Ok, quick note about the main characters name. I will have it explained in the next chapter, but so you know now when the twins gave her that name they aren't referring to something along the lines of the shade you'd find under a tree. More like a person who has the ability to follow in someone's tracks, like a shadow. So think someone who can track and follow someone without them knowing it, not stalker, but having that ability to just blend.
-Shadoword
Vacation's where I wanna be
Party on the beach where the fun is free
We don't need a holiday, it's time to celebrate
'Cause I need a break, I need a vacation.
Shadow walked through her sister's large house and to their rooms, already dressed and ready to go. It was one week into their summer vacation and their parents were gone, and they were coming home with her for a bit. She grinned as she walked up to Namine's door. She had to admit, she was excited. It would be a chance to for sure catch up on all the things she had missed over the years.
Opening the door and stepping in, she saw Namine's room was spotless clean and her outfit for the day was resting neatly at the end of her bed. Her things were already in the truck so all she had to do was get up and dressed. It was only a two hour drive, but the earlier they left the sooner Yoru would have new play toys. "Namine." Shadow said, louder than she had last time. "Time to get up."
To her surprise the blond woke up quickly. "Ok, just give me a few minutes." She yawned as she pushed herself up and the covers off.
"Sounds good, I'll make you guys breakfast when we get to my place." She left her sister to go and get Kairi, also noticing how her room was just as clean as Namine's. Her outfit required more trinkets and such, and her makeup for the day was also displayed on her desk so she didn't have to sort through her many choices. Shadow admitted that she was happy to see this. "Hey Kairi, get up and get ready."
"Got it." She mumbled, throwing the covers off and slugishly getting out of bed. "What time is it?"
"Five."
"It's supposed to be summer vacation." She replied.
"Yeah but the sooner we get there the sooner Yoru can see you two." Shadow made her way to the door. "I'll feed you when we get there."
It only took both sisters about fifteen minutes max to get dressed and ready, so at 5:20 that morning they were getting into Shadow's truck after confirming the entire house had been locked up. "What do you guys want to drink?" She asked, planning on heading to the gas station first to get something to wake them up.
"Caffeine." They said simultaneously. Shade smirked and nodded while she pulled out of the driveway to the house, watching the two in the back seat with her rear view mirror. They were striving to hold onto consciousness but failing miserably, so when their eyes finally closed for good she drove past the gas station and just headed straight for Radiant Garden.
XXXXXX
When they were half an hour away the sisters woke up more refreshed so they got to see where their sister lived. Radiant Gardens was a place that was composed of mostly stone arches and solid buildings with shops, but at the same time while it looked like a place that could defend against a siege the atmosphere was light and the people that walked the streets seemed to be alive and happy with their lives. "This place is so amazing Shade." Kairi said, watching as they drove over one of the stone paths that helped cross over the small stream.
"I like it here. A friend of mine from work recommended it for me." She replied, thinking of the scarred weapon master. "He still has a house here where he has vacations whenever he gets them."
"Does he live close by?"
"Actually my place is closer to the outskirts of the city, his is more inner, close to all the action." She explained as she drove, and they noticed that more mountains were coming into view.
Shadow's home on the outside showed a lot of work had gone into the yard. Lush green grass surrounded the place and the yard had a large tree that was off to the side of the walkway that led up to the doorway, providing plenty of shade. It was just a simple white with a solid black roof as shingles were neatly layered as they made their way down. Her windows were large but solid black curtains were drawn over the windows. Small bushes surrounded the perimeter of the area while the backyard was fenced off, but the largeness of the area could be seen from here.
"Shadow! This is beautiful!" Namine said. "Did you do this?"
"I like the work." She replied, grabbing her sister's bags and taking them up the walkway. She unlocked the door and cracked it open. "Do me a favor, stand over there on the grass." She motioned to the spot under the tree.
The confused sisters did as they were told before Shadow quickly stepped in and closed the door, hearing her voice lightly from the other side as she seemed to speak with someone else. "She has a room mate?"
