Scene 1. Pt.2
Axel's smile curled back over his lips gripping his Chakram. Marluxia reached behind him and his Scythe manifested into his hand as he brought it back around. Larxene who had been leaning her head on his shoulder now walked off, still cockily looking at the Heartulette riders. She cocked her head Lady Tifa and stood sideways facing her. Tifa glared and got out Clouds sword out of his compartment on the bike, she kissed his cheek then handed it to him. He took it in his firm grip, his eyes never leaving his opponents. Vincent and his rider behind him Sora now gunned their bikes, Sora stood on his passenger seat behind Vincent and stood in a ready position. The other riders either dismounted or started their engines. Olette and Hayner and Pence were still wide eyed from behind their store window.
"So…." Hayner said with one hand on the ceil, "In case we don't walk away from this…my name is...-"
Suddenly Pence interrupted them, "Oh gosh look!"
Hayner looked frustrated at his excited friend, then at the two forces. Inzeo, or Zexion, was now spreading his arms and behold, a book did appear, marked with the chrest of the Nobody race. Its pages flapped, then shut by themselves, as did the cover. So his new power was…making books float?
The Nobody's were circling them now slightly, as well as backing away, but it wasn't to retreat, they were giving themselves distance for their channeled attacks. Especially the sharp shooter Xigbar…Cloud saw this. So did Vincent who nodded to Lord Cloud he'd handle it.
"Sir Fair!" Cloud barked. The one named fair wheeled is bike closer to his Lords, "Yes your grace?" he said still keeping his eyes on the enemy. "Zack you stay with me and Lady Tifa…" He glanced at Lexaeus with his massive tomahawk over his shoulder. Sir Zack Fair looked at him and nodded putting his hand on his sword behind his back and the other on the handle bar of his bike.
He now looked at the Heartulette to his right, this one had brown skin, broad body, and shoulders, and had a metallic hand for an arm. "Sir Barrett…" Cloud said taking out his other sword, both were immense but this one was longer. The brown skinned one got off his bike, "I got the prissy shield one sir…"
"PRISSY!" Came the annoyed voice of the Nobody's ranks of Vexen. Marluxia just chuckled lightly to himself and kept his hands down meaning they weren't to move yet.
Larxene looked at Tifa and winked at her, in that instant her husband vanished in flash of purple and black. Clouds eyes grow to immense side, and he yelled "OOOOOOOOOOOOFF!" He jumped up on the bike seat and kicked off of it, Tifa understanding did the same, leaping off of the bike in a double back flip in the air. And just in time, for Marluxia manifested right next to their bike again in a similar flash of black and was finishing the action of cleaving their bike in two from the side with his scythe. Hayner and Pences' and Olettes' eyes were as large as saucers as they watched from their window.
Marluxia smiled a sly smile as everything moved in what seemed to be slow animation, looking up at Cloud who was in mid back flip and looking down at him in a scowl. The one named Barrett aimed his hand at Marluxia as he moved low to the ground and it turned into a multiple nozzled blaster, he fired off one round, then two, before Marluxia disappeared again in a similar flash of color. On instinct Barrett turned his hand back into his metallic arm, and just in time for Marluxia appeared in front of him standing on his bike tire attempting to bring his scythe down on his head. Barrett caught it in his hand before the blade of it could reach his face. He wrenched his body around to land a punch from his massive human hand into Marluxia's chest. Marluxia took half the punch but teleported before the full impact could send him back. He re-appeared far to the right away from everyone falling to his back from the punch. By now Cloud was out of his back flip and used his sword to Block a Chakram thrown by Axel at his head. The chakram returned to Axels fist as his second one soared through the air at Tifa…
Cloud did not make a move to block it, and it was revealed why, Tifa spun herself in the air doing a soccer move and kicked the chakram into a wall then landed crouching down, her fists clenched.
"Damn…" Axel said, then jumped back in the air with his Chakram hi still had and stood ready for an attack.
Meanwhile the other Nobodies were not idle. At the unction of their master, they spread across the time square shooting or chopping or dodging.
Barrett was no aiming at Marluxia again, and fired a round, it soared through the air like a homing device heading straight for the fallen Lord. Then scattered into sparks and explosion as Vexen leapt in the way and deflected the first round with his shield and used it to freeze the second in mid air.
