Chapter 5: #Struggle

Time of Day: ?
Weather: Foggy
Place: The Velvet Room

"Why hello there… Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor greets me.

"I foresee two Arcana shining brightly in your future," Margaret tells me. "The Moon and the Strength. Soon, you shall form bonds that will give rise to even more new powers. These bond will illuminate the path before you and be your eyes to see the truth."

"Now then, please take care until we meet again," Igor tells me.

Everything around me fades into the fog outside.

April 19, 2015
Time of Day: Noon
Weather: Sunny
Place: Destiny High- Class 2-2

"Hey guys. How's it going?" Yuffie walks into the classroom and asks us.

"Not much," I tell her

"I just failed a Physics exam." Roxas says sadly.

"It's because you didn't study. I would have given you notes." I chide Roxas

"But I was doing something important!" Roxas defends himself.

"What? Trying to beat my high score of 998 on Flappy Bird?" Yuffie asks.

"Like hell I was!" Roxas says back.

"Well whatever it was, it was probably stupid and unnecessary." I tell him.

"But anyway, thanks for the help yesterday guys," Yuffie tells us.

"No problem! But seriously, I'm still tired from all of that." Roxas says

"How is Namine anyway?" I ask

"She's resting at her house. Her parents were ecstatic to see her back home." Yuffie replies.

"But she said she's alright and should come back soon."

"That's good." I tell her.

"Geez, you seem to be back to normal Yuffie." Roxas puts his head and arms on his desk.

"Sora and I have been worn down because of all this. Am I right dude?"

"I'm completely fine actually." I tell him.

"What?!" Roxas sits back up. "What are you guys made of? I've had to use heat pads,

medicines, drinks, and exploiting the massage chairs at Moogle Co.!"

Roxas continued to complain. Yuffie then turned to me. "He has a good point Sora. Have you

ever been in a sports club?" She asks.

"No, I didn't really ever feel like joining any."

"Since, you haven't joined any clubs yet, I think I you can be of help to someone I know." Yuffie smiles.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Sunny
Place: Destiny High- Gym

In the center of the gym, two individuals are clashing with blue bats. With every strike at their body, an orb of a specific red or blue color comes flying out. I know these two, it's Hayner and Tidus, the school jocks that talked to me a couple days ago.

Both fight through their perspiration, their will to outdo each other evident. I can't blame them, it's in their competitive drive. In the end, Hayner is the victor. Congrats man, you beat a guy with a club. Woo hoo.

"Hayner! Over here!" Yuffie shouts over the noise of the guys practicing.

Hayner turns his head in our direction and walks toward us. "Hey Yuffie. Isn't that the new guy?" He asked.

"Yeah, and he's here to help the team!" Yuffie tells him.

A smile appears on Hayner's face. "Really?"

"For now, I'm just here to watch. By the way, how did those orbs appear and then just disappear?" I ask him.

"The place we were fighting is fitted with technology specially designed for Struggle," He informs me. "When you're hit by the Struggle Bat, depending on how much damage it did, the more orbs fly out of your body."

"Sweet. I never knew Struggle was like that. Seems interesting." I tell him. "Anyway, what do you need my help for?"

"Our team is going under due to our lack of serious players. Tidus over here is ditching practice to help. So can you please lend a hand?" Hayner asks. He doesn't show it, but I can tell how desperate he is by the way he asks me.

"I might as well. I mean it's not like I'm doing anything else around here."

Hayner's smile grows even wider. "Sweet! Come over here, I'll introduce you to who's here."

"What do you mean? No one else is here." I ask him.

Hayner turns around. He has a shocked look on his face. No one else is there except a small piece of paper with writing on it. "SERIOUSLY?!" Hayner crumples the paper, throws at the corner of the gym, and stomps away into the locker room. I walk over to the piece of paper. It read:

So yeah Hayner, there was news of a party and yeah. We can't lose the opportunity to party at a club in Okina City. Plus, Tidus is too hard to beat, so we left when he went to take a crap. That, and none of us hadn't gotten any in months because of all of the practices that we keep on having.

Peace out,

Your teammates

"Geez, those guys are dicks." Yuffie says.

"I couldn't agree more." I tell her.

Time of Day: Night
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Dojima Residence

Usagi and I are sitting down in the living room watching TV when the door opens. A smile grows on Usagi's face, and runs to the small foyer where we put our shoes. She then comes back and hides behind my back. I wonder what's with her.