"I thought she didn't like people living with her." Kairi replied.
"Just go easy on them." Shadow said, finally opening the door.
They watched as a a ball of fur sped out of the door and charged them. "Don't kill them!" Shadow shouted, smirking as the girls squealed at the sight of Yoru, who tackled them both to the ground and started her furious licking. The Alaskan Husky quickly had the favor returned as Kairi and Namine started petting her and scratching her behind her ears. "Not even two minutes and you're spoiling her, grats." Shadow said, coming back from putting their bags up.
"She's adorable Shadow!" Kairi exclaimed. "How did you get her again?"
"She actually had caught a ride without one of our agents knowing it, and ended up back at base. Instead of getting rid of her I decided to keep her, she quickly became a part of our huge family we had going on." She replied, sitting against the tree as her dog quickly leaped up and sat next to her owner, resting her nose on Shade's shoulder, earning her a scratch between the ears. "She's been one of my best friends since."
"Can we go see the rest of your house?" Namine asked.
"Sure, it's going to be your place for a month." She replied, and the twins got up to see the rest of the place.
They studied each detail, looking at the subtle and small ways that she expressed herself. When they got to her bedroom the single person bed was tucked away in the corner to the right while a large stereo system was on the wall opposite to it to the left. A close was right next to the stereo and that about made up the room. Very simple and empty. When they turned back to leave they saw that the wall that made up the one the door was on was filled from top to bottom. Pictures Kairi had taken and ones Namine had drawn were hanging carefully and framed on the wall. School pictures from each year they had been on Destiny Islands were placed next to each other in order along the top rim and they could see how they grew throughout the years. Drawings from when they were little were also framed and displayed, and when Kairi got older pictures from a camera become for frequent while Namine's drawings got better. Both sisters stared in awe.
"She kept them." Kairi whispered, studying one from when she was four. "I can't believe she kept them."
"Why wouldn't I?" Shadow appeared in the door frame, arms crossed over her chest and looking at them. "This is as artsy as it gets."
Namine giggled when she saw a picture of them with the guys back at the park, Sora had gotten a hold of the camera and they had taken one of the most stupidest pictures ever, but one that was apparently worthy of being up on her wall. "Every single one?"
"Some are more special than others, and those are placed elsewhere, but yeah, every single one. It was the only way I got to see how you guys were holding up." She shrugged.
"I remember this one!" Kairi said, pointing at a picture at the top. It was the same one she had in her locker, with the twins tackling Shadow to the ground. "I kept it in my locker at school."
"I remember that too, and I remember how sore my back was afterwords." She replied, and they laughed. A good half hour passed as they sat on Shadow's bed and recounted all the memories, Kairi and Namine on the bed while Yoru laid across Shadow's legs while the girl stroked her head. When it finally hit nine that morning they decided to finally eat some food.
"Come on, we'll hit one of the shops I know that has an awesome breakfast menu." Shadow said, passing her keys that were on the counter.
Kairi and Namine walked out of the door and waited as Shadow still held the door open. "Come on Yoru." She called, and the dog walked out quickly before the door was locked behind them, following close to her owner's side and matching her pace.
"Do they allow dogs?" Namine asked.
"Everyone here knows Yoru. One time when she was still younger she had gotten out and I end up getting a call that she had actually gotten into a shop, the same one we're going to now, and that she was behind the window barking at people who were pulling up for their food. It startled them at first but she didn't hurt anyone, so they just laughed it off. She easily can get a free meal now."
"You're kidding." Kairi said.
"Dead serious." Shadow replied. The trio walked opposite of the road they had taken and after a few minutes of being surrounded by field they found themselves in a small district that created a circular setting with shops outlining the area. The area was filled with colors and the center of the area had a small pond in the center with a stone wall only a foot high surrounding it so people could sit along the edges. The atmosphere was peaceful as everyone talked and enjoyed the day as the sun shone on them, but not providing the heat that Destiny Islands did.