"Prissy shield indeed!" He said huffily. Suddenly both Marluxia and Vexen heard the VROOM from a motorcycle as the Heartulette named Sora shrieked towards them on his bike. Vexen dug his shield tip into the ground and glacier Ice leapt from its crack and shot into the air, spiring into a pointy ice road block. Sora's smile seemed frozen to his face, as he jumped onto his bike seat like an acrobat, with one hand on the handle bars. The bike inevitably crashed into the glacier ice spires and he somersaulted over the crash and as he was above Marluxia and Vexen grinned down at them.
"Persistent pest!" Vexen said, then gave a double take as Sora brandished out of thin air, TWO key blades.
"AGUGHH!" Vexen said startled, "Master-" But Marluxia had vanished.
Vexen Shot his shield upwards fiercely and made the Ice spires shoot up too to block Sora from coming down on him. Sora flipped in the air to avoid one of the spires, but neatly, hacked through the glaciers with quick swipes and chops smiling while he did. Vexen screamed falling back as Sora smashed through the second lair of ice with his key blade, he stood over him with his blade at his throat. "Surrender No-one?" He said smiling perkily.
"NEVER!" Vexen said infuriated and slashed at his ankles with his shield, Sora skillfully jumped and brought the key blade down on Vexen, but even on the ground the Nobody was swift. He blocked the blow with his shield scooting back in an attempt to get up, but Sora was relentless. He hammered at the shield with each step he took after him with both blades. Sparks and ice shards flew in either direction as the blade hit his shields surface. Meanwhile Clowd was running at Lexaeus head down with a scowl.
Lexaeus roared charging him in like and brought his Tomahawk down on the ground with a THUD that knocked a few people off their feet, but not Lord of Heartulettes. He pressed on, steps unfaltering with the motion of the ground, head down.
Giant folds of earth sprung up from the ground, and the cracks made by his Tomahawk, they sprung up and zoomed at Lord Cloud. Cloud cut through the rock spires like wood from a saw blade, both swords not losing their momentum.
Lexaeus ran up one of his own rock slabs sticking sideways out of the street and leapt off it roaring, raising his weapon above his head. Cloud stood his ground and blocked the blow with his two swords, the vibration traveled through the weapons and into cloud, and into the ground. But cloud did, not, move.
He glared up at Lexaeus, and sliced with his swords in a scissors motion, pushing lexaeus back. He spun around at him and used his momentum to bring the swords down on him one after the other. Lexeause blocked the blows as much as he could but even his weapon was too big to move as quickly as Cloud moved his.
Cloud combined both his weapons into one sword and hammered at the silent hero repeatedly, the fight was more equal but Clouds hits were increasingly harder. Suddenly Lexaues face changed, just in time Cloud realized what the change meant, he spun around unlocking his swords once again into two to block a blow from his right by Siax's Lunar claymore. Cloud winced at this, he was not expecting that attack. Siax grinned seeing his disconcertment, and spun back waving his Claymore like a mace as he did. Cloud dodged the claymore hit to his head but was not able to dodge a heel kick from Lexaeus, only able to deflect his Tomahawk attack with one of his swords, but not skillfully. Now both Lexaeus and Siax attacked the Lord of the Heartulettes full force, hammering at him from left and right. Cloud used both his blades to deflect their attacks a bit more easily but he was running out of room. Suddenly a piece of ground shifted make him lose his footing, Lexeaus' work. He blocked the Tomahawk again but was unable to bring his blade up to deflect the claymore in time, and he knew this….
-SHING- a blade leapt in the way the Claymore keeping it from hitting Clouds arm. Cloud looked to the side to see his silver haired savior.
"Kadaj…" he said almost smiling, "Much appreciated…"
Kadaj turned around and smirked at his Lord, "Your to fun to not have around…sir…" he said.
Kadaj kicked Siax with a spinning round house, Siax was already in motion using his claymore to block the kick.
Cloud stood up and sliced a lamp post near them at the root, the then kicked it in the direction of Lexaeus.
"Switch dance partners?" Kadaj said jestingly. "Gladly" Cloud said finally smirking some himself. Sir Kadaj kicked off of Lord Clouds sword to hurl himself at the recovering Lexaeus, while Cloud spun around with his sword which was made of the two again, at Siax.
