Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.
"Nothing can be communicated without words. But if you really care about someone, even the smallest details are important to notice." OHSHC
a/n: Here is another chappie for ya!! I thank those of you that are reading this story, and have reviewed to tell me if it is going alright or not. I apreciate all views, but if it is something concerning how much you hate gay people, tell it to someone who cares. I am only asking for advice on my writing or ideas for other chappies. I won't go into anything political, but keep your opinions on me personally, to yourself. There. Happy Readings!!!
Sora's POV:
Today was the day. The one that I had been dreading. We were finally going on our class field trip to the Mishani Resort. Damn it.
My whole class was standing outside, clad in camping/hiking gear, all excited to begin our little nature hike. Everyone had their backpacks slung over their shoulders, and were all clustered around the fountain, whispering and talking excitedly. I stood away from everyone slightly, trying to sort out my own thoughts, and compose myself, and get ready for what we were about to do. I could feel my face getting paler by the second as I thought back to the ledgend of The Mishani Witch that roamed the woods (supposedly).
"Yo, Sora!" I heard someone call from the front doors of the school.
Looking up, I saw Roxas was bounding towards me, his backpack swinging wildly. I called back, "Hey!"
Riku and Kairi looked around and greeted him warmly as well. Our little group was starting to warm up to him, and now we were a tightly knit bunch of friends. The only thing that made it odd, was the occasional awkwardness that would come when Riku talked to Kairi. She would turn red, and stutter occasionally. She still hadn't told him how she felt. We talked for a bit, about the hike, what we'd do when we got there, so on, and then the teachers came out.
All of the freshman teachers filed out of the doors and lined up. Some of them called out names of students that they couldn't see, and others wandered through the crowd, looking to see if everyone had the proper hiking equipment. And after a few minutes of checking and rechecking everything, the head shapperone came out and adressed us.
The pompus math teacher boomed out in his orotund voice, "Alright students! Let us begin on our nature hike! It will take us aproximately two days to reach the resort, but if we stay on track and there are no shananagans that go on, we'll make it in time!"
The students all murmered, and I felt my stomach fall to the lowest place it could go. We would have to spend the night in the forrest too?!
Roxas glanced over at me, and leaned in, whispering, "Are you going to be alright? You look sick."
"O-oh...no...I'm fine." I mumbled faintly.
He gave me another look, and started after the group making our way to the busses that would take us to the base of Mount Mishani. Numbly, I followed, and once we were piled onto the bus, I started feeling better. I mean, how was a witch going to get rid of seventy plus students? And, was there even a real witch, I mean, come on! It's just a stupid ledgend right?
I was even alright when we got off of the busses, and looked up at the dark forboding mountain. The dark clouds swirling high above giving a sense of something bad about to happen. But, in my optomistic mood, I didn't notice. It was an amazingly difficult climb. There were limbs crossing our path, and the ground was so uneven it was hard to keep your balance. At one point, I actually did loose my footing, and began falling backwards, but, just in the nick of time, Roxas lashed out and caught me.
He grunted with the effort of having to hold onto me, and keep himself up as well. Grabbing ahold of a nearby branch, he pulled me back up, and panted slightly. Looking over at me he mumbled, "Be careful would ya?!"
"Sorry..." I weezed.
We continued along for the rest of the day on slightly better ground, occasionally taking breaks, or stopping to view and learn about certain plants and animals. It was fun goofing around with the others. Once, we snuck back to the back of the group and spied on Yuri and Hayner sneaking off quickly and making out in the shadows of the trees for a few seconds. We snuck up on them one time, and cried out in unison, "Yuri and Hayner sittin' in a tree!! K.I.S.S.I.N.G!!"
They growled at us, and chased us around, that is until one of the teachers came and told us to knock it off. The rest of the day was spent talking, or being...well stupid. I didn't even think about what had bothered me so much before. That is, until it started getting dark, and everyone was too tired to learn. Even the teachers, as the sun sank beneath the horizon and the stars started poking out, didn't have the energy to teach us anything about the wildlife.
As soon as any trace of light dissapeared, the woods lost their childish excitement. This was the time that everything wierd and freaky decided to come out. Owls hooted overhead as we trudged along the path, branches reached and scratched, and every noise that was made seemed menacing. And as time went by, it seemed to get worse. Every sound magnified, every image horrifying. I dropped back beside Roxas unconciously and wrapped his arm up with my own. I squeezed tightly everytime something moved beyond my vision, and thankfully he didn't seem to mind.