Shade took them to one of the shops that was a small building with the door being held open by a rod at the top. Inside the temperature was cool and comfortable, painted neutral colors with a counter in the right corner while the rest of the space was dedicated to seating in simple metal chairs and small tables. Behind the counter a girl with simple brown hair that cascaded down her back in curls stood, her hair being held back by a red ribbon. She had on a simple pink dress that was hidden behind the black apron she wore, and soft blue eyes turned to see them come in before a smile came across her face. "Good morning Shade." She greeted.
"Hello Aerith." She replied, calmly. "These are my sister's, Namine and Kairi, guys, this is Aerith, she's the one that called when Yoru broke in."
The girl laughed, and Kairi guess she was a year or two older than Shadow. "It's nice to meet you." They both said. Yoru barked and ran up to the counter, jumping up on the other side so her paws rested on it so the woman could give her a soft scratch. Shadow rolled her eyes as she walked up to the counter. "How have things been?" She asked.
"Pretty good. These two are staying with me for a month while their parents are gone." She replied, and the twins smiled as she stated the fact.
"That's wonderful! You guys will like it here, everyone's really nice and there is a lot of things you can do." Aerith replied, making a large drink with the blender in the back. "So what can I get you two?"
"Shadow can order first." Namine said politely. Aerith glanced over at the name 'Shadow' and looked at Shade, who nodded as if to confirm the title. "Aerith knows what I'm going to get, so go ahead." She replied, stepping back and pulling out her cellphone quickly to check something. After some thought Namine got a piece of raisin bread toast with a small coffee while Kairi got one of the croissant with a small drink as well, and both girls were shocked by the large size of the food and drinks, seeing as they looked huge. Shadow had a large drink that definitely wasn't coffee, more like a frosty, and she had a plain bagel.
Kairi and Namine sat down at one of the tables while Shadow paid. Aerith spoke quietly as the two girls ate. "Carter came in yesterday, apparently your replacement trainer isn't really able to take on your group." She giggled as she gave Shade back her change.
"He better catch on quickly then." She replied, taking a sip of her drink and tasting the chocolate in it. "Or else he's screwed."
"Are you going to bring those two by?" Aerith inquired.
"No, I don't want to get into details about my work." She replied. The brunette nodded in understanding. "Are you going to take them to the festival tomorrow?"
"They like that kind of stuff so I figured I should. Why?"
The girl smiled and leaned over the counter so she could talk to the other two. "Do you guys have dresses for the festival tomorrow?"
"What colors?" Kairi asked.
"You dark blue or white." She replied, and Shade smirked.
"Still following that tradition?"
"Of course." She smiled. "You still haven't been to one completely." Shade was about to say something, but the girl cut her off. "And no, this time no excuses, because you're supposed to be on vacation." Shade winced as her only excuse was ripped from her.
"So how does the tradition go?" Namine asked.
"The festival is composed of dark blue and white in colors. The girls wear those colors while the guys have to wear something black at least. At the festival there is dancing, great food, and music all night long."
"Sounds fun!" Kairi said. "Is there a place where we can buy dresses?"
"For this time of year there is a shop dedicated solely to them." Aerith confirmed. "If you want we can go after I get off work, which is in an hour."
The twins looked at Shadow, who nodded. before smiling and quickly agreeing.
XXXXXX
That night the girls were beyond excited. As they had been shopping with Aerith for a few hours, Shadow having opted to go run around doing last minute errands instead, they had witnessed as their sister's home city was quickly turned into a large festival setting. The celebration wasn't confined to one area, everyone they looked even as they walked street after streets the colors blended into the settings. The dark blue was complimented with the white and they could see even the black helped add to the festivities.
So that night they had stayed at Aerith's home and dressed up so they didn't have to go far. Shadow had promised to be there half an hour before they would leave to help them finish up. The girls had quickly taken to Aerith and liked her, so they agreed to the proposal.