Meanwhile the brides were having their own cat fight, Lady Tifa who had run after Axel and dodged his flames, moved backwards just in time to avoid a bolt of lightning that cut off a strand of her hair from the closeness as it zoomed by her face to the wall next to her. She looked from the charred circle on the wall to its maker. Larxene kissed another one of her daggers and threw it, as she did, lighting channeled through it from the back and shot at Tifa. Tifa bent backwards to evade the blast.
Larxene began throwing more bolts at her, and Tifa skillfully dodged each one but not without close call. Finally she saw a piece of debris from the road Lexaeus had torn up. She smiled and rolling dodging another projectile, kicked the rock which was easily bigger then a bowling ball, up in the air then jumped and side kicked it with full force at Lady Larxene.
Larxene dove out of the way, and saw another piece of debris soaring at her. She whipped out her daggers again, this time from both hands, and through them from her finger tips at the much larger piece of rubble.
It exploded in an electric bolt, but right after it came Tifa with the heel of her foot aimed for Lady Larxenes head. Larxene moved out of the way in time for Tifa's blow to pound into wall behind her, leveling that portion of it with a hole. Larxene acted as if she'd dodged it easier then she actually had.
"Typical…" she yawned, and went to throw another blast, Lady Heartulette was now even closer to her adversary. Short distance Tifa was eskilled at never needing to attack from long distance again, and Lady larxene had to put her acrobatic skills to the test as she gracefully dodged kicks and punches that sent things either flying or crumbling. She even threw in a few of her own jabs with her lighting daggers, but Tifa blocked each one.
Meanwhile further way down the street Vincent was running along the side of a building shooting his tri-nozzled gun at Xibar who was running along the side of the building opposite him across the street, both shard pistols blazing.
Eventually they both came to the end of their buildings to run along the side of and leapt from the corners at each other, shooting in mid air. Xibar fired off both his shard guns in a flurry at Vincent who without flinching on facial muscle shot each one out of the air, trying to find an opening where a shard did not block his shot at Xibars other eye, which he had been aiming for this whole time. They both collided in the air, and rolled on the ground with each other...now Xibar had one of his shard pistols loosely held in his right hand. Vincent seized the opportunity by seizing his hand with his metallic one and squeezing it fiercely. This made the stunned Xibar yelp in pain and drop it…he also hit Vincent across the face with his other gun. Vincent let of his hand but didn't get from on top of him…his cape began to move by itself and envelop them both. Xibar growled:
"Oh no you don't red eyes!"
Suddenly they were both teleported somewhere else on the street in a streak of purplish energy. Vincent still had a death grip on Xibar's coat to suffice for his hand, and Xibar with only one gun had one hand on Vincent's throat. Now it was Vincent's turn, he spun his cape around them again and they rushed away like a paper in the wind…over the crowd.
As they did so, purple shards and bullet fire erupted from the spinning cape in the air, some of the Nobodies and Heartulettes had to duck. Suddenly in mid air Xibar transported them again out of the air and to another part of time square, this time they were rolling on the ground again, both of them having one hand on the weapon trying to shoot the other in the head, with the other hand keeping their opponents hand from doing so…
All this time Zack Fair of Radiant Garden and Angeal of the Unverse house were attacking Axel the fierce. Axel was giving them both a work out, flames jetted at them from all sides, not to mention the occasional Chakram careening towards their heads. He was only getting more excited as he fought longer, and fought harder too. Finally when it looked like Angeal had an open shot, he leapt through a gap in the flame to make contact with Axel's head. Suddenly it cut clean through it…no…not Axels' head, it just passed through him like a ghost…he was an illusion.
"What?" Zack said, and Angeal thought. Several voices called from all directions around the two soldiers, "Which one…which one…?" Several Axels stood around them spinning charkram on their fingers.
"Got it memorized…?" they all said eerily at once.
Immediately they all started attacking the two Heartulette soldiers. The Two waved their blades in a flurry to block all the bolts of fire raining down on them.
"Only one of them is real!" Zack said, "We have to find him before- " He was cut off by an Axel appearing out of nowhere.
