hey guys, sorry for the slow update T-T this was a hard chapter to get out and its shorter than i wanted...but its here now and i really wanted to end it where i did so... yeah, we'll just move on to the review responses i guess
sonic and shadows girl: glad you liked the last chapter :) hope you like this one too
Koneko-Aishiru: here's your Demyx and Zexion plushie(s?) :)
Darkness-Heart: yeah, Hayner in a thong is... a rather scary image, but i'm glad you liked Demyx and Zexion :) hope you enjoy the chapter
Astrazocity: you can sew? (i can't at all... -.-;; can't even sew a button...) but um... i hope you didn't die from the image of Hayner wearing a thong! it is a scary picture though...
BlueFlamesRedTears91: hehe... i don't blame you for choosing the Demyx and Zexion plushie(s?), its cute, ne? anyways, thanks for the support:D
AC-Chan: i'm sorry you missed the plushies earlier :( but you can have the Demyx and Zexion one(s?)! and aren't vampires just so cool? XD i just find them so awesome... hope you like this chapter :)
littlekittykat: ok, this is kinda off-topic, but when writing this review-response i was listening to my Disney soundtrack CD things and the Lion King song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" just started off with Timon singing "love is in the air" and if you look at the review you sent me, it said just that! ...twas creepy... ANYWAYS, hehe... sexy Zexy, he is though, isn't he? i think Demyx's nickname for him fits, but that's just me... -.-; anywaysies, hope you like the chapter:)
TomiSama04: don't worry, there will be some more lovely Sora/Riku slashy goodness... just... not yet. sorry -.-;; and that would be really cute if Sora snuck out to see Riku and they had a picnic while watching Axel and Roxas's fireworks! i dunno if i'll be able to work it like that, but we'll see :)
Azzie: your church teacher lady would wake you up by singing loudly and really high-pitched? that sounds annoying, kinda like for girl scouts once. we were sleepin and then these girls came in to wake us up by (literally) banging pots and pans. ugh... i wanted to throw something at them. and i have no idea if your Japanese was done correctly, i'm not bilingual (it'd be cool if i was though...) but thanks for the encouragement:D hope you like the chapter
angel-yuripa: yes, i like that bible verse... truest quote i've ever read :) and how Selphie woke everybody up, i based her off my brother for that because he's woken me up like that during the summer -.-; (i hate it when he does that) and i'm glad you like Demyx and Zexion's arguing (if that's what it could be called), they're fun characters :)
Arika-of-the-Demons: congrats, you're the only person who asked for the Hayner plushie XD but you didn't get to blow something up for 4th of July? ;.; that sucks... but still, New Zealand sounds pretty cool (they filmed LOTR there! lovely, lovely scenery) anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter :)
ArosxIrukxOxarsxLeax: um... are all the characters alright? have they been untied from the library door? oh well... thanks for the review, anyways:D
AngelicOrgueil: O.o? what does "bladsnf" mean? and you would've shot Selphie? in a church camp building? where are your morals? kiddin', i wouldn't blame you if you did... getting woken up like that is dang annoying -.-
Yu Mutou: you knew Hayner wore thongs from the moment you saw him? O.o? ...you're definitely more observant than me (not that that says much...) -.-;; glad you liked the Zemyx/Dexion though:)
"WHEEE! We're at the top!" Selphie squealed. The group had started their hike right after breakfast and were planning on a picnic at the top of the mountain. Well, not technically the top of the mountain–it'd be much too cold. Then again, the mountain they were hiking up wasn't all that high compared to the China Range in the Land of Dragons.
"Alright! Everyone settle down and help me set out lunch, ya!" Wakka called before Selphie could run off and climb a tree like the squirrels she so longed to be. (It's just another one of Selphie's odd fantasies–pay it no mind.)
Riku sighed. It had been a long hike up the mountain. Selphie had obviously gotten too much syrup with her pancakes this morning, so the whole way up the mountain she'd been chattering and jumping around like a monkey.
In fact, if Riku didn't know better, he'd say she was a monkey.
"Selphie! Get down from there! You don't wanna disturb an eagle's nest, do ya?" Wakka called. Somehow, in an amazingly short time period, Selphie had scurried up a pine tree.
"Aww! They're so cute! Olette, will you throw up the camera?" she asked, yelling down.
Olette, knowing that there was no way to get Selphie down without her pictures, obliged. Selphie caught the camera, snapped a few photos, and hopped down. Yes, you read right, she hopped. From one branch to another. Surprisingly, none of the branches snapped (not to say she was fat or anything, but those branches were awfully skinny).
