Crossing Hearts
Disclaimer:
I, the Prince of Hearts do not own the Kingdom Hearts series, the Final Fantasy series or any of the numerous Disney movies, incorporated into the Kingdom Hearts series. Although I would love to, because it would mean I'd be very, very, rich.
This is my first fanfiction EVER, So please read and (hopefully) enjoy
Rated T, Violence mild lang.
The home coming
Chapter one
Rain softly patted the streets of Hollow Bastion as the day's end drew near. Stormy clouds swept the landscape, casting their shades over the brilliant hues of the descending sun. Leon stood alone on the castle wall, his cobalt eyes fixed on the horizon.
The rest of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee had already packed up and began heading back to the village. However Leon's mind was troubled, he needed time to think. He had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, telling him that something else was coming to Hollow Bastion, something apart from the storm.
Lost in thought, He did not realize that a young woman in a pink dress had offered to share the shelter of her umbrella.
"Leon," she called softly. Startled by the sound of her voice, the man turned more sharply than intended. "You're gonna get all wet." She smiled warmly, her sandy brown hair tossing in the wind. "Let's go back Leon."
Leon nodded solemnly and brushed a few strands of chestnut hair away from his eyes, better exposing the scar that crossed his face. They proceeded across the castle wall, and down the open staircase, when the brown haired man spoke for first time.
"You didn't need to come out here Aerith," he stared at the ground when he stepped on to road, then shifted his gaze to Aerith.
"I know," She answered, "But I wanted to visit you. You've been acting funny all day."
They paused at the bottom of the staircase. Glassy rain droplets bounced off Aerith's umbrella as rain grew heavier. "So what's up?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing, you don't have to worry." he answered shortly. There was a brief flicker of hurt in the young lady's emerald eyes.
"Leon…" her voice trailed.
"You should go home. You'll get sick." He pulled his jacket closer and continued to walk back towards the town.
"Before you go any where else, check in at Merlin's house! See if Cid and Yuffie are back yet!"
Leon paused, nodded briefly then carried on.
"Bye, Bye now!" she waved timidly before they went their separate ways.
Merlin left Hollow Bastion two days ago, claiming to be in desperate need of a holiday to some place called "Bermuda". There was no dispute over his actions, he was a hard working old wizard and if he wanted to take a little time off, the Restoration committee saw nothing wrong with that.
Leon approached the heavy wooden door, then shortly after noticed something very unsettling. The door was ajar and the inside of the small house was as dark as storm clouds above. He examined the outside of the building carefully, then reached for the door knob.
He entered the house cautiously, peering through the room that was lit only by the computer monitor's glow and a small candle. As he crossed the floor, he felt his foot splash in a small puddle of water.
Leon switched focus to the ground, and with his eyes followed a small trail from the door to Merlin's bed, where he saw a crumpled form lying unconscious. He came closer, stepping over a buster sword and picking up an empty potion bottle (that had been lying on the ground) along the way.
It was young man, strangely dressed in a black sleeveless zip up sweater, dark pants and un-matching black gloves, one long, the other short. His hair was fairly short; a mess of blonde feather like spikes, and his face was gentle and fair; bearing a few light freckles just beneath his closed eyes.
Leon placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and shook him gently. "Wake up," A pair of deep blue eyes began to open. He lifted his head slightly before letting it fall back on the pillow. Leon crouched lower to his level and raised the empty potion bottle so the young man could see it, "Are you still hurt?"
There was no answer, he only continued to lie still on his side and stared at the ground. Leon followed the other man's gaze, and then noticed a few small splashes of blood on the floor. Leon's face hardened, "I don't have any potions, but I can perform a Curaga."
The young man responded with only a small nodded of approval. Leon returned the gesture and continued. "Show me your injury so I know what to heal."
He carefully rolled over onto his back so that Leon could unzip his black sweater. The young man flinched as Leon placed a cold hand on his wounded stomach. He tossed his head towards the wall, letting a soft moan escape his throat. Leon studied his reactions distantly.
"Heal." He commanded evenly. There was glow of green light as spell began to take effect. It gently sealed the open wound and began to fade, until the only sign left that suggested an injury was a faint mark. Leon stood up and glanced at the blood on his hand.
