Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. All is property of Square Enix.
Thump
That was the sound made when Namine's body collided against the soft grass of the park.
After having met with Axel on Wednesday afternoon the three had agreed to teach Namine what she needed to know to help Roxas in his work. For this reason the girl spent the last two afternoons in the park with them and since today was Friday and her parents would return tomorrow afternoon she had nothing else to do but to be thrown to the ground a thousands times.
"For the umpteenth time, stay focused! If you cannot feel the attack at least a few seconds before it'll be your end. Again!" Axel's tired voice told Namine from the other side of the park.
His languid figure leaning on a tree watched the "training" of the petit blonde. A sly smile adorned his face with a strange gleam in his green irises.
Stumbling, the girl stood up and breathed out exhausted removing some strands of fair hair from her face. In front of her Roxas watched her carefully while she closed her eyes and got prepared for what was coming.
Namine kept her breathing steady whilst Roxas moved quickly towards her ready to attack. The boy threw a light blow that she eluded moving aside. Thus continued for several minutes until Roxas hit punch on the girl's forearm sending her to the floor.
"That was better blondie, one more time!" Axel told her that was barely standing up.
"It's enough for today Axel. She can barely stand up." Roxas said turning to see his friend.
"She only has improved a little."
"I know but look at her, she's exhausted. Leave it for today."
"I thought... I thought I already told you that... I don't like the people talk about me as if I wasn't present." Namine replied dusting off her skinny jeans and putting on her green sweater.
"Well we'll continue tomorrow." Axel approached the girl, gave her backpack and did the same with Roxas.
The three left the park heading to the home of the blonde quietly. A few steps ahead of her were talking Axel and Roxas while Namine listened to music through her headphones.
"Well what do you think?" Roxas whispered loud enough so that the redhead could hear.
"She has improved but not enough to take her hunting."
"I know but at least now she can feel when the attack is coming so at least I have not to worry about that."
"I am surprised that she has that mark, I never would have imagined. I must admit that she's a quick learner."
"ha! Quick learner? She's been training for two days now and she can hardly foresee attacks."
"For someone like her it's a lot, by the way how are you handling the fee?" Axel asked glancing at him.
"... I'll pay-"
"Hey, Do you want to come?" Namine said stopping and pointing with the thumb her home.
"Why not, you coming Rox?" Axel said walking into the house. Roxas snorted advancing to meet his friend.
The trio entered the house; Namine left her backpack on a couch in the living room, Roxas and Axel tailing behind her.
"Your parents won't get mad with you if they find us here?" Axel said looking around.
"They would if they were here, you can leave your things wherever you want." she said walking to the kitchen.
The boys followed her. Entering they found that the girl's family had a pretty big kitchen. The walls were painted a sandy color, the furniture of her kitchen were a dark brown color while the stove and refrigerator were gray also they had in the middle of the room a bar surrounded by six wooden stools. The boys sat each in a stool.
"Want a drink?" the girl asked them opening the refrigerator and rummaging though its contents.
"Water" Roxas answered her resting his arm on the bar.
"Whatever it's okay." Axel said.
The petite blonde took three bottles of water, shut the refrigerator and sat on a stool in front of Axel putting the bottles on the bar.
"... Tomorrow we will return to practice." Roxas said opening the bottle.
Namine nodded sipping her own water, meanwhile Axel watched amused by the strange way in which they interacted. Roxas opened his mouth in an attempt to say something when his phone started vibrating for an incoming call. He took it out of his pocket and when he saw the name of who was calling him in the device's screen he made a grimace, stood up and left the kitchen without saying anything.
The mood between the blonde and the redhead after being left alone was silent and uncomfortable. Namine kept her eyes on the water bottle in front of her while Axel looked at the stool where his friend was sitting.
"A... Axel?"
"Mmm"
"You..." The girl bit her lower lip, not knowing in what way to make her question. "You too fight against... against these things?"
"Which things? oh you mean the heartless? Well yeah." He said grinning proud.
"Then you too... you're like him?"
"Yes, I'm like Roxas, a nobody."
"Nobody?"
"This is how we call ourselves."
"Then there are more... like you?"
"Mmm so far there are thirteen of us."
"Am I... like you?" Namine supported her head on the bar. She was so haggard.