"Hello!" I hear Terra's voice. He walks into the living room and waves to me and Usagi.

"We got off work early, so I brought him here." Then Zack walks in with a bag. It's most likely full of sushi bentos.

The sushi Zack got was good and this time he remembered I liked spicy crab. We talked about things like how school was going for me and if I've heard anything from Namine. Terra also accidentally blurted out some things about the case, for which he received a punch on the head from Zack.

Apparently Zack got Golden Week off, so he could spend time with us. When he said that, Usagi became really excited and talked about making boxed lunches and going on a picnic at Moogle Co. I tried not to laugh too much when she said that.

April 20, 2015
Time of Day: Morning
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Hallways

"Hey, you're the new player on the Struggle team, right?" A girl asks me.

"Hm?" The girl has brown hair that was styled into one large curl. Weird. She also wears a yellow tie and skirt, not the blue tie and skirt that the girls' uniform normally has. "Uh, yeah. My name is Sora."

"My name is Selphie Ebihara. I'm what you can call the Struggle team's manager." She tells me. "I was only assigned this so I could graduate though."

"Ok then. I guess I'll see you next practice." I start walking down the hall when she calls out to me.

"Hey Sora, do you want to come with me to Okina City?" Selphie asks. "I need to buy stuff for the team anyway."

"Can I take up on that offer another day?"

"C'mon! We could hang out afterwards, have some coffee or something."

"Hm… You know what, okay. I'll come with you. I've already learned about old people I don't care about"

Selphie put her thumb up. "Sweet!'

Time of Day: Noon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Okina City

"So when does the fun begin?" I ask Selphie. We're sitting at some posh coffee shop full of hipsters and college art majors. We're having probably one of the most over-expensive drinks I've ever had, and I'm not even having a fun time while drinking said coffee.

"Oh Sora," Selphie says. "The fun started an hour ago!"

"Really?" I ask her. "I must have missed the memo."

"At least we're away from all of that school crap!" Selphie stretches.

"Yeah, you bring up a good point. You know, I've never ditched school before." I tell her. "It's a nice change."

"Seriously?" Selphie drinks her coffee. "You know, you're different than other guys. You're more level headed."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Maybe we should do this again sometime, but after school. I've skipped too many times, which is the reason I have to manage the team."

"So it's like some form of community service?"

"You could put it that way. It's a drag most of the time though."

"That blows. But anyway, sure. I'd do this with you again. It might be fun." I sip my coffee one last time before we head back to the train station

April 21, 2015
Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Gymnasium

Hayner, the other guys on the team, and I are stretching before practice. "Selphie's not here? She's like the only reason I come here!" One guy says

"Yeah, me too. She's probably flirting with some guys right now." Another says.

"You know, I heard she has a sugar daddy." A third guy says.

"Well, with that face, that body, and that ass it would-"

"Will you guys just cut it off and be grateful she decided to help us!" Hayner scolds them. "Don't make up a bunch of shit about her!"

"Nah man, it's true I-" The guy was cut off by a 3-inch stiletto flying in the air. We look in the direction it came from and see Selphie with her hands on her hips. She then turns around and walks out of the gym.

"Hey, wait!" Hayner starts walk to her, but she doesn't stop.

"You guys are dicks." I tell everyone. "Except you Hayner. Anyway, I'll go see If I can find her."

"Ok Sora. Just tell her I'm sorry." Hayner tells me.

"Got it." I start to run out the gym.

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Bike Racks

"Selphie, come back!" I catch up with her. "Are you okay?"

She smiles. "I'm okay, they're always like that. I'm just happy that Hayner stood up for me like that." She put her hands on her cheeks. "I left so Hayner wouldn't see me all flustered."

"You like him?" I ask her.

Her face turns to shock. "Oh crap, did I just say that." I nod saying yes. "Anyway, now that you know, I might as well tell you why I like him."

She goes onto saying how she knew him forever and he's always nice to her. You know, the cliche story of "I like him, but I don't know if he likes me back since we've been friends since we were babies." Poor girl, being subjected to something like the childhood friend zone

"Maybe I can find out for you." Selphie raised a brow. "I'll ask him if he likes you, and if he does, you can ask him yourself."