"That'd be me!" He smiled wildly at him and dug his Chakram into his shoulder guard. It flamed in a burst of energy and Zack cried a bit in pain then elbowed Axel in the face, and the elbow went through it like smoke.
"Liar…" He hissed, and ripped off his shoulder guard. "Made ya look!" Axel said from behind him and threw a Chakram. Zack glared and deflected it with his sword with only a flick of his wrist. The Chakram burst into flame and vanished. Zack looked at water tower above them on the roof of a building. Angeal nodded and threw his blade at the legs of the tower and it spilled over the side of the building. The flames surprisingly did not go out at being doused by such a wave of water. But Zack and Angeal both noticed one Axel who's flames HAD diminished.
"THAT ONE!" They both cried and charged the Axel who was now quickly adjusting himself to take on the two opponents. Zack stayed back a bit while Angeal charged the real Axel, he took a small bottled mixture out of one of his satchels with a heart shape imprinted into its red glass. He broke it on his shoulder and it healed his shoulder with a sound of bells and sparkling shapes leapt from the wound.
"Lady Aerith…" Zack grinned… "You always prepare me with what I'll eventually require…"
He then resumed his assault on Axel. Axel was nowhere near daunted by being a little wet. He slashed and sliced at the blows that came at him from the two weapons. Zack looked to his left and saw another Axel coming at Angeal, it struck him and Angeal cringed in pain…
"More tricks Nobody?" Zack asked as his sword rattled against the blades of his Chakram.
Axel smirked a wily smile. Zack made a decision and pushed Axel off with his blade and rushed to Angeal to move him out of the way of a flame. Unfortunately that was what Axel had wanted for he now slung his Chakram right at Angeals head which Zack could not move out of the way in time.
"See you in hell Heartulette…" Axel couldn't finish what he said because he was side kicked in the face by a large boot, and then who ever had kicked him froze his Chakrum in mid air in a block of ice.
Both Axel and the two Heartulettes were shocked at the quickness of this happening, Axel glared at the newcomer, while Zack and Angeal smiled.
"Sora…bout time…" Zack said smirking. Sora turned to smile at this two friends.
"Sorry, I had to deal with the ice-poin dexter, was able to use gift though…" He produced an Icy key blade with cold fog coming off of it.
Sora now turned to Axel, "wanna go…?" he jeered clanging his key blades together. Zack stood up and so did, Angeal.
"We've got him Sora…you get whatever is making these illusions…"
Sora looked around at some of the flames… "You tried water…"
He put both his keyblades together, "So…."
With a whoosh of white light, he raised the two key blades and when the light died down, everything but Zack, Angeal, and Sora was in Ice, little snowflakes fell from above them.
Also in view which wasn't there before, was shaking nobody holding book quivering with Ice cycles dangling from his arms…
"Found him…" Sora said blowing on his keyblade as if it was smoking. He was interrupted by Axels growl as the ice that had him pinned to the wall broke into pieces causing the heartulettes to duck.
Steam hissed from Axels coat as he breathed hard at the new comer with fire beginning to kindle on his finger tips again.
Zack and Angeal leapt in front of Sora… "See to your frozen book worm…we got Axel…" Zack said.
"I can take him…" Sora protested. "NOW" Angeal said.
"Yes sir Angeal…" Sora said and turned to see his newly frozen captive, but saw that he was no longer there…
"Come on come ooooon…." Sora sang, "Where ya hiiiiiiiding?"
Meanwhile Marluxia who had reappeared on a roof top was now in mid air with the Heartulette soldier Genesis. They both clashed their weapons at each other, not giving a second to catch breath. Sparks, and shards of energy, and flower pedals rained down on the battle scene bellow them on time square.
"You fight well heartulette…" Marluxia said in his smooth un raised way. Genesis lunged at him for his sarcastic comment, and it sliced through empty air as he teleported.
"But not quick enough…" came what sounded like a whisper behind him. Genesis eyes grew and before he could thrust his sword backwards and into who was behind him, he was falling to the street, with dozens of pedals raining down after him…he didn't move a muscle, and one of his coat tails had been cut clean through.
Marluxia floated down lighter than air, landing on his two feet. The fighting ensued on either side of them, flames, ice, shards, rubble, and debris flying all over. He just made his way around the motionless Genesis with his Scythe…
"Down with the Heartulettes…" He said to himself and brought the weapon down hard.