As a matter of fact, he seemed rather glad that I was nearer him. He looked a little scared too, and it wasn't just him. Everyone seemed to be catching on to just how creepy these woods really were. Kairi had grabbed onto Riku and wasn't acting much different than I was. The whole procession was dead silent, all listening intently for any sort of sound that could determine if danger was near. Me especially.
"Sora...I can't feel my arm..." Roxas whispered sheepishly.
I looked down at his arm and saw that the blood to his hand was being cut off. I immediatly jumped away from him. Roxas said quickly, "You don't need to be by yourself, it's just that I couldn't feel my fingers. Here..."
He walked up beside me and put his arms around my shoulders. His embrace was so warm and inviting that I didn't complain at all. We walked together in sillence until the head teacher turned to the group and called out, "Alright! This is where we're setting up camp! Don't wander too far from the path, otherwise you'll get lost! Alright?"
We all mumbled our concent and slowly dispersed into the woods. We all stayed close together, too afraid to be alone. Roxas, Riku and I decided that we'd share a tent, so a teacher handed us a small three person tent. Kairi went to share one with a few of her girl friends next to us. I was grateful to get away from the harshness of the forrest and into the comfort of our tent. We all got ready fairly quickly, and soon, we were in the warm folds of our separate sleeping bags.
Well, the other two were comfortable. Not me. The moon shining in throught the branches above us cast the shadows of the long scraggly limbs against the fabric of the tent. And, everytime there was a slight gust of wind, the trees would sway and creak this way and that. I was scared. I have to admit. Turning over to face Roxas sleeping peacefully beside me, I thought, I could just scoot a little closer. It's not like Roxas would mind. Plus, I could just say I happened to turn over to him in my sleep.
Quietly, I scooted myself closer to his side, careful not to make much noise or bump him. Once I was close enough, I breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't even notice my presence. Slipping my arm over his chest carefully, I immediatly felt that feeling of being safe. One that I always got when I was around him. Resting my head against his shoulder, I closed my eyes and sighed. That was bad. As soon as I exhaled, he groaned and woke up. Thankfully I had my eyes shut, and it looked as though I was asleep.
"Sora...Sora...?" he whispered, jostling me slightly.
I moaned and mumbled sleepily, "Not yet..."
He didn't try to wake me up again, and after a few minutes, I felt his arms wrap around me and pull me into him. My heart was stopped mommentarily. But, I was able to finally fall asleep when I heard the sound of his soft snoring.
TIME JUMP!!! Later...Sometime in the middle of the night...
Sooooorrrrrrraaaaaaaa...
My eyes opened slightly, and, glancing around I saw that it was still dark outside.
Sooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa...
Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes slightly, trying to figure out why my vision was getting steadily blurrier every second.
Sooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa...
Something was calling my name sofly. Almost like a whisper. It wanted me. Wanted to find me.
Sooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa...
So, I would go to it. I would fulfill it's want. Whatever it was, I felt as though I had to do it for it.
Sooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa...
As if I wasn't in my body anymore, I moved slowly out of the tent in a trance. I didn't even know where I was headed to, all I knew, was that I had to find the owner of that beautiful voice.
Sooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa...
It sang to me, and I followed. Through the dark woods, deeper and deeper into the black. All of my fears had been washed away by the soothing voice that seemed to caress my ears with it's inaudible whispers and mumblings of my name.
Sooooorrrrrraaaaaaaaa...
I must have been stumbling blindly through those woods for what seemed like forever. That is, until the voice stopped speaking. It was dead silent now, and my vision seemed to return to me finally, and I realized where I was. Wait...where exactally was I? Glancing around worredly, I could not pick up the faintest hint as to where I could have possibly wandered. Everything stayed hidden in the shadows, taunting me with their knowledge of what was lurking.
My knees buckled, and I felt myself fall to the ground in a heap. Where was I? Roxas! Please come find me!
That's when I heard it again. A faint calling of my name comming from an unknown origin. Finding strength again, I stood up and began walking once more. This time, I kept my wits about me, and I soon tripped into a clearing. It was a beautifully breathtaking place. All clear except for a giant willow tree standing regal and powerful in the middle. It's leaves shimmering in the moonlight, and casting hundreds of twinkling lights into my eyes.
I moved forwards, and as soon as I picked up my foot, I immediatly recoiled, fell over, and cried out. Standing...no...floating was a white girl. She hovered inces above the ground, her hair undulating out from her, her hands held out as though she wanted to embrace me. The thing that caught my attention however, was the fact that her pink and white kimono was spattered with blood.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!" I screamed, jumping up, and running off towards the trees.