Which led to their current setting. Aerith was already dressed and standing in the front of her home while the girls were stepping out of the back room. Kairi was wearing in a white dress that at along the edges of the bottom dark blue made a solid stripe. Thin straps held the fabric up and it was more form fitting that her sisters.
Namine in turn was wearing a knee-high dress that flowed slightly when she walked, and dark blue dotted flowers were throughout the dress and her shoulder straps were thicker than Kairi's. Her hair hung regularly around her face while Kairi's had the two strips that framed her face pulled back by a black clip.
"You two look wonderful!" Aerith said. She was wearing a simple white dress that tied around her neck. "Do you guys like them?"
"I don't see why not, they look great." Both girls smiled and turned to their sister who had walked in, before their mouths dropped open. "No way!"
Shade's dress was a long black dress that hugged her form before loose fabric flowed only slightly, not as drastic as Kairi's. One shoulder was bare while the other had two long pieces of cloth tied around the side of her neck, the extra cloth falling over her bare back. The dark blue was incorporated into the shading of the bottom as it faded from the end of the dress and slowly crawled to the top before disappearing at her waist. Her hair was neatly pulled back into a high ponytail and she didn't wear any make up, though that hardly mattered as the two sisters stared at her.
"Shadow you look beautiful." Namine said in awe, walking up to your sister. "I dind't know you had a dress.
"This is the only occasion I'll wear it for, well, that and you guy's concerts." She smiled at her and Kairi. "You both look great, nice dresses."
Kairi smiled at the compliment. "Thanks Shadow." Her sister smiled at her before looking at Aerith. "Thanks for letting these two get ready here."
"It was no problem, you were telling the truth about these two when you said they knew their manners." Both girls blushed and Shade chuckled. "So are you ready to go?"
"Yes!" The twins said excitedly. Their older sibling just nodded and they walked out of the home and after Aerith locked it up they started for the main town plaza, already thrown into the cheery atmosphere. The streets were crowded as people cheerfully walked throughout the streets as white lights were strung as lanterns throughout the area. Talking worked to overcome the thousands of voices as adults dressed in elaborate outfits walked throughout the area, children in similar colors ran in between everyone, squealing with delight as they held candy or equivalent sweet food or toys in their hands.
"This is amazing!" Kairi said. "What are they celebrating?"
"Today was the same day many years ago a devastating fight ended that nearly destroyed Radiant Gardens. During that time it had been called Hallow Bastion, but when the small war ended people were able to slowly rebuild their lives, and Radiant Gardens was once again alive. So we have this festival in remembrance." Aerith explained.
"How long does it normally last?"
"All night long. At eight when the night is it's darkest that's when it officially starts, signified by the fireworks, before around five in the morning people will head home." Shadow explained, walking in between her sisters.
The girls walked up to one of the many shops that had been converted to a drink stand and everyone ordered something. The teenagers had soda's while Aerith got a light alcohol beverage and Shadow just got a beer. "You drink?" Namine asked almost worriedly.
Shadow smiled and shook her head. "Regularly? Not even close. I've probably had four beers max in my life, Mt. Dew is more my forte."
"But didn't you just turn 21?"
Aerith and Shadow glanced at each other, the brunette giggling while their sister smirked. "Story for another time." They ushered the two towards one of the temporary steps that had been made during the day that led to the roofs of various stores, the tops cleared to reveal large platforms everywhere. The steps had white and blue ribbons intertwined inside them as they climbed before they reached the top to reveal the crowd that was there.
"'Bout bloody time!" Cid growled. "What took you so long?" Shadow smirked and motioned to the two girls on either side of her, before realization dawned on him. "Damn." He muttered, taking a long drag of his cigar.
"Heya Shade!" A girl with short black hair and in a night blue dress bound up to them, grinning widely. "How's it goin'?"
"Guys, this is Yuffie. Tall, blond, and angry is Cid." The man smirked at her definition.
"Hey! She described you perfectly!" Yuffie cheered.
