Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Eye of the Storm ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

And a quick reminder about the 4 OC's in this story:

Skylar Strifehart (16-years-old) (Leon and Cloud's daughter)

Sorika Kagi (15-years-old) (Riku and ? 's daughter)

Nerina (14-years-old) and Andrew (15-years-old) Tillmitt (Tidus and Selphie's daughter and son)


Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. I do, however, own Nerina, Andrew, Sorika, Skylar, and any other OC's made up for the purpose of this fanfiction.

Sora nervously stands on the porch of a light blue-gray colored one-story house. A small piece of paper rests loosely between the fingertips of his right hand. “Breathe, Sora.” He reminds himself. “Baby steps.” He breathes in deeply and then slowly exhales before he raises a hand and pushes the button for the doorbell.

“It’s open!” Riku yells.

Sora hesitates a moment, wondering if this is really a good idea. The thought of Yuffie scolding him runs through his head and he decides it’ll just be better to go along with Yuffie’s idea. Sora closes his eyes and takes another deep breath as he rests a hand on the doorknob. Then he opens his eyes and goes into the house without hesitating.

“I’m in the kitchen, Yuffie!”

‘Yuffie, you’re not making things any easier for me.’ Sora grumbles in his mind. He had expected that Riku would answer the door and Sora would have an easy escape route if he were to panic. But now he’s inside Riku’s house which means Riku has an advantage over him.

Sora stops a moment to slip off his shoes. While he does so, he takes a look at the few pictures of Riku and Sorika that are on the walls. A few of the pictures have Selphie, Tidus, and their kids in them, or the pictures have Yuffie in them.

“Yuffie, what--” Riku stops short when he steps into the hallway and sees that it’s not Yuffie who is standing in his house but someone he thought he would never see again. “Sora…” He whispers, his eyes wide.

Sora trembles a little as he takes in the form of his old friend. The familiar locks of silver colored hair are cut shorter than when he last saw Riku and are pulled back by a piece of ribbon. Gone are the clothes that showed off his figure so well. In replace of them are sweatpants and a t-shirt. “Riku…” Sora whispers. Then he gaze drops to the ground.

An awkward silence falls over the two of them. Neither Sora nor Riku know what to say to one another after sixteen years of separation.

Sora shuffles his feet a little and then looks up at Riku. “You…” He falters and then quickly collects himself and continues. “You look well.” He says lamely.

Riku says nothing in return and Sora, thinking Riku’s angry with him, drops his gaze back to the ground. When Sora hears light footsteps on the carpeted floor he looks up just as Riku envelops him in a hug.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again.” Riku whispers, tightening his hold on Sora. Tears prick at his eyes, but he holds them back. He’s always been the strong one between them and he doesn’t want that to change now.

Sora hugs Riku back and lets his eyes close as they fill with tears. “I won’t, Riku. I promise.”

0-0-0

Yuffie hums cheerfully as she helps Sorika to the apartment she shares with Cid. Sorika, on the other hand, is not as cheerful as Yuffie since she got beaten up pretty badly with Yuffie’s training from Hell.

“That was fun!” Yuffie says cheerfully. “I haven’t had a chance to train with anyone in a long time. You know, other than Cloud and Leon. Riku’s always so busy.” She sticks out her tongue, showing just how she feels about that. “And Aerith doesn’t fight.”

Sorika groans when she bumps into the wall. “I am never fighting against you again.” She mutters.

“Never ever?” Yuffie asks.

“Never ever.” Sorika agrees. “Muscles I didn’t even know I had are aching.”

Yuffie lets go of Sorika’s shoulders to fish out her key and unlock the door. “That’s the whole point of training, silly.” She fumbles with the key a bit, trying to figure out which way the key goes in. Finally she figures it out and gets the door unlocked. “There we go! Now lets go get some ice for that nasty bruise of yours.”

“Your fault, not mine.” Sorika mutters under her breath. She follows Yuffie into the apartment and into the kitchen area where they find Haruko cooking. After greeting her rival for Andrew’s love, Sorika turns her attention back to Yuffie, who is now gathering ice from the freezer. “Why didn’t Sora come back for my training?” She asks as she sits down. She winces when her back comes in contact with the chair.

Yuffie doesn’t answer. She’s pretending she didn’t hear Sorika’s question over the sound of the ice grating together. She finishes up with more noise than is necessary and then tosses the icepack to Sorika.

“You shouldn’t put that directly on your skin.” Haruko remarks. “You need a cloth between the icepack and your skin.”

Yuffie snaps her fingers. “I knew I forgot something!” She then opens the nearest drawer and pulls out a small hand towel. She hands it over to Sorika, who puts it over the icepack, and then she sits down across from Sorika. “So, what were you asking me earlier?”

Sorika breathes a sigh of relief when the coolness of the icepack comes in contact with the bruise on her thigh. “I was asking why Sora didn’t come back to train me.” She says. “I mean, he said he was going to.”

“Something came up.” Yuffie says. “And I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to train you myself, so I took it! With some training you’d make a good ninja.”

Sorika rolls her eyes. “Yuffie, you’ve said that since I was a little girl.”