"And if I say you are, what would you do?" He asked mischievous.
"Mmm..." she looked at him askance and sighed heavily. Axel looked at her and chuckled amused at her odd behavior.
"Take it easy you're not a nobody, the mark that you have only sharpened your senses. You didn't do a contract; didn't Roxas explain anything to you?"
"hmp he only told me that if he wanted his wish to be fulfilled he had to give up his heart and he must fight the heartless."
"By the way you say it I can deduce that you're not too fond of Roxas, don't you?" Axel teased her.
"... He is always being sarcastic and a complete jerk to me, from the very first moment he saw me he detested me that's why I've been wondering lately why did he saved from the heatless if he hates me so much. To be honest I don't understand him." Namine said lifting her head.
Axel was stunned to hear what the blonde thought. Suddenly the redhead started laughing like nothing.
"Hey why are you laughing?" Namine asked glaring at him incredulous.
"Don't be angry blondie but aren't you judging him a little hard?" Axel's green eyes peered at her through his bottle of water.
"What you mean?"
"People like us get rid of something in order to get something else that generally is not readily available, also the reason we do this... horrible work is for the sake of someone else." he said calmly and somewhat distant. "You don't know the reason why the kid does this or what happened to him to behave the way he does. I know he's bad-tempered and gets angry easily but he's not a bad person and he'll never let anyone die or disappear by his fault. If you don't believe what I say just give yourself time to get to know him better, got it memorized?" Axel poked her in the forehead.
"I guess you're right, thanks Axel." She said rubbing her forehead, a small and warm smile spread across her face.
"It would be the first time." Roxas said coming in and sitting on the stool where he was before. He had a surly expression.
"Who called you?" Axel asked.
"Saix. He asked me if I knew where you were."
"And you said?"
"That you were with me because I needed your help with some issues." The blond replied nonchantantly.
"I guess you gave no more details, don't you?" Axel said slyly.
"I don't want him meddling in my affairs."
"Who is Saix?" Namine asked tilting her head.
"He is an old friend of mine, also a nobody. He could be called the secretary of our boss." Axel replied dismissively.
"You mean the lapdog." Roxas muttered in annoyance
"You... Did you have a boss?" She asked strangely.
"He's the person whom we made the contract to be what we are now." Roxas explained briefly.
"I understand."
"I would love to continue this lovely conversation but there are important issues that I have to deal with. Bye blondie, see ya later Atrum." the redhead said his goodbyes winking at Roxas in a teasing way.
"Whatever Axel but the next time you call me that I'll kill you, got it memorized?" Roxas threatened harshly glaring daggers at the back of the redhead.
"Whatever you say man, see ya." Axel said waving before leaving Namine's house.
"Atrum? What's that?" She asked eyeing the blond.
"My middle name. I dislike it so don't repeat or mention it to anyone."
"None of your names you like." Namine muttered.
"You're wrong. I like Roxas, I just don't like is how you say it you."
Namine rolled her eyes; she was surprised at how fast he could annoy her and thought disheartened. "Will he be... different when you get know him?"
"I too must go." Roxas stood up and walked to the exit.
"I'll accompany you to the door." she followed him.
They walked together to the living room where the boy gathered his belongings and they walked to the entrance. Namine opened the door for the boy when an odd yet familiar sensation like a small icy stream ran through her body.
"This feeling..." the girl thought looking suspiciously at the street.
Roxas walked beside her clutching the handle of his backpack. "They're coming."
"I can feel them not too far away." Namine said, looking around expecting to see something black with antennas jump from somewhere.
The boy looked bewildered before he said with not too much emotion. "Ready for your first hunt?"
"I... now?" Roxas arched a brow waiting for a proper answer. "... ye-yes!"
"Well, follow me and try to do what we practiced." she nodded.
Namine took her keys and kept them in her jeans pocket before closing the door behind them. Both teens ran along the street giving several turns through streets and alleys that Namine didn't know existed until now.
Within what seemed like minutes of running out of control arrived at a place completely deserted, which was very strange because was past five o'clock in the afternoon and many people are away from home at this time yet there was not a single soul in the place.
"It's very lonely here."
"You see the fog that surrounds us? That prevents people from approaching this place."
"Like... magic?"