"That's not a surprise." They turned and Shade grinned. "Hello Carter." She greeted. The man had dark African skin and was dressed in simple black suit pants and a white shirt. He was tall, at least six foot, and had silver piercings in each ear. He was big, as in it was obvious he worked out or had a very demanding job. Namine and Kairi forced themselves not to gape as he came over and gave Shade a tight hug. "Man it's good to see you."
"Same here." She pulled back and turned to her sisters. "This is Kairi and Namine."
"Ah, I've heard a lot about you two." He said, giving them a warm smile. As intimidating as he looked, he was actually very friendly. "Shadow speaks highly of you."
The two looked at each other, then Shadow, who didn't look angry, then Carter. He had used her nickname, he had her respect. Therefore, he had theirs. "It's a pleasure to meet you mister Carter." Kairi said politely. Namine nodded in agreement, her sister about summing it up for the two of them.
"The pleasure is all mine." He glanced over at Shade who was talking to the others. "From what I see, you two are what keep her going, and that speaks for itself." The two girls beamed, happy to hear that their sister talked about them, and didn't seem to have abandoned them in her somewhat social life.
"So where do you know her from?" Namine asked.
"Your sister and I have known each other since she was ten." He said, a fond smile on his lips. "I was only sixteen when I met her, but we've been good friends for quite a while."
"Carter, we were going to grab drinks, you want something?" Shade asked, walking over to them briefly.
"I'm good." He replied, Kairi and Namine glanced at each other, grins on their faces.
"Make sure these two don't tackle you, or else there is no way in hell you're getting up." She said casually, proceeding down the steps. As soon as her head disappeared they rounded on him. "So what was Shade like growing up?" Namine asked first.
Carter raised an eyebrow at this. "Honestly? First couple years she made our lives living hell." He chuckled. "But that's what we loved about her. She challenged everyone, pushed us, just as hard as she pushed herself. She made sure that no one looked down on her, and if they did, they'd soon regret it."
"How did you meet her?"
He thought for a moment. "How much do you know about what happened after she left?"
"Her parents were awful and her dad lost her in a bet before someone else took her in." Kairi said.
"I was basically a member of the family that had won her over in a bet. At first, we didn't get along at all. But hell, her own flesh and blood and used her in a game of poker, who wouldn't be pissed? But after a year or so she finally started warming up, death threats were replaced by severed limbs." All three laughed at this. "Honestly, your sister seriously changed my life, all of our lives, for the better. Couldn't have asked for a better friend and comrade." Namine noticed his choice of words, and stored this information away for later.
"So...what does she say, I mean about us?" Kairi asked.
He chuckled and shook his head. "If you're wondering if she loves you guys, more than you will ever know. Shadow rarely talks, but to the few people who have the honor of hearing her speak, you two are the ones she's bragging about. Your concerts, Namine's art, Kairi and your singing accomplishments, and when the both of you get perfect scores on your tests. By the way, grats on acing the geography test Kairi." She blushed some and gave a quiet thank you.
"So, what do you guys do for work?"
He sighed and shook his head. "Gotta ask your sister that you two." They both pouted, once again having the question dodged. He smirked a the looks on their faces. "Don't worry, if she hasn't told you yet there is a reason, and trust me, she's pretty good at judging these things."
"Judging what thing." The two twins turned to see Shadow there, handing a beer over to Carter anyway.
"Reasons." Namine answered, and her sister just nodded before grabbing Carter''s wrist to look at his watch. "Better look up."
Sure enough, as soon as she finished the sentence they looked up to see a bolt of white shoot up from the ground and burst into an explosion of darts as they extended into a large circle, quickly covering the space in the sky before it was followed by many, many others. Cheers erupted from all of the rooftops and the people on the ground as everyone watched.
Shade looked over and saw her sister's smiling excitedly as they watched the fireworks, and gave a small smile of her own. "You should be proud." Carter said quietly from next to her, only leaning in slightly so the others wouldn't hear.
She glanced up at him. "Trust me, I am."