"Thanks, Olette, now I got somethin' to show my parents. I can't wait to tell them how I got the pictures!" she said happily. Olette smiled and said she was happy for her friend before stuffing the camera back in whichever pocket it came from.
"Selphie! Don't pull any more stunts like that, ya hear? I don't want a lawsuit, ok, ya?" Wakka reprimanded.
"Sorry, Wakka! Won't happen again!" she replied with a smile that told everyone she was going to repeat it and no one was going to stop her.
Wakka sighed, "Whateva, ya, let's just get some food." The hikers nodded vigorously in agreement and rushed over to their picnic spot.
While they handed out the sandwiches they'd made beforehand, Riku vaguely wondered what was going on with Sora right now. He was pretty sure the brunet had gotten in some sort of trouble, but what kind? Absentmindedly, he rubbed his forehead. Sora had kissed him there twice now.
Roxas, meanwhile, was anticipating seeing the fireworks with Axel. But only because of the fireworks–not Axel. He just wanted to see the fireworks, not that sexy redheaded child molester. Wait . . . did I just call him "sexy?" What the hell was up with that? I'm only going along for the fireworks! Roxas groaned. But why do I keep getting the feeling that I'm lying to myself when I say that? This is all Axel's fault. I bet he used some sort of mind trick on me–vampires can do that, right? Or is that only myth? Then again, vampires are supposed to be mythical, too. Agh . . . I guess I'll just have to ask him sometime. Or– he thought brightly. Maybe I can ask Leon. Axel said he was a vampire, too, right? Hmm . . . I wonder if Cloud knows . . .
"Ok, everyone. Get your pictures and finish your lunch. We gotta get back down the mountain soon if we wanna go to the beach, alright?"
Everyone nodded in understanding and finished up with their sandwiches. All of them were hoping to make it to the beach before they left.
-
The door opened and its two guards walked in. One of them held a wine bottle in his hand while the other remained at the still open door.
"Sora, we got your supper!" Demyx said cheerfully, holding up the bottle for him to see.
Sora sat up from his bed and eyed the bottle warily. It was from the reserves no doubt. No one would bother to bring him a fresh victim.
Demyx held the bottle by its neck. The bottle itself was clear and held a dark scarlet liquid inside.
"Good, I'm fucking starving," Sora mumbled, reaching for the bottle.
"Ah ah ah, what's the magic word?" Demyx teased, holding the bottle just out of reach.
Sora glared. "Dammit, Demyx, just give me the fucking bottle!" he demanded, lunging.
Demyx stepped out of the way just in time as Sora came crashing down. The brunet rubbed his side, scowling openly at the guard from the floor. Zexion, however, just watched the amusing scene unfold from the doorway.
"You seem to be in a bad mood, Sora. Maybe I'll just give you this bottle later when you're more respectful," Demyx threatened in a lighthearted tone. However, Sora knew, translated, Demyx had actually said: "I feel like being an asshole today, so either suck up to me or wait until you're so weak you'll barely be able to lift your middle finger at me."
Glowering, Sora said, "Fine. Demyx, please give me the fucking bottle so I won't fucking kill your fucking ass."
"I guess that's good enough," Demyx submitted, handing over the bottle.
Sora greedily took out the cork and hurriedly poured the contents down his parched throat. He made a face as he forced himself to swallow it. The taste was beyond awful. Even Riku's sour blood that stung his insides raw was better than this. It wasn't smooth like fresh blood. Instead, it had clumps of scabs littered throughout it and was thicker than gravy. The vibrance a human's rich blood usually radiated was gone and left a bitter aftertaste.
Sora nearly hurled.
"Good?" Demyx asked curiously.
"Anything but," Sora answered, washing it down with his saliva as many times as possible to get rid of the foul taste.
"You know, I hear that's all the sick vampires live on–blood from the reserves," Demyx commented casually.
"Well they're lucky then because they're probably so sick they can't taste this shit," Sora said, making a face at the bottle in his hand.
"Oh, and the Queen said you're supposed to down the whole bottle," Demyx informed.
"Seriously?"
"Yup."
Sora held up the bottle and stared at it for a long minute before saying, ". . . Fine, but get a bucket or somethin' ready. If I wasn't so hungry I'd just empty it into the trash."
Demyx obliged while Sora quickly threw back his head and chugged the old blood as fast as possible. As the last swallow emptied into his mouth, the brunet held his hand to his lips to keep the revolting liquid down.
