.N.) This chapter was the one I was always sure would be the worst, partly because I haven't written a fight scene like this before, and partly because I was never sure how others would take my choice to give Seifer his Final Fantasy weapon to fight Roxas with. So I'm sorry if that turns anyone off, but I tried my best.

Anyways, please leave your feedback and have a good day! I hope luck is in your favor (because it sure wasn't for poor Romeo and Juliet)!