"So what was it this time, the Heartless? Or did you find yourself on the wrong side of Masamune again?"
There was no answer from the young man.
"You can speak now." Leon glared coldly with his arms folded.
"I just…" he uttered softly, "I ran into trouble…"
The door suddenly opened as Yuffie bounced in happily licking a Popsicle, followed by Cid and Aerith, folding her umbrella.
"Dang it girl!" Cid barked crudely, "I can't believe you made us wait half an hour so that you could stuff yer face with a stupid hunk of frozen desert! I'm soaked to the bone and its all yer fault!"
Yuffie shot cid a dirty look, "You should have brought an umbrella!"
"Who eats popsicles in the rain anyhow? Don't play the blame game girly, 'cause it ain't gonna work!"
Yuffie frowned, "What is it that these men have against using umbrellas?"
Aerith replied with a smile and a shrug, "I don't know." As she turned to face the interior of the room she caught sight of Leon standing above Merlin's bed, then the blond haired male who was now sitting up, but slightly bent forward.
She walked over to the small bed and smiled down at the young man tenderly,
"Hello Cloud…"
"So, where have you been spikey?" Yuffie asked as she slurped up the last of her Popsicle.
"Everywhere," he answered simply in dazed tone of voice.
"Did ya see Sora along the way?" Cid asked. "We should keep track o' that kid, he wields THE KEYBLADE, if he fails the whole universe goes poof!"
Aerith carefully studied Cloud's behavior; the way in which his eyes drifted around the room and the way he fidgeted when certain questions where asked. She also noticed that Leon had left. A few moments later she chimed into the conversation.
"Cloud, you look tired, do you need to rest?" her eyes brimmed with genuine concern. Cloud answered with a slight another nod. Yuffie frowned then turned to Cid.
"I'm sorry…It's just, been a long day." Cloud answered forlornly.
Yuffie grinned so wide her eyes shut, "That's okay cloud! We'll talk some more in the morning! At breakfast! Ooh, I know! I'll make CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES! Ooh! WITH WHIPPED CREAM!"
Cid paused to remove his sick from his mouth, "Chocolate Chip Pancakes with whipped cream? You eat that? So that's what's wrong with you! Yer all hopped up on sugar!"
Yuffie continued to beam, "Maybe! Ninjas have to get their energy from somewhere!"
Cid grumbled as he stepped towards the door then called back to Cloud, "See ya spikers! Hey," he shot glance in Yuffie's direction as he picked up a navy blue umbrella. "Ninja girl! Yer bothering Cloud come on, I'll walk ya home! Make sure ya don't steal or break anything…crazy thief."
"Oh fine!" she pouted glaring at the grumpy older man. "Bye Cloud! Welcome back!"
Cloud responded in the fashion he had been responding throughout most of the conversation that evening, with yet, another slight nod.
"Ya gonna walk with us Aerith?" asked Cid holding the door.
Aerith turned to face cid, "I'll be right out, okay? You go on a head."
Cid nodded and wiped his chin with his right hand. "Get Leon or some one to walk you home alright? There may be Heartless out tonight."
After a brief moment of awkward silence, Aerith finally spoke,
"So…You found him again?" She paused and waited for a response, hopefully something more verbal than a single nod.
"Hmm," Cloud mumbled Staring at the wall. "It was more…the other way around…"
"So he found you?" Aerith inquired curiously with a slight tilt of the head.
"Unfortunately," Cloud's eyes dropped to the ground. Aerith had always had an extraordinary gift of being able to see straight through even the most puzzling of characters, including Cloud for example.
"Can I ask you a question?" she smiled warmly when Cloud nodded. "Why Merlin's house?"
Cloud shrugged, "He knows a lot of spells, and keeps a lot of potions. I though he might have some…or…something…but he was gone…and there was a bed and… I was really tired…" he paused, to bite his bottom lip. "Hmph…I guess I'm gonna get an earful when he comes back…"
Aerith giggled, "Yeah probably, my guess is he'll call you a nuisance of boy and say something about how breaking and entering is a crime…"
Cloud's mouth curved down, "The door was unlocked."
Aerith continued to giggle softly. "I know... you wouldn't steal anything… you're too sweet."