The tip of it stuck in Genesis' gut, but only the tip of the tip, pricking him. Clouds' sword now stood an inch from Marluxia's neck.
"Bring it down the rest of the way, and I bring my sword around the rest of the distance…"
Marluxia eyed his rival then the fallen soldier… "He was getting boring anyhow…" he said and stepped back.
Cloud stepped with him with his sword up to his neck still… "Nobody…" he hissed under his breath.
"Heartulette…" Marluxia retorted in the same disgusted manner.
He took his blade away from Marluxia's throat, Marluxia looked at him peculiarly…
"Dual…" Cloud said. Marluxia smirked now, "One lord to the other?" he chided.
Cloud clicked his two swords into one in answer.
"What are they doing?" Olette asked from behind the window her and her friends had been hiding behind.
"In a duel of lords, it's all skill, no powers, no tricks." Hayner explained wide eyed. "It's just blade on blade…" Pence said also glued to the scene.
The two lords circled each other. Marluxia's Scythe scrapped the ground as he circled, Clouds sword was now up in his two hands and up in a defensive Bushido stance.
THEY BOTH LEAPT AT EACH OTHER, BODIES SPINNING, RAGE POURING INTO THE STRIKES AND MET WITH A CLANG AGAINST A NEW COMERS BLADE IN THE MIDDLE.
The dust cleared and the shock wave resounding from the hit died down as it echoed down the multiple avenues.
All stopped and turned…some gasped, some sneered. What was between their two weapons…was a long…silver….katana….
"That's enough of that…" the new comer said flapping his one wing behind his back.
"Sephiroth…" Cloud huffed… "What gives you right to discourage a Lords' dual?" Marluxia asked.
"Sephiroth?" All three children chimed from behind their broken window so loudly they could be heard. All turned to look at the window, to which they shrank back.
Sephiroth smirked. "…by order of the Prince…"
Suddenly trumpets sounded and several guards in gleaming helmets and armor and red and dark blue capes speed down out of an alley way, then stood at attention on either side.
Down the isle of troops marched a small figure, whose stride made up for his size in bearing, and royalty. And his ears…were a dead giveaway.
"Your highness…" Cloud said bowing and withdrawing his weapon. Marluxia also humbly bowed, "Your grace…"
Sephiroth nodded his bow as well, "BYE ORDER OF PRINCE MICKEY…" A nervous looking white rabbit with spectacles said, "HEAR YEE!"
Mickey stood amidst the ruins looking out over the battle scene. His look was stern, disappointed, and annoyed. He walked by Sephiroth who looked up after he walked by. He strided by the Nobodies and Heartulettes alike till he came to a mound of the street Lexaeus or someone had made stick up high in the air above everyone. He without breaking his stride, leaped in a sideways summersault onto the rocks with his gloved fists clenched. His cape flowed dramatically and all was silent.
"Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel, and his heart-
Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beasts,
That quench the fire of your pernicious rage
With purple fountains issuing from your veins,
On pain of torture, from those bloody hands
Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground,
And hear the sentence of your moved Prince.
Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Heartulette, and Nobody,
Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets,
And made Twilight Town's ancient citizens, from hearst to Hollow Bastian..
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate:
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
For this time, all the rest depart away:
You Heartulette; shall go along with me:
And, Nobody's alike, come you this afternoon,
To know our further pleasure in this case,
To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
Sephiroth looked at Cloud with a contented smirk, "By order of the Prince?..."
Cloud scowled up at him, "Fortunate are you…that the Prince's crest is over your heart…Sephiroth, or imbedded within would be foil of mine…"
Sephiroth's mile only widened and put his katana down.
Lord Cloud now stood and saluted the Prince, "Forgive us your majesty…"
Tifa came to her Lords side, "HEARTULETTES…" Cloud called out, "We depart…"
He glared at Marluxia who folded his arms as his Scythe vanished into flower pedals, Larxenes arms wrapped around him from behind. A smile returned to his lips, Tifa glared at her and turned herself and her husband away from the two. Lord and Lady Nobody simply backed away from them before finally turning to their guard.
Goofy and Donald of the Heartulettes came just in time to see, Mickey hopping down from the heap of rubble.