"You can call it that if you want."
A sound similar to a glass being shattered attracted their attention to a store at their left. From one of the windows appeared approximately eight creatures similar to the one that had assaulted Namine several weeks ago. She shuddered at the sight of his yellow eyes and sharp claws. In front of them other five monsters emerged from the ground.
"Okay lets the party begins." Roxas said to no one in particular while out of nowhere appeared two swords, one in each hand. Both weapons were like huge keys. One was white with an intricate design while the other had a more antique design and was completely black.
"Take this." He said throwing the white sword in her direction.
"This... I don't know how to use it!" The girl replied in distress taking the sword in her shaking hands.
"I don't intend you to use it, it's only in case you need to defend yourself." Roxas clarified giving her a lopsided grin that made Namine's heart fluttered before running off towards the monsters.
The boy advanced slashing the creatures in his path, swinging his sword with such precision and grace that seemed part of a pre-rehearsed choreography.
The heartless began to attack from all directions trying to rip his arms and legs as the boy evaded or simply stabbed them with his dark sword.
Behind, Namine watched amazed and terrified at the same time. She had noticed during the training the way Roxas moved and reacted so she knew he had time facing these things and the today's hunt only confirmed what she already assumed.
The number of enemies decreased promptly although those who remain were still attacking and evading the boy's blows. "This is taking too long." he thought as he decapitated a heartless in front of him. Meanwhile two creatures noticed the presence of the blonde girl and rapidly came to where she was.
"No... Don't come..." She murmured holding the weapon in front of her like dear life. "Stay away from me!" The volume of her voice was rising as fast as her panic.
One of the creatures leaped ahead and rushed towards her with his claws extended ready to slit her to the bone. Her mind was paralyzed by fear keeping her motionless; she was staring with wide open eyes to the creature that would end her life until something snapped in her mind that made her arms move frantically.
She gave several blows on the creature's body disappearing it in a mass of pitch black air. The other heartless ran with the same lucky being hit by the white sword a few times.
Just as Roxas ended with the last creature that was near him he turned around to make sure that Namine was still whole, he saw the girl stabbing the second creature that attacked her and even after it she was moving the sword everywhere.
Roxas walked towards her and stopped within a reasonable distance to avoid being beaten with his own weapon. "Namine! Stop moving like that my sword or you'll end up throwing it." She opened her eyes, she hadn't noticed that she had closed and slowly stopped. He moved closer and extended his hand to her, she looked at him confused. "Give me back my keyblade."
"Keyblade?"
"What you have in your hands is a keyblade, would you give it back to me?"
Namine returned him his sword and when it touched his hand it disappeared like the one he held in his other hand.
"I'll take you home." She nodded slowly, walking behind him with her hands clutching the hem of her sweater.
"Did I really… really fight against a heartless? Did I really use a sword-keyblade-whatever it was?" She thought confused; she couldn't believe what just happened.
After passing several streets they almost reached their destination, before them the sun was setting softly coloring the horizon with red and orange tones. The boy felt the nostalgia invaded his heart (or what was left of it) at the sight of this.
"Hey..." Roxas the call but received no reply. "Heeeey!"
"... Wh-What?" Namine stuttered.
"You umm... did a good work for a newbie also for this being your first time using a keyblade though... you need to improve more." He told her awkwardly as they walked, looking at the sunset. They almost arrived to her house.
"I... thanks Roxas" the girl covered her mouth with both hands expecting the worst when he saw the boy flinched.
"Yeah ehm... You're welcome." Roxas replied simply reaching the front door of the white house. The girl relaxed a little when she didn't received a harsh comment after mentioning his name.
Without a word he turned and went on his way to his house deciding to let her call him by name after all today she had proved to be more useful than he had originally expected. A little almost invisible smile adorned his handsome features at the thought of having a competitive partner after all.
And that's all this chapter, I hope you guys enjoyed it :D! I'll try to update chapter seven next week. (oh yeah I'm inspired :])
I was planning to update this yesterday but since it was mother's day I was celebrating it with my mom.
I want to thank to all the wonderfull people who review or added Intertwined Lights to his/hers favorite or alert list you guys are awesome :3!
If you had questions, suggestions, comments or anything just Pm me or leave a review.
See you, till next update! :D