"Hope you can keep it down. Can you imagine how bad it'd taste coming back up?" Demyx said. Sora just made a face that said he clearly didn't want to think about it. Wordlessly, the grounded vampire handed back the empty bottle.
"You ok there?" Demyx asked concernedly.
"I hope so," Sora choked. "Do you have any water or anything?"
"Sorry, no can do, Sora. Queen's orders. Blood from the reserves is all you're allowed to swallow."
Sora muttered something incoherently, but Demyx caught some rather rude words among the gibberish.
"Demyx, our shift's over," Zexion said as the other two guards stood outside the doorway nervously.
"Really? Yay! Well, it's been fun, Sora, but it's high time I left."
"Trust me, I know," Sora muttered, but Demyx appeared not to have heard. He did, however, seem to hear the click of Zexion's boots as the silver-haired vampire left the room.
"Toodles!" Demyx said before scurrying out the door after Zexion. Cries of "Wait up, Zexion!" echoed up and down the hall as the door to Sora's room was again shut.
Sora sighed dejectedly and explored the cluttered corners in his closet for something to do as the new guards took up their position outside the door.
-
Riku sighed sadly. They hadn't been able to go to the beach after all. Wakka had explained that there just hadn't been enough time. Of course, he hadn't mentioned names for the reason why they didn't have enough time, but everyone knew it was Hayner's fault.
Selphie had tried to fulfill one of her squirrel fantasies. (Remember the one mentioned earlier? Yeah, that one where she'd climb the trees like a squirrel.) So she had been leaping from tree to tree like a monkey (even though it was intended to be like a squirrel).
Anyway, Selphie had been jumping in the trees, so Hayner tried to stop her. He figured that she might fall and no one wanted any injuries. He ran ahead and climbed up a tree. When she came to the tree he'd climbed, he tried to grab her arm to stop her for a moment. However, she barely noticed him there as she leaped off to the next tree. Hayner, who actually had managed to grasp her arm, slipped off the tree after her.
The problem was, Selphie was able to keep her balance and safely land on the next tree. Hayner? Oh, his thong had caught on a tree branch and he was without a doubt stuck.
So, there he was, hanging by his thong while everyone tried to work out how to get him down (but only after having a huge laughing fit at his expense). Selphie wasn't strong enough to carry him down, and Wakka refused to send anyone else up the tree. Eventually, it didn't matter anymore as the thong snapped and Hayner came crashing down. He'd twisted his ankle and his 'cool' reputation had gone down the drain.
But, overall, the whole ordeal of him performing the stupid stunt and then having to half-carry him down the mountain took way too much time. By the time they got back to the lodge, it was time to leave.
Basically, it was all Hayner's fault.
And everyone knew it.
So now they were in the minivan, Selphie talking to Olette about some hot guys she was sure she could see from the eagle's nest. Riku doubted she could really see any unless they were the boys in their youth group. Then again, maybe from the quick change in altitude she'd hallucinated? Knowing Selphie, it was certainly plausible.
Suddenly, Hayner piped from the front, "Wakka, I gotta pee."
Without another word, Wakka pulled over to the side of the road.
"Wakka, what'd we stop here for?" Hayner asked in confusion.
"You said you gotta pee, ya, so go," Wakka told him, gesturing for him to get out.
"But all that's out there is a bush!"
"So go caveman-style, ya."
"But that's so gross," he whined.
"Beggars can't be choosers," Wakka reminded him.
"Hayner, just go already! We don't need you taking up any more of our time!" Selphie called from the back, clearly annoyed. Selphie had been the one most looking forward to the beach. She hadn't seen it since she was seven (if you were to believe her sob story).
Hayner sighed resignedly and stepped out of the car.
-
About an hour or so later, a certain green-eyed vampire came up to the guards that were, well, guarding the door to Sora's room.
"Hey guys, you wanna let me in?" Axel asked.
"Do you have permission?" one of the guards asked nervously. (To make things easier, we'll call him Guard A and the other Guard B.)
"Do I really need permission to see my best friend?" Axel countered.
"Yes," Guard A answered uneasily.
"But you let Leon in without permission," the redhead pointed out.
"H-he was f-family," Guard B stuttered.
"Guys, guys, guys . . ." Axel began, giving them the smile most often used by con artists and door-to-door salesmen. "Have you forgotten that in a place like this I am one of the closest things to family for him? Besides Leon, anyway."
"But no matter how you look at it, you are still just a friend," Guard A said, still trying to do his duty.
"And Leon was still just a visitor. You know I could get you put in the same situation as Sora, right?" The two guards gave each other a nervous glance. "Well, maybe not exactly as bad as Sora's–we all know the Queen's got something against him–but it wouldn't be the lightest sentence either since–as earlier mentioned–it is Sora you're supposed to be guarding."