"Awwwwwwwwwww" Donald said throwing his hat down "We're always a second too late!"
Goofy tried calming him down, "Gawrsh Donald…least the Prince took' Care' o Things before anyone else un-involved got hurt…"
Donald jerked his hands in the direction of his tall friend "OOOOOOOOH You and your pessimisms ya big pa-luka! It's always those Derned'd Nobody's faults anyway!"
He said so glaring at the Host of nobody's putting their hoods back on and carrying their injured.
Barrett and Vincent and the others did the same with the wounded Heartulettes.
Marluxia was now on one side with his guard…and Cloud on the other with his. Suddenly all of the Nobody's began blinking away like lights as dark matter enveloped them. Axel was one of the last to vanish and he sneered at Sora who gave him a "WHAT? WHAT?" look in defiance.
Axel glared at him as he vanished in the dark mass out of site. Sora looked back at his Master as he walked back with his Lady Tifa. "Do not jest with that one…" Cloud warned.
"He is but a nobody…what am I to fear?"
Donald and goofy caught up to him, "Sora, Axels the fiercest fighter amongst the Nobodies…" Goofy warned him. "I'd hate if you were hurt by em."
Sora put his hands behind his head, "Aww you guys worry too much."
Mickey and his guard now exited the scene, and Sephiroth in cloaked himself in his wing and vanished from sight in feathers.
Cloud looked down at his motorcycle… Sora walked over to it.
"Aww man!" he said picking up the sliced in two handle bar, "What a bunch of jerks!"
Cloud smiled at the plucky young Heartulette, "Come, we've more pressing things to see to then re-obtainable machinery…"
They all began walking, Sora and Donald and Goofy walked behind their master as the guard made way for them down the streets.
Townsfolk began picking up their goods, and broken pieces of what not as soon as the streets began to clear. Suddenly a shuffle was heard, and the Princes walking brooms came in with their buckets, and began to see to the broken streets and buildings in Town square.
Tifa glanced at Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and noticed that one was missing who was usually with them.
"Riku? Where is Riku?" She asked. "Have you seen him at all today?"
Sora scratched his head and Donald put his finger to his beak to think, it WAS odd that the forth member of their band was not with them, then again he was acting ESPECIALLY solitary lately.
Goofy spoke up "Me lady…" he began, and both Lord and Lady Heartulette looked at him.
"But...I was going through the grove of sycamore in Radiant Garden, it was there I did see him..!" he said pointing in the air as he finally remembered.
"Radiant Garden?" Lord Cloud said, "Quite interesting is this…"
Goofy went on "Its true…he seemed kinda low, so I tried cheer'n him up. It wasn't long after that he had some ex-cuse for leave'n and well he high footed it out of there…"
Cloud shook his head, "Oh…kingdom Hearts that lad…what twist of fate did give us this son of mine."
Tifa rubbed her husband's arm as they walked, "Oh no do not slight him on his mood, you know he must simply discover himself in his own way, for in his own making will he truly live up to his name."
"Aye but every day my lady…" Cloud continued, "And every night to work…not can budge him in this, his melancholy state."
Donald questioned his master, "Do you know what it is that's bother'n him?"
Cloud shook his head. "No, nor can I trouble the news from him, he's as solitude as the stones of the sea."
Vincent bowed to his master and stood his bike upright, "Your bike my lord…" He offered, "I shall make my own way…"
Cloud nodded to him, "Obliged sir Vincent…" and swung his leg over the side. Tifa did the same behind him, and wrapped her arms around Clouds waist.
"If solitude he be, then truly likened to his father has he stayed." She smiled putting her chin on his shoulder. Cloud smiled at this and put on his sun glasses.
Sora spoke now as he saw something in their reflection, "RIKU" he said energetically, and turned to great his friend.
There was Riku, walking with his head down as usual, his dark black jacket over his usual pale green and dark blue uniform. Hands in his pockets…of course.
Cloud heard the hum of his men's engines starting, and looked at Sora and Goofy, "Would that you would tend to my son good Goofy…it would be much appreciated."
Goofy saluted, "Right er way sir!" he said.
Cloud smiled, "Now Tifa, it's time we were away, Merlin has much to discuss with us about Cid's new program does he not?"