An expression of guilt swept over Cloud's face, as she stood up and walked over to the computer to watch the numbers appearing on the monitors.
"Aerith," his eyes dropped to the ground. "I'm not a good person."
The brown haired girl turned and fixed her gaze on Cloud. "Why would you say that?" she asked in a calm tone.
"Aerith…I almost killed Sora…our world's only hope…"
"But you didn't." She stated, "Did you?"
"No…but the point is…it crossed my mind…"
There was an awkward silence. The rain could still be heard from inside the little house, still beating steadily against the roof.
"Leon…is upset with me… I think…"
"He's just worried about you. He thinks that you might go looking for trouble." She smiled, "Leon is kind of…emotionally inept. He can't recognize when he's being a jerk or sending the wrong signals. He refuses to say what he feels about his friends sometimes…I think he thinks it's…unmanly…"
Cloud looked into Aerith eyes for the first time during their conversation.
"Trouble?" Cloud asked quietly.
"Uh-huh," Aerith nodded. "He doesn't want to have anyone get hurt."
"Yeah…I understand…I-" Cloud shifted, so that he was sitting cross legged, on top of the bed, then sat up as straight as he could. "I promise nobody here will get hurt."
"Cloud…" Aerith took a seat on the bed next to him. "Your promise… It has to include you too, alright?"
He hesitated to answer, but Aerith kept a firm lock with his eyes, "Promise?" She reiterated.
"I promise,"
Aerith smiled sweetly, "Thank you…"
Leon needed a walk.
Not just a stroll up and down the rainy street, but a very long walk. He would hike all the way to the castle gates if it would settle that horrid uneasy felling gnawing at his stomach. He couldn't ignore it, the feeling that something was there, lurking in the town's shadows. He stood alert; his Gunblade ready to slay any Heartless that crossed his path, but none came.
Not a single shadow, darkball or soldier. Any other night, that would have been a good thing, but not tonight. The absence of Heartless only made Leon more restless. Perhaps…the Heartless had already been slain…by some greater being…
As Leon began to climb the staircase to the castle wall he suddenly stopped dead in his track. His eyes fixed on a dark silhouette.
Long strands of silver hair, glistening with rain, swept gracefully over his sharpened features. A single black wing emerged from his shoulder, creating a god like aura that filled in the air. He was not a man, but a monster; A dark angelic being that had been cast from the heavens for committing some unspeakable crime.
His thin lips curved into a sadistic smile; his narrow green, cat-like eyes flickering with remarkable intelligence. "We finally meet…" He taunted in smooth deep voice, "Squall…"
There was a flash of steal and silver. A few moments later, Leon found himself tumbling backwards down the open staircase, the wind and rain ripping at his scarred face. Then, with a dull thump his back smashed into the stone wall. Leon grimaced and cursed crudely under his breath when he discovered the edge of Masamune, resting against his throat.
"Where is Cloud?" he asked in a mockingly pleasant tone of voice, "Tell me where he's hiding."
Leon smirked, "You would like to know that wouldn't you? You crazy sick-"
Pain like a thousand needles shot through Leon's body as cold steal pierced his right shoulder. He threw back his head with a snarled then sent a terrible glare back at the being towering above him.
The silver haired demon only smiled. "You're Right… I would like to know,"
"Rot Sephiroth," Leon spat. Another jolt of pain shook Leon as Sephiroth twisted the blade.
"We can do this all night… Now answer my question."
Leon kept a solid even glare, "He's dead…you killed him. He died last night, he was badly injured."
Sephiroth tore the blade from Leon's shoulder and stepped back; to watch Leon sink lower to the ground. "You're a terrible liar Squall," Sephiroth smiled, "You bore me, I have more important things to attend to. Give my regards to Cloud," Sephiroth turned his back to Leon and disappeared into a strange mist of shadow.
"Hey!" Leon rose to his feet only to later feel his knees buckle. He fell to the ground coughing violently, clutching his shoulder. "Damn…it," He paused for a moment to study his injury. "HEAL!" He commanded.
The life giving green light engulfed the wound and sealed it, the same way it had sealed Cloud's. wound, just a few hours ago. Leon rose to his feet and began to walk shakily towards the village.
He had his walk… it was time to go home.