A large smile grows on Selphie's face. "Really? You'd do that? For me?"

"Why not? I am your friend." Hopefully this isn't something I'll regret

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Gymnasium Supply Closet

"Do you like Selphie?" I ask Hayner. We're putting away all of the struggle bats used and taking inventory on the equipment.

His face shows confusion. "Why are you asking that?"

"It's because how you defended her there."

"Oh, that. Well we have been friends forever, but I've never really thought about it that way." \

"Then who do you like? I promise not to tell. Or laugh. Maybe."

"Really? Let me put it this way. Do you think you can put in a good word for me to your friend Yuffie?"

I start to laugh a little. "Yuffie?

"I thought you said you wouldn't laugh!"

"I'm sorry dude, but I think she's taken."

Hayner's face turns to shock. "By who?!"

The jerk and witty person in me would joke and say I was her boyfriend, and that we're in love, but I knew better. "I'm pretty sure she likes Namine. Honestly, it's probably the reason why she keeps so many guys away from her!" Hayner's face fills with despair. "Hey, I'm just kidding! I doubt Yuffie is into girls." Hayner's face fills with hope.

Hayner finished and put his hand on my shoulder. "Dude, seriously. You need to put in good word for to Yuffie." Hayner took his hand off me. "Anyway, I'll see you later. I gotta get home and do homework.

"See ya." I tell him. Once he's gone I walk to a sports bag in the corner of the room. I open the bag, and see Selphie with a face full of despair. "I'm so sorry Selphie."

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Rooftops

"I'm gonna jump!" Selphie attempts to climb up the rooftop fence.

"Don't make a stupid decision Selphie! Just try to find someone else!" I tell her. Selphie finally decides to stop struggling. "Just think about it! There's a serial murder case going on! And we're the only ones up here! Be smart about this! For my sake!"

"I know Yuffie! I'm so much cuter than her!" Wow, talk about conceited. "How does Hayner looks right past me? I worked so hard to look like this!" Worked? I wonder what she means by that. "But he doesn't love me at all!" Tears start to appear on her cheeks. "So what's the point?"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Look, I can tell this won't be easy for you. But don't just go and throw yourself off of the roof! Think about how your parents will be." Selphie fell to her knees and started to sob. I sat down next to her to comfort her.

After 5 minutes of crying she finally started to talk. "Back when I was little, I was that one fat and ugly girl in the class. My classmates would make fun of me and call me names like "Fatty" or "Piggyhara", so I starved myself to lose weight, treated fashion magazines like bibles, and did a bunch of other crap just to be treated nicely."

"So I get it now. You worked hard to become like this." I tell her.

"Yeah, but I guess it wasn't enough. I did all of this to become cute, and still no one likes me." She puts her face on her knees and starts to cry again.

"Geez, just please stop crying. I'm sure you'll find another guy who likes you."

Selphie looks at me with teary eyes and a red nose. "You're really nice. I wish I'd fallen for someone like you instead of some that looks right past me."

"Uh, thanks I guess." I get up from where I'm sitting. "We should probably head back now."

Selphie grabs my hand. "Hey, how about we start seeing each other?"

"What?" This can't be good.

"C'mon just help me! Until I find the guy I really want to be with, I want you to act like you love me. I'll kill myself if you don't!"

"On second thought, jump," I deadpan. "Soar like a fucking eagle!"

April 23, 2015
Time of Day: Morning
Weather: Sunny
Place: Destiny High- Class 2-2

"Dude you got a girlfriend?" Roxas asks me. "Details please!"

"Selphie Ebihara." I say dreadfully

"My condolences." Roxas says.

"Also, where were you yesterday?" Yuffie asks

"Selphie made me skip and-" The Jaws theme starts ringing in my pocket. That can only mean one thing...

"Are you going to pick that up?" Roxas asks.

"Oh… Yeah…" I pick up my phone slowly and see that it's Selphie. "Hellooo?"

"Too slow! I'm your girlfriend and-" Yup, not dealing with that.

"Fighting already, huh?" Yuffie asks.

"I wish." I tell her.

April 26, 2015
Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Gymnasium

"Okay guys, listen up!" Hayner got our attention. "I signed us up for a practice game this weekend!" Everyone except me moaned in annoyance. "We haven't been to one in a while, so let's kick ass and take some names!" Everyone replied by saying ok.