“And it’s the truth!” Yuffie stubbornly says. “If you’d let me put you through training, you would make a great ninja! And besides,” She looks out the kitchen window. “I need someone who will take over for me when I’m gone.”

Over at the stove, Haruko drops the spoon onto the floor. At the table Sorika looks at Yuffie with a mixture of shock and surprise.

“But that won’t be for a long time so I’ve got plenty of time to train you!” Yuffie takes her gaze off of the window and looks around the room to Haruko. “You alright?”

Haruko nods and then bends down and picks up the spoon. “I’m fine, Aunt Yuffie. Just a little surprised is all.”

Yuffie nods in understanding and then looks back at Sorika. “So what do you say, Sorika? Do you want to be a great ninja like me?”

Sorika considers the proposition for a moment and then she nods. “Yes. I say yes.”

Yuffie cheers and then bounds over and hugs Sorika.

0-0-0

Hollow Bastion/Radiant Gardens - Firehaven Residence

Reno and Skylar relax together up in Reno’s bedroom. Skylar is sprawled out on Reno’s bed on her side trying to read an old comic book and Reno is lying on the floor actually reading an old comic book.

After five minutes of rereading the same line over and over again, Skylar gives up and pushes the comic aside. “Hey, Reno?”

“Huh?”

Skylar rolls over onto her stomach and tucks a stray piece of hair behind her head. “Is Axel angry with me?” She asks, her blue eyes troubled.

Reno looks up from his book, a questioning look in his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Skylar sighs. “It’s just that…. A few days ago I got a phone call when Axel was over playing video games with Roxas and I. A phone call from Rikku.”

“Rikku?” Reno asks with a frown. “Isn’t she that hyperactive girl we used to hang out with when we were little? The blonde one who wore orange all the time?”

Skylar nods. “She asked me if I wanted to hang out some time this summer and I… I said yes. Should I have done that?”

“Depends.” Reno replies. “Do you want to hang out with her?”

“Of course!” Skylar exclaims. She immediately sobers up and looks down at the ground after her outburst. “What happened when we were kids… It was a stupid misunderstanding. And then I had to go to Destiny Gardens and that just made it worse an--”

“Stop.” Reno orders. “It’s not your fault that the three of you drifted apart. Back to the actual subject, I take it that Axel overheard this conversation.”

Skylar nods again. “He did.”

“Then I’d say yeah, he is mad.” Reno says. “But there’s not much you can do about it until he cools off. Next to Roxas, you’re one of the people he cares deeply for. He won’t stay angry for too long. But you know what would make him happy?”

Skylar laughs. “Yeah. A date with Roxas.”

Reno laughs as well. “That would work. But you know what else would make him happy?”

Skylar shakes her head.

“A hug and some chocolate.” At Skylar’s incredulous look he defends his idea. “I’m serious! Other than Roxas, Axel’s biggest weaknesses are chocolates, hugs, and puppies!”

“So I just need to find some chocolates shaped like puppies and give Axel a hug while I’m giving him the chocolates.” Skylar says in an amused tone. “Reno, this has to be the funniest thing you’ve come up with all summer.”

Reno shrugs. “It’s a gift.” He tries to go back to reading his comic book, but Skylar stops him.

“Lets go find some chocolates shaped like puppies, then.” Skylar says determinedly. “I can’t have one of my very best friends angry with me for half of summer just because I go hang out with a person I know he hates! Lets go, Reno!”

“Why am I always dragged into this stuff?” Reno asks. “Every time. Every single time.”

“You’re just lucky, I guess.” Skylar tells him. “Ready to go?”

Reno looks forlornly at his comic book and decides it’s not worth having Skylar’s puppy-eyes weaken him until he ends up paying for the chocolate and buying an actual puppy that he’ll end up taking care of. “Lets go.” He says with a sigh.

Skylar smiles and rolls off the bed so she lands on Reno before he can get up. She then wraps her arms around his neck. “Love you bunches, No-no!” She says childishly.

Reno groans. “Love you too, La-la. Now get off. You’re heavy. Heavy, not fat!” He says before she can claim he called her fat.

Skylar pouts. “You take the fun out of everything, No-no.”

“Childish brat.” Reno says without really meaning it. “Please get off?”

Skylar pretends to think about it for a few seconds and then gets off of Reno’s back. After making sure Reno’s not sneaking his comic book along with them under his shirt, Skylar drags the redhead out of the house and into the cobblestone streets of Radiant Gardens, which is best known as Hollow Bastion.

“Look Reno! A pet shop!”

“Absolutely not!”

Skylar just laughs and proceeds to drag Reno to the candy store.

0-0-0

Over at the Strifehart house, Axel and Roxas are sitting in the living room listening to music and doing basically nothing. The two aren’t even talking to one another, which is unusual because Axel loves talking to Roxas.

Roxas soon grows tired of the nothingness and decides he needs to talk to Axel about Skylar. “Axel.”

Axel doesn’t even look over at Roxas when the blonde calls his name.

Roxas huffs in frustration and then grabs a couch cushion and throws it at Axel’s head. “AXEL!”