I didn't get more than two steps before I felt something wrap around my waist. There was a great tug, and I flew back towards the polterguiste. I cried out once again, but was cut off by something shooting across my mouth, putting a stopper to it. I tried to rip it away, but couldn't make it budge. That's when more of the 'something' wrapped itself around my wrists and ankles binding them together.
"I've got you now...Sora-kun..." the ghost girl whispered, pushing her face up close to my own. "Now you can pay for what you did to me...all those years ago..."
My eyes widened, and I tried to call out, "I never did anything to you!" But, before I had the chance, her delicate fingers came to a rest on my forehead, and I felt my mind go blank. My whole body went limp, and I felt as though she had just taken my soul away.
She whispered into my ear, stroking the side of my face slightly, "Don't worry...it'll be over with soon my love..."
She thought I was that boy! The one that betrayed her! What did the website say? That she wouldn't rest until she inflicted the same pain on him that he did to her?
Even through my gag, you could hear my muffled yells as pain wracked my entire body. It felt like pins and needles and knives and axes and everything else that's sharp was being pushed into my skin. All I could hear was her cakling, ringing in my ears. I then felt myself being carried swiftly through the air to the big tree. Where I was then placed gently on a large limb. There I writhed in pain still, sweat blossoming onto my brow.
"Now my dear Sora-Kun...I want you to suffer not only what you did to me...but what you did to my heart...who is it that you care for most?..." she asked, floating easily up to my pearch. I squeezed my eyes shut, and didn't make a sound. Opening them once again, I watched as her face contorted in a grin.
"It's no matter...I know who it is now...I read your mind..."
No...Roxas...
My body fell limp as the pain was released from me, and my mind fell blank again. I felt dead. Like, my life had been completely drained from me. All that ran through my mind as I starred down at the vindictive girl was Roxas.
She went swiftly down to the ground and took her position as the welcoming committe. There, she spread her arms open wide again, and started to sing/call out Roxas' name. Exactally the way she had done so to me.
"Roooooooxxxxxxaaaaaasssss..." she called in her sweet syrupy voice.
I prayed to whoever was listening, to please not let him come. To please allow him to forget all about me, and to go away. I didn't want to see him hurt. But, after a few minutes my wishes turned to childish ones. Roxas came stumbling into the clearing, looking around frantically for the sound. Then he spotted the girl, and I saw his eyes widen. He didn't run though, he instead called out, "Where is he?!"
"He's in a safe place..." she whispered nonchalontly.
"Safe place my ass!" he yelled, moving towards her out of anger. "Where the fuck is he you witch?!"
She was silent for a momment before she said, "...the tree..."
Roxas darted forwards, sprinting up the trunk to latch onto the lowest branch. But, just then the witch used her hair to wrap around his middle, trying to pull him back down to her. She cried out, "Now you'll pay!...Just like him!!"
Roxas gazed up into the branches, and caught sight of me. I felt cuts appear from out of nowhere, and my skin burned, blood trickling onto the limb. But I still didn't move. I barely even felt the gashes dripping blood sproting all over. My eyes just starred at him as he was dragged away. His eyes grew wide, and he reached a hand out to me, but I didn't move. His shock then changed into furry. He cried out into the dark, "Riku, Kairi! In here!"
The two of them sprang from out of the darkness, ready for anything. They were completely shocked at first, and then they jumped into action. Both running towards the girl, branches in hand. They swung down hard, and Hinata went tumbling through the air. Her hair released Roxas from its grip, and he was able to sprint back up to the tree again. As Kairi and Riku kept the ghost occupied, he reached me in the branch, and pulling out a swiss army knife, he cut the hair away from me quickly.
I didn't react. I just lay on the branch, my whole body motionless. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me, crying out, "Sora! Come on! Wake up! We have to get out of here!"
"No..." I mubled.
"What?!" he asked astonished.
"I won't leave...I have to pay for what I did to Hinata so long ago..." I mumbled, turning my head slowly to look up at him.
SLAP!
My head was forced away from him as his hand shot out from his side and struck me across the face. I was stunned. He cried out, "Sora! You're not her's! Snap out of it!"
I blinked, looked up at him, and then everything came rushing back.
"Oh! Roxas!" I cired out, flinging my cut arms over his shoulders.
He hugged me to him tightly for a momment before pulling away. He mumbled, "Come on. Let's get out of here."