Tifa nodded and waved a good bye to their son, who was at the moment enduring a flurry of welcome by Sora, and glanced back at them with a slightly…LESS gloomy face in lue of a smile.
Tifa and her husband sped off on their borrowed bike to catch up with their band and Goofy and Donald made their way over to Riku to great him as well as rescue him from Sora.
"Hey there cousin" Goofy said bright and sunny. Riku used the old argument to excuse himself from Sora's endless re telling of the days happening.
"Goofy…" he said cutting Sora off, "How many times have I told you, I'm not your cousin, you'd have to be…like 100 billion times removed, not counting your son max.
Goofy shrugged, "Maybe so, but either way, how er ya?"
"Yeah!" chimed in Donald, "You seem awful discomplted this morning."
Riku looked at the sky, "Is the day THAT young?"
Goofy looked at the Twilight Town Clock, "It struck nine didn't it?"
Riku groaned, "Man the hours in this town, they make everything seem longer…"
Sora laughed to himself, "I don't keep track…"
Riku glanced at the archway that his mom and dad had just excited through.
"So…why's mom and dad up and leaving…?" he took a hand out of his pocket, "Usually they smother me beyond legal reason before they do anything…"
Sora shrugged, "Important stuff…"
Riku returned his hand to his pocket, "Always is…"
Donald spoke "So why so blue on this…err long morning'd?"
Riku shrugged, "Rather not talk about it…"
"That's a first…" Sora jested.
Goofy spoke again concerned, "Awww you sure?"
Donald suddenly saw some kids coming out of a shop amidst the sweeping brooms repairing the town, there was a boy there with spiky hair, he was holding the girls hand.
"Oooooooooooh" he said slyly….and folded his arms, "Maybe your lonely…"
Riku didn't regard he comment with more than a glance in the other direction with an expression of "wow you're retarded."
But as Donald had suspected, Sora jumped on it, and if he was right, he wouldn't let it go till Riku cracked.
"Oh…my gosh…it IS isn't it!" he said grinning broadly.
Riku groaned seeing his fate before him, "Sora…please…if you want to know the long and short of it, I wouldn't have love if it knocked and love frankly wouldn't have me…"
Sora put his hands on his hips, "Right…sure I believe that." He said sarcastically.
Goofy strummed his chin then had the look in his eye he did when he had an idea.
"Kairi!" he erupted in revelation, "Kairi's the only one you could feel this down in the dumps about…"
Sora and Donald both made exclamation sounds, and their eyes were large with realization and question.
Riku groaned, "Damn it goofy…" he said looking at the sky. Goofy covered his mouth with both is massive hands. "OOPS!"
Sora and Donald were already drowning each other out, "No way!" You and Kairi?" "How long?" "Her and you?" "No way!" "Oh my gosh…you and her?" "Kingdom-HEARTS this is news…" "I could actually see you guys together, even if you are such a brooding lunk head at times…" "Why'd you hold out on us ya big paluka?"
Riku was already walking away, but his friends gave chase walking quickly after him.
"Come on man, we aren't gonna stop until you tell us…" Sora persisted.
"Your on…" Riku said annoyed, hands back in pockets.
"Come Oooooooooooooon…" Sora whined, "I tell you everything."
"I know…I HATE that…" Riku said not slowing his pace.
Sora didn't slow his either , "Oh yeah?...well…Well that can't be true…cause your smart and your advise is always real good, and works and stuff."
Donald concurred, "Yeah, and if you were'ent interested, then you wouldn't know the answers to all our problems!" He chuckled his duck chuckle at his own cleverness.
Riku sighed, "Look just cause I have a few…common sense opinions about what you dunder heads get yourselves into, doesn't mean I care…"
Goofy looked hurt, "Awwww…sorry Riku, I wouldn't have said anything if I knew It'd make ya even more sa-yad."
That was how Goofy said Sad.
Riku stopped at this and sighed, "Alright fine…not that it's worth much difference, she's at Unverse Cal…"
"CAL!" All three said, "That nunnery place?" Sora said out of all of them, "Why?"
Riku shrugged leaning against a brick wall, "What does it matter, it's just like everything else in my life, I'm either not good enough for it, or its too good for me…why even go for things anymore, I'm tired of my freaking hand getting slapped reaching for em."