The combination of Roxas yelling at him and the pillow hitting him in the head snaps Axel out of his daydream. “What?” He snaps. When he sees that it’s Roxas trying to get his attention he softens his tone. “What’s up, Roxas?” He asks, hoping his tone will convince Roxas that nothing is wrong.

Roxas is not convinced.

“Skylar says that you’re angry with her.” Roxas says, narrowing his eyes. “Why?”

Axel scowls and looks away. “It’s nothing.”

Roxas reaches for another couch cushion. “Tell me what is going on NOW!” He yells before he throws a second couch pillow at the redhead.

Axel yelps and pushes away the pillow. “What was that for!? You asked me what was wrong but there’s nothing wrong!”

“Fine!” Roxas yells back.

The two seethe in silence for a few minutes before Roxas gets an idea. Pretending that he’s still really angry with Axel he stomps off into the kitchen and gets a class of water. Then he sneaks back into the living room, sets down the glass of water near where Axel is sitting, and then tackles Axel to the ground, pinning him there.

“Now!” Roxas grabs the glass of water and holds it threateningly over Axel’s head. “You will tell me what the hell is going on!”

Axel pales at the sight of the glass of water. Fire and water doesn’t mix very well, apparently. Or more likely, Axel’s hair and water don’t mix. “Okay, fine! I’m pissed because Skylar is going to go hang out with that Rikku bitch! Are you happy now?”

“No.” Roxas states simply. “And I wouldn’t try and flip me over, if I were you. Remember, I have a glass of water and I know how to use it!” He tips the glass a little. “Now tell me what’s so bad about Skylar hanging out with this Rikku girl.”

Axel scowls. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Talk anyway.” Roxas says stubbornly.

Axel is silent for a moment or two before he gives in. “Skylar, Reno, and I used to hang out with Rikku when we were little kids. About a year before we met you Rikku met these two girls, her cousin Yuna and this strange girl named Paine, and we drifted apart slowly at first. And then one day Rikku killed my pet Fluffy!”

Roxas looks at Axel in disbelief. “You hate her because she killed your pet Fluffy?”

Axel nods.

“Axel, that’s the most ridiculous thing ever.” Roxas says.

“And she broke Skylar’s heart.”

This time there’s a moment of silence.

“What?” Roxas asks. “Axel, I don’t know if you haven’t noticed, but Skylar’s not gay. And she’s obviously not angry with Skylar.”

Axel sighs. “It wasn’t really her who broke Skylar’s heart. There was this guy they both liked. Skylar liked him first and Rikku heard about him so much and actually talked to him that she got a crush on him too. And then one day at school Rikku couldn’t help herself and gave him a kiss. It was just a small one on the cheek, but it was enough for Skylar to get pissed and throw a fit. I think that was the most surprising thing her dads have had to face in all sixteen years.” He sounds slightly amused at that. He sighs and mumbles, “But it was for the best. Reno would have pounded the guy if Skylar had ‘dated’ him.” He draws air quotes around the word “dated”.

Roxas frowns and sets down the glass of water. “Why would Reno have beaten him up?” He asks.

Axel’s face shows an expression of fear for a moment, but it’s gone in a millisecond. “No reason. I mean, Skylar and I have been friends since we were babies and Reno was always there with us. It’s only normal that Reno’s a little protective.”

Roxas narrows his eyes. “Reno likes her.”

Axel gulps. “Well-”

“I’ll kill him!” Roxas roars, starting to get up.

Axel takes the opportunity to flip Roxas over so that he’s the one being pinned down. He leans down with a smirk until their noses are barely an inch apart. “Now why would you want to do that when you could stay here with me?”

Roxas gulps and his face begins to turn red. Axel leans closer and Roxas turns even redder.

“A-Axel.” Roxas stutters.

“Roxas.” Axel whispers, before he bends down and plants a kiss on Roxas’s cheek. Before the little blonde can comprehend what happened Axel is off of the floor and sitting on the couch humming a little tune.

Once Roxas overcomes his shock he stands up, picking up the glass of water as he does so. He smirks. “Oh, Aaaaxeeelll…!”

“Huh?”

There’ ;s a splash and a fizzing noise.

“AHHH! MY HAIR!”

Roxas just laughs as Axel’s hair begins to poof up.

“It’s not funny, Roxas!”

0-0-0-0

End Chapter.

0-0-0

Shiro: I just love ending chapters on happy and sometimes funny scenes. And Rikku would like you all to know that the death of Fluffy was completely accidental. There are a lot of pets named Fluffy in this story. There was Sorika's guinea pig and now Axel's unknown pet named Fluffy. Lets call it a turtle, shall we?

Bast: Turtles aren't fluffy. They don't have fur!

Axel: So sue me! I was four when I named him!

Shiro: Well, now you know what Yuffie's idea was from the last chapter. Oh, and there's like, two more chapters left of this story. I just love short fanfictions. I don't get easily distracted or bored when I'm writing them. Yay! Now to work on that Yugioh fic....

Reviews help feed plot kitties! I just love hearing what people think about what I write or what you think I should fix.