"Hey guys!" Roxas walked in with Yuffie.

"Hey Roxas. What are you guys doing here?" I ask him.

"Yuffie here decided to sign up for team manager!" Roxas says.

"Huh?!" Yuffie yells.

"Really?! That'd be great." Hayner's expression went from happy to ecstatic.

Yuffie whispered something to Roxas. I could only get three words from that. I heard Roxas say love, and Yuffie said choke hold. Those are two words you normally don't hear in the same sentence.

"This is great, we could really use the help for the next upcoming match!" Hayner says this, but I can tell he's excited for a different reason.

"I guess I could help out." Yuffie says.

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Cloudy
Place: Destiny High- Locker Room

"Hey Sora, I want to tell you something." Hayner walks up to me as I enter the locker room to get my stuff.

"What?" I ask him.

"This is going to be my last game. You see, I come from a big family, and my parents never really approved of the whole Struggle thing. They said it was a waste of time. After this I'm quitting the team."

"Wow, no wonder why you still have faith in the team. I'm sorry for you."

"No, don't be. Just promise me that you'll help me win!"

I smile. "Yeah, sure Hayner! Anything for a friend."

"And one more thing."

"What?"

"You're also going to help me tell Yuffie that I like her!"

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Hayner, I'll help you with things that are possible, okay?"

Hayner smiled and laughed. "C'mon you're not at least going to lie and say you'll help me? Some friend you are!" We both laughed and left the locker room.

April 29, 2015
Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Rain
Place: Destiny High- Gymnasium

Our team, and the other team are flexing, getting ready for our match. Roxas and Yuffie showed up for support, but then Roxas left to chase a girl from another school. The order of which we go is me, Tidus, two other guys because no one else showed up, then Hayner.

Over by the stage, I see Yuffie and Selphie bickering. "It's hard being a ladies man. isn't it Sora?" Roxas asks me.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask him, but he doesn't tell me anything, he just laughs. I'll ask Yuffie later.

Both Tidus and I won our matches. The two other guys lost because they don't practice for shit. In the final match, Hayner had to win, in order to beat the other school. Hayner's match started, and we couldn't even tell who would win.

When Hayner attacked, the other guy blocked with ease. When the other guy attacked, Hayner dodged and attacked from behind. His only problem was, his attacks weren't as strong as the other guy's, so even if he did hit him, it wouldn't do as much damage if he hit Hayner. That would mean less orbs would burst out.

No one got knocked out of the ring, and it came down to the timer to decide who won. At the end of the match were were given the scores. When we heard the judge of the competition we were devastated

"Destiny High loses by 1 point!"

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Rain
Place: The Secret Place Restaurant

"We did our best!" We all said while cheering to the team. Roxas, Yuffie, Hayner, Tidus, Selphie, and I went to a restaurant to eat after the game.

"Sorry we didn't win dude." Tidus apologizes.

"And it was you last game too." I add on.

"Nah guys, it's ok." Hayner smiles. "I've decided to stay. I can't and won't stop on a game that we lost!" Hayner puts his fist up. "So will you guys promise me that you'll help me out till we get to that point?"

"Yeah!" We said back.

Time of Day: Afternoon
Weather: Rain
Place: Destiny Island Streets

After we ate we all started to walk home. At one point Selphie came up to me. "Sora, from now on I think I can go on my own for now."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Oh thank God! Finally! I'm only asking this to be kind of course.

"I only needed you around so I could get over being rejected." I still think you're a bitch for that. "At one point I thought I might fall for you." Oh God no. Please God anything but that. "Here, keep these as a memento."

She hands me pictures she forcefully made me take in a photo booth. She tried to kiss me, but then I tried to get her off me so she wouldn't suck my face off. Ugh, I'll be nice and keep these in a place I'll forget about and never look for them.

"From now on, I'll try to be a good manager. And maybe I'll eventually win Hayner over." Selphie smiles and goes up to Hayner. Thank God that's over with.

I stop to turn to my street. "Hey Selphie!"

"Yeah?" She asks

"Good luck!"

She smiles at me. "Thanks Sora!"

Chapter 5 is done, and Sora has is done with his well deserved break! Next chapter, we're gonna get back into the swing of things with the whole murder investigation.

Thanks for reading, and please, R&R! I love hearing opinions on how my story is!