Goofy put a hand on his shoulder, "Ya can't think like that…" Riku shrugged.
"Heh…why not, face it…I'm marked…everyone knows it and see's me for it. I might as well face it, I'm destined to be within reach of what I want and not get it…and I guess I deserve it…"
Sora spoke up now, "Now come on bub, if you're so convinced of this whole doom and gloom message…why'd ya go out with Kairi?"
Riku looked away again, Sora persisted, "Come on man, you can't give up. You had enough faith to go this far…"
Riku leaned off the wall again and put his hands up against the bars of the fire escape above them,
"NO…it's done…she obviously doesn't want a thing with me…"
Donald spoke up, "Madam Daisy didn't want a thing to do with me, but now she's my tutsy fruitsy, *Duck chuckle*"
Riku didn't look over his shoulder, "Trust me…it's DONE…" he reiterated.
Sora would not be talked down in his opinion, "Then her loss…I mean there are other fish in the sea right? Other worlds…? New chances?"
"Other gowels…" Donald said mischievously.
Sora nodded, "Yeah man, what if she was just like the starter spark on a bike, you have to gun it a few times before the engine roars."
Goofy agreed, "Yeah, what if kairi was just a Get ready get set, and your GO is right around the corner?"
Riku turned around smiling this time, "Alright guys alright…I know what you're doing and its okay. I'm fine…really, I just need a while to process everything I guess."
Sora grinned, "So you'll see other girls?"
Riku rolled his eyes and walked out of the Alley. "Aww come on Riku!" Sora said following him, Goofy and Donald weren't but a few paces behind.
Meanwhile back in Twilight Town square as the last of the royal walking brooms were fixing up the streets pavement, Pence was saying bye to Hayner and Olette.
"Bye guys!" Pence said running in the direction that took him home, "I'm gonna be on the computer ALL night talking about this!"
Hayner waved and was now alone with Olette, who didn't go her own way either, her hands were behind her back and she was scratching the back of her leg with her foot.
"Sooooo…uh…" Hayner started, "You sure your okay?" She nodded "Mhm…"
"Uh huh…" he said…then sensing an awkward silence said the next thing that came to his mind, "That was some fight…" he said.
"Yeah it was…" Olette said softly agreeing. Hayner shut up about that, MAN what could he say to get her to noti-
"You were REALLY brave…." She said smiling in another direction. Hayner's eyes grew.
"ME? No way, I could hardly keep my words together in front of that Heartulette…" He looked at his struggle bat that hadn't even seen any action. He put it behind his back almost out of a shame reflex.
Olette walked closer to him, "I thought you were…" she said again. "Yeah?" he said trying to hide his nervousness again like he'd done with Loz.
"Mhm…" she said again smiling. Oh god…she was TOO perfect, even the way she said mhm was too cute for him to get over.
He swallowed and took a chance, "Look-I-know-you're-probably-going-out-with-Seifer-cause-he's-better looking-and-bigger-and-a-soldier-and-stuff-but-I-was-wondering-that-if-you-weren't-100 % sure-about going-with-him-that-maybe-you-might-consider-just-maybe-going-with-me-instead. And-if-you-don't just-say-so-cause-I-can-take it, I- "
He was stopped mid sentence by a clanging of something hitting the pavement, he looked down and saw it was the bracelet.
"It didn't have a pattern I liked…" She explained. "And to answer your other question, No…I'm not going with HIM…"
Hayner tried now to hide his smile, about as successful as he had hid his nervousness before that. "So…you're NOT going with anyone then?" He face palmed himself in his head for saying something that was again, so stupid.
"No…" Olette said smiling still, and bit her lip.
He took another breath and said, "Would….you want to go to it…with…."
"Yes I would!" Olette said smiling. "Yo-You would?" Hayner said dumbfounded what he'd imagined was actually happening. "U-uh-uh…what time should I-"
"Same time as everyone silly…" she said giggling, and he blushed, "OH and I forgot to give you something for standing up for me…"
"Oh it was noth- " He never finished his sentence, and in fact didn't move again for a long while, for she had wrapped her arms about him, kissed his cheek, then walked away home again, leaving Him to stand in the middle of Time Square with the last of the Brooms using their feet to sweep up the mess from the fight.