Guard A and Guard B nearly trembled–nearly. It wasn't in a vampire's nature to tremble, but these two guards sure would've been good at it if it was.
"So whaddaya say, boys? Let me in?" Axel asked again with a deceptive smile.
"I-I guess, just don't–"
"Yeah, yeah, don't take too long, yadda yadda yadda. I got it," Axel said, effectively interrupting Guard A.
So, without further delay, Axel was finally admitted into Sora's room.
"Hey Sora–whoa . . . man, do you not look good." Sora was curled up in a fetal position on his bed, shivering even though he still wore his trench coat. His hair was disheveled (not that that was anything new) and large bags hung under his eyes.
"Hey Axel," Sora mumbled.
"What happened to you?" Axel asked, seating himself on the edge of the bed.
"Well, in case you weren't listening, when Kairi said I was only allowed minimal blood from the reserves, she meant only enough so that I don't die."
"Oh, well that explains why you're so cold–not enough hot blood to keep you warm."
Sora snorted. "Like Kairi would ever make sure the blood I get is hot. Have you ever had to drink from the reserves? It's disgusting. I'm surprised I didn't puke," Sora said, making a face.
"You know, you probably shouldn't call the Queen by her name," Axel warned.
"Axel, do you honestly think I care?"
Axel chuckled. "Nope, just makin' sure you knew."
"Knew what?"
"Calling the Queen by her name is supposed to guarantee you being slain."
"Why's that?"
"Dunno. Some rule she made up a long time ago. I guess she just doesn't like her name, but that still doesn't answer why she didn't have you slain."
"Well don't look at me . . . oh! Axel, were you gonna see Roxas tonight?" Sora asked, a bit of hope apparent in his voice as he lifted himself off the bed and began shifting through the drawers in his dresser.
"Nah, I was gonna wait 'till tomorrow."
"Why tomorrow?"
"Well, he might not be back home by tonight. Remember? They were at that church camp thing. I don't know when they'll get back."
"Oh . . . well, do you think you could give this to him?" Sora asked as he fumbled through his drawers. Eventually, his hand came out holding an envelope.
"You want me to give a letter to Roxas?" Axel asked, surprised. He thought Sora liked that other human–Riku.
"Yeah, so he can give it to Riku."
Oh joy, me and Roxas have become delivery boys. Or would "mailmen" be a better term?
Axel accepted the letter and stashed it in one of his trench coat's many pockets.
"Thanks, Axel," Sora said as he wrapped his arms around his shaking frame.
"No problem, but . . . I really wish I could get you some good blood or something. You look like shit."
Sora rolled his eyes. "No shit, Sherlock. In case you didn't notice, all the vampires in the infirmary look like this, too. I think there's somethin' up with the reserves, but that's just me."
"What–you think its some kinda conspiracy?"
Sora shrugged. "It sure would make a hell of a lotta sense. What can vampires get sick from anyway? I mean, if we can't die, surely we can't get sick either."
"I hate to say it, buy you might be on to somethin' there. If I ever get bored, I might check it out."
"Have fun."
"I will. More than you, anyway."
"Considering the circumstances, that doesn't take much."
"True. By the way, why did you go and stay past curfew?"
"Hm? Oh, that? Dunno, just . . . felt like it, I guess," Sora answered, shrugging his shoulders.
Axel raised an eyebrow. "You stayed past curfew to get in trouble like this just because you felt like it?"
"Yep."
"Well, you're certainly an impulsive person."
"Maybe I am."
"Maybe."
". . ."
". . ."
After a moment's silence, Sora said, "Well, people are probably gathering to go hunting. You might wanna join them."
"Yeah, and those guards of yours' are gettin' awfully panicky," Axel said, standing up. "I'll see you later."
"Alright, see ya," Sora said as Axel exited the room.
"How ya doin?" Axel greeted the guards.
"Just don't tell," Guard A breathed.
Axel just waved his hand as he left.
But inside Sora's room, the vampire was turning over ideas in his head.
"I know you still need me, Kairi . . . you won't slay me yet," he whispered softly into the empty room.
oooh... what does Sora mean? O.o? ...guess you'll all have to keep reading and find out!
um... anyways, the plushie this time will be... Axel wearing that smile most often used by con artists and door-to-door salesmen (cuz i can't think of anything else right now -.-;)
so... review? you'll get said plushie and my gratitude in return. ...please? (c'mon, you know you wanna ;) )