I nodded, and we jumped down from the branches quickly, and once on the ground, we began to sprint away. Back towards our camp. Riku and Kairi broke off from their intense battle to follow after us, and the four of us raced back through the woods. We could hear the shrieks of the witch behind us the entire time, and Roxas just reached out and clasped my hand in his own, pulling me and urging me to keep going. It looked as though we were getting close, when I felt my foot catch on something. Looking down a split second before I fell, I saw that a chunk of her hair finally managed to reach my ankle and trip me. I plummited to the earth, my hand being wrenched from Roxas'. They ran for a few more steps before they turned around horrified.
They were too late now. The witch had already reached me, and was lifting me up to gaze at her by the throat. She hissed, "Now...you're...mine...!!!"
"No!" Roxas yelled, running up to us. "That's not the Sora you think he is!!!"
"Oh?!" she cried, tightening her grip on my throat. "And who may he be, but not my BELOVED Sora-Kun?!!"
I choked, feeling my vision starting to black out at the edges. But, my heart nearly stopped when I heard what he said next.
"He's my good friend, and he wouldn't...couldn't hurt anyone. Even if he tried. My Sora is the most kind hearted, thoughtful, sweet, sensitive, caring human being that I know. He would never ever hurt anyone. He's the type of person that will love you, even if you're rotten to the core..." he whispered, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. His hands shook as he clenched them tightly, and starred at the vindictive woman holding me captive. "My Sora...is perfect..."
She turned back to look at me through grief stricken eyes. I gasped, trying to breath as tears coursed down my face. She lifted her graceful hand, and touched them. Her hand recoiled slightly as I saw that as soon as she had placed her fingers against my skin, they started to burn. And then, miraculously, her grip on me loosened. The hair slipped away, and I fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, gasping for air.
Roxas rushed over to my side and fell down next to me. Looking up at the girl, I saw that her face was that of utter horror. She whispered in her normal voice, "What...what's wrong with me...?"
"Nothing...!" I choked out. "I know how you must feel. Lonely. Betrayed...Heartbroken..."
She looked down at me through misty eyes, and whispered, "Yes...that's it..."
She closed her eyes slightly, and tipping her head back, she whispered, "Sora-kun...I forgive you...wherever you are..."
We watched as the beautiful girl was enveloped in a bright white light, and when she reappeared, the blood was gone, and she was smiling. As we watced further, she began to slowly dissapear in a cloud of petals. She gave out one final sentence, "Thank you...Sora..."
We were left, stunned, alone, and free. I turned to Roxas, felling my head starting to spin, and I mumbled, "...thank y-..."
That's when I passed out. Finally letting the black, and sleep consume me.
Sunlight was streaming in through the tiny opening to our tent. I tried to move out of it's glare, but I found that that was almost impossible. Almost, because I could at leased sort of move, impossible because my whole body lit on fire when I moved even an inch. I settled back onto my pillow and groaned. That little noise immediatly woke up the boy propped against the side of the tent. He crawled over to me quickly and whispered, "Are you alright?"
I nodded, gazing transfixed at Roxas. The look of concern on his face was...puzzling. To say the least. It was as though he was starring at someone he...loved. But, there was no way he could. No. He was Roxas Fujioka, the famous actor. No way.
"Thank goodness..." he sighed, taking up my hand and holding it tightly.
Then again...
"Roxas...?" I asked him quietly.
He looked up and said, "Yeah?"
I gazed up into his eyes before I asked him slowly, "How long...have I been asleep?"
"Not long. Only a couple hours." he said, still clutching my hand, and watching me for any signs of distress. "No one else is awake yet."
I nodded and looked down at our entangled hands. He saw what I was starring at, and released me from his grip. Scooting over to the tent door, he told me that he was going to get some air for a second. I felt the crushing feeling of being alone as soon as I lost sight of him. It felt like something was off when he wasn't around. Like I was just Sora again, not Sora and Roxas.
Sitting up painfully, I looked over myself. Someone had put bandages on all of my cuts. They hadn't been terribly bad, but they were in places that bled alot. And I felt my heart warm when I remembered something.
When I had been "asleep" I remember opening my eyes slightly and seeing a blurry figure carefully wrapping me up. He had had golden hair, and bright blue eyes that even I could see through the fog that was clouding my eyes. I had said something, but I couldn't remember exactally. What had it been?
My eyes widened and I felt my heart sputter to a stop, as the phrase that I had uttered came into realization.
I had said softly and groggily, "Roxas...I...love...you..."
a/n: lkdjfljsdflkjsdlkf jsdlfjsdf jsdfj sdlfj